There is a common belief among churches that "
God is not totally finished with the nation Israel" or that "
After the church being raptured out, God will save Israel once again." But it's a belief that is borne out of either a
misunderstanding, wishful thinking,
human desire, or
misapplication of scripture. As far as the nation of Israel goes, it was used as a figure or corporate representation of the children of God (as the visible church today is). But at any time in history,
only a remnant of that body were truly saved. After the first advent of Christ, that external covenant nation body fell, never to rise again. The New Covenant with Israel concerns a new dispensation and body of Jews and Gentiles alike. Israel never ceased and those of the eternal Covenant nation (the apostles and disciples)
continue on in this New Testament representation of the body of Christ. It was only the
external Covenant nation that fell. The Kingdom representation was taken away from the Jewish nation because of unbelief, and
it will never return to them, as that would be confusion. As far as the kingdom goes, Israel the nation was brought to spiritual desolation at the cross. The reason so many do not comprehend this "truth" is
because they have been brainwashed by evangelicals and church traditions, or they are political rather than Spiritual and thus do not comprehend the nature of the restoration. Like the Preterists, Dispenalitionists look for Spiritual truths in
physical places (like the nation Israel, AD 70, earthly reigns, physical temples and kingdoms) when Christ taught in allegories, Parables, and spiritual portraits!
Luke 17:20-21
- "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
- Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
The Kingdom wasn't coming that they would physically see it (ie. buildings) as the Jewish people thought. And that's the
same fables that Premillennialists are teaching!! Christ taught of a different Kingdom. His kingdom was not like the world's Kingdom, His Temple was not made with hands, Israel's desolation was not by Romans, and His prophecy is not defined by secular historians. The Kingdom Christ came to rule in is inside each and every "true" believer when the Spirit of Christ comes to dwell there.
Christ taught the Spiritual in His parables, but the Jews couldn't hear them. So likewise, many in the church today cannot hear them when I preach with God's Word here. It's not because they are not intelligent, it's sad to say that usually, it's
because they don't have the Spirit of truth to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. It's the Spirit of truth that reveals what is correct, not people! Just as Christ said "unambiguously" that it was for this reason that he brought the word in parabolic form (Luke 8:10). It was so that seeing some might not see, and hearing some might not understand. Our Lord made no bones about it. So when professed Christians ask, "
if God meant that, why didn't He say it plainly," We can retort that "actually, He did!" But according to who it was given to RECEIVE the mysteries, that is who will "see" and who will "understand." To the rest, it is done in parables that they would miss the truth. As far as the nation Israel, consider wisely and carefully how clearly Christ spoke of their fate. It is not a temporary judgment, but until Christ returns. So you need to read whole context again wisely
Matthew 21:33-46
- "Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
- And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
- And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
- Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
- But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
- But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
- And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
- When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
- They say unto him, 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.
- Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
- And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
- But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet."
The rulers of Israel "perceived" that Christ spoke of them, but they couldn't
RECEIVE His truth. They instead
resented the truth because they didn't have the "Spirit of Truth," and they hated Christ because He dared to speak correctly and rebuke them. Just as those today do when the truth about the congregation or eschatology is declared, even on this forum! As Christ said, if they hated Him, they will surely hate you.
Plainly we read (if we will receive it) that the Kingdom was
taken from Israel at the cross and given to the New Testament congregation. Are we to suppose that it's going to be taken from then now and given back?
NOT going to happen! Because of no where does this doctrine written in scripture? It is now the New Testament church that is the kingdom of God representation, and when that church falls, it will be the end of the world. And despite untenable ideas by Premillennarians that the Kingdom will be restored to the nation Israel (which means it would have to be taken from the church), that view is
antithetical to all that Christ says. Do you know why? Because Christ said, "for the Stone that they rejected for the house of God, has become the head corner stone in another building". It's
ABSURD to think that Christ will go back to the first Temple building after being rejected, huh?! Or that Christ simply "postponed" the salvation program of Israel, which is a theory invented by Premillennrians to support their doctrines. Think about it!
Shall the husband go back to the first wife? It is an impossible idea! This mixing of hot and cold is a compromise of old Judaic doctrines with doctrines of Christianity and calling it Premillennialism (and Preterism). It is a lukewarm mixture that shall never be what God has said. God will spur such mixture from His mouth, because it's not His word and doesn't belong there.
Having said that, this doesn't make the Jewish people second-class citizens, nor does it mean that Christians have something against Jewish people as some narrow-minded theologians' charge (ie. replacement theology). Jewish people are no different than anyone else, and they are given just as much opportunity to become Christians as the Ethiopians, Italians, Arabs, Chinese, South Americans, or any other type of people. There is no bias and there is "no difference" in Christ's kingdom. But you see some people don't want to have all saved on an equal footing, they have the misguided idea that because God called Israel the chosen people in the Old Testament, that this means there is a difference and the Jewish person are above everyone else. They surmise that all Israel being saved speaks of a political nation or people of a certain genealogy. But that is not how God views the chosen people, as He is no respecter of persons. And again it gets back to, "if we will RECEIVE it" or if we will continue on in our Church traditions about Israel. Is there a difference? Are there two bodies of Christ? Are there two kingdoms of God, one Jewish and one Gentile? Two congregations of God? What does God said??
Romans 10:11-13
- "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
- For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
There is only one Olive tree Israel, not two. So that it is an untenable position to claim that there are two bodies, Jew and Gentile, when God clearly said that the Gentile branches were broken off their own tree, and then grafted into the Covenanted Israel tree. The time for the Jewish branches to be "grafted back in" is this millennial Kingdom period, for that is the reign of Christ. Not afterward as some in their confusion allege. Because no more will Israel the nation be the fruitful grape vine or the fruitful fig tree of the Kingdom. These are the mysteries Christ was teaching. Consider the parable Christ illustrated in His cursing the fig tree.
Matthew 21:19
- "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away."
The Fig tree represents Israel (Hosea 9:10), the fruit represents good works, and Christ came to Israel expecting good works and found none. Thus he cursed Israel that
they would no longer be the fruitful tree "FOREVER." NO chance of kingdom restoration for cursed Israel! Israel thought (like some Christians today) that because of their genealogy or heritage, they were God's special children forever, but God made it clear that God was able to raise up children of the
stones (Luke 3:8-9). Their Jewishness did not save them, only the Grace of God can. Don't forget that!
Sadly, what many seem to forget is that it is God that draws men to Christ. So then, if the purpose was that all Israel (the nation) was to be saved, then they would have been saved 2000 years ago. God is sovereign and Omniscient, so there wouldn't be any postponement because the Jews rejected Christ. Was God a man that he didn't already know that? Was God a man that he had to change plans after the Jews thwarted his attempts to save Israel? No, there was no postponement. Israel is being saved, just as all other nations are. A Remnant chose by Grace.
Selah!