What is the Church?

What is the Church?

Church; Ekklesia (Greek) Lit “Called out ones”

There is a lot of misunderstanding over the subject of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is my hope to dispel the misconceptions, and at the same time to see from the Scriptures, both Jewish and Christian, what the Church is, and who comprises it. The Church was rooted in Israel and birthed by Jesus from Israel. The delivered Church exploded onto the world at Pentecost in AD 27/29, but was still comprised exclusively of Jewish believers. Before long it would spread to every corner of the Roman world, and people of every tribe and nation would become a part of it.

Firstly I want to go back 4000 years to the conception of the Church.

Who are God’s chosen People?

We refer to the Jews as God’s chosen people. The Jews are an ethnic /religious /national entity, defined by their ancestry, history, and beliefs. The scriptures have a tighter definition of God’s chosen people, based on a relationship to God established by a covenant sealed by faith in obedience, through blood. This covenant was made with Abraham and his descendants through Isaac, the child of promise.

To Abraham God said; "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” Genesis 17:7

"I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.'' They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father.'' Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham, but now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.” John 8:38-40 (Italics mine throughout)

The first thing to notice here is that Jesus defines who is a descendant of Abraham, and who is a recipient of the Covenant that God established. He was talking to Jews, to Pharisees, who reckoned themselves as Abraham’s descendants. They were obviously descended from Abraham physically, but Jesus defines a child of Abraham as one who acts like Abraham. How did Abraham act?

“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something of which to boast, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'' Romans 4:1-3 (Read all of Romans 4)

The works of Abraham were works of faith. He believed God, and acted on that belief. Because of this, God called him His friend, and chose him to be the father of the faithful. It’s important to notice that God was the instigator in this, and Abraham the faithful responder.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. Hebrews 11:6


The Church is conceived

“But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called.'' That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. Romans 9:6-8

Abraham had 2 sons, the older by Hagar an Egyptian, who’s name was Ishmael, from whom the Arabs are descended. They are therefore descendants of Abraham. But God established a covenant with the descendants of Isaac, not Ishmael. Why? Because Ishmael was a product of humanity, of the flesh, and Isaac was a product of God’s promise, of the Spirit. To prove this, God waited until Abraham and Sarah were old and reproductively “dead” before fulfilling His promise, so that there is no boasting in the flesh, and no doubt about God’s sovereignty. To establish this principle, God told Abraham to give Isaac back!

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,'' accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Hebrews 11:17-19

The covenant was established through redemption. God made a covenant with Abraham, with a promise, “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you.” God fulfilled the promise through a birth that was impossible and a redemption that was sacrificial. Isaac could only be the fulfilment of the promise by being redeemed by a blood sacrifice.

A covenant is sealed by the shedding of blood. The covenant God made with Abraham originally was a promise. It’s fulfilment began on mount Moriah, with the redemption of Isaac by the sacrifice of a ram. Here is the Covenant God made with His children, here is the conception of the Church, within the womb of Israel! The gestation period of the Church was 2000 years. The birth of the Church was at Pentecost around AD27/29. Scholars reckon God made His covenant with Abraham on 28th March (10 Nisan) 1953BC. Isaac was born the following year. (But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.'' Genesis 17:21) This would have been 16th March 1952BC (10 Nisan)

The 10th Nisan is the day that the Passover Lamb is selected! (Exodus 12:3)

AD52 would be 2000 years from Isaac’s birth. That leaves a discrepancy of approximately 58 years from the birth of Christ for a fulfilment of a 2000 year period. There is a question over the date of Abraham’s birth however, and the disputed date is 60 years. If the alternative date for Abraham’s birth is accepted, and allowing for ambiguity over the birth date of Jesus of +/- 2 years (6 or 4BC) then a 2000 year parity with the birth of Isaac is achieved. It is not recorded how old Isaac was when Abraham took him to Moriah, but he was not a child, because he carried the wood for the sacrifice, which had been carried by the donkey. Also Ishmael who was 14 when Isaac was born, was married before Abraham lived in the land of the Philistines “many days”. So Isaac would have been around 10 years old when Ishmael was married. If Abraham stayed in Philistia about 20 years, Isaac would have been about the same age as Jesus was at His death, when Abraham took him to Moriah. From the birth of the church at Pentecost in 27/29AD to the 2000th anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus, we come to 2027/29AD!
Jesus promised that he would return in a similar way to that which he departed…

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.'' Acts 1:11.

He departed after His resurrection, so the calculation should be based from that date, not His birth date.

It is commonly accepted by bible scholars that we are living in the last days before the return of Christ. (A separate study) 2000 years from His death would be around 2027-2029AD! Please note, this is not a prediction, just an interesting observation, to prompt us to buy oil for our lamps!

To sum up: From the Covenant of promise given by God to Abraham in the conception of the church in Isaac, to the promise of God in the conception of Jesus, 2000 years! From the delivery of the covenant in the redemption of Isaac by the death of the ram, to the delivery of the Church by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Messiah, 2000 years! From the birth of the church in 27/29AD to 2027/29AD, 2000 years! Is the duration of the church in the world to be the same as it’s gestation in Israel?

The history of the Jews is without parallel. The record in the bible of their unique relationship with God is a rich tapestry interwoven with triumph and despair, glory and destitution, blessings and curses, faithfulness and rebellion. God promised them blessings for obedience, and warned them of the withdrawal of His protection and benevolence if they were disobedient. (Read Deuteronomy 28)

God delivered them from starvation in Canaan through Joseph, and gave them a refuge in Egypt. Later, through Moses, He delivered them from cruel oppression in Egypt, and brought them to the promised land. In spite of their grumbling and rebellion He fulfilled His promise and gave Canaan to the next generation. The record is one of continual rebellion and disaster, followed by repentance and restoration. God always had his faithful remnant, even in the darkest times….

“I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.'' 1 Kings 19:18

Seven thousand out of a population of about 3 million or more can only be classed as a remnant!

Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.” Romans 9:27
For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called.'' Romans 9 6-7.

Finally, God allowed them to be deported as slaves to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. If it were not for His promise to Abraham, this would probably have been the last that history would have heard of them. The Babylonian and Persian empires assigned other peoples to historical and cultural oblivion, but God had made a covenant with Israel through Abraham, which He was going to keep. Finally when they had been purged and refined by the adversity of captivity, God told Cyrus King of Persia to restore the remnant of His people to Jerusalem, and to provide them with the finance and resources they would need to rebuild the Temple! (Read Ezra and Nehemiah)
God blessed the nation of Israel because of His Church (Ekklesia – Called out ones) the remnant spoken about in the above verses and many others.
There has always been a remnant in Israel, the anointed of God, who have attracted God’s blessings, and have led the people back to obedience to God. Theirs was a continual battle against the powers of darkness, and they often paid with their blood, treasure and lives to gain victory….
“of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us”. Hebrews 11:38-40

After the Church was birthed at Pentecost, the saints of Israel, the seed of Isaac, joined with the saints worldwide to jointly partake in the promise made to Abraham fulfilled at last in the Messiah, Jesus Christ the Son of God. There is a continuity of promise, covenant and fellowship from Abraham and Isaac through to Jesus, and on through Pentecost to us.

“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds,'' as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed,'' who is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.” Galatians 4:28

The promise to Abraham is fulfilled in his Seed, that is in Christ, and we along with Isaac and the saints of Israel are the children of promise, redeemed by the blood of the everlasting covenant in Christ!

God showed His love for His church by His faithfulness to and deliverance of Israel throughout it’s generations, and in the fullness of time by sending them His Son as a final sacrifice for their redemption. He even demonstrated His love 2000 years before by appearing in the form of Jesus to Abraham on three separate occasions, See Genesis 14, 17 &18 (A theophany, pre incarnate appearance of Christ)

“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness,'' and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace,'' without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.” Hebrews 7:1-3

By appearing to Abraham, the father of the Church, Jesus sealed His covenant of love with not only Abraham, but also to his Seed through Isaac. By being born into the world in the fullness of time, Jesus sealed His covenant of love to us who would follow from every tribe and nation, grafted into the olive tree of the Church.

The Church then, “called out ones” has been in existence for 4000 years. The gestation within Israel, God’s chosen Nation was 2000 years from it’s conception in Isaac, and the birth into the world through Christ’s death and resurrection, 20 years short of 2000 at the time of writing.

Next we will look at the Church birthed at Pentecost.