Who is the Israel of God?

He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."-Matt15.24

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.-John10.27

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.-Is65.17

you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.-Is62.2

I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.-Rev3.12

The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.-Acts11.26

Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.-Gal2.4

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 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.-Rom2.29

children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.-John1.13

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.-1Cor7.14

Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls-Rom9.10

You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.-Gal5.4

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!-Gal1.8

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.-Rom3.21

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-Phil3.3

it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.-Rom9.8

The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.-Gal3.17

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.-Gal3.29

These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.-Gal4.24

Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.-Rev11.8

At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.-Gal4.29

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.-1Pet1.23

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.-John6.63

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.-Matt24.35

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.-Heb1.3

Israel = "who prevails with GOD"

Israel are those who stick it out with GOD.
GOD is love.
Israel endures and overcomes with LOVE.

simple enough!

I focus on the idea that the true Israel is "God's faithful people".
Not the Jews on their own.
Not the Christians on their own.
But Jews and Christians together.
Although the Jewish knowledge of their God is incomplete, in my understanding, if they fail to recognise what God has been doing in the world in Christ.

reply to post by queenannie38


Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.-1Cor13.6

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.-John5.24

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.-John14.6

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.-Matt28.18

The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.-Zech14.9

For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.-Is60.12

For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'-Acts3.22

reply to post by DISRAELI


I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.-Rev2.9

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-Phil3.3

Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.-1John2.22

The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.-4

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ-1John3.23

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.-John3.18

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."-Acts4.12

reply to post by No King but Jesus


The law is not based on faith-Gal3.12

I agree
The Israel of God, is spiritual, not physical.

Israel is Israel, the Jewish nation. God made irrevocable promises to them and God does not lie. One should be cautious when your theological constructs undermine God’s integrity. I'd like to take this opportunity to dispel a little of the confusion. The Bible does not teach that the church has replaced Israel.

Jesus had the perfect opportunity to clarify Israel’s destiny and he did not teach replacement theology. In Acts 1:6 just before the ascension the disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Did Jesus say, “Sorry guys not going to happen, Israel forfeited?”

Nope. He says “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”

This infers a future time that God has fixed by His authority when will restore the Kingdom to Israel. This time was prophesied by Zechariah and Jesus later communicates this explicitly to John in Revelation 20.

Jesus in Luke 19:42 and Paul in Romans 11:25 explain that Israel is blinded nationally for the church age. Temporarily blinded not replaced.

In Romans 9, 10, & 11 Paul's purpose was to explain Israel's future. If you simply read that sequence of chapters, replacement theology is absurd. The gentile church is clearly described as “grafted into” not replacing Israel. Paul makes this abundantly clear:

“As regards the gospel, they [Israel] are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ” (Romans 11:28–29, ESV)

As regards to election –> irrevocable!

National Israel has a future as the spiritual leadership of the world (Zech 8:23).

Three Conditions for Israel's Future:

1. The Great Commission is fulfilled i.e. the fullness of the gentiles

“Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” (Romans 11:25, ESV)

2. Times of the Gentiles fulfilled:

“They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ” (Luke 21:24, ESV)

We are rapidly approaching that time.

3. Hosea 5:15 & Zech 12:10 – They acknowledge their offense (this is the purpose of the Tribulation or Time of Jacob's Trouble):

“I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me. ” (Hosea 5:15, ESV)

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. ” (Zechariah 12:10, ESV)

Revelation 19-21 and Zechariah 12-14 are the corresponding chapters that explain the coming Millennial Kingdom.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. ” (Revelation 19:11, ESV)

“Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. ” (Zechariah 14:3, ESV)

The scriptures are clear. There is a literal kingdom to come head quartered in Jerusalem.

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. ” (Revelation 20:6, ESV)

“And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one. ” (Zechariah 14:9, ESV)

[edit on 6/3/2010 by Bigwhammy]

reply to post by Bigwhammy


And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.-Rom11.23

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-Phil3.3

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ.-2Cor1.20

it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring-Rom9.8

what counts is a new creation.-Gal6.15

"I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.-Jer31.33

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.-Rom2.13

Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!-Acts28.28

he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.-Is8.14

"As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,"-Is66.22

you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
-Is62.2

but to his servants he will give another name.-Is65.15

the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name-Rev3.12

He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.-Matt12.19

"What do you think about the Christ[a]? Whose son is he?"
"The son of David," they replied.
He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'?-Matt22.42

The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."-Matt26.63

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."-Mark8.38

Originally posted by queenannie38
Israel = "who prevails with GOD"

Israel are those who stick it out with GOD.
GOD is love.
Israel endures and overcomes with LOVE.

simple enough!

This isn't correct. The scripture Israel is first defined in is Genesis 32:22-32, when Jacob wrestles with the Angel of the Lord (likely Jesus Christ) all night.

God in the form of a man finally disables him and ends the match. Jacob then asks for a blessing.

God in the form of a man "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."

It is derived from 2 roots;

שָׂרָה sarah (975b); a prim. root; to persist, exert oneself, persevere:—contended(1), striven(1), wrestled(1).

and

אֵל el (41d); a prim. root; God, in pl. gods:—El-berith*(1), God(204), god(16), God’s(2), gods(3), helpless*(1), mighty(3), Mighty One(3), power(1), strong(1).

Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).


A more proper definition is: "he who wrestles with God"

[edit on 6/3/2010 by Bigwhammy]

reply to post by Bigwhammy


[This isn't correct. The scripture Israel is first defined in is Genesis 32:22-32, when Jacob wrestles with the Angel of the Lord (likely Jesus Christ) all night.]

the law that was put into effect through angels-Acts7.53

For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son-Heb1.5

To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet" ?-Heb1.13

"But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."-Matt26.64

"I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."-John1.51

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.-Heb2.5

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize.-Col2.18

As iron sharpens iron

So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

Israel is still waiting for their messiah so basically they do not have a God as yet.

Regards
DL

reply to post by Greatest I am


again-

He (Jesus) answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel-Matt15.24

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me(Jesus).-John10.27

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.-Is65.17

new name-Is62.2,65.15,Rev3.12

The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.-Acts11.26

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-Phil3.3