Who Was Israel in the Bible? Covenant, Exile, and Biblical Identity Explained
- Apr 20
- 5 min read
Covenant, Exile, and the World That Shaped the First Century
Before exploring how Jewish and Gentile believers eventually became distinct communities, we must begin earlier with Israel itself.
The story of faith in Scripture does not begin in the Roman Empire, nor with later religious institutions. It begins with a covenant.
Understanding who Israel was and how Israel’s history unfolded is essential for understanding the world into which Messiah came.
Israel: A Man Before a Nation
In Scripture, “Israel” first refers to a man.
Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, was given the name Israel after wrestling through the night and receiving a blessing (Genesis 32:28). His twelve sons became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Biblically speaking, Israel is not originally a modern state or political entity. It is a covenant people, the physical descendants of Jacob, chosen by the Most High to carry forward the promises given to Abraham.
Over time, the name Israel referred both to the man and to the nation that descended from him.
It is important to distinguish this biblical identity from the modern nation-state established in 1948. While the modern State of Israel occupies land historically associated with ancient Israel, Scripture’s use of the term refers first to Jacob and his descendants within covenant relationship to Elohim.
Clarity in definition prevents confusion in discussion.
The Promise to Abraham
The story begins with Abraham.
The Most High made covenant promises to him:
Land
Descendants
Blessing
A calling to be a light to the nations
This covenant was generational. Abraham’s descendants were to become a distinct people through whom divine purpose would unfold.
The promise preceded the Law. It was rooted in relationship.
Bondage and Deliverance
Abraham’s descendants eventually found themselves in Egypt, where they multiplied but were later enslaved.
The Exodus became the defining act of deliverance in Israel’s memory.
Through Moses, the Most High redeemed them from bondage and brought them to Mount Sinai.
There they entered into covenant as a nation.
Israel was not merely freed; they were formed.
Covenant at Sinai
At Sinai, the Torah was given.
This instruction established:
Moral law
Civil structure
Sacred calendar
Priestly service
National identity
The Torah distinguished Israel among the nations.
Scripture presents this covenant not as oppression but as vocation, a calling to reflect the character of the Most High in justice, mercy, and holiness.
Kingdom, Division, and Decline
Under David and Solomon, Israel became a united monarchy.
After Solomon’s death, the kingdom divided:
The northern kingdom retained the name Israel.
The southern kingdom became known as Judah (primarily Judah and Benjamin).
Both kingdoms struggled with covenant faithfulness. Idolatry, political alliances, and injustice weakened the nation spiritually and socially.
In 722 BCE, Assyria conquered the northern kingdom and carried many into exile.
In 586 BCE, Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, burned the Temple, and exiled much of Judah.
These events were understood by the prophets not as abandonment, but as covenant consequence.
Exile and the Preservation of Identity
Exile reshaped Israel’s identity.
Without a Temple, covenant life centered increasingly on:
Torah study
Sabbath observance
Prayer
Community gathering
Over time, interpretive traditions developed around the written Torah. These traditions sought to apply divine instruction faithfully in changing cultural contexts.
After Persia allowed return and rebuilding, not all returned. Many remained dispersed throughout the empire.
By the first century, Jewish communities existed across the Mediterranean world. Covenant identity had survived exile.
Study Note: What Is the Talmud?
The Talmud is a collection of rabbinic discussions and interpretations of the Torah compiled over several centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.
It consists of:
The Mishnah (compiled around 200 CE), recording oral teachings and legal discussions.
The Gemara, which expands upon and debates those teachings.
The Torah refers to the written instruction given through Moses. The Talmud represents later rabbinic interpretation and application within Jewish communities navigating life without a Temple.
These traditions emerged from a desire to preserve covenant faithfulness.
In the first century, Messiah’s rebukes were directed not at the Torah, but at instances where human tradition was elevated above the commandments of the Most High (Mark 7:8–13).
His critique was specific: when tradition obscures divine instruction, it must be examined.
This was a call to covenant integrity.
The World of Messiah
By the time Messiah appeared:
The Temple stood in Jerusalem (expanded by Herod).
Various Jewish groups existed (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots).
The Hebrew Scriptures were central.
Covenant hope remained strong.
Messiah entered this deeply Jewish world.
His teachings consistently called Israel back to the heart of the Torah — emphasizing justice, mercy, faithfulness, and love for the Most High.
Study Note: Was Paul Against the Law?
Study Note: Was Paul Against the Law?
Paul’s letters are often read as if they oppose the Law entirely. Yet Paul described the Torah as “holy, righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12).
He quoted it as authoritative Scripture and reasoned from it in synagogues.
The central issue in his letters concerned Gentile inclusion. As non-Jews embraced faith in Messiah, some argued that full conversion including circumcision and adoption of Jewish identity markers was required.
Paul challenged the idea that justification before the Most High could be secured through prescribed boundary markers or human performance.
The distinction he emphasized was this:
Obedience as a response to covenant relationship
Versus obedience as a means of earning covenant status
His letters reflect an internal Jewish discussion about how the promises to Abraham were being fulfilled.
Understanding this context prevents misunderstanding.
The Narrow Path
Throughout history, communities of faith have wrestled with balance.
If interpretive tradition becomes indistinguishable from divine command, clarity can be lost. If divine instruction is dismissed entirely, identity dissolves.
Messiah described a narrow path, one that resists both legalism and lawlessness.
The early centuries that followed saw Jewish and Gentile communities navigating these tensions in different ways. Over time, institutional Judaism and institutional Christianity developed along separate trajectories.
But those later developments cannot be understood without first understanding Israel.
Why History Matters
The earliest followers of Messiah did not see themselves as founders of a new religion. They understood themselves within the story of Israel, heirs to the covenant promises given to Abraham.
Without this foundation, first-century faith appears disconnected from its roots.
With it, continuity becomes visible.
Israel began as a man. It became a covenant people. It endured division and exile. It preserved identity through dispersion.
And it formed the world into which Messiah came.
Understanding that story allows us to approach later developments including separation with historical clarity rather than assumption.
Continue the Study:
Understanding Faith in Its Original Context
When Did the Separation Begin?