In my mental scenario in which I am questioning 1000 of the world’s leading Bible scholors about the gospel of God, I have proven Scripturally that His (one and only) gospel concerns the soon-coming earthly KINGDOM OF GOD, specifically, what it is and how to be a part of it. As previously noted, I would have been immediately “corrected” by the ministers who would have told me that God’s gospel was about Jesus Christ the man, not about His message. This in spite of the fact that He said that man must live by every word of it (Mat. 4:4) and that man will be judged by every word of it (Jn. 12:44-50).

The question and answer session would become even more contentious when I answered the question found in the title of the series. The answer is ISRAEL–the 12 tribes begotten by the patriarch Jacob whose name was changed to “Israel,” meaning “power with God.” Again I would be “corrected” by my discussion participants who would point out that the gospel did not exist before the founding of the New Covenant Church in 31 A.D. The Old Testament, including all references to Abraham, had by that time been “nailed to the cross.” The now-dead testament, my detractors would assure me, plays no part in the life of the New Testament Church.

However, the Scriptures prove that this “truth everyone knows” is in reality not true. We are told by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the churches of Galatia (3:8) that “the Scripture (the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth–Jn. 1:1-4,14) preached THE gospel to Abraham.” Note it: the first mention of the Lord’s one and only gospel concerned Abraham, who begat Isaac, who begat Jacob, who begat the 12 Tribes of Israel about whom the entire Old Testament was written. And that wasn’t all. God promised Abraham that through one of his descendants “… all nations (of the earth) will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). “All” would include those nations now in existence. The blessings God promised Abraham are still in effect today, some 2000 years after the Old Testament was supposedly “nailed to the cross.” As Scripture and human history reveal, Abraham’s descendants did become a blessing to people in “all nations.” Another of God’s promises to Abraham was that one of his descendants (Jesus Christ) would be instrumental in that blessing.

Centuries after God’s conversation with Abraham that same God came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth. See The God of the Old Testament. He came at a time when some 99% of Israelites had been scattered throughout “all nations.” He came to the tiny plot of land He had promised to Abraham’s descendants–the 12 tribes of Israel. some 99% of Israel have never lived in the Middle Eastern nation known today as “Israel.” Since the end of World War II the area has been occupied by a people known as “Jews”–the descendants of Judah, Benjamin and Lev–who had returned to the Promised Land following 70 years of captivity in Babylon. As is noted in the New Testament, Jesus’ ministry focused solely on the “Jews” living in the area now known as “Israel.” What most people do not realize is that all Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites are Jews. Jesus came personally to minister to the Jews in the Promised Land, now called “Israel.” The people of modern Israel are in reality Judahites, and the area they occupy is in reality Judea. The word “Jew” is a nickname the King James writers gave to the Judahites. The first time the word “Jews” is used is found in 2 Kings 16:6-8 where we find the Jews at war with Israel.

As the previous posting revealed, Jesus came to preach gospel, the same gospel He had preached to Abraham, and the same gospel He commanded His apostles to preach and all of His disciples to believe and obey. This gospel of the Kingdom of God is still being preached by God’s true ministers. Because the vast majority of church leaders have not been chosen by God, the church has never heard THE only gospel Jesus and His apostles preached and wrote about. This is the same gospel Jesus taught His disciples throughout His earthly ministry. He then returned to earth following His death and resurrection in order to teach it to them again (Acts 1:3). This gospel, also called the Holy Bible, “the Word,” “the Law,” “Truth” and God’s “witness to all nations” must be believed and obeyed in order to receive salvation upon Christ’s return to earth. Sadly, Jesus said that only a few would do so (Mat. 7:13,14). The masses of salvation seekers, He added, would enter Satan’s “have it your way” church and walk his “it’s all good” way to destruction. Just prior to His returning to the Father, Jesus declared that “THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM” would be preached throughout all nations as a “witness” to them (Mat. 24:14). Note it: His manner of witnessing to mankind has always been, is today and will always be to present to man His message of the gospel of the Kingdom. After the gospel message has been preached throughout all the world, “… THEN THE END WILL COME” (Mat. 24:14). We are living in that end time to which Jesus was referring. The gospel (Holy Bible/Word/Law/light) is still shining out to all men everywhere. But not for long, we are told. That “light” is about to be removed from among men. Men, God tells us, will search for it but will not find it. His Word and His saints will have been taken from among the masses. We are commanded to Work (know, believe and obey God’s Word) while it is day, for night is coming when no man can work (Jn. 9:4).  L.J.