We Are God's People

Well, as you know, this is quite a rollercoaster ride the world is taking around us. And the implications are that things are spiraling downward, just as God and His Word have said they would. At the same time, you and I, as humans, in whatever country in which we live, whatever part of a country, whatever aspect of society we may engage in, either with school or with work or where we live, we might feel a certain connection, a link to this world, to this society, this cosmos, which in the Greek means this way. It's kind of this thing of ours, is what that word means.

And it's something that this world along with Satan has sort of set up. And this thing, this way, this way of operation is being done by, well, the mindset associated with tree number two in the Garden of Eden. We'll determine what is good and what is evil, what is right and what is wrong. And you and I can compare some of that to God's Word and say, well, that doesn't really line up, or if you did it more this way, it would line up better.

But is that really what we're here for? Are we to be a part of this world, this civilization, even though we may live among it, even though we may love the entity, the country in which we live and want it to prosper, as God rolls out his prophecies, they're going to take all countries in a different direction than good.

Because Satan is going to lead them ultimately towards genocide. And Jesus prophesied that this whole world in its order, its system, this thing it has and this thing it does is going to end in death. Let's ask this question today. Who are God's people?

Who are God's people? Sometimes if we feel stitched into the fabric of this world in any way, we may sense that we are part of Satan's people. Not that they choose to be Satan's people, but he is the one in 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4 who is the God of this age, of this world, of this thing. And we are encouraged to come out of that and not be part of that. So who today are God's people? I think it's an important question because the answer is those who are God's people today are the people that God has chosen to be his people today.

Ultimately, God will choose all people to be his people, but today during this 6,000 years of Satan's reign, God has chosen certain people to be his people, and he has the right to do that. It seems unfair at times. It may seem like one group is favored over another or something, but God has the right as the creator, as the life giver, as the one who has rolled out the plan of salvation, to choose whom he wants to be his people at any given time. Nobody else at that particular time are God's people than the one God chooses and says, these are my people. Jesus said in John chapter 6 and verse 44, no one can come to me.

No one can be what we might call a Christian or a person of the way, as the first name of the group was. No one can come to Jesus, the true Jesus Christ. No one, he says, can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. Now Jesus at times said to the disciples, he said, you know, blessed are you, for your eyes are open and your ears hear. You have been given that choosing, but the rest have not, not now. Now that might seem unfair.

Well, take fairness out of the equation. That is the way it is because God has determined it. So we should not think that anyone other than God's people are those whom he has chosen to be his people. You remember some parables like the man who came into the wedding supper without the garment, and he said, hey, fella, how did you get in here?

You know, you weren't invited. We might think, well, we can, if a person just really, really, really, really wants, you know, to know Jesus or have a relationship with Jesus, then we can bypass God the Father, because he really, really, really wants, or he uses the name, or he chants a lot, or whatever. No, Jesus said, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.

Now, here's the point. If you don't see the timing of your special relationship with God at this point, one whom God has called now, if you do not understand the timing of your calling, you set yourself up for a rude awakening if you don't capitalize on the opportunity God has given you now, because those who are called now to be the pride of Christ, if they do not fulfill that calling, will not have another opportunity.

It's not like they can be part of the calling of God's people in the millennium or in the second resurrection. God has a time for everyone. If this is your time, you and I need to realize how important this calling is. Now, this is a fragile calling in a sense because Satan wants to take it away from you and me.

He wants to say, oh, do you really think you're that special? Oh, do you really think you need to obey God? That's legalism. You know, you really want to obey, like God says in Deuteronomy 28, you know, obey my laws and my statutes and my judgments carefully. Oh, if you do that, you know, you're some kind of a legalist, you know, trying to earn your own salvation.

There's this concept that, oh, you think you're so special? Isn't that some sort of a place where you don't really want to be? Don't you want us to accept you? Come off that perch. Don't be God's special people. Join us. Just be out there. In Luke chapter 21 and verse 8, Jesus gave us a warning. Luke chapter 21 and verse 8. He said, take heed that you do not be deceived.

Paul warned about people taking our crown. You've got this calling. You are the people of God because God has chosen you now. Will you hold on to that? He said, for many will come in my name. Many will come talking about Jesus, talking about Messiah, Jewish, Christian, whatever name it comes by, saying that I am He and the time is drawn near. There's a message. It must be the end time.

If you don't understand who you are, you might be persuaded by these, oh, we're kind of all in this together. Nobody's special. Therefore, do not go after them. But when you hear of wars and commotions, don't be terrified for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. Verse 12, but before all these things, you are the people of God and you truly are special. Then they will lay their hands on you and persecute you. They will revile you. They will say, you know, you're not of us, delivering you up to the synagogues. Oh, well, there's a religion right there. Didn't sound too bad, did it? Synagogues are going to deliver you up to synagogues and prisons. Sounds like true religion that people consider it to be. Doesn't approve of us. And you will be brought before kings and rulers. You know, kings and rulers have long utilized religion as sort of an opium for the people because people want to go to heaven when they die, but they don't want to obey God. And so these empires, be it the Babylonian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, the resurrections of the Holy Roman, don't forget the last word, Empire, British Empire, German Empire, the end time Ten Nation Empire, all of these have religions, but they're not religions.

They are empires, and they're all dominance. They're about control, and they're about money.

You will be brought before these rulers. In verse 17, you will be hated by all. What for my namesake? Verse 19, by your patient endurance, possess your lives. We need to know who we are. We need to come to grips with who we are, to truly understand that I am one of God's people, and those God has not called at this time are not God's people yet. There is a big distinction there. We'll see as we go on how important this distinction is, because it's vital in possessing your eternal life that Jesus talked about, to be able to patiently endure the trials while knowing who you are. You know, you go to Hebrews 11, verse 13. Here's some individuals scattered across cultures who knew who they were, and they were God's people. Hebrews 11. Let's remember.

In verse 13, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar were persuaded. They were assured. They embraced them. They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They're not part of their country. They're not part of their economy. They're not part of their social system and their politics. They're strangers to that. They're pilgrims of a different country, you know, navigating through this world. Pilgrims on the earth. Verse 14, for those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. This is not home. By the way, this is not home for the Israelite-ish nations. Remember, God chased them out and kicked them into other lands. And yes, they're nice places to be, but they're not Palestine where God placed them. He had to drive them out because they didn't want him.

So, verse 16, but now these desire a better that is a heavenly country. We pray to our Father in heaven. We pray for His rule to come, His kingdom to come. That's our country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God. See those words? He's not the world's God at this point in time. Satan is the God of this world. He's not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. He's preparing New Jerusalem for them. Now, that's a pretty special calling when you have New Jerusalem in that ultimate kingdom of God in the spirit realm prepared for you because you're the bride of Christ. That is very special, isn't it? Do you identify with that? Or do you understand that I am part of the people of God, and that is my city, that is my home. I'm just not there yet. Don't fall into the false world. False Christianity trap. Don't be persuaded that everyone who says God and Jesus and it says God on my money or whatever, that somehow there's some connection there, that these must be the people of God. We need to recognize who God's people are in this evil age in order to navigate the deceptive rapids that are ahead. Today, let's ask the question, can you identify God's people in this present evil age? They have a name. The people of God have a name. It's given them by God.

Do you know their God-given name? So today we're going to examine God's word on this topic so that we won't get confused by counterfeit religious concepts, try to blur everything, and make us somehow think that everybody is God's people in every place around the world. The title of the sermon today is, We Are God's People. Now, I know that sounds maybe elitist. Maybe that sounds somehow exclusive. Whatever it is, God has selected a few at this time to be firstfruits with Christ and reign with Him, and those are the only ones right now that He is selecting for that particular role. So let's look today at who God's people are. First of all, we need to clarify something that tends to fly under the radar about who God's people are in this age. This is the 6,000 year, we might put a time limit on it, 6,000 year reign of Satan, the age of Satan. Who are God's people during this whole age? That's a good question. An essential biblical principle before we get going is this. God will choose all people who have ever lived everywhere at any time to be His people in His timing. We actually celebrate that every year in the festivals, the annual festivals. It celebrates the timing of people becoming God's people, God's own people. But it's all done in His time. I'll give you a biblical overview from 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 22. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we often call this the resurrection chapter, begin in verse 22. So Paul here very quickly is going to give us God's plan of timing for making all humans His people. And it begins in verse 20, but now, now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Now everybody's going to fall asleep. He's the resurrected firstfruit in verse 23, but each one in His own order. Christ the firstfruits and then afterward those who are Christ at His coming. So we see a distinction here of all of humanity of the eight or so billion people on earth who are Christs, right? The body of Christ, the Church of Christ, those who are firstfruits. That is a group of people who are Christs at this time, a group that God would call His people and does call His people.

In verse 24, well, at the end of verse 23, afterward those who are Christ at His coming not only incorporates Pentecost and trumpets—that's His coming, harvests the firstfruits—but it also involves wave-shift day and Passover, see? All of that. He's the firstfruits. And then we have this second at His coming. That's the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Millennial reign of Christ. That's a whole other group there that He works with. This begins to roll out. And then afterward those are—sorry. Then comes the end, verse 24, the end. That's after the last great day, eighth day, the second resurrection. Everybody's had an opportunity to be God's people. When He delivers the kingdom, it says, but it should read rulership. He delivers the rulership to God the Father when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and all power. Verse 26, the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. Now, there's a many just encapsulated synopsis of God's plan of salvation. Just rolls right through all of it. And we know in 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 9, God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, all should be able to have salvation.

We need to understand who God has chosen as my people that He says in the Bible.

During these present 6,000 years. Let's begin from the beginning.

We'll look here at physical Israel.

Physical Israel is brought to us in Exodus 29 and verse 45. Exodus 29 verse 45, God says, I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God.

Their God. Who is God the God of on this earth? Well, right here. He says, I will dwell among the children of Israel, the 12 tribes of Israel, and I will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. Now, in all the nations on the earth, and all the peoples on the earth, who were God's people when those words were said? Israel, the nation of Israel, that he brought out of Egypt. Let's go to 2 Samuel now, chapter 7 and verse 22. Here we're coming up more to the time of, say, David, hundreds of years forward.

2 Samuel chapter 7 and verse 22. Therefore, you are great, O Lord God, for there is none like you, nor is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. Verse 23. Now that we've established who God is, verse 23, and who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth? See how we have right from the Scripture that God's people is one nation on earth, during the 6,000 year reign of Satan, whom God went to redeem for himself as a people, to make for himself a name, and to do yourself great and awesome deeds for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself. God has a right to choose on earth which people to redeem for himself, make a name for himself, dwell among, and call his people, just as he does today. He says here, your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, the nations and their gods. Other nations have other gods. Sometimes they borrow names, they borrow titles, but the religion is something of other gods. Other false gods. Verse 24, for you have made your people Israel, your very own people forever. Notice these words. I'm not making this up. This is God speaking. You have made your people Israel, your very own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. Now, what's interesting is whenever you read the scriptures, you begin to see this replicated over and over and over and over. In fact, this Bible is not written for the world, it's written for the church. It's written for God's people. In all cases, it's never says, hey, nations of the world. No, the people of God, written to Israel, written to the church of God, you know, all the New Testament, it's written to the church of God. And in there, it talks about our God, our Father, our Lord Jesus Christ. I am your God. We should understand that not in any sort of exclusive way or condescending way, you and I have been given a calling here and a relationship that is very, very precious. And if we understand just how precious this is, perhaps we will want to cling to it. We'll want to defend it. We'll want to be on our knees asking God to help us to conquer Satan and not be deceived in our daily prayers like Jesus encouraged us to in the prayer outline and to pray our Father, our Father in heaven.

In Psalm 135 and verse 4, David says this, Psalm 135 and verses 4 and 5, The Lord has chosen Jacob, Israel, for himself, Israel, for his special treasure. God has the right. He's made the choice. That's who God chose.

Note David's next words in verse 5, dropping to the end of that verse. Our Lord is above all God's. Our Lord. No matter what anybody else has out there of any form or idea or variety, our God is above all God's. So people have the Bible written to them, and it's solely our God, our God who gives us this information, who speaks to us as our God, and we speak to him as our God.

When we look at the Ten Commandments, how are they written? Exodus chapter 20 and verse 2, here's how God presents himself to Israel at Mount Sinai. Exodus 20 verse 2, I am the Lord your God. God never says anywhere in the Bible, I am the God of all nations, tribes, and tongues. Not in there.

He says to Israel, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Verse 6, showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. But that's a different topic about whether we love him and keep his commandments or not. See, God makes a choice of people. Then it's up to the people to reciprocate and either obey and love him or not. But that does not make them choose or, you know, choose God. No, God has chosen them. Then it's up to us to do something with that choosing. Once God's people are chosen, I think we can see in Scripture that they're always God's people. That's a very interesting thing about God. He doesn't walk away from people when they disobey. He might correct them. He might even chase them into foreign countries. But you'll still call him his people. People who he calls even at this time in the spiritual church of God, he says, I will never leave you or forsake you, but they may leave him and forsake him. Does he give up on them? We'll find out about that as well.

God's people, once he chooses them, remain God's people.

They'll get shown mercy. They'll receive blessings for obedience. But they'll receive correction for disobedience, too. That's just the way God works with us.

Kind of like if you have a family member, maybe that family member goes wonky and, you know, takes off. Are they still your family member? Yep. Hopefully they'll come back one day. It's always a joyous thing when the prodigal son returns, isn't it? He was always his son. Even though he left, spent his inheritance, he came back, didn't he? He repented and the father rejoiced. That's the wonderful thing about God when he calls somebody his. He sticks with him.

They remain God's people.

Physical Israel today is rejecting their God. They're rejecting their Sinai covenant that they have with God. You know, nowhere in Scripture does it say that Sinai covenant ended with Israel.

In Isaiah chapter 58 and verse 1, there's an interesting statement that God gives to the prophet Isaiah that we often will quote, cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and tell my people their transgression. Who's he talking about? He's talking about the 12 tribes of Israel. Ten of them had already left, had already taken off with Assyria. They would ultimately become some pretty, I don't know, warring, pagan peoples down through time as you trace them. God calls them my people. Tell my people their transgression. And the house of Jacob, Israel, their sins. We still do that today. We still want to do that today. Given Ezekiel warning, be a watchman, as it were, for the house of Israel. Because they are a physical nation that God chose to be his people, and he has not abandoned them. They just have abandoned him. And ultimately, he will bring a remnant back after correcting them through the time of Jacob's trouble. Israel, the 12 tribes of Israel, is going to go through correction, and a remnant will come back and will repent, and they will be restored. And we will reign with Christ and judge them in the millennium, the Bible says. People of God who disobey receive correction, but God's people remain God's people. Remember David? Remember how David took off, had somebody murdered, took his wife? Did God say, well, David's not my son anymore. David's not my people. David's some foreigner. Is that what happened? Is that what happened? No. We have Psalm 51. David repented after God. Well, he had to correct him.

Had to correct him. But then David repented, and David eventually became a godly person, a man after God's own heart. Had nothing to do with him not being part of God's people the whole time. It just had to do with how he responded to God's making him his people.

A hundred years after the 12 tribes of Israel were cast out of the Promised Land, repentance was preached. Whom too? Hundreds of years after all the tribes had gone, Judah had gone off to Babylon. Most of them stayed there. The rest of the tribes basically disappeared. Who was repentance preached to? Let's begin in the New Testament, Luke chapter 1 and verse 6. We often sometimes long just say, well, that was kind of the end of God's people. They all went into captivity and, you know, poof, they're gone. Luke chapter 1 and verse 6. And this is talking about John the Baptist. He's talking here to his father Zechariah, and he says in verse 16, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

God never abandoned the 12 tribes of Israel, even though they're long gone at this point.

Even though eventually some of them would come and sack the Roman Empire and then march their way across Europe and do all kinds of incredible destruction. Turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. You know, we like to think that Jesus came to talk to his church. Matthew 15 verse 24. Notice those words. Who was Jesus sent to when he came? He was sent to the lost sheep, the ones who had abandoned God, had left God, hundreds of years before, turned their back on him, sacrificed their children to Molech, went off in different directions. I'm come to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Whom did Jesus send his 12 apostles to? Matthew chapter 10. Going back just five chapters. Matthew chapter 10 and verse 5. These 12, Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying, Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go preach, saying, The rule of heaven is at hand.

Jesus was the ruler. He was from heaven. He was right there. You could reach out and touch him, inviting them to come and be under the rule of the Messiah. Obey God's commandments again. Come back into the fold. It's here. It's available to you.

You know, it's a false assumption to assume that the scattered 12 tribes are no longer God's people. We go to Isaiah chapter 14 and verse 1. Here's a prophecy for the coming time yet. Isaiah chapter 14 and verse 1.

For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, Israel, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. Wow.

There's a remnant that will be put back into their own land where they should have been all along. Down in verse 32, the end of this verse, 32, The Lord has founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall take refuge in it. They're coming back. They're still his people, and the poor of his people will take refuge in that land. It's important for us to understand how God chooses in his own way a physical nation, and he wants that physical nation ultimately to be an example of his way working to other physical people, and his way will work. It does work. Satan has just messed it up. If you take Satan away and his deception away for a thousand years, and you put the nation of Israel, and they have the sacrifices, and they have that covenant, and they're also given God's Spirit, they will rise to be quite a model nation. And God has not given up on that, and he has called us to assist as priests of God and of Christ in the reign for a thousand years. Let's go over to Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 7. Towards the end of the Old Testament, Zephaniah chapter 2, we'll read verses 7 through 11.

Zephaniah chapter 2, beginning in verse 7.

The coast shall be for the remnants of the house of Judah. So the coastland of what's modern-day Palestine in the millennium will be for the house of Judah. They shall feed their flocks there. In the houses of Ashkelon, they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will intervene for them and return their captives. Verse 8. I have heard the reproach of Moab, a neighboring country to the east, and the insults of the people of Ammon, Ammonites, another country to the east, which they have reproached my people. Okay, during this time when they're sinning, they have been reproaching God's people. He calls them my people. He and he's made arrogant threats against their border. Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall become like Sodom and the people of Adam like Gomorrah, you know, gotten rid of, overrun with weeds and salt pits, a perpetual desolation. The residue of my people shall plunder them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. See how God sticks with his people even if they depart and do terrible things, even if they go through a cancel culture, which God's physical 12 tribes of Israel seem to be leading today, and promoting probably more than anyone else on earth, concepts of evolution we made ourselves somehow, of breaking all of God's laws, of calling God, you know, somebody who is dangerous, the words of God, something, you know, to be erased. He's calling them, a remnant of my people shall possess them. This they shall have for their pride because they have reproached and made arrogant threats against the people of the Lord of hosts. In verse 11, the Lord will be awesome to them, for he will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth. I think sometimes when we think of the world tomorrow and what we will do with Jesus Christ, we don't tend to hone in on some of the things that we're told, even says to the apostles, and I guess to us now as we preach the gospel, you will not have gone through all the cities of the house of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

How did Jesus introduce the two great commandments? We can probably say them. Love the Lord with your heart, soul, and might. Love your neighbor as yourself, right? How did he introduce that? Let's go to Mark 12, verse 29. There's actually three verses, not two.

Before he says the first great commandment, he says this in the previous verse, Mark 12, 29. Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes we think that, well, people who are descendants of Israel, they must have a first foot in the door. They must be the elite in the church or whatever, because it is all about Israel, and it is all about Israel because that's the name God gave to His people. What do you do with somebody like me, a Cherokee, and a Mohawk? See, I think I could come in here actually with a Mohawk haircut and excuse myself because I'm part Mohawk along with Cherokee. It's just a cultural thing, folks. Also Italian. You know, my mother's maiden name is Gambino. Good old Italian from down south in Italy. How do some of us relate to Israel-itish, you know, or British Israelism or something like that? How do we relate to that today as God's people? Well, let's take a look at something called spiritual Israel. See, God also has a spiritual nation He calls us, a spiritual nation called Israel. The New Testament introduces us to God's spiritual Israel. In Galatians chapter 6 and verse 16, if we are called by God at this time, and as many as walk according to this rule, keeping God's rules, His commandments, peace and mercy be upon them. Oh, isn't that just what He had said to Israel? If you keep my commandments, you'll have mercy. And here He says to spiritual Israel, as many as walk according to this rule, keeping God's commandments, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God, the spiritual Israel of God. He's talking about God's church.

We have a name, the Israel of God. Now, the same rule applies to both physical and spiritual. In 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 1, we find that we too need to be obeying God. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 1. Let's see who He's writing to here. 1 Peter 1 verse 1, you know, Peter was not an apostle to the Gentiles, therefore he was an apostle to Israelites. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the pilgrims of the dispersion. When Rome came in and conquered that area and drove out the Jews, it's called the dispersion. They dispersed them because they were always, you know, foaming and rebelling and wanting their own rules, so they dispersed them. These are Israelite church members he's writing to. Verse 2, he calls them elect, those who are the chosen, the elect, those selected by God, God's people, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Now, we've identified who they are. Let's go to chapter 2 and verse 9 and see what he says about them. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9 is continuing on in this thought from chapter 1. You are a chosen generation. He has the right to choose you to be in his church, to be in the Israel of God. A royal priesthood, a holy nation. What nation? Israel. Holy Israel. A holy nation, spiritual Israel. His own special people. That you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Verse 10, who were once not a people but are now the people of God. See what a special privilege you and I have in being part of the church, being part of the body of Christ, being called now, being the elect now. We are the people of God. God calls us that. So his true church, as we've read, is a holy nation, his own special people and the people of God. Now we've identified two groups who are the people of God and both of them bear the same name, Israel. On June 23rd, President Rick Shabie stated in his member letter, we are God's people, the called out ones, the first fruit. You know, when we see those words in the Bible, when we speak about them, they should pop. We should have an identity with that, one that just says, wow, I'm part of that opportunity group. I have the calling. I have the identity. What am I doing with it? Will I treasure it? Will I put on the armor of God and protect it? Will I stand all the way through the trials that Satan throws at me? Or will I say, well, you know, yeah, I might need something special, but you know, so is everybody else out there. And, you know, and I kind of want everybody to be happy and be the same and we're all equal. And, you know, so I'll just kind of wander through life and sort of do what everybody else does. And if things get difficult and somebody says, do this or I'll kill you, do it in Jesus' name. Oh, he said, Jesus, sure, I'll do that. You know, and there you go. Jesus says, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? Will there be anybody actually living this? You know, will somebody have internalized this? For all that he has gone through and all the suffering will, like the Apostle Paul and Apostle Peter say, will you take the stripes of Christ?

Will you endure the suffering with him and be raised with him? Are you part of that? Are you going to... are you part of God's people? Are you like those in Hebrews 11? Some were sawn in two, cast asunder, wandered in the desert, hungry, destitute, because they were God's people. And they said, it doesn't matter because it got my eyes on the family. I know who I am. How are non-Israelites? Those of us who have non-12 tribes blood, how are us non-Israelites part of the Israel of God today? Let's let the Apostle Paul explain that. He was the Apostle to the Gentiles, just meaning those who were not Israelites. Romans 11 and verse 7. Romans 11 and verse 7. We have brothers and sisters around the world who will be part of the firstfruits, and we find in, I believe it's Revelation 14, that 144,000 and others will be composed of every nation, tribe, and tongue people. Every nation, tribe, and tongue. How do all of those get to be part of something called Israel, spiritual Israel? Well, he explains here. Romans 11 verse 7. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it. So the 12 tribes at this point in time have not achieved what God has wanted them to be, that model nation representing righteousness to the rest of the world. But the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded, as Jesus said. Just as it is written, God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear to this very day. So is the physical nation of Israel no longer God's people? Well, let's let Paul continue to answer that in verse 11. I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Okay, they're stumbling. Right now, they're all stumbling. You see them in countries around the world, those 12 tribes a day, you see them stumbling badly.

But have they stumbled that they fall? In other words, are they dead to God? Certainly not, but through their fall, through their stumbling, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come also to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. How do you think the Israelites are going to feel in the second, sorry, in the millennium when the bride of Christ, who are their judges and their priests are Gentiles? I'm going to say, wow, I'm jealous of that, you know. I'm jealous of that. It should have been us, but it wasn't. We didn't choose to obey God. They all say they'll have to repent. The Jewish religion denied that the Messiah came and continues to. Within the millennium, the Gentiles are with the Messiah, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Verse 13, for I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles. Verse 17, and if some of the branches were broken off, the Israelites, some of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive tree, it's talking about an olive tree, the good olive tree, the one that reproduces, but some of the branches got broken off, and you being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, God, God's spirit, God's way of life. Then verse 18, do not boast against the branches. Don't belittle the Israelites. Be humble. Be ready to serve. Even now, courage. Cry aloud, spare not. Tell my people their sins. Partly. I mean, who's God's people? Didn't we identify physical Israel? Yes. Who else is God's people? Israel of God, the church. We should also be crying aloud, sparing not in the church of God, shouldn't we? Telling my people their sins. In verse 23, notice that God did not forsake physical Israel. As Paul goes on, verse 23, and they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, if they repent, they will be grafted back in, for God is able to graft them in again.

For if you were cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted in their own olive tree? God is not exclusive. He is not some kind of a bigot towards other cultures. God's people remain God's people, even when they don't retain God for a time.

We know this even in the church, not just with physical Israel, but spiritual Israel. In James chapter 5 and verse 19, I'll remind you of what he says, brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, there's a person that wanders off, takes another religious direction or a non-religious direction, wanders from the truth, gone, no longer God's people, right? Well, it didn't say that. It says, if anyone among you in the spiritual house of Israel wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. It's nothing to do with him being a person of God or not. It's that person's response, whether they're obeying God or not. God will never leave or forsake us. And if we can encourage someone who is departed to return, it says right here, he will save a life from death and cover a multitude of sins through the blood of Christ. It's a wonderful thing. God does not give up on anyone. So today, God has chosen to invite you to be one of his people.

A chosen generation. The people of God.

On the day of Pentecost in 31 AD, some 3,000 people were baptized. The Holy Spirit poured out.

Says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 12, the result of that, Paul says here, 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 12, now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God. We have received not the spirit of the world. See? God's not the God of this world. The world is not God's people. They don't have God's spirit. The spirit of this world, air, all that, prince of the power of the air, somebody else. But we have received the spirit which is from God that we might know the things which have been freely given to us by God. See how particular this Bible is from beginning to end? It's talking to God's people. It's talking to us. We need to step away from any entanglements that we have with this present evil age, politics, and right versus wrong, and getting it all involved in that. We are God's people. Remember, Christianity is defined in the book of Revelation as babble on the great mother of harlots, right? You stop and think, does the Roman Empire kill Jesus Christ? And out of that synchronic cultural religion that the empire had and renamed Christianity in the third and fourth, fifth century, then from it comes the resurrections of it, the beast who will have a religion but will require the death of the saints.

And, of course, the attempt to kill off the twelve tribes so that Jesus Christ can't have a millennium, so that there's nobody, there's none of Jacob to rule over. In 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 14, we therefore are encouraged to have an appreciation, not just an appreciation, but also a separation from this world. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14 says this, do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. You know, talking about, I assume, oxen. You put, you know, a strong ox who's going to really pull and, I don't know, maybe a goat, maybe a donkey, maybe some weakling, and you yoke them together. Don't be yoked together with unbelievers. Then he asked these questions, for what fellowship has right, righteousness, with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness? So we here begin to be given terms as the people of God and contrasted with those who are not gods at this time. Not to judge them, not to condemn them. We are to judge them, not to condemn them. We are to assess what is right and wrong. But righteousness, lawless, light with darkness, body of Christ with the devil, the temple of God, which you are with idols.

For you are the temple of the living God. You, it says, are the temple of the living God. And as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be a father to you. And you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Is that clear enough? I mean, it really shows that we are the people of God. Your focus should be our Father in heaven. He's awesome. He's wonderful. Jesus Christ is our Lord many times in the Bible. Our Lord. Lord meaning supreme authority. He is our supreme authority. He's also our husband. He's the head of the church, the spiritual body. In the age of canceling God and canceling God's way of life, His commandments, His laws, you need to know who you are and to, you know, deepen your relationship with God, your Father.

In looking at this, I'm just moved by how many times in the Bible these words are said, God and Jesus our Savior. Our Savior. Not the world's Savior. Our Savior. 14 times. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our supreme authority, Jesus Christ. 55 times. Our God. So the people, this is written to our God 214 times. God saying, I am your God. 542 times. God says, I am your God. That's very clear that we are His people because He has said that. He has established that. And we need to be a light to a darkening society. We need to be preparing to help Jesus Christ bring more people to be the people of God during the millennial reign. And then during the second resurrection, all people who have ever lived to be resurrected and become the people of God. I want to also share with you one more thing before we begin to wrap up.

We often talk about the New Covenant, and the Apostle Paul quotes a statement from Jeremiah when it comes to the New Covenant. Let's go back to Jeremiah and read that statement as it was written. Because this speaks to a time ahead of us when another people are going to really step up in their role as the people of God. And we will be helping them. Jeremiah 31, verse 33.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days. God never says he will make this covenant with the whole world during the millennium. Now what does that have to do with anything? You know, the 12-tribe nation of Israel let God down when they abandoned the covenant that they made. They never were the model nation. And the problem that they had with that covenant was that sin. Satan spoiled it. But you and I are going to be priests with Jesus Christ. And let's see how this is going to work in the future. In Revelation chapter 20, verse 7, we get an interesting view of the physical nation of Israel at the end of the millennium.

We're going to remove Satan for a thousand years. We're going to give them his spirit. As we've just read, they're going to be his people. What happens when Satan's released on them again? Well, let's see. Revelation chapter 20 and verse 7. Now when the thousand years have expired, here comes the big test. Are they going to abandon their covenant again? Are they going to capitulate under Satan? Is sin going to wipe out Israel? It seems to wipe out the rest of the world. Let's see. Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from prison, and he will go out to deceive the nations. Out he goes. How does he do? Which are in the four corners of the earth, all the nations of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, just like is going to happen at the end time. He does it again, whose number is as the sand of the sea. So we can see here, it doesn't look evident that God has given his spirit to all the nations, but we did read he would give his spirit to Israel. Next verse. They went up on the breath of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. They didn't get Israel. They surrounded the camp. They didn't get the camp. They didn't get the camp. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

You know, I think that's pretty profound, that the people of God remain the people of God, even when Satan gets pushed back the second time. And I think a lot of that has to do with God's Holy Spirit, but it also has to do with the bride. It has to do with their teachers. It has to do with them knowing who they are this time and being true to that calling. In conclusion, all humans were created in the image and likeness of God. They have a purpose. All are intended to become God's people in His time. Following the Second Resurrection, Revelation chapter 21, let's notice here in the first verse, we celebrate the last great day, the eighth day at the end of the feast, that second resurrection, and ultimately people will have the opportunity to be the people of God and to become right and to be harvested. Then we step into the next phase in Revelation 21 in verse 1, and now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. You and I have a direct link with that statement right there. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle, the dwelling of God, is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. All people will finally be the people of God. Verse 12. But notice, while all people will be the people of God, there were some along the way that God chose and God recognizes. One, of course, is the bride of Christ. New Jerusalem is pattern after, named after, something there. Verse 12. Also, New Jerusalem has a great and high wall with twelve gates and the twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

And verse 24. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light. Everybody God wants to be His people, ultimately for all eternity. So, brethren, all people will have the opportunity to be God's people in His time. Now is your time to be the people of God. Let's be busily preparing to be the bride who will assist Jesus Christ in bringing all the people that have ever lived, ultimately, on this earth into the status of being the people of God.