The Daily Word of Righteousness

Israel Is the Church, #15

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred [tribe], and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9,10)

Is this speaking only of Jews—people "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation"?

These are not physical Jews but redeemed Israel of all nationalities. They now are in Heaven with the Lord Jesus. And where shall they govern?

"We shall reign on the earth." Not in Heaven but on the earth.

In order to conceive of a Gentile Church as separate from the one Body of Christ, from the one true Israel of God, one must discard much of the writing of the Apostle Paul.

One new man. The concept of the one new man is a simple idea to keep in mind. The one new man comprises the Jew who is in Christ and the Gentile who is in Christ.

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain (Jew and Gentile) one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)

We have mentioned several passages of Scripture to support our thesis that Israel is the Church of Christ and that it is unscriptural and confusing to speak of Israel and the Church. The Church is Israel. Israel is the Church.

We have said there is a physical land and people of Israel and that they originally were of God and shall be again in the future. But when they do become of God they shall once again be spiritual Israel and one with the Church, the Israel of God. How could it be otherwise?

Can a person see or enter the Kingdom of God other than by being born again? And when he is born again is he not an integral part of the one Seed of Abraham, the one Christ, the one Israel of God?

Who is the one new man if he is not Christ, the Church, the Israel of God? We would not keep repeating these obvious facts if it were not for the abundance of confusing and destructive teaching concerning "Israel and the Church" as though they were separate entities.

The olive tree. Who or what is the "olive tree"?

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (Romans 11:17)

Our position is that the Olive Tree is the Lord Jesus Christ and all who are part of Him.

The Olive Tree came to Abraham and then was passed by prophecy to Isaac and then Jacob. From Jacob, again by prophecy, the Olive Tree was passed to the sons of Jacob.

The Olive Tree was with Israel in Egypt and then stood before Pharaoh and pronounced the Divine judgments. The Olive Tree was in the Passover, the manna, the cloud by day, and the fire by night. The Olive Tree spoke from Sinai and was the visible Glory resting on the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

To be continued.