It is my prayer that this study will dispell the common error of the Church ushering in the kingdom. It is not the Church's call to usher in, but to prepare for the coming kingdom; knowing that though God has set Israel aside for this dispensation He is going to deal with them again at the end of this dispensation.
The question now is, if God had already had a nation through which His plan and purposes could be realized, why call into existence a new entity – the Church – through which at least a part of His plans and purposes would, as well, be realized? Why did God not just approach the entire matter through the lineal descendants of Abraham, leaving matters, in this respect, as they had stood for the preceding two millenniums?
The answer is derived from that which Israel did at Christ’s first coming, resulting in reciprocal action on Christ’s part. Israel, as a nation, rejected the proffered kingdom of the heavens. And, not only did the Jewish people reject the message, but they rejected the Messenger as well, ultimately crucifying Him.
The nation’s rejection of the kingdom of the heavens resulted in this facet of the kingdom (the heavenly promises and blessings) being taken from Israel, with a new entity – the Church – then being called into existence to be the recipient of that which Israel had rejected.
Following the offer and subsequent rejection of the kingdom of the heavens, with the events of Calvary only days away, Christ responded to that which Israel had done (and was about to climax at Calvary) through removing the nation from the position it held relative to the heavenly promises and blessings. At that time, concluding a parable dealing with the Householder and His vineyard (Matt. 21:33-39) – which had to do with matters surrounding Christ and Israel – Christ allowed the religious leaders in Israel the opportunity to seal their own fate in this respect.
Christ asked:
“When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen [the Jews, those to whom He was speaking, the ones who had rejected
the Householder’s Son and were about to cast Him out of the vineyard and slay Him]? And the Jewish religious leaders, not yet realizing that He was speaking about them and the nation at large, responded, ‘He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons (vv. 40, 41; cf. v. 45)’.”
It was then that Christ drew from the OT Scriptures, identifying Himself as the Chief Corner Stone, the One Whom the nation had rejected and was about to cast out of the vineyard (v. 42; cf. Psa. 118:22, 23). And He then made the announcement concerning the proffered kingdom being taken from Israel in complete keeping with that which the Jewish religious leaders had already stated:
“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God [referring to that facet of the kingdom of God which had been offered, the heavenly portion of the kingdom] shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (v. 43).
Then the Church, an entirely new entity, whose future existence had been previously announced (Matt. 16:18), was shortly thereafter called into existence for the express purpose of being that “nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (1 Pet. 2:9, 10).
Matt 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
KJV
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
KJV
And since all spiritual blessings and promises must flow through Abraham and his progeny (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:17, 18), the Church, in order to be that “nation” spoken of in Matt. 21:43 and 1 Pet. 2:9, must be identified with Abraham.
Matt 21:43
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
KJV
This is accomplished through the Christian’s personal standing “in Christ.” Christ is Abraham’s Seed, and Christians through their personal standing “in Christ,” are likewise “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:16, 29).
Gal 3:16, 29
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
KJV
Thus, during the coming age, in relation to the government of the earth and in line with Gen. 22:17, 18, the Seed of Abraham will occupy positions in both heavenly and earthly places, though the vast majority of the numerous individuals occupying heavenly places in the kingdom will not be lineal descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob.
Rather, they will have become “Abraham’s seed” through their positional standing “in Christ.”
Governmental rule will emanate from both Jerusalem above and Jerusalem below. Christ with His “companions,” His “co-heirs,” will rule from His Own throne in Jerusalem above (the New Jerusalem, which will apparently be a satellite city of the earth at this time); and Christ Himself will also rule from David’s throne in the midst of Israel in Jerusalem below (Jerusalem in the earthly land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).
(In the preceding respect, Christ will have a dual reign at this time – both from His Own throne in the heavens and from David’s throne on the earth. But neither Israel nor the Church will occupy dual status of this nature. Israel will be placed at the head of the nations on the earth, and the Church will rule from the heavens over the earth [which will include all nations, even Israel; cf. Matt. 19:28; Rev. 2:26, 27; 3:21].)
Matt 19:28
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
KJV
Rev 2:26-27
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
KJV
Rev 3:21
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
KJV
Since the Church has become the repository for the heavenly promises and blessings originally held by Israel, sections of OT Scripture such as Abraham’s seed likened to “the stars of the heaven” (Gen. 22:17, 18) or “the saints of the most High [‘saints of the high places’ (‘heavenly places’)]” (Dan. 7:18,22, 25, 27) would today relate to the Church. This would also be true concerning sections in the gospel accounts having to do with the kingdom of the heavens, such as entrance into the kingdom in Matt. 7:13, 14, 21-23; 8:11, 12.
Matt 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
KJV
The answer is derived from that which Israel did at Christ’s first coming, resulting in reciprocal action on Christ’s part. Israel, as a nation, rejected the proffered kingdom of the heavens. And, not only did the Jewish people reject the message, but they rejected the Messenger as well, ultimately crucifying Him.
The nation’s rejection of the kingdom of the heavens resulted in this facet of the kingdom (the heavenly promises and blessings) being taken from Israel, with a new entity – the Church – then being called into existence to be the recipient of that which Israel had rejected.
Following the offer and subsequent rejection of the kingdom of the heavens, with the events of Calvary only days away, Christ responded to that which Israel had done (and was about to climax at Calvary) through removing the nation from the position it held relative to the heavenly promises and blessings. At that time, concluding a parable dealing with the Householder and His vineyard (Matt. 21:33-39) – which had to do with matters surrounding Christ and Israel – Christ allowed the religious leaders in Israel the opportunity to seal their own fate in this respect.
Christ asked:
“When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen [the Jews, those to whom He was speaking, the ones who had rejected
the Householder’s Son and were about to cast Him out of the vineyard and slay Him]? And the Jewish religious leaders, not yet realizing that He was speaking about them and the nation at large, responded, ‘He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons (vv. 40, 41; cf. v. 45)’.”
It was then that Christ drew from the OT Scriptures, identifying Himself as the Chief Corner Stone, the One Whom the nation had rejected and was about to cast out of the vineyard (v. 42; cf. Psa. 118:22, 23). And He then made the announcement concerning the proffered kingdom being taken from Israel in complete keeping with that which the Jewish religious leaders had already stated:
“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God [referring to that facet of the kingdom of God which had been offered, the heavenly portion of the kingdom] shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (v. 43).
Then the Church, an entirely new entity, whose future existence had been previously announced (Matt. 16:18), was shortly thereafter called into existence for the express purpose of being that “nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (1 Pet. 2:9, 10).
Matt 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
KJV
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
KJV
And since all spiritual blessings and promises must flow through Abraham and his progeny (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:17, 18), the Church, in order to be that “nation” spoken of in Matt. 21:43 and 1 Pet. 2:9, must be identified with Abraham.
Matt 21:43
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
KJV
This is accomplished through the Christian’s personal standing “in Christ.” Christ is Abraham’s Seed, and Christians through their personal standing “in Christ,” are likewise “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:16, 29).
Gal 3:16, 29
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
KJV
Thus, during the coming age, in relation to the government of the earth and in line with Gen. 22:17, 18, the Seed of Abraham will occupy positions in both heavenly and earthly places, though the vast majority of the numerous individuals occupying heavenly places in the kingdom will not be lineal descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob.
Rather, they will have become “Abraham’s seed” through their positional standing “in Christ.”
Governmental rule will emanate from both Jerusalem above and Jerusalem below. Christ with His “companions,” His “co-heirs,” will rule from His Own throne in Jerusalem above (the New Jerusalem, which will apparently be a satellite city of the earth at this time); and Christ Himself will also rule from David’s throne in the midst of Israel in Jerusalem below (Jerusalem in the earthly land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).
(In the preceding respect, Christ will have a dual reign at this time – both from His Own throne in the heavens and from David’s throne on the earth. But neither Israel nor the Church will occupy dual status of this nature. Israel will be placed at the head of the nations on the earth, and the Church will rule from the heavens over the earth [which will include all nations, even Israel; cf. Matt. 19:28; Rev. 2:26, 27; 3:21].)
Matt 19:28
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
KJV
Rev 2:26-27
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
KJV
Rev 3:21
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
KJV
Since the Church has become the repository for the heavenly promises and blessings originally held by Israel, sections of OT Scripture such as Abraham’s seed likened to “the stars of the heaven” (Gen. 22:17, 18) or “the saints of the most High [‘saints of the high places’ (‘heavenly places’)]” (Dan. 7:18,22, 25, 27) would today relate to the Church. This would also be true concerning sections in the gospel accounts having to do with the kingdom of the heavens, such as entrance into the kingdom in Matt. 7:13, 14, 21-23; 8:11, 12.
Matt 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
KJV
Matt 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
KJV
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
But all of this has nothing to do with Israel’s earthly promises and blessings. These have not been and can never be taken from Israel. And during the coming age, following Israel’s repentance, conversion, and restoration to the land, that which was promised through Abraham relative to the nation’s earthly calling will be realized.
(But what about those OT saints who looked toward heavenly promises and blessings and died in the faith prior to Christ’s announcement in Matt. 21:43? Scripture clearly reveals that the removal of this facet of the kingdom from Israel’s possession at Christ’s first coming cannot make null and void any previous acceptance by individual Jews of that which God had promised [cf. Matt. 8:11, 12; Heb. 11:13-16, 39, 40]. Christ’s announcement in Matt. 21:43 though does, forever do away with Israel as a nation occupying such a position, continuing to be the repository for these heavenly promises and blessings).
Following Christ’s announcement to Israel concerning the kingdom, only one way has existed for Jews to come into a realization of the heavenly promises and blessings. They must become part of the one new man “in Christ” through faith in Israel’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Doing this, they relinquish their national identity and earthly calling, becoming “fellow-heirs” with believing Gentiles, who have also relinquished their national identity [but, unlike Jews, had no calling to relinquish (Eph. 2:12)].
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
KJV
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
But all of this has nothing to do with Israel’s earthly promises and blessings. These have not been and can never be taken from Israel. And during the coming age, following Israel’s repentance, conversion, and restoration to the land, that which was promised through Abraham relative to the nation’s earthly calling will be realized.
(But what about those OT saints who looked toward heavenly promises and blessings and died in the faith prior to Christ’s announcement in Matt. 21:43? Scripture clearly reveals that the removal of this facet of the kingdom from Israel’s possession at Christ’s first coming cannot make null and void any previous acceptance by individual Jews of that which God had promised [cf. Matt. 8:11, 12; Heb. 11:13-16, 39, 40]. Christ’s announcement in Matt. 21:43 though does, forever do away with Israel as a nation occupying such a position, continuing to be the repository for these heavenly promises and blessings).
Following Christ’s announcement to Israel concerning the kingdom, only one way has existed for Jews to come into a realization of the heavenly promises and blessings. They must become part of the one new man “in Christ” through faith in Israel’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Doing this, they relinquish their national identity and earthly calling, becoming “fellow-heirs” with believing Gentiles, who have also relinquished their national identity [but, unlike Jews, had no calling to relinquish (Eph. 2:12)].
Eph 2:12
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
KJV
And, “in Christ,” where “there is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile],” they both together – as one new man – become partakers of a higher calling, a “heavenly calling” [Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 2:13-15; 3:1-6; Heb. 3:1].)
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
KJV
And, “in Christ,” where “there is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile],” they both together – as one new man – become partakers of a higher calling, a “heavenly calling” [Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 2:13-15; 3:1-6; Heb. 3:1].)
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