By William Oldham

“I Am the true vine…” John 15:1

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Colossians 1:15-18

Adam is the father of the human race; Abraham is the father of Israel; Jesus Christ is head of the church, the true family of God. In Isaiah 9 He is called, “…Eternal Father…”  Jesus is the true vine of God’s chosen people, both Jew and Gentile; we are going to consider how Israel and the church are joined into the vine.

Where did Israel come from? It all began with God calling Abraham to be the father of His chosen people, and promising him a Seed from which, “…all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…) Genesis 22:18 That promised Seed is Jesus Christ.

“…To Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “and to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

The Lord sovereignly chose the lineage from Abraham to the birth of His only begotten Son, the promised Seed. God gave Abraham his son Isaac; Isaac became the father of Esau and Jacob. God chose Jacob to continue the line, and later changed his name to Israel. Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons, from which came the twelve tribes of Israel, who later became the nation of Israel.

Until the time of Christ, Israel was God’s chosen people; all other nations were called Gentiles, who at that time had no part in Christ, and were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel; they had no part in the promises of God, and lived in this world without God or hope. At the time of Christ there were two peoples on earth: the Jews, who were the people of God and the Gentiles, who were heathens.

Jesus came into this world as a Jew, for the salvation of His chosen people; but the leaders of Israel rejected Him and nailed their Messiah and Savior to a tree. But God’s plan of salvation was completed; Jesus finished the work His father had sent Him to do. With Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, the gates to heaven were opened for the sinner man, first for the Jew and then the Gentile.

The death of Christ not only brought an end to the Old Covenant of law with Israel, but ushered in a New Covenant of grace for the Jew and the Gentile. But something even more wonderful was to come. Ten days after Jesus was seated in heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers, and the church of Jesus Christ was born.

In the beginning, all the members of the church were Jews. But Christ’s plan for His church was to go way beyond that. It was the divine plan of God to break down the wall that divided the Gentiles and the Jews, to eliminate that distinction, and, “create in Himself one new man from the two. Jesus reconciled them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14-16

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29

Concerning Israel at this present time, God’s word holds true:

“As far as the gospel is concerned, they (Israel) are enemies for your (the church) sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.” Romans 11:28

At some point in the near future, a remnant of the Jews as a nation will be saved and Christ’s church will then be complete and ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Brother Bill is a Bible teacher and can be contacted at bboldham@sbcglobal.net