It is at this point that we come to an important truth relative to the connection between ancient Israel established by Jesus Christ at Mt. Sinai–the church in the physical wilderness of the Middle East– and the New Covenant Church established by Him at Jerusalem–the church in the spiritual wilderness of the Middle East. See the God of the Old Testament. As will be shown, the founding of the church at Jerusalem began what God calls the “end of the age.” The same people–the children of Israel–comprise both churches who share the same Head/Master/Lord–Jesus Christ. But the Israelites were/are not alone. We are told that a “mixed multitude” of Gentiles came out of Egypt “with” the tribes of Israel (Exo. 12:38). Together they traveled to Mt. Sinai where they heard God (Jesus Christ) establish His “Church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38) by giving them His Ten Commandment Law of eternal life. This was/is the “one Law” by which both Israelites and Gentiles must be “governed” (ruled)–Exodus 12:49 in order to receive the promises of God.

Many generations later Gentiles would join the “Jews”–three of the tribes of Israel–following the establishent the New Covenant church on the Day of Pentecost. These Gentiles would be taught God’s Ten Commandment Law by His apostles while they reminded the Israelites about God’s stone-etched Rules of Engagement that all must obey in order to inherit eternal life. It is vitally important that true salvation-seekers understand that FOUR ENTITIES CONNECT THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT CHURCHES: JESUS CHRIST, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, AND ISRAEL–THE BIOLOGICAL DESCENDANTS OF EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH. In this series we are concentrating on the birthright promise that God made to Abraham and how it affects the people of the United States and Britain–the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh respectfully–here at the end of the age.

As noted, the Ten Commandment Law connects the Old Testament Israelite church and the New Testament Israelite church. THERE SHOULD BE NO BREAK BETWEEN THE BOOKS OF MALACHI AND MATTHER–Matthew picks up where Malachi ends. Malachi, along with all of the other Old Testament books, promises a Messiah Who would come to earth to “bring repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel,” to “save His (chosen) people from their sins” and to “accomplish redemption for His (chosen) people.” There will be more on the Jesus–Israel–New Testament church connection in the following postings. Now let us begin to bring Jesus, Israel and the church together using the Ten Commandments.

In the following postings we will see that the Almighty promised to make a New Covenant with “THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL (THE “LOST TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL”) AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH (THE THREE TRIBES OF ISRAEL CALLED “JEWS”).” We must understand that all Jews are Israelites but not all Israelites are Jews. Probably less than one percent of Israelites are Jews. Almost one half of European Jewry was killed as a result of World War II and the Nazi pogroms leading up to the war. On top of this, the Jews of today have a low reproduction rate. At this time they number some 20,000,000 world-wide.

The Israelites, on the other hand, maintained a high reproduction rate until recent times. Being no longer agrarian societies, the people of Britain and the United States have become primarily urban dwellers. The large families that had been necessary for farming are no longer needed. Today it is estimated that globally there are some 500,000,000 to 800,000,000 Israelites living in total obscurity, “lost” to the world and themselves. In all likelihood, more than half of them live in the birthright nations peopled by the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh–Britain and the United States of America. L.J.

Israel part 8