Who are the nations?

[Zenas]

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

Matthew 25:31-33.

Who are the nations?

Are they the Gentiles?

Are they political entities?

Is the word being used as a figure of speech to reflect all humanity?

 

[Bluefalcon]

Matthew 25:31-33.

Who are the nations?

Are they the Gentiles?

Are they political entities?

Is the word being used as a figure of speech to reflect all humanity?

John Piper's Let the Nations Be Glad! is really good on this.

 

[Wherever You Go]

I am under the impression that most, if not all, the times in the Bible that "the nations" are mentioned, it refers to the Gentile nations of the earth. Perhaps God is the only one who can truly determine which nation someone belongs to-- if someone is born in one country of two immigrants who are each from another country-- what nation is he a part of? How many nations are there? In all of history? Now, currently?

It would be interesting to know.

 

[beameup]

There is Israel where God's people, genetic Israelites, live.
And then there are all the other nations - the Gentiles.
Today, more than half of the genetic Israelites are back
in God's land, but they are still in unbelief, awaiting fulfillment
of Ezekiel 37.

 

[Wherever You Go]

Today, more than half of the genetic Israelites are back
in God's land, but they are still in unbelief, awaiting fulfillment
of Ezekiel 37.

I'm just curious, how do you know that more than half of them are back in the land?

 

[beameup]

I'm just curious, how do you know that more than half of them are back in the land?

It was in the news within the last month.
The genetic Israelite population of Israel equaled the
1/2 total mark, and there are now as many living in Israel
as there were exterminated under the NAZIs (6 Million).

For example: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/...130101/israeli-jews-now-number-6-million-pale
"But worldwide we are still in the same place. Before the Holocaust there were around 18 million Jews in the world; after it, a bit more than 13 million.
We are still at a bit more than 13 million. But now Israel's Jewish population is close to half the Jewish nation worldwide. It puts Israel in a very central place.
We are almost the only Jewish community that is growing."

And: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/01/israel-jewish-population-six-million

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I watch Israel very closely. Many feel there will be another Arab-Israeli War soon and Israel will win for the 4th time. The next event will be "world changing".

 

[Wherever You Go]

So by the reckoning of the Israeli people then.

See, I have to believe there are many more genetic Jews in the world, many of whom do not even realize they are Jewish.

 

[beameup]

So by the reckoning of the Israeli people then.

See, I have to believe there are many more genetic Jews in the world, many of whom do not even realize they are Jewish.

Certainly you are free to come up with any estimate you want.
There is a whole lot of genetic testing going on. Eventually it will
lead to an unmistakable marker.
There is a major "event" which will lead to the fulfullment of Ezekiel 37
and the regathering of The Whole House of Israel in the Land.
Eventually this will lead to Satan's final attempt to permanently
wipe out the Jewish Race (God's People, genetic Israel).
In their final hour they will "call upon the Name of the LORD" (ie: Jesus). So it is written, so shall it be done.

 

[Wherever You Go]

See, I'm sure the jews lost in captivity, many of them have descendents to this day. Whether God counts them as descended from the male line or the female line, or both, or either, there have got to be more descendents around the world.

 

[beameup]

See, I'm sure the jews lost in captivity, many of them have descendents to this day. Whether God counts them as descended from the male line or the female line, or both, or either, there have got to be more descendents around the world.

In order to immigrate to Israel you have to prove using the maternal line.
You would have to check with the Rabbis, but that is the way they do it and have always done it.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is now used in family tree research for Gentiles.
The next step for genetic Israelites will be determining DNA markers for a particular tribe.

 

[kyredneck]

In order to immigrate to Israel you have to prove using the maternal line.
You would have to check with the Rabbis, but that is the way they do it and have always done it.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is now used in family tree research for Gentiles.
The next step for genetic Israelites will be determining DNA markers for a particular tribe.

Got to have that 'Holy DNA" !

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

In order to immigrate to Israel you have to prove using the maternal line.
You would have to check with the Rabbis, but that is the way they do it and have always done it.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is now used in family tree research for Gentiles.
The next step for genetic Israelites will be determining DNA markers for a particular tribe.

Then do you have to factor in converts to Judaism?

According to Wiki:

According to the simplest definition used by Jews for self-identification, a person is a Jew by birth, or becomes one through religious conversion. However, there are differences of opinion among the various branches of Judaism in the application of this definition, including:

The effect of mixed parents: i.e. whether a person of mixed Jewish and non-Jewish parents should be considered Jewish.
Conversion: i.e. what processes of conversion should be considered valid.
Historical loss of Jewish identity: i.e. whether a person's or group's actions (such as conversion to a different religion) or circumstances in his or her community's life (such as being unaware of Jewish parents) should affect his or her status as Jewish or non-Jewish.
Diaspora identity: identity of Jews among themselves, and by non-Jews throughout the Jewish diaspora.
Claim to Israeli citizenship: the examination of the previous issues in the context of the Basic Laws of Israel.

L'Chayim

 

[Wherever You Go]

In order to immigrate to Israel you have to prove using the maternal line.
You would have to check with the Rabbis, but that is the way they do it and have always done it.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is now used in family tree research for Gentiles.
The next step for genetic Israelites will be determining DNA markers for a particular tribe.

Funny how they do it through the female line, but the genealogies in the Bible all go from male to male to male.