Nell,
It is interesting that almost no christian authors/teachers think any differently than "Israel" vs. "the Church". It seems that this VERSUS relationship was established long ago and became the presumptive understanding of almost everyone.
I held this same presumption for a very long time. I put on the glasses of "Israel" vs. "the Church" before I read the Bible. The only way I had a different thought was from an experience of revelation from the Lord. Without sharing the whole story, I will simply convey that God brought me to a verse in Genesis (48:19) that I will share more about in the next part of what I am sharing about the "Israel of God".
Genesis 48:19-20
Quote:
But his father refused and said, “I know, my son; I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great, but his younger brother shall be greater than him, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
Through you Israel shall pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’”
So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
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When God first showed me this verse, I had not even understood that Jacob had just adopted Ephraim as his firstborn son and Manasseh as his second born son. I was just taken back by the statement "his offspring shall become a multitude of nations" referring to Ephraim. I thought, WHAT?!? Who is this Ephraim and what is this "multitude of nations"?
Given this one verse (which functioned like a key), I began to unlock the Old Testament in a way I never expected. I had no idea there was any connection to End Times prophecies. I wasn't studying the End Times when God brought me to this verse. It was just an isolated verse that caught me by surprise.
In summary, the idea of "Israel" vs. "the Church" is extremely hardened in our thinking based on presumption. It is presumption that doesn't seem to have any malice or intention in it. I don't think it is a correct way to view the Bible. There are distinctions between what most people think of as Israel and the Church, but I believe you have to significantly alter your understanding of the word "Israel" and understand it as a collection of audiences that have different pathways to the end of this age. For now, think of it very simply. There are twelve children of Jacob/Israel which become twelve tribes of Israel. Each of these children/tribes have different "blessings" bestowed by Jacob (Gen 49) and Moses (Deut 33). Think of these blessings as "prophecies" (future truth about these families in Israel). So, there are AT LEAST 12 different outcomes inside of Israel as a whole. By my count, there are at least 18 outcomes based prophetic speaking to the various sub-groupings in Israel. Some of these 18 apply across multiple families (i.e. tribes) while at least one of the sub-groupings seems to point at a single, significant individual from Israel.
More later...
Matt