The Israel of God

[svedbygrace]

The next promise in the prophecy is that they shall be my people and I will be their God..

This is applied here Rom 9:24-26

24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

This is the call of the Gentiles into Covenant Israel, the Church Eph 3:6

6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Eph 2:11-13

11Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

also 1 Pet 2:10

10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

This too is another promise of the New Covenant which Christ is the Mediator of unto all whom He shed His blood for Heb 8:10

10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

So this Promise can be applied to the Church, the believers in Christ, the Israel of God, the spiritual seed of Abraham Gal 3:29

29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed[Israel], and heirs according to the promise.69

 

[xuanvuive2013]

God bless children of Israel :3

[video=youtube;ev3OR1l-ppE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3OR1l-ppE[/video]

 

[svedbygrace]

Next Promise : They shall dwell in the Land given unto Jacob forever !



Ezk 37:25

25And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

What Land is this ? Is this the piece of dirt over in the middle east ? No its not. This is the land that God promised Abraham of which Isaac and Jacob were heirs of the same promise !

Heb 11:8-10

8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

The Land these Heirs looked for was a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, not men..

Also about this land we read in Heb 11:13-16

13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off[by Faith], and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

The Land was a heavenly Land, not of this earth..It was the possession of the everlasting Canaan Gen 17:8

8And 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.

This is the Eternal state here Matt 8:11


11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.


Yes, the Land is the Kingdom of heaven. Many from the east and west shall sit down with them. Thats because they too shall be gathered from the east and the west as predicted here:

Ezk 37:21

21And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side,and bring them into their own land:

Every side denotes the east and the west too..

Isa 43:5

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

Gal 3:29

29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Those who belong to Christ are heirs of the same promise that Abraham, Issac and Jacob was here Heb 11:9

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacleswith Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

The Land is the Kingdom of Heaven, not palestine in the middle east..

Now can this apply to believers in Christ, the seed of Abraham ? Yes it can and it does 70

 

[svedbygrace]

God will dwell in their midst forever !

Ezk 37:28

28And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

1 Thess 4:17


17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Rev 21:23

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

All that has been prophesied in Ezk 37 :21ff can be fulfilled in all believers in Christ..The Church, The seed of Abraham 71

 

[svedbygrace]

I have just shown how a OT Prophecy pertaining to the children of Israel in Ezk 37, can and does apply to the Church, The Spiritual seed of Abraham, which is Israel. The Seed of Abraham is another way of saying Israel Isa 41:8

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

And both Christ Gal 3:16 and believers Gal 3:29 are called the seed of Abraham, so both are Israel..

I will now by the grace of God show forth, even though its not understood by the masses in organized religion today, that the Church is one continuity in the OT and NT, that the NT Church is the Fulfillment of the Old Testament Prophecy concerning Israel [seed of Abraham]; So the promises concerning the promised Kingdom/land is to be understood spiritually and not naturally..

Peter assures us the prophecies of old was concerning the grace that would be unto us the Church, even though the name Israel was in used.. 1 Pet 1:10

Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

The prophets just saw the grace coming to Israel, Gods chosen covenant people..which it did, but it was just not to ethnic jews, but to jews and gentiles in Christ 72

 

[svedbygrace]

Paul teaches in the book of Galatians the only True seed of Abraham [Israel], His True Heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant blessings and promises are True Believers, whether jew or gentile Gal 3:7

7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. [see Rom 4:16] Gentiles who believe are the True seed of Abraham and Heirs of Promise.

Abraham is the Father of God's People not because of being their biological ancestor, as the ethnic jews think, and many others as well but because He has a spiritual family given him of Faith [see Rom 4:16] This verse certainly proves that the gentiles as well as some ethnic jews are Abraham's seed of promise. So He [ Abraham] has been given by God, a spiritual family [ a type of Christ] who follow in His Faithful footsteps Rom 4:12

12And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

This Truth also shows the connection of the Church [spiritual seed] transitioning from the OT to the NT, Abraham's spiritual seed being the bridge and foundation.73

 

[svedbygrace]

The True Seed of Abraham is Christ !


So Paul shows in Galatians that the seed of Abraham is Christ Gal 3:16

16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

And Christ is the Head of the Church Eph 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.

So the seed of Abraham is the Head of the Church, if they be the same Christ !!

And they who are Christ's [ to the exclusion of all others] are Abraham's seed and Heirs according to promise Gal 3:29


29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Question, How can Abraham not be of the Church when His seed is the Head of the Church ? And if Abraham is of the Church of which His seed is the Head of [Christ], then how could it [The Church] not existed in the OT when Abraham existed ?

The seed of Abraham Christ does away with all physical and national barriers, for their is neither jew or gentile, bond nor free, neither male or female, for all are one in Christ Abraham's seed !

Gal 3:28

28There 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.74

 

[svedbygrace]

Gal 3:23


Gal 3:23

23But before faith came, we[The Church] were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwords be revealed.

This verse proves that the church existed in the OT, for Paul identified himself with those elect jews who were kept under the tutelage of the law until N.T Faith came, brought in and established by the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ. The Church under the OT was under many legal restraints of administration Col 1:21

21(Touch not; taste not; handle not);

Until the Time of Gospel Faith, which was the time when the fulfillment of the promise in Christ should set free the children of God from all earthly and legal obligations, and set free from the Old Covenant Economy, to serve God in Spirit and in Truth.

But after Faith has come, we [The Church] are no longer under a school master Gal 3:25

25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Which meant the passage of the church from the mosaic law to the New Covenant economy Jn 1:16-17


16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Paul had not been speaking of a individual experience [ though applicable] of coming to Faith in Christ, but a transition in sacred history where the regime of law was superseded by the regime of Faith, the school master handed off to Christ, and the Church transitioned from infancy and minority to Adulthood 75

 

[svedbygrace]

Israel and the Church

For those who do not realize that Israel and the Church are the same, they are showing a lack of understanding that Christ and the Church are the sum and substance of the O T Prophecy. Christ is in all the scripture Lk 24:44,47

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

He and His People, believers in Him, are the terminus of prophetic scripture.

The Nation of Israel had no other purpose for existence apart from being a type preparing the way for the New Covenant People of God of whom the end of the ages hath come 1 Cor 10:11


11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples [a type]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

And without whom the OT Saints of old could not be perfected Heb 11:40

40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Which again solidifies that the OT Saints are One Church with the NT Saints, for this is readily perceived with the Transfer to both jew and gentile the names and privileges originally attributed to National Israel i.e Rom 1:6-7

6Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

7To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 9:24-26

24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Also 1 Pet 2:9-10

9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

These scriptures, duly considered, with the blessing of the Lord, can be seen to unite or to recognize the union of the OT Saints with NT Saints 76

 

[svedbygrace]

Israel and the Church the same !

That Israel and the Church are the same and are unified from the OT to the NT is seen in the Gospel and its proclamation.

The Church’s oneness Is Taught By The Gospel Promises To The Patriarchs OR Father's, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob !

That promise was made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Genesis 22:18 contains it as well as other parts of the Old Testament. “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed: because thou hast obeyed My voice.”

Now that is a gospel promise; let me ask you to look at Galatians 3:8, “The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

This same promise that Paul says belonged to the gentiles Justification, peter preaches it to the jews:

in Acts 3:25, 26, said to the Jews, “Ye are the children of the prophets. and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

Of course Peter did not at this time realize that gentiles were included in those promises and were also the Children of the Prophets. For Abraham was a Prophet according to gen 20:7

Now therefore restore the man [Abraham] his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

And Believers in Christ are Children of Abraham Gal 3 :7,29

7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.


29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed or children, and heirs according to the promise.

Jew of Gentile, race does not matter, if we are of Faith the same are children of Abraham..

So unknowingly peter in Acts 3 :25-26 was speaking about some gentiles to..

And of course Paul made it clear in Gal 3:8

So, NT Believers are The Children of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and if we NT Believers are the Church of Christ, why not our Fathers ?

We know Abraham believed in Christ from this scripture, for Jesus said of him Jn 8:56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

No doubt Jesus had been revealed to Him as His righteousness, and of His seed's righteousness as well !

For certainly, if we the Children have Christ as our righteousness, then He must have been our Fathers righteousness. For the Children of Abraham, those God would justify by Faith Gal 3:8, He must have Justified their Father Abraham by Faith, and Christ was that seed to whom all the blessings of Justification would come by..

And of Abraham's natural Children, Isaac was included, but Ishmael was rejected, Jacob was included, but Esau was rejected in blessing of Justification.

So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were believers in Christ ! And as Believers are Children of Abraham, so too of Isaac and Jacob.

The great deceiver, has blinded many to this Truth 78

 

[svedbygrace]

Israel and Church the same, The Spiritual Family of Abraham !


The Church’s Unity Is seen By A Prophecy in Isaiah

The Father said to Christ, “It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel;

I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). In other words, it was God’s purpose that Christ, the Messiah, should not only save the preserved of Israel, but that He should be the Saviour of the Gentiles to the ends of the earth.

But no man is saved apart from faith in Christ. When a Jew or a Gentile believes in Christ, he becomes manifestly a member of Abraham’s spiritual family and a member of the Household of God, and therefore a member of the one family in heaven and in earth

Paul, of the Church, was an extension of Christ to fulfill this Purpose..acts 13:47

For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Remember this command was given to Christ the servant in Isa 49:6..

The Gentiles are those in the Nations that Abraham was made a Father to in Gen 17:


5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.80

 

[svedbygrace]

Did Paul spiritualize scripture ?

One of the reasons for the confusion and error of not realizing the Church and Israel are the same people just under a different economy, is because its ignored how Paul spiritualized things in the OT to give their application and meaning into the NT which He served, for He was a Minister of the New Testament and in being so a Minister to the gentiles .

2 Cor 3:6

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Rom 15:16

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Yes, its the same ministry..

The New Covenant must be applied to the gentiles, this same one promised to Israel here Jer 31:31

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Now lets observe how Paul spiritualized scripture in the OT to give us to know that the OT in general was written with a underlying spiritual relevance not comprehended during the OT times but was to be revealed in the NT times 1 Pet 1:10-12


10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.


Now lets look at an instance of how Paul spiritualized events in the OT ! 1 Cor 10:1-4,11

1Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

11Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Now think about what Paul has just stated here in this passage ! Spiritual food, drink, rock and Christ, now where in the written account of the Exodus is any of this mentioned ? For in the literal account we read of physical manna, water from a physical rock ! We observe the people of Israel passing through the red sea and a cloud by day and pillar by night, but there is no mention of baptism as Paul states. The point here is that the Apostle is demonstrating the proper way to interpret the OT ! Not only did the story literally happen in the OT but it had a higher and spiritual meaning which the Holy Spirit intended for it to have..Thats why Paul says to this same church earlier about the things he spake to them this:

1 Cor 2:12-13

12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Hence, spiritual food, spiritual drink, spiritual rock can mean a spiritual Israel The Church 82[/INDENT]

 

[Linda70]

The Church is not Israel, the "new" Israel, or "spiritual" Israel..."proof texting" out of context is pretext and does not change facts.

 

[Isdaniel]

The Church is not Israel, the "new" Israel, or "spiritual" Israel..."proof texting" out of context is pretext and does not change facts.

Spiritual Israel makes up the body of Jesus and is the true church

Galatians 6

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

 

[Linda70]

Spiritual Israel makes up the body of Jesus and is the true church

Galatians 6

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

That would be incorrect.

Galatians 6:15-16 is simply "proof texting" out of context.

The Church is never called, and is not, a “spiritual Israel” or a “new Israel.” The term “Israel” is either used of the nation or the people as a whole, or of the believing remnant within. It is never used of the Church in general or of Gentile believers in particular.

Try "rightly dividing" the Word of truth....you might learn something.

 

[svedbygrace]

Did Paul spiritualize scripture ? cont


We have seen that Paul spiritualized the OT in 1 !or 10, and we will look at another passage in Galatians where he does it again Gal 4:21-31

21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Notice vs 24, which things [ OT History] an allegory ! The word is the greek word allēgoreō:

) to speak allegorically or in a figure

Remember when Paul wrote that Adam was a figure of Him to come, Christ Rom 5:14

Vines Dictionary states about the word allegory:


translated in Gal 4:24 "contain an allegory" (AV, "are an allegory"), formed from allos, "other," and agoreuo, "to speak in a place of assembly" (agora, "the market-place"), came to signify "to speak," not according to the primary sense of the word, but so that the facts stated are applied to illustrate principles. The "allegorical" meaning does not do away with the literal meaning of the narrative. There may be more than one "allegorical" meaning though, of course, only one literal meaning. Scripture histories represent or embody spiritual principles, and these are ascertained, not by the play of the imagination, but by the rightful application of the doctrines of Scripture.

Paul in this passage again spiritualized this history in the OT. Where can we read in genesis that Hagar is a Covenant or Mt Sinai ? What about Sarah being the New Covenant and is Mt Zion ? The fact is, it doesn't, but the inspired Apostle clearly tells us these things are true. Now the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ being the Chief cornerstone.. Eph 2:20

20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

BTW this scripture proves the Oneness of the Church and Christ was and is the Head of the OT Prophets as He is the Head of the Apostles..for He is the Chief cornerstone..

And this being the case, we should give heed to this type of interpretation by the Apostle who was made so by the Sovereign Will of God as per 2 Tim 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

Whats being seen here is that many of the OT events had a double meaning, the obvious literal and the higher, hidden, and spiritual meaning..

The Spiritual meaning however can only be given by the Holy Ghost of God 1 Cor 2:12-14

12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

A casual reading of the Literal history of the OT cannot reveal its higher and spiritual intent by God

 

[svedbygrace]

linda

It is never used of the Church in general or of Gentile believers in particular.

Yes it is, there are gentile believers here in Gal 6:16

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

There are Gentile Believers here Gal 3:29

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Abraham's Seed in Scripture is Israel ! Isa 41:8

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Now are you going to deny that Gentiles are included in Abraham's Seed in Gal 3:29 as individuals who belong to Christ ? If you deny it, you deny the bible, period !

 

[weakness]

Did Paul spiritualize scripture ? cont


We have seen that Paul spiritualized the OT in 1 !or 10, and we will look at another passage in Galatians where he does it again Gal 4:21-31

21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Notice vs 24, which things [ OT History] an allegory ! The word is the greek word allēgoreō:

) to speak allegorically or in a figure

Remember when Paul wrote that Adam was a figure of Him to come, Christ Rom 5:14

Vines Dictionary states about the word allegory:


translated in Gal 4:24 "contain an allegory" (AV, "are an allegory"), formed from allos, "other," and agoreuo, "to speak in a place of assembly" (agora, "the market-place"), came to signify "to speak," not according to the primary sense of the word, but so that the facts stated are applied to illustrate principles. The "allegorical" meaning does not do away with the literal meaning of the narrative. There may be more than one "allegorical" meaning though, of course, only one literal meaning. Scripture histories represent or embody spiritual principles, and these are ascertained, not by the play of the imagination, but by the rightful application of the doctrines of Scripture.

Paul in this passage again spiritualized this history in the OT. Where can we read in genesis that Hagar is a Covenant or Mt Sinai ? What about Sarah being the New Covenant and is Mt Zion ? The fact is, it doesn't, but the inspired Apostle clearly tells us these things are true. Now the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ being the Chief cornerstone.. Eph 2:20

20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

BTW this scripture proves the Oneness of the Church and Christ was and is the Head of the OT Prophets as He is the Head of the Apostles..for He is the Chief cornerstone..

And this being the case, we should give heed to this type of interpretation by the Apostle who was made so by the Sovereign Will of God as per 2 Tim 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

Whats being seen here is that many of the OT events had a double meaning, the obvious literal and the higher, hidden, and spiritual meaning..

The Spiritual meaning however can only be given by the Holy Ghost of God 1 Cor 2:12-14

12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

A casual reading of the Literal history of the OT cannot reveal its higher and spiritual intent by God[/QUOTEI think scripture can have more than just a double meaning . multifaceted , but as you said only the Spirit of God can reveal the deep thing of God. And just because revealed to us doesn't always mean to speak it out . Pride seem to like some credit. Maybe for prayer or in the future or who knows If God shew some one some really cool stuff,Like when you feel him sitting on the bed with you and he is sharing the plans of the kingdom. The father shews his children what he is doing.he is trusting us to be responsible to what he is shewing us. HOW GLORIOUS IT IS THAT WE SHOULD BE CALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD. I accidentally hit my caps lock , I guess a good time. To bad there isn't still a school of the prophets ..yea

 

[zone]

The Israel of God
(Galatians 6:16)

by Michael Marlowe, Dec. 2004.

14 ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι᾽ οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται κἀγὼ κόσμῳ. 15 οὔτε γὰρ περιτομή τί ἐστιν οὔτε ἀκροβυστία, ἀλλὰ καινὴ κτίσις. 16 καὶ ὅσοι τῷ κανόνι τούτῳ στοιχήσουσιν, εἰρήνη ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔλεος, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ.

14 But far be it from me to boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.




The proper interpretation and translation of the last phrase in Galatians 6:16 has become a matter of controversy in the past century or so. Formerly it was not a matter of controversy. With few exceptions, "The Israel of God" was understood as a name for the Church here. [1] The καὶ ("and") which precedes the phrase ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ ("upon the Israel of God") was understood as an explicative καὶ. This understanding of the grammar is reflected in the Revised Standard Version's "Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God," and in the New International Version's "even to the Israel of God." It is not necessary, however, to understand the καὶ as an explicative in order to get substantially the same sense. If it be regarded as an ordinary connective καὶ, as Marvin Vicent says, "The ὅσοι ['as many as'] will refer to the individual Christians, Jewish and Gentile, and Israel of God to the same Christians, regarded collectively, and forming the true messianic community." (Word Studies in the New Testament vol. 4, p. 180). So the rendering "and upon the Israel of God" (KJV and others) is acceptable enough, if it is not misunderstood. In any case, it seems clear that in this verse Paul cannot be pronouncing a benediction upon persons who are not included in the phrase "as many as shall walk by this rule" (the rule of boasting only in the cross). The entire argument of the epistle prevents any idea that here in 6:16 he would give a blessing to those who are not included in this group.

The phrase has become controversial because the traditional interpretation conflicts with principles of interpretation associated with Dispensationalism. Dispensationalists are interested in maintaining a sharp distinction between "Israel" and "the Church" across a whole range of theological matters pertaining to prophecy, ecclesiology, and soteriology. They are not comfortable with the idea that here Paul is using the phrase "Israel of God" in a sense that includes Gentiles, because this undermines their contention that "the Church" is always carefully distinguished from "Israel" in Scripture. This is a major tenet of dispensationalist hermeneutics. C.I. Scofield in his tract, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (New York, Loizeaux Brothers, 1888) wrote, "Comparing, then, what is said in Scripture concerning Israel and the Church, [a careful Bible student ] finds that in origin, calling, promise, worship, principles of conduct, and future destiny--all is contrast." Likewise Charles Ryrie in his book Dispensationalism Today (Chicago, 1965) explained that the "basic premise of Dispensationalism is two purposes of God expressed in the formation of two peoples who maintain their distinction throughout eternity." (pp. 44-45).

The Israel of God (Galatians 6:16) < click


etc etc

do we have this sorted out yet?

do we have this sorted out yet?

 

[ProphetExcalibur]

That would be incorrect.

Galatians 6:15-16 is simply "proof texting" out of context.

The Church is never called, and is not, a “spiritual Israel” or a “new Israel.” The term “Israel” is either used of the nation or the people as a whole, or of the believing remnant within. It is never used of the Church in general or of Gentile believers in particular.

Try "rightly dividing" the Word of truth....you might learn something.

No you are wrong, the Church is every bit the New Covenant Israel, Who is laid upon the foundation of Old Covenant Israel. Paul knew who the Israel of God was and is!