II. The People of Glory.

A. Israel and Israelites

A distinction should be made between the nation of Israel and the people of Israel. The nation of Israel goes on from generation to generation, but the people of Israel change from generation to generation. Individual Israelites can be removed from Israel, and Israel can lose its blessings. An example is found in the days of Moses and Joshua. Individual Israelites were removed by death and did not enjoy the blessings of the promised land. They died in the wilderness and did not enter into Canaan. However, the nation of Israel did not die in the wilderness, but it entered into Canaan. Even the majority of individuals can be removed from the nation and still the nation can go on.

God has promised that Israel will be glorious someday. They will be glorious in having a perfect king ruling on the throne of David. They will be a perfect people without sin someday. They will possess their land in a perfect condition forever. This is the future glory promised to the nation of Israel. But not all Israelites will be a part of the nation when God makes Israel glorious according to His promises. Some individual Israelites have died in their unbelief and sins and have gone to Hell forever. They will not be a part of the nation of Israel when it is made glorious.

An illustration may help. When God saves an individual by His grace, He has a plan to make that individual glorious someday. But when the person first receives Christ as his personal Savior, he has many imperfections. He has a sinful nature and a body with the curse of sin on it which is subject to death. God's plan to make that individual glorious in the future when his salvation is complete involves changes. The individual is the same; he does not change, but some parts of the individual will change. These parts will be removed. They will not enjoy the glory of the individual. God will take away the sinful nature. He will take away the curse of sin on the body and make the body glorious. When Jesus comes again, this person who received Christ years before will be made glorious in body and soul. He will not sin any more; he will perfectly obey the Lord from the heart out of love for Christ.

This is true of the nation of Israel. God by His grace has chosen Israel to be His nation. It was a sinful nation, no better than the other nations of the world. God blessed this nation, but it had many sins and imperfections; but God had a plan to make this nation glorious someday. The nation of Israel would be the same, but some parts would have to be removed and others changed to make it glorious according to His plan. When Christ returns and Israel is then a perfect nation, all of the lost Israelites will have been removed and the remaining will have been made perfectly righteous. The Bible is a history of Israel, showing its sins and imperfections truthfully and showing its need for great changes to make it glorious. The Bible promises that these changes will be made and how God will make them by His grace so that at the second coming of Christ the nation of Israel will be glorious.

This part of this book on Israel's glory deals with these questions: Who are the people of Israel when it is made glorious, and how is this people made glorious? Among true believers in Jesus Christ there is no question that Israel will be made glorious or that Christ will be the king then or that the land will be perfect and possessed by Israel, but there is this question: Who are the people of Israel then? Let us notice the answer the Bible gives to this question.

B. Division into Two Groups

Israel has been divided at various times in her history over various issues. But, the subject which has divided her into two groups throughout her history has been salvation. The two groups are the saved and the lost, those who believe in Christ as their personal Savior and those who don't believe. A reading of the Bible reveals this to be true throughout Israel's history. In New Testament days this division became visible and more pronounced producing strains in Israel which had not been there before. Before Jesus was born into the world, most of Israel looked for the Christ to come; but many did not trust Him as their personal Savior. They did not understand Him or His salvation. There was a general agreement that Christ was coming but a division as to His salvation. During Jesus' personal ministry, this division became more and more visible and pronounced. It reached a climax when Jesus was crucified. The vast majority of the people of Israel rejected Jesus as the Christ and called for His death. Only a few received Him as their Christ and personal Savior.

John 1:11-12 reveals this division into two groups in Israel. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

In Zechariah 11:4-14 this pronounced division concerning Christ was predicted. Jesus is the shepherd with two staves, 7, Israel is "the flock of slaughter" most of whom will not receive the shepherd, and the few believers of Israel are the "poor of the flock". This flock was to be slaughtered by the Romans because they rejected Jesus as their Christ. This took place in 70 A.D. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came to teach and save. Most of Israel rejected Jesus' teachings during His ministry and rejected Him as their Christ and Savior and called for His crucifixion. The word "beauty" in verse 7 means grace. The good shepherd dealt with the flock with the staff of grace, but most rejected His grace; and He broke that staff symbolizing that, 10, but the few believers, "the poor of the flock," understood, 11. God's grace was not taken from them. The "other staff" which represented "bands" which means unity was also broken, 14. The outward unity was broken at that time with the majority of Israel rejecting Jesus as their Christ. A visible, deep division was made in Israel. The majority rejected Jesus; they were lost. The minority, a remnant, received Him; they were saved. The rejection of Christ was no secret but a truth revealed by Zechariah and other prophets.

In John 10 the Lord reveals Himself as the Good Shepherd. This division is brought out when Jesus reminds unbelieving Jews that they are not His sheep, 24-26. True believers are the sheep of the Good Shepherd, 27-30.

Many passages of the New Testament reveal this deep, visible division of the people of Israel into two groups in New Testament days. The one is the lost of Israel and the other is the saved of Israel. The one rejects Jesus as the Christ and oppose those who believe on Him, even at times persecuting them. The other receives Jesus as the Christ and seek to win their fellow Israelites to Jesus but are opposed and even persecuted at times.

C. The Lost Jews are Cast Out

Some Jews who are citizens of Israel now in the sight of men will not be citizens of Israel when the nation is made glorious at the second coming of Christ. The nation of Israel will continue forever, but not all Israelites will continue in the nation. It is possible for a person to lose his citizenship in a nation today. Some by their own choice choose to give up the citizenship of the nation they were born in and go to another country. Some have their citizenship taken away by the nation in which they were a citizen.

Jews by birth who reject Jesus as their Savior and King will not be allowed to be a citizen of the nation He will rule over at His second coming. The Bible is very clear on that, Luke 19:11, 15, 27.

And as they heard these things, He added and spake a parable, because He was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated Him, and sent a message after Him saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when He was returned, having received the kingdom, then He commanded these servants to be called unto Him, to whom He had given the money, that He might know how much every man had gained by trading...But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me.

This passage reveals the two groups of Jews, the ones who are saved, His servants, and the others who are not saved, those who will not have Christ as their King. The saved are judged for service and rewarded accordingly and enjoy Christ's kingdom when He comes again. But, the lost who will not have Christ to reign over them are cast out of the nation and they are slain. These lost people are called "His citizens", 14. They are part of the nation of Israel now outwardly but they are not a part of it in the future in the time of Israel's glory. They are cast out and slain; they lose their citizenship.

Romans 11:15-24 teaches the same truth. The nation of Israel is like a good olive tree; the branches are the individuals in the nation. The nation of Israel, the tree, goes on and on but individual Israelites like the branches do not necessarily go on and on with the tree or nation. The believing Jews are the branches that remain in the nation or tree and will enjoy its future glory. The unbelieving Jews like defective branches are broken off from the nation as far as the future glory of the nation or tree. If they turn and believe in Christ as their personal Savior, then they can be grafted back into the tree of Israel and enjoy its future glory when Jesus comes again.

Matthew 8:10-12 teaches the same thing. The people of Israel are "the children of the kingdom" in this passage. They were born into the nation of Israel that someday when Christ returns will have the kingdom restored to it in all of its glory with Christ sitting on its throne. But, because they do not believe in Christ as their Savior, they will not be a part of the nation of Israel with its glorious kingdom when Christ returns. They are citizens of Israel by birth and so potentially citizens or children of the kingdom of Heaven which will be Israel's government when Christ returns. But unbelief will cause them to lose their citizenship in Israel in that future day.

John 8:34-39 teaches the same truth. The unsaved is "the servant of sin" in verse 34. Jesus is speaking to Jews in this passage, verse 37. These unsaved Jews are servants of sin, and only Jesus can save them and set them free from their spiritual bondage, 36. The unsaved Jew, the servant of sin, will not abide in the house of Israel for ever, because he will not enjoy Israel's glory when Jesus comes again, 35. However, Jesus, the Son of God, will remain in the house of Israel forever sitting on the throne of David and ruling over Israel for ever, 35.

Galatians 4:28-30 teaches the same truth. The two groups of Jews, the saved and unsaved, are seen in this passage, 21-31. The lost Jews are like "the bondwoman and her son", 30. They are to be "cast out" and not enjoy the future inheritance, 30. The future inheritance is Israel's glory when Jesus comes again.

Luke 13:24-29 refers to the same fact. The lost Jews have not entered "the strait gate" of Jesus Christ and been saved, 24. The master of the house of Israel is the Lord, 24. The door into Israel's future glory will be shut some day, 25. The Lord tells these unsaved Jews that in the future day of Israel's glory they will be told to "depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity", 27. In that day, even though they are Jews by birth, they will be "thrust out" of the nation of Israel when the kingdom is restored to it, 28. They are citizens now outwardly, but they won't be citizens then.

The Bible warns against depending on a natural kinship with Abraham to be saved and to be a part of Israel during the days of its glory. Matthew 3:7-10; John 1:11-13; 3:1-3. The unsaved Jew was a Jew in a sense outwardly, but in a more real sense they were not. Notice what Jesus said in John 8:37, 39, 44a:

I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you ... They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham ... Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.

Romans 2:17, 28-29 reminds us of the same truth.

Behold, thou art called a Jew, and retest in the law and makest thy boast of God...For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Unsaved Jews are not Jews in the full sense of the word. A Jew not only was a part of Israel, a citizen, but he was also to believe what God had instructed the Jew to believe. To reject Jesus as the Christ and king who would sit and reign on the throne of David when He returns is to not be a Jew in the full sense of what God taught a citizen of Israel to be. All citizens of Israel in the day of its glory will believe on Christ as their personal Savior and seek to obey Him from their hearts. An unsaved Jew is not a Jew in the fullest sense of the word and will not be a citizen in the day of Israel's glory. For this reason Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 deny that unsaved Jews are Jews. Revelation 2:9b states, ...and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

The prophets of the Old Testament describe the Israel in the day of Christ's second coming as a glorious perfect nation. Every citizen of true Israel trusts Jesus as his Christ and obeys Him. It is obvious from these descriptions that unsaved Jews are not citizens any more; they have lost their citizenship in that day.

When are unbelievers in Israel cast out or broken off? Only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal savior will be in Israel after Jesus comes again. But, when will unbelievers in the Israel of the future be broken off? Since God knows the heart, He knows now who is in the Israel of the future; but since we cannot see the heart, we must rely on what a person says and does to know if he is in the Israel of the future. A denial of Jesus as Savior would indicate to us he is not in Israel. The Jews of Jesus' day professed to believe in Christ and God's salvation as revealed in the Bible. However, as a whole they rejected Christ openly at the end of His ministry and called for His crucifixion. Before this open rejection they were in the Israel of the future by profession; but when they openly rejected Him, they were broken off. If they would believe in Him before their death, they could be grafted back in. God knew from the beginning His purpose for all, and He knows who truly believe and who do not. But we know as people reveal themselves to us by profession and their fruits. As a whole Jews by natural birth today openly reject Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They are not in Israel's future glory; God knows it, and we know it. If they believe in Christ, they can be grafted in. Different events throughout history can indicate to us if people are in the Israel of the future or not. If one professes to believe in Christ, we consider him as in Israel's future glory. Since we can't see their heart, we cannot be sure if they are truly in it or not. A clear indication will reveal that they are broken off despite any profession. Only real believers will be in the Israel of the future. The Lord's parables in Matthew 13 can help us understand concerning the time of casting off.

D. The Saved Jews are in Israel

All saved Jews are in Israel in the time of her glory. Romans 11:1-7, 16-27 brings this out. The good olive tree is the nation of Israel that will be made glorious at the second coming of Christ. The natural branches on the tree represent saved Jews. The lost Jews are the branches broken off the tree because of unbelief. There are only two groups of natural branches, those on the tree and those broken off. All of the saved Jews are on the tree of Israel in the time of its glory.

This group of saved Jews on the tree of Israel are called "the Israel of God", Galatians 6:16, contrasted to the lost Jews who are like branches which have been broken off the tree of the nation because of unbelief, Romans 11:19-20. These lost Jews are called children of the Devil and are organized into synagogues called synagogues of Satan, John 8:37, 39, 44; Revelation 2:9; 3:9, because they have already lost their citizenship in the nation.

Only the saved are in Israel when it is made glorious. Saved Jews are in it. These truths are brought out in Hebrews 3:1-6. The house or family of Israel in the days of Moses is referred to in verse 5. Moses was a "servant" in the house of Israel; he led his house out of Egypt and gave them the law. He was a servant of God in doing this. This point should be noted lest there be a misunderstanding when studying John 8:34-36, which speaks of a servant of sin, not a servant of God. In verse 6 Christ is a son over His house. His house or family is Israel without the unbelieving Jews. These unbelieving Jews will not be a part of the house of Israel when Jesus reigns over it in power and great glory at the second coming just like the unbelieving Jews died in the wilderness in Moses' time and were not a part of the Israel which Joshua led into the promised land, Hebrews 3 and 4.

Verse 6b describes the citizens of the house of Israel which belong to Christ now and will be made glorious when He comes again. It says, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. These words describe true believers in Christ and all of the context of Hebrews 3 and 4 confirm this.

Philippians 3:3 describes the citizens of the Israel of God. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. This language describes saved Jews; they are part of Israel in its time of glory but lost Jews are not.

The Old Testament and the New Testament bring out two truths concerning Israel's glory that might seem contradictory upon first notice. The one truth is that only a remnant of Israel will be saved and will be a part of Israel when Christ rules it at the second coming. The other truth is that all Israel will be saved in that day. These two truths perfectly harmonize and the Bible explains how they harmonize, so we need not speculate about how they harmonize. Romans 11 explains it for us. The nation of Israel is a good olive tree. The unbelieving Israelites are like branches which have been broken off the tree of Israel. Since only a minority, a remnant of the nation throughout its history, believe on Christ, only a remnant of Israel are saved. Since only the remnant of believers remain in the nation of Israel when it is made glorious and all of the majority of unbelievers have been broken off the tree of Israel thereby losing their citizenship, all Israel will be saved in the time of its glory. The only branches in Israel at the second coming are saved branches, so all Israel will be saved then. So a remnant of Israel are saved and yet all Israel will be saved. The Lord says unbelieving Jews are not Jews but children of the Devil. He says they are not my people. Romans 11:25-26 teaches this. Most of the people in Israel in Paul's day did not believe, but there was a remnant who did believe so there was not a total spiritual blindness in Israel.

What was true in Paul's generation has been true in every generation of Israel and will be so until "the fulness of the Gentiles" is complete, that is, until the times of the Gentiles have come to an end and all who are going to be saved have been saved. The "fulness of the Gentiles" is complete at the second coming of Christ. There is a partial spiritual blindness in Israel until that time, because only a remnant is being saved in every generation. At the end of the fullness of the Gentiles, which is the second coming of Christ, "all Israel shall be saved". Unbelievers in Israel are broken off the tree of the nation in each generation, so only believing branches are in the tree of the nation at the second coming and "so" all Israel shall be saved at that time. The "so" of verse 26 refers back to the context in Romans 11 and the illustration of the good olive tree with its branches.
 

E. The Saved Gentiles are in Israel

Every saved person is in the Israel of God and will be a citizen of Israel in the time of its glory. Gentiles who are saved are part of the nation of Israel when Jesus comes again.

Romans 11:12,13,17,24 describes saved gentiles as branches from a wild olive tree. These branches are grafted into the good olive tree of Israel and become a part of the tree along with the natural branches which believe. Saved gentiles become citizens of the Israel of God and are as much citizens as saved Jews are. Both are described as branches in the same tree.

This should be no puzzle to us, since the Bible is very clear on this; and this is according to what we see in our world today. Many people who are born in one nation leave their nation of birth and become a citizen of another nation by immigration. These citizens by immigration are as much citizens as the natural-born are citizens. These citizens by immigration also receive the name that belongs to the citizens of the nation to which they have immigrated. People of German birth who immigrate to the United States and become citizens are called Americans just like natural-born citizens are called Americans. These people are not Germans any more but Americans. These illustrations should help us see gentile believers are citizens of the Israel of God and are called Jews and the circumcision. However, the clear explanations of Scripture should be accepted on this matter rather than any modern theories which contradict the teachings of Scripture. Matthew 8:10-12; Galatians 4:28-30; Luke 13:24-29; Philippians 3:3; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 11:12-24.

This Israel of God is a spiritual Israel rather than a carnal Israel. Its citizens have been born again by the Holy Spirit; they follow the leadership of the Spirit; they trust Jesus Christ as their personal Savior; it is made up of saved Jews and gentiles. This is the Israel of God; it is a spiritual Israel but also a literal, a real Israel. In contrast, the Jews who have not trusted Jesus as their Savior are the carnal Israel, not the Spiritual Israel or Israel of God. They are a literal Israel also, but the Lord says they belong to Satan. We noted earlier that there has been a visible deep division in Israel since Jesus' first coming. There have been two Israels since then, the saved Israel and the lost Israel.

Abraham is the father of all believers. Gentile and Jewish believers look to him as a spiritual father, Romans 4:9-18; Galatians 3:26-4:7. Faith in Christ brings Gentile and Jewish believers into the Israel of God. Both are citizens by faith and are heirs of the future glory of Israel. Abraham is the father of this nation.

John 10:16 refers to Gentile believers' being brought into the fold of Israel. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: (gentile believers are the other sheep and they were not born into the fold of Israel) them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; (they will believe on Christ as their Savior) and there shall be one fold, (the Israel of God for both the gentile and Jewish believers) and one shepherd. (The Lord Jesus Christ will be the King of Israel in its glory). Concerning the unbelieving Jews, Jesus says, But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. John 10:26, note verse 24 to see that He was talking to Jews. Unbelieving Jews are not in the fold of Israel; they are put out because of unbelief.

Gentile believers are not only in the Israel of God and will enjoy its glory when Jesus comes again, but they are also equal to Jewish believers in the Israel of God. In Romans 11 the branches from the wild olive tree grafted into the tree of Israel represents Gentile believers. They are in the same tree as the natural branches and partake of the same sap from the tree as the natural branches.

Ephesians 2:11-19 points out this equality of Gentile and Jewish believers in the Israel of God. Gentiles were "far off" from Israel and the Jews were "nigh;" but when both were saved by Christ, they were made "fellow citizens" of Israel. In the Old Testament it was revealed that Gentiles would be saved and be a part of Israel's glory, but their equality of citizenship with Jewish believers in the nation was not revealed. This was a "mystery" or secret that was revealed in the New Testament. They would be equal in citizenship in the Israel of God and in the churches. Ephesians 2:11-3:13.

We have noted that saved Gentiles are citizens in the Israel of God and will continue in it until Jesus comes and Israel becomes a glorious nation. They have the name of citizen of Israel. They are called a Jew and the circumcised. Their father is Abraham, the father of Israel. They are equal in their citizenship with saved Jews in the Israel of God.

But, what is their responsibility to the law given to Israel in the days of Moses? The New Testament answers this question. In Acts 10 and 11 we receive some information concerning this. God had Cornelius, a Gentile, to contact Peter to come and teach him concerning salvation. As the messengers were going to Peter, God prepared Peter so he would be willing to go and witness to the Gentile, Cornelius. God gave Peter a vision of a sheet let down from Heaven with many kinds of unclean animals on it. Peter was told by God to eat these unclean animals. Peter refused, because this was contrary to God's law given to Israel in the days of Moses. God had made a law as to which animals were clean and could be eaten and sacrificed and which were unclean and couldn't be eaten or sacrificed. This law was not given because these animals were evil in themselves but because God wanted to keep Israel separated from the Gentile people around Israel who ate many of the unclean animals. If one cannot eat what the people around them eat, then they cannot get too close to them and are not as likely to intermarry with them. This would separate them from the people around them so it would be more difficult to accept their false religions and false standards for living. But God wanted them to go to the Gentiles now and preach the gospel to them. So He changed this law.

When Peter refused to obey God's command to eat, God rebuked him by telling him not to call the animals unclean that He had cleansed. Peter learned that these animals were not to be considered unclean any more and he could eat them. Because of this, there would be no reason not to go and witness to Cornelius, the Gentile, and to receive him when saved as a fellow believer. If this law was cancelled for Jews, it was for Gentiles, also, who would be saved and brought into the Israel of God.

When Peter went and preached to Cornelius and he gave evidence of being saved, the Lord baptized him and those with him in the Holy Spirit just like He did the saved Jews in the Jerusalem church on the day of Pentecost, 10:47; 11:15,17. God treated them, Jews and Gentiles, alike. Peter and those Jews with him recognized this and reported it to the saved Jews in Jerusalem.

In Acts 15 the question about saved Gentiles and their responsibility to the laws of Israel came up again. Did they have to be circumcised? This was a law God had given to Israel. Did these saved Gentiles, who were citizens in the Israel of God and would some day enjoy the blessings of being in Israel when it would be made glorious, have to obey the law of circumcision? God led them to see that the Gentile believers did not have to be circumcised. Neither Jew nor Gentile needed to obey this to be saved. The Gentile did not need to do it for any other reason either.

Since they did not have to be circumcised, then it logically follows that they could not obey other ceremonial laws in the Temple. This automatically exempted them from the ceremonial and civil laws of the nation of Israel in that day. The basic moral principles stated in the ten commandments and involved in the other laws of the nation were to guide their daily life as it should every believer, Jew or Gentile. The New Testament teaches this from Matthew to Revelation in many, many places. It is so obvious I need not dwell on this.

Since saved Gentiles were exempt from all of these laws of Israel and yet were in the Israel of God, why weren't the saved Jews also exempt? They were in Israel in that generation and were responsible to be good citizens as long as they were in it as a political and government body. All saved people, Jews or Gentiles, should be good citizens of whatever nation they are a citizen, Romans 13:1-7. God would soon destroy Jerusalem, the temple, and the nation and scatter them into all the world where they would become a part of other nations. This happened in 70 A.D. The saved Jews would then be exempt from the same laws as saved Gentiles. There would be no temple, so the ceremonial law could not be carried out as they had been instructed to carry it out. The civil law of Israel could not be carried out, because the nation of Israel would not be functioning as a national government.

Saved Jews and saved Gentiles should always follow the moral principles of God's law regardless of the place or time. They should always be good citizens of whatever nation they happen to be in, honoring those in authority, obeying the laws and paying their taxes.

For this reason the saved Gentiles are reminded not to be associated with idolatry or fornication in any way. The moral law, the 10 commandments, in principle teaches us not to be associated with idols and not to be impure sexually. These principles were particularly violated in the Roman Empire of the first century A.D. New converts saved out of such a background needed to be reminded of their moral responsibilities as saved people. Acts 15:20,29. The other moral principles of the 10 commandments were to be followed also in a Christian's life, but these were no particular problem compared to the two moral principles referred to so they weren't mentioned. The other prohibition was connected with the ceremonial law. Eating blood and things strangled which would still have some blood in the meat because the animal had been strangled rather than killed in another manner and the blood properly drained. The reason the Gentile believers are asked not to do this even though it is not part of the moral law but the ceremonial, is because of their testimony before the Jews. Being Jews, the brethren at Jerusalem knew the practice of eating blood would be particularly offensive to lost Jews. A Christian principle that we are to always follow is not to be a stumbling block but a good testimony, Acts 15:20b-21.

Saved Jews and gentiles who are citizens of the Israel of God have the same responsibility today to the law of God which was given to Israel in the days of Moses and they have had since 70 A.D. There was only a short transition period when it was different, and this was due to the fact that Israel was still functioning as a government although condemned by God for rejecting Jesus as the Christ. Christ fulfilled the sacrifices by His sacrifice. They had served their purpose of teaching Israel about Christ before He came into the world in the first century. They were not needed any more, and the Lord has taken them away by the destruction of the temple and His teaching in the New Testament.

In the book of Revelation the Lord gives us several pictures of the Israel of God which are very instructive. In Revelation 4 and 5 the apostle John is taken to Heaven where he sees God on the throne with the saved around him sitting on thrones. John is given a symbolic picture of what Heaven was like in his day,  the first century, and continues to be like until Jesus comes again. God as the sovereign ruler of the universe is symbolically pictured as sitting on a throne in great glory. The saved who have died and their souls are in Heaven are symbolically, pictured as 24 elders dressed in white with crowns on their heads and sitting on thrones. They are ruling with the Lord in glory. The language describing the 24 elders is Jewish; it comes from institutions in Israel as described in the Old Testament. This is the Israel of God in Heaven. But, it is clear that this nation is composed of individuals who have been saved by Christ's blood shed on the cross and they are saved Jews and Gentiles. The song they sing indicates who they are, Revelation 5:9-10. Gentiles are pictured in Revelation 4 and 5 as equal with Jews.

In Revelation 12 John is shown another symbolic picture of a glorious woman. She has a crown of twelve stars on her head; she is waiting to give birth to Christ. This woman represents the Israel of God. All of the description of her points to this. This woman is on the earth and is being persecuted, she is going through a wilderness experience. This woman represents believers, Jews and Gentiles. The vision of Revelation 4 and 5 of God on the throne in Heaven with 24 elders on thrones around Him and the vision of Revelation 12 of the glorious woman on earth with a crown of twelve stars are picturing the same nation, the Israel of God. Some of the saved have died and gone to Heaven, and some of the saved are still living on the Earth. They are all part of the same Israel of God. The saved in Heaven are enjoying the blessings there, and the saved on earth are experiencing the trials here. But both parts of the Israel of God are looking forward to the day when Christ comes again, and they will all be together reigning on the earth with Christ. Both are pictured as kingdoms, but the same kingdom with their individual members in two locations, Heaven and earth. Revelation 4:1-4; 5:9-10; 12:1-17.

We see an illustration of this in the history of Judah in the days of Ezekiel. Part of Judah was still in Judah with a king on the throne in Jerusalem, but another part was in Babylon with Ezekiel in captivity. Both were part of the same nation, but they were in two locations.

The two pictures of the Israel of God in Revelation 4 and 5 and in Revelation 12 describe this nation of God throughout history until Jesus’ second coming. Our headquarters now is in Heaven; our citizenship is there as Philippians 3:20 declares. "Conversation" in this verse means citizenship. Our capital is there, the new Jerusalem; and our King is there on Mount Sion, Revelation 5:6; Hebrews 12:22.

The Israel of God looks forward to the day when the Heavenly Jerusalem and all the Israel of God will be on earth at the second coming to rule the earth in glory. In Heaven they sing about it, Revelation 5:9-10; and on earth they are to pray about it, Matthew 6:10.

This glorious nation is pictured in symbols in its capitol, the new Jerusalem, which has been moved from Heaven to earth to its territory, the new heavens and earth, Revelation 21:1-22:5. Israel is pictured in all its glory in this passage. The promises made by God are seen as fulfilled in every way. The people obey God from their hearts, and only saved people are in Israel in that day. They have the land forever. They have Jesus Christ of the house of David ruling over them forever.

The Israel of God are in two locations now as seen in Revelation 4-5 and Revelation 12, but someday they will all be together on earth ruling over the earth in glory as seen in Revelation 21. But when are the two parts of the Israel of God brought together at the same location? Revelation 7 pictures this in symbolic language. The 144,000 represent all of the Israel of God, Jews and Gentiles, who are living on the earth when Jesus comes again. They are all gathered and caught up to Heaven at that time before the Lord destroys this world by fire and makes a new Heaven and earth. At this time the two parts of the Israel of God are brought to one place, Heaven. Later they all return with the Lord to take over the earth forever, Revelation 19-22.

The saved Gentiles are pictured in all these visions in Revelation as being part of the Israel of God.

In summary, Israel is a nation from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not based upon blood ties but with a glorious purpose planned by God. Some who had blood ties and came from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not in Israel. Ishmaelites, Edomites and Jews who were cast out of Israel had blood ties and became a part of Israel by marriage and by choice. Israel is a nation which is being molded to a final purpose. It is a changing nation for this reason. In this process all who do not believe in Christ are being cut off, and all who do believe are being added. When the process is finished at the second coming of Christ, it will be a perfect nation. It will be composed of people who have come from every nation throughout all time from Adam to the last person born. Every citizen of Israel will believe in Christ as his personal Savior, and every citizen will be perfect in his life. He will obey the Lord from his heart perfectly. At that time it will still be a nation from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not based on blood ties with Abraham, but the purpose of God for Israel will be complete then.

F. The Work of Israel Now

The Israel of God's history can be divided into two parts by the second coming of Christ. The part up to the second coming can be called the preparation part; the part after the second coming can be called the power part. The Israel that is composed of all the saved people and only saved people and is ruled over by Jesus Christ visibly on earth has not been completed. It is in preparation now and will be until Jesus comes again and all the elect are saved and every saved person is made perfect. When Jesus comes again, this Israel will be complete, the preparation will be over, and this Israel will take control of the earth in power. Israel will then be glorious.

An illustration may help. Suppose a new President of the United States has been elected. It will be about two months before he and his associates take over the country and begin to govern it in power. Until this government begins to function in power it exists, but it is preparing for the day it takes over the government. The President elect chooses his cabinet and announces certain policies that his government will follow. The new administration is in the preparation stage. When inauguration day comes, the new administration takes control and begins to run the country. The new administration is now in the power stage.

The Israel of God's administration is in the preparation stage now; at the second coming it will begin the power stage which will last forever.

During the days of Jesus' first coming, the leaders of Israel rejected Jesus as the Christ. Most of Israel rejected Him. These leaders and their followers had not been fulfilling their responsibility to God. They were supposed to be true witnesses for the coming Christ, but they had not been. When Jesus came, they rejected Him and called for His crucifixion. They had failed in their work. This work if witnessing was taken from them and given to a people who would witness for Him.

Jesus taught this truth by a parable in Matthew 21:33-40. The householder is God; the vineyard is the truth concerning the kingdom of Israel's glory which will be established when Jesus comes again. Fruit would be people being saved through this message and bearing fruit in their lives. The husbandmen are the leaders of Israel, the lost priests, elders, and Pharisees.

In past history the Lord sent prophets to urge them to turn to the Lord and fulfill their responsibilities before God, but they did not. They opposed the prophets and mistreated them. Finally He sent His Son, Jesus Christ. They rejected Him and had Him crucified. Because of this, the vineyard of the truth about the Lord's Kingdom, how to enter it by salvation and the blessings in it at the second coming, would be taken from these lost Jews and given to a nation or people who will fulfill their responsibility to God, 40-41, 43. This nation or people that will receive this responsibility of the vineyard is the Israel of God. The leaders of Israel who had failed in their responsibility and were having the vineyard taken from them were lost Jews, the branches on the good olive tree of the Israel of God which had been broken off this nation because of unbelief. The same truth is taught in Luke 20:9-19.

The Israel of God is described in I Peter 2:9-10. Their responsibility or work is described also in general. They are a nation of spiritual priests who are to show forth God's praises by witnessing concerning the salvation He has provided and its many blessings.

The Israel of God was to prepare for the coming day of Israel's glory by witnessing concerning God's truth and bringing forth fruit in doing so. This was their responsibility until Jesus comes again. God's plan for doing this was through the organization Jesus built during His personal ministry. This organization is called the church. Jesus began the first one, which became known as the church in Jerusalem. It was a pattern for all other churches. Saved Jews were in the church in Jerusalem. Later, when other churches were begun, saved Gentiles became members of the various churches. An examination of the New Testament reveals that the church at Jerusalem was an assembly of baptized believers seeking to preach and teach God's word so that people are saved, baptized and taught God's truth. Throughout the New Testament we see the Israel of God organized into many churches in many different communities. It was in this way that God wanted the Israel of God to carry out its responsibility or do its work until the second coming, Matthew 16:18-19; Ephesians 2:20-22; I Timothy 3:15.

Even though the kind of churches revealed in the New Testament are God's plan for the Israel of God to work for Him until Jesus comes, not all citizens of the Israel of God become members of New Testament churches. Some false professors do, though. Because of these facts, the Israel of God and New Testament churches do not have the same people in them.

G. The Israel of God and Other Institutions

The Kingdom of God or Heaven is the government of the Israel of God. Israel throughout its history has had several kinds of government. Their kingdom government began with Saul and went until Zedekiah was removed from the throne by the Babylonians about 586 B.C. Since that time they have had different kinds of government but have been looking for the kingdom to be restored to Israel as its government, Acts 1:6. The Lord promised that the kingdom would be restored some day with Christ ruling on the throne of David forever. This will take place at the second coming.

The kingdom of God is composed of only believers, and the Israel of God is composed of only believers. Jewish unbelievers have been broken off like dead branches from the tree of Israel leaving only believing Jews and believing gentiles who have been grafted into the nation. Until the second coming the Israel of God with its kingdom government is in a preparation stage. Christ is on the throne in Heaven ruling over His nation and government and preparing on earth by preaching the Gospel for the day He returns and begins the power stage. At that time the nation of Israel and its kingdom government will be established on earth in power and great glory and will control the earth forever.

The family of God refers to the kind of life found in the Israel of God. The kingdom is the outer government of the nation of the Israel of God and the family is the inner life of the nation of the Israel of God. Only the born again, those who have the life of Christ in them through the power of the Holy spirit, are in God's family. They are called children of God or sons of God and have a life which loves God and His ways and seeks to live according to those ways. The born again are believers in Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Everyone who is a citizen of the Israel of God is related spiritually. This nation is one family. Unbelieving Jews and Gentiles are called children of the Devil; they are not in God's family or His nation, the Israel of God.

The churches of Jesus Christ are the way of working for the Lord and worshipping the Lord in the Israel of God. They are the Lord's plan to do His work. Each citizen in the Israel of God living on the earth should become a member of a New Testament church and work for the Lord. Not every citizen does, though, and some who are not saved and not part of the Israel of God become members of New Testament churches. The saved in Heaven are not members of a New Testament church. The people in the Israel of God and the family of God and the kingdom of God are the same people, but the people in the New Testament churches are not the same as the other institutions.

The churches of Jesus Christ are the only visible, organized institution of God on earth. They are the only institution appointed by God for the Israel of God to work through and to worship in. "The church" is used by some today to indicate something different from the churches of the New Testament. They make "the church" to mean all believers and call "the church" the invisible, universal church. Such a meaning for "the church" is contrary to anything found in the New Testament. When some today use the words "the church" with this meaning, they make it equivalent to the Israel of God. In doing so, though, they make a new meaning for "church" that is not found in the New Testament.

In the New Testament the word "church" appears about 114 times. This word in almost all cases translates the Greek word "ekklesia" which means "assembly." In about 90 times no one questions the fact that the word is used according to the ordinary meaning of the word. It is used like these examples: "the church at Jerusalem", "the church in his house", or "churches." The remaining times we find generally the words "the church." In these remaining times, the words "the church" is often used generically. The generic use of the definite article is a common use in the New Testament Greek and in our every-day use of English.

To illustrate my point, suppose the bulletins would be passed out in some church service. After each person had a bulletin, the pastor would say, "Notice the bulletin. I would like to emphasize a point in it." In this illustration "bulletins" and "the bulletin" mean the same thing. It would be wrong to give a new meaning to the "the bulletin" and speak of it as the universal, invisible bulletin over against the local visible bulletins.

The generic article with the singular of a word is equivalent to the word in the plural. Note: "The workman is worthy of his hire," is equal to "workmen are worthy of their hire." "The husband is the head of the wife" is equal to "husbands are heads of wives." "Christ is the head of the church" is equal to "Christ is the head of churches." If any have a problem with Christ, who is one being, the head of many individual churches, then let him note that the Bible said that Jesus is the head of each individual man and that is a lot of men! When each passage is examined where "the church" occurs in the New Testament, we find that it is used generically or of one particular church such as a the Jerusalem church.

H. Summary

In the study of the People of Glory we have noticed that the nation of Israel goes on generation after generation, but the Israelites change from generation to generation. The Israelites have been divided into two groups, the saved and the lost. The lost Israelites have been cut off from any part in Israel at the second coming when the nation will be made glorious. These Israelites are not citizens of the nation that will be glorious. The Lord says they are not Jews. They have lost the name of a citizen. They continue to call themselves Jews or Israelites, and the world calls them Jews also; but God does not recognize them as such. If they continue in their unbelief, they will die and be punished forever. If they trust Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, then they will be grafted back into the nation of Israel and enjoy its glorious future.

The group of Jews, the saved Jews, are real Jews in God's sight even though a small remnant compared to the lost Jews and are part of Israel now and will enjoy its glorious future. The true Israel is called the Israel of God to distinguish it from the lost Jews who claim to be Jews, but God says that they are children of the Devil. Saved Gentiles are citizens of Israel in the true sense and are on an equal basis with saved Jews. They will enjoy the blessings of Israel's glory.

All the citizens of the Israel of God on earth are supposed to worship the Lord and work for Him now in churches that are patterned like the one Jesus began in His personal ministry. Many do work in such churches but some don't. These Christians are to work in such churches until Jesus comes again, winning people to Christ, baptizing them and teaching them all things. This kind of church is the only God-appointed agency for the Israel of God until Jesus comes again.

The Israel of God now has its citizens in two locations. Those who have died are in Heaven being blessed where the headquarters of the Lord's nation is at present. Those who are living are on earth are serving the Lord and waiting for Jesus’ coming.

At the second coming all of the citizens of the Israel of God will be brought to one location in Heaven at the rapture; and then, after the destruction by fire on the earth, the Israel of God will be brought to the earth which will have been made glorious to be established there and to rule forever with Christ.