What happens to the two groups within Israel — the natural and the spiritual?
Within Israel, the covenant people, a division exists: some remain natural and destitute of faith, while others become spiritual and believe. God's word goes to the whole nation, Jacob, but only the believing element, called Israel, responds. This believing remnant has always been small, and it still is today.
Les explains that Jacob marks the beginning of a dividing line even within Israel, the covenant people of God. Some remain natural, destitute of faith; others become spiritual and believers. He points to Isaiah 9:8: the LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it lighted upon Israel. The word went to the whole nation, and all heard it, but only those enlightened by faith responded. That believing element, the Israel, was always a small remnant, and it still is today. The vast masses can hear and understand the Gospel, but few believe percentage wise. Paul refers to this in Romans 9: not all the children of Israel would be spiritual, only a few.