Israel and the Church

1. The nation Israel began in the book of Genesis; the Church began in Acts 2.

The nation Israel was the only nation ever founded on regeneration. Abraham began life as a Gentile but through salvation became the father of the Jewish race. Abraham had “believed God” (Genesis 15:6) and so had Isaac and Jacob. God often identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Certain promises were made to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant had three promised parts: land, seed (descendants) and blessing. In Genesis 12:2, Abraham is told by God, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” The great nation refers to the land that would later be designated, the great name refers to the descendants of Abraham, and the blessing indicates the fruitage of faith in succeeding generations.

Later this basic covenant was amplified by three more covenants - the Palestinian (land promises), the Davidic (seed promises) and the New Covenant (blessing promises). That these covenants were given to Israel is stressed in Romans 9:4, “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.”

The Palestinian covenant stated that although Israel was given the title deed to the land of Palestine forever (boundaries defined), occupation in that land was conditioned on obedience, with scattering outside that land for disobedience. Deuteronomy 28-30 clearly teaches this.

The Davidic covenant made provision for a qualified Administrator, Jesus Christ, to rule over Israel in the land. He would be in the lineage of Abraham, be virgin born, and sit on the throne of David at a future time on earth in the Millennium - 2 Samuel 7:1-16 gives background and information on this covenant.

The New Covenant provided for Jesus Christ dying on the cross for, our sins, and the subsequent blessing when the individual Jew accepted Christ as personal saviour. Although these covenants pertain to Israel, we benefit from the New Covenant by faith in Jesus Christ, as stated in Galatians 3:14, “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ: that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.”

Although there were many believers in the Old Testament, some well-known, some obscure, there was no Church in the Old Testament. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, “I will build my church ...” Since this is still future when He made the statement, future searching finds the Church beginning on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2. That the Church began that day is proved very simply. Acts 1:5 speaks of the unique baptism of the Holy Spirit; that is, the operation of the Spirit of God in putting us in union with Christ as members of the body of Christ, His Church. In Acts 1:5 this operation is yet future. But in Acts 11:15,16 Peter identifies what happened on the day of Pentecost as the baptising work of the Holy Spirit, the placing of individual believers into the body of Christ.

2. The vocabulary differs when referring to the Church in contrast with Israel. The terms “in Christ,” “body of Christ” and “Church” never occur in the Old Testament. There is no concept of a universal or local body of believers in the unique way described in the New Testament. Also there are certain synonyms for the Church found in the New Testament. For example, the last Adam and the New Creation, 1 Corinthians 15. Also mentioned in the Head and the Body, Ephesians 5:22,23, and the Shepherd and the sheep in John 10. The figure of the vine and the branches is used in John 15 to refer to the Church. In Ephesians 2:20 He is the Chief Cornerstone identified with the stones of the building. 1 Peter 2:5-7 refers to the High Priesthood of Christ and the Church as “an holy priesthood.” Then the Ephesians 5 passage spells out the figure of the Bridegroom and the Bride.

Israel is always identified with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, the Church is not. Israel is declared to be a “servant” (Isaiah 41:8) whereas the Church enjoys the status of friendship (John 15:15). Israel is referred to as the “wife” of God (Jeremiah 3:1, 14, 20). To Israel, Christ is King, Immanuel, and Messiah. But to the Church, Christ is saviour, Lord, Bridegroom and Head. There are many more contrasts, but these are sufficient to prove the point.

3. The Church has many unique distinctions never equated with Israel. The baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13) was not an Old Testament operation.. Nor was our position (standing) in Christ a reality in the age of Israel (2 Corinthians 5:17). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit was not a fact before the Church Age, indwelling in the Old Testament was for special purposes, and less than one per cent were ever indwelt. The universal priesthood of every believer (Hebrews) was not a reality in the Jewish era. The canon of scripture was never completed during the Age of Israel, as in the Church Age. Also the unique controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit, every believer and ambassador representing Christ, and the doctrine of spiritual gifts are exclusively New Testament.

4. The Church has an unique identification of personnel in contrast with Israel. Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” When one accepts Christ as saviour, he loses his identity of race in God’s sight among other things. A Jew becomes a member of the body of Christ, and shares the heavenly blessings of the Church, not of His covenants, which mention many earthly benefits. Ephesians 3:6, “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body ...” was never true in the Old Testament. Israelites who were believers in the Old Testament keep their identity, as also they do in the Tribulation.

5. The Church was a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament scriptures. However the purposes of Israel are very much revealed there. Ephesians 3:5 states concerning this mystery, “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.” The Old testament scriptures give much information on the death of Christ, His resurrection, and many other factors, but no information is given in His unique relationship with the Church. Saints in the Old Testament, yes, but no organism, the Church, as revealed in the New Testament.

On the other hand the purposes of Israel are very clear. They are to keep their national identity; their blessings and cursings centre around the land, their descendants, and their treatment of the truths of Christ in type. This leads to another distinction, their worship.

6. Israel was authorised to worship in only one place, the tabernacle, and later the temple in Jerusalem, whereas the Church is authorised to worship “wherever two or three are gathered together.”

Leviticus 17<8,9 indicates that it is “the door of the tabernacle of the congregation” that is authorised for worship, whereas Matthew 18:20 gives the simplest form of a local church, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Their worship involved ritual and externals such as the sacrificing of animals, the washing of garments, the prohibition against touching the unclean. The worship of the Church emphasises the inner man, the internals, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name>” (Hebrews 13:15.

7. The Church contrasts greatly with Israel in regard to “rules of life.” The Mosaic law had its glory. It spelled out God’s high and holy standard and His hatred of sin. It pointed out that man could never attain God’s standard, that he was a sinner. It indicated through type or shadow that the Israelites were in need of a saviour, the Messiah who would come at a future time. It also laid down rues for diet, for stability in daily life, and conduct. However, when Jesus Christ walked the earth, he fulfilled the law by keeping every portion of it. He did this by being obedient to the Father, and the sustaining ministry of God the Holy Spirit. Now, in the Church Age we live under a higher law, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:2) When we walk in fellowship with the Lord we fulfill the righteous demands of the law. The emphasis now is “walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16).

8. The termination of the Church on earth to heavenly blessings (Rapture) is in contrast to Israel’s enjoyed fulfillment of promises on earth (second advent).

The Church when completed is caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:13-18). This is the Rapture when the “dead in Christ” shall rise, and a living generation of believers will go to be with the Lord. This is a promise centering in the heavenlies. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Israel on the other hand. looks forward to the second advent, seven ears after the Rapture when the covenants will be fulfilled. The land that she has owned since the days of Abraham will be enjoyed by them because they have received Christ as their saviour and can be obedient to Him. Christ will have regathered them and in their midst He will reign as their King, the qualified Administrator of their earthly kingdom. A reading of Isaiah will readily emphasise the future earthly blessings of Israel.

Genesis 17:8 states that the land promises to Israel are eternal. “And I will give unto thee, and to they seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an EVERLASTING possession; and I will be their God.” With a promise of this nature there must be an indication of a new earth at a future time. In Revelation 21:1 we have that very truth, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” The new earth will be the abode of Israel forever. Our abode will be in the new heaven and the New Jerusalem the administrative centre of eternity. Apparently the New Jerusalem is suspended between the new heaven and the new earth. Note Revelation 21:2 in this regard, “And I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” A beautiful picture, the eternal home of the Church, mentioned also in John 14:1-3.

Israel and the Church #2

Every believer is enjoined by 2 Timothy 2:15 to “rightly divide the Word of truth.” This passage commands the student of the Word to accurately interpret and apply the scriptures in his life. In so doing, certain distinctions leap at the Bible reader, causing him to contrast various categories of the Word. Two such large subjects involve Israel and the Church. It is our purpose to compare Israel and the Church and “rightly divide” them. The following points will develop the subject:

1. The nation Israel began in Genesis; the Church began in Acts 2.

The nation Israel was the only nation ever founded on regeneration. Abraham began life as a Gentile but through salvation became the father of the Jewish race. Abraham had “believed God” (Genesis 15:6) and so had Isaac and Jacob. God often identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Certain promises were made to Abraham. This Abrahamic Covenant had three promised parts; land, seed and blessing. In Genesis 12:2, Abraham is told by God, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” The great nation refers to the land that would later be designated, the great name refers to the descendants of Abraham, and the blessing indicates the fruitage of faith in succeeding generations.

Later this basic covenant was amplified by three more covenants — the Palestinian (land promises), the Davidic (seed promises), and the New Covenant (blessing promises). That these covenants were given to Israel is stressed in Romans 9:4, “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.”

The Palestinian Covenant stated that although Israel was given the title deed to the land of Palestine forever (boundaries defined), occupation in that land was conditioned on obedience, with scattering outside that land for disobedience. Deuteronomy 28-30 clearly teaches this.

The Davidic Covenant made provision for a qualified Administrator, Jesus Christ, to rule over Israel in the land. He would be in the lineage of Abraham, be virgin born, and sit on the throne of David at a future time on the earth in the Millennium. 2 Samuel 7:1-16 gives background and information on this covenant.

The New Covenant provided for Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins, and the subsequent blessing when the individual Jew accepted Christ as personal saviour. Although these covenants pertain to Israel, we benefit from the New Covenant by faith in Jesus Christ as stated in Galatians 3:14, “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Although there were many believers in the Old Testament, some well-known, some obscure, there was no Church in the Old Testament. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, “I will build my Church …” Since this is still future when He made the statement, future searching finds the Church beginning on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2. That the Church began that day can be proved very simply. Acts 1:5 speaks of the unique baptism of the Holy Spirit; that is, the operation of the Spirit of God in putting us in union with Christ as members of the body of Christ, His Church. In Acts 1:5 this operation is yet future. But in Acts 11:15,16 Peter identifies what happened on the day of Pentecost as the baptising work of the Spirit, the placing of individual believers into the body of Christ.

2. The vocabulary differs when referring to the Church in contrast with Israel. The terms “in Christ,” “body of Christ,” and “Church” never occur in the Old Testament. There is no concept of a universal of local body of believers in the unique way described in the New Testament. Also there are certain synonyms for the Church found in the New Testament. For example, the last Adam and the New Creation, 1 Corinthians 15. Also mentioned in the Head and the Body, Ephesians 5:22,23, and the Shepherd and the sheep in John 10. The figure of the vine and the branches is used in John 15 to refer to the Church. In Ephesians 2:20 He is the Chief Cornerstone identified with the stones of the building. 1 Peter 2:5-7 refers to the High Priesthood of Christ and the Church as “an holy priesthood.” Then the Ephesians 5 passage spells out the figure of the Bridegroom and the Bride.

Israel is always identified with Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, and Moses, the church is not. Israel is declared to be a “servant” (Isaiah 41:8) whereas the Church enjoys the status of friendship (John 15:15). Israel is referred to as the “wife” of God (Jeremiah 3:1,14,20) whereas the Church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22,23). To Israel, Christ is King, Immanuel, Messiah. But to the Church, Christ is saviour, Lord, Bridegroom and Head. There are many more contrasts but these are sufficient to prove the point.

3. The church has many unique distinctions never equated with Israel. The baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13) was not an Old Testament operation. Nor was our position (standing) in Christ a reality in the Age of Israel (2 Corinthians 5:17). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every believer was not a fact before the Church Age, indwelling in the Old Testament was for special purposes, and less than one per cent were ever indwelt. The universal priesthood of every believer (Hebrews) was not a reality in the Jewish era. The canon of scripture was never completed during the Age of Israel, as in the Church Age. Also the unique controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit, every believer an ambassador representing Christ, and the doctrine of spiritual gifts are exclusively New Testament.

4. The Church has an unique identification of personnel in contrast with Israel.

Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” When one accepts Jesus Christ as saviour, he loses his identity of race in God’s sight among other things. A Jew becomes a member of the body of Christ, and shares in the heavenly blessings of the Church, not of His covenants, which mention many earthly benefits. Ephesians 3:6, “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body … “ was never true in the Old Testament. Israelites who were believers in the Old Testament keep their identity, as they do in the Tribulation.

5. The Church was a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament scriptures. However the purposes of Israel are very much revealed there. Ephesians 3:5 states concerning this mystery, “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.” The Old Testament scriptures give much information on the death of Christ, His resurrection, and many other factors, but no information is given on His unique relationship with the Church. Saints in the Old Testament, yes, but no organism, the Church, as revealed in the New Testament.

On the other hand the purposes of Israel are very clear. They are to keep their national identity; their blessings and cursings centre around the land, their descendants, and their treatment of the truths of Christ in type. This leads to another distinction, their worship.

6. Israel was authorised to worship in only one place, the tabernacle, and later the temple in Jerusalem, whereas the Church is authorised to worship “wherever two or three are gathered together.”

Leviticus 17:8,9 indicates that it is “the door of the tabernacle of the congregation” that is authorised for worship, whereas Matthew 18:20 gives the simplest form of the local church, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Their worship involved ritual and externals such as the sacrificing of animals, the washing of garments, the prohibition against the touching of the unclean. The worship of the Church emphasises the inner man, the internals, “By him therefore let us offer up the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto His name,” (Hebrews 13:15).

7. The Church contrasts greatly with Israel in regard to “rules of life.”

The Mosaic law had its glory. It spelled out God’s high and holy standard and His hatred of sin. It pointed out that man could never attain God’s standard, that he was a sinner. It indicated through type or shadow that the Israelites were in need of a saviour, the Messiah who would come at a future time. It also laid down the rules for diet, for stability in daily life, and conduct. However, when Jesus Christ walked the earth, He fulfilled the law by keeping every portion of it. He did this by being obedient to the Father, and the sustaining ministry of the Holy Spirit. Now, in the Church Age we live under a higher law, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:2. When we walk in fellowship with the Lord we fulfill the righteous demands of the law. The emphasise now is on a “walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16)

8. The termination of the Church on earth to heavenly blessings (Rapture) is on contrast to Israel’s enjoyed fulfillment of promises on earth (second advent).

The Church when completed is caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This is the Rapture when the “dead in Christ” shall rise, and a living generation of believers will go to be with the Lord. This is a promise centering in the heavenlies. Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Israel, on the other hand, looks forward to the second advent, seven years after the Rapture when the covenants will be fulfilled. The land that she has owned since the days of Abraham will be enjoyed by them because they have received Jesus Christ as their saviour and can be obedient to Him. Christ will have regathered them and in their midst He will reign as their King, the qualified administrator of their earthly kingdom. A reading of Isaiah will readily emphasise the future earthly blessings of Israel.

Genesis 17:8 states that the land promises to Israel are eternal. “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. ”With a promise of this nature there must be an indication of a new earth at a future time.” In Revelation 21:1 we have that very truth, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” The new earth will be the abode of Israel forever. Our abode will be in the new heaven and the New Jerusalem the administrative centre of eternity. Apparently the New Jerusalem is suspended between the new heaven and the new earth. Note Revelation 21:2, “And I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” What a beautiful picture, the eternal home of the Church, mentioned also in John 14:1-3.

In application, more damage has been done by Judaising the Church than any other form of apostasy. Dr, Schofield said, “It may safely be said that the Judaising of the Church has done more to hinder her progress, pervert her mission, and destroy her spirituality, than all other causes combined,” (page 13, The Word of Truth Rightly Divided).

Consequently, a clear understanding of the Church and Israel will enable the believer to properly grasp the entire scripture and enjoy the stability of life sustained by proper Biblical interpretation.