– 10 Min Read
The connection between the Old Testament use of קָהַל (qahal) and the New Testament use of ἐκκλησία (ekklesia) is the people of God. This is an essential point for us to understand. At times when these words are used in the proper context, they refer to God’s chosen people. It refers to the people of God at times globally and locally in the Bible. It refers to ethnic Israel and the New Testament church. There has been a history of titles God has ascribed to His chosen people throughout redemptive history.
In the Old Testament, we see several names for Israel. Israel is called God’s son:
Exodus 4:22-23
“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.””
Israel is called the apple of God’s eye:
Deuteronomy 32:10
“In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye”
Israel is called God’s vineyard:
Isaiah 5:7
“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.”
Israel is viewed by God as His spouse:
Ezekiel 16:8,32-33,60-63
““Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God… 32 You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband! 33 Men give gifts to all harlots, but you give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from every direction for your harlotries… 60 “Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. 62 Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, 63 so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord God declares.”
Israel is called God’s flock:
Ezekiel 34:2-4
““Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.”
In the New Testament we see that the church is called the Israel of God:
Galatians 6:14-16
“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”
The church is called Abraham’s descendants and heirs of his promise:
Galatians 3:26-29
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”
The church is called the ‘true Jew’:
Romans 2:28-29
“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”
The church is viewed as the bride of Christ:
Ephesians 5:25-27,32
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless… 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”
Revelation 19:7
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.””
The church is called the son of God:
Romans 8:14-17
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
The relationship between Israel and the church is of much debate amongst Christians and has been for a long time. No matter how you tend to view it, certainly, the language of the New Testament is clear, as best seen in Ephesians.
“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
– Ephesians 2:11-13
Even though there is a distinction between Israel and the church, the New Testament teaching is overwhelmingly clear that there is one people of God and always has been. In both Old and New Testaments we see a select few people who are called out by God, (the elect), to belong to Him apart from all the other people. In the Old Testament, we see ethnic Israel as God’s covenant people. In the New Testament, we see an ethnically mixed people of God brought together by the New Covenant of Christ’s blood. In the New Covenant, we have Jews and Gentiles who make up the church.
“I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”
– John 10:16 (emphasis added)
Here we see that Jesus is obviously talking about the Gentiles coming into the one flock. Not two separate flocks, but one flock of God. The same title given to Israel is given to the church. We also see that those who abide in Christ and bear fruit are branches of the true vine, which is Christ.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
– John 15:1-2
This is the same language used of Israel in the Old Testament, as we have already noted.
“For the Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, Even though devastators have devastated them and destroyed their vine branches.”
– Nahum 2:2
Without us establishing this connection between Israel and the church, there is no connection from the New Testament assembly to the Old Testament assembly, and I believe there is a connection that is required. So that we may better understand the assembly of God’s people in the New Testament, it is important to understand the assembly of God’s people in the Old Testament. We see several instances where Israel was commanded to assemble.
“There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.”
– Leviticus 23:3
In Israel, the assembly was to gather on the seventh day, which is Saturday, and worship YAHWEH and enjoy a rest. This is from God’s observance of rest from His work on the seventh day of creation. Matthew Henry says, “Man may by his appointment make a good day (Esth. 9:19), but it is God’s prerogative to make a holy day; nor is any thing sanctified but by the stamp of His institution.” [1], and we see God institute this holy, set-apart day, all the way back in the second chapter of Genesis.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”
– Genesis 2:1-3
The Sabbath was given to Israel by God for their benefit. The Sabbath was for their good. God knows our needs better than we do, after all, He created us, and He tells us that it is good for us to take a day of rest. But not only to rest from our work but to set aside a day of worship of Him. It was not just one specific day that was holy for Israel to worship, but many days.
Throughout the 23rd chapter of Leviticus, we read of several prescribed days by God that Israel was to worship Him. There is the Passover Feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Trumpets, the Festival of Booths, and the Day of Atonement. Some of these would not be bound to just one day but several days. The Lord God loves it when people celebrate His mercies and delight in Him on sacred days. Paul tells the Colossians to not let anyone bind their conscience concerning the keeping of Sabbath days of festivals.
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days”
– Colossians 2:16 (NET)
We see that there was an assembly of God’s people in both Old and New Testaments, in both Old and New Covenants. But are they the same? How can we say that they are the same since they were administered and upheld so differently? And since it did change are they not connected in any sense at all? This is a great place for us to stop and study further the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day and their differences and similarities.
Read Next: The Christian Sabbath Part 3: The History of The Sunday Assembly
Works Cited
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary. vol. 6, (New York, Fleming H. Revell Company). 6 vols. Page 535.