A) TWO PRIMARY CONTEXTS.

B) TO THE VERSES.

C) FINALLY.

 

 

A) TWO PRIMARY CONTEXTS

 

 

The phrase, “Spiritual Israel” is used in TWO primary contexts.  The FIRST being, in that it is used as a reference to the entire body of Christian believers; in order to differentiate them from the political or racial people of Israel.  While the SECOND context suggests concepts related to the “Replacement Theology;” in which the promises directed toward Israel are now directed, or completed in today’s Christian Church.  This is mostly drawn by using (false) arguments that the “New Covenant” is for Christians and Judeo-Christians only.  In reality, these promises are for all obedient persons, else Gentiles such as Rahab, Ruth, and others are not grafted in.

 

Not that I agree with the First concept, but let’s see if you can find in the Second concept anything coming close to it in the following texts (that they use and I use for my concept).  However, before we get to all of the verses that help us understand everyone’s role, Acts 13:46 is SO CLEAR that all need not speculate as to any other interpretation or meaning:  “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you [ISRAEL]:  but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”  By contrast, Jesus CLEARLY stated to the woman at the well that, “salvation is of the Jews,” John 4:22.  Therefore, we must adapt all that pertains to the Jewish lifestyle.

 

 

B) TO THE VERSES

 

 

Isaiah 56:6-7:  “Also the sons of the stranger {that’s a non-Israelite}, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the Name of the Lord, to be His servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My Covenant; [7] Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer:  their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted {WHOA} upon Mine altar; for Mine House shall be called an House of prayer for all people.”

 

Acts 15:13-18:  “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 {God is looking for a people/person who will do His Will; These are they which will comprise His end-time Church}. [15] And to this agree the Words of the prophets; as it is written {in Amos 9:11-12; which comprises verses 16-18 here}, [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 {Who is doing “these things?”}. [18] Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.”

 

Explanation:  James is here quoting a prophecy from the Old Testament by the prophet Amos (9:11-12), in which the ingathering of the Gentiles was to be brought about.  What is to stand out for us in analyzing this passage, is that our Lord is pointing out that this particular prophecy was being fulfilled through the literal ingathering of the Gentiles, not into literal Israel, but into the Christian Church, both then (and as prophecies are sometimes dual, but also triune), now, and futuristic.  This is a clear example of a figurative New Testament fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy.  WHO COMPRISES ISRAEL NOW, according to this prophecy?

 

Acts 26:17-18:  “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

[18] To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them {among those who do the Will of God} which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.”  WHO IS “sanctified?”

 

Romans 8:14-17:  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God {Who are “the sons of God?”}. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption {are the Jews adopting Gentiles; or is our Heavenly Father adopting those who “are led by the Spirit of God}, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we {Who are the “we?”} are the children of God {Who are “the children of God?”  Before you answer, consider that he is writing to the Romans -- Gentiles and Roman Jews}: [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.”

 

Romans 9:4-8:  “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; {that would be the Israelites} [5] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ Came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever.  Amen. [6] Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect.  For they are not all Israel {Who is that?}, which are of Israel {sounds like Spiritual Israel to me}: [7] Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham {“they” are not Israelites}, are they all children {not seed; not born Jewish}:  but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. {Explain yourself Paul; for Isaac was an Israelite} [8] That is, They which are the children of the flesh {a child “of the flesh” is one who does not do the Will of God; which would include Israelites and Gentiles}, these are not the children of God:  but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”

 

EXPLANATION of “the children of the promise.”  With help from Albert Barns Notes On The Bible:  “That is obviously the descendants of Abraham, on whom the promised blessings would be bestowed.  However, the sense is that God at first contemplated a distinction among the descendants of Abraham from the rest of mankind, and intended to confine His blessings to such as He chose; that is, to those to whom the promise particularly appertained, to the descendants of Isaac.  The argument of the apostle is, that ‘the principle’ was thus established that a distinction might be made among those who were Jews; and as that distinction had been made in former times, so it might be under the Messiah,” that anyone who obeyed God’s precepts would be grafted in as if he were a Jew.

 

In other words, the “flesh,” would be those of Abraham’s seed, but are not of the redeemed.  Only those who “are counted for the seed,” or in other words, those who obey God, receive the promise as though they were Isaac.  Jew or Gentile, those who obey are Isaac.

 

Galatians 3:9:  “So then they which be of faith {Who is this?} are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

 

Galatians 3:29:  “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed {How clear is this?} and heirs according to the promise {What “promise?”  The promises given to Abraham; see Rom. 8:17}.”

 

Galatians 4:4-7:  “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 {Who is “we?”} might receive the adoption of sons. [6] And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. [7] Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

 

Ephesians 1:10-12:  “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven {Those “in Heaven” are those who are “sons of God” and obedient}, and which are on earth {Those who are obedient}; even in Him {You are not “in Him” if you are not obedient}: [11] In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His Own Will {Again, we must be obedient in order to “have obtained an inheritance”}: [12] That we should be to the praise of His glory {because they =}, who first trusted in Christ {Who are they?}.”

 

What was the purpose of the Nation of Israel?  To teach all nations Who God is, was, and will be.  Only in these times will God redeem a people who also do this.  For no nation will come up ever again to do that, and who will do this work -- His work.  These are Spiritual Israel.  Only those who are doing the Will of God.  If you see the “Nation of Israel” doing this “again” -- and they NEVER did that anyway -- fine.  I do not.  I believe it will be the work of small groups; a “remnant,” Revelation 12:17.

 

 

C) FINALLY

 

 

Finally, the primary functions of the original nation of Israel was for the Jewish nation to preserve the Scriptures (“unto them were committed the oracles of God,” Romans 3:2) and to introduce the Messiah to the world (the entire Sanctuary service pointed to Him; also embodied in the following Temple built by Solomon).

 

However, one text is quite clear.  Genesis 49:10 has a prophecy about the word “scepter.”  In the year B.C. 4, is when the right of the Jewish people to exercise the punishment of capital punishment was taken away by the Roman power.  It is said that the Jewish leaders considered this to be the fulfillment of the prophecy of Genesis 49:10, the taking away of the “sceptre” from Israel.  Priests and rulers walked around in “sackcloth and ashes” because they believed that this prophecy had been fulfilled, and yet the Messiah had not yet come.  Little did they know that the prophecy was fully in effect, in that a little to the North, a Baby was being born in Bethlehem.  What is not recognized by most is that this prophecy has a dual meaning.  Most understand that Jesus fulfills the fact that the “sceptre” never departs from the tribe of Judah, yet the one mentioned above is not generally understood.

 

The Jewish Rabis have a quibble over the word “shebet,” which we translate as “scepter.”  The quibble, or argument is that they say it signifies “a staff,” or “rod,” and therefore, that the meaning of it is, that “afflictions shall not depart from the Jews till the Messiah comes.”  Their reasoning is that they are still under affliction, and as such, “the Messiah is not Come.”  This is a miserable shift to save a lost cause.

 

Their chief Targumist, Onkelos, understood and translated the word nearly as we do; and the same meaning is adopted by the Jerusalem Targum, and by all the ancient versions.  The Arabic excepted, which has the word “kazeeb, meaning, “a rod.”  Other ancient Manuscripts of the Pentateuch have the Hebrew word “sebet,” which signifies “a tribe.”  The concept is, “Judah shall continue a distinct tribe till the Messiah shall Come; and it did so; and after His Coming it was confounded with the others, so that all distinction has been ever since lost.”

 

The point is, this text is a prophecy of future events; and that future event tells us that the Jewish nation would be cut off after the Messiah Comes.  Here is the reason why:

 

Leviticus, Chapter 26, Verses 14-39;

(14) But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these Commandments;

(15) And if ye shall despise My Statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that ye will not do all My Commandments, but that ye break My Covenant:

(16) I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

(17) And I will set My face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

(18) And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

(19) And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:

(20) And your strength shall be spent in vain:  for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.

(21) And if ye walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

(22) I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.

(23) And if ye will not be reformed by Me by these things, but will walk contrary unto Me;

(24) Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

(25) And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of My covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

(26) And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

(27) And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto Me;

(28) Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

(29) And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.

(30) And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and My soul shall abhor you.

(31) And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

(32) And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

(33) And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

(34) Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her Sabbaths.

(35) As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your Sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

(36) And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

(37) And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.

(38) And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.

(39) And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

 

Deuteronomy, Chapter 8, Verse 20:

(20) As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the Voice of the LORD your God.