In the 31st ch. of Exodus, God says, “wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant; it is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever.” v. 16, 17 Who are the true Israelites? Answer, God’s people. Hear Paul: “Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes of the Gentiles, also; from uncircumcision through faith” Rom. 3: 29, 30. God gave his re-enacted commandment or covenant to the natural Jew in B. C. 1491. They broke this covenant, as he told Moses they would, for which he partially destroyed and dispersed them; God then brought in a new covenant which continued the sign of the Sabbath, which was confirmed by Jesus and his Apostle about 1525 years from the first. See Hebrews 8: 8, 10, 13 “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:” v10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: v13 “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”, and see Rom. 2: 14, 15 “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”
Their (natural Jew) breaking the first covenant never could destroy the commandments of God. Therefore this new or second covenant, made with the house of ISRAEL, Heb. 8: 10, (not the natural Jew only.) is indelibly written upon the heart. Now every child takes the name of his parents. Let us see what the angel Gabriel says to Mary concerning her son: “The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.” Luke 1: 31, 33.
Now the prophecy: “There shall come a star out of Jacob and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17. Now 1735 years before Jesus was born, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, because he prevailed with him.
Genesis 32:28 “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.”
This then is the family name for all who overcome or prevail. God gave this name to his spiritual child, namely, Israel. Then Jesus will “reign over the house of Israel forever.” This must include all that are saved in the everlasting kingdom. Further, Joseph was the natural son of Jacob, or Israel. In his prophetic view and dying testimony to his children, he says, Joseph is a fruitful bough, from thence is the shepherd the stone of Israel. Gen. 49: 22-34. Then this Shepherd (Jesus) is a descendant, and is of the house of Israel. Does he not say that he is the Shepherd of the Sheep?—What, of the Jews only? No, but also of the Gentile, “for the promise is not through the law (of ceremonies) but through the righteousness of faith,” Rom. 4: 13. Micah says, “they shall smite the Judge of Israel, that is to be the ruler in Israel.” Micah 5: 1, 2. Now, hear this, Jesus never was a judge nor ruler in the natural nation Israel. This, then, is a prophecy in the future, that he will judge, and be the Ruler over the whole house of all Israel. All the family, both natural Jew and Gentile, will assume the family name, the whole Israel of God. The angel Gabriel’s message, then, is clear; David is the father of Jesus, according to the flesh, and Jacob, or rather Israel his father, and Jesus reigns over the house of Israel forever. Paul says, “He is not a Jew which is one outwardly but he is a Jew which is one inwardly.” Romans 2:28 “There is no difference between the Jew and Greek, (or Gentile) for they are not all Israel that are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children.” Why? Because the children of the promise, of Isaac (is the true seed.) Romans chapters 9 and 10. To the Galatians he says, “Now to Abraham (the Grandfather of Israel) and his seed were the promises made: not to many, but as of one and to thy seed which is CHRIST—then says, there is neither Jew nor Greek—but one in Christ Jesus, and if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29 “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the ISRAEL of God.” Romans ch 6. This, then, is the name of the whole family in heaven; Christ is God’s only son and lawful heir; none but the true seed can be joint heirs with Christ in the covenant made with Abraham. Ezekiel’s prophecy in ch 37, God says “he will bring up out of their graves the whole house of Israel.” “and I will put my spirit in you and ye shall live.” 11-14. If God here means any other than the spiritual Israel, then Universalism is true—for the whole house of natural Israel did not die in faith; if the wicked Jews are to be raised and live before God, then will all the wicked! For God is no respecter of persons: “And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forevermore.” 28 v. Here, then, we prove that the dead and living saints are the whole Israel of God, and the Covenant and Sign (Seventh-Day Sabbath) is binding on them into the gates of the holy city.
Revelation 22: 14 “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”