The family of Israel is large, wide, and diverse. By way of background, the living Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth restarted the whole world with a new heaven and new earth after the Great Flood, and He restarted all human life through Noah and Noah’s three sons - Shem (Mesopotamia and Arabia), Ham (Africa and Eastern Mediterranean), and Japheth (Europe and Asia).

Beginning with Genesis chapter 12, the story of the Holy Bible starts the divine line of Abraham and Abraham’s family, who descended from Noah’s son Shem, which included modern-day Israel, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria. Abraham was both a prophet and a friend of God. The living Sovereign LORD God called Abraham (Abram) to leave his Babylonian family (present-day Iraq and Iran) and come to His good Promised Land in Canaan (present-day Israel-Palestine). The living LORD God of Glory called Abraham (Abram) to leave Ur and later Haran, located in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iran and Iraq), and move to a new land in Canaan, the Promised Land of Israel-Palestine. Abraham’s wife Sarah (Sarai) accompanied Abraham from Ur to Haran to Canaan. Thus, Abraham and Sarah were probably born in Iraq or Iran. Abraham and Sarah are known as the father and mother of the nation of Israel.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac became the father of Jacob (later renamed Israel), and Israel became the father of twelve sons (patriarchs), later known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel. As Isaac grew older, Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a righteous and virtuous woman from Abraham’s homeland of Mesopotamia, rather than from the wicked women of Canaan, who would likely make Isaac’s life miserable. Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, and the mother of Jacob (Israel), came from Paddan Aram, also known as Aram-Naharaim, located in parts of modern-day Syria and Iraq. After their marriage, Isaac and Rebekah gave birth to twin boys named Esau and Jacob (later renamed Israel). Thus, Jacob (Israel) is of Syrian and Iraqi descent. Rebekah and her sons, Esau and Jacob, were Arameans, and Jacob also lived in Aram for many years, which is today modern-day Syria, Turkey, and Iraq. The name “Jacob” became synonymous with the nation of Israel.

Later, Rebekah sent Jacob to her brother Laban in Haran (present-day Turkey). Also, Isaac and Rebekah sent their son Jacob to Rebekah’s brother Laban in Padan Aram (Haran), located in Mesopotamia (modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq), so he would not marry the wicked women of Canaan. Jacob married Leah and then Rachel along with Leah and Rachael’s attendants (servants), Bilhah and Zilpah, and these women were from Paddan Aram (modern day modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq), and they became the mothers of Jacob’s twelve sons (Twelve Tribes of Israel), who were also born in Paddan Aram. These twelve sons of Jacob were Reuben (Jacob’s oldest), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, and Benjamin. Thus, Abraham and his children, Isaac and Jacob (also known as Israel), as well as their descendants, were of Syrian, Iranian, and Iraqi descent.

The living Sovereign LORD God promised that a conquering ruler would come from Jacob’s descendants. Ultimately, the Descendant of Abraham who brings blessings and salvation to all nations and people came with Christ Jesus, our Lord. Through Christ Jesus, everyone receives salvation and becomes a member of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s family, receiving God’s divine blessings through our faithful obedience to the living Sovereign LORD God, found in His Son, Christ Jesus.

In the New Testament, the early Christian church regarded itself symbolically as the Israel of God and descendants of Abraham through their wholehearted faith and belief in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. Christ Jesus taught about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob during His public ministry on earth. In His teaching, Jesus, as well as His cousin John the Baptist, taught everyone the importance of repentance, turning from Satan’s evil deeds, and producing good fruits so that one can enter the narrow gate and enjoy eating at the Messianic banquet with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Old Testament prophets. The foundation of New Jerusalem is the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Jacob). Christ Jesus and His Kingdom's message did not abolish the Old Testament Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms because God’s Word and teaching endure forever and points to Christ Jesus, salvation, and righteousness. Salvation of the world comes through the Jewish people - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), and Jesus - the Savior of the World.

Genesis first introduces Joseph as a seventeen-year-old young man who gives a bad report to his father, Jacob, about his other brothers. Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons, and these twelve sons would later become known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Joseph was Jacob’s eleventh son, and Joseph became Israel’s favorite son, whom Israel loved more than all of his other sons. At an early age, Joseph flaunted his father’s favoritism. Favoritism and rivalry have a sad history in the book of Genesis, leading to family jealousy, anger, and resentment, as Isaac favored Esau, Rebekah favored Jacob, and Jacob favored his wife, Rachel, over Leah. Israel made his son Joseph a colorful robe (coat of many colors or ornate robe), revealing Joseph’s privileged status within the family, and Joseph’s brothers became angry and jealous of Joseph’s colorful robe and their father’s favoritism toward Joseph. One night, Joseph had a divine dream of his future, which only made his brothers hate him all the more. In the Holy Bible, dreams and visions were a frequent method of divine revelation from God. Joseph informed his brothers of his dream, in which they were bundling grain (sheaves) from the field, and all the bundles of grain (sheaves) bowed down to his bundle of grain (sheaf). Joseph’s dream angered his other brothers, and they developed a jealous hatred of Joseph because his dream showed him reigning over them with dominion and authority. Then, Joseph had another dream from God about his future. In this second divine dream, Joseph informed his brothers and his father, Israel (also known as Jacob), that this time, even the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to him. Upon hearing the divine dream, Israel rebuked Joseph, asking him if his dream meant that he would reign and his family would bow down to him. Joseph’s brother became even more angry, bitter, and envious towards Joseph, but Israel kept the matter in mind. Joseph revealing his dreams to his brothers when he was seventeen was partly a matter of faith but also partly a result of youthful foolishness and pride, but Joseph would later grow into a wise and prudent leader.

Sometime later, Israel’s other sons went to Shechem to tend and feed their sheep, and Israel sent Joseph to find his brothers in Shechem and later into Dothan. When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they hard-heartedly devised an evil plan and plot to kill their own brother Joseph out of envy and then lie to their father about Joseph’s death at the hands of a ferocious animal. However, the oldest brother, Reuben, heard of the plan, and he tried to save and rescue Joseph from his brothers’ evil scheme. Eventually, Joseph’s brothers took Joseph's coat of many colors and threw Joseph into a deep, dry well (cistern) despite Joseph’s plea not to be thrown into the cistern. Later, Judah and the other brothers sold Joseph to Ishmaelite and Midianite traders heading to Egypt for twenty shekels, and these traders sold Joseph into Egyptian slavery away from the Promised Land of God (Canaan). After selling Joseph into slavery, Joseph’s brother devised another evil scheme, and they lied to their father, Israel, saying that a wild animal had killed Joseph.

Despite Joseph’s betrayal and slavery in Egypt, the Sovereign LORD God continued to be with Joseph with His divine mercy and favor (grace), and He blessed Joseph with His providential care, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Sovereign LORD God allowed Joseph’s sale into slavery and later imprisonment to test and build Joseph’s character - patience, faith, and perseverance, and God always brings good out of evil. Joseph’s visionary dreams would come true when he was appointed governor over Egypt by Pharaoh and was responsible for the grain of Egypt, causing his brothers to bow down to him. Additionally, Joseph would become the prince and crown among his brothers, and Joseph received the rights of the firstborn, as Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two children, Ephraim and Manasseh. Royal rulers would come through Joseph’s youngest son, Ephraim, who would rule Israel’s northern kingdom, and also through Judah, who would become the ancestor of Christ Jesus, the Ruler and King of the world. Joseph’s name means “may He add,” and Joseph is the last of the Genesis patriarchs, following Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (also known as Israel).

One night, Jacob had another encounter with the Sovereign LORD God that would forever change his life. Jacob met a mysterious man while alone as he returned to the Promised Land of God (Canaan), and Jacob wrestled and struggled with this mysterious man in the dark until the breaking of dawn - a new day. Later, Jacob would acknowledge meeting the living God (Theophany), but Hosea 12:2-4 states that this mysterious man who met Jacob was the Angel of God. Now, the mysterious man wrestling Jacob could not overpower Jacob, so the mysterious man touched Jacob’s hip (thigh or sciatic muscle) and wrenched Jacob’s hip out of its socket. The socket of Jacob’s hip became dislocated, disabled, and crippled - a thorn of Jacob’s flesh as the mighty mysterious man wrestled with Jacob. Then, the mysterious man demanded Jacob release Him as the dawn broke. As they struggled, Jacob requested God’s favor (grace) and blessings with faith and persistence, as all good gifts come from God. Next, the mysterious man asked Jacob his name, and Jacob gave the mysterious man his name. However, the mysterious man announced to Jacob that his name would no longer be Jacob but Israel to transform Jacob’s life and identity. The name Israel means “Prince with God,” “God fights,” “God strives,” or “struggled with God” because Jacob struggled and strived with God and with humans and he prevailed in victory. Then, Jacob asked the mysterious man for his name, but God blessed Jacob instead of giving His name. After receiving the divine blessing and new name, Jacob called the name of the place Peniel (Penuel), which means “Face of God,” for Jacob proclaimed he had seen God face to face, and the living God graciously spared and delivered his life. Then, the sun rose, and Jacob (Israel) walked with a limp on his hip, stopping Jacob’s proud self-sufficiency, natural strength, and self-reliance so Jacob (Israel) could rely only upon the living God by faith. The author of Genesis noted that the people of Israel do not eat the muscle (tendon) attached to the hip socket because God touched and dislocated the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle (tendon). Before Jacob struggled with God, Jacob was known and acted as a trickster, deceiver, and supplanter for grasping Esau’s heel at birth and also deceptively taking Esau’s birthright and their father Isaac’s blessings as the firstborn son. Jacob fled Canaan (Israel-Palestine) and went to Haran (Paddan Aram in Mesopotamia - the land of East) to run from his brother Esau and also to look for a wife. While away from Canaan, the Sovereign LORD God graciously blessed Jacob like Abraham and Isaac, and He multiplied Jacob with many possessions, servants, and wealth, as well as a large family, including a daughter named Dinah and many sons, which would later become known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Then, the Sovereign LORD God commanded Jacob to return to his father Isaac and the Promised Land of Canaan, and He promised to continue to be with Jacob, and Jacob obeyed God’s command. Jacob lived away from the Promised Land for twenty (20) years with his uncle Laban (his mother Rebekah’s brother) before returning to Canaan, and the holy angels of God were with Jacob as a ministering presence during his journeys. Eventually, Jacob returned to Bethel (Luz) in Canaan, where the Sovereign LORD God once again appeared to Jacob as before in Bethel, where God and His holy angels first met Jacob with Jacob’s vision of God and the stairway to heaven. Jacob (Israel) worshiped the Sovereign LORD God, and he commanded his household to have wholehearted allegiance and faithfulness to the Sovereign LORD God and no other idols. Then, the Sovereign LORD God appeared to Jacob and announced to Jacob that He is God Almighty (El Shaddai), and He promised to be with Jacob and bless Jacob with a family of kings and the land of Canaan like Abraham and Isaac, and He once again changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Notably, the Sovereign LORD God also blessed Ishmael and Esau (Edom) with a large family, possessions, wealth, and rulers (kings) as descendants of Father Abraham. The Messiah of God (Christ) who would bless the world would come through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and King David’s family line.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul (Sha’ul) and his ministry focused on proclaiming the Good News (Gospel) message of God’s forgiveness, salvation, grace, righteousness, and peace with a new spiritual life and new beginnings that come to all wholehearted believers in Jesus the Messiah (Christ) as Lord and Savior. This newness of divine spiritual life comes to everyone by God’s grace and mercy through repentance with faithful and dependent obedience, belief, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, believers of Jesus get a reset button with a fresh start and a new heart, where we are reborn from heaven and adopted into God’s Kingdom as His children. The Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth sent His Holy Son, Jesus the Messiah so His Son could give His sinless life and precious blood as a ransom and the final sacrificial Passover Lamb of God for our sins (propitiation) to deliver (redeem) us from Satans’ dark and wicked living and bring everyone back (reconciliation) together united as one people (Jews and non-Jews) into God’s Kingdom. According to the Apostle Paul, the Gospel message that brings heaven’s righteousness (justification) and new spiritual life only requires wholehearted repentance (turning from Satan’s evildoing) with faithful and dependent obedience, belief, and trust to Christ Jesus (Yeshua) as Lord and does not require Gentiles (non-Jews) coming to Christ Jesus first to become Jewish, circumcised, nor converted to Judaism. The Apostle Paul bases his Good News message of salvation by God’s grace and not our works on the Old Testament Scriptures and God’s promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Old Testament book of Genesis before the Law of God given to Moses at Mount Sinai (Torah or Oracles of God). Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul and the other New Testament writers do not ignore nor disregard the importance of the Old Testament Law of God, the holy prophets, godly and good living, nor the command of circumcision given by the Sovereign LORD God to Abraham for his descendants. The Apostle Matthew specifically wrote through his Gospel message proclaiming that Jesus, who is Jewish, is the Promised Messiah (Christ, Chosen, Anointed One) and Immanuel (“God is with us”) predicted in the Old Testament (Hebrew) Scriptures and that Jesus continued the Old Testament storyline of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, as well as the teachings of Moses and the holy prophets of God. Since the Old Testament into the New Testament, the Sovereign LORD God has called ALL PEOPLE (Jews and non-Jews) to circumcision of the heart, which is walking blamelessly with wholehearted and loyal love, trust, and obedient faithfulness to Him and His commands as the only one and only true God of heaven and earth. The Sovereign LORD God is goodness and light, and He wants EVERYONE to turn from Satan’s dark deeds and faithfully walk with Him and His Son Jesus in dependent love and produce His good and holy fruit of righteousness - love, mercy, fairness, humility, truth, forgiveness, and peace. Jesus is LORD!

Jacob is the father of Israel. At an early age, Jacob was known as a deceiver, trickster, and supplanter after scamming and scheming to take away his brother Esau’s inheritance and covenant blessings of Abraham and Isaac. The Sovereign LORD God had already promised and ordained these divine blessings to Jacob before Jacob’s birth. Eventually, Jacob left his home in Canaan (the Promised Land of God, also known as Israel-Palestine) and traveled many miles in the desert, going to Haran (Paddan Aram in Mesopotamia). On his journey, the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth came to Jacob full of promises, protections, and blessings by His grace with mercy and not blame, disapproval, and shame that Jacob deserved. Jacob was not looking for God, but God looked for him on his journey. At sundown, Jacob took a stone pillow to sleep, and as he was sleeping, he had a wonderful dream from heaven. Jacob dreamed of a stairway (ladder) that reached from the earth to heaven, and the holy angels of God walked up and down this divine stairway (ladder). At the top of the stairway, the Sovereign LORD God came to Jacob and announced to him that He was the same God of his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac, and He promised that someday the land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine) would belong to him and his descendants (family). As with Abraham and Isaac, the Sovereign LORD God promised Jacob that his family would be as numerous as the dust on the earth, spreading throughout the four corners of the world, and through him and his descendants God would bless all people of the earth as they walked blamelessly with faithful obedience to the LORD like Abraham. The Sovereign LORD God promised to be forever present with Jacob with His love, abundant blessings, and protection, just like Abraham and Isaac. Thus, Jacob inherited Abraham and Isaac’s entire covenant blessings of God Almighty (El Shaddai). After his dream, Jacob woke up with joy, excitement, and reverential fear in God’s Presence. Jacob declared that the LORD (Adonai) was in this holy place, and he called this location the house of God, the very gateway to heaven. Jacob got up early the following day, took his stone pillow, and set up a memorial pillar. Then, Jacob poured olive oil over the monument pillar and named that place Bethel, which means “house of God,” although it was previously named Luz. Next, Jacob made a vow of devotion to the LORD as his God if the LORD would be present with him on his journeys with His divine protection and provision of safety. Jacob worshiped and devoted his life to the LORD God (Adonai), and he promised to give God a tenth (tithe) of everything the LORD graciously gives him, as ALL truly belongs to God.Notably, Abraham and Isaac also worshiped the Eternal God of heaven and earth and presented a tenth (tithe) from God’s abundant blessings and provisions like Jacob. After his encounter with God, Jacob’s life changed from a previous deceiver and trickster to a godfearing man of integrity! Jacob’s vision and dream of the Sovereign LORD God and his vision of a stairway to heaven looked forward to Christ Jesus our Savior. Christ Jesus is our stairway, ladder, and great vine between heaven and earth that mediates and gives everyone access to the Sovereign LORD God. Even more, Christ Jesus brings the fullness of Abraham’s covenant blessings and God’s abundant grace, salvation, and forgiveness to ALL PEOPLE through repentance with faithful obedience in Him as our Lord and Savior. Christ Jesus is the new Bethel (House and Temple of God) as the fullness of God lives inside Him. Jesus is the LORD!

Isaac grew into a wonderful man. Later, Isaac’s mother, Sarah, died at the ripe old age of 127 years and was buried in Canaan. As Isaac grew older, Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a righteous and virtuous woman from Abraham’s homeland of Mesopotamia and not from the wicked women of Canaan, who would make Isaac’s life miserable. Abraham did not want his son Isaac to leave Canaan because Canaan (Israel-Palestine) was the Promised Land from God for his descendants. Abraham sent his faithful servant to his homeland with abundant gifts to provide for Isaac’s new bride. Also, Abraham assured his servant that the living Sovereign LORD God would send His holy angel to lead and guide his servant to find Isaac’s divine bride. After reaching Abraham’s homeland, Abraham’s servant prayed from his heart with faith to the Sovereign LORD God, asking for His success, grace, and guidance to lead him to the right woman to become Isaac’s wife. The servant responded to the LORD that he would know the right woman He appointed for Isaac if the woman showed kindness and goodness by offering water to him and his camels to drink from the well. Before the servant finished praying, the LORD answered the servant’s prayers by bringing a beautiful young woman who was a virgin to the well named Rebekah. Rebekah generously offered Abraham’s servant and his animals water to drink, and she offered lodging for the servant and his animals. The Holy Bible notes that Rebekah had all the qualities of a good wife: caring, generous, beautiful, diligent, good-hearted, selfless, and hospitable. Abraham’s servant blessed Rebekah with abundant gifts, and they went to Rebekah’s father. Abraham’s servant bowed his head in humble worship and thanksgiving to the LORD for His providence, divine care, and guidance in choosing Rebekah as Isaac’s bride. Rebekah was a descendant of Abraham’s brother, Nabor, and his wife, Milcah. Rebekah’s brother Laban graciously welcomed Abraham’s servant, his companions, and animals into their home and provided food for their comfort. The servant asked the father and his family permission to take Rebekah to Isaac to become Isaac’s new bride, and they all agreed. Rebekah was so happy and willingly agreed to marry Isaac without delay. Rebekah’s family blessed her to become the mother of thousands of descendants with God’s blessings. When Isaac saw Rebekah, he fell in love with Rebekah, and they were married. After their marriage, Isaac and Rebekah gave birth to twin boys named Esau and Jacob (father of Israel). The Sovereign LORD God blessed Abraham greatly with honor and an everlasting covenant, along with many servants, animals, silver, and gold. Abraham left all his possessions and riches with God’s blessings to Isaac, the chosen son of God’s covenant promise. The Sovereign LORD God called Abraham and his descendants to walk blamelessly and faithfully obey Him. God’s hand guided Abraham and his covenant descendants with blessings, including Isaac, Jacob (Israel), and King David, leading to Christ Jesus our Savior. Abraham died at a good old age of 175, an older man full of years, and he was buried by his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, with his wife Sarah in the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine). The Holy Bible describes Abraham as the “father of many nations.” and the descendant (Seed) of Christ Jesus our Anointed Lord and Savior. Jesus is Lord!