There are many verses in the Old Testament that obviously are speaking concerning the people and land of Israel. These are not always to be spiritualized and applied to the Christian Church. But the verses that clearly refer to the elect saints of the Messianic Kingdom, such as Isaiah 49:3 (above), are not directed primarily toward the physical Jews.

Paul viewed the Christian Church, the Body of Christ, as one new Man, one temple of God, consisting of the elect Jews and Gentiles. Paul taught that the Lord Jesus Christ broke down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile and made one new man. The new Man is Christ—Head and Body.

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)

There is no truth to the teaching that the Christian Church is Gentile in character and has little to do with the Jews and the nation of Israel. The Jews and the nation of Israel reveal the earthly working of God—an earthly working that provided the cup into which salvation was poured.

Since the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, God will, after He has provoked His people to jealousy by giving His Spirit to Gentiles, turn once again to the land and people of Israel, giving them His salvation in Christ. That is what Paul taught (compare the eleventh chapter of the Book of Romans). It is the writer's point of view that this turning of God has commenced already, and now it is time for us Christian Gentiles to repay the debt we owe Peter, John, Paul, and the other Jews who have given to us our knowledge of the salvation in Christ.

Misconception: True Israel Is Spiritual and God Has No Plan for the Jews

There are Christian teachers of today who are advancing the concept that true Israel is the Christian Church and that God has no intention of returning once again to the land and people of Israel. It is possible to derive such a misunderstanding from Paul's statement that the true Jew is not outward but inner, and circumcision is of the heart and not of the flesh.

But such teachers are ignoring the Scriptures, both Old Testament and New, that portray the Redeemer coming out of Zion and turning away ungodliness from Israel.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in [to the good olive tree]. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (Romans 11:25,26)

God has not forgotten His original people. He has promised to turn once again to them. God will pour out His Spirit on the Jews as He did in the first century. Then they will turn to the Lord. The nation of Israel will be born again and brought into the Body of Christ.

To be continued.