Liba Hopeson
Introduction
Many Christians today misunderstand the meaning of “Israel.” For some, Israel is simply the modern political nation in the Middle East. Others go further and assume that this nation is always loved and approved by God, regardless of what it does. Still others repeat the promise that God will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel, applying it directly to the modern state without careful reflection. While these ideas are widespread, they do not fully reflect the teaching of Scripture. The Bible presents a much deeper and more unified understanding of Israel—one that begins in the Old Testament, is fulfilled in Christ, and expands in the New Testament into a people of God centered in Christ that is not limited by land, ethnicity, or political identity. Therefore, a careful biblical understanding is necessary to correct popular assumptions and align our thinking with God’s revealed plan.
Old Israel: Called by God for the Nations
The story of Israel begins with God’s call to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3, where God promises not only to bless Abraham but also to bless all nations through him. From the very beginning, Israel was never meant to exist for itself alone. It was chosen as an instrument in God’s larger plan for the world. This calling becomes clearer in Exodus 19:5–6, where Israel is described as God’s treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These titles were not merely privileges but responsibilities. Israel was to represent God’s character to the nations and serve as a channel through which His blessing would reach the ends of the earth. In this sense, Israel functioned as a mediator—standing between God and the world, meant to reflect His holiness and make His name known.
The prophets continued to emphasize this outward-looking purpose. Isaiah 49:6 declares that Israel would be a light to the nations so that God’s salvation might reach the ends of the earth. Therefore, Old Israel was chosen by grace, set apart for holiness, and commissioned for mission. Its identity was deeply tied to God’s covenant, but its purpose was always global. This shows that from the beginning, God’s plan was never restricted to one nation but aimed at the redemption of all peoples.
Failure and Misunderstanding of Old Israel
Despite its high calling, Israel often failed to live according to God’s purpose. Instead of being a light to the nations, it frequently adopted the practices of the nations. Idolatry, injustice, and disobedience became recurring problems. As a result, God judged Israel, disciplined it, and even sent it into exile. This shows clearly that God’s relationship with Israel did not mean automatic approval of everything they did. His love was covenantal, but it was also holy and just. God’s election of Israel was never a license for sin, but a calling to faithfulness.
This helps correct a common misunderstanding today. The idea that Israel is always blessed no matter what is not supported by Scripture. Even in the Old Testament, God held Israel accountable. The promise to bless those who bless Abraham must be understood within God’s redemptive plan, not as a general statement that guarantees blessing to anyone who supports a later political nation. The Old Testament itself shows that God’s favor is not blind; it is connected to His purposes and righteousness. Blessing is ultimately tied to alignment with God’s will, not merely association with a name or nation.
Christ: The Fulfillment of Israel
The coming of Jesus Christ marks a decisive turning point in the understanding of Israel. Jesus did not simply come to affirm Israel as a nation; He came to fulfill what Israel was meant to be. He is the true and faithful Israelite, the one who perfectly obeyed God where the nation had failed. In Him, the calling of Israel reaches its goal.
In a deeper sense, Jesus embodies Israel in His own person. Just as Israel was called out of Egypt, tested in the wilderness, and called to be God’s son, so Jesus relives and fulfills that story perfectly (Matthew 2:15; Matthew 4:1–11). Where Israel failed in obedience, Christ succeeded completely. He is therefore not only an Israelite, but the true Israel—the representative and fulfillment of the nation.
Furthermore, Christ fulfills Israel’s mission. Israel was called to be a light to the nations, but it failed; Jesus declares Himself to be the light of the world (John 8:12) and actually brings salvation to all nations through His life, death, and resurrection. In this way, the promises made to Israel find their true fulfillment in Him.
This is why Jesus could say in Matthew 21:43 that the kingdom of God would be taken away from some and given to a people who would produce its fruits. This statement shows that belonging to God’s people is no longer based on physical descent or national identity. Instead, it is based on response to Christ. Jesus becomes the center around which the people of God are redefined. To belong to God’s people now is to be united to Christ, the true Israel.
The Fulfilled People of God in the New Testament
The New Testament develops this teaching more fully, especially in the writings of Paul and Peter. In Romans 9, Paul explains that belonging to God’s people is not determined simply by physical descent, but by God’s promise and calling. He makes it clear that not all who are descended from Israel truly belong to Israel (Romans 9:6). He then clarifies this further by distinguishing between natural descent and divine promise—those who are counted as God’s true people are “the children of promise,” not merely the children of the flesh (Romans 9:8). This shows that there is a deeper, spiritual definition of God’s people that goes beyond ancestry. In Romans 2:28–29, Paul reinforces the same truth by saying that true identity is inward, a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not merely external. What ultimately matters is not outward identity, but inward transformation by God’s Spirit.
In Galatians 3:28–29, Paul declares that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, and that all who belong to Christ are Abraham’s offspring. This means that Gentiles who believe in Christ are fully included in God’s people. The promise given to Abraham finds its fulfillment in a community defined by faith. In Galatians 6:16, Paul speaks of “the Israel of God,” which many scholars understand as referring to the community of believers in Christ as the covenant people of God. This shows that the people of God are now identified by their relationship to Christ rather than their relationship to a nation.
This idea is reinforced in Ephesians 2:14–16, where Paul explains that Christ has broken down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles and created one new humanity. The people of God are no longer divided along ethnic lines but are united in Christ. Similarly, in 1 Peter 2:9–10, the church is described using titles originally given to Israel, such as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. This shows that the identity of Israel is now fulfilled in the people of God in Christ. The church does not replace Israel as something entirely different, but represents the fulfillment and continuation of God’s covenant purpose.
Scholars like G. K. Beale emphasize that the New Testament presents the church as the fulfillment of Israel, not as a replacement in a negative sense, but as the realization of God’s original purpose. N. T. Wright similarly argues that Jesus redefined Israel around Himself, so that all who belong to Him, whether Jew or Gentile, are part of the true covenant people. Thus, the continuity lies in God’s promise, while the transformation lies in Christ.
How the People of God in Christ Is Different
The people of God in Christ differs from Old Israel in several important ways, and these differences help clarify why it cannot be equated with a modern nation-state. First, it is not based on ethnicity.
While Old Israel was largely defined by physical descent from Abraham, this renewed covenant people includes people from every nation who share faith in Christ. Its unity is spiritual, not biological.
Second, it is not bound to geography. Old Israel was tied to a specific land, but this people is found wherever believers gather, across the whole world. Its identity is not tied to land but to the presence of Christ among His people.
Third, it is not a political state. Old Israel functioned as a nation with political structures, but this community is a spiritual people. It does not operate as a government but as the body of Christ. Its authority is not political power but the lordship of Christ. Fourth, it is defined by faith rather than the law. This covenant people lives under the new covenant, guided by the Spirit and centered on Christ. Finally, its mission is fully realized. What Old Israel was called to do—to bring God’s blessing to the nations—this people of God actively carries out through the proclamation of the gospel.
Clarifying the Place of Ethnic Israel
It is important to avoid misunderstanding at this point. Saying that the people of God are now defined in Christ does not mean that ethnic Israelites are excluded from God’s people. On the contrary, they are fully welcome. However, they are included in the same way as anyone else—through faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul says in Romans 10:12, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, for the same Lord is Lord of all. There is one way of salvation for all, and that is through Christ alone.
At the same time, this means that no modern political nation can claim to be the definitive people of God simply by identity or history. God’s people are defined by their relationship with Christ, not by their national or ethnic background. The name “Israel” in its fullest biblical sense now belongs to a redeemed covenant people, not to a geopolitical entity.
Conclusion
The biblical understanding of Israel moves from a physical nation to a people of God centered in Christ. Old Israel was chosen for a great purpose: to reveal God and bless the nations. Though it often failed, God’s plan did not fail. In Jesus Christ, that plan reached its fulfillment, and a renewed and expanded people of God came into being. Christ stands at the center of this fulfillment, as both the true Israel and the one who gathers a people into Himself.
This people of God in Christ is not confined to geography or defined by political boundaries. It is the global community of believers who belong to Christ. This truth challenges many common assumptions and calls us to rethink how we understand Israel today. God’s blessing is not tied to a nation-state but to His Son, and all who are in Him share in the promises given long ago. To seek God’s blessing, therefore, is not to align with a political nation, but to belong to Christ and walk in His ways.
Therefore, the focus of the Christian should not be on elevating any earthly nation as the center of God’s plan, but on being part of His covenant people in Christ, living in faith, proclaiming the gospel, and fulfilling the mission that God intended from the beginning: that all nations might know Him. This is the true fulfillment of Israel’s calling, now realized in the people of Christ across the world.
