Ted Cruz Does Not Know Who Is the Israel of God

At the 49:00 mark in an interview with Ted Cruz, Tucker Carlson told Ted Cruz that he wanted to be clear on why the U.S. is on the verge of fighting on behalf of Israel in its war against Iran. And Ted Cruz stated the following to justify his rabid support of Israel in prosecuting its war against Iran.

 

When I came into the Senate I resolved that I was going to be the leading defender of Israel and what you didn’t ask is why. So let me tell you why. […] The reason is twofold: Number one, as a Christian growing up in Sunday school I was taught from the Bible those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed, and from my perspective I want to be on the blessing side of things.

I will now explain why Ted Cruz is wrong. Let us look at the passage that Cruz misquotes out of context:

 

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3)

Notice that the passage refers not to Israel but to Abram (later changed to Abraham). Abraham was the father of Isaac who was the father of Jacob (Israel) who was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. The blessings and cursings must be understood in the context of the gospel. Let us look at what God said he means. First, in Genesis 17:6-8, God reveals that he will bless the seed of Abraham, which includes, of course, Israel. The key issue, that Cruz gets wrong, is what God means by Israel.

 

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Genesis 17:6-8 (emphasis added).

 

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Genesis 22:18 (emphasis added).

 

I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Genesis 26:4 (emphasis added).

In the above bible passages we find God stating to Abraham that his seed will not only be the recipient of God’s blessing, but also the source of that blessing. How can it be that the seed is both the source and the recipient of the blessing? Ted Cruz and his ilk conceal the answer to that question by avoiding the truth of the gospel found in Galatians 3:16: “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.” Jesus Christ is the seed that is the source of the blessing. All who believe in Jesus Christ, are the recipients of the promises as the spiritual children of God. All who believe in Jesus Christ are Abraham’s spiritual seed, and heirs according to the promise of the coming Christ given to Abraham. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29.

Jacob was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. God made his promise of blessings first to Abraham. God’s promised blessings, however, were not intended to flow through the blood line of Abraham; God’s promised blessings were to flow to those who have the faith of Abraham. The “seed” of Abraham who inherit the blessings from God are those that have the faith of Abraham, not those that have the flesh of Abraham. (Galatians 3:16, 26, 29)

 

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 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. (Romans 9:6-8)

Christ has broken down forever any distinction between Jew and Gentile in his kingdom.

 

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:11-13)

The children of the flesh are not the elect of God; God’s elect are the children of the promised Christ; they are spiritual children. Romans 9:6-8. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26) The promises to Abraham were to be fulfilled on behalf of spiritual Israel, which is the church.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, who in turn was the father of Jacob; Jacob (also known as Israel) had 12 sons that were the progenitors of the 12 tribes of Israel. Abraham was also the father of Ishmael, but because Ishmael was the son of Abraham’s bondwoman, the bondwoman and Ishmael were cast out. Genesis 21:10-14. Through Isaac, who was the son of Abraham’s wife, Sarah, were to flow the promises of God to Abraham. Genesis 21:12. However, Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. The promise given to Abraham flowed not to Esau, but to Jacob. In fact, God states in Romans 9:13: “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” See also Malachi 1:1-3. God elected Jacob (Israel) as the person through whom his promises would flow.

In each of Abraham’s generations the blessing to Abraham flowed according to the election of God. No blessing was obtained that was sought through blood or effort. For example, the bondwoman (Hagar) conceived and gave birth to Abram’s first son (Ishmael). God later renamed Abram, Abraham. Genesis 17:5. However, Ishmael was not the seed through which the promises would flow. Ishmael was born because Abraham’s wife, Sarai, decided that she would help God with his promise that Abram (Abraham) would be the father of many. Sarai was later renamed Sarah by God. Genesis 17:15. Sarai arranged for Hagar to conceive a child by Abram (Abraham). Genesis 16:1-4. However, Ishmael was not a child of the promise. God worked a miracle and had Sarah bear a child of Abraham, even though she was at that time beyond child bearing age (Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100 years old). Genesis 17:17. That child born of the promise was Isaac. It was the bloodline of Isaac through which the promised seed, who is Christ, would be born. Genesis 17:19-21, 21:3; Hebrews 11:18; Galatians 4:28.

God told Abraham:

 

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. Genesis 17:19.

God reveals the spiritual truth of Geneis 17:19 in Galatians 4:28, where Paul states: “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” As Isaac was Abraham’s physical seed, so also Christians are the spiritual seed of Abraham, through whom the everlasting covenant flowed. Isaac’s miraculous physical birth is an allegory for the miraculous spiritual birth of those who are of the faith of Abraham. Christians are miraculously born again by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:3. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Galatians 3:6-7. The physical seed of Abraham are not the objects of the promise, it is only the spiritual seed that is born by the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6.

Fleshly Israel rebelled against God and therefore has been cut off from the tree of life. God has saved a remnant of fleshly Israel to be grafted back into the tree of life, but their ingrafting is upon the same grounds as everyone else, by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

A Jew who believes in Jesus as Christ becomes a new creation. He is no longer a fleshly Jew. He becomes a spiritual Jew, a Christian. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” Galatians 6:15.

The bible makes clear that the old covenant made to fleshly Israel has vanished away, being replaced by the new covenant of faith in Jesus Christ. “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.” (Hebrews 8:13) Why would God reinstate something in which he has said would vanish away and in which he has had no pleasure? “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.” Hebrews 10:6.

Fleshly Israel is symbolized by the fig tree. That fig tree will never again bear fruit.

 

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. . . . And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. Mark 11:13-14, 20-21.

Spiritual Israel is symbolized by the olive tree. “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” James 3:12. The answer is no! Fleshly Israel will never ever bear spiritual fruit for God. The spiritual fruit only comes from the spiritual olive plant, the church.

A true Jew is the spiritual seed of Abraham, not the physical seed. “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28-29. I will repeat an important doctrine in the gospel regarding what God means when he refers to Israel: “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 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.” Romans 9:6-8.

                                     

The eternal blessings of Abraham flow to all who believe in Jesus Christ. God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly kingdom. His children are spiritual children, not earthly children. In God’s kingdom there are no distinctions between Jew or Gentile. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28-29.

The New Testament writers, being inspired by God, clearly understood that the church is the Israel of God and is the object of the promises made to Israel by God in the Old Testament. 1

 

Paul said that believers are:

 

“The children of God” (Romans 8:16).

“The Household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).

“The children of Abraham” (Colossians 3:7).

“Abraham’s seed” (Galatians 3:29).

“The Children of promise” (Rom. 9:8, Galatians 4:28).

“A peculiar people” (Titus 2:14).

“The elect of God” (Colossians 3:12).

“Heirs of God”(Rom. 8:17).

“Heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

“The temple of God” (1 Cor 3:16).

“The circumcision” (Philippians 3:3).

“The Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16).

 

Peter said that believers are:

 

“A chosen generation” (1 Peter 2:9).

“A royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9).

“A holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9).

“A peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9).

 

James said that believers are:

 

“Heirs of the kingdom” (James 2:5).

 

John said that believers are:

 

“The sons of God” (John 1:12).

“Kings and priests unto God” (Revelation 1:6).

“The new Jerusalem” (Revelation 3:12).

“The Holy city (Revelation 21:2).

 

The letter to the Hebrews said that believers are:

 

“The people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).

“Mount Sion” (Hebrews 12:22).

“The city of the living God” (Hebrews 12:22).

“The heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22).

The Jews are our enemies, because they are antichrist. Romans 11:28. Jews hate Christ and Christians. Those that are born after the flesh will always persecute those born after the spirit. Galatians 4:29. The spiritual children of God, however, are to love them and pray for them. “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” (Luke 6:27-28) God has chosen a remnant of Jews for salvation. We should preach the gospel to the lost world, including the Jews. We, however, should not think that a Jew is any different in God’s plan than a Catholic, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Satanist or any other follower of one of Satan’s heathen religions.

Salvation for all, is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If a Jew repents of his antichrist religion and believes in Jesus, then he is saved. Once saved, a Jew will not continue in his Talmudic practices any more than a Catholic will continue his Catholic practices or a Satanist will continue his satanic practices once they are saved. All believers in Christ become spiritual Jews, which are Christians. Romans 2:28-29

Loving our enemies does not mean that we should condone the pagan practices of the Jews, Catholics, Muslims, or other heathens. Rather, we are called by God to reprove them. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11)

Ted Cruz is like so many who have been hoodwinked by the Zionist theology that has been injected into ersatz “Christian” churches. It was C.I. Scofield who injected the dispensational Zionism into the fundamental Christian churches, beginning in 1909 through the publication of his Scofield Reference Bible. Clarence Bass states that “the Scofield Reference Bible became the leading Bible used by American Evangelicals and Fundamentalists for the next sixty years.” 2

Craig Blaising, professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, explains the influence of the Scofield Reference Bible on modern “Christian” theology. Blaising states that Scofield’s bible “became the Bible of fundamentalism, and the theology of the notes approached confessional status in many Bible schools, institutes and seminaries established in the early decades of this century.” 3

The Scofield bible was funded and nurtured by World Zionist leaders who saw the Christian churches in America as an obstacle to their plan for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. These Zionists initiated a program to infiltrate and change the Christian doctrines of those churches. Two of the tools used to accomplish this goal were: 1) Cyrus I. Scofield and 2) a venerable, world respected European book publisher: The Oxford University Press. 4

The scheme was to alter the Christian gospel and corrupt the church with a pro-Zionist subculture. “Scofield’s role was to re-write the King James Version of the Bible by inserting Zionist-friendly notes in the margins, between verses and chapters, and on the bottoms of the pages.” 5 Ted Cruz is the sour fruit of that Zionist seed that was planted more than 100 years ago.