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Is Israel really Israel and are the Jews really the Jews?
I think that question alone is very loaded and a lot of study of history is needed to even in an elementary way, Provide the answer to that question. Now this question is coming up a lot, especially among Christian believers who are for one reason or another, have taken it upon themselves to want to disband the narrative that Israel is a legitimate country or that the bloodline of the Jews, as we know them today are completely an utterly illegitimate people and have no links and ties to the biblical Hebrew people. So, first of all, I don’t want there to be any guise, entering in to this discussion, that I am persuaded, that all arguments that suggest that Israel is not Israel, and that the Jews are not the Jews; Those claims are unfounded and completely and utterly false. It’s nothing but a strategy from the enemy to take our eyes off of what is important in our spiritual walk with Christ and some people say “well the Jews are sinners!”. “These are sinful people” “how can they still be God‘s chosen people” and my answer to that, would be rather my response to that, would be, they are God‘s chosen people in as much as the same way we as Christians consider ourselves to be God‘s chosen people. So it’s about the covenant. It’s about the promise. Because God made a covenant with Israel! So what benefit do Christians have exactly in de-legitimizing the nation of Israel if it’s none other than to just simply be hateful. Because here’s the thing, according to the scriptures, in the New Testament scriptures, we are not replacing Israel, but rather brought into Israel by faith! Those that believe in Christ, we are brought into Israel by faith, we’re not replacing Israel by Faith that’s a ridiculous concept which is completely unbiblical on every account! Roman’s here gives us the answers from the New Testament. We don’t have to go to the prophets to get this answer;
The Remnant of Israel
Rom 11:1 I say then, Did not God put away His people? Let it not be said! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Rom 11:2 God did not thrust out His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture said in Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 “Lord, they killed Your prophets and dug down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
Rom 11:4 But what does the Divine answer say to him? “I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
Rom 11:5 Even so then, also in this present time a remnant according to the election of grace has come into being.
Rom 11:6 But if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it is of works, then it is no more of grace; otherwise work is no more work.
Rom 11:7 What then? Israel has not obtained that which it seeks, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened
Rom 11:8 even as it is written, “God gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing, and ears not hearing” until this day.
Rom 11:9 And David said, “Let their table become for a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense to them.
Rom 11:10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and their back always bowing.”
Gentiles Grafted In
Rom 11:11 I say then, Did they not stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy.
Rom 11:12 But if their slipping away is the riches of the world, and their default is the riches of thenations, how much more their fullness?
Rom 11:13 For I speak to you, the nations; since I am the apostle of the nations, I glorify my ministry;
Rom 11:14 if by any means I may provoke those who are my flesh to jealousy, and might save some of them.
Rom 11:15 For if their casting away is thereconciling of the world, what is the reception except life from the dead?
Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump isalso holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches.
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and became a sharer of the root and the fatness of the olive tree with them,
Rom 11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root bears you.
Rom 11:19 You will say then, The branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.
Rom 11:20 Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not behigh-minded, but fear.
Rom 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, fear lest He also may not spare you either!
Rom 11:22 Behold then the kindness, and theseverity of God; on those having fallen, severity; but on you, kindness, if you continue in the kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And those also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if you were cut out of the natural wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more these being according to nature will be grafted into their own olive-tree?
so he’s painting a picture that the root is Israel right? This is where we came from. This is this is where Faith was sprung up from right out of the seed of Abraham the root also the branches, and if some of the branches were broken off and you being a wild olive tree or grafted in among them (as Israel) you were a gentile, but God grafted you in among the root, which is Israel, and became a sharer of the root and the fatness of the olive tree with them do not boast against the branches, but if you boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root bears you. The root is Israel you’re the branches you can’t boast against it. It’s holding you up, but the root bears you, you don’t bear the root, you will say then the branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in, well because of unbelief. They were broken off and you stand by Faith, do not be high minded, but fear, for if God did not spare the natural branches fear. lest, he also may not spare you either. Behold in the kindness and the severity of God on those having fallen fallen away severity, but on you, kindness, if you continue in the kindness, otherwise you also will be cut off. So there’s no such thing as once save always saved here folks. You are grafted in to Israel by a covenant that God established with Israel long ago before any of us were born, he gave the promise to Abraham. He realized it through Moses, and that was passed on down to our current day. He made a covenant with the nations by Yeshua, Messiah, Jesus Christ, and by that covenant we are brought into Israel, so we can’t boast against Israel if we belong to Israel. If you’re a true believer, now if you’re not a believer, then you belong to other nations then so be it, but you can choose to join a nation. You can choose to Join God in his salvation and if you are choosing God‘s salvation, then you’re a part of Israel, you’re no longer an alien. This is very plain in the scriptures
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12 at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope, and without God in the world.
So here is a very plain explicit statement from Paul that through Christ by faith you have been brought into Israel no longer a stranger, an alien, a gentile. You have become an Israelite. Here’s another great scripture
Hebrews chapter 8 verse 10 for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days. Says The Lord, I will put my laws into their mind and write them into their hearts, and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people.
Now, this is Paul quoting Jeremiah, so and it is universally believed by all of those that believe that Jesus is the Messiah, that Yeshua is the Messiah, is universally believed that Hebrews chapter 8 verse 10 is referring to people that are brought in to salvation by Jesus and that his laws the laws of God are written on our hearts, so if we believe that, then it’s just as what the scripture says; that this covenant was not made with Gentiles, this covenant was made with the house of Israel. So if you are subscribing to that belief of Christ that he died and rose again and forgave your sins and pardoned your iniquities, then you’ve been brought into this covenant with the house of Israel. So you’re not this extension of Israel or alien to Israel.
Because if you’re not a part of Israel, then you’re not a part of the covenant of Christ and the scriptures have made that very plain and the modern day church have taken an attitude that is reminiscent of a pride against Israel rather than a being thankful for having been brought into a covenant wth God. Israel were the originators of our faith, for the Bible also tells us that Abraham being the father of faith, so again, if we’re to believe that, then we have skin in the game with Israel. We are not to be their enemies, but rather we are being called by God to look at them as Brethren.