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Lesson EIGHT:
IS The Church The "New Israel?"
Part One
The idea that
the Church is the "new" Israel is by no means a "new" thing. However, in recent
years this doctrine seems to be making a comeback among many circles seeking to
preclude Israel from the plan of God. The doctrine of "replacement theology"
means that the Church has finally and forever replaced Israel in the purposes of
God.
In this lesson we will examine the following questions,
"Do the Jewish people as such still have any significant place in the plan of
God?" "Do God's territorial promises to Israel still stand?" and "Does the
modern State of Israel have prophetic significance, or is it an historic
accident?"
The doctrine of replacement theology rests on four main pillars:
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Israel has been replaced by the Christian Church in the
purposes of God, or, more precisely, the Church is the historic continuation of
Israel
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The Jewish people are there no longer "Israel." They are
just another people group, like all other nations and religions, who need, and
can receive, salvation in Jesus the Messiah.
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Apart from salvation, and incorporation into the Body of
Messiah, the Jews have no future, no hope, and no calling
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Since Pentecost, Israel, properly so-called, IS THE
CHURCH.
In arguing
their case, replacement theologians plead the following points:
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To be a son of Abraham is to have faith in Messiah Jesus.
Galatians 3:29 shows that son ship of Abraham is seen in spiritual, not national
terms.
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The promise of Canaan to Abraham was only a "starter." The
real promised land is the whole "world." (Romans 4:13). It will be the Church,
not Israel that will inherit the world.
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The nation of Israel was only the seed of the future
Church which would arise, incorporating people of ALL nations (Malachi 1:11)
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Jesus taught that the Jews would lose their spiritual
privileges and be replaced by another people (Matthew 21:43). The question
raised by the apostles in Acts 1:6 is ignored by Jesus as unworthy of comment.
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A true Jew is anyone born of the Spirit, whether he is
racially Gentile or Jewish (Romans 2:28-29)
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Paul shows that the Church was really the same "olive
tree" as was Israel. Therefore the distinguish between Israel and the Church is,
strictly speaking, false. Indeed, people of Jewish origin need to be grafted
back into the Church i.e., into Israel proper (Romans 11:17-23)
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All the Old Testament promises made to Israel, unless they
were historically fulfilled before the first coming of Messiah, are now the
property of the Christian church. They are not to be interpreted carnally and
literally, but spiritually and symbolically. Therefore, OT references to
"Israel," "Jerusalem," "Zion," and the "Temple," where they are predictive,
refer to the Church (2 Cor. 1:20) In the NT all these things are understood
spiritually (Gal. 4:21-26; 6:16; Eph. 2:19-22; Heb. 12:22)
The attraction
of this doctrine comes from the Church's past. It is historically well rooted in
the Church Fathers (Origen and Tertullian), Martin Luther's writings and the
Reformers. It has an intellectual appeal, because it does not require literal
interpretation of the Bible. It has a freshness appeal, because it goes along
with the view of the "Last Things" that cuts across the often fanciful end-time
teachings, which have been current in the Church (through the influence of the
Plymouth Brethren and the Scofield Bible) over the last century or so.
It also appeals
to that side of human character, which has difficulty in acceding the election
to others. Furthermore, it feeds into and from the Anti-Semitic past of the
Church.
We have seen the case FOR Replacement
Theology. Now let's look and see the case AGAINST this doctrine that is yet
another effort by Satan to keep Jews and Christians apart.
Some general statements first:
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To be a son of Abraham is open to ALL FAITH, but
physical sonship still exists. Israel (the Jews) have and will have an important
place in the purposes of God
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By no means is it true that every Israelite has
been, is, or shall be, saved.
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Unlike any other nation, Israel has been chosen
by God for His purposes of redemption for the whole world
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Through Israel the promised Redeemer and Messiah
came into the world. Both the FIRST and the SECOND comings of Jesus are to be on
their territory
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Individually, Jews, as well as Gentiles, can
only be saved in this age through faith in the person and work of the Messiah
(Yeshuah) Jesus.
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Historically, a large part of the nation (though
by no means ALL, if we are to believe the record of the book of Acts) rejected
the true Messiah, and for that reason lost possession of their land, and their
destiny as a priestly nation - for a season.
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There has, in all the centuries since Jesus the
Messiah, been a number of Jews, who came to know and love Jesus, though at the
expense of being swallowed up in a Church, which by this time had forgotten it's
Jewish origin.
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The Jewish people are unique in human history:
they retained their identity as a people, despite having no homeland or
political structure, despite frequent attempts at genocide and forcible
conversion, and despite their own desires to become indistinguishable from their
Gentile neighbors.
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God made some very clear promises to the Jews as
a people. How could He possible redefine them to apply to another people without
be charged with deviousness?
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Since the 1840s there are more Jews believing in
Jesus than since the first century
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The State of Israel has been reestablished,
though yet in unbelief. It has been so far preserved remarkably, it not
miraculously, through many crises. Those who believe in the sovereignty of God
within History find in this the marks of Divine Providence.
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There is YET to be a time when Jews in large
numbers will turn to Jesus, having strong influence on the evangelization of the
Gentile world.
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In our day there are significant and growing
congregations of Hebrew speaking Jews in Israel, who proclaim Jesus as Messiah
and Saviour to their own people. They are not part of any Gentile denominational
organization. They bear the marks of a fresh direction in the work of God
The general pattern of scripture is that its histories and predictions
are literal, though often trimmed with poetic and pictorial language. This
allows for the use of "type" and "antitype" in scripture. Some examples:
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The prophecy about the altar at Bethel. 1 Kings
13:2 gives the prediction; 2 Kings 23:15-17 shows the fulfillment
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Messiah is to be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14
and Matthew 1:23)
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Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
For those who spiritualize the prophecies, it would not have mattered had He
been born in Birmingham.
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Messiah will ride into Jerusalem on an ass
(Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:5)
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Messiah will suffer excruciating pain at the
hands of men (Psalm 22)
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Messiah will be killed, and buried in a rich
man's grave (Isaiah 53:8-9)
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Messiah will be alive again after His death
(Isaiah 53:10)
In
the case of fulfilled prophecy the fulfillment is literaly, then it is logical
to expect unfulfilled prophecies to be literal too. Thus, when God speaks of
Jerusalem, Judah, and Israel in the last days, we can accept this at face value.
Jesus, for example, predicted the destruction of the Temple (Matthew 24:2), and
that Jerusalem would be dominated by the Gentiles until much later in history
(Luke 21:24). How can this ever be interpreted as "the church?" In fact the
predictions were fulfilled in AD 70 and 1967. The Bible, of course, also refers
to "the heavenly Jerusalem," but there is no difficulty perceiving when it means
the earthly and the heavenly Jerusalem.
There
are about 77 references to "Israel" in the New Testament. One refers to the land
of Israel, and every single one of the rest refer to the Jewish people either
historically, in their unbelief, or as the believing remnant. The one reference
which is debated is Galatians 6:16 where Paul says, "as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." In view
of the fact that the word "Israel" never refers elsewhere in scripture to the
Christian Church, it is best to interpret Gal. 6:16 as referring to the body of
Jews who believe in Jesus, who are, of course, part of the Church.
The
word "Jew" or "Jews" occurs over 190 times in the New Covenant. These terms
ALWAYS refer to the Jewish people, whether to those who rejected the Messiah, or
to those who accepted Him. It is never used to describe a Gentile Christian.
Romans 2:28-29 does not extend the title of "JEW" to the Gentile Christian world
but it actually RESTRICTS the true Jewishness to those Jews who are circumcised
in heart i.e. who accept Jesus, and are born of the Spirit.
While
insisting that Jews and Gentiles within the Church constitute "ONE NEW MAN", and
that the spiritual standing of Jews and Gentiles in Messiah is equal (Gal. 3:28;
6:15), Paul did make a practical distinction, not only between MEN and WOMEN,
but also between Christians of Jewish and Gentile backgrounds.
Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature.
This
is illustrated by his attitude to his two colleagues, Timothy and Titus;
Timothy, who was Jewish, he circumcised:
Acts 16:3 - Him would Paul have to
go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were
in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
But he sternly resisted pressure to
circumcise Titus, because he was a Gentile:
Galatians 2:3 - But neither Titus,
who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Paul did not teach that either Jews
or Gentiles had a superior position within the ecclesia on grounds of race. This
outlaws discrimination against ANYONE within the CHURCH on ground of his racial
origin. Paul in fact distinguishes between three groups of peoples in the world:
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Jews
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Gentiles
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The Church of God (Comprised of both Jews
and Gentiles)
This means that a Christian has
transcended his racial background, though for practical
purposes he is still a member of his own nation.
This principle
is further illustrated in the epistles of James and Peter. James addresses his
epistle to "the twelve tribes in the Diaspora. Clearly, he saw the Jewish
Christians, to whom he was writing, as still Israelites. He describes their
meeting as a "synagogue," (2.2). Peter was given as "apostleship to the
circumcision (i.e., to the Jews)" (Gal. 2:8). This is why Peter's first epistle
is written from Babylonia, where the largest First Century Jewish community
resided (1 Peter 5:13), and was addressed to "chosen exiles of the Diaspora." (1
Peter 1:1)
Paul himself
was a Jew, and also the chosen apostle to the Gentiles. (There is not one even
one non-Jewish apostle in the New Testament). Paul's epistle to the Romans is
the theological heart of the New Covenant. Chapters 9-11 contain his mature
teaching about Israel.
The following is a summary list of the points Paul makes in Romans 9-11 in his
great teaching on the nation of Israel and how she relates to God's prophetic
time clock and future:
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The Jews, even in their rejection of Jesus are STILL
Israelites: - Romans 9:4 - ...Who
are Israelites; to whom pertain the
adoption, and the glory, and the
covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
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To Israel still belong the ADOPTION, the GLORY, the
COVENANTS (including the New COVENANT), the GIVING OF THE LAW, the SERVICE OF
GOD, and THE PROMISES (9:4c)
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The main body of Israel has forfeited salvation through
rejecting the Messiah - Romans 9:30-33; 10:21 - What shall we say then? That the
Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to
righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. [31] But Israel, which
followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of
righteousness. [32] Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it
were by the works of the law.
For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; [33] As it is written, Behold, I lay
in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him
shall not be ashamed; Romans 10:21 - But to Israel he saith, All
day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying
people.
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Paul desires and PRAYS for their salvation - there is NOT
anti-Jewishness in Paul's heart - quite the opposite - Romans 9:1-3 - I
say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the
Holy Ghost, [2] That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow
in my heart. [3] For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ
for my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh:
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Israel is NOT finally rejected (Romans 11:1-2). Even in OT
times, there was only a remnant of true believers among a nation largely
composed of unbelievers. In Paul's day, nothing had changed (Romans 11:2-6 - I
say then, Hath God cast away his
people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of
Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. [2]
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Do you
not know what the scripture said of Elias? how he makes intercession to God
against Israel, saying, [3] Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down
thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. [4] But what said the
answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have
not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. [5] Even so then at this present time
also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. [6]
And if by grace, then is it no
more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is
it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
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God has judicially blinded the unbelieving majority to the
truth - Romans 11:7-10 - What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he
seeks for;
but the election hath obtained it,
and the rest were blinded
[8] (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of
slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;)
unto this day. [9] And David said, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them: [10] Let their eyes be
darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.
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Israel has paid the price of rejection to give the
Gentiles a chance. However, their restoration is assure and will be "life
from the dead." - Romans 11:12-16 Now if the fall of them be the riches
of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much
more their fullness? [13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am
the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [14] If by any means I may
provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. [15]
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the
receiving of them be, but life
from the dead? [16] For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is
also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
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Unbelieving Jews are like olive branches cut off from
their own tree. Believingg Gentiles are wild live branches grafted in. But
Gentiles are not to BOAST AGAINST THE JEWS, because God is able to graft them in
again. The Olive Root speaks of the spiritual riches, which flow from God via
the Patriarchs, which the Church (comprised of Jews and Gentiles) now enjoys,
and which unbelieving Israel has temporarily lost - Romans 11:17-24 -And
if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild
olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partakes of the root and
fatness of the olive tree; [18]
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the
root, but the root thee. [19] Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off,
that I might be grafted in. [20] Well; because of unbelief they were broken off,
and you stand by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: [21] For if God spared not
the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. [22]
Behold therefore the goodness and
severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee,
goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut
off. [23] And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted
in: for God is able to graft them in again. [24] For if thou were cut out of the
olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a
good olive tree: how much more
shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive
tree?
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A Future national repentance is expected for Israel. This
is laid before us as a mystery (a secret which can now be revealed - Romans
11:25-27). Compare Zechariah 12:10, where the prophet also speaks of a national
repentance towards a Messiah, who is also God. Romans 11:25-27 - For I
would not, brethren, that ye
should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in
your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the
fullness of the Gentiles be come in. [26]
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion
the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: [27] For this
is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
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Israel, even in its unbelief, is chosen and loved by God -
Romans 11:28 - As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes:
but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
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"As concerning the gospel they are enemies for "your
sakes" (i.e. YOU GENTILES). This alone should bring about great thankfulness and
love towards the Jews from Gentile Christians.
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"The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable." Romans
11:29 - This is firm ground on which to believe that God has not rejected
Israel.
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Paul still identifies himself as a Jew, after coming a
Christian (Acts 21:39)Acts 21:39 -
But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city
in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak
unto the people.
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The NT epistle addressed to the Hebrews is a warning to
Jewish believers not to return to Judaism as a religious hope, but it clearly
still sees these believers as Jewish. It's not a militant call against the
Jewish race as some church fathers have taught.
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