Jeremiah 31:9, 20 "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD."

...and He shall not surely cast away His firstborn. The fact is that Israel, as God's firstborn, was whom Christ primarily came to save. He recognized this fact in the following historic account:

15:22-28 "And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

Jesus came, first and foremost, to bring salvation to the firstborn Israel. He understood this, though when He saw the great faith of the Gentile from Canaan He blessed her with healing. In the Old Testament Israel, as stewards of the Gospel, were to witness of the power and glory of God to the Gentiles around them. Though many fail to recognize the fact, Abraham himself was a Gentile (Genesis 12.1-5) until selected to be the Father of Israel because of his great faith in God. As a recognition of the covenant he made with God Abraham was required to circumcise himself, along with all men of his tribe (Genesis 17.10-26). God made provision in the Old Testament Laws that if anyone in faith accept Him as Saviour and God, that this person (regardless of race) would signify this by circumcision and recognition as an Israelite (Exodus 12.48). Circumcision was, to both Israelite and God, a sign of saving faith (Jeremiah 4.4).

In the Church Age we no longer circumcise as an evidence of saving faith, but we are baptized in water. Circumcision in our society is largely a decision of cleanliness, often made by the parents of the child at birth. It has no revelance to the Church Age believer, no significance other than vain tradition. When Israel rejected Christ salvation was offered to the Gentiles. As Israel in the Old Testament was the steward of the Gospel, in the Church Age Christians are now that steward. Anyone who accepts Christ as Saviour becomes a member of the Body of Christ, the Church, not a member of Israel. The Church just doesn't qualify as a New Israel before God.

Nowhere is this more evident than in studying the distinct differences between Israel and the Church. When we study and compare just one of these differences, the doctrine of the Priesthood, it becomes extremely apparent that Israel and the Church, though both selected of God, are entirely different peoples. The remainder of this study will be in outline format so you can look up and research these differences in your own personal Bible Study. God Bless!

• Israel possessed a specialized priesthood that could only be obtained through birth into the priestly line: Exodus 27.21; 28.43
• The Church has a universal priesthood, that is, every believer is a priest because of new birth (salvation) in Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 2.9-10; Revelation 1.5-6; John 3.1-8
• Israel's priests were consecrated by men and human ceremonies: Exodus 29.1-9; 40.12-16
• The universal priesthood of the Church is consecrated by the Holy Spirit and the blood of Christ: Revelation 1.5-6; 1 Corinthians 6.11; Hebrews 2.11; Jude 1; Ephesians 1.13
• Israel's priests were holy to God: Leviticus 21.6; 22.9
• The Church's priests are holy to God: 1 Peter 2.9; 1 Thessalonians 5.27; 1 Peter 1.16; 1 Timothy 2.8; Colossians 3.12
• Israel could not ordain priests who were physically deformed or sick: Leviticus 21.17-23
• The Church's priests come by Grace, and deformity or sickness is not an issue: Ephesians 2.8-9
• Both Israel's and the Church's priests are able to marry (my apologies to Catholicism): Leviticus 21.7-15; 1 Corinthians 7; Hebrews 13.4
• Israel's priests atoned for their own sins by animal sacrifice: Leviticus 16.6, 24; Ezekiel 44.27
• The Church's priests have their sins atoned for by Christ: Hebrews 7.25-28
• Israel's priests witnessed of the Law: Leviticus 10.11; Deuteronomy 24.8; 27.14
• The Church's priests witness of the Gospel of Christ: Acts 1.8; 5.42; 8.4; 1 Thessalonians 1.5-6; 1 Timothy 1.11
• Israel's priests were responsible for the Temple of God: Numbers 4.5-15; 18.1, 5
• The Church's priests are the temple of God: 1 Corinthians 6.19-20
• Both Israel's and the Church's priests act as scribes and study the Word of God: Ezra 7.1-6; Nehemiah 8.9; 2 Timothy 2.15; 3.16
• Israel's priests acted as magistrates among the people: Numbers 5.14-31; Deuteronomy 17.8-13
• The Church's priests act as magistrates among themselves: 1 Corinthians 6.1-5
• Israel's priests gave money to support the Temple in Israel: Numbers 18.8-18
• The Church's priests give money to support the Body of Christ: 2 Corinthians 9.6-12
• Israel's priests were under the authority of the High Priest, who was only human: Leviticus 21.10-15; Numbers 3.32
• The Church's priests are under the authority of Jesus Christ our High Priest, who is fully God and fully Man. They are also under the local authority of a Pastor, designated by God: Hebrews 7.24-26; 8.1-2; 6.20; 13.17; 1 Timothy 5.17