[Faith-talk] Who Is Israel?

[Linda Mentink]

This week's Hebrew Nugget: Who is Israel?

The question in the title above is one of the most controversial 
and misunderstood issues in the Body of Messiah today.  I believe 
that the LORD wants every Believer to know the correct answer, 
which is why He inspired the Apostle Saul (Paul) to address the 
issue in Romans 11 and Ephesians 2.  I also believe that the way 
every Christian thinks, lives, prays, and shares the Gospel with 
unbelievers, must be based on a correct understanding of Who is 
Israel.  This is why He has had me teach Christians in the 
nations from Romans 11 and Ephesians 2 for the last 15 years.  So 
let us look at the question and what I believe is the answer in 
this week's Nugget.

There are 5 Israel's that I have found in the Bible ....  1/ the 
land of Israel     2/ Jacob who became Israel         3/ The 12 
tribes of Israel      4/ born again Jews and former Gentiles who 
are grafted into the Olive Tree (Israel) as we read in Romans 
11:17 and who are now no longer aliens or foreigners, but have 
become fellow citizens (Ephesians 2:19)           and 5/  The 
Kingdom of God that is about to be re-established in Jerusalem, 
when all of the words of the Prophets are fulfilled (Acts 3:21)

Speaking historically of the past and prophetically for the 
future, Israel and what we call 'The Church' were one and the 
same.  For the first several decades of the faith, there was no 
'Church', just Jews who accepted Yeshua as the promised Messiah 
of Israel.  The Jewish apostles were sent out to share the Good 
News with the Jews and non Jews in the nations, and those non 
Jews who accepted Yeshua were grafted into the Olive Tree 
(Israel), to become fellow citizens with the Old Covenant 
faithful  and with the Jews who now believed in Yeshua.  And in 
the near future, when Yeshua returns, all of our divisions and 
denominations will disappear, and all Believers will simply be a 
part of the Kingdom of God, which will be the same entity as the 
fully restored Israel.

Therefore the correct answer to the question Who is Israel is 
that anyone and everyone who is in a blood sealed (Yeshua's 
blood) covenant relationship with the GOD of ISRAEL, is a member 
of the commonwealth of Israel - an Israelite.  However that does 
not mean you become a Jew.  You have to have the right DNA to be 
Jewish.

We are surely living in the Last Days and thus I believe that it 
is imperative that every New Covenant Believer knows and 
understands what I have explained above.  Please share this with 
as many people as possible.

The LORD bless you and keep you as you seek Biblical truth and 
incorporate it into your spiritual life

Shalom .....  David & Josie