Not all Israel is Israel

[瑤翰 김요한]

Not all Israel is Israel (Romans 9:6-9)

Israel received the law, had a temple that was a model of the heavenly temple, received the word of the covenant through sacrifices so that they could know the Lord who would suffer and the glory after suffering, and even Jesus was born as a descendant of David of the tribe of Judah.

Although the conditions were perfect, their ears could not hear the words of the prophets.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who took on the sin of the world and suffered (John 1:29), and after suffering, the Lamb of God sits on the throne of glory and the four living creatures and the 24 elders bow down before him and worship him (John 1:36).

They didn't recognize him.

It was okay for them  like David or as talented as Elijah, or  a powerful economic president who could feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, but they could not accept Christ dying on the cross as their Messiah.

Therefore, they regard Christ in Isaiah 53 as a forbidden book, saying that he is not their Messiah.

They do not know that Jesus of Nazareth was pierced on the cross, crushed, punishment, wounds, died, rose again, ascended to heaven, sat on the throne, sent the Holy Spirit in us, and became the Savior and Christ of those who hear and believe in the gospel.

Only are they interested in whether Jesus came from heaven or is he really a prophet, they did not know then and do not know now  that he is the Word who created all things, he is God who is above all things and will be praised forever.

If Christianity only knows Jesus, the Lamb who took away the sins of the world by dying on the cross, and does not know the Lamb, the King of kings, who ascended the throne and sent the Holy Spirit in us as promised to make us kingdom and priests, it is like Israel.

It's literally a dunce. 

A dunce is the scarecrow looks like a doll without eyes, nose, mouth, or ears.

So the Lord tells the Jews that if they do not know that it is He who is head over all things and is glorified forever and ever, they will die in their sins (John 8:24).

If you die in sin, you will go to the lake of fire. 

Be careful of those who only believe in Jesus on the cross.

Q. What does it mean that the word of God has not failed?

“Not as though the word of God has taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israe:l” (Romans 9:6)

A. The answer to Paul’s concerns is presented starting from verse 6.

Paul says that even though Israel failed, it does not seem like God's promise has been broken.

This means that even though Israel missed the promise, it is still being fulfilled.

Not all who belong to Israel are Israel. Physical Israel is no longer the chosen people.

Israel is not just the descendants of Abraham, but spiritual Israel comes from Jesus Christ.

This means that just as all church members are not children of God, we should not assume that they will be saved because they are Israel.

Just as not all people are that person (Genesis 1:27), not all believers are children of God.

Now is the era of universal Israel, in which both Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, are invited and chosen in Christ.

The difference between invitation and choosing is that invitation requires the believer to exercise his or her will.

Choosing lies in the will of the chooser, that is, the owner.

It is similar to the synchronization of electronic products.

For example, the command to take off your clothes and put on your clothes comes from the Lord.

If you die as a sinner by being baptized with water and become one body and one spirit with Christ by being baptized with the Holy Spirit, your body will move according to the commands of the Lord like a motivated device.

Q. Why aren’t all Abraham’s descendants Israel?

“Neither, because they are the  seed of Abraham, are they all children:  but , In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Romans 9:7)

A. Not all of Abraham's seed are his children.

Even in Abraham's time, Eliezer and his bastard son Ishmael, excluding Isaac, were not children to inherit.

In the past, even in our country, a bastard did not dare to call a his father a father.

This is important because God said that only those born of Isaac will be called ‘your seed.’

Just as a farmer distinguishes between seeds that will become seeds and food, we must understand that those who belong to the flesh and those who belong to the spirit, that is, children who are born again, are different from each other.

So, even though Abraham's descendants are like the sand in the sea and the stars in the sky, only the chosen ones become God's children and call God Abba, Father.

Even in Jesus' time, when he saw Israel complaining about being Abraham's descendants, he said, "You are not Abraham's descendants, but the children of the devil" (John 8:44).

Q. Who becomes the seed of God’s promise?

“That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” (Romans 9:8)

A. Being regarded as a seed means having your name written in the book of life.

However, to know that my name has been written in the Book of Life, all I have to do is to be in the Bible.

The Bible is actually a genealogy book and a book of life.

If you can find yourself there, your name will be written in the book of life.

Genealogy is the lineage of the ancestral family to which one belongs.

Even if you look like a Korean and speak Korean well, if you don't have a family register, it's like not being Korean.

Q. What is God’s promise?

“For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Romans 9:9)

A. The words ‘at this time in the new year’ mean ‘when the time comes’ (Genesis 18:15), but this word simply means at that time, meaning that only the Father knows.

This is the Lord who is present like a thief without the world knowing, and it is the time of the Spirit of truth. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

Before His death on the cross, the Lord told His disciples that I would go and send another Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and that I would not leave you orphans but would come. (John 14:18)

Isn’t the Lord now within you and me?

Christ is in us, so we are not in the flesh but in the spirit (Romans 8:9). Christ is in us, so we have eternal life and live toward God through His righteousness.

Looking at the Bible, did God really come to Abraham or Sarah at this time of the year?

No, Sarah only gave birth to a son.

That son is the sign.

The sign of Jesus is baby Jesus (Luke 2:12), and the sign of Christ is Matthew 16.

Through Christ, denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and following the Lord up and down (Matthew 16:24-25), that is, moving toward the throne of God through the Spirit of truth, turning around and shouting the gospel of truth to the world to save them.

This is the present sign of those who receive Christ.

So, not all Israel is Israel, but they become the true Israel in Christ.

Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.

Translated by  Nancy Chung

COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION