Who is the Israel of God?

If you were to ask such a question to the vast majority of Christians today, they would promptly respond that it is the political state of Israel created in 1948. In general, the average Christian would consider themselves to be the “church”, while separating Israel to a country in the middle east.

Though a doctrine called dispensationalism, there is a distinct separation between who the “church” is and who “Israel” is, and the majority are taught this within their congregations, and very few question it. Ever since the introduction of the Scofield Bible (1909), taught in seminaries nationwide, which separates church from Israel, not only has prophesy been manipulated, but it is quite an identity crisis, when all throughout Scripture the assembly of God, Israel, is always His people, a covenant people of God. 

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.16And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.


I. What is Dispensationalism?

For brevity’s sake, I am only providing a short overview on the doctrine of dispensationalism.  I feel that it is important to touch on, for those who may not be familiar with such terminology or teaching, as well as providing understanding on where this separation of Israel and the church got its running start in doctrinal teaching. 

A summary from 5 Minute Church History:

Dispensationalism is a movement in theology that began in the 1800s and came on strong in the 1900s. The story of dispensationalism begins with John Nelson Darby. He was born in 1800 in Westminster, London, but his family roots were Irish, so when he came of age to go to college, he was sent to Trinity College, Dublin. He excelled as a student there and won the Classics Prize. That skillset would come in handy for him later. He would be involved in translating the Bible into German, Dutch, and French. He even had his own English translation of the complete Bible. Darby died in 1882.

He’s known for two things. He was one of the early founders in what is called the Plymouth Brethren Church, and he was the father or founder of dispensationalism, which came about in the 1830s and 1840s. There are four significant features to dispensationalism that Darby began and then were further developed by others. The first is to see a distinction between Israel and the church. Prior to dispensationalism, the understanding was that there is one people of God. We could call it covenant theology. And there is a connection between Israel and the church. But Darby made a distinction between those two, teaching there are two peoples of God, as it were. He taught that God had a distinct and unique plan for Israel, and a distinct and unique plan for the church.

The third thing that popularized dispensationalism was the Scofield Reference Bible, named for Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, who was born in 1843 and died in 1921. He used the dispensations as the framework to understand the Bible and its structure, and he applied that dispensational hermeneutic to texts. Scofield also put forth the dispensational distinction of a separation between Israel and the church.


II. The Assembly of God/YHWH in the Wilderness

Acts 7:37This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. 38This is he, THAT WAS IN THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

Notice that Israel, in the wilderness, was referred to as the “church”, as the two identifying terms “Israel” and “church” are together as one. There was no separation.  Take careful note, that “church” is the word ekklesia, which is used several times through the New Testament writings referring to the “church”, which is the Body of Christ, a holy nation (1Peter 2:9), which is Israel, not that of the physical, but through the spiritual seed of Christ.

ekklésia: an assembly, a (religious) congregation
Original Word: ἐκκλησία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: ekklésia
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-klay-see’-ah)
Definition: an assembly, a (religious) congregation
Usage: an assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers.
 
HELPS Word-studies
1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, “out from and to” and 2564 /kaléō, “to call”) – properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.
 
Not only was Israel always been called the “church”, but also a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation”.
 

Exodus 19:5Now therefore, IF YE WILL OBEY MY VOICE INDEED, AND KEEP MY COVENANT, THEN YE SHALL BE A PECULIAR TREASURE unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, AND AN HOLY NATION.

This passage comes from the account in Exodus as Moses leads the people into the wilderness of Sinai and had camped near the base of the mountain. Yahweh has spoken to the people through Moses, and the people are to make themselves ready before the base of the Mt. Sinai so that Yahweh will come down in a cloud to speak to them.

♦Exodus 19:10And the LORD(YHWH) said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and LET THEM WASH THEIR CLOTHES, 11And be ready against the third day: FOR THE THIRD DAY THE LORD(YHWH) WILL COME DOWN IN THE SIGHT OF ALL THE PEOPLE upon mount Sinai. 

♦Exodus 19:16And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

Notice what I have highlighted in these passages, and how the following passages underneath reveal a similar pattern. 

Exodus 19:5…IF YE WILL OBEY MY VOICE INDEED, AND KEEP MY COVENANT, THEN YE SHALL BE A PECULIAR TREASURE…AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, AND AN HOLY NATION.

♦Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, zealous of good works.

1 Peter 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a HOLY PRIESTHOOD, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

♦1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, AN HOLY NATION, A PECULIAR PEOPLE; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

♦Revelation 1:6 WHO HAS MADE US A KINGDOM, PRIESTS to His God and Father–to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

♦Revelation 5:10 YOU HAVE MADE THEM TO BE A KINGDOM AND PRIESTS to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

Exodus 19:10…LET THEM WASH THEIR CLOTHES…

Revelation 3:4‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; AND THEY WILL WALK WITH ME IN WHITE, for they are worthy. 5HE WHO OVERCOMES WILL THUS BE CLOTHED IN WHITE GARMENTS; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 

♦Revelation 7:14“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

♦Revelation 22:14BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WASH THEIR ROBES*, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. 

*(Blessed are those who do His commandments)

♦Hebrews 10:22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER.

The people that Moses brought to the base of Mt. Sinai were a type and shadow to us being brought to Mt. Zion through Yeshua/Jesus. From temporal to eternal, from physical to spiritual.  The holy nation of Israel, the assembly/church, a peculiar treasure, and kingdom of priests, are now through Yeshua/Jesus.

♦Hebrews 12:18For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken. 

♦Hebrews 12:22Instead, YOU HAVE COME TO MOUNT ZION, to the city of the living God, the HEAVENLY JERUSALEM. You have come to myriads of angels 23IN A JOYFUL ASSEMBLY, TO THE CONGREGATION OF THE FIRSTBORN, ENROLLED IN HEAVEN. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

The “congregation of the firstborn” is in reference to the church, or the entire Body of Christ, both here on earth, as well as in heaven. The term “firstborn” is used multiple times within scripture to point to Yeshua and specifically has to do with inheritance. This is why we receive the blessing of the first-born as co-heirs with Christ, and inheritance of the kingdom.

♦Roman 8:16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

♦Col 3:23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 

♦Rev 21:76And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life. 7The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.

The word used for “congregation”, is again also interchangeable with church/assembly and comes from the Greek word “ekklesia”:

ekklésia: an assembly, a (religious) congregation

Original Word: ἐκκλησία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: ekklésia
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-klay-see’-ah)
Definition: an assembly, a (religious) congregation
Usage: an assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers.

 

Now, let’s look back at the initial passage from Acts, and focus on verse 37:

Acts 7:37THIS IS THAT MOSES, WHICH SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, A PROPHET SHALL THE LORD YOUR GOD RAISE UP UNTO YOU OF YOUR BRETHREN, LIKE UNTO ME; HIM SHALL YOU HEAR. 38This is he, THAT WAS IN THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

The prophet mentioned to Moses, (see also Acts 3:22, Deut 18:15-18), was in reference to not only Yeshua/Jesus but also the Angel or Messenger of YHWH that was with them in the wilderness. The Angel/Messenger of YHWH, is the very presence of Yahweh and the One whom Moses spoke to on Mt. Sinai, in which they received the 10 commandments and made a Covenant. Stephen, the one speaking in the passage from Acts, is revealing that just as their fathers rejected Moses, and other prophets sent, they also have rejected Christ.

Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

The Just One which they crucified, was the same One who led them through the wilderness and tested.

♦1 Cor 10:3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; FOR THEY DRANK FROM THE SPIRITUAL ROCK THAT ACCOMPANIED THEM, AND THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST. 

♦1 Cor 10:9 WE SHOULD NOT TEST CHRIST, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes. 

♦Judges 2:1AND AN ANGEL OF THE LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I MADE YOU TO GO UP OUT OF EGYPT, AND HAVE BROUGHT YOU UNTO THE LAND which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break MY COVENANT WITH YOU. 2And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: BUT YE HAVE NOT OBEYED MY VOICE: why have ye done this?  

This is important to understand because it was the preincarnate Yeshua/Jesus who made the covenant with the Israelites upon Mt. Sinai. He was the One in which the 70 elders dined with and they “saw YHWH”.

Just as He was a husband to those under the old covenant, He came down in human flesh to ratify the New Covenant in His own blood, and again be a husband to those which make up His bride. 

♦Jeremiah 31:31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, ALTHOUGH I WAS A HUSBAND UNTO THEM, saith the LORD: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

*Take note, that the New Covenant was to be made with the house of Israel. This would mean that those who are in the New Covenant, as Christ the Bridegroom, are the house of Israel, the New Jerusalem.

♦2 Cor 11:2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: FOR I HAVE ESPOUSED YOU TO ONE HUSBAND, THAT I MAY PRESENT YOU AS A CHASTE VIRGIN TO CHRIST.

From my blog “The Physical Form of the Father“:

Who John saw sitting on the throne, was the same One who the 70 elders along with Moses saw and dined with, as He confirmed the first covenant with them in the account of Exodus:

♦Ex 24:8And Mosheh took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “See, THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH יהוה (YHWH)HAS MADE WITH YOU concerning all these Words.”9And Mosheh went up, also Aharon, Naḏaḇ, and Aḇihu, and seventy of the elders of Yisra’ĕl,

10and they SAW THE ELOHIM(GOD) OF Yisra’ĕl (ISRAEL), and under His feet like a paved work of sapphire stone, and like the heavens for brightness. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the chiefs of the children of Yisra’ĕl! AND THEY SAW ELOHIM, AND THEY ATE AND DRANK.

They SAW YHWH. SO, WHO DID THEY SEE?

♦Judges 2:1And the Messenger of יהוה came up from Gilgal to Boḵim, and said, “I LED YOU UP FROM MITSRAYIM AND BROUGHT YOU TO THE LAND OF WHICH I SWORE TO YOUR FATHERS, and I said, ‘I do not break MY COVENANT with you,
2and as for you, do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land – break down their altars.’ BUT YOU HAVE NOT OBEYED MY VOICE.  What is this you have done?

Instead of the blood of goats, the New Covenant was ratified in Yah’s own blood.

♦Acts 20:28Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.


III. Israel of God/Yah

For many that hold to a separation of Israel and the church, will often accuse those who speak otherwise as promoting “replacement theology” in which the church has somehow replaced Israel. The scriptures do not teach that Israel replaced the church, but that the church and Israel are synonymous. However, there is also a distinction between those who claim to be Israel but are not, those who are Jews but are not, and those who are of the flesh and those who are not. In such case, it is evident that those of spiritual decent, those through Christ, have replaced, those after the flesh.

♦John 1:11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR THE WILL OF THE FLESH, nor of the will of man, but of God.

♦Gal 6:15For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, EVEN TO THE ISRAEL OF GOD.

Quoting several commentaries from this passage, all state the same thing, that the “Israel of God” are those made up of spiritual Israel, those born again of the Spirit.

Ellicott’s Commentary:

And upon the Israel of God.–The benediction is addressed, not to two distinct sets of persons (“those who walk by this rule” and “the Israel of God”), but to the same set of persons described in different ways. “And” is therefore equivalent to “namely:” Yea, upon the Israel of God. By the “Israel of God” is here meant the “spiritual Israel;” not converts from Judaism alone, but all who prove their real affinity to Abraham by a faith like Abraham’s. (Comp. Galatians 3:7-9; Galatians 3:14; Galatians 3:29; Romans 4:11-12; Romans 9:6-8.)

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible:

And upon the Israel of God – The true church of God; all who are his true worshippers; see the note at Romans 2:28-29Romans 9:6, note.

 

Israel of God—not the Israel after the flesh, among whom those teachers wish to enrol you; but the spiritual seed of Abraham by faith (Ga 3:9, 29; Ro 2:28, 29; Php 3:3).

Gill’s Exposition:

and upon the Israel of God; which is a further description of the persons, for whom he prays for these blessings; and is not to be understood by way of distinction from them, but as an amplification of their character; and as pointing out the Israel, by way of emphasis, the Israel, or Israelites indeed, the spiritual Israel, as distinct from Israel according to the flesh; see 1 Corinthians 10:18. The “Israel of God”, or as the Arabic version reads it, “Israel the propriety of God”; which he has a right unto, and a claim upon; who are chosen by him, Israel his elect; who are redeemed by him, out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation; who are called by his grace, and are styled Israel his called; who are justified in his Son

Something to note, is that all these commentaries were written anywhere from 100-150 years prior to the publishing of the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. 

In Psalm 148, Israel is referred to not only Yahweh’s children, but saints. 

Psalm 148:14And He has exalted the horn of His people, The praise of all His saints— Of the children of Israel, A people near to Him. Praise the LORD!

This is from the Pulpit Commentary:

Even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. The “children of Israel” are nearer to God than others, since he has taken them to himself as his own peculiar people, and both “draws nigh” to them (Psalm 69:11) and draws them near to him (Jeremiah 30:21). Praise ye the Lord (comp. ver. 1).

Now, the only ones called saints, and children of Yahweh in the NT writings, are those who are in Christ Jesus, and not those who deny Him as Messiah. 

♦1 Joh 3:1Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.

♦Col 1:26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:


IV. Israel in Yeshua/Jesus

Yeshua/Jesus was ALWAYS the FULFILLMENT of TRUE ISRAEL, and thus those grafted into Him are grafted into Israel of the SPIRIT. This is why we become “One Flesh” when we enter into covenant with Him (Eph 5:30) and become Israel.

♦Ex 4:22And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD(YHWH), ISRAEL IS MY SON, EVEN MY FIRSTBORN: 23And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

Israel is often depicted as of a physical nation that came about in 1948. However, the Scriptures paint a VERY DIFFERENT picture. Everything in the Torah and the Prophets pointed to Yeshua/Jesus, even the very depiction of Israel:

♦Hosea 11:1WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, then I loved him, AND CALLED MY SON out of Egypt.

Matthew alluded to this prophesy’s fulfillment pertaining to Israel being Yeshua/Jesus:

♦Mat 2:13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, AND DEPARTED INTO EGYPT: 15AND WAS THERE UNTIL THE DEATH OF HEROD: THAT MIGHT BE FULFILLED WHICH WAS SPOKEN OF THE LORD(YHWH) BY THE PROPHET SAYING, OUT OF EGYPT HAVE I CALLED MY SON.

Israel is the Messiah, the Body of Messiah. So, when we are grafted into Him, we are grafted into Israel. The only way for a person to be a part of Israel, is through the only valid covenant in operation which is the New Covenant through faith, and repentance in Yeshua/Jesus.

He is the vine, and we are the branches. He is the Root.

The Israel of God are those who are grafted into Yeshua/Jesus, as one cannot be grafted into a physical nation that has no covenant standing with God, regardless of what dispensationalists claim.

Many people use Romans 11 today, inserting a physical nation created in 1948, when the original audience Paul was speaking was within the first century and had to do with those of that particular time that were of physical/natural decent. This is why Paul also states in Romans 9, that “not all Israel is Israel”. Implicating that there are two Israel’s, one of the flesh and one of the Spirit, and that those of the promise are counted as Abraham’s children.

Ultimately that SEED is Christ, of which we become partakers in through faith:

♦Galatians 3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

♦Galatians 3:29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Paul was stating in Romans 11, that even though he was of the physical descent of Abraham, this did not make him a true descendant to the promises that went to Yeshua. Paul, like the rest of the true descendants at that time, had to be grafted BACK into the good olive tree (Yeshua) through faith, otherwise they would be cut off(destroyed) as there was no longer an old covenant in which they had righteous standing with the Father.

This is why, to understand Romans 11, you have to understand and put into correct context, the previous chapters:

♦Romans 9:6It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” 8So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring

Paul already defined, that those of the physical descent of Abraham were not His children(people), which is why Paul in Romans 11, states that those of physical Israel are NOT the elect:

♦Romans 11:7What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

The elect are those who are in Christ.

God’s people, “His chosen people” are those who are in the New Covenant.

♦Col 3:12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Notice, according to Col 3:12, those who are in Christ, are God’s chosen people. 

Which is why John the Baptist said do not think that you have Abraham as your father, as God is going to raise up His true children(people):

♦Mat 3:9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

This is again why Paul defines who is a Jew, also in the beginning chapters of the book of Romans:

♦Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

So, why was physical Israel hardened?  It was to initially cause Paul to go to the Gentiles, stated in the book of Acts:

♦Acts 13:45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying. 46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. BUT SINCE YOU REJECT IT AND DO NOT CONSIDER YOURSELVES WORTHY OF ETERNAL LIFE, WE NOW TURN TO THE GENTILES.

It was the same kind of hardening that came upon Pharaoh for his rejection of God’s instruction through Moses:

♦Ex 9:12But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses.

And after such, we see that the Egyptians are judged for it, just like the House of Judah was in 70AD.

♦Luke 19:43For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will level you to the ground— you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”


Another common passage, used egregiously, not only distorting prophesy, but taking the blessing off of Yeshua/Jesus and onto a gentile nation is from Genesis 12:2-3.

Gen 12:2“And I shall make you a great nation, and bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing! 3“And I shall bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you. And IN YOU ALL THE CLANS OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.”

People need to be really careful on using the passage from Genesis 12:2-3 to promote a physical nation of Israel as they are turning the blessings fulfilled in Christ, into a curse.

Gen 12:3 does not even mention Israel, nor did Israel even exist at the time, and the passage being spoken to ABRAHAM, were fulfilled in Christ. The promises were fulfilled through Messiah, we are blessed through Messiah, not a physical nation:

♦Acts 3:25And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham‘THROUGH YOUR OFFSPRING ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH WILL BE BLESSED.’ 26WHEN GOD RAISED UP HIS SERVANT, HE SENT HIM FIRST TO YOU TO BLESS YOU BY TURNING EACH OF YOU FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS.The book of Acts, recorded by Luke, has Peter speaking that the prophesy spoken to Abraham in Gen 12:3 is fulfilled through Christ. That the blessing/covenant made to Abraham for all nations to be blessed was through faith and repentance in Yeshua/Jesus.

Paul, also confirms this in Galatians, also making reference to the prophesy in Genesis 12:3

Gal 3:6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7KNOW YE THEREFORE THAT THEY WHICH ARE OF FAITH, THE SAME ARE THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM. 8AND THE SCRIPTURE, FORESEEING THAT GOD WOULD JUDTIFY THE HEATHEN (gentiles) THROUGH FAITH, PREACHED BEFORE THE GOSPEL UNTO ABRAHAM, SAYING IN THEE SHALL ALL NATIONS BE BLESSED. 9So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Pay attention closely to verse 8, that again the nations are to be blessed with the gospel.


In conclusion, I hope that this edifies those reading and challenges those who have been taught these doctrines to test them against scripture and the Spirit of Truth. For those who would like to learn more on this topic, please see these further blogs:

Children of Promise

Land of Promise

Tale of Two Israels

Abraham Accord Peace Treaty

2 Replies to “Who is the Israel of God?”

  1. Small thing, but grammatically, plural nouns are never formed with an apostrophe: two Israel’s, etc. It should be two Israels.

    1. Yes Alan, you are correct. It was a simple mistake on my end. It is difficult to catch all grammatical errors, but I have changed it. Thank you.

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