ISRAEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Two thousand years after Adam’s fall, God called one man out of the human race to be the vehicle through whom His plans and purposes for having brought man into existence would ultimately be realized. This man was Abraham, called out of Ur of the Chaldees. It is through this nation which emanated form the loins of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, God accomplished some great things. He provided a Redeemer for fallen man, He provided the written revelation to guide man into redemption, (revealing His plans and purposes), and He made provisions that man would ultimately be placed once again in the position for which he was created in the first place.
The first two of these three purposes have been realized, but the latter is still in the process of being done. It awaits that day in the immediate future when Babylon reemerges as the center of Gentile world power, with the last king of Babylon present.
In the OT, Israel was made the repository for both earthly and heavenly blessings. When viewing Scriptures such as Gen. 14:18, 19; 15:5; 22:17, 18; Dan. 7:18-27, Israel alone was in view. The same would be true in Matt. 8:11, 12 where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are seen, in that future day, in the kingdom of the heavens.
Matt 8:11-12
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
KJV
Therefore, those cast into the darkness outside at this time would have to be looked upon as Israelites (i.e. saved individuals who could have been in the kingdom but, because of unfaithfulness, were cast without [note that the subject matter in this passage has to do with entrance into or exclusion from the heavenly sphere of the kingdom, not with matters surrounding eternal salvation or eternal damnation]).
There was no Church at the time. Aside from that fact, all spiritual promises and blessings must be realized through, and only through, the seed of Abraham. Thus, only Israel could possibly have been in view.
(This will explain a central reason why Christ, when commissioning His twelve disciples to carry the message concerning the kingdom of the heavens to Israel, specifically told them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles….” [Matt. 10:5-8]. Israel alone was the repository for the promises and blessings associated with the proffered kingdom of the heavens.
The Gentiles were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel…” {Eph. 2:12]. “Commonwealth” in this passage is a translation of the Greek word politeia, a cognate form of politeuma, having to do with one’s “political sphere of activity.” (By the way,Christians should not be involved in politics) As I mentioned in a previous study, we cannot 'fix' this kingdom.
Since Israel alone was in view after this fashion, how can the Church later fit into certain OT promises (or passages such as Matt. 8:11, 12), which it does? And, since the Church does later fit into certain promises and blessings given to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob (or certain passages in the gospel accounts) – which had to do with Israel alone at the time they were given – where does this presently leave Israel?
Has the Church being put in place of Israel, leaving Israel with nothing? Has God finished His work with Israel? Is God through, with Israel within His plans and purposes in relation to man?
Unfortunately too many Christians interprets Scripture after the preceding fashion, but a proper understanding of Scripture teaches something entirely different. God is no more through with Israel today than He was when certain promises were made to Abraham at the time he was called out of Ur of the Chaldees, four millenniums ago:
Two thousand years after Adam’s fall, God called one man out of the human race to be the vehicle through whom His plans and purposes for having brought man into existence would ultimately be realized. This man was Abraham, called out of Ur of the Chaldees. It is through this nation which emanated form the loins of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, God accomplished some great things. He provided a Redeemer for fallen man, He provided the written revelation to guide man into redemption, (revealing His plans and purposes), and He made provisions that man would ultimately be placed once again in the position for which he was created in the first place.
The first two of these three purposes have been realized, but the latter is still in the process of being done. It awaits that day in the immediate future when Babylon reemerges as the center of Gentile world power, with the last king of Babylon present.
In the OT, Israel was made the repository for both earthly and heavenly blessings. When viewing Scriptures such as Gen. 14:18, 19; 15:5; 22:17, 18; Dan. 7:18-27, Israel alone was in view. The same would be true in Matt. 8:11, 12 where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are seen, in that future day, in the kingdom of the heavens.
Matt 8:11-12
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
KJV
Therefore, those cast into the darkness outside at this time would have to be looked upon as Israelites (i.e. saved individuals who could have been in the kingdom but, because of unfaithfulness, were cast without [note that the subject matter in this passage has to do with entrance into or exclusion from the heavenly sphere of the kingdom, not with matters surrounding eternal salvation or eternal damnation]).
There was no Church at the time. Aside from that fact, all spiritual promises and blessings must be realized through, and only through, the seed of Abraham. Thus, only Israel could possibly have been in view.
(This will explain a central reason why Christ, when commissioning His twelve disciples to carry the message concerning the kingdom of the heavens to Israel, specifically told them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles….” [Matt. 10:5-8]. Israel alone was the repository for the promises and blessings associated with the proffered kingdom of the heavens.
The Gentiles were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel…” {Eph. 2:12]. “Commonwealth” in this passage is a translation of the Greek word politeia, a cognate form of politeuma, having to do with one’s “political sphere of activity.” (By the way,Christians should not be involved in politics) As I mentioned in a previous study, we cannot 'fix' this kingdom.
Since Israel alone was in view after this fashion, how can the Church later fit into certain OT promises (or passages such as Matt. 8:11, 12), which it does? And, since the Church does later fit into certain promises and blessings given to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob (or certain passages in the gospel accounts) – which had to do with Israel alone at the time they were given – where does this presently leave Israel?
Has the Church being put in place of Israel, leaving Israel with nothing? Has God finished His work with Israel? Is God through, with Israel within His plans and purposes in relation to man?
Unfortunately too many Christians interprets Scripture after the preceding fashion, but a proper understanding of Scripture teaches something entirely different. God is no more through with Israel today than He was when certain promises were made to Abraham at the time he was called out of Ur of the Chaldees, four millenniums ago:
Rom 11:1-2
1. 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. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
KJV
Israel, as in Moses’ day, is still God’s firstborn son (“Sonship” implies rulership), and Israel will yet occupy her firstborn status in relation to the nations.
(This is what was in view when God announced Israel’s firstborn status in Exo. 4:22, 23 [cf. Exo. 19:5, 6], at the time Israel was called out of Egypt. God in a future day will deal with Israel after this fashion set forth in Exodus, establishing Israel at the head of the nations following Israel’s removal from a worldwide dispersion at the time of Christ’s return [typified by the nation’s removal from Egypt at the time of Moses’ return; cf. Exo. 2:23-25; 3:10; 12;40, 41; Deut. 30:1-3; Isa. 2:1-5; Jer. 31:31-34]).
Paul, in Rom. 11:1, 2, raised the issue concerning Israel’s present and future status; and he responded after a fashion which leaves no room for questions along these lines:
“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.
God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew……"
The words “God forbid,” are a translation of a Greek negative appearing with a verb in the optative mood, which is a very rear mood in the Greek NT. Paul used this expression fourteen of the fifteen times in which it appears in the NT, and he used it mainly to express his abhorrence to an inference which he had raised (cf. Rom. 3:4, 6, 31; Gal. 2:17; 3:21; 6:14).
The inference in Rom. 11:1 had to do with God’s casting Israel aside, which was declared to be something completely abhorrent to Paul’s way of thinking. Paul, through the use of the optative mood, declared that such an act, in reality, was “impossible” – i.e. it was “impossible” for God to cast away His people, Israel.
Then, later in the same chapter, in keeping with what he had declared concerning Israel, he reviewed the present status and future history of Israel (vv. 17-29). Neither Israel’s present status nor future 'history' has anything to do with a notion removed from God’s plans and purposes. Rather, it's the exact opposite that is in view.
Paul’s portrayal of Israel set forth a nation – separate from the other nations of the earth – which had been, presently remains, and always will be an integral part of God’s plans and purposes.
One way to tell if any group of believers are correct in the way they interpret Scripture, is whether or not they give Isreal her proper place in God's scheme of events. God is definately not true with Israel.
(This is what was in view when God announced Israel’s firstborn status in Exo. 4:22, 23 [cf. Exo. 19:5, 6], at the time Israel was called out of Egypt. God in a future day will deal with Israel after this fashion set forth in Exodus, establishing Israel at the head of the nations following Israel’s removal from a worldwide dispersion at the time of Christ’s return [typified by the nation’s removal from Egypt at the time of Moses’ return; cf. Exo. 2:23-25; 3:10; 12;40, 41; Deut. 30:1-3; Isa. 2:1-5; Jer. 31:31-34]).
Paul, in Rom. 11:1, 2, raised the issue concerning Israel’s present and future status; and he responded after a fashion which leaves no room for questions along these lines:
“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.
God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew……"
The words “God forbid,” are a translation of a Greek negative appearing with a verb in the optative mood, which is a very rear mood in the Greek NT. Paul used this expression fourteen of the fifteen times in which it appears in the NT, and he used it mainly to express his abhorrence to an inference which he had raised (cf. Rom. 3:4, 6, 31; Gal. 2:17; 3:21; 6:14).
The inference in Rom. 11:1 had to do with God’s casting Israel aside, which was declared to be something completely abhorrent to Paul’s way of thinking. Paul, through the use of the optative mood, declared that such an act, in reality, was “impossible” – i.e. it was “impossible” for God to cast away His people, Israel.
Then, later in the same chapter, in keeping with what he had declared concerning Israel, he reviewed the present status and future history of Israel (vv. 17-29). Neither Israel’s present status nor future 'history' has anything to do with a notion removed from God’s plans and purposes. Rather, it's the exact opposite that is in view.
Paul’s portrayal of Israel set forth a nation – separate from the other nations of the earth – which had been, presently remains, and always will be an integral part of God’s plans and purposes.
One way to tell if any group of believers are correct in the way they interpret Scripture, is whether or not they give Isreal her proper place in God's scheme of events. God is definately not true with Israel.
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