In light  of eternity

How Paul redefines “Israel” and the Kingdom through Christ — not ethnicity

Welcome to our new 12-week Sunday school series: The Israel of God. This series began last week (4/5/2026), and each week we’ll explore how the apostle Paul (and Jesus Himself) reveal that God’s true people and His kingdom are defined by faith in Christ — not by bloodlines, borders, or old covenant shadows.

This series will challenge some traditional views and fill us with hope as we see the glorious unity God has always planned for His people.

Key Scriptures (NASB)

• Galatians 6:16 – “And all who will follow this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”

• Romans 9:6-8 – “For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel… it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise…”

• Mark 1:14-15 – “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the gospel.”

What Paul Is Really Saying

Paul’s concept of the “Israel of God” turns ethnic-only views upside down. True Israel has always been the children of promise through faith. As Herman Ridderbos explains, “The whole content of this preaching can be summarized as the proclamation and explication of the eschatological time of salvation inaugurated with Christ’s advent, death, and resurrection” (Paul, 1036). Jesus’ announcement that the kingdom is “near” fulfills the Old Testament and inaugurates the new era of salvation for everyone who believes — Jew and Gentile alike.

O. Palmer Robertson helps us see the deeper roots: the very idea of land and inheritance “arose out of the concept of restoration to the original state from which man had fallen. The original idea of land as paradise significantly shaped the expectations associated with redemption” (The Israel of God, p. 12). This promise was never merely ethnic or geographic; it was always pointing to heavenly realities fulfilled in Christ. Ridderbos adds that the coming of the kingdom is “the specific form of expression of the whole of his revelation of God” (The Coming of the Kingdom, p. 9).

In short, Paul invites us to read the entire story of Israel through the lens of Christ — and to live as citizens of this present-yet-future kingdom today.

Discussion / Application Questions (use these in class or small group)

1. How does Paul’s “Israel of God” challenge traditional ethnic-only views of Israel?
2. In what ways does Jesus’ proclamation “the kingdom is near” fulfill Old Testament promises and start a brand-new era?
3. Why is a Christ-centered lens so important when we talk about Israel and the kingdom today?
4. How does the kingdom as an eschatological reality challenge modern prophecy debates?
5. What role does faith play in being a true descendant of Abraham and citizen of God’s kingdom?
6. How can we apply Paul’s eschatological lens to foster real unity among believers of every ethnicity right now?

Memory Verse to Hide in Your Heart

“And all who will follow this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16 NASB)

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that Your kingdom is not limited by ethnicity or old shadows, but is open to every person who trusts in Your Son. Open our eyes this week to see Your people as You see them — one new humanity in Christ. Help us live as citizens of Your kingdom today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For Further Insight

These three additional posts from the blog will give you deeper background and context for everything we covered today:

→ God’s Foreknowledge and the Exile of Israel: A Divine Plan Unfolded – Explores Jesus as the true Israel of God who succeeds where ethnic Israel fell.

→ 12. God’s Unchanging Plan: Daniel’s Call to Faithful Exile Living – Connects Old Testament exile to Christ’s eternal kingdom and our call to live as citizens of it.

→ Westminster Larger Catechism Question 32 – On the covenant of grace that undergirds Paul’s redefinition of God’s people through faith.