It's been awhile since I've studied it and when I did I did not have the understanding of the distinction between Israel and the Body of Christ that I do now. Are the saints who return with Christ only Jewish? I had always assumed it was everyone...so...am I correct in understanding that it will not be the Body of Christ saints? And if not, where will the Body of Christ be at this time? What will they be doing?
Well, because there are two separate and unique and distinct "returns" of Christ...one according to prophecy and the other according to the Mystery, I will assume you mean Christ's return to the earth to set up His kingdom in Israel, and not His return to the sky above the earth to receive us, the members of His Body, to take us home to the heavenlies.
So, if you mean His return to earth for Israel, then yes, they will all be Jews "technically!" What I mean is this, in Time Past, when God was operating Israel's kingdom program, there were gentiles who were also saved, by becoming "Jews." They are called proselytes in the bible. These gentiles in the flesh, had to go to Israel and get circumcised and keep the Law of Moses by offering the required sacrifices, etc., just like the natural born Jews. One of the most famous ones was Uriah the Hittite. King David stole his wife from him. So yes, all the kingdom saints who return with Christ when He sets up His earthly kingdom there in Jerusalem, Israel will all be "Jews," even those who were from gentile lands.
Exodus 12:48-49
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Leviticus 19:34
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Matthew 23:15
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
So, when Christ comes back to Israel after the 7-year Tribulation Period/the time of Jacob's Trouble, the church, the Body of Christ will not come to earth with Him. We will already be in our positions of rank and authority in the heavenly places serving Him up there!
Hopefully this
helps...Maranatha!
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