Hebrew – God’s distinctive name for the Israelites that are serving Him in truth, through faith, without any religious pretense.
God used this word 20 times in Scripture; every occurrence is a reference to the faithful children of God (Exodus 9:1); Israelites, not gentiles.
Literally Abraham, when he came out of Hebron (Genesis 13:18). The descendants of Abraham through Isaac were referred to as Hebrew (Genesis 35:27) because this was the name of Canaan and Palestine. The children of Jacob, once his name was changed to Israel in Genesis 32:28, were called the children of Israel.
Prior to coming out of Egypt, because Israel was not yet a nation, Israelites were still called Hebrews. Once God made them a nation, gave them the law, and put the tribe of Levi over them as priest, Israel was instructed through Levitican service.
About the time of Judges 17, the apostate northern 10 tribes created the religion of Judaism and abandoned Levitican service. This is when the distinction between Hebrews and Jews began; Hebrews having the faith of Abraham and living under Levitican service, and Jews feigning service to God through the practice of religion; relying on what they can hold onto and enforcing religious servitude.
In the Koine Greek Old Testament Gospel accounts, and the first 12 chapters of the transition book of Acts, the Little Flock is referred to as Hebrews (Acts 6:1); the Jews are called the “lost sheep”. God gives an entire book to his faithful followers of Israel, the book of Hebrews, to transition them back into their Kingdom Program at the beginning of their prophetic Tribulation, which begins at the end of the Dispensation of Grace.
See also Christian, Gentile, Grecian, Heathen, Heretic, Israelite, Jew, Proselyte