Who is Israel?

Everyone agrees that the Bible was written to Israelites. Therefore, "Who is Israel?" is a rather important question. Let's talk about it. 

I grew up a "John 3:16" Christian. What I mean by that, is that I cherry-picked a handful of Bible verses and that was the constitution of my religious faith. I never understood any Biblical theology.

The Bible says a lot of things. The Bible says a lot of contrary things. There is no other book that is open to interpretation the way that the Bible is. You can talk theology with 10 different people and get 10 different interpretations of scripture. Furthermore, there are like 100 different translations of the Bible.

That being said, once I stepped back and looked at the Bible for what it was (a will of covenants), it all made perfect sense. I credit the Holy Spirit with this profound personal revelation.

The Bible is the will (a testament is a will) of God. 

The Bible is a book of covenants (conditional and unconditional).

The Bible is written to, for, by and about a specific group of people. God chose Abraham, his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Jacob (later named Israel) had 12 sons, who became the 12 tribes of Israel for which God made his covenants with. This bloodline is who God, through the prophets, wrote the old testament too.

God divorced His bride Israel in the old testament due to their disobedience. 

Jeremiah 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 

The new testament is commentary on the fulfillment of old testament prophesy. Most people believe that the new testament is somehow about everyone because of the word "gentiles." The new testament is all about God's remarriage to his bride.

Yes, God made a new covenant, but it was still with the same people. The new covenant places salvation on grace by faith instead of circumcision or the law.  

Jeremiah 31:31 The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.

Gentiles just means "nations." By the time of the new testament, the nations of Israel had been scattered abroad for hundreds of years, due to a series of expulsions out of Jerusalem. Only a small remnant eventually returned. The remaining 10 "lost" tribes of Israel migrated and became the sons and daughters of Europe. These are the nations or "gentiles" that the new testament refers too. They are still the offspring of Abraham.

The question becomes, are these people those who we call "Jews" and live in modern day Israel?

No. Ashkenazi Jews (the majority of American and Israeli Jews) are Turkish Khazars who converted to Judaism and migrated to Eastern Europe in 12th and 13th century AD. They are not ancient Israelites. 

Jesus himself spoke about this implicitly: 

Revelations 2:9 I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Ashkenazi Jews have not fulfilled any of God's promises to Abraham's seed. They haven't blessed the world. They haven't become a multitude of nations. They don't have an abundance of lands. They are the imposters for which the risen Christ spoke about in scripture.

I understand how to most Christians it doesn't really matter who are the "real" Jews and who are the "fake" ones. They are content with being "spiritual" Israel. And, I suppose in theory, that's good enough. There are many components at play when it comes to salvation. Grace is certainly atop the hierarchal ladder in my humble opinion. But if God's chosen (the sons and daughters of Europe) knew who they were, the world would be a much different place.

God is sovereign, not politically incorrect. 

Jesus Christ is the kinsman redeemer. God came in the form of a sinless man to die on the cross for the sins of His people, so that he could be risen from the dead and remarry his bride, Israel.

All glory to God!