11/01/2026
Who Are Israelites (Romans, Chapter 9)
When I look back on my life, I see a path that was not accidental. I was born in the Land of Israel in 1957. The very fact that my parents brought me into the world is a first foundation; but no less than that are the childhood years I was given in this land its soil, its language, and the atmosphere in which I grew up.
And yet, the true turning point in my life was not in my childhood, but years later.
In 1979 I heard for the first time, consciously and clearly, about the love of God and His grace grace revealed through our Lord Jesus Christ. It was not a philosophical idea or a passing emotional experience, but an encounter with the gospel. Thus I was saved.
In 1980 something additional opened to me: an understanding of what the apostle Paul describes as “the mystery” something kept in previous generations, but revealed in this present time. When I read his words, I understood that I was not facing one more religious tradition, but a new divine dispensation of grace:
Ephesians 3:1–10 (KJV)
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
This mystery was clear: the Gentiles and the Jews together are now called to the same inheritance, to the same body, and to the same promise in Christ Jesus, by the gospel.
At this stage I also understood the simplicity of faith, as Paul writes to the Romans: there is no demand here for works, tradition, or past merits, but a call only to faith:
Romans 10:9 (KJV)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
So I believed not out of pressure, not out of a search for a new identity, but out of the recognition that this is the truth.
That faith rested on the heart of the gospel itself as Paul reminds the Corinthians: that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, all according to what was written beforehand. Not a symbol, not a parable but a historical act with eternal meaning.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (KJV)
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
I believe that Jesus is the Lord. I believe that He is God who took on flesh and blood, entered into human history, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead for our justification.
This is the same truth that begins already with the first man, when sin and death entered the world, yet comes to its completion in Christ in the second man, who brings life and righteousness.
This is the gospel I heard. This is the gospel I believed. And this is the gospel I believe to this day.
From that moment of faith, I also learned to understand what happened to me spiritually: the Holy Spirit baptized me into unity with Christ and brought me into one body the body of Christ. Not by a ceremony, but by an inner divine act.
Yes, I was also sealed with the Holy Spirit the Spirit of promise in that same moment when I believed. Not as a changing feeling, but as a fixed seal of belonging.
And as it is said in Acts: “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” So I stand to this day not by my own merit, not out of works, but by grace. And this is my testimony.
Acts 13:39 (KJV)
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Israel and the Revelation of the Mystery
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans Chapter 9
Romans 9:1–5 (KJV)
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
I was born in 1957 in the Land of Israel. There is nothing unusual in that; people are born all the time, even in the Land of Israel. In 1979, in a place called Eilat, I first heard the gospel of salvation: Jesus is Lord and Messiah, who died on the cross for my sins and rose again for my justification. Thus I was saved in a few simple words.
What is unique in the story is not me, but the focus on the people of Israel and the revelation of the mystery. I was given the privilege of hearing about the dispensation of the grace of God something not to be taken for granted. To this day Saul of Tarsus asks us:
Ephesians 3:1–6 (KJV)
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Have you heard of the dispensation of the grace of God? The term “dispensation” is not familiar to many, and it is not popular. People do not like the idea that in order to understand God’s program one must distinguish between the dispensation of the grace of God and His unique program for Israel. Many prefer a god shaped according to their thoughts and desires.
The dispensation of the grace of God teaches simply that today Jews and Gentiles who believe in the Lord Jesus are baptized into one body without any distinction. This is the heart of the matter in the revelation of the mystery.
“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not” it may sound strange that the apostle Paul needs to emphasize this, but he does not do so out of personal weakness or lack of credibility. He is presenting a hard, sensitive, and controversial truth, especially regarding Israel, the Law, and the gospel of the grace of God. Therefore he testifies that he speaks “in Christ” out of calling and spiritual responsibility.
The Epistle to the Romans, which deals with righteousness by faith, is the foundation of the Christian faith. It is the ABC for anyone who seeks to understand why the Lord Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again for our justification. In this epistle Paul also speaks about the mystery:
Romans 11:25–26 (KJV)
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
It truly was a mystery kept with God: that a day would come when He would save Jews and Gentiles without distinction, and the Holy Spirit would baptize them into one body one assembly, the body of Christ.
The apostle Paul wrote the epistle after the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob set Israel aside temporarily as a nation, not as individuals. For one born from a Jewish background, this is a hard truth; yet at the present time the time of grace God saves sinners without distinction.
Paul writes that he is willing to be accursed from Christ for his people. This reminds me of the beginning of my path in faith in 1979. Despite many attempts to testify about Jesus, most people including my close family remained in unbelief.
Who Are Israelites, and What Is Their Distinction?
Israelites the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is also called Israel. God chose them from among all peoples to be a light to the nations.
Deuteronomy 7:6 (KJV, excerpt)
For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God…
The adoption they were first called sons to God.
The glory God revealed Himself to Israel above the mercy seat.
The covenants the covenants were made with Israel and not with the other nations.
The giving of the law the Law was given first and foremost to Israel.
The service of God the instructions for how to worship God and be separated from idolatry.
The promises including the promise of the Holy Spirit, given first to Israel.
The fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and from them, as concerning the flesh, came the Messiah Jesus, God manifested in the flesh, of the seed of David.
What Does It Mean to Be “Accursed from Christ”?
“To be accursed from Christ” means to be cut off from salvation. It does not mean transferring the promises from Israel to the church, as certain teachings claim. The reason for the accursing is that Israel, as a nation (not as individuals), did not receive Jesus as Messiah.
“They stumbled at that stumblingstone” that is: they encountered, stumbled, and fell.
Paul does not teach that the promises passed from Israel to the church. On the contrary he warns against building theology on verses spoken to Israel but taken out of context.
Psalm 118:22 (KJV)
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the heart of the matter: to stumble over the Messiah—and not receive Him.
Israelites and Gentiles (Again)
Romans 9:4–5 (KJV)
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Israelites and Gentiles is a very important truth also in the year 2026. On the one hand the world looks toward the Middle East politically and militarily; on the other hand, as people who believe that Jesus is Lord, we must listen to what is said in the word of God for the time of grace. Paul does not write for nothing: “That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.”
Romans 9:2 (KJV)
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
He writes this because a change took place in God’s program. Many people to this day are not willing to accept the change and continue to preach as if Jews can be saved without the Lord Jesus Christ. They teach this out of apology for the injustice done to Jews throughout history. Others take the next verse out of context:
Romans 11:26 (KJV)
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Therefore it is important that we understand which “Israel” the apostle is speaking about, and most importantly that we learn to distinguish between God’s promises to Abraham for Israel under the thousand-year kingdom and the time of grace and the assembly of believers, the body of Christ.
This is a very difficult subject to explain in 2026 because many people still think that their church organization inherited the promises that God gave to the people of Israel.
In any case, Paul is not sad for nothing. From a religious man persecuting the assembly of believers, he was saved by the grace of God. I too sometimes ask myself why I was saved in 1979 when many people around me also could have believed. The answer is very simple:
Psalm 118:22 (KJV)
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Jesus is the Rock. We can accept that there is a Rock, or we can fall on it.
Israel had, up to a certain stage, an advantage over the Gentiles, as stated: the adoption… the glory… the covenants… the giving of the law… the service of God… the promises… the fathers… and from them Christ came as concerning the flesh.
This was Israel’s spiritual advantage over the other nations—not because they were better people, but because of Deuteronomy 7:7–8, the choice because of the oath to the fathers:
Deuteronomy 7:7–8 (KJV, excerpt)
The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people… …But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers…
This was Israel’s advantage over the other nations until the Lord Jesus died on the cross to fulfill the Law and redeem the believer from the curse of the Law. These are very strong matters, especially since in 2026 many people believe that the Law of Moses was also given to the Gentiles. It is very hard for people today including Jews who believe in Jesus and Gentiles who believe in Jesus to accept that Christ is the end of the Law:
Romans 10:4 (KJV)
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 9:6 (KJV)
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
To this day there is a great debate over who is a Jew. According to Jewish halakhah, being Jewish begins with having a Jewish mother and passes that way; he is Jewish even if he does not practice Judaism at all religious versus secular. Over the years Jews also became, in a sense, a people with language and culture Spanish Jewry or Ashkenazi, etc.
Here the subject is Israel Israel as a people, the twelve tribes, etc. That is: not everyone who was the seed of Abraham is a son of God, because the inheriting seed is through Isaac.
There is a distinction in Scripture between children of the flesh and children of promise. One can compare this to the difference between religion and faith. Many were born into, or baptized into, the Christian religion. That does not make them saved, because salvation is only by the grace of God through faith.
It is important to note again and again the meaning of the name Israel instead of Jacob:
Genesis 32:28 (KJV)
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.
Everything returns here to one very important point: faith. Paul emphasizes in verse 6 that the word of God has not fallen because the Jewish leaders did not accept Jesus as Messiah, because after all, not all who are of Israel are Israel. That is: not all have the same faith that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had. This is also why the Lord Jesus said:
Matthew 3:9 (KJV)
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Many people think everything is self-evident, or that because they baptized their children in water, their children were automatically baptized into a covenant with God—and likewise regarding circumcision.
The Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Romans 9:7–8 (KJV)
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
The apostle Paul teaches here by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit a foundational point in God’s program: not everyone who is of Abraham’s seed according to the flesh is automatically counted as the seed of promise. We must remember this.
Therefore it is very important that we listen to the words of the Lord Jesus under the dispensation of grace through the apostle Paul regarding this important subject.
“In Isaac shall thy seed be called” that is: the promise does not pass through nature, birth, or law, but through divine choice and promise. Children of the flesh versus children of the promise. Children of the flesh—natural, national, biological belonging. Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Children of the promise—belonging determined by the word of God.
Ishmael was born before the promised seed was received, connected to a human solution, and is not counted as the seed of promise:
Genesis 16:15 (KJV)
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
The true seed is the one born out of what God promised, not out of what man produces. That is: there are religions that teach that infant baptism in water can produce salvation or closeness to God.
Another very important point: the promise preceded the Law. The promise was given to Abraham long before the giving of the Law at Sinai. Therefore it is not based on commandments, not dependent on keeping law, and cannot be nullified by failure under the Law:
Genesis 12:3 (KJV)
And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Galatians 3:16–18 (KJV)
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
The promise to Abraham speaks of one, not of many as everyone thinks. The one is the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we speak about the difference between God’s promises to Abraham through Christ Jesus for Israel, and God’s promises to Abraham in Jesus Christ for the assembly of believers, the body of Christ righteousness only by faith.
God began with a promise, not with a law. The Law came later and does not cancel the promise. Therefore the children of promise precede the children of the flesh, and this is the foundation for understanding Israel, the Messiah, and the dispensation of the grace of God.
