1 The Firstborn
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Consider another parallel between Old and New Testament Israel: “And you shall say unto Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Israel is My son, even My firstborn” (Ex. 4:22).
Firstborn here means God’s choice (Jacob’s brother Esau was born first), as described in different terms in a later chapter of Exodus: “You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exo 19:4-6). These terms will reappear almost verbatim in the New Testament describing the Church.
However, meant to be an entire nation of priests, Israel did not keep God’s covenant, backsliding and tempting Him repeatedly. So He narrowed this priesthood to one tribe: “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be Mine; because all the firstborn are Mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto Me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: Mine shall they be: I am the Lord” (Num. 3:12-13). By this time, only the Levites are designated as firstborn, rather than all twelve tribes.
Moving forward many centuries, Jesus spoke of a new “nation” that would pick up the mantle that had been cast aside even by the Levites: “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof…And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spoke of them” (Matt. 21:43, 45). Of course, the Jews and the other tribes of Israel largely rejected Christ at His First Coming. His plan was to find other peoples who would respond to His direction.
So then the Levites would be supplanted by a new group who would bring the right fruits: “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart [anyone, Jew or Gentile, man or woman], having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).
A New Nation
The decline and failure of the civil nation of Israel caused Paul to lament their state during his lifetime. Notice this: “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: [now notice from earlier] who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. Not as though the word of God has taken none effect. For [Get this!] they are not all Israel, which are OF Israel” (Rom. 9:2-6). Here Paul summarizes the shift from a physical nation to a spiritual nation, which includes Gentiles! Non-Israelites can become of Israel.
This group of firstfruits will be changed to spirit at the First Resurrection: “Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6).
The apostle Peter adds additional understanding, mirroring Exodus 19:4-6. Recall from earlier: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you shouldshow forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God” (I Pet. 2:9-10). Now recall Isaiah 43:21.
God tells His Church that He has made them—coming from all kinds of ethnic backgrounds—into “apeople,” a single “nation,” etc. Now back to Revelation: “And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev 5:9-10).
Paul concisely defines who Israel is. Writing to a Gentile congregation, the power and clarity of his words make it impossible to misunderstand: “As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16).
God is still working with Israel—but Paul clarified that this group is the “Israel of God.” By Paul’s time, physical Israel was no longer “of God”—they had strayed far from Him centuries before.
“Twelve Tribes”—in the New Testament
But what about individual tribes? Is the Israel of God now just given this broad label, without any further distinction? A number of verses fairly shout the answer. Here is one from the book of Acts, no less impossible to misunderstand than Galatians 6:16: “Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews” (Gal 26:7).
This is a stunning verse. The physical twelve tribes were by this time mostly scattered and lost, and were not serving God at all!
Here is another: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers [various] temptations…” (Jms. 1:1-2).
The apostle James, Jesus’ brother, was not writing to the physical twelve tribes! Any doubt is removed by just reading his epistle. It is obviously intended for Christians. Its message does not fit regarding carnally minded tribes or nations. For confirmation, just notice he was writing to “brethren.” Who are these “brethren”? Jesus Christ defined them as His disciples (Matt. 12:47-50). Paul, in the book of Hebrews, equates brethren with “the Church” (Hew 2:12)!