In Numbers 24, verse 1, we read these words: “It pleased the Lord to bless Israel.” The true Israel of God is comprised of any and all truly converted persons on earth of whatever generation, whatever race, whatever gender. Those truly “in Christ”, thus true sons and daughters of God ARE spiritual Israel, and “it pleased the Lord to bless Israel.” The Word of God goes on to say in Numbers 24, “Blessed is he that blesses thee, and cursed is he that curses thee” (see verse 9). But read Numbers 23. It is only when God sees no iniquity, no perverseness in Israel that it is said, “the Lord his God is with him.” (see verse 21, Numbers 23). Separating from sin and a perverted or distorted spiritual walk is imperative for a spiritual Israelite to be blessed by God. If that child of God permits sin in their life or embraces spiritual error the blessing of God can be and often is removed.
Paul, in his letter to the believers in Rome, wrote: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime (previously – in the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament) were written for our learning, that we through patience (Greek, “endurance, fortitude”) and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). How much of Isaiah, or Jeremiah, or Deuteronomy have you learned? These texts were written and preserved to guide and strengthen you, and, yes, to comfort you in your Christian walk. You would then realize what God had done for the fleshly Israelite of old He would also do for the spiritual Israelite – any true believer and follower of Jesus Christ. And whatever discipline and punishments exacted upon them would be exacted upon His sons and daughters today should we choose the path of rebellion and unbelief. “Now all these things (punishments and blessings) happened unto them (ancient Israel) for examples, and they are written (preserved in the Hebrew scriptures) FOR OUR ADMONITION UPON WHOM THE ENDS OF THE WORLD ARE COME” (I Corinthians 10:11).
When Paul writes the Gentile believers in Galatia and says “peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God,” he is not referring to fleshly Israel there but to spiritual Israel – every truly converted man or woman regardless of their ancestry, DNA, or genealogical background. (See Galatians 6:16). The “new creature” to which he refers in verse 15 is, again, spiritual Israel. When he writes the Gentile believers in Rome and says, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel,” he is again speaking of the truth that God’s true Israel has non-Israelites in her ranks. Converted Gentiles become spiritual Israelites in God’s eyes. Paul had just mentioned that his “kinsmen according to the flesh” – that is, fleshly Israelites, were “accursed from Christ.” (See Romans 9, verses 3 and 6). Therefore when he wishes peace upon the Israel of God in the Galatian letter he cannot be referring to fleshly Israel as he knew they were accursed from Christ. That curse, of course, is only temporary. At Christ’s return it will be lifted, “for God hath concluded them all (save for a small remnant) in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all….for I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery….that blindness in part is happened to (fleshly) Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (to the nation of spiritual Israel), and so ALL Israel shall be saved…” (See Romans 11:32, 25-26). And in the 17th verse of that same chapter (Romans 11), Paul speaks of Gentiles as “a wild olive tree” that has been “grafted in among them (fleshly Israel)” thus becoming spiritual Israelites. And notice how Paul refers to this phenomenon as “this mystery” (verse 25).
Only God through His Holy Spirit can open a spiritual “mystery” to man’s mind. Unless God does this such remains a mystery. Men and women can then read these texts and have no inkling of what is being said. This is one of the major proofs of the divine inspiration of scripture and of the fact that there is indeed an invisible God through His invisible Holy Spirit working behind the scenes, illuminating, guiding, instructing His called out ones in His truth. Paul is again making reference to this mystery when, in Romans 4:16, he refers to Abraham as being “the father of us all” – Jew and Gentile! And in the 11th verse of that same chapter, Paul refers to Abraham being “the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised” – that is though they be not fleshly Jews. Again, in verse 17, God says to Abraham, “I have made thee a father of many nations” – Jew and Gentile. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul tells these Gentile believers, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham…So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham…that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (See Galatians 3:7, 9 and 14). And therein is contained one of the greatest truths of Holy Writ. Faithful children of God, though Gentiles physically, are spiritual Israelites, sons of God AND of Abraham. Therefore WHATEVER is promised to Abraham and his offspring is promised us – and that includes physical healing and a whole lot more! To be continued….
Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley