The Unity of God and Israel: Exploring the 'Holy One of Israel'
The term “Holy One of Israel” is used more than thirty times in the Bible. However, the English translation does not accurately convey the genuine meaning, as seen in Hebrew. In the English language, the words “one” and “of” added to the translation (הקדוש של ישראל), meaning “the Holy One of Israel.” In Hebrew, on the other hand, it is written as “Holy Israel” (קדוש ישראל), and the difference is rather significant.
The English language conveys a belonging to, but also a distinctly separate association. The Hebrew, however, communicates oneness. In other words, “Holy Israel” is another name given to our Lord. He is holy, and He is also Israel. The implication is that Yeshua, who is the word of God revealed in the flesh, is called Holy Israel, and therefore, He and Israel are inseparably one. The sages affirm this by saying that God’s Kingship (His Malchut) is also His congregation of Israel (His Knesset Yisrael). They consider Israel an aspect of God, meaning that God, Israel, and His Torah (His written word) are all one.[i]
Now that might sound blasphemous to some, but the evidence of this truth is found in scripture. Yeshua made several profound statements about Israel when He declared, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15). “Is it not written in your law, I said, You are gods?” (John 10:34, NKJV).[ii]
It is written regarding the divinity of Yeshua: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5-7). Here the writer is declaring that Yeshua is equal with God, and just before that, Yeshua is stating that we are His friends, sharing all the Father has shown Him and inferring equality with Himself. Wow! That blows my mind.
To be clear, equally does not necessarily mean that He has given us authority that supersedes His. Nor are we gods, as in, uncreated beings. No, Yeshua is still the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But He said He would share and delegate His power and authority to those deemed worthy—those called His friends. It is written, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).
Friendship comes with certain privileges and a degree of equality. For example, scripture tells us the husband is the head of his wife.[iii] But for us who have been married for some time, we know that our wives are equal partners; otherwise, our marriage lacks the trust and intimacy required between a man and a woman. The Lord said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him [Adam] a helper comparable to him” (Genesis 2:18). Comparable implies indistinguishably alike, akin to, or the equivalent of.
Abraham was called a friend of God, and the Lord spoke plainly with him.[iv] The Lord also spoke face to face with Moses, the same way a man talks to his friend.[v] It is written, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Israel was also called God’s servant, as it is written, “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend” (Isaiah 41:8).
There is a distinction that I believe can be explained this way. The promise given to Abraham was that he would become the father of many nations, including Israel, and through His seed, the Messiah and Savior of the world would come. This promise would be fulfilled in Christ, whereby Israel and the Gentiles would receive the spirit of adoption and become sons of God, and therefore, also friends of God.
This adoption, of course, would not happen until the Father sent forth His Son, and afterward, His Holy Spirit to gather the lost sheep of Israel. As it is written, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage [under the Law] again to fear, but you received the [Holy] Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). And now that same Spirit is also calling from amongst the Gentiles; as we read, “Even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:24).
I love this story in the Book of Luke about Yeshua’s devoted disciples. Before heading up to Jerusalem for His final entry and crucifixion, Yeshua set His face towards the city, sending His disciples before Him to prepare the way. The disciples entered a Samaritan village. The people there refused to receive them, even after the Samaritan woman at the well had joyfully shared her discovery of the Messiah with her friends and family.
Two disciples, James, and John, turned to Yeshua and said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” (John 9:54). Yeshua lovingly rebuked them and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (John 9:55-56).
The fact that Yeshua did not deny their authority to call down fire from heaven affirmed the instrument of judgment was available to them. Their request was not wrong. It was simply the wrong time to request it. That time is coming, as it is written, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).
Up to this point, we have mostly been talking about Israel. So, you might be wondering how the church fits into this narrative. Very simply, the church is also one with Christ, except this great ecclesia and great assembly now includes every tribe, tongue, people, and nation redeemed from the earth through the blood of Christ and grafted into Israel.[vi] Therefore, Israel and the church are one in Christ and now also one with each other.
Yeshua’s famous prayer of unity in the Book of John includes the Jewish people and consists of every family of the Gentiles who have received Him. It is written, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (John 17:1-2). Yeshua said, “all flesh.”
And so, it will be the church united with Israel, which Paul calls the commonwealth of Israel, but is also the Kingdom of God, Zion, and the Holy abode of our Lord and Savior, that will arise to execute God’s righteous judgments over all those who reject Him. For it is written, “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples” (Micah 4:13). “For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David” (Psalm 122:5).
And, regarding the Day of the Lord and His return, it is written: “Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You” (Zechariah 14:5). “And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses” (Revelation 19:4).
[i] Glotzer, Leonard R. The Fundamentals of Jewish Mysticism: The Book of Creation and Its Commentaries. Jason Aronson, Inc. 1992.
[ii] All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Bible (NKJV) unless otherwise noted, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982.
[iii] Ephesians 5:23.
[iv] James 2:23.
[v] Exodus 33:11.
[vi] Revelation 5:9.