Lev 20:26.. Ye shall be holy [separate] unto me,

A BOOK BY BOOK LOOK AT THE EXCLUSIVENESS OF ISRAEL

The verses listed below are all addressed to Israel and not to anyone else! In reading them, please take note of the emphasised words in each verse to see that this is so.

Exodus 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be unto you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God ¼

We start here with the separation of Israel from other peoples. God, who is addressing Israel, is saying that He will be the God of this one people. Here it is Jehovah who is Israel’s creator. Throughout the Bible we cannot find any specific verse which says the God of the Bible is other than the God of Israel.

Exodus 19:5,6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.

The words above all people immediately states that there is a different relationship established between God and Israel that does not apply to other races. It was Jesus who later said that unless a person was born from above he would not be able to see the Kingdom of Heaven, confirming they must come from the same people. The very Greek prefix ano suggests “upwards” or “superior”. Furthermore, the expressions Kingdom of Priests and an holy nation as a direct quotation is found in 1 Peter 2:9 [a royal priesthood] showing the people are the same. No other race is spoken of in this same unique way.

Lev 20:26.. Ye shall be holy [separate] unto me, for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

Here we find a clarity which witnesses the racial separation of Israel from other races. The Hebrew word badal’ means to separate, distinguish, select, divide and to sever utterly. The basic meaning of the words holy and holiness in both Testaments conveys the idea of being separate or set apart. God Himself is spoken of as The Holy One of Israel, but never as being the Holy One of any other race. Thus, in both Testaments, a holy nation means a “separated” nation. The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of separation upon the holy nation. In Scripture we can find reference to The Holy People [Daniel 8:24], referring to Israel. When God severed Israel from the other races, there is no indication that the separation was to be for any limited period. In fact, it is the opposite that is shown.

Deut 4:7,8.. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them ¼ what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day.

This verse establishes that the Law was given to Israel alone. Moses, speaking to Israel alone, declares in verse 13 that this involves the Ten Commandments. The Old Testament was made with Israel alone, even if there were a mixed multitude present with them at that time. The issue here is law and covenant relationship.

Deut 4:37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them ¼

The genetic relationship between fathers and seed cannot be avoided! This reference continues through the New Testament!

Deut 7:6 For thou art an holy [separate] people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all the people that are upon face of the earth.

This is not a popular teaching, but it is one of the early Bible statements about the unique, racially exclusive, place of Israel among all the other races. If Israel was to disappear as a race from the Bible, prophecy would forecast this. In the New Testament, Paul asks the question, Hath God cast away His people? – No! – God forbid [Rom 11:1]. At that point in time, Israel was separated into two Houses of whom “part” were blinded [v7], but Israel as a whole hath not obtained.

Deut 32:9 For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.

There is not one Scripture anywhere which says any race other than Israel is genetically God’s inheritance.

Deut 33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like thee, O people saved by the Lord ¼

People are taught or like to think that God is unbiased or unselective, but as a Sovereign God He can do whatever pleases Him. Paul says, and so ALL ISRAEL shall be saved [Romans 11:26].

Numbers 23:9 ¼ lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

In the New Testament, the call is still to come out from among THEM and touch not the unclean. It is God who made this sexual or physical separation for all time. Israel is not to interact with other races in any such common purpose or become unequally yoked with other races, particularly with their idols. This brings God’s judgement upon transgressors.

2 Sam 7:23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself and to make him a name …

We must note the singular emphasis here which tells us the same story about Israel being the one people Jesus came to redeem.

Psalm 78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a Law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers ¼

The triad, Jacob, Israel and fathers is a three fold bond that cannot be broken. Again we find here the confirmation that the Law was given to Israel. In the New Testament, we find the same expressions, fathers, Jacob and Israel which show the New Testament is addressed to the same people – those who had the Old Testament. That is, they are all Israelites by race.

Psalm 147:19,20 He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgements unto Israel. ¼ as for his judgements, they [the other races] have not known them.

This is a very clear statement that His Word is not given to other races! This is not a popular concept or teaching but it is confirmed in both Testaments. But if God declares that He hath not dealt so with any nation, we dare not question it! Israel is unique by God’s sovereign choice.

Psalm 148:14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even the children of Israel, a people near to him.

This Scripture defines who and who only are saints. Saints appears in the New Testament without any new definition. It is God who made this separation for all time. Also, we do not find other races being “near” to God.

Isaiah 41:8-9 But thou, Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

“The seed” – this word is very important, as it defines which part of Abraham’s seed is continually referred to in both Testaments, as being God’s people racially. Not all the nations which spring from Abraham are regarded as his seed. Only the nation ‘named’ or ‘called’ IN Isaac is to be so regarded. Jacob and his descendants were accepted as this seed. To show this, Jacob was named ‘Israel’ – that is, he was given God’s name. Thus Jacob was the seed named in Isaac.

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

This verse includes the words, “created” and “formed” that are not the same. Jacob was created, but Israel was formed

Formed yatsar To fashion, form or make.

Created bara In context, this is to create.

Redeemed gawal Bought back, ransomed, recovered or avenged.

These things are never said of any other race. If God chose every race there would be no election, choosing or buying back. All mankind would be the same! These expressions continue through the New Testament. Do they sound familiar? There is a difference between the expressions the sons of Jacob and the children of Israel through Scripture, one being ‘created’ with the other being ‘formed’. Those ‘formed’ by fully believing God come from among those who are the natural descendants. We find a similar difference between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2.

Isaiah 45:4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee ¼

Note: the elect is an important term also which defines God’s selection of a people [singular] which is genetic [national Israel]. Elect or bachiyr means “chosen one” [singular]. Jesus and the New Testament writers use the term in a way that does not change.

Isaiah 46:3 Hearken unto me, O House of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb.

Note: This defines the racial origin of Israel as being from the womb of Sarah [see also Isaiah 51:1,2, the hole of the pit]. This is expanded later in this book.

Isaiah 49:3 ¼ thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

This shows Israel is God’s servant people. This again is a continuing expression which is used of those fulfilling God’s purposes. “Servant” is sometimes applied to other races which God is using to discipline Israel so that Israel might glorify God. God does not say that He will be glorified in any other race but Israel. In the New Testament we will see that and they glorified the God of Israel [Matthew 15:31].

Isaiah 53:8 ¼ for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

My people here are either God’s people or Isaiah’s people (who are the same people). It is popular to extend this limitation so that other races can be included. This is not valid; they are Israel only. This much-loved chapter with its all we like sheep have gone astray speaks of Jesus being wounded for our transgressions with mention of we and our. My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there in Isaiah 52:4 gives expression and positive identity of the people being addressed and this follows through to the following chapter. The “sheep” who had gone astray are the ones whom the Good Shepherd came to seek and to save.

Isaiah 59:20,21 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

It is impossible to spiritualise seed or “seed’s seed”; they are genetic terms which are on-going.

There does not appear to be a single reference to any other nation than Israel to whom the Redeemer would come. He is alwaysThe Redeemer of Israel and it is, as stated, to be forever. Jesus came to visit and redeem His People [Luke 1:68]. Jesus is the Kinsman-Redeemer of Israel. There is never any suggestion of any others than Israel being redeemed. From which broken Law-covenant would the other races need redeeming? Recall again how only Israel was given the statutes and judgements and only Israel needed redemption from that Law which they had broken.

We see that the covenant is for all generations to seed’s seed of Jacob, and it is to those who turn from transgression in JACOB whom the Redeemer saves. Here again we have the Spirit which is of the anointed race. Israel has My Spirit which IS upon thee.. This is not commonly taught today. We will see that this is the same presentation as that in the New Testament, believe it or not. This Scripture is not acceptable to tradition. Guess why? It is because racial Israel stays exclusive as being Jacob’s seed.

Jer 50:4 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the Children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord their God.

A much talked about subject is the regathering of Israel which is supposed to be presently taking place in Palestine, but and at that time is not the present activity in the Israeli state. What is being established is just who is to be regathered. Is it a multi-racial church or is it only the House of Israel and the House of Judah [that is, the Twelve Tribes of Israel]? The latter is the consistent and frequent Biblical presentation, as it is in the verse above [see also Ezekiel 37:15-28 in particular]. The picture painted is always of a still very exclusive Israel. The House of Israel and the House of Judah are exclusive from the heathen races all around. This shows that at the end of the New Testament age they are still exclusive. So they must be exclusive through the New Testament age, even until the regathering. Note that there is no pattern of prophecy which presents a non-Israel content in the regathering, so something must be wrong with the traditional teachings.

Jer 51:19 The portion of Jacob is not like them [that is, Babylon]; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of His inheritance: the Lord of Hosts is his name.

This completely excludes “Babylon” from God’s inheritance. The timing of this event is at the end of the New Testament age. Again, national Israel must go through the age. Israel is to be the rod over the other races to rule with God. Israel means Ruling with God. Ruling over whom if all races are the same?

Ezek 37:26-28 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting covenant with them … and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

This shows that God’s covenant is with Israel alone, and that the other races will be aware of this when God comes to dwell with His People Israel. The timing, again, is the end of the age at Jesus’ return and when God’s sanctuary is in the midst of Israel and nowhere else.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up … which standeth for the children of thy[Daniel’s] people: ¼

At the end of the age it is still only thy people who are delivered. Israel is still in existence as a people at the time of the end and through the New Testament age. Michael does not stand up for other races.

Hosea 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, ¼

This and other quotations from the minor prophets are included to show the “unity of the Scriptures” that always presents the exclusive nature of Israel. Hosea again defines who is regathered, and also the timing. We will see that the children of Judah and the children of Israel are not united until this time. There is no suggestion of there being any other race, or of a multi-racial “Church” comprising of “Jews and Gentiles”, as being part of the regathering of the remnant of Israel in these minor prophets. It is always the two Houses who are regathered and come together.

Hosea 14:1-5 O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God … I will be as the dew unto Israel: ¼

This is at the time of the regathering when Israel as a nation returns to The Lord Thy God. [v9, Who is wise … he shall understand these things]. No other race is being asked to return to Israel’s God.

Joel 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel ¼

Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshapet, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Again, there is no change prophetically about which nation God is in the midst of or which nation He will be in the midst of at this future time.

Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: ¼

The word used for known cannot be treated fully here, but it does not mean to acknowledge. It is used more as to recognise as a fact, revelation knowledge or to discern in an intimate and chosen way. Here there is the complete isolation of Israel from the other races.

Note: This is important when we come to the New Testament where it refers to those who were foreknown of God. This identifies the people as being the same nation in both Testaments; those who were foreknown in the New Testament are those who were known in the Old Testament.

Micah 2:12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel: ¼

Are there still any lingering doubts that no other races are ever mentioned at this time of regathering?

Habakkuk 3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy People, ¼

Zephaniah 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, ¼

There are a host of other Old Testament Scriptures that could have been quoted.

GOD PLACES HIS NAME ON THE ONE PEOPLE

Numerous references refer to “My name” as being placed upon the Children of Israel. For example:

Deut 28:10 And all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

Numbers 6:27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

Deut 26:19 And to make thee [that is, Israel] high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy [separate] people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.

The name of Jehovah [AV The Lord] is exclusive upon Israel as a race. All the people of the earth then does not include the Children of Israel, in this case. The name placed upon the Children of Israel who obey God is that of Jehovah Himself. God Himself decides just where He will place His Name, whether it be on a people or a place [Deut 26:2: which the Lord THY God shall choose to place His Name there].

This separation of Israel from all the other races is always distinct, but their blessing is conditional upon their obedience. In the next chapter we can now look at the New Testament in the light of what we have seen in the Old Testament.

CHAPTER 2: EXCLUSIVE nature OF ISRAEL in THE NEW TESTAMENT

The New Testament Scriptures show no disharmony or change of position from that which is written in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. In view of what has been written and shown from the Old Testament, this might be seen for the first time with new eyes. It will come as a shock for some people to realise that exclusiveness of Israel continues throughout the New Testament, because this cuts across the traditional doctrine that Israel is now “The Church” and that this Church is multi-racial. Redemption from the broken Law-covenant can never be multi-racial or universal, since only Israel was given the Law as a covenant. That is why this foundation has to be shown in detail in the last chapter.

In the quotations made from the New Testament you will note many references to the fathers referring to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The people addressed in the Acts and the epistles are the children [descendants] of these fathers, the fathers of Israel. It is not just to Abraham in isolation in the way most use this to try to say Abraham’s seed is a spiritual seed.

The harmony mentioned concerning the law being given to Israel is amply confirmed in the New Testament.

Rom 9:4 Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

So, the promises, covenants and the adoption do not apply to any but Israelites!

EACH BOOK IN the New Testament

The New Testament Scriptures below are in direct contrast to the way Go into all the world is interpreted as a doctrine. This may also be a shock and so we will look through some of these. We will quote from Gospel selections to save repetition and then comment from each book of the New Testament in order. Please note carefully the emphasised words, because this will help understanding.

Luke 1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

There is no suggestion that any other than the Children of Israel will be turned to God. The “many”, rather than “all”, is found a number of times within the New Testament.

Luke 1:32,33 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, ¼

Jesus is always spoken of as being the ruler of Israel nationally, the “House of Jacob” including all the tribes. The House of Jacob is still the very same entity in the New Testament as it was in the Old Testament. This Throne [indicating Kingdom] is to be restored TO JACOB. God’s promises will be fulfilled in those to whom they were made. Everything which offends will be gathered OUT of the Kingdom, Jesus tells us.

Luke 1:54,55 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever.

Mercy is always spoken of as being to Israel only. This promise of mercy was to The Fathers and to their seed of Israel only. Israel is the servant race as this verse says. “The Fathers” were not the fathers of all races. Scripture does not present God as being the father of all peoples. Is there record of any other seed to whom God spake other than to the seed of Abraham? Some want to take the traditional position that the seed is now spiritual and not racial. Accordingly this will be looked into further in the chapter titled Seeds, Natural and Spiritual. But there is no suggestion of a “spiritual seed” in all of these Scriptures. They are too precise and specific! When we see that they are fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecy we have harmony.

Luke 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people.

There is never any mention of redemption for any outside of Israel. Here they are described as His People. Jesus is always spoken of as being The Redeemer of Israel.. Israel in the Old Testament is a precise racial term. None of all these Scriptures provide evidence of any change in that fact in the New Testament.

Luke 1:73,74 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

As in all Scripture, the pronouns cannot be generalised. We and us contrast with enemies as two defined groups. Here the pronouns define a racial origin. There is much more about this through the New Testament as we will see.

Luke 1:77 To give the knowledge of salvation unto his People …

Again, is any other race included in the giving of the knowledge of salvation? Is it possible for any race but Israel to know salvation from the sin of breaking the Law since the Law was given specifically to Israel alone? This confirms the Old Testament prophetic Scriptures. This is a very specific statement of God’s purpose. Dare we meddle with God’s stated purpose?

Luke 2:34 ¼ this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; ¼

There is no mention of races other than Israel.

Matt 1:21 ¼ and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

This again is confirmation of the Scriptures already quoted and is just as specific as to whom would be saved. One of the major problems traditionalists have is to find any continuing pattern of prophecy in the Old Testament which would back up their position that His People now includes all races. As pointed out earlier, the people Jesus saves from their sins here are already His peoplebefore they are saved.

Matt 2:6 ¼ for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

This defines the people of whom Jesus is the Lord and the race of which He is King. This is a straight statement of the fulfilment of prophecy made many times.

Matt 15:24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

It is impossible for the followers of the present traditional teachings to cope with this Scripture so it is ignored. There is a translation difficulty in this verse also, the word but meaning if not and therefore it includes the House of Judah as well. Jesus was then in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon but, as He says, He had other sheep which were not of the fold within Palestine. He dispatched His disciples to the House of Israel, the bulk of whom were scattered outside of Judea, mainly about Northern Greece and parts of the old Grecian empire. Note that Jesus even confirms the separation between Galilee and Jewry [John 7:1 and John 11:54].

Why should we not do the same instead of calling both parties “The Jews”? This is an error of tradition. The House of Israel were not so “lost” that the disciples could not find them, were they?

Matt 15:31 ¼ and they glorified the God of Israel.

This is a clear statement of whom He is the God.

Matt 19:28 ¼ in the regeneration, … ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Dare we say “The Church” has taken the place of the Twelve Tribes of Israel at the Time of the Regeneration, which is yet to come? The “Church” is not what we have been led to believe, as we will see.

Mark 12:29 The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord;

Is anyone other than Israel requested to “hear”? Only Israel can “hear”.. Remember how Jesus said in John 8:43 to the Edomite leaders of Jewry, Ye cannot hear my words? There is still the synagogue of Satan who call themselves “Jews” or Judeans [Rev 2:9 and Rev 3:9] who cannot “hear”.. These could not be of the House of Judah, as they claimed to be. Could this part of Jewry possibly be part of the Church of God or of the Israel of God? It is common to hear that the Israel of God is the multi-racial church, and then to use this statement as the basis of argument! It is easy to say anything without backing it up and especially without the full Biblical basis of argument.

John 1:11,12 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, ¼

Jesus came to his own territory, wherein was the temple, but all of His own people there did not receive Him as having any authority over what was His. Those of His own who believed, received, accepted and recognised Him were given the authority to once again become placed [that is, re-instated; AV:adopted] as the sons of God.

John 1:31 … but that he should be manifest to Israel ¼

Can we find reference to Jesus being manifest to others than Israelites? That is all men of Israel.

Acts 1:6 Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

The restoration of the Kingdom to Israel is a subject which the traditional teachings refuse to emphasise, despite Jesus’ instruction that this must be our priority prayer and the time to look forward to when His Will will be done IN EARTH, as it is in Heaven. This instruction is a statement of the Will of God. Instead of preaching the Kingdom, and the remnant out of Israel who will find it, traditional teaching preaches that the “Church” will be raptured away from Earth! But, the saints [separated ones] are to reign on earth when the Kingdom is restored to Israel.

Acts 2:17 ¼ your sons and your daughters shall prophesy …

The specific your refers to the children of those being spoken to and again there is, as usual, no mention of any who did not havethe Fathers as their pro-genitors being able to prophesy! The people being addressed are described in verse 22 as being men of Israel. And Joel’s prophecy which is the basis of this verse was only to Israel!

Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words, ¼

Acts 3:12,13 Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? ¼ the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers ¼

Can we pretend these men of Israel were from other racial stock?

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know …

This is specifically limited to Israelites.

Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Please note that this verse is post-Pentecost and again isolates to whom the promise is made. The many of Israel are called, but few of Israel are chosen. Those of Israel who were afar off and not dwelling in Judea were not excluded. It is still our God, the God of Ye men of Israel [v22] who were being addressed.

Acts 3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, ¼

Since every one of the prophets were Israelites by race, their children must be of the same race. [Note: Nationality must not be confused with race. This is a mistake often made by traditional teachers who try to prove non-Israel stock by nationality or place of domicile].

Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and the forgiveness of sins.

Yet again, we have definition of race which is post-Passion, and post-Pentecost. It is a definition which carries on through the New Testament.

Acts 7:37 ¼ A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him shall ye hear.

The question that has to be asked here is, “Were Moses and Paul both wrong?” This is what the traditional teachers are saying when they say Jesus was not raised up “UNTO YOU”, but unto all races. Their teaching is a blatant denial of Scripture and of what Moses and Paul have said. The of your brethren fixes very firmly to whom Jesus came as being to Israel only.

Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ …

This confirms the Old Testament teaching that God gave His Word only to Israel, as a race. The peace was proclaimed to those who were near [Judeans] and to those who were afar off [the dispersion – called Grecians in Acts]. This is still no different from Psalm 147:19,20, he showed His word unto Jacob, or unto all Israel.

Acts 13:22,23 ¼ I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart ¼ of this man’s seed hath God, according to his promise, raised up unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.

Is there any record of the promise of a Saviour being raised up to people other than Israel? All the references refer to the promise that is made to Israel only. This again shows this is fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy unto Israel.

Acts 13:32,33 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children ¼

Note to whom Paul was speaking and that he was speaking at Antioch. This Apostle to the Gentiles was still speaking to Israelites, to those among the stock of Abraham who feared God [v26]. For a long time it has been a traditional belief that the word “Gentiles” refers specifically to non-Israelites, but it cannot be avoided that the stock of Abraham is specifically mentioned in verse 26 of this passage! The word for “stock” is genos [race and offspring]. The children are shown in relationship to “The Fathers”. The us their children is too explicit to bend to fit the mould of tradition. There is still no change in the New Testament as to the exclusiveness of Israel.

Acts 26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.

This is a typical example of a Scripture that is commonly generalised to say that the promise made to our fathers is now made to everyone of every race. The promise spoken of here is made to Israel alone.

Acts 26:7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night hope to come ¼

Some might not like having this Scripture pointed out, along with others in the New Testament that present the fact that the Twelve Tribes still feature in the New Testament, after Pentecost. The time of this quotation is about AD 59. All these Scriptures quoted from Acts onwards are post-Pentecost, after Jesus had fulfilled the Law of Sacrifices. In traditional teachings the people being addressed are supposed to be a multi-racial church as presented in the popular teachings. Again this promise of the resurrection is still made to Israel. Remember that Jesus had already been resurrected so this particular promise of resurrection could not refer to Jesus. This promise of the resurrection is here shown as being made unto the Twelve Tribes.. Can we find, in specific direct statements anywhere at all in the Bible, where this promise is shown to be made to non-Israelites?

Acts 28:20 For this cause therefore I have called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

This verse, together with the previous one, speaks about “hope”. The subjects of this hope are stated to be Israel or the Twelve Tribes. Hope is sometimes connected with election [for example, 1 Thess 1:4] and this is connected with Israel in other passages, particularly in the Book of Hebrews where Law and Hope are contrasted [for example, Heb 7:19, For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did].

Rom 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, ¼

Rom 1:13 ¼ brethren … and … even as among other Gentiles.

The people Paul is addressing in Rome are defined as those who are beloved of God and called to be saints. The emphasised words will be explained later, as will Gentiles.. These pin-point the racial identity of those Paul was addressing. Called is kletos or appointed. These words cannot be found identifying non-Israel races.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law: ¼

The Law is not saying anything to anyone else but to Israel. It is not said to others who were not under the Law. This whole epistle is written to Israelites in Rome at that time.

Rom 4:24 But for us also to whom it shall be imputed, …

In context, for us does not refer to non-Israelites, but to Israelites who believe, as Abraham did, that the Law of Faith in the Atoning Sacrifice superseded the Law of Sacrifices contained in Ordinances.

Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, … how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

The symbolism here is that of marriage under Israel’s law. When we consider this in the light of the Law having been given to Israel only, we can see that Israelites are those being addressed. Paul confirms this by calling them “my brethren,” [adelphos] or “kinsmen of the womb”.

Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

The seed, [zera in Hebrew or sperma in Greek], refers to semen product, that is, it refers to a line of people genetically. Through the New Testament, the sperma is used this same way. The much-used expression The Fathers both implies and emphasises the genetic line.

Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them …

Could other than Olive stock be grafted into an Olive tree? This was part of the House of Israel which had “become as aliens” rejoining part of the House of Judah under the New Testament. The House of Israel had become as “wild” Olive trees. This is in full accord with the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. The popular teaching cannot be found prophetically on a proper foundation, or in fact.

Rom 15:8 Now I say the Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.

Here we have a statement that is important, because it tells us the people to whom Jesus came, and why He came. These promises were not made to any but to Israel and this seed of Israel. The exclusive Israel content of this chapter [Romans 15] is extensive, as shown below. Verse 9 is a quotation from Ps 18:49 which shows David praising God within Israel.

v9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

v10 Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people comes from Deut 32:43 where the people [called Gentiles by the translators] are Israel. With his people is all the Israelites together – the dispersed Israelites together with the Israelites in Judea.

v11 Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles and laud him, all ye people. Psalm 117 from which this quotation comes, again refers to Israel.

v12 Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Isaiah was talking to Israel. The only nations [translated as Gentiles] who could trust God were Israelites.

v16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. ¼. Paul confirms the statement in Rom 11:13 that he is a minister to Israel.

The word “Gentiles” in this section is a Latin word that is given a manufactured meaning, so do not be misled by it. It will later be shown that the word “Gentiles” often refers to the House of Israel as opposed to the House of Judah. Again, there is no prophecy for the traditional view which arose from the Latin Vulgate and has carried on ever since. Rome made the word “Gentile” to support the view that the Roman church was the Israel of God. Let this sink in! Early translators carried on the Roman church word meaning because they were blind to their identity as part of Israel, and they thought that they might be missing out on God’s blessing. A later chapter titled, That Unfortunate Word “Gentile”, examines this word in detail.

Going on to the Book of Corinthians, we find that these so-called Gentiles could only be Israelites. The brethren, our fathers andMoses confirm this.

1 Cor 10:1-4 Moreover brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptised unto Moses … for they drank of that spiritual rock … and that rock was Christ.

Our Fathers gives definition in a most positive way. The children of The Fathers are those who are being addressed. Note: it does not say and that Rock was Jesus Christ. ["Jesus" is inserted in some translations to change the meaning to make the verse comply with tradition]. What is said is and that rock was anointed.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law ¼

Only Israel was given the Law so only Israel needed redeeming from the curse of the broken law. The pronouns are so important! To understand that only Israel had been given the Law is most important. It is deception to believe to the contrary against all the clear statements of Scripture. “Us” in this context is still the same exclusive people of Israel.

Gal 4:4,5 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Paul here quotes Isaiah 54:1 which refers to the Redeemer of Israel. Again redemption only concerns them that were under the Law, and these are the people to whom it is written. Two parties had been under the Law. This is important to understand. These two parties are known as:

Jews and Gentiles [the House of Judah and the House of Israel], or

The Circumcision and the Uncircumcision [the House of Judah and the House of Israel].

Both parties were Israelites and could not be otherwise since only Israel had been under the Law. What is traditionally taught about Jews and Gentiles is simply not right and could not be right because of this.

Eph 2:12 That at the 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.

Those to whom Paul was writing had become estranged from Israel. Examination of the highlighted words give identification. The words aliens and strangers are not what they might appear on the surface. These particular strangers were the House of Israel. The exclusiveness of Israel in the book of Ephesians will be looked at separately. The ye refers to the saints as is found in the first verse of this book of Ephesians. A later chapter titled Pilgrims, Strangers and Israel discusses these particular “strangers”. In this verse we have the covenants of promise. Going back to identify to whom these promises were made, takes us back to Israelites by race.

Phil 3:1 Finally, my brethren, ¼

“Brethren”, as we will see in James, refers to a brother or a near kinsman.

Phil 3:5 ¼ of the stock of Israel, ¼

“Stock” is another genetic term.

Phil 3:9 ¼ not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, ¼

Here, as usual, there is the association with the Law that was only given to Israel.

Phil 4:21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. ¼

“Saints” are always Israelites. For example, Psalm 148:14, The praise of all His saints: even the Children of Israel.

1 Thess 1:4 Knowing, brethren, your election of God …

Isaiah 45:4 defines Israel as being God’s elect - Israel mine Elect. These elect are chosen by God and so are of Divine origin. They are of the seed “from above”. Remember to keep in mind this word “elect. The “your” in “your election” is related to “brethren” [of the womb].

1 Thess 5:9,10 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, ¼

In Scripture there are those who are appointed to wrath and vessels fit for destruction. That is their appointment.  1 Thess 1:4 shows that this book is written to the Elect [Knowing, brethren, your election of God].

2 Thess 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.

It is the “brethren” who are “chosen” and no one else.. We will soon be looking at the definition of “brethren”.

1 Tim 3:15 ¼ how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house [that is, household] of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Examination here will define just who is “The Church”. The Household of God refers to Israel, as does “the church” which is called out of Israel. This is the remnant which still comes from Israel only, according to the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets.

2 Tim 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers ¼

Paul again will not discount racial origin [My forefathers]. He says that he endured all things for THE ELECT’S sake and for the appearing of the Kingdom. Again, this Kingdom is the one of which Jesus is to be the King. The Gospel of the Kingdom, or the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel, is not proclaimed any more. This is because the doctrine of a multi-racial church has taken the place of Israel. My Forefathers and The Fathers do not signify all races as having come from the loins of Isaac.

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Why would it be necessary to specify the seed of Abraham instead of the seed of either Adam or mankind in general? Throughout this chapter we find many references to “brethren” [of the womb], together with Old Testament references to Psalms 8:18 and 22. These are Psalms of Israel among which we find, all ye seed of Jacob glorify Him; and fear Him all ye the seed of Israel [Ps 22:23]. The Ye is absolutely specific and limited to Israel as the seed.

Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; ¼

So, there must be other houses [oikos] that Jesus is not over! This chapter then goes on to talk about Israel and the fathers of Israel.

Heb 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham …

There is no recorded promise to anyone else but Abraham and certain of his descendants.

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, …

We are not told Jesus would bear the sins of every race. “Many” is not “all” of every race. “Sin” is transgression of the Law that was given to Israel only. Isaiah 53:11 and 12 agrees about this word “many” which is limited to “my people”.

Compare: Matt 20:28 ¼ and to give his life a ransom for many.

Matt 26:28 ¼ which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Rom 5:15 ¼ much more the grace of God, ¼ hath abounded to many.

1 Cor 10:17 For we (those Israelites being addressed) being many, are one bread and one body.

So, with whom is the New Testament made?

Heb 8:8,9 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; ¼

Of all the verses in this Book of Hebrews, this verse identifies clearly with whom the New Testament is made. If any one thing is clear, it is the continuing presentation through this book that the New Testament is made with those who had the Old Testament and there is never a statement to the contrary. The two Testaments are contrasted as they relate to one another, to the one people, through this book of Hebrews. Old Testament prophecy says exactly the same [Jer 31:31], where Jeremiah prophesies to whom the New Testament would be made. “The Fathers”, again, gives racial definition. The book of Hebrews begins, yet again, with reference to THE FATHERS. The immediate connection is made, hath in these last days spoken to US by His Son ["Us" being the children of "the fathers"; those whom Jesus came to redeem; "The Hebrews" being addressed]. These are the children of “The Fathers”. When God said I will put my laws into their minds, and will write them on their hearts, the Old Testament reference was, and is still, only to Israel. The historical references through this book of Hebrews would have had no meaning to those without the knowledge of Israel’s history or of the Law given to Israel. [At this point it is better to forget all you have been previously taught or thought about "Israel"].

James 1:1,2 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, …

For two excellent reasons, this possibly is the best statement to show who the “brethren” are. They are the twelve tribes of Israel by statement, and they are adelphoi in Greek. Adelphos is translated 346 times as “brother” or “brothers”.. Dictionaries and lexicons give the prime meaning as a kinsman [racially related].

Strong 80 from the womb – near or remote.

Vine: Adelphos denotes a brother, or near kinsman: in the plural, a community based on identity of origin, or life.

Thayer From the same womb.

The words brotherhood or brethren are mostly used to indicate those having a kinsman-blood relationship, rather than some common belief. From the translations the common belief might sometimes appear to be the meaning but the proper meaning of ‘brother’ should never be overlooked. The words are used in both the near and remote relationships. Because the words brethrenor brothers are much used word in the New Testament books, it is important to know the common usage. In James it is given as being those of the Twelve Tribes [Israel]. The remote relationship is given in James 2:21 as our father Abraham. James suggests a spiritual origin in James 1:18: Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth. This only confirms the word of truth being given to Israel. The wrong use of the words in a belief connection or a spiritual application does not eliminate this from its proper relevance to kinsmen of Israel.

In some of the post-KJV translations, either the Twelve Tribes or brethren are omitted, thus hiding the troublesome-to-them truth of Scripture. This book is addressed to the Twelve Tribes. A glance at an interlinear literal Greek-English translation will immediately show the misleading translation in some versions. Sad to say, some modern, religious translators and teachers seek to insert or substitute their particular doctrine, especially when it comes to the racial issues in the Bible. The Living Bible is probably one of the worst in this respect. Paraphrases cannot be used to study the Bible.

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, …

“Father” here is pater meaning an earlier member of the same family. When we look at these two quotations from James we have to admit or deny that this letter was written in this present age [AD]. Anyone who wants to say this letter is written to other than the Twelve Tribes as well as to those whose father was Abraham, has to explain when the transition took place to make it include everyone else. This explanation is required also for other New Testament books.

1 Peter 1:1,2 ¼ to the strangers scattered … elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, ¼

Comparison of this verse and also pilgrims and strangers [1 Peter 2:11] with other places in the New Testament, and with the counterparts in the Old Testament [see Psalm 39:12], will quickly identify these particular strangers as being Israelites who had been living apart from God and the temple system. A chapter titled Pilgrims, Strangers and Israel deals with this in detail. These particular words are used of Israel when Israel is scattered among the other races. They were “elect”, a word covered lightly earlier on in the Old Testament texts. They were “holy” or “sanctified” by the Spirit upon them [both are the same word in the original texts, meaning "separated" or "set apart"]. They are holy in a way in which no other race is separated unto God.

1 Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you.

The “you” here refers to the strangers etc of verses 1 and 2. The prophets all prophesied about grace which would come to Israel. There is no prophecy about this grace being to others. Peter was writing to Israelites!

1 Peter 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify …

This anointing Spirit was in them [note this well because we will come upon this again later] and the Word goes on to say:

1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

This is another quotation from the Old Testament which shows that there is no New Testament change in the separate nature of Israel. This separation is to be maintained. The KJV translates Lev 11:45 as, I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the Land of Egypt to be your God. Ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.. It is God who made Israel a holy people. God is holy now. Israel also is holy [separate] to God now. This is what the verse is saying. “Holy” does not mean righteous as some would lead us to believe.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; ¼

We have looked at this quotation from Exodus 19:5 which Peter quotes here. Israel is still an holy nation and not a “church” in the commonly accepted meaning of the word “church”.. Peter goes on to show that this nation had a king that they were to honour. This nation must have been in existence at the time of writing. In a later chapter we will show that this king was not the Emperor of the Roman Empire, as some modern translations say in their footnotes.

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: …

These promises are stated in Romans 9:3,4 to be given to kinsmen of the flesh who are Israelites and that the promises pertained to them. Peter also wrote to Israelites!

1 Peter 2:17 ¼ honour the King.

In prophecy, the House of Israel would always have a monarch on the continuing Throne of David, whereas the House of Judah would not have a monarch in the last days. When the two Houses regather to the Holy [separate] Land, they will have one Headagain [Hos 1:11 and please note the timing of this]. It has not happened yet!

1 Peter 2:24,25 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body … for ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

This is under the New Testament which some of the House of Israel had come under. Jesus bare the sins of Israel and Jesus describes Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep, but never as the shepherd of the Tares or the Goats or of any other race. Again, the pronouns refer to those being addressed, again they are brethren, etc.

2 Peter 3:2-4 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy [that is, separated] prophets, and the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.

These prophets were prophets of Israel. The Lord and Saviour is the Lord and Saviour of Israel and never of others.

The words of the Apostles do not override the words of the Prophets. The Apostles confirm the Prophets. In this verse the Apostles and Prophets are linked together. Peter had already written about the false prophets which would be among you and he describes their character.

In John’s letters there is much separation by pronouns.

1 John 2:12 I write to you little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, because they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: ¼

1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, ¼

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, ¼

1 John 3:9 whosoever is born of God [that is, from above by spirit and by water] does not commit [practise] sin.

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, ¼

Your sins refers to the sins of those to whom John is writing. Jesus did come to save HIS People from their sins. John also refers to certain people who are false and by pronoun separation these are “they” as opposed to “ye” and “we“. They were not of ustells us that they were different in some way, even if they professed to believe in Jesus! It becomes self-evident that the anointingwhich abideth in you could only abide because the anointed people are conceived with this potential. How else could it abide? This bears witness to the anointed race in the Old Testament. These alone have the capacity to “hear” and to “believe”.

The first chapter of John’s epistle speaks of hearing, seeing, looking upon and handling that which was from the beginning. These were Israelites to whom Jesus was manifest. John the Baptist said, that He might be made manifest to Israel [John 1:31]. In 1 John 2:7, he shows that he is addressing those who had the old commandment from the beginning.. These can only be Israelites. I John 2:24 indicates that what was heard from the beginning about the old commandment must remain in the hearers in order to continue in the Son and in the Father. These also can only be Israelites.

Jude 3 ¼ the common salvation [that is, common to Israel and Judah] the faith which was once [that is, without change] delivered unto the saints – [that is, the separated people].

Jude 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Amongst God’s saints are others who separate themselves from God through their disbelief. They were not born in such a state – they become that way by their own choice and their own actions. They are described as not having the spirit, that is, they may as well have been born outside Israel. They are in the same category as foreigners who try to separate themselves from other nations by living in Israel – they are not begotten from above and hence are also not having the spirit.

ISRAEL IN THE REVELATION

Jehovah is not the God of all nations. He is confined to one nation – the sons of Jacob. No Biblical record can be found that Jehovah is the God of any people other than Israel.

In the book of Revelation, THE TWELVE TRIBES still feature! They have in no way become some non-Israel, non-twelve-tribed church! This book begins by speaking of the revelation, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass. This revelation is to His Servants of the twelve tribes only and this is confirmed in many places.

Rev 1:2 Who bear record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, …

This book does not bear witness to anything outside of what has been revealed in the Word of God or the Spirit of Prophecy. The testimony of Israel racially has been clearly revealed through the Word.

TO CONCLUDE

These Scriptures show the exclusive nature of Israel as a continuing theme throughout both Testaments. If we do not want to accept all these references, then what is to be done with them? The acceptance or non-acceptance of an exclusive Israel determines the prophetic stream one subscribes to. When exclusive Israel becomes the foundation of prophetic interpretation, much of the common conflicts in prophecy are found to disappear. But, above all, the acceptance or non-acceptance determines our ability to believe and to understand Jesus’ words.

It is not difficult to conclude that the Bible is a book primarily about Israel [as a people] because Jehovah is consistently declared to be the God of this one people. We find other Biblical statistics, such as:

Israel as Yisra’el 2,514 times [Old Testament]

Israel as Israel 70 times [New Testament]

Jacob [KJV] 358 times [24 in New Testament]

Judah 813 times

Ephraim 172 times

Manasseh 143 times

Hebrews 21 times

Lord God of Israel 110 times

God of Israel 90 times

Holy One of Israel 31 times

Lord God of the Hebrews 5 times

Mighty God of Jacob 4 times

Hope of Israel 2 times

Congregation of Israel 160 times [as qahal]
173 times [as edah]

Assembly of Israel 21 times [as atsarah]

Ekklesia 116 times in New Testament

Tribes [shebet] of Israel 190 times [Old Testament]

Tribes [phule] of Israel 31 times [New Testament]

People of Israel 19 times [KJV]

My people 231 times

Of Israel 1,692 times

To Israel 23 times.

For Israel 24 times

Then we find expressions like, Israel’s God, the Light of, the Rock of, the Redeemer of, the Stone of, the Shepherd of, the Portion of, the God of; all of which refer expressly to Israel.

Then there are expressions like the God of your fathers and fathers of Israel ["fathers" is mentioned 549 times including 56 in the New Testament].

There is the intimate word Jeshurun for Israel. There are about 5,000 direct references that isolate Israel as a people. Their personal God, Jehovah, [Yehovah] is mentioned 6,528 times. In most cases the AV wrongly renders this as ‘Lord’ and only four places as ‘Jehovah’ The true pronunciation of God’s name is unknown.

The remainder of this book is based on the foundation of an exclusive Israel. This presentation might well come as a shock to sincere dedicated Christians and there will be immediate reactions. Accordingly, we must look at these reactions next. Then we will consider the hinge-point Scriptures of those who hold an opposing view. Their hinge-point Scriptures are Go ye into all the world and God so loved the world. After looking at the reactions we will then look to see what “world” it is that God so loved.

CHAPTER 3: REACTIONS to an EXCLUSIVE ISRAEL

Through the New Testament there are many topics and words that originate in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament there are words such as promises, know, elect, called, chosen, seed and variations of them which are generally agreed to refer only to the Israel nation. We have to ask if there is adequate reason to suggest a switch which might allow the equivalent Greek words to apply to some multi-racial church in the New Testament.

First it would be well to review what was written in the last chapter. It can be seen that there is an overwhelming weight of evidence from simple direct statements against the traditional teachings. The traditional teachings do not arise from any weight of simple direct statements. In a separate chapter we will look into aspects of the basis of the traditional teachings.

To use words like deception and another Gospel cannot be done lightly. These are very serious considerations and if the weight of evidence as shown in the previous two chapters is accepted, then the popular teachings must have cultish elements. The implications of this conclusion are vast and almost devastating to many Christians and churches. It would have bearing on missionary activity as well. But, please note well, it has not been said or suggested that all the non-Israel nations should not be made subject to the Law of God. Neither has it been said that they are condemned by God.. This matter is a later consideration in this book. When we come to God so loved the world as taught, traditionalists have to immediately get around every reference to the exclusiveness of Israel (in both Testaments), if they want to change the nation of Israel into some multi-racial church, or if they want to say there is both a national Israel and a Church consisting of non-Israelites. This is impossible to do from any pattern of consistent direct statements. We would have to get around it from the foundation of the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets, and this cannot be done.

God has told us that He will do nothing He does not reveal first to his servants the prophets of Israel. He will fulfil His Word to Israel.. Some of what has already been written in this book will cause immediate (and common) reactions among Christians who think they know their Bible. This is why it has been necessary to lay a good foundation from both Testaments and to demonstrate the consistent direction and weight of evidence in that direction.

Now we can have a look at some of these common reactions. Only brief comments are made on these reactions, because they are all expanded at various places elsewhere in this book.

REACTION ONE [THE MOST COMMON]

“Yes, that is true, but God was speaking to them, and not to us. Now God is speaking to everyone”.

This would be the thought of the majority of church-going people today, and is a thought that is wrongly encouraged. So should we go along with that reaction just because it sounds right? As soon as it is asked, “When in this church age did God’s speaking change from ‘them’ to ‘us’?”, there is no answer at all. If this question cannot be answered from Scripture, then it has no basis.

It would be profitable for any who would like to retain this particular thought and reaction, to look at the root word grapho which is used in the New Testament 194 times. It is used in the expression it is written and refers to the Old Testament Scriptures. It would be profitable too, to look at written in a concordance where it will be seen afresh that many times the basis of all doctrine isit is written. It is written means written in the Old Testament and so these quotes refer to Israel.

If the basis of a belief or doctrine appears to be in the New Testament alone, it must be suspect because it is not written in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. This is important because there are a number of such ideas which are generally accepted, but which do not have it is written as a basis. In fact it might be said that much of what is debated has no foundation at all in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. Some traditional teachings cannot present a clear pattern of simple direct statements from the Old Testament to support these views. They rely mainly on fabricated “types”, “shadows” and analogies. Man’s tradition therefore is not established in the mouth of two or three witnesses as is required by Scripture. Israel cannot be changed to mean non-Israel just by making such a statement without the right foundation.

If a New Testament book, written in the ‘Christian age’, [for example, James’ Epistle to the Twelve Tribes] was written and addressed to Israelites, then either the writer was wrong or there would need to have been something that happened since Pentecost in order for men to be able to say, God is now speaking to everyone [meaning every race].

REACTION TWO

“Yes, but Israel has now become the church, so all these things belong to the church”.

This says that “Israel” and “The Church” no longer have any connection and that Israel has vanished. The church is supposed to consist of non-Israelites, the so-called “Gentiles”. However, the Hebrew word goi, upon which the “gentiles” thought is based, is also used of Israel. So goi does not always equate with so-called non-Israel “gentiles”.. The whole subject is simplified when we accept what we find when we build upon the right foundation and have the Cornerstone.

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, …

The Cornerstone, the prophets and the apostles all agree. Since “apostles” is put before “prophets”, this Scripture is used to say that New Testament apostles have new prophecy and doctrine that was not contained or forecast within the Old Testament. Just to say something like that does not make it fact. In the books of Galatians and Romans in particular, modern teaching says that the Apostle Paul has made a turn around from what is recorded in Acts where he tells King Agrippa that he spoke nothing other than what was said in the law and the prophets! In Romans and Galatians he is now supposed to be writing to certain so-called Gentiles who are supposed to be non-Israelites. The internal statements show that each letter in the New Testament is written only to Israelites. This is discussed in more detail in a chapter titled That Unfortunate Word “Gentile”.

Let us look again at the Apostle Paul’s famous speech in Acts 13 which was made long after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here, right in the New Testament age, Israel is still a genetic term. There is still no sign of “The Church” as this is commonly perceived. Consider all the following highlighted words from Acts 13:17-42:

v17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, ¼

v23 Of this man’s seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.

v24 … the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

v26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, ¼

v32,3 ¼ how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, ¼

v39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses..

In the last verse we see the first “all” that people most like to generalise to include everyone on Earth. But the “ye”, and the context, nails it down to Israel alone as the ones to whom the Law of Moses was given. All the highlighted words in these verses give a very specific definition of who is being addressed in the New Testament; it is always to a genetic Israel! We can no longer say that these children of the fathers, (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), come from other stock. These are the people who had been under the Law of Moses! In the above passage, Paul was addressing those whom he described as MEN OF ISRAEL, who feared God. The only way we could say that “The Church” has replaced Israel is to prove that the New Testament Church comes from within Israel via the mechanism of the New Testament; this is discussed later in this book.

REACTION THREE

“The Gentiles are now adopted into Israel, so the promises made to Israel are now made to everyone who believes in Jesus”.

A short answer to this reaction is not possible because there are so many aspects to cover. These are covered as individual sections on “gentiles”, “the church”, “strangers” and “adoption”, and the promises made to Abraham and his seed.

REACTION FOUR

“The seed of Abraham has now become the seed of Jesus … it is now a spiritual Seed”.

The promises were made to Abraham’s seed, but not to Jesus, who came to fulfil them. The promises were made to Abraham and his seed, which is named in Isaac [Gen 21:12]. The promises were therefore given to the Israel people as a whole. Now, as Jesus was born into Israel, He is regarded as the seed of Abraham and of David [Matt 1:1]. But the promises were not specifically given to Jesus as the ‘one seed’ of Galatians 3:16. And, of course, Jesus had no ‘seed’.. If Jesus was that one seed, then everyone between Abraham and Jesus would be disinherited, including Isaac and Jacob. Israel then, could not have existed as the seed of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, if Jesus were that seed. A more accurate translation of Gal 3:16 reads:

And to Abraham and the seed of him the promises were spoken. He says not, ‘And to the seed of thee’ as of many, but as of one. And to the seed of thee which is anointed.

Note: “seed” is used here and elsewhere as a collective noun.

REACTION FIVE

“It is said that the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile has been broken down so that all are now one in Jesus.”

Here we have another hinge-point of much of what is taught in the evangelical churches today. But, in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets, the partition is found to be between The House of Israel and The House of Judah. It is not between Israelites and non-Israelites [see Isaiah 11:13 Ephraim shall not vex Judah any more]. In all of the New Testament Scriptures quoted above where the exclusiveness of Israel was shown, all the people addressed by Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, are clearly shown to be Israelites. All the books of the Bible provide the same evidence. It will be shown that the House of Israel had been “scattered” among the nations and that any pattern showing a gathering or the joining together of Israel with non-Israel races cannot be found in prophecy.

REACTION SIX

“The Jews are God’s natural children, but the members of the Church are God’s spiritual children”.

Two sets of parallel promises cannot be found in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. Neither are the promises made to Abraham’s seed directed specifically to Jesus. The promises made to the fathers are always presented as being fulfilled in us their children. Israelites are the children of the promise. There is only one promise in this respect. There is not a second similar promise found for non-Israel races.

NOTE: The “children” still have to be redeemed individually from the curse of the broken Law. They are born at physical birth as heirs of salvation. This sixth reaction results from attempting to get around the problem of a national and racial Israel and retain tradition at the same time. The word Jew has to be made to equate with Israel and the word Gentile has to be made to equate with non-Israel. This is not the world of reality! Yet it has been drummed into most Christians, conditioning all their thinking, teaching and writing, on almost every subject.

REACTION SEVEN

“That seems to be true, but no one knows who is an Israelite today.”

May we quote 2 Timothy 2:19? Never-the-less the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. There is a holy [separate] people which are stone, elect and precious, above all other people which have now obtained mercy. They are brethren from the womb and are anointed [christos]. They are born from above (that is, begotten from above). The Bible does give marks of identification that are clear and unmistakable, but this identity factor is outside the scope of this book.

REACTION EIGHT

“This is all very well, but now everything is spiritualised.”

It is unfortunate for such a belief that the Twelve Tribes of Israel keep appearing in the New Testament. In this present New Testament age they are not spiritualised away! To react this way is to say that Jesus and Paul are wrong. Paul said unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come – Acts 26:7. How can twelve individual tribes be spiritualised?

REACTION NINE

“The law has been fulfilled, therefore nothing in the law applies any more.”

Jesus says in Matthew 5:17,18:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

The Law has different aspects. In Romans 13:8-10 we have a discourse about fulfilling the Law which concludes with, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law. This Scripture is sometimes quoted as proof that everything relating to the Law is finished, but verse 8 is about people, as individuals, fulfilling the Law by their actions. It is not about God fulfilling His covenants and promises. This is confirmed in Matthew 7:12 where Jesus is saying, therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do YE also unto them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.. Jesus has fulfilled what is written in the Law concerning Himself [Luke 24:44]. His sacrifice has fulfilled that part of the Law concerning sacrifices.

Possibly the short answer to the rest of the matter of fulfilling the Law is that heaven and earth has not yet passed away. When they are passed away, all will have been fulfilled. What has been written in the Law, The Psalms and The Prophets will come to pass. The promises to the seed of Abraham still stand and will yet come to pass!

REACTION TEN

“Everyone is now the same because all are one in Christ Jesus.”

This epitomises the traditional teachings.

Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which be of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

It sounds right at first glance, particularly when the pronouns are ignored. The ye are the people being addressed. That is why it is necessary to establish that the so-called Gentiles in the Epistles were Israelites. A later chapter is devoted to this subject. There is no pattern through The Law, The Psalms and The Prophets to support tradition. It is not there, so something must be wrong with the traditional teaching.

REACTION ELEVEN

“It makes no difference now because all nations are blessed in Abraham. All is now of Grace.”

Some teachers actually do say this, believe it or not. Now, if this were true, it means that the Old Testament is invalid. It is like the Roman Catholic idea of saying that the Church is the authority rather than the Bible and yet quoting the Bible wrongly about Peter and the rock to support their view.

But to whom is God gracious if all is of grace? Is it every one of every race on Earth?

Exodus 33:19 ¼ and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Rom 9:15-18 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, ¼ so then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy … therefore hath he mercy upon whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

This question of the Grace of God is a subject in itself; but the over-riding principle is the Sovereignty of God. It is whom He will. To say glibly, all is of grace is to include everyone and to make a mockery of the Sovereignty of God. If redemption is for every man of every race, then the whole choice is man’s choice and this is another gospel [2 Cor 11:6 and Gal 1:6].

In the New Testament, “grace” refers to the Divine influence upon the heart. We can find no reference to God writing the Law on their hearts other than to Israel, nor can we find a word of prophecy about a new heart being given to any other than Israel.

ARE THERE two or THREE WITNESSES for “EXCLUSIVE ISRAEL”?

2 Cor 13:1 In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

First witness:

The Old Testament is contained in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets.

The New Testament is contained in the Gospels, the Epistles and Revelations.

Second witness:

The Old Testament speaks redemption being for Israel ALONE.

The New Testament speaks of redemption being for Israel ALONE.

Third witness:

The Old Testament was made with Israel ALONE [Psalm 147:19,20 etc].

The New Testament is made with Israel ALONE [Hebrews 8:8].

Let us go on to look further into these issues and to meet the objections and the things that might appear to be at variance.

We will look at a chapter devoted to the world as found in Go into all the world, and follow this with a chapter on specific stumbling blocks placed in the way to comprehending the whole Bible witnesses concerning the exclusiveness of Israel.

Chapter 4: WHICH WORLD DID GOD “SO LOVE”?

When we consider the volume of Scriptures which have been presented in the two chapters detailing the exclusiveness of Israel, if we had no mind-set or pre-conditioning, we would have to agree to the following:

They are all consistent statements of fact, [not inferences].

They all relate to Israel alone, as a race, no other race being included.

Israel alone is God’s inheritance.

There is no conflict about redemption applying to Israel alone.

The covenants and promises referred to were made with Israel only.

That Israel is a holy, that is, set-apart race [what is commonly called The Chosen Race].

That the Statutes [choq] and the Judgements [mishpat] were given to Israel alone as a servant nation [this is vital to comprehend and remember in the chapters to follow].

That the word Jews is not mentioned in any of these Scriptures.

That there are different seeds and that Abraham’s seed is genetic.

That none of these Scriptures can be ‘spiritualised’.

If we come to the conclusion that there is a unique, racial Israel, we will be in conflict with the following viewpoints:

What is inferred indirectly from verses used by universalists.

What we think we see manifest in terms of Christian experience in other races.

Universalists may use what appear to be direct statements. But they rely on certain words that have been given new meanings. Sometimes completely wrong and deceptive meanings have been placed on words and some of these have become accepted modern teachings. To these manufactured word meanings, “types” are added to fit the interpretation. This is the common way of teaching, but it is not teaching that is based upon the foundation of the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets.

Over the years, accumulated errors in translations have led us away from the meanings contained in the original texts. One consequence has been that the commentaries and reference dictionaries often perpetuate and magnify the problems by using statements such as, this has come to mean, and then applying their own interpretations based upon such new meanings. Apart from errors in pure translation, there are errors due to words being added in English that are not supported in the original text. Also there are words deleted from the English text that are supported in the original text. An example of this is the frequent omission of the Definite Article from the English translations, where this is included in the Greek and vice versa.

This chapter provides several typical examples of these deviations.

WORD MEANINGS

In the New Testament there is a call to separation which few will deny. In today’s preaching, this is presented primarily as a separation from uncleaness and sin. This is not an incorrect presentation in itself, but it is a half truth.

2 Cor 6:16,17 ¼ I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be MY PEOPLE. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing], and I will receive you.

The addition of “thing” [akathartou, genitive, singular, neuter] at the end of this verse is grammatically justified. But, preachers use it in the sense of things rather than people. When we look at this verse, it is obvious that “them” signifies the separation of one people [not thing] from another. The word used in Greek is aphorizo that means to border off … to limit off … to separate and to sever from the rest. In the next verse below we see how this word is used; it is used of the separation of goats from amongst Israelite sheep. [Note: nations is a neuter noun whereas them is masculine and thus refers to the people within the nations].

Matt 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: …

This specifically mentions nations. Any such suggestion of election or national separation horrifies some Christians because of the conflict between this and their understanding of God so loved the world and similar Scriptures. So it might be well to immediately look at these verses and see what the world means.

GO INTO ALL “THE WORLD”

John 3:16,17 For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

These are two much quoted verses. In each case “the world” is the same word kosmos in the original Greek. Kosmos is probably one of the least understood and misused words in the New Testament and perhaps we should take a short-cut and make statements about kosmos which is usually translated as “world”.

Kosmos does not mean every race or the inhabited earth [oikoumene]. Nor does it mean the land mass of the earth or its soil [ge and ghay].

Kosmos has the prime meaning is “order”, “arrangement” or “beauty”, but never the common multi-racial meaning as taught.

Kosmos often means that particular world which is being spoken about, to the exclusion of other “worlds”. In English we speak of the “world of music” – in Greek we would say the kosmos of music.

Kosmos can mean the whole world of wicked and reprobate men as opposed to the “world” of God’s elect.

Kosmos is used of the Roman Empire [John 8:23].

Kosmos is used of the world that was before the flood [2 Peter 2:5]. That world was destroyed [Heb 11:7].

Kosmos is spoken of, not only as the world that now is, but also of that which is to come. [Do we preach to the world to come?].

Kosmos can refer to things other than people, for example, the adornment of a woman’s hair [see 1 Tim 2:9 wherekosmos is translated as "modest"]. It is particularly difficult to proclaim the gospel to a woman’s hair clip!

Kosmos is used of many other things and these can include either order or disorder, fame and honour, the orderly universe, the stars in the universe and even heaven!

So, which “world” of all these “worlds” did God so love? From the Scriptures, we can see that there are differing kinds of worlds. Think about this and how this relates to what has been shown as written in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. In the Old Testament we are told that God loved Israel. There does not seem to be a single direct reference to God loving any other race. Let us consider the Israel order whom God says He loved in the Old Testament.

Deut 7:8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers … [that is, of Israel].

Psalm 47:4 ¼ the excellency of Jacob whom he loved.

Isaiah 63:7-9 I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord … and the great goodness toward the house of Israel … in his love and in his pity he redeemed them …

Hosea 3:1 … according to the love of the Lord towards the children of Israel.

Hosea 11:1-4 When Israel was a child, then I loved him … I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: ¼

Zeph 3:17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee [that is, Israel] is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love ¼

Malachi 1:2 ¼ yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, ¼

In the Old Testament we have these expressions of the Israel people that God so loved. Cast your mind back to all the Scriptures in the New Testament we have looked at which show the exclusive nature of Israel. Both tell of the love of God for Israel in a way which separates them from the other races. Are we now to believe that this people Israel have somehow disappeared, despite prophecy to the contrary? If God said that He hated Esau, then Edom could not be included in the “all” or “the world” of Go ye into all the world and God so loved the world.

Just in case anyone still has reservations about “the world” having different meanings, we will look at pairs of verses each of which contain the words “the world”.

Pair One:

John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, ¼

1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

If both of these two “worlds” were the same, then the disciples could not be hated by a world that was not able to hate them. Both worlds are kosmos.

Pair Two:

John 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world ¼

John 17:14 ¼ they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

In one verse they are out of “the world” and in the second they are not of “the world”.

Pair Three:

John 17:9 ¼ I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine.

John 3:16 God so loved the world, ¼

Might it not be blasphemy to suggest that Jesus would not pray for that world He loved. So He must pray for one “world” and not for another! Here are demonstrated three pairs of Scriptures which show contrasts in the “worlds” they are talking about.

THE WORLD – KOSMOS OR OIKOUMENE?

These two words are both translated “world”, but they are different in application and meaning. The meaning of kosmos is determined by its context to identify which particular world is under discussion, whereas oikoumene means the inhabited or civilised earth of the Mediterranean region. We can see oikoumene easily in verses such as Luke 2:1 where Caesar was to tax allthe world and Acts 11:28 about a famine throughout all the world. In Acts 17:6 we read where the disciples turned the world upside down. In Acts 19:27 we read about all Asia and the world worshipping the goddess Diana and in Acts 24:5 about Paul being said to be a mover of sedition throughout the world. In Rev 3:10 Jesus speaks about the hour of temptation which shall come upon allthe world. In Romans 10:18 we are told the Word of God went into all the earth and unto the ends of the world.. When we remember that both parts of Israel were scattered among the nations this is easily understood. We might say that the kosmos of Israel was scattered throughout the oikoumene. Jesus came into the oikoumene [Heb 1:6] to minister to the kosmos of Israel.

Once we understand this, we can correct verses which the universalists use, such as 1 John 2:2: And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for [that is, the sins of] the whole world. Here the word for world is kosmos, not oikoumene. The “whole” is holos which means every bit and every whit of the kosmos it refers to. The context shows John is saying that the propitiation applies to all of Israel.

It also helps with Matt 24:14 where Jesus speaks about the gospel being preached (proclaimed) in all the world. Here we findoikoumene for “world”, not kosmos. The expression in the world is not to the world.. Here Jesus was addressing Israelite disciples about the gospel being a witness to all the Israel nations who were dispersed in the oikoumene at that time.