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VBVMI StaffEzekiel 37:15-22 shows that God has (End time) plans for all Israel and not just the Jews. Surely it is inaccurate to use ‘Israel’ interchangeably with ‘Jew’ and can lead to misinterpretation of prophecy?
We confess we are unclear on what you mean by “all Israel and not just the Jews.” The people of Israel are the Jews and all Jews constitute the people of Israel. There is no other Israel in the world (or in scripture) besides the Jewish people.
Regarding Ezekiel 37:15-22, the prophet is speaking about what God will do with the Jewish tribes of Israel in the last days:
Notice the prophet defines the Israel in view here as “Judah, the sons of Israel…” and “Joseph” and all his “companions” in the house of Israel. Clearly, the prophet was describing the Southern kingdom of Judah and the Northern kingdom of Israel as they were divided after Solomon’s day. The Lord says through the prophet that these two peoples would be rejoined into one nation – Israel – at the end of the age. No longer would Israel be divided into two nations but would once again be a single Kingdom ruled by Jesus.
Also clearly, this prophecy cannot be speaking to any other group of people besides the Jewish people, since the details are so specific to Israel and none other. Therefore this passage relates to the Jewish people only, as do all mentions of the nation of Israel in the Bible.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org