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What is Israel!?
There has been endless debate over this question of who the true Israel of God is. Some say that the Nation Israel that is alive and well in the middle East is the true Israel because they are descendants of Abraham. But in Rom.9:6 Paul says "they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham." And in Rom.2:28 Paul says..."For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision
that which is outward in the flesh…. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly:
and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter;
whose praise is not from men but from God."Some say that the Nation Israel has been replaced by the Church and that the Church is the true Israel of God. However, as we see in Rom.9:6, when Paul states that they are not all Israel who are of Israel. Paul is implying that at least some of them were true Israel. Not to mention the fact that in Rom.11:17-19, Paul states very clearly that the only people that believing Gentiles have replaced are the unbelieving Israelites. He says that we have been grafted into the "root" which is already supporting the other branches (which were believing Israelites). Well, if being born of Abraham doesn't make a person a true Israelite and being a member of the Church doesn't make a person a true Israelite, what does ?
Who is the true Israel of God? Good question? Or is it the wrong question?
We believe it is the wrong question.We believe the correct question is "what" not "who" the true Israel of God is.
We believe the answer to this question can be found in the first use of the word in the Scriptures. We turn to Genesis 32.In Gen. 32:17-20 (Jacob) "He instructed the one in the lead:
"When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'To whom do you
belong, and where are you going, and who owns all these
animals in front of you? then you are to say, 'They belong to
your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and
he is coming behind us.'" He also instructed the second, the
third and all the others who followed the herds: "You are to
say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. And be sure
to say, 'Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.'" For he
thought, "I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on
ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me."This is exactly what the natural man does. He sends his gifts and his works ahead to meet the Lord (his estranged brother) in hopes of pacifying Him; that perhaps He will look upon us favourably and except us.
Gen. 32:21 "So Jacob's gifts went on ahead of him, but he
himself spent the night in the camp. "Even at a time when we are sending our gifts or good works to our estranged brother, we still sleep in the camp (the world or professing religiosity). The Hebrew writer tells us we must go outside the camp to Him.
Gen. 32:22-23 "That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two
maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions."If a man is ever going to meet with God, he will have to separate from his family and his possessions. You can't love one and cling to the other.
"So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak." Gen. 32:24
What Jacob (our natural self) was about to go through while he was alone;
we too must go through… alone."When the man saw that he could not overpower him,
he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched
as he wrestled with the man." Gen. 32:25As we shall see in verse 31, as a result of being touched in his hip socket
(the strength of his walk), Jacob's walk changes."Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak.
" But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." Gen. 32:26This is precious. God works out of our heart that which He has put in it. A desire to be blessed by Him. We don't need to beg men to come to Christ; just as Elijah never begged Elisha to follow him.
If it is ever granted to them to come to Him you won't be able to pry them loose."The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered." Gen. 32:27
This is his confession. My name is Jacob - the supplanter.
"Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,
because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
Gen. 32:28Here lies the heart of this type. "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but
Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.""Blessed is he who overcomes." ---- Israel is not the man --- Israel is what
the man went through. Namely, a conversion. He met God, he went through a
struggle and prevailed, God touched him and he will never walk the same again.
(Israel is a man who has been converted to God) You will notice that prior to
this occasion Jacob addressed God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, Nahor etc..
but after this occasion (in Ch.33 vs.20) he says "El Elohe Israel" ‘the God of Israel’.
In other words ------ My God !"Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied,
"Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there. So Jacob
called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face,
and yet my life was spared." The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,
and he was limping because of his hip." Gen. 32:29-31As we have said already - he never walked the same again.
Once a man has been touched by the hand of God, he never walks the same again.
In the eyes of the world he is walking with a limp. In other words , he is not in step
with the world. He walks differently than the rest of the world does."Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the
tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of
Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon." Gen. 32:32Jacob's limp served as a reminder of this encounter.
Now let us recap the things we are saying.Jacob (our natural self) started out by sending his gifts (or good works) ahead to meet his estranged brother (Christ) in an attempt to pacify him. He was afraid for his life and was hoping that his estranged brother would accept his gifts and forgive him for his trespasses against him (ringing any bells?).
So Jacob sent his gifts or good works ahead, but he himself stayed behind and slept in the camp (the world or professing religiosity).
Jacob then lined up his family in hopes of them also being accepted by his estranged brother but when it came time, he himself had to go through what he went through… alone.
It was after he separated from his family and possessions that he met the man (our Lord) and went through a tremendous struggle and prevailed. The man (our Lord) touched him in his strength which resulted in Jacob never walking the same again. This is the point where we learn what Israel really means (it was not the man, but what the man went through….. a conversion).
"Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,
because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
Then Jacob received the blessing. The biggest blessing of all was the change in his walk.This served as a reminder to the people of his encounter with the man; just as the change in our walk serves as a reminder to the world that we have had an encounter with the Lord. My name is no longer John, but Israel. For I have struggled with God and with men, and have overcome.
So the question is not "who" is Israel ….. but "what" is Israel ? And the answer is the same today as it was in the beginning. It has never changed and never will.
Israel is a man that has struggled with and been touched by God.
That's how Paul can say "they are not all Israel who are of Israel."
We welcome your comments: We feel that this is a vital truth in our understanding in our walk with God.
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Last updated 1/6/00