What is the 'Israel' Recorded in Chapter 7 of the Book of Revelation?

📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.

 

"Israel is symbolic of God's chosen nation and people. This is God's kingdom that is re-created at the time of Revelation's fulfilment"

Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony

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In Revelation 7:4, John heard the number of those who were sealed - 144,000 from among the tribes of the children of Israel. Is this Israel literal Israel in the Middle East?

In brief, Israel which appears in Revelation chapter 7, is symbolic of God's chosen nation and people who will appear when the book of Revelation is fulfilled. It refers to 12 new tribes of Israel. It is not the literal nation of Israel today.

Before the first coming, Israel in the region by Palestine - physical Israel - was the kingdom of God. However, after the first coming, Christians who believed in Jesus became the chosen people (John 1:11-12). These people were called spiritual Israel. Therefore, the 'Israel' recorded in Revelation chapter 7 is a re-created nation of chosen people gathered from corrupt spiritual Israel who keep their faith at the time of the fulfilment of the book of Revelation.

Firstly, let's look at the meaning of Israel and its origin. 'Israel' means 'winner' or 'one who overcomes' after being victorious in battle. Its origin can be found in Genesis 32:28, when Jacob was given the name 'Israel' as a blessing for fighting and overcoming an angel.

There are three types of Israel that the Bible writes of: a physical Israel made up of the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel), a physical lineage; spiritual Israel made up of Jesus and the 12 disciples born of the seed of the spirit (word); and the one who fought and defeated (overcame) the Nicolaitans at the Second Coming to create the 12 tribes of spiritual new Israel.

Physical Israel began through the 12 sons of Jacob, who were the descendants of Abraham and Isaac. However, after making a covenant with God, physical Israel became corrupt and, like Adam, broke the covenant and betrayed. Just as Matthew 11 records that the law was prophesied until the time of John the Baptist, this era of physical Israel, which was foretold through Abraham, ends with the coming of John the Baptist. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 21:43 that the kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to people who would bear its fruit.

Jesus, who came to the rebellious Israel at the first coming, overcame world and the devil, becoming Israel and creating spiritual Israel (John 16:33, James 1:1). Spiritual Israel is not born of flesh and blood, but are Christians who believe in Jesus according to the promise of the Word. Today, this is the Christian world.

At the time of the fulfilment of the book of Revelation, the one who fought and defeated (overcame) the Nicolaitans (the group of the dragon) who destroyed corrupt spiritual Israel, becomes spiritual new Israel. This is God's new kingdom and new people created on this earth. This new kingdom is created after the sun, moon and stars of spiritual Israel are judged and pass away in Revelation 6, and the angels harvest the ripened grain of the seed of the word sown by Jesus in order to create a new chosen people . Then a great multitude dressed in white is gathered. This place is called Mount Zion in Revelation 14, and the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Revelation 15.

As written in Daniel 2:44, this new nation will be an eternal one that endures forever, and its power will not be passed on to another. Therefore, Israel in Revelation 7 does not refer to literal Israel in the Middle East, or physical Israel which passed away at the time of the first coming, but refers to the 12 tribes of new spiritual Israel created at the Second Coming.

"The 12 tribes are Israel and Judea in the Middle East - we are spiritual Israel where there are no tribes" 

Korean Full Gospel Church

Pastor A of the Korean Full Gospel Church

"It's written that 144,000 are sealed, but the Bible records the sealing of the twelve tribes of the Jews. It is clear in the Bible that the 144,000 were sealed from among the 12 tribes of Judea, but I don't know why they do not believe and continue to add other things. You have to believe this. Here, I heard that the number of those who were sealed, which was also said among the tribes of the children of Israel, were 144,000.  It said among 'the tribes'. If it said just 'Children of Israel' then we also are Israel spiritually, but here it said the twelve tribes of Israel. We are spiritual Israel but no one belongs to any tribe, we don't belong to any tribe."

Source: http://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=853168

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