Two Everythings (Part 15) - Two Israels (Natural and Spiritual)
Submitted by Pastor Chad Wagner on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.For a paperback book in outline form which addresses over 150 difficult verses that Arminians use against Sovereign Grace, check out: Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace: Rooting Arminianism Out of Every Verse.
Watch the video of this Bible study on YouTube: Two Everythings (Part 15) - Two Israels (Natural and Spiritual)
For a master copy of the outline, click here: Two Everythings
To listen to the previous sermon in the series, click here: Part 14
17. Two Israels
A. There are two Israels according to the scripture.
i. Rom 9:6 - Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
ii. Paul here clearly states there is an Israel inside of the larger Israel.
iii. There is an Israel which are all the blood descendents of Abraham, which I will call "Natural Israel."
iv. There is also an Israel which are the elect children of God within Israel, which I will call "Spiritual Israel."
v. Included in Spiritual Israel are also all of the elect Gentiles.
B. Natural Israel
i. Natural Israel are the seed of Abraham, but not all of them are the children of God.
1. Rom 9:7 - Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
2. Rom 9:8 - 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.
3. Joh 8:37 - I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
4. Joh 8:38 - I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
5. Joh 8:44 - Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
ii. Being a natural, racial descendent of Abraham means nothing concerning eternal salvation.
1. Ishmael was a son of Abraham, but was not born after the Spirit (born again).
a. Gal 4:28 - Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
b. Gal 4:29 - But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
2. Esau was a son of Abraham through Isaac, Abraham's promised son, but was not elect and was therefore hated by God.
a. Rom 9:10 - And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
b. Rom 9:11 - (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;)
c. Rom 9:12 - It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
d. Rom 9:13 - As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
3. The majority of the Jews, who are the natural descendents of Abraham, are eternally damned because they are not the elect of God.
a. Rom 9:27 - Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
b. Rom 9:28 - For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
c. Rom 9:29 - And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
C. Spiritual Israel
i. Some of Natural Israel are also Spiritual Israel, the elect children of God.
1. Rom 11:1 - I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2. Rom 11:2 - God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
3. Rom 11:3 - Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4. Rom 11:4 - But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5. Rom 11:5 - Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6. Some examples are Natural Israelites who were also Spiritual Israelites are Isaac, Jacob, Paul, Peter, John, etc.
ii. Elect Gentiles are also considered as part of Spiritual Israel.
1. Rom 9:23 - And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
2. Rom 9:24 - Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
3. Rom 9:25 - As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
4. Rom 9:26 - And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
iii. If a person is Christ's, regardless if he is a Jew or a Gentile, he is Abraham's seed and an heir of eternal inheritance according to God's promise.
1. Gal 3:16 - Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
2. Gal 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
3. Gal 3:29 - And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
iv. The elect Jews and elect Gentiles are the true Jews, the true Israel, the Israel of God in God's sight.
1. Rom 2:28 - For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
2. Rom 2:29 - 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.
3. Php 3:2 - Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
4. Php 3:3 - For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
5. Gal 6:15 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
6. Gal 6:16 - And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
v. The true Jews are Jews by grace, not race.