In this booklet I want to take up a critique on the third fundamental Dispensational
distinctive, as stated by Dr. Charles Dyer, that all the faculty of the Moody Bible
Institute are required to agree with and personally adhere to.
(3) " Distinction between Israel and the Church:
"The Church of Jesus Christ is a distinct entity from Israel in the program of God.
We further believe that the Universal Church consists of all who possess saving
faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from Pentecost to the Rapture
of the Church and who will represent every language, tribe and nation." (Dr.
Dyer).
I will limit my focus to the first sentence. The second sentence, I believe, is a
distinctive that is imperative that we all share. The last part of that second
sentence concerning the Rapture, I have covered in my first booklet on these distinctives
and will not include that in this discussion.
Romans 11:2b-10 -- Don't you know what the Scripture says
in the passage about Elijah -- how he appealed to God against Israel: "Lord,
they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they
are trying to kill me."
Vs. 4 -- And what was God's
answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed
the knee to Baal."
Vss. 5,6 -- So too, at the
present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no
longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
The remnant that God had selected by grace that Paul is speaking of is the remnant of
the Israelites that God has selected to receive the punishment in the time immediately
prior to Christ's return, to bring them to reality. To bring them to realize their
need of a Savior and that Christ alone is that Savior; that they as a nation have
continued to reject since the crucifixion. This is the remnant that Paul speaks of
when he states, "all Israel will be saved."
Romans 11:7,8 -- What then? What Israel sought so
earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is
written:
"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that
they could not see and ears so they could not hear, to this very day." (Deut.
29:4)
"What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect
did."
What was it the elect received that the hardened remnant Israelites failed to receive?
One of those things could be the honor of being selected to be the 144,000
representatives of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel -- twelve thousand
for each tribe. Those Israelites through their descendancy from Jacob failed to
receive this honor because they were hardened -- and hardened in that state until
the last Gentile will be called in. They represented the chosen of Israel that God
had given a spirit of stupor.
"But the elect did."
I believe in the previous booklet I have adequately presented how this elect refers to
the brand new nation of Israelites, that were born in a day, were selected from Christian
Assemblies by God and given the name of Israel to fill these vacancies by default --
the 144,000 representatives. (See booklet #34 -- The Heavenly Pregnancy.)
Paul continuing his talk to the Gentile believers:
Rom. 11:17,18 -- If some of the branches have been broken
off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now
share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches.
If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
We as Gentiles are grafted into the Israelite olive rootstock from which the literal
Israelites, as a nation, had been broken off because of unbelief. Paul warns us not
to be conceited over this because we don't support the root (Christ) but the root supports
us.
Vss. 19,21 -- You will say then, "Branches were broken
off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because
of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if
God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
The literal nation of Israel through the lineage of Jacob were broken off because of
unbelief. They refused to believe that Christ was God. Into this olive tree
that God has used in many places to represent the nation of Israel, He grafts you and me
as born again Christians, and as wild olive shoots to be grafted into their, the
literal Israelites, abandoned stumps.
Vss. 22,23 -- Consider therefore the kindness and sternness
of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in
his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist
in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
And this is exactly what will happen after the last Gentile is called in. This
can't happen while the 144,000 are revealing Christ to every individual on the earth by
presenting to them the everlasting gospel of Christ. This witnessing on their part
will be to an almost completely Gentile audience.
Have you noted any place in this discussion where Paul mentions these Gentiles being
grafted into their own Gentile olive tree? No, because then we wouldn't be the wild
branches but the natural branches of that tree. But we, as born again Christians, are
accepted as wild branches to be grafted in the olive tree that represents the descendants
of Jacob.
See Gal. 3:29 -- "If you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." [Exactly what was that
promise? Let us read it from the infallible source]
Gen. 22:15-18 -- The angel of the Lord called to Abraham
from heaven a second time and said, "I sware by myself, declares the Lord, that
because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely
bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on
the seashore.
Your descendants will take possession of the cities
of their enemies and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because
you have obeyed me."
Now note the promise as passed on to Abraham's grandson, Jacob.
Gen. 28:13-15 -- "I am the Lord, the God of your
father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land
on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you
will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All
peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and
will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will
not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
As born again Christians it states very clearly that we will inherit a place of abode
in the land of Israel. This present state will be greatly expanded when we take
possession of the cities of our enemies in order to make the holy land large enough to
incorporate a greatly expanded population base; primarily of born again Christians from a
Gentile lineage.
If Christ will be ruling the earth from the present site of Jerusalem, as all of the
prophetic books of the Bible affirms, then what would be the purpose of creating two
separate churches; one in heaven and the other with Christ in Jerusalem? Both
required to be Christian Churches, but Christ only present with the one on the earth.
It doesn't make any sense, does it?
John 10:16 -- I have other sheep that are not of this sheep
pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall
be one flock and one shepherd. [You can count on it.]
Romans 11:24 (continuing) -- After all, if you were cut off
of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature, how much more readily
will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
We as Gentile believers and branches from wild olive root stock are grafted into the
domestic olive tree of the descendants of Jacob. And if they do not persist in their
unbelief, they will be regrafted by God back into their own olive tree. This can
only mean that we will all be grafted into the same tree and meet the same specifications
that allows this to take place -- to be born again Christians.
Note a passage from Zechariah's book of end time events that describes the scene when
this takes place. Remember that this takes place after the 144,000 are called up to
heaven at the ending of the Antichrist's reign, during the Great Tribulation.
Zech. 12:10 -- "And I will pour out on the house of
David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace (unmerited favor) and
supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn
for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a
firstborn son.
Zech. 13:1 -- "On that day, (the Day of the Lord) a
fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse
them from sin and impurity.
Vss. 2,3 -- On that day, I will
banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,"
declares the Lord Almighty. "I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of
impurity from the
land."
"I will remove the prophets from the land." The scene above occurs
immediately following when the 144,000 servants the prophets have finished prophesying and
following their martyrdom, three and a half
days previously, are called up to heaven by a loud command. Anyone claiming to be a
prophet after their ascension to heaven can only be a false prophet.
"I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land." This is speaking of
the punishment that the remnant Israelites in Jerusalem and those in exile are going
through that produces this cleansing process that God produces in their lives to
bring them into reconciliation with Him.
Vs. 3 -- And if anyone still prophesies, his father and
mother, to whom he was born, will say to him, 'You must die, because you have told lies in
the Lord's name.' When he prophesies, his own parents will stab him.
[I believe this strong emphasis is because God wants stressed that when the 144,000
servant prophets are raptured to heaven, prophesying thereafter "in the name of
God" can only be by false prophets.]
Isaiah 27:8,9 -- By warfare and exile you contend with her --
with his fierce blast he drives her out, as on a day the east wind blows. By this
then, will Jacob's guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruitage of the removal
of his sin.
Jer. 50:20 -- "In those days, at that time,"
declares the Lord, "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none,
and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I
spare."
If you are uncomfortable with recognizing the survivors in the final destruction of the
nation of Israel during the Great Tribulation as God's remnant, I would suggest you read
my booklet #32, The Lord's Remnant, for more details and Bible substantiation.
And now let us return to Paul's presentation on this topic in Romans:
Rom. 11:25-27 -- I do not want you to be ignorant of this
mystery brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a
hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all
Israel will be saved as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will
turn godlessness away from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them when I take away their
sins."
This mystery that Paul is talking to them about is God's plan to bring the rebellious
Israelites, as a nation, back into a saving relationship with Him and to restore them to
their favored nation status. This will not represent a nation like the sand of the
seashore, but only a surviving remnant which He brings back by His grace to fulfill his
promise to Abraham. This is the promise that they would inherit the promised land
that they crossed the Jordan to occupy. Because of the decimation of their
population as allowed by God, only a small remnant will survive to receive this
inheritance.
Note the very graphic presentation of the state of the remnant Israelites during this
trampling, raping and brutalizing they go through during this 1260 days of the
"punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written." (Luke 21:22)
Isaiah 1:4-6 -- Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with
guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the
Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their back on him.
Why should you be beaten any more? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your
whole head is injured, your whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of your foot to
the top of your head there is no soundness -- only wounds and welts and open
sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.
Is this not a most graphic picture as a result of this punishment that the remnant
surviving Israelites are going through?
Isaiah 30:25,26 -- In the day of great slaughter, when the
towers fall, [Battle of Armageddon] streams of water will flow on every high mountain and
every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven
times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of
his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.
Isaiah 1:7 (continuing) -- Your country is desolate, your cities
burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid
waste as when overthrown by strangers. [Their nation is being plundered by the
multinational armies of the Antichrist that are raping their nation.]
Vs. 9 -- Unless the Lord
Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been
like Gomorra. [These cities were wiped out without leaving any survivors.]
Vs. 25,26 -- I will turn my hand
against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterwards you will be called the city of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
[This the city that Christ rules from after His return.]
Isaiah 10:20 -- In that day the remnant of Israel, the
survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down (the
Antichrist) but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. [They have
undergone conversion.]
Vss. 22,23 -- A remnant will
return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. Though your people, O
Israel, be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has
been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry
out the destruction upon the whole land.
The Lord carries out this destruction through His selected agents. With
Nebuchadnezzar and his army ("the cruelest of the nations) in the type; and with the
Antichrist and his armies in the anti type.
Now note God speaking to Zion, the land of Israel following Christ's second coming and
setting up His kingdom:
Isaiah 49:19-21 -- "Though you were ruined and made
desolate and your land laid waste, now you will be too small for your people, and those
who devoured you will be far away. [Those who devoured them are the Antichrist and
his armies who have been destroyed.]
Vss. 20,21 -- The children born
during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, 'This place is too small for us;
give us more space to live in.'
The children born during her bereavement represents the time her literal Israelite
inhabitants were rebellious in unbelief. Her children born during this period from
the cross to the close of the Great Tribulation would come from Gentile stock or
Israelites other than those living in the nation of Israel. The only Israelites that
God considers as the nation of Israel are those who live in the land of Israel and
citizens of that land.
Vs. 21 -- Then you will say in your heart, 'Who bore me
these? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. Who brought these
up? I was left all alone, but these -- where have they come from?'
"
During her bereavement she was barren. No children, in Christ, being produced
through literal -- Israel as a nation. Then suddenly she was presented so
many children that she didn't recognize. These were not literal Israelites as she
could identify them. These were the Gentile believers whom God had been grafting
into the Israelite olive tree. Apparently many millions of them because even though
the land had been expanded it was necessary to make more room for this new type of
Israelites -- spiritual Israelites.
Isaiah 14:1,2 -- The Lord will have compassion on Jacob;
once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.
This represents God fulfilling the promise He made to Abraham; and later to Abraham's
grandson, Jacob.
"Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob." Aliens refer
to Gentiles -- those who are not literal Israelites are Aliens or Gentiles.
Only the redeemed will be living in the land of Israel during the Millennial
Kingdom.
I would like to re-present a passage that I discussed in my first booklet, but I need
to present it again from a slightly different viewpoint in order to see the tie-in with
some new "to me" material that I first saw its connection to this same topic a
few days ago, that we are dealing with. It will also reinforce the reality of a one
Millennial Church.
Isaiah 44:1-5 -- "But now listen, O Jacob, my servant,
Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what the Lord says -- he who made you,
who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my
servant Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
Vs. 3 -- For I will pour water
on the thirsty land, and streams of water on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on
your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants...
Vs. 5 -- One will say, 'I belong
to the Lord'; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on
his hand, 'The Lord's," and will take the name Israel.
This is speaking of the different categories of the redeemed as to their qualifications
to be called Israelites. All must be born again Christians as there is no other name
by which we might be saved. We know
that a name of Christ that He gives His children is Israel, so they will all be
Israelites; but He lists three categories of Israelites. Note the classification:
(1) One will say, "I belong to the Lord."
We know that he is not an Israelite through the decendancy of Jacob as these are
covered in the second classification. It has to be speaking of those who are in
Christ and counted as Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. These have
to be Gentiles who become spiritual Israelites when they accept Christ as their Savior.
(2) "Another will call himself by the name of Jacob."
This is clear that this group are Israelites as literal descendants of Jacob --
renamed by God to Israel. This also means that the other two categories receive this
classification through a different process.
(3) "still another will write on his hand, 'The Lord's,' and will take the
name Israel."
These are not of the descendants of Jacob because then they would fit category #2.
These are the 144,000 who will be sealed with the Holy Spirit as servant
prophets from born again Christian backgrounds and selected by God for this purpose
from the time they were formed in the womb.
Remember how Jacob was selected by God when Jacob and Esau were still unborn.
"Just as it is written: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." (Rom. 9:13)
This group were selected for their special work that God assigned for them to do before
they were formed in the womb. These were those who took the name Israel, not as
children of Jacob but as children of Christ. They represent Christ's chosen at the
end time.]
Rev. 14:1 -- Then I looked, and there standing before me
was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his
Father's name written on their foreheads.
We know His name that they took was 'Israel' which is one of Christ's names and
probably the family name of God the Son and the Father. He was given the name Israel
before he was formed in the womb; and revealed to him when he was chosen to represent the
12,000 representatives of each of the tribes of the sons of Jacob. He received this
name on his forehead when he was resurrected and raptured to heaven following his
martyrdom.
Now let us carefully consider more of his activities that Christ will select him (the
144,000) for. Remember that these are the Elijahs that will come to prepare the way
of the Lord for His second coming as John the Baptist did for His first.
Isaiah 49:1-7 (NIV) -- Listen to me, you islands; hear
this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he
has mentioned my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of
his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his
quiver.
Vss. 3,4 -- He said to me,
"You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." But I said,
"I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet
what is due me is in the Lord's hands, and my reward is with my God."
Vs. 5 -- And now the Lord says --
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather
Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my
strength --
Vs. 6 -- he says: "It
is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring
back those of Israel I have kept. I also will make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
Vs. 7 -- This is what the Lord
says -- The redeemer and Holy One of Israel -- to him who was despised
and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of the rulers: "Kings will see you and
rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One
of Israel, who has chosen you."
Vs. 8 -- This is what the Lord
says: "In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will
help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore
the land and
to reassign its desolate inheritances.
MOFFATT'S TRANSLATION
Isaiah 49:1-3 (Moffatt) -- Listen to me, shores afar,
distant races, hearken! The Eternal One called me from my birth, singled me out from
my mother's lap. He put a sharp edge on my words, and covered me safely with his
hand; he made me a polished arrow, and stored me in his quiver, telling me, "You are
my servant, Israel, by whom I will gain honour."
Vs. 5 -- So I gained honour in
the Eternal's eyes, and my God was my strength.
Vs. 4 -- I thought I had been
labouring in vain, spending my strength for nothing; "But surely," said I,
"The Eternal will do me justice, my God will see to my reward."
Vs. 5 -- And the Eternal
who had formed me from my birth to serve him in restoring Jacob, in gathering Israel back
to him,
Vs. 6 -- the Eternal now says,
"Tis too slight a service to set the clans of Jacob up again, and restore Israel's
survivors; I now appoint you to bring light to the nations, that my salvation may reach
the world's end."
Vs. 7 -- A message from the
Eternal, from Israel's deliverer, Israel's Majesty, to one scorned openly, whom nations
loathe, whom tyrants hold in thrall: "Kings shall start up at the sight of you,
kings and princes shall do homage, since the Eternal aids you loyally, and Israel's
Majesty has chosen you.
Vs. 8 -- For when the favoring
hour comes, I will answer you, and aid you when the day for rescue dawns, restoring the
ruined land, re-peopling desolate places;
Vs. 9 -- bidding exiles leave
their prison and captives come forth to the light.
Commentary on this passage
of Isaiah 49:1-9
Vss. 1,2 (NIV) -- "Before I was born the Lord called
me; from my birth he has made mention of my name."
Note the relationship to John the Baptist:
Luke 1:13 -- But the angel said to him: "Do not be
afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear
you a son, and you are to give him the name John."
"He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,"
This sword represents the words of Christ which He uses to battle the counterfeit --
the Antichrist. These are the words of Christ which are relayed to him by the Holy
Spirit during his 1260 days of prophesying -- during the time of the Great
Tribulation. Note the family connection with Christ in His description at His second
coming:
Rev. 19:13-15 -- He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,
and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven are following him, riding on
white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a
sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.
Vs. 3 -- He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."
These are His servant prophets -- not as descendants of Jacob, but as the
recently chosen, before being formed in the womb, to represent Christ and instrumental in
carrying out Christ's instructions in those momentous events in the final Day of the Lord.
Vs. 6 -- he says: "It is too small a thing for you
to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob."
These tribes were reconstituted by these, chosen of God, to fill the vacancies due to
the literal descendants of Jacob, as a nation, still being in rebellion. A part of
the duties of this group is to bring about revealing Christ to these unbelieving
Israelites. "And to bring back those of Israel that I have kept."
Vs. 6 (NSRV) -- It is too light a thing that you should be
my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel.
"To bring back those of Israel that I have kept."
Two-thirds of the land of Israel will be struck down and perish during this final
destruction of Israel, but one-third the Lord will keep and will purify by the punishment
at this future event.
"I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to
the ends of the earth."
These 144,000 will preach the everlasting gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and
people -- to bring salvation to the Gentiles in all the earth.
Vs. 7 -- This is what the Lord says -- the
Redeemer and Holy One of Israel -- to him who was despised and abhorred by the
nation, to the servant of rulers:
You will note that this is Christ speaking to him (144,000) who were despised and
abhorred by the nations. Compare the account of the martyrdom of the witnesses in
Revelation 11. This is referring to the two witnesses which are Christ and the Holy
Spirit, but their witness is transmitted to every nation, kindred and people through the
words of Christ to every inhabitant of the earth. These words of Christ are
prophesied by the 144,000.
Rev. 11:7-10 -- Now when they have finished their
testimony, the beast from the Abyss (Antichrist) will attack them, and overpower and kill
them.
[They do not attack, overpower and kill Christ and the Holy Spirit, but the ones
who are propagating their message of salvation.]
Their bodies lie in the street of the great
city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will
gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat
over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had
tormented those who live on the earth.
Can you imagine a greater despising than to celebrate their massacre and even refusing
to let them be buried?
"Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the
Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, (Christ) who has chosen you. [He
chose them before they were formed in their mother's womb, and gave them His name at
the beginning of their prophesying.]
Vs. 8 -- "In the time of my favor I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you;"
How do the remnant Israelites fit into this salvation? Note the words of Paul on
this topic of God bringing salvation to the survivors in the land of Israel after the last
Gentile is called in. Note Elijah's frustration as to the condition of Israel, in
his day.
Rom. 11:3-6 -- "Lord, they have killed your prophets
and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me."
And what was God's answer to him? "I
have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
So too, at the present time there is a remnant
chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace
would no longer be grace.
What is grace? Unmerited favor. It is at the time that God brings them this
salvation through His unmerited favor just prior to His second coming.
"I will keep you and make you to be a covenant for the people, To restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances."
Following their wandering in the wilderness, God instructed Moses in the partitioning
of the land of Canaan to all the twelve tribes of Israel. Now this will all need to
be restored to fit the needs of the greatly expanded land of Canaan for all the redeemed.
Probably in twelve parcels, one parcel to each of those who are assigned to the
twelve tribes of Israel. Each one of the redeemed will likely be assigned to one of
these twelve tribes.
In summary I would like to point out what all these Scriptures are showing:
that the literal Israelites will only make up a very minor percentage of
the redeemed in Christ's Millennial Kingdom.
The vast harvest that will constitute the living saints will be Gentile believers in
Christ -- spiritual Israelites. These will probably be 99+ % of the
redeemed. The smallest group by far will be the first fruits of earth's
harvest and represents those chosen saints by Christ to represent Him during this final
period of the Day of the Lord. They are Israelites -- not due to
descendancy from Jacob but children of Christ, the real Israel and the one who personally
chose each one of them. These all will be citizens of the Millennial Kingdom where
"there shall be one flock and one shepherd." (John 10:16)
1 Thess. 4:16,17 -- For the Lord himself will come down from
heaven, with a loud command, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (the firstfruits)
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with
them (the firstfruits) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will
with the lord forever.
If we will be with the Lord forever, we will be living in the Land of Israel because
Israel (Christ) will be living and ruling from Jerusalem.