Is the Church the offspring of Israel? The question that must be answered when dealing with prophecy is — are we part of Israel or are we separate? The writer of Hebrews says 11:40, that they without us would not be made perfect. As we examine Revelation 12 & 21; Romans 11; Ephesians 2. Romans 2:29, we must conclude that God has joined us the church as Israel’s offspring. But we need further consideration to draw such a conclusion.

So consider:

The offspring of Israel (who are the children of Abraham) are represented in scripture as believers in Christ. Those in Christ which we call the church, except when we see them in Revelation — why is that? These offspring will be the persecuted during the Tribulation (Revelation 12). If these are not Israel who we see being protected at the time, who then are they? If they are not in Christ; then they are not saved (1 Cor. 15). If they are in Christ; then they are His sheep (His Church). There is no other group in existence, who can be considered an offspring of Israel. If you can think of one please speak up. The Church who is the bride, we are told will make herself ready during this period of man’s history (the Tribulation (Rev. 19)).

Consider:

Israel in the Old Testament was either Christ’s Bride or the Father’s bride. The key to answering whose bride is contained in the O.T. text. Israel is depicted in Isa.54, as one who was widowed. And this occurs after Isaiah’s chapter 53 revealing Christ’s death. She is promised then in Chapter 54, to be remarried to her redeemer. Read Isaiah 53 and 54; then Romans 11 reveals that the root supporting us both, believing Israel and believing Gentiles within the Olive Tree, has to be Jesus; He is the root of the Old Testament. Then In Revelation 21, the church and Israel are one in the Bride (the new Jerusalem).

Reason 3.

The Church will not be Raptured until she is purified, and completed to include Israel in this body. Read again Hebrews 11:40; it is not until Revelation 19, after Israel has been brought to their salvation in Christ, that we will see this completion. Ephesians 6:27 calls for this bride to be without spot or wrinkle. In Revelation 19 we are told that the bride has made herself ready.

Reason 4.

The Tribulation is not a synonym for God’s wrath, because all believers from the Day of Pentecost up until and even through The Tribulation have been promised to escape His wrath. That is not because the Tribulation has always for every generation been imminent. In fact you along with every other believer Paul says were destined for this wrath. This was your inheritance up until you became a heart circumcised believer as recorded in Ephesians 2. For only in Him are you worthy and will you see the Resurrection or the Rapture depending upon your oxygen intake or lack thereof at the time of the Second Coming. 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4 & 5; Luke 20:34-36.

Reason 5.

The Tribulation no matter when it comes is still a part of this age not the age to come. And there is only one gospel which is able to bring men to Christ. Luke 20: 34-36; Matthew 24:14; and compare Revelation 14:6 with Galatians 1:8

Reason 6.

There is only one “First resurrection” and it is taught to occur at the end of the Tribulation. Revelation 20:6; Jesus is recorded twice confirming this timing. Luke 20:34-36; Mark 13:24-27. Paul confirmed this timing when he wrote of the resurrection and Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 & 5. And 2 Thessalonians chapters 1 & 2. And Romans 11:15. The Rapture is depicted following the resurrection and the resurrection is depicted in several places in the Revelation. In all of these places it is in connection with Christ’s Second Coming which is never depicted as preceding Tribulation. These verses are Rev. 6:13:17; Rev. 11:15-18; Rev. 14:14-20; Rev. 16:15-16; Rev. 20:1-5.

There are arguments suggesting that Revelation is a sequential book, but the events portrayed in these passages above are very end of Tribulation second coming events. In Rev. 6 men call for rocks to hide them from Jesus’ appearance. In Revelation 11 the argument is that this is the middle of Tribulation, but the kingdoms of the world are now the Lord’s kingdoms. Where else do we see this? Not in the middle of Tribulation. If you read Daniel 7:11-13 it is obvious that the Lord does not take up His reign until the Beast is slain.

Reason 7

There is one new man. Paul placed you and me together with all the saints who went before us, and who would come after us Ephesians 2&3. This is represented in the one olive tree that Paul describes made up of only believers; In the one bride; In the one Ekklessia; In the one body of believers; in the one mighty nation and holy priesthood. Believers are we in the one Messiah and redeemer of Israel, and through Him we are adopted by God into this one body. One with them not a replacement of them, and certainly not a ruler over them* who must be as we are in Christ for salvation.

Reason 8

Jesus fulfillment of the Seven Feasts of Israel Demands that it be Post-Trib. Jesus fulfilled the spring Feasts in the same year, and He will fulfill the fall feasts in like manner in the same year when He returns. The spring feasts were fulfilled as He was leaving this earth as its savior. The fall feasts will be fulfilled as He arrives on this earth and proceeds to set up His earthly abode as its King and the Bridegroom of the Church (Ekklesia) representing the commonwealth of Israel.

Reason 9.

Israel’s addition back into the Olive Tree occurs following the Travail of a woman. Who is that woman?

Micah 5:3 Therefore will he (Yeshua) give them (the Nation) up, until the time that she which travaileth (His Bride) hath brought forth: ((hath preached the gospel to all the nations, and travailed in her final birth pangs of souls (especially Israel) during the Tribulation)). then the remnant of his brethren (those Israelites left from Armageddon’s battle at the end) shall return unto the children of Israel ( by belief in their Messiah they return to the olive Tree where Israel’s saints reside and into which we Gentile believers are ingrafted having been adopted).

This verse depicts this return as a final birthing to complete His body.

The remnant of Jesus’ brethren whom He has given up will return by accepting the Messiah receiving the circumcision of heart (the new covenant) rejoining the children of Israel. It is the body of Christ who is in travel until all be brought to Christ Israel’s Messiah. A part of Israel was cut off from the people of God. A remnant from Israel’s nation will be returned to the people of God represented in the olive tree. When this occurs it will be the final completion of the Bride. Thus the statement in Revelation 19 (the bride has made herself ready).

Reason 10

The consumation of the Ancient Jewish Wedding took place in the Home of the Bride, inside the brides chamber on the proof of her virginity, cloth. Under the law if the bride was not a Virgin she could be put away and stoned. The virginity cloth kept by her mother was her proof. Therefore Christ must return to the brides home for the consummation of marriage before the wedding feast.

Song of Songs 3:4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. (KJV)

• *there is a problem understanding Israel during the millennium. We the New Covenant Israel will reign with Christ over the mortal nations of earth during the Millennium. There will also be a mortal Israel at that time, just as there are other mortal nations who knew not Christ. These mortal Jews are brought back carried on the shoulders of the Gentiles into their land. They will weep over their Messiah whom they had not before recognized.

• How can this be you say? Jesus tells us in Matt 25, that He will judge the nations when He returns. These are mortals, sheep and goats. None of whom are in Christ. The sheep are commended for supplying the needs in food, drink and or clothing for Jesus brethren. They did this for Jesus’ brethren (those in Christ) not even knowing what they had done. And it is likely that the Gentiles of these sheep in the right hand are those who have carried the Jews from within the nations back to Jerusalem, where the apostles will rule over each tribe.

From these same nations there will come an army in support of a future rise of Satan once he is loosed a final time at the end of the Millennium.

Study to see if these things be true.