Set in Stone by Derek Prince.

The article by Derek Prince raises three important points:

1. Dose Elohim/God speak to two peoples, Israel and the Church.

2. Who is to use and or are given the name Israel.

3. What is the identity or what identifies Israel.

It is clear from the word of YHWH that He speaks to all man kind, we read:

Ecc 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Elohim, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For Elohim shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

We have one Assembly/Church, it is called the Church of the first born:

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to Elohim the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”

Who is the firstborn of YHWH?

Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

The church started well before Acts chapter 2, the Ekklesia according to Stephen was already in the wilderness, we read:

Act 7:37-38 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your Elohim raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: ( not to make obsolete)

The Church in the wilderness received the words of Moses that where to be past on to the members of this Church in Acts, this was not a new Church that was started up in Acts 2 as claimed by many, as what happened in Acts 2 was fulfillment of the prophecies of Joel, we read:

Act 2:14-16 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; “

Often we are told that in Acts 15 was the first “Church” meeting, but we need to note that this was fulfillment of prophecies in accordance with the word of YHWH in the book of Amos, please read the texts:

Act 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church,

(remember that the church was already in the wilderness at Mount Sinai according to Acts 7) and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that Elohim had done with them.

Act 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

Act 15:14 Simeon hath declared how Elohim at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Act 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

To this agree the words of the prophets, that Elohim will visit the nations and take a people for His Name, lets read the prophet:

Amo 9:9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

Amo 9:10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

So all this is to do with the restoration of the fallen house of David.

Yahshua/Jesus tells us clearly and we need to think about this:

Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” So he is only sent for the lost of Israel.

Who are the sheep? The house of Israel, the church of the firstborn that was already in the wilderness, it had fallen apart and needed to be restored. The sheep of John 10 are the same sheep as Ezekiel 34:

Eze 34:30 Thus shall they know that I am YHWH their Elohim am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord ELOHIM.

Eze 34:31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your Elohim, saith YHWH ELOHIM.

The sheep of YHWH that where scattered throughout the nations must be regathered in to one flock.

For this flock, there is:

Eph 4:5 One Master/Lord, one faith one baptism,” This true faith was given once:

Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

It was not delivered to Israel at Sinai and then to the Church at Acts 2 and so give twice.

It is clear from scripture as to who is the bride of Messiah/Jesus, it is only one bride, not two and Yahshua/Jesus is betroth to His Bride and that bride is Israel:

Hos 2:19 And I will betroth thee (YHWH is talking to Israel via Hosea the prophet)unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies.

Hos 2:20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know YHWH/ The LORD.

Who is Israel?

Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Elohim: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Derek Prince states:

“ He (Paul) is saying that only those who have embraced the promise have the right to be called Israel” and that is 100% correct, lets read on:

Gal 3:29 And if ye be of the Messiah/Jesus then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So Messiah gives you the right to be called Israel and to be come part of the sheep, the church of the first born that was already in the wilderness and not started at Acts 2. You are part of the Israel of YHWH in Messiah, as in Messiah you are seed and seed is Israel:

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye 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;

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohim in the world:

Eph 2:13 But now in Messiah Yahshua/Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Messiah.

Now that you are a child of the promise and therefore seed of Abraham:

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of Elohim;

The saints are:

Psa 50:5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. (Yahshua is the sacrifice)

Do you live in a covenantal relationship with YHWH and His Messiah?:

Isa 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to YHWH/The Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of YHWH, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

Isa 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.

YHWH has one Bride, one People not two, no church and Israel, but the redeemed house of Israel made up of Redeemed Judah, Israel and those of the gentiles.

Who is Israel? The ones that are in Messiah Yashua and truly follow Him:

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Elohim/God, and the faith of Yahshua? Jesus.

We need to take hold of this as Abraham did, he was an Iraqi who became a Hebrew, His grandson from an Iraqi father and Syrian Mother became Israel.

You become redeemed Israel when you take hold of the promise, the Messiah, Torah/Teachings/commandments, the land and the people of redeemed Israel.

Shalom

Boaz