Does "Israel" mean "the church"?

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Biblewriter

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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.
 
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Daniel9v9

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There's some confusion here. The Church has not replaced the nation of Israel. "The Church" means "God's chosen people". And this at one point was Israel, which we, gentiles, have now been grafted into. Christ is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, which means the Old Testament, so whoever is in Christ — whoever believes and is baptised — forms the true Israel, of which the OT nation of Israel foreshadows. This is why Scriptures say that there is no longer Jew and gentile, but one body in Christ.

To be clear, it is not as if the nation of Israel failed, and now the gentiles replaces this nation. It's rather God's promise to mankind first spoken in Genesis 3:15, and reaffirmed throughout history and then finally culminated in the person and works of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament needs to be understood Christologically, which is to say that everything in the OT in one way or another has Christ as its centre.

cf. Romans 11:17-18, Matthew 3:9, John 8:39, Galatians 3:7-9, Galatians 3:26-29, Matthew 5:17, John 5:46
 
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SuperCow

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I grew up with the “interpretations” you speak of, but I have become convinced that Israel’s existence as a modern-day haven for the Jewish people is more than a passing coincidence, regardless of prophecy.

You do; however, have to consider other historical possibilities. Israel was conquered and scattered by the Assyrians. Judah was conquered by the Babylonians 120 years later. Judah, Jerusalem and the temple was restored 70 years later when Babylon was conquered by the Persians, so you have to look at the prophecies in that context. Many of Jeremiah’s early prophecies were fully fulfilled from this alone.

Ezekiel prophesied from Babylon during the occupation, so that was before the first restoration. Zechariah was after the restoration. Isaiah was before Assyria conquered Israel. So many of them are speaking from different reference points. This is why there are many opinions on the subject.
 
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jgr

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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.

Galatians 3
16 Now 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.

2 Corinthians 1
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Hebrews 1
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
 
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FutureAndAHope

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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.

Rom 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

I really think an argument over whether we should call ourselves Israel or not is unfruitful. But if a Christain wanted to they could say they were a part of Israel. For to us, the gentiles has been given Christ, who is the source of every promise.

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
 
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Brian Mcnamee

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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.
where people get crazy on this is taking the teachings on Spiritual Israel which is a metaphor for all born again and then applying everywhere else where Israel is mentioned prophetically and forcing the spiritual Israel narrative over the prophecies for national Israel. Your passages mentioned are good ones and that narrative is repeated over and over with a clear before and after picture being presented when you go through the tribulation and come out the other side. There are many distinctions between Jew and Gentile into the millennium but the Israel is certainly now born again and will be the nation of people who love and follow the LORD when Jesus takes the throne of David. It is a glorious story of redemption and God's long-suffering and mercy when they finally get it it. What a glorious day that will be.
 
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eleos1954

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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.

Jesus is Israel and anyone in Him are His people, because they are from the true seed.

Paul writes, “They are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6). How’s that for proof! That is, not all are part of God’s Israel who are of the literal nation of Israel. Paul continues: “That is, They which are the children of the flesh [physical descendants of Abraham], these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise (Jesus) are counted for the seed” . The children of the flesh are only natural descendants of Abraham, but the children of the promise (Jesus) are counted as the true seed. Today, any person—Jew or Gentile—can become part of this nation of Israel (the kingdom of God) through faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:16
English Standard Version
Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
 
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jgr

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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.

In God's New Will and Testament, all covenants and promises are fulfilled only in Christ, and those who are in Christ i.e. His Church.

The OT covenants and promises are the promissory clauses of God's Old Will and Testament, and they are both revoked and fulfilled in the promissory clauses of His New Will and Testament, written in the Blood of His Son Jesus Christ, the Divine Testator, coming into full force and effect upon His death.

If you have made your own Will and Testament, you will see that the very first clause states the following or its equivalent:

"I HEREBY REVOKE all former Wills and other testamentary dispositions by me at any time therefore made and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament."

This means that all former wills and testaments, and all of their promissory clauses in their entirety, are completely null and void. In their place, the promissory clauses of the current last new will and testament are the only ones in force and effect. Any promissory clause which appeared in the old will and testament, but does not appear in the new will and testament, is irrevocably null and void unless yet another new will and testament is made which re-includes it.

Thus we see:

Hebrews 9
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Hebrews 10
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Hebrews 8
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

God`s New Will and Testament is everlasting:

Hebrews 13
20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

There is none greater.

We see other new promissory clauses of the New Will and Testament in:

Matthew 21:33-45
In this parable, the son, who is identified as the heir, typifies Christ.

Galatians 3:16
Now 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.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Hebrews 1:1,2
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

In them, we see that the Heir and Beneficiary is Christ alone, that all of the promises are affirmed and confirmed in Him, and that He is Heir of all things. All includes the OT land promises, the restoration promises, the blessings promises, and all else. There are no exceptions.

If you deny that God has appointed His Son heir of all things, you declare God to be a liar.

His New Will and Testament contains even better promises:

Hebrews 8
6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Such as:

Hebrews 11
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Additional promissory clauses in...:

Romans 8:16-17
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

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

...make us who are in Christ joint heirs with Him.

But notice:
There are no promissory clauses for anyone, Jew or Gentile, who is not in Christ.
 
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Many people insist that in Bible prophecy, the many promises made to “Israel,” actually meant “the church.” This doctrine is defended by a wide spectrum of ideas. One end of this spectrum is a claim that all the promises of God are conditional, and that “Israel,” having failed to meet the conditions of the promises made to her, lost them, and they were transferred to “the church.” At the opposite end of ths spectrum is a claim that there has only been one single “people of God” throughout all the ages. So this one “people of God,” which were called “Israel” in the Old Testament, are the same people that are now called “the church.” But however this doctrine is reached, the people who teach it insist that it is clearly taught in the New Testament. This claim, however, is factually incorrect. There are, indeed, a few places in the New Testament that can rationally be INTERPRETED to mean that “the church” is “Israel.” But there is NOT EVEN ONE passage, anywhere in the entire Bible, that actually SAYS that. So this doctrine is UNQUESTIONABLY based on INTERPRETATION, rather than on EVEN ONE actual statement of scripture.

But while they INTERPRET the name “Israel” to mean “the church,” this INTERPRETATION falls down when we come to the many other names used by God in making the many promises found in the Old Testament. For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”

This INTERPRETATION also breaks down when we come to God’s EXPLICITLY STATED promises concerning a PLOT OF REAL ESTATE in the Middle East. Ezekiel 36:1-10 promises the “mountains of Israel,” along with “the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken,” that they will again be “inhabited” by “all the house of Israel, all of it.” Further, Ezekiel 47:13-20 SPECIFICALLY defines the borders of this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE, and the following chapter, Ezekiel 48, specifies how this PLOT OF REAL ESTATE will be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, naming each tribe, and specifying the location of its individual PLOT OF REAL ESTATE. There is no rational way to even PRETEND that all this refers to “the church.”

The end result of this doctrine is that these people are using THEIR INTERPRETATIONS of the MEANINGS of some scriptures that NEVER, EVEN ONCE, actually SAY what they INTERPRET them to MEAN, as an excuse to DENY that other scriptures MEAN what they EXPLICITLY SAY.

Judaism today is apostate. It rejects Christ - man's only Savior and sacrifice for sin. The NT Church is true believing Israel today. We are the true Jews. We are the circumcision in God’s eyes. We are the chosen people. We are the children of Abraham. The elect Jews (the remnant) in Christ's time embraced Christ and were integrated into the wider transnational Church (of all races). This was always God's plan - right back to the book of Genesis. The true believer since the beginning belongs to Jesus Christ (the Messiah - the anointed One). Through faith in Him as man's only substitute for sin they make it to heaven. The unbeliever rejects Him and goes to hell.

We have joined faithful Israel, not replaced them. Thankfully, repentant Jews are still being grafted into the good olive tree.

Natural designations are repeatedly shown in the New Testament to mean nothing today. The spiritual designations that were near exclusively restricted to natural Israelites have now been placed upon the Gentiles by faith. Popular Old Testament terms like “the children of Abraham, “Israel,” “Jews,” “the circumcision” and “Zion” (“Sion”) that overwhelmingly described the Hebrew offspring of Abraham in the Old Testament are now employed under the new arrangement in a wider spiritual sense.

Scriptures shows that repentant Gentiles would join faithful Israel as the Gospel started to spread out in the book of Acts. That growth has continued for 2000 years. The believing Gentiles have been integrated into the remnant camp of Israel under the new covenant. They are the promised “children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). They have been grafted into the “good olive tree” (Romans 11:17-24). They are “fellowcitizens” with the Old Testament saints of the “citizenship of Israel” (Ephesians 2:10-19). They are “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15-16). They are “the circumcision” today (Philippians 3:3, and Colossians 2:11-14). The Gentiles who have come to faith in Christ over this past 2000 years do not form a new people of God. They become part of the one already existing people of God.
 
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Biblewriter

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I grew up with the “interpretations” you speak of, but I have become convinced that Israel’s existence as a modern-day haven for the Jewish people is more than a passing coincidence, regardless of prophecy.

You do; however, have to consider other historical possibilities. Israel was conquered and scattered by the Assyrians. Judah was conquered by the Babylonians 120 years later. Judah, Jerusalem and the temple was restored 70 years later when Babylon was conquered by the Persians, so you have to look at the prophecies in that context. Many of Jeremiah’s early prophecies were fully fulfilled from this alone.

Ezekiel prophesied from Babylon during the occupation, so that was before the first restoration. Zechariah was after the restoration. Isaiah was before Assyria conquered Israel. So many of them are speaking from different reference points. This is why there are many opinions on the subject.
But there is no rational way to even pretend that the prophecies of Ezekiel have ever been fulfilled.
 
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Biblewriter

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Jesus is Israel and anyone in Him are His people, because they are from the true seed.

Paul writes, “They are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6). How’s that for proof! That is, not all are part of God’s Israel who are of the literal nation of Israel. Paul continues: “That is, They which are the children of the flesh [physical descendants of Abraham], these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise (Jesus) are counted for the seed” . The children of the flesh are only natural descendants of Abraham, but the children of the promise (Jesus) are counted as the true seed. Today, any person—Jew or Gentile—can become part of this nation of Israel (the kingdom of God) through faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:16
English Standard Version
Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
You are ignoring GOD’S own explanation of what HE meant by saying “not all Israel is of Israel.” Verse 8 begins with the words, That is,” and verse 9 begins with the word “For.” These two beginnings CLEARLY show that these verses, and those that follow, are explaining what God had just said.

And what was the explanation? God gave two examples of SOME, but not ALL, of the physical seed of Abraham being chosen as his “seed.”

So this scripture does not even imply that anyone who is not a physical descendant of Israel could become an Israelite. It is only teaching that being a physical descendant of Israel is not enough. To be a true Israelite, a person must also share the faith of Abraham.
 
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IWalkAlone

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There's some confusion here. The Church has not replaced the nation of Israel. "The Church" means "God's chosen people". And this at one point was Israel, which we, gentiles, have now been grafted into. Christ is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, which means the Old Testament, so whoever is in Christ — whoever believes and is baptised — forms the true Israel, of which the OT nation of Israel foreshadows. This is why Scriptures say that there is no longer Jew and gentile, but one body in Christ.

To be clear, it is not as if the nation of Israel failed, and now the gentiles replaces this nation. It's rather God's promise to mankind first spoken in Genesis 3:15, and reaffirmed throughout history and then finally culminated in the person and works of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament needs to be understood Christologically, which is to say that everything in the OT in one way or another has Christ as its centre.

cf. Romans 11:17-18, Matthew 3:9, John 8:39, Galatians 3:7-9, Galatians 3:26-29, Matthew 5:17, John 5:46
But is the Church God's plan for Israel? Paul said those circumcised in the heart are true jews. So who do the promises go to?
 
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com7fy8

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"For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." (Romans 2:28-29)
For God did not JUST promise end time blessings to the NATION of Israel. (And, yes, He actually did specifically use the word “NATION.”) He also made similar promises to each of the ancient sub-nations of Ephraim and Judah, and to each of the twelve tribes of Israel by name. And no scripture even HINTS at an idea that ANY of these fourteen other names means “the church.”
I understand that God said that any Israelite who went against Him would be cut off from Israel.

But Jesus had Jews who did not go against God; so these were the ones still included in the one nation of Israel. And our Apostle Peter says we in Jesus are "a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). We who have been Gentile sinners, but have trusted in the Messiah of Israel, have joined in with the Jews who have not refused their Messiah Jesus. We are like Ruth who was fully accepted because she lived for God and proved herself to the honorable Jews.

"The Church" means "God's chosen people". And this at one point was Israel, which we, gentiles, have now been grafted into.
So, we have not replaced Israel, but have joined with the genuine Israel of those who have not gotten themselves cut off.

But yes I find that interesting how now many Jews have moved back into the land of Palestine. But it is not clear that they are confessing Jesus as their Messiah. And the prophecies that I recall say Israel will return to the LORD . . . not only to their land! And in the Torah the Jews have been warned that if they refuse the LORD, they can be put out of their land. So, unless they repent and trust in Christ, even now they are still at risk of being put out, possibly. Except for one thing > we have Jesus people visiting and living in the Palestine area. So, whose land is that? I consider 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 >

What I get from this is that if we are God's children, all that belongs to God is ours . . . already . . . now. Therefore, we own the land of Palestine, no matter how the world's politicians pretend they decide who gets what. And already some number of us are living there, walking about there, enjoying. What we do with it all is what matters . . . in sharing with our Father :)
 
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Daniel9v9

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But is the Church God's plan for Israel? Paul said those circumcised in the heart are true jews. So who do the promises go to?

The promises God made to Israel and to the gentiles is the promise of Christ, which is received through faith. That is, it's not as if God has one salvific plan for the gentiles and another for the nation of Israel. As it's written: "It is finished!" and "Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

To make a practical example of this: The third temple is not some future temple yet to be constructed, but Christ Himself. He is the true temple, of which the old temple(s) foreshadowed. In short, all promises culminate in the person and works of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
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IWalkAlone

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The promises God made to Israel and to the gentiles is the promise of Christ, which is received through faith. That is, it's not as if God has one salvific plan for the gentiles and another for the nation of Israel. As it's written: "It is finished!" and "Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

To make a practical example of this: The third temple is not some future temple yet to be constructed, but Christ Himself. He is the true temple, of which the old temple(s) foreshadowed. In short, all promises culminate in the person and works of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I agree.
 
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