Israel (1)

Christians tend to use the word “Israel” without defining clearly what they mean. It can refer to any of the following:

1. The state of Israel;

2. All the Jewish people living in the nation of Israel;

3. All Jews throughout the world;

4. All the descendants of Jacob (he was renamed Israel), whether they realise it or not.

Our loose use of the word creates confusion.

• Many Christians seems to be referring to group 1 or group 2 when they speak about Israel.

• The promises of the covenant apply to the fourth group.

• The Christian focus on group 2 is too narrow. Only a small proportion of the descendants of Jacob are living in Israel.

• The third group is two narrow. The Jews are the descendants of Judah and Benjamin (two of Jacob’s sons). The ten tribes who were lost in Assyria are also descendants of Israel. They are spread through the world, but no one knows who they are.

• Some of the descendants of Jacob will choose to return to the land of Israel, but they do not have to return to their land to discover Jesus.

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