Leslie M. John
God named Jacob as Israel and loved Israel more than we can imagine. He has called Israel as His first born son.
It is not a name given by human but it is the name that is given by God; it is ”Israel”, which in Hebrew means God has striven, or God has saved. ”And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” Genesis 32:28. The descendants of Jacob are Israel. To be specific, the tribe of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, and those, who are from the tribe of Levi, who have joined with Judah are called, 'Jews'; and the rest of them are called, ”Israel”. God has given great privilege to the ”Israel” as a whole to be called as His first born. ”And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn” Exodus 4:22
A woman stricken with devil approached Jesus for healing of her daughter, crying ”O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” but Jesus replied, ” ... I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24. However, because of her faith in acknowledging her lowliness, when she said to Jesus, ” yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table”, ”Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour”. The woman was gentile; her plea was heard by Jesus because He had compassion on her. This is a mystery not seen in the Old Testament.
God blessed Abraham and said, whoever blesses Abraham will be blessed and whoever curses Abraham will be cursed, and likewise, God gave the privilege to Israel only to be called as Israel. Whoever calls himself/herself a 'Jew' or 'Israel', and not a Jew or Israel will face the anger of the Lord. ”I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan”. Revelation 2:9.
It is very serious to identify oneself as ”Jew” when one is not a Jew. Jacob and his descendants had all the priority in the presence of the Lord. ”The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name”. Jeremiah 10:16
Yet, when it comes to the Church, the Church is His bride, heavenly possession. The Church stands over the Israel and the Jews. God fulfilled most of the covenants made to the children of Israel. The restoration of the kingdom unto them is yet to come. Jesus will reign from the throne of David for one thousand years after restoration of the kingdom to them. Unto this end the 'great tribulation' lasts and unto this end the delay occurs in the coming of Jesus again. Do not believe false prophets, false preachers, who predict the day of coming of Jesus. The Church will be ‘caught up’ when Jesus comes again.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)