All who are born again of the Spirit are the "Israel of God" Bob! I don't know where you get the idea that only 'some' are of the Israel of God? There is only ONE faithful people spiritually in the Kingdom of God, and it does not matter what ethnic persuasion they are. All believers are of ONE body, and ONE faith, with ONE Lord and Saviour. EVERY human is destined to physically die. But NONE who die in faith, being indwelt with the life-giving Spirit of God are counted as being of "the dead", NONE! Why? Because physical death for believers is leaving our dead body behind and as living (spirit) souls ascending to heaven a spiritual body. We are as alive in heaven as are the angels of heaven, and where our Lord is, we are spiritually with Him after our body dies. That's why Paul looked forward to the death of his flesh, knowing that when he was out of his body of death, he would be with the Lord in heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Philippians 1:21-23 (KJV) For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
You know why all who have been born again of the life-giving Spirit are NEVER counted with "the dead" outside of Christ? Because to partake of Christ through new birth from His Spirit is to have part in the "first resurrection". You acknowledge this when you say, "Jesus was the very first resurrected one to be resurrected to everlasting life." Yes, He was, and it is His resurrection life we must have part in to have no fear of the second death. When we partake of Christ, through Spiritual re-birth, we have partaken of the "first resurrection." And as John shows in Rev 20, those living and reigning with Christ in TIME are NEVER counted among the "rest of the dead" or all "the dead" who shall stand before the GWTJ.
John 11:25 (KJV) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
We shall all be bodily resurrected in the same hour that is coming (John 5:28-29), when the last trump sounds (1Cor 15:51-53), the bodies of the faithful saints shall be resurrected to immortal and incorruptible life (complete living souls), and the dead, who are not written in the Book of Life, resurrected to damnation.
I, like the Apostle Paul do not fear death, and look forward to that day when I will finally be with my Lord in heaven. But I know, and trust the Lord to take me from this body of death at His appointed time, and so I am content to wait on His timing.
As long as believers live in this world we are all appointed to suffer tribulation and trials, with "great tribulation" and affliction. Christ told us that as we proclaim the Gospel unto all the world, we shall have "great tribulation". As we look back, we can see the truth in the words Christ spoke. We also see His promise that "great tribulation" will not endure, for with each trial the Church on earth faces, there has always been a reprieve, and the tribulation shortened so the Church would faithfully endure to the end, and all who shall be saved will be saved.
Matthew 24:14 (KJV) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:21 (KJV) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
This passage below is a depiction of the fullness or complete innumerable souls in heaven, whose dead bodies shall be resurrected to immortality and incorruptible when the last trump sounds that the spiritual Kingdom of God in heaven is complete and there are no more people to be saved. Time on this earth shall be no more.
Revelation 7:9-17 (KJV) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.