Israel and the Church are called the same names by God in the Old and New Testaments. Why is that?
The "Church" in the New Testament is given the same names that "Israel" was called in the Old Testament. Here are some examples, we were both called a holy nation, kingdom of priests, chosen people (Ex 19:6, 1 Peter 2:19), the children of God (Deut 14:1, Gal 3:26), the flock of God(Jer 23:2, 1 Peter 5:2), the people of God (Jud 20:2, 1 Peter 2:10), the wife of God(Isa 54:5-6, Eph 5:23-32), the seed of Abraham (Psa 105:6, Gal 3:29). Why would God call the Church the same names as He called Israel if the Church and Israel are separate? In Romans 11:1-22 Paul talks about the olive tree (Covenant Israel) and how the unbelieving Jewish branches were cut off and the believing Gentile branches were grafted in. Notice that only the unbelieving branches were cut off. The believing Jewish branches, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rahab, David, Solomon, etc. were still connected to the tree. The believing Gentile branches were grafted into the same tree that the believing Jewish branches were already dwelling. We see this same concept in Hebrews 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. "They without us should not be perfect" but with us we are made into the Church(city) whose builder and maker is God. The foundation of the Church in Eph 2:20 is built upon the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. The prophets in the Old Testament believed by faith in the coming Messiah and their faith saved them just as our faith in the Messiah saves us today. There is overwhelming evidence that True Israel in the Old Testament and the True Church are the same remnant of God. All through the New Testament we see Paul telling us over and over that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. If a Jew is lost he will go to Hell, if he is saved, he is part of the Church. God does not show a difference, so why should we?
The "Church" in the New Testament is given the same names that "Israel" was called in the Old Testament. Here are some examples, we were both called a holy nation, kingdom of priests, chosen people (Ex 19:6, 1 Peter 2:19), the children of God (Deut 14:1, Gal 3:26), the flock of God(Jer 23:2, 1 Peter 5:2), the people of God (Jud 20:2, 1 Peter 2:10), the wife of God(Isa 54:5-6, Eph 5:23-32), the seed of Abraham (Psa 105:6, Gal 3:29). Why would God call the Church the same names as He called Israel if the Church and Israel are separate? In Romans 11:1-22 Paul talks about the olive tree (Covenant Israel) and how the unbelieving Jewish branches were cut off and the believing Gentile branches were grafted in. Notice that only the unbelieving branches were cut off. The believing Jewish branches, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rahab, David, Solomon, etc. were still connected to the tree. The believing Gentile branches were grafted into the same tree that the believing Jewish branches were already dwelling. We see this same concept in Hebrews 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. "They without us should not be perfect" but with us we are made into the Church(city) whose builder and maker is God. The foundation of the Church in Eph 2:20 is built upon the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. The prophets in the Old Testament believed by faith in the coming Messiah and their faith saved them just as our faith in the Messiah saves us today. There is overwhelming evidence that True Israel in the Old Testament and the True Church are the same remnant of God. All through the New Testament we see Paul telling us over and over that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. If a Jew is lost he will go to Hell, if he is saved, he is part of the Church. God does not show a difference, so why should we?