The True Israel of God

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Cor 3:16-17.

There is much confusion today about the biblical place of modern day Israel as a nation. Some believe that the emergence of Israel on the world map has huge significance biblically. Some Christians believe that the rebuilding of a third temple in Jerusalem will be one of the major signs of prophecy before the return of Christ. But is this the case?

The Bible verse from 1 Corinthians teaches us that the church is the temple, not Jerusalem's temple, one which was destroyed in AD 70. Even if this temple was rebuilt, the LORD God would not be present there, in a Redemptive sense. It therefore would have zero prophetic significance.

Fresh questions need to be asked polemically, in order to answer false claims that are made by dispensationalist Christians. However, we need to go further than simply answering false claims; we desire to know also the truth of the Scriptures more clearly.

There are two resources that I would like to point us to, in order to help us on this subject of the true Israel of God.

1. O. Palmer Robertson's book called "The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow". This is a gripping read with many fresh insights into the types and shadows of Old Testament promises.

2. A sermon by Rev Nick Batzig called "Jesus, the True Israel of God" (https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=726171058490) is excellent. This wonderful sermon goes further than giving apologetic answers. Nick expounds that the Son of God is the fulfilment of Israel's promises. Israel is a person. Listen to it and be blessed, as well as having meaningful answers to spiritual questions.

When we are the point that much money is wasted on Israel dispensationalist projects, such as rearing red heifers in Texas because they are supposedly needed for future temple sacrifices, then we need to teach Christians properly. False doctrine, leads to false ideas of how to serve the Covenant LORD, which can then lead to disaster.

Let's pray for a recovery of biblical truth regarding the true Israel of God.