Who is Israel?: A Biblical Study

FOUR OF MANY THEMESI. DUAL NAME CHANGEJacob's name changed to Israel; Jabbok changed to Peniel. Jacob was not made perfect in love, neither the love of God nor the love of his brother. Therefore, he was not Israel. On the contrary he turned his back to Peniel, the face of God. He fell down to fear, throwing himself at the feet of Esau, the Hated of God.II. AN EXALTED NAME CAST IN A FILTHY SWAMPJacob brought shame to the exalted name of Israel as he bowed down to the ground seven times before Esau, as a slave, reverting back to the ford of the Jabbok, a bubbling dirty swamp. The origin of the word Jabbock in Arabic is Baqbaq. As when one listens to a bubbling dirty swamp in the silence of the night, one hears the sounds: 'Baqbaq -- Baqbaq', as the bubbles of noxious gases break up.ISRAEL - MY FIRST BORN SON'Israel is My son, My firstborn'.'When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son'.This 'Archetype' was fulfilled in calling the first-born son, Christ, out of Egypt after the death of Herod. He rose victorious on the third day, the first-born of the dead, the firstfruits of them that slept. For this reason he was called the Head of the 'Church of the Firstborn'. IV. TO RESTORE DAVID'S FALLEN TENTAmos prophesy in chapter 9:11 called for the building again of the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down. 'That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called', Acts 15:17 KJV. This was fulfilled by the call of the Gentiles to enter into the Kingdom of God: Gentiles with Jews side by side, no differentiation between them, all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.

The author, Isaac A. Isaiah, MD, born in Egypt, is a graduate of the Cairo Evangelical Theological Seminary (Presbyterian) in 1962 and the Cairo University School of Medicine in 1969.

Born into a Christian family, his father was an elder in the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church, daughter of the United Presbyterian Church of North America in Egypt, and worked with Missionary Hospitals all his life.

Dr. Isaiah came to the United Sates in 1969 and served an internship and residency in surgery, becoming a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

He was ordained as a Minister in the United Presbyterian Church of North America in 1972. While working in medicine he continued his interest in theology. He served many churches in various capacities, abroad and in the United States, while he continued pursuing his medical career.

With a unique interest and background in theology, knowledge of Biblical languages, a special insight from his native language, Arabic, and the work of Rev. Dr. Ghobrial Rezqualla, his professor in seminary, he wrote this book, Who Is Israel? – A Biblical Study.

Married to his wife Andrea, a British nurse-midwife, whom he met at the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society Hospital, Nazareth, Israel, where he served as the Chief Surgeon (1984 -1985), they reside in Maryland with their two sons, Jonathan and Benjamin.

Dr. Isaiah currently serves as a Chaplain with the Pastoral Care Department of the Western Maryland Health Care System, where he also serves as an Attending Surgeon. He is a member of the Baltimore Presbytery, Synod of Mid Atlantic of the Presbyterian Church (USA).