Chapter
1
The aim of
this book is to emphasise Israel’s unique position within the
plans and purposes of God. The roll of Israel and that of The
Church should not be confused. May God grant us grace and
wisdom as we undertake this study so that we might rightly divide His
word of truth.
AN
IDENTITY CRISIS
Many today seem to be in an
identity crisis. It has been taught for centuries that The Church has
replaced Israel. Even among those who acknowledge the restoration of
Israel, there are many who speak of themselves as
‘Spiritual Israel’. This author too has been guilty
of this in the past. We don’t know who coined this
phrase ‘Spiritual Israel’, but it does not deserve
its common usage among Christians for it is not found in
scripture. The word Israel is found in the New Testament in
excess of seventy times. However, after careful consideration of its uses,
we have come to the conclusion that there is not one case in which the
New Testament refers to Gentile believers as Jews or Israel.
All Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ are presently
incorporated into one body, namely; The Church.
A SEPARATE
PLAN
God
has a separate plan for each of His covenant peoples, yet it is clear
that both Israel and The Church have a common destiny in our
commonwealth through Jesus Christ. This common destiny and
wealth is realised in that glorious city for which Abraham looked, “new Jerusalem”
(Revelation
21:2). “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose
builder and
maker is
God” (Hebrews 11.10) The Lord Jesus has
promised The Church a part in this city. (See Revelation
3:12-13). Both Israel and The Church shall eternally dwell within
her. See Revelation (21:12-14)
WHO IS ISRAEL
Many
take Romans 2:28-29 to mean that all who are circumcised of heart are
true Jews and therefore part of Israel. We do not believe that
Paul is establishing a ‘Spiritual Israel’ in these verses.
He is expressing a point which he continues to enlarge upon throughout
the book.
Paul continues: “…
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6)
in other words, which are descended from Israel. This
scripture does not add Gentiles to the nation of Israel, but
subtracts from Israel those descendants of Jacob who reject
God’s plan of salvation. The apostle Peter gave
clear warning to the nation of Israel in regard to this subtraction
when he declared “And
it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that
prophet,
(i.e. be circumcised of heart) shall
be destroyed from among the people.”
(Acts 3:23)
Again
Paul continues in the same vein when he quotes Isaiah. “…Though the
number of the children
of Israel be as the
sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.” (Romans 9:27)
It is only the
faithful remnant of Israel which shall be counted as Israel. So that
when Paul declares: “And
so all Israel shall be saved: As it is written…”
(Romans 11:26) he is not referring to The Church,
nor is he referring to everyone who is born Jewish, but he is referring
to a faithful remnant which shall be counted as “The Israel of
God” who shall yet fulfill
God’s plans and purposes for that nation upon this earth in
literal fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
The complete restoration and restitution of
Israel has been suspended by God for the duration of the
‘age of grace’. However when “…the times
of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24)
and
“…the
fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25) this
present dispensation shall be concluded, for then God Almighty
will restore the remnant of His chosen people and place them
in their own land and at the head of the nations. See Deuteronomy 28:13.
THE ETERNAL
COMMONWEALTH
Paul
reveals that in The Church there is neither Jew nor Greek,
nevertheless, “…
ye are Abraham’s
seed, and
heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29)
for even as Abraham we believe God and are part of the “household of
faith”. Never is The Church called the
seed of Isaac, or the seed of Jacob, for both were set aside by God as
heads of a single and particular nation. Nevertheless “For all the promises
of God in him are yea, and in him
Amen, unto the glory
of God by us.” (2Corinthians 1:20) The Church is
not alien to but part of the “commonwealth
of
Israel” (Ephesians 2:12) This does not mean that
The Church is Israel, any more than being in the British Commonwealth
makes me, an Australian, British. However, “the
Israel of
God” and “The Church” shall
enjoy the same privileges for their commonwealth is in the
Lord Jesus Christ who is both “the
king of Israel” and “the head
of the
Church”
It is worth noting
that the Lord Jesus is called “the King of Israel”
and “the King of the Jews” in excess of
thirty times throughout the New Testament. Not once is He called the ‘King
of The Church’. The wise men were not looking for their own
King but “He that is born King of the
Jews” (Mathew 2:2)
WHO IS THE
CHURCH
What
does God’s word say about The Church? The word Church means
‘called-out-ones’ and she has been called
out of every Nation. “That he might present it to himself a glorious
church, …” (Ephesians 5:27) The Church is compared
to:
A
temple ____________1
Corinthians 3:16-17
The body of Christ _____1
Corinthians 12:27-31 and
Colossians 1:24
A habitation __________Ephesians
2:22
A
house ____________1
Timothy 3:15
Christ is
referred to as ‘The head of The Church’, see
Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 4:15 and (Colossians 1:18.) The
Church is referred to as “betrothed”
to Christ in (2 Corinthians 11:2) and compared to a bride in
(Ephesians 5: 22-30.) Though The Church is betrothed, she is not yet
married. She is compared to a bride awaiting her Bridegroom.
(Revelation 21:9) He shall
come for His called-out bride and
she shall marry Him who is the rightful heir to the throne of David.
He has promised that she shall sit with Him in His throne. “To him that overcometh will I grant
to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in
his throne. He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.”
(Revelation
3:21:22)
“It is a faithful saying: For if
we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we
shall also reign with
him…”(2 Timothy 2:11-12) Indeed our
Lord Jesus shall “restore
the kingdom to Israel.” And His bride The Church
shall sit with Him in His throne. This brings to mind our
Lord’s comforting words “Fear
not, little flock; for it is your Father’s
good pleasure
to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 13:32), “who hath
delivered us from the
power of darkness and
hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.” (Colossians
1:13)
MAY WE BE
READY
I
have sought in this opening chapter to highlight the danger of being
found in a position of mistaken identity. May we clearly
understand who we are so that we may be found looking up when
our Bridegroom appears.
© Copyright Dirk Evenhuis. The book Israel's Destiny is
protected by
Australian copyright law. No part of the book may be used or
distributed for commercial reasons without the written permission of
the author Dirk Evenhuis.
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