20250309 - James Womble - Who is the true Israel (3)

Introduction

Last week we talked about Paul’s great anguish over his countrymen rejecting Christ. And the proof that the Christ was in fact God in the flesh, the God-man. The God-man who is over all things.

Now, Paul will address the question, “has God gone back on his word and abandoned Israel?”

Is God not good for his word and forgotten Israel?

It is important for us to answer this question because if God has forgotten Israel then is what is it to say he will not forget us now.

Romans 9:6–13 KJV 1900

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

God’s word has not failed (6)

Paul does not that God’s word cannot fail.

It says that God has not failed.

Isaiah 51:6 KJV 1900

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look upon the earth beneath: For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, And the earth shall wax old like a garment, And they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: But my salvation shall be for ever, And my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Isaiah 55:10–11 KJV 1900

10 For as the rain cometh down, And the snow from heaven, And returneth not thither, But watereth the earth, And maketh it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Jesus says it this way.

Matthew 24:35 KJV 1900

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33

Not all of Israel is Israel (6)

Paul is talking about two things with the same name, that is national Israel and spiritual Israel.

John the Baptist says it this way.

Matthew 3:7–9 KJV 1900

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

John is saying I know you are the children of Abraham but not all who are of Israel are Israel.

Abraham’s Seed (7)

Jesus says it this way.

John 8:33–39 KJV 1900

33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Jesus saying in different words that not all that is of Israel is Israel.

Jesus says that you would do the works of Abraham if he were your father.

What is the righteous work of Abraham? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness.

In Isaac thy seed is called (7)

Abraham had two children at this point, Ishmael and Isaac, Abraham loved Ishmael because he was his son.

Genesis 21:8–13 KJV 1900

8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

Galatians 4:28–31 KJV 1900

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless 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. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

It is not just being the Abraham’s children, it is a specific child.

The Children of the flesh are not the children of the promise.

Romans 8:5–8 KJV 1900

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Children of the promise (8)

The children of the promise have the right mother the right mother. Sarah (9)

God made the choice between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah was the free woman and Hagar was the bondwoman.

The right Mother and father (10)

Rebecca and Isaac are the right mother and father but there are twins but one is chosen and the other is not.

It is not because Jacob is a better person than Esau.

He was known to be a defrauder. Actually to defraud from ambush.

Jacob defrauded his brother by ambush with soup.

So, we see from verse 11 that is all about the purpose of God.

Jacob defraud by ambush his brother out of the blessing of the first born which bless Jacob and left Esau to serve him.

Rebecca, the right son (11-13)

Who then are the children of the promise?

We clearly see that it is God who made the choice which goes alone with what we learned in chapter 8:28-30. The golden chain of salvation.

Romans 8:28–30 KJV 1900

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

God has not forgotten Israel. It is not national Israel that are the chosen but spiritual Israel.

Who is the spiritual Israel?

Romans 2:28–29 KJV 1900

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Which is a quote from the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV 1900

6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Jeremiah 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Paul says it another way in the New Testament.

Colossians 2:11–12 KJV 1900

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

So, what is the, “Will God Surprise in Missions,” in this passage?

That He would choose Israel as a nation to be the one who would bring the Christ into this world especially looking back on their track record.

That he would choose individuals from Israel or any nation to be conformed to the image the Son.

We can read the account of those he chose through out the Bible.

Remember Elijah who said, “I am the only one left Lord.” But God, “not so Elijah, I have 7000 reserved to Me.”

That He would choose you or me. Romans 1-3 proved that none seek God and we all are in need of a Saviour.

How do you know if God is choosing you?

You will hear His voice, as it were. There is a drawing inside of you, it almost feels like a tug on your heart.

You will have desire to know the Saviour. Do not fight against the desire. Surrender.