Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

A Saviour unto Israel ?

A Saviour unto Israel Acts 13:23

Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

Is just another way of saying that Jesus is the Saviour of His Body the Church Eph 5:23-25

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.


24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

or He gave Himself for Israel !

Now that the OT Prophecies of Salvation coming to God's Chosen People, their redemption, this has been fulfilled at the coming of Jesus Christ and the confirmation of the New Covenant by His Blood; That's why its written in Lk 1:68-70

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

Notice vs 68 He has visited and redeemed His People, this is also confirmed by God in Gal 4:4-5

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Yes, the redemption that the prophets looked for Lk 1:70

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

Was the redemption in Christ Jesus for the Church Rom 3:24-25

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Also Eph 1:7

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

according to the riches of His Grace, this is the grace they [the prophets foresaw 1 Pet 1:10


10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

But the apostate jews and even some of the elect among them were looking for a political and national redemption, instead of a Spiritual One that lied in the Blood of Christ. However Spiritual Jews like John the Baptist's Father Zacharias did understand it [redemption] was Spiritual Lk 1:74-77

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

So he knew of the remission or forgiveness of sins associated with this redemption he just spoke of in vs 68, and so he knew and spoke of this Eph 1:7

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Which is clearly for the Church Chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world Eph 1:4 Cp with Lk 1:70

This Redemption by the Blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins, so we see that he had been given a spiritual knowledge of the People Israel the Church !
 
The Fellowship of the Mystery !


Eph 3:9

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

What is this Fellowship of the Mystery ? It is the fact that under the New Covenant administration 2 Cor 3:6-9

6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

This ministration established by the Blood of Christ, that both ethnic jews of faith and gentiles of faith, constitute the commonwelth of Israel, the Household of Faith Eph 2:12,19

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

BTW even under the OC the ethnic jews who were not of Faith, even they were as gentiles, strangers from the covenants of promise, neither were they of the saints of the household of Faith, only a very small remnant was !

So now under the New Covenant economy of the Spirit, this fact is more clearly set forth, and that both saved jews and saved gentiles, people of faith constitute Israel, the People of God, The Israel of God, ,that Israel that shall be saved in the Lord Jesus Christ ! Isa 45:17,22

But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.


22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

God is speaking about the same people being saved here in vs 22 as He was in vs 17 !

Thats the Mystery !
 
Rom 11:7

7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election[Israel] hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

There is no plainer scripture in the NT that reveals that ethnic Israel as a ethnic nation was not God's Chosen People [Deut 7:6-7], remember Matt 22:14

For many are called, but few are chosen.

Paul had already in the epistle of Romans indicated that there were Two Israel's Rom 9:6

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

And these are the same Two pointed out in Rom 11:7, for there was a purely ethnic Israel according to the flesh, but also an Israel that pertaineth to the Election or the Chosen Rom 11:7, which is an Election Israel in Christ. Now here in Rom 11:7, the Election of Grace Israel obtained something that the national Israel did not, but did seek after ! Now what was that ? It was redemption Lk 1:68

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

The discrepancy however is this, that almost all the Nation of Israel expected redemption in a earthly nationalistic sense, whereby the jewish people would be delivered from their physical enemies and given earthly dominance and glory as in the days of King Solomon ;[See Lk 24:21] but that was not the promised redemption hoped for nor promised to the Fathers and Abraham Lk 1:72-73

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

No, the redemption was spiritual and had to do with Redemption from sin, and the forgiveness of sins, through the coming seed, the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, Abraham's Seed Gal 3:16. So the nation as a whole, saving the very small remnant of grace, which was also Israel Rom 9:6, failed to obtain that they sought after, But the Election Israel obtained it, evidenced by their Reception of Christ Jn 1:12. So in the Real sense and according to the Faith, Israel Elect did receive the Abrahamic Promises Lk 1:72-73


72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

And also according to the Faith, Israel national did not receive the Promises but was blinded ! So what has been established here is that there were Two Israel's, as it is today, so in Paul's Day, National Israel and Elect Israel or the Election or Paul's statement is absolutely meaningless ! Both Israel's in Rom 9:6 and Rom 11:7 cannot be God's Chosen People, there is only One Election !
 
God has Chosen Zion ! Who is that ?

Ps 132:13-14

13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

Now who is this Zion that God has Chosen ? Its not the ethnic jews, but it is all those He hath Chosen in Christ Jesus Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Its composed of both Jews and Gentiles ! And by them being made Lively Stones by New Birth, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To these it is also said 1 Pet 2:5

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

From these He erects His Temple, His dwelling place, His resting place forever, and that it is comprised of Gentiles lets Look at Eph 2:21-22

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

For these are the Dwelling that is spoken of back in Ps 132:13-14

13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

This desire of God is fulfilled in and Through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and His Body the Church !
 
Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
 
Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Hi Reba, do you agree with the previous post ? That the Chosen Habitation Zion is the same as the Chosen habitation of Eph 2:22
 
Not Natural Israel !


That Natural Israel, Israelites born according to the flesh only, which were cast away, that they were not God's True People is confirmed in Paul's pungent question Rom 11:1,2

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

And of course the answer is the following " God forbid" ! For God has not cast away His People He foreknew

Vs 2 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,

Remember some ethnic jews as well as gentiles shall yet here Matt 7:23

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you or foreknew: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So this means, those who were cast away Rom 11:15

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

Those could not have been God's People which He foreknew Rom 11:2, because it is stated their plainly, God has not cast them away !

Now those He did not cast away, obviously the foreknown, they did obtain and were in possession of the Messianic Promises, which is quite clear from Rom 11:7

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

This remnant, the Election obtained what the cast away nation as a whole had vainly sought after, according to their corrupt natural desires; Yet even with this Divine Illumination, many deceived people, both jew and gentile believe natural, ethnic israel are still God's People ! Can we say " They do believe a Lie" 2 Thess 2:11

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
 
The false teaching of a coming day of salvation for ethnic jews or national ethnic israel is contradicted soundly by Paul's teaching here in Rom 2:1-16, for it is pointed out that all men alike, jew and gentile, have heard the Gospel, and it has been God's Purpose for them to hear it, as stated in Rom 1:16, to the jew first and also to the greek; and so it will be at the end of this age, at the second coming of Christ, all men says Paul, jew and gentile, will be judged according to the Gospel and their heart attitude towards it Rom 2:16, Mk 16:15-16; Acts 17:31

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

And ethnic jews do not think you shall escape the Judgment of God in that Day just because you are and ethnic jew or Abraham's seed by the flesh Rom 2:3-12

Vs 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

The Divine retribution will be meted out to the jew first and also to the greek, oh foolish ethnic jew and jew worshipers, there is no respect of persons with God vs 11

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
 
soi says:



Wrong, all those who were chosen in Him before the foundation are His elect..

What you mean enter into ? If you are taking about entering into by faith to become an elect thats heresy, is that what you mean ? If not I apologize and you can tell me what you mean by enter into..

If only those chosen in Him before the foundation(think you need to find out what that means)were to be saved there would be no purpose for this age......

Which leads me to this question,what do you think the purpose of this age is?
 
n2

All of the Church are not the elect,

What church do you speak of ?

I am speaking of this one Eph 5:25

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
 
Election Israel obtained the Promises !

Election Israel obtained the Promises , those unto the Fathers Lk 1:72-73

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

Election Israel obtained the Promises Rom 11:7

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

The Election Israel were those ethnic jews that were the foreknown Rom 11:1-2

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,

These are they of the ethnic jews that along with some gentiles, who were of the Foreknown and Chosen in Christ as Per Rom 8:29

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
 
They were ignorant to the voice of their prophets !

Acts 13:27

27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

For the most part, except for a very small remnant, the ethnic jews of israel were ignorant of the voice of the prophets, and God's promises announced through them, in that they understood them in a carnal non spiritual manner, when all along they were pertaining to this day of Grace 1 Pet 1:8-12

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

This they were clueless ! You see, the Gospel that was presently being preached by the Apostles, it was announcing the fulfillment of what the Prophets of the OT Prophesied that would come upon God's Chosen People at the first coming of Christ, the seed of the woman, of Abraham, of David, for it was all culminating in the Redemptive Work of Christ and the Glories that followed !



Now it should go without saying, that if the Election Israel hath obtained the promises that were prophesied of Israel, if they were obtained in Paul's day Rom 11:7

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

Then this ought more than inform us, that the land promises attending the promise of Gen 17:8 could not have been a literal physical plot of land ! Or Paul is mistaken when He wrote, the Election hath obtained it Rom 11:7 !
 
All the promises of God in him are yea


2 Cor 1:19-20

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

All the promises of God to Israel, the Church of Christ, are yea in Him [ Jesus Christ the Son of God vs 19]

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

Also, writing to this Church, Paul applies OT Promises to it that were made to Israel 2 Cor 7:1

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Promises are quoted right before in 2 Cor 6:17-18

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Now these promises reach back into the OT here 2 Sam 7:13-14
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

Jer 31:9

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Isa 43:6

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Hos 1:10

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Also the promises, those that of God are in Him [Christ] amen, are the ones referred to here Rom 9:4

4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Now these promises are being fulfilled to the Covenant Children, the Children of the prophets as per Acts 3:24-25

24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. [Gentiles]

They are being fulfilled by Christ, their risen Saviour and Covenant Head, bestowing Spiritual Blessings upon them, the Election of Grace in Israel Rom 11:7, and also grafting in with them the Election of Grace of the Gentiles, plainly demonstrated by what occurred in Acts 2 [Jews] and Acts 10 [Gentiles], and by this were the promises to the Fathers being fulfilled, those made to Israel.
 
Two things not understood by the jews !

Now regarding the Promises of God to Israel, Two things were misunderstood by the ethnic jews in general, that is in their thinking, the promises of God pertained to the earthly and the natural, and not the spiritual and heavenly, which of course the Fathers did, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did understand this Heb 11:8-16

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

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.

And the other mistake i Judgment they made, is that they thought that the promises were made to Abraham's natural , physical children after the flesh, that israel, as per Rom 9:8

8 That is, They [Israel vs 6] which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the[Born again] children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Those Israelites that were born by the Spirit, of which Isaac typified by his miraculous birth Gal 4:29
 
Not that seed which was of the Law, Natural Israel !

There never were any promises of Salvation made to Abraham's physical seed, the nation of Israel, Paul makes that clear here Rom 4:13

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

However those in spiritual darkness will not accept this Truth ! Heir of World here merely means Heir of Salvation. Remember Sarah said of Ishmael and his Mom this Gal 4:30 See Gen 21:10

Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

But the promises and heirship was made to Abraham and His Seed according to the Righteousness of Faith ! It cannot be put more plainer ! By this, Abraham is the Father of all the Seed Rom 4:16

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Its plain that Abraham's Seed of Promise, Israel of Promise is comprised of both jew and gentile people's of Faith ! For as it is written, I have made thee a Father of many nations [spiritually] Gen 17:5, that means that God has generated children for Abraham spiritually, who should share with him in like precious faith, not of just the ethnic jews, but out of all Nations !
 
It is so plain in Gal 4

Gal 4:30

30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

This the same Truth being confirmed here Rom 11:15

15 For if the casting away of them[non heirs] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

Now the scripture is plain in this analogy that Paul was inspired to use in Gal 4, and that national israel according to the flesh @ Sinai is represented as hagar and her son ishmael Note:

Gal 4:24-25

24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Which is cast out Gal 4:30


30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

That is national israel according to the flesh, and the promise is "for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."

That cuts off any hope of a future national israel heirship !

The physical nation of jews that were cast away, were not the people of God, Paul makes that clear Rom 11:1-2

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,

Now that cannot be the People of Rom 11:15 that are cast away Rom 11:15

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

This casting away is speaking of national israel, which could not have been God's People which He foreknew ! Or we have a big problem with Rom 11:1-2 !
 
Matt 21:43



What did Christ mean here in this verse Matt 21:43

43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Who knows what Nation is Jesus speaking of here ? Is it the Church ? If this Nation is the Church, then what Kind of Nation is it ? Is it Spiritual or natural ? If it is the Church, then is it the seed of Abraham Gal 3:29

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

So what would be another name for a Spiritual Nation of the Seed of Abraham ? Israel !
 
Rebuilding the Tabernacle of David !

If there was none other scripture passage that shows us that The Church and Israel are the same, its this Passage in Acts 15. What does James mean in that passage of Acts 15 of the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David ? Or the restoration of the Kingdom ? Acts 15:11-18

11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

This is actually what it means for the Restoration of the Kingdom to Israel of Acts 1:6, and James by the power of the Holy Spirit applies the OT Prophecies to substantiate that.

Lets notice Amos 9:11-12

11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this.

This is in the context of the restoration of Israel and notice how He [James] by the power of the Holy Spirit connects that Prophecy with what was then going on with the Church in Jerusalem and the Gentiles !

Lets compare Amos 9:12

12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this.

With Acts 15:17

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

He also utilizes Isa 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Cp Acts 15:18

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.


This should more than enlighten us that the formation of the Jew and Gentile Church in Christ is the restoring of the Kingdom to Israel, the Israel of God, yes that Seed of Israel that in the Lord [Jesus Christ] shall be Justified and Glory Isa 45:25

25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. CP

1 Cor 1:31

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
 
What James is doing !


In Acts 15:13-18 James quote of the Prophecy Amos 9:11 is being applied to the Present New Covenant Era inaugurated by the Cross of Christ, His Blood shed of Matt 26:28

28 For this is my blood of the new testament or covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

of which now begins the conversion of multitudes of gentiles in restoring the Kingdom to Israel, for this was a Mystery being made known Acts 15:18 !

Paul would further elucidate Eph 3:3-6

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

This was indicating that the Tabernacle of David comprises of both Elect Jews and Gentiles who become Living Stones, builded together upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, to be a habitation of God through the Spirit Matt 16:18; Eph 2:20-22; 1 Pet 2:5-6; Isa 28:16 !
 
Back
Top