hat is very interesting Rose,
I would want to look into it more deeply before responding at length.
You said "Under the old covenant God's people were determined by circumcision, not by ethnicity or race"
I think that is significant to the discussion here on how God defines Israel.
I welcome your comments.
I think it's important to the discussion to notice when Abraham became the first member of the people of God. It was the covenant of circumcision God made with him. It's the first time that God speaks with Abraham as being a part of a people. Circumcision defines the people of God. Physical then, spiritual now
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. Genesis 17:10-14.