The “gentile church” and Yisrael
Hosea 1:4-7
And Yahweh said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel. And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by Yahweh their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
Here, Yahweh has caused a clear distinction between the houses of Israel and Judah, by refusing to have mercy on Israel, yet perpetuating mercy upon Judah.
Hosea 1:10-11
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Because of the distinction between Israel and Judah from verses 4-7, we can conclude that Yahweh is speaking directly Israel (the northern kingdom). They (northern Israel) who were once lost to Him will be redeamed.
Hosea 2:23
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Yahweh will restore the northern kingdom of Israel to Himself.
But who is this northern Kingdom of Israel, and what does this have to do with gentiles??
Romans 9:24-28
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Isaiah also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will Yahweh make upon the earth.
Evidently, this promise that Yahweh made exclusively to northern kingdom Israel is now being applied to the “gentiles”. So I would like to briefly define “gentile” in a way that can make sense of this.
—> The term “gentile” in Hebrew (goyim) does not actually mean “gentile” the way we use it today. Specifically, “goyim” in Hebrew means “nations”, and can refer to either non-Hebrew nations as in Genesis 17:4, in which Abraham was promised to be the father of “many goyim”. Was he promised to be the father of “many gentiles”? No, rather, of “many nations”.
—> The Greek term “ethnos”, sharing a common bond with the Hebrew, also means “nations”, as in Galatians 3:8. Paul describes the gospel having been preached to Abraham, saying in him shall all the “nations” be blessed. Will all the “gentiles” be blessed in Abraham? No, rather, all the “nations”.
Genesis 35:10-12
And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a “company of nations” shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
The Hebrew for “company of nations” is “qahal goyim”. As I stated in another post, “qahal” is the First Testament term for “assembly” which was later translated “church”, and goyim was translated “gentiles”. So Genesis 35:11 could have stated, “be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a church of gentiles will be of thee.” It is my opinion that Israel (the northern kingdom) is this “church of gentiles”, although in light of Hosea 1-2 and Romans 9, I believe it is better rendered, “congregation of nations”.
This is exactly what we see today: a nation (Judah / Jews), and a congregation of nations (Lost Israel / Christians).
Further thoughts…
It seems to me that everyone who promotes “New Covenant theology” fails to realize the origin of the New Covenant…
Jeremiah 31:31-33
Behold, the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith Yahweh: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith Yahweh, I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
To me, this verse is saying pretty clearly that the New Covenant was made exclusively with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah. Not with “gentiles”, nor with “Christians”, but with Israel and Judah.
That’s all for now. Sorry this post may not exaclty “flow” well. It seems very “stream of thought” to me, perhaps I will revise it at a later date.
