Further proof that the nation of Israel and the New Covenant Church are biologically and spiritually the same entity is found in the following Scriptures.

ISRAEL: In Isaiah 43:10,12,20/44:1; 45:4 and 19:6 we find the Lord saying of Israel that she was His witness, His servant, His chosen, His chosen people, a holy nation, a nation of priests, all of whom belonged to Him.

THE CHURCH: In 1 Peter 2:9 the Lord said of the church that she was a chosen race, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. In Acts 22:15 we find God calling the Apostle Paul (along with all who live for the Lord) God’s witness. In Matthew 24:14 God said that His gospel of the kingdom would be preached throughout all the world as a witness to the world just before the end of the era. That witness would be carried by those of the New Covenant Church to the Lost Sheep of the Tribes of Israel who had been scattered throughout the world, some of whom would believe and obey that witness (gospel) and thereby qualify for eternal life. Note that in every case when the gospel is referred to as God’s witness, it is written in the singular, meaning that the Bible–Old and New Testaments–is to be taken as one entity, one Word, one gospel and one witness. In Luke 1:54 we find that God has helped his servant Israel. In 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica that God had chosen them for salvation.

ISRAEL: In Exodus 45:2 God addressed His chosen people as “Israel, My elect.” In Isaiah 45:3,4 He says that He is the God of Israel–His elect. Israel is identified as God’s elect four times in the Book of Isaiah.

THE CHURCH: In Romans 11:5 we are told that at the time of the writing of the Book of Romans (58-60 A.D.) there was an election (a small group–a remnant–selected from all of the House of Israel based on their obedience to God). Verse 26 tells us that those of the election were beloved for the fathers’ (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s) sake. Addressing the church at Thessalonica, Paul, calling them his  brethren, told them not to forget their election by God (1 Thes. 1:4). Peter wrote to the Israelites in the church, whom he referred to as scattered strangers (aliens), reminding them that they were the elect of God (1 Pet. 1:1-5). Jesus, speaking to His disciples, told them that the Father would send His angel to gather His elect from all over the earth (Mat. 24:31). In Romans 8:33,34 Paul notes that Christ makes intercession for God’s elect (the church) against whom Satan and his human servants make accusations. Paul wrote to those in the church at Collosse that they were the elect of God, holy and beloved of Him. L.J.