THE TRUE ISRAEL

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 47.

1. What is the meaning of the name, Israel? The Lord said to Jacob, "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." Gen. 32 : 28.

2. What does Christ promise to the overcomer? "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." Rev. 3 : 21.

3. To whose seed is the kingdom promised? "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." Gal. 3:16.

4. How much did the promise to Abraham imply? "The promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." Rom. 4 : 13.

5. Who are reckoned as children of Abraham in connection with the kingdom? "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Gal. 3:7, 9. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Verse 29.

6. Were the literal children of Israel all the children of faith? "Some, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. . . . And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief," Heb. 3:16-19.

7. How only can the natural Jews become heirs to the promises to Abraham? Only as individuals. So Peter exhorts them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2 : 38.

8. Then who only will be recognized as Israelites in the kingdom of Christ? "He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; 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." Rom. 2:28, 29. "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Phil. 3:3. "Salvation is of the Jews." John 4:24. "Unto Him [Shiloh of the tribe of Judah] shall the gathering of the peoples be." Gen. 49:10.

9. Who will be the sub-rulers over the twelve tribes in the kingdom of Christ? "Jesus said unto them [the twelve], Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matt. 19:28.