The typical theologian’s dodge to a difficult question is, “That certainly is a mystery!” This is a buffered reply intended to protect one from further embarrassing ques­tions. This response is simpler than a clumsy attempt to justify a doctrine not based upon Bible teachings. We find this answer in response to a query to explain the concept of the trinity out of Scripture, for instance.

 

The Apostle Paul, however, was given deeper understanding of spiri­tual truth and from time to time re­vealed this wisdom through what he called “mysteries.” Biblical mysteries are part of a grand program that Yahweh is working out with those He has chosen, but remain hidden to the majority. In general, churchianity does not fully comprehend Yahweh's plan.

 

According to Paul, Yahweh has a special program destined for Israel, which He promised to Abram when He called him out of U r of the Chaldees. The Bible contains Yahweh's grand design for redeem­ing mankind through Israel, which He is working out even today. You and I have been called to have a part in this program.

 

Gentiles Put Into Prior Covenant

 

Most Bible believers have a distorted view of Yahweh's plan. They think the “church” is now the focus of Yahshua's atoning work after Israel failed in fulfilling its mission in the Old Testament.

 

Popular teaching erroneously says that the New Testament reveals that Israel has been set aside. Favor has now been extended to the “church,” the “ekklesia,” the called-out ones who believe in the Savior. All the promises made to Israel are now transferred to the “church.”

 

They teach that the “church,” which is composed of those who have “accepted the Messiah as Savior,” has now replaced the Jews and all Israel as the favored people. The truth is, Yahweh is still work­ing with Israel and the only way one can have any part in His plan for the faithful is to become a part of Israel. It is through Yahshua that the uniting of Jew and Gentile into one Body is to take place. That is the thrust of the New Testa­ment, the “New Covenant.”

 

Not only is Yahweh calling out a people now to replace the rebellious of Israel, but He will also bring a spirit of repentance to Israel, who at the end of the age will accept Yahshua as the promised Messiah.

 

Yahweh's calling requires a softening of the heart and turning to Him by both Jew and Israelite. At the same time He is also calling out a dedicated people from the Gentiles for His Name.

 

Musterion Means Mystery

 

The Apostle Paul wrote much about the Bible's hidden knowledge, reveal­ing deeper truths by what he refers to as “mysteries.” Called musterion in ­Greek, a mystery refers to a secret or knowledge that is impossible for hu­mans to penetrate. Each of Paul's mysteries is closely related to the coming Kingdom and Yahshua's return. Man can only know as Elohim has chosen to make it known. Man could never have discovered this had Yahweh not revealed it.

 

Nominal understanding in general is a smooth message of love and grace or health and wealth. Discipline, faith­fulness, obedience to Yahweh's laws, and “working out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12) are cast taboo. Smooth, bland, soft messages that ignore Bible truth are in vogue today.

 

An emphasis on dedication, disci­pline, and high moral integrity as described in Yahweh's Word is not popular anymore. The Bible itself is con­tinually being replaced in sermons with cute little human interest sto­ries designed to tickle the ears.  Paul’s prophecy about this has come to pass in the last 40 years: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears,” 2Timothy 4:3.

Instead of teaching the Bible as a way of life, that the Ten Command­ments are to mold us and our character, the vast majority of churches contend that keeping Yahweh's law puts one under bondage. They say they are free from the law.

 

Churchianity has far removed it­self from the Savior's lessons of disci­plined obedience to Yahweh's way of life. The Savior was born a Jew and obeyed Yahweh's laws all His life even so far as observing Passover with His disciples on the very day died. He never gave license to anyone to ignore or flout any of the Ten Commandments. He plainly said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17).

 

Nowhere does the Apostle Paul teach that the mysteries or the Savior did away with Yahweh's law or His commandments, nor did Paul himself teach such. In fact he plainly said that the sacred treasures given to Israel included the law: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertain the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of Yah­weh, and the promises” (Rom.9:4).

 

The only way we can obtain the adoption, the promised glory or the promises is to become a spiritual Is­raelite.

 

Paul's Mystery

 

Paul's first mention of a mystery is found in Romans 11:25: “For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant 0/ this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of  the Gentiles be come in.”

 

Paul reveals that blindness fell upon those Israelites who refused to see Yahweh's plan in Yahshua (Rom. 11:7-8). They rejected the Messiah and continue in slumber even to this day. However, the elect (those who are called out) have obtained the bless­ing by becoming spiritual Israelites.

 

Even now, Yahweh is grafting Gentiles who are not physical Is­raelites into the Abrahamic olive tree. Paul says not all Israel are fleshly Israelites: “... they [are] not all Israel, which are 0/ Israel... That is, they which are the children 0/ the flesh, these[are] not the children of Yahweh: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed” (Rom. 9: 6, 8).

 

The true Israelite today is one who obeys Yahweh' s laws from the heart. To Paul it was revealed that the Gen­tiles would be given the same oppor­tunities through Yahshua: “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Messiah by the evangel” (Eph.3:5-6).

 

Because of their miracles and won­ders among the Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas joined those going to Jerusalem to ask about what to do with Gentile converts. Peter ex­plained that Yahweh had already shown that He put no difference be­tween Jew and Gentile, having given both of them the Holy Spirit, Acts 15:7-9. James agreed, stating that Yah­weh choose from the Gentiles a people for His Name, Acts 15:14-17 (quot­ingAmos9:11-12), emphasizing, “That the residue of men might seek after Yah­weh, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my Name is called, says Yahweh Who does all these things” (Acts 15:17).

 

Calling Spiritual Israel

 

Clearly, Yahweh wants a people for His Name; a people who would honor His Name, be called by His Name, be obedient to Him and be known as His people. He had hoped that would be ancient Israel, but they failed in this calling.

 

Yahweh has no plans to jettison His promises made to Abraham, which He began to fulfill in earnest when He redeemed Israel with a stretched-out arm. In no way is He planning to abandon or reject them, turning His attention solely to the Gentile church.

 

He continues to replace rebellious Israelites with pious, commandment­ keeping Gentiles. Just as He replaced the rebellious Israelites redeemed from Egypt with the new generation 40 years later, He is today grafting Gentiles into the Israelite promise. He is bringing Jew (Israelite) and Gentile together in one fold. He is uniting them into one body, called “the Body of Messiah, “the Ekklesia.”

 

In Acts .1:6 His disciples asked Yahshua whether He would at that time restore the kingdom to Israel. His reply: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own power.”

 

Those who are called out now to be followers of the Savior will replace the stiff-necked Israelites who reject Yahweh's Messiah. A spiritual Isra­elite is one that becomes a member of the Body of Messiah through bap­tism into His saving Name, and is then placed in the ranks of Israel.

 

We are to become spiritual Israel­ites, to learn of Yahweh's ways and become teachers of His laws and commandments the same way physical Israel did. The Apostle Peter re­fers to us as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar [trea­sured, consecrated, acquired, pur­chased] people, to show forth His praises, 1Peter 2:5; 9. We are also called “kings and priests who will reign on earth,” Revelation 5:10.

 

Spiritual Marriage Anciently

 

Yahweh said He was married to Is­rael and pleaded with them to return to His way of living and admit they had transgressed: “Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against Yahweh your Elohim, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice, says Yah­weh. Turn, O backsliding children, says Yahweh; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” (Jer. 3:13-14)

 

Verse 15, which follows, pictures the restoration when new and faithful rulers will teach and guide a reunited Israel and Judah. Jerusalem will be the center of Yahweh's rule, where all nations will come to learn obedi­ence and follow His ways, Isaiah 2:3. “And many people shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.”

We learn in the New Testament that the followers of Yahshua will also become His bride when He re­turns. The saints (those who are be­ing called) will have been obediently prepared for His coming and are re­ferred to as the bride:

 

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev. 19:7-8).

 

Yahshua was the Yahweh of the Old Tes­tament (l Cor. 10:4), and He was put to death at Calvary. He was be­trothed to fleshly Israel, but they were the very ones who put Him to death, so His betrothal to them is no longer bind­ing: “But we speak the wisdom of elohim in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which Elohim ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it}, they would not have impaled the Sov­ereign of glory,” 1Corinthians 2:7-8.

Yahweh brought Yahshua back from the dead, and now He is free to marry whomsoever He will. He can legally marry Jew or Gentile, bond or free. He will marry His bride consist­ing of those who are given glorified bodies in the first resurrection. This will include the ancient worthies and the grafted-in spiritual Israelites.

 

A spirit of reconciliation will per­vade many humble hearts and turn many Israelites to accept the Savior as the promised Messiah, and many Gentiles will accept the role of an Israelite. It is then that the union of Jew and Gentile will be complete in Yahshua the Messiah.

 

Analysis of Ephesians 2:10-16

 

The following passage has been mis­understood by many and cited as doing away with the Ten Commandments. These verses are given us to show that through His death Yahshua has united both Isra­elite (Jew) and Gentile, making them one body.

 

Remember, this was written to the Gentile congregation at Ephesus. They were not of Israel, not Jews. They were not yet brought into fellowship with Israel. The passage is Ephesians 2:10-16: “For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yahshua unto good works, which Yahweh has before ordained that we should walk in them.”

 

We are being taught Yahweh's law, which was given Israel in the Old Testament, that we should walk in obedience (unto good works) obey­ing the Commandments just as Yah­shua did. “Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands.”

 

We were ignorant, just as the Eph­esians were Gentiles in the flesh, and unaware that we are to obey Yahweh's laws now and learn of His ways so that we could teach them to others both here and in the Kingdom. “That at that time you were without Messiah, being aliens from the common­wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Yahweh in the world.”

 

When Yahweh called us to become His sons and daughters, we were aliens from Israel. Now we seek to learn of His ways and walk in His, which were given anciently to Israel and will again be taught in the Kingdom. As spiritual Israelites, we teach and help others along the way.

 

“But now in Messiah Yahshua you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Messiah.” By accepting the sacrifice of Yah­shua, we are accounted worthy of His love, and we can now draw near and approach Yahweh at the throne of grace. For He is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.

 

When Israelites accept Yahshua as the Messiah, and Gentiles accept the Torah (Law), then we will both be one. The middle wall of partition is thought to be the waist-high wall in the court which divided the Jew and Gentile in Temple times. Now we are one, for we are united in Yahshua. “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.”

The Knowing Guide the Unknowing

 

There is no longer any ani­mosity over the special handwritten ordinances that were given especially for the pagan Gentiles to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornica­tion, and from things strangled, and from blood. (Acts 15:20)

 

And that he might reconcile both unto Yahweh in one body by the tree, having slain the enmity thereby.

By His death, the Savior paid the penalty for both the sins of Jew and Gentile, and both are now united in one body. No hatred or enmity exists because we are all known as the Israel of Yahweh.

 

Paul emphasizes in Galatians that we as the called-out Gentiles are con­sidered spiritual Israelites. Yahweh has given us a new heart, a new attitude, a broken and contrite spirit which is needed to develop into obe­dient new creatures as Yahweh's Is­rael:

 

“And as many as walk according to this rule, peace [be] on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of Yahweh” (Gal.6:16). Yahweh will yet gather all His people together at the end of the age through Yahshua's working with Is­rael: “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Messiah, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth [even] in him” (Eph.l:10).

 

Through Yahshua the world will be reconciled to Yahweh. Yahshua will put down all rebellion and bring this earth to perfection, where every­thing will be under Yahweh's perfect control. We are being called now to learn of Yahweh's ways, and walk in His paths.

 

Perhaps it is the better understand­ing given to us through the New Tes­tament writers that strengthens our faith and clarifies some of the obscure sayings of the Old Testament. The writer of Hebrews says this knowl­edge gives us the opportunity to help perfect others.

 

“[Elohim] had planned something bet­ter for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect,” Hebrews 11:40 (NIV).

 

Our minds collapse when we at­tempt to fathom the depth of the prom­ises given us in the Bible. Even what we understand fills us with awe. Yet there is much more we do not yet comprehend, for Paul writes:

 

“But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the hear of man, the things which Elohim has prepared for them that love him. But EIo­him has revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of Elohim” (l Cor.2:9-10).

The New Testament clearly teaches that Yahweh is calling out a people now to replace the rebellious Israelites. They failed to be the model nation that would receive all the bless­ings of Yahweh and be a wonder to the world. We can be grafted into the olive tree and become a kingdom of priests in the Kingdom. We will join other Israelites when Yahshua re­turns to help teach others Yahweh's laws.

 

We are right now attending the school of life to test us to see whether we will seek Yahweh's favor, call upon His Name, and be obedient to His word. Then all the world will know and understand the “myster­ies” that are revealed to us now.

 

Others from ages past will join us as we which have followed Yahshua, in the regeneration when the Son 0f man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28).

 

Our desire is that this truth will move you to make a commitment right now to join the growing number of spiritual Israelites!

 

by Donald R. Mansager