Can the Gentiles be the heavenly 12 Tribes of Israel?
The heavenly Israel (all the tribes of the children of Israel) does not refer to the 12 tribes of earthly, fleshly Israel, for the heavenly has no Dan tribe and the earthly has no Levi and Joseph tribes.
What was the Apostles’ view of ‘Gentiles’ and the ‘heavenly 12 Tribes of Israel’?
Apostles Peter, Paul, and James viewed the 12 tribes as chosen not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles who are grafted into the “Olive Tree”—the heavenly Israel. What did they say?
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the “twelve tribes” in the “Dispersion” (including Gentiles)…” – James 1:1
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those(Gentiles) who are elect exiles of the “Dispersion” in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia…3 …he(God) has caused us to be born again(in Spirit)… 4 to an inheritance(God’s Kingdom – heavenly Israel)…” – 1 Peter 1:1-3
“you(Gentiles) yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house(New Jerusalem), to be a holy priesthood(144,000 priests), to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God… 7 To all those(Gentiles) in Rome who are loved by God and called to be “saints”… 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers… in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ” – Romans 1:1-13
“But if some of the branches(fleshly Israel) were broken off, and you(Gentiles), although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree(the heavenly 12 Tribes)…
25 …I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon (fleshly)Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel (the 12 Tribes of Heavenly Israel – the whole plant including Gentiles) will be saved…”
– Romans 11:17-26
“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to (heavenly)Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring… 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise (children are born in Spirit) are counted as offspring.
24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” – Romans 9:6-26
Therefore, the Apostles said clearly that Gentiles could be the 12 tribes of heavenly Israel, the sons of Israel. The 144,000 of the 12 Tribes, redeemed from both Jews and Gentiles, consist of the 12 apostles and the chosen ones – the brothers of the seven churches, from the 1st century to the End of the Age.
The heavenly Israel is not limited to earthly bloodlines — it is a heavenly family of the redeemed, drawn from both Jews and Gentiles, grafted together into the one Olive Tree by the grace of God. Whether those come from the natural branches(Jews) or were once a wild olive shoot(Gentiles), both share in the rich root of the heavenly 12 Tribes!
Keep seeking the Kingdom first! Keep seeking to be the chosen ones! Keep shining as a light among the seven churches until the End of the Age.
May the peace and joy of the God Father and Jesus Christ fill you today and always.
Amen!
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