In contrast to Classic Dispensationalism, Covenant Theology has always maintained the essential continuity of Israel and the church. The elect of all the ages are seen as one people, with one Savior, one destiny. This continuity can be shown by examining a few Old Testament prophesies:
Promise to Israel - "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There it shall be said to them, 'You are sons of the living God.' -Hosea 1:10
Fulfillment in the church - What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved." "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God." -Romans :22-26
Promise to Israel - Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!'" -Hosea 2:23
Fulfillment in the church - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. -1 Peter 2:9-10
Promise to Israel - "On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; -Amos 9:11
Fulfillment in the church - "Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. "And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things..' "Known to God from eternity are all His works. -Acts 15:14-18
In the same manner there are many Old Testament passages referring to Israel that are in the New Testament applied directly to the church.
Spoken to Israel - "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.. -Joel 2:28-32
Applied to the church - When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place..."But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.' -Acts 2:1,16-21
Spoken to Israel - 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." -Exodus 19:6
Applied to the church - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; -1 Peter 2:9
Spoken to Israel - "My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. -Ezekiel 37:27
Applied to the church - And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." -2 Cor 6:16
Spoken to Israel - "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. -Lev 19:2
Applied to the church - but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." -1 Peter 1:15-16
Spoken to Israel - "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- -Jer 31:31
Applied to the church - Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. -Luke 22:20.
Obviously, this is merely a brief summary of these prominent views and in no wise should be considered exhaustive. But, I think I laid out the foundational elements of each eschatological paradigm enough to where we all understand what each means. Now that we have succinctly laid the foundational elements concerning the prominent views of Israel and the Church, here is what I have concluded:
I believe that the Classic Dispensational view possesses a myriad of problems that cannot be explained away by crafty hermeneutics or distorting Greek methods. This view ushers forth the notion that in no way is the Church ever referred to as Israel and visa versa. But, as we have seen there are numerous instances from Scripture by where an Old Testament promise of blessing directed at Israel was referred to and or fulfilled in the New Testament by the Church.
Classic Dispensationalism says that God is not interacting with Israel at this time and will not till this "church age" has consummated with the removal of the Church before the Tribulation period. Certain things have and are occurring in Israel's history since the Day of Pentecost that are the direct fulfillment of prophecy. This makes the traditional dispensational 'parenthetical' theory untenable.
We are not in a parenthetical age or a "church age" by where God is only focusing His attention on the Church.
a. The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was the direct fulfillment of Daniel 9:26.
b. The regathering of Israel into their land is the likely fulfillment of Ezekiel 37.
c. God is also using the salvation of the Gentiles to provoke (unbelieving) Israel to jealousy. [Rom. 10:18,19 & 11:11].
Tim Warner an advocate of Progressive Dispensationalism says the following: If the present dispensation is a 'parenthesis' in God's plan for Israel, and the Church is not related to OT prophecy, we would not expect New Testament writers to apply Old Testament prophecy to the Church. Yet, there are many examples of this very thing. The most obvious example is the Day of Pentecost, where Peter interpreted the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Church as the direct fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32. Notice, Peter said, "this IS that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." [Acts 2:15-21]. Peter's application of Joel fits right in with Progressive Dispensationalism. A few other noteworthy cases of Old Testament prophecy directly applied to the Church, are as follows: Acts 10:43, Acts 15:14-18, Rom. 1:1,2, Rom. 4:13-17,23,24, Rom. 9:32,33, Rom. 15:4,8-10, 2 Cor. 6:16-7:1.
The Church and Israel are not separate identities, so Classical Dispensationalism must be dismissed as a viable explanation of Israel and the Church.
Covenant Theology or Supersessionism has been a prominent position for centuries and possesses a list of very famous names that have been adherents to this particular paradigm. This view that the Church has replaced Israel as the people of God and that the promises made towards Israel have been and shall continue to be fulfilled in the New Testament Church. Though, this is a very strong position I still find some problems with it.
There are 77 references to Israel in the NT and none of them refer to the Church. Try replacing the words, "the Church," where Israel is mentioned and the passage is rendered unreadable and silly, e.g., Rom. 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." If you put "the Church" where Israel is mentioned, then it is redundant. The Church is the body of saved believers, so how could Paul's prayer be for the Church to be saved? Psalm 105 has a seven-fold affirmation of God's promises of Canaan to Abraham. This is an everlasting promise, as was Genesis 12:1-3. Jeremiah 31:35-37 speaks of the everlasting nature of God's promises to and for Israel, the Jewish people, which is as sure as the sun that shines by day and the moon and stars that glow in the night. Adherents to Covenant Theology seem to overlook one major problem........if Covenant Theology is true then it reflects upon the character of God in a very terrifying way.
God's promises to Israel were unconditional and not dependent upon Israels faith or lack of faith. Now, having said that, it is true that the Church has been the fulfillment of numerous OT passages and it is true that Israel has failed God through her disobedience, but God's faithfulness of her is still intact and God continues to deal with Israel in this present age and also the Church and in the end times He will deal with Israel in a more deeper way.
I believe that Progressive Dispensationalism proposes the least amount of difficulties in explaining this quandary of Israel and the Church. It is the position where the difficulties of both Classic Dispensationalism and Replacement Theology are eradicated and the biblical balance that this view necessitates is met. As we have seen, Israel and the Church are not distinct camps (the numerous OT passages directed at Israel and fulfilled in the Church in the NT), thus as we can see Israel and the Church are being used at times in an interchangeable manner. And as we have also seen the Church has not replaced Israel as the people of God (for God is still dealing with Israel as we have seen with the 3 points of reference above....and that God's covenant promises are eternal)......therefore there is the middle ground by which the Church has been grafted into the vine along with Israel and together God deals with both entities. There is not a distinction between Israel and the Church relationally, but there is a distinction between them functionally. That is to say, the Church as been grafted into the vine and now there is no difference between Israel and the Church relationally there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28-29).
There would be no distinction functionally between Israel and the Church if the Church has replaced Israel, which it has not. God did not cast Israel aside, or withdraw the offer of the New Covenant because of Israel's rejection. Rather, Jesus established the New Covenant with a believing remnant of Israel, His Jewish disciples. Jesus said to them, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. [Luke 22:20]. In Romans 11, Paul argued strenuously that God has NOT cast Israel aside. "I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. ... Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace." [Rom. 11:1,2,5]. Paul's point is NOT that God's program for Israel has been suspended, as Traditional Dispensationalism teaches, or even that God is finished with Israel, as 'Replacement Theology' teaches. Rather, "blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." [vs. 25]. Consequently, part of Israel was not blinded. It was with this remnant that Jesus established the New Covenant.[Rom. 11: 16-29] The believing remnant of Israel is still the focus of God, not the whole nation, but the believing remnant.
Paul concluded his thought in Romans eleven with the parable of the Olive Tree. Jews who did not accept Jesus were likened to natural branches broken off of the olive tree. That some natural branches remained in the tree, both before and after the unbelievers were broken off and wild branches grafted in, demonstrates a CONTINUOUS status of believing Jews both before and after Christ. The grafting in of the wild branches shows a uniting of Gentiles with the believing part of Israel. So, in effect, Paul has illustrated a continuation of God's fulfilling His covenants and promises with Israel in this dispensation, albeit with only a remnant.. But, isn't that the way it has always been? Only a small remnant went into the 'promised land.' Only a small remnant returned from the Babylonian captivity. And only a remnant have received the New Covenant.
Let me hear your thoughts
Let the Love of God reign in your hearts always!
Only By His Grace,
Roger
Promise to Israel - "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There it shall be said to them, 'You are sons of the living God.' -Hosea 1:10
Fulfillment in the church - What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved." "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God." -Romans :22-26
Promise to Israel - Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!'" -Hosea 2:23
Fulfillment in the church - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. -1 Peter 2:9-10
Promise to Israel - "On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; -Amos 9:11
Fulfillment in the church - "Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. "And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things..' "Known to God from eternity are all His works. -Acts 15:14-18
In the same manner there are many Old Testament passages referring to Israel that are in the New Testament applied directly to the church.
Spoken to Israel - "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.. -Joel 2:28-32
Applied to the church - When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place..."But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.' -Acts 2:1,16-21
Spoken to Israel - 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." -Exodus 19:6
Applied to the church - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; -1 Peter 2:9
Spoken to Israel - "My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. -Ezekiel 37:27
Applied to the church - And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." -2 Cor 6:16
Spoken to Israel - "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. -Lev 19:2
Applied to the church - but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." -1 Peter 1:15-16
Spoken to Israel - "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- -Jer 31:31
Applied to the church - Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. -Luke 22:20.
Obviously, this is merely a brief summary of these prominent views and in no wise should be considered exhaustive. But, I think I laid out the foundational elements of each eschatological paradigm enough to where we all understand what each means. Now that we have succinctly laid the foundational elements concerning the prominent views of Israel and the Church, here is what I have concluded:
I believe that the Classic Dispensational view possesses a myriad of problems that cannot be explained away by crafty hermeneutics or distorting Greek methods. This view ushers forth the notion that in no way is the Church ever referred to as Israel and visa versa. But, as we have seen there are numerous instances from Scripture by where an Old Testament promise of blessing directed at Israel was referred to and or fulfilled in the New Testament by the Church.
Classic Dispensationalism says that God is not interacting with Israel at this time and will not till this "church age" has consummated with the removal of the Church before the Tribulation period. Certain things have and are occurring in Israel's history since the Day of Pentecost that are the direct fulfillment of prophecy. This makes the traditional dispensational 'parenthetical' theory untenable.
We are not in a parenthetical age or a "church age" by where God is only focusing His attention on the Church.
a. The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was the direct fulfillment of Daniel 9:26.
b. The regathering of Israel into their land is the likely fulfillment of Ezekiel 37.
c. God is also using the salvation of the Gentiles to provoke (unbelieving) Israel to jealousy. [Rom. 10:18,19 & 11:11].
Tim Warner an advocate of Progressive Dispensationalism says the following: If the present dispensation is a 'parenthesis' in God's plan for Israel, and the Church is not related to OT prophecy, we would not expect New Testament writers to apply Old Testament prophecy to the Church. Yet, there are many examples of this very thing. The most obvious example is the Day of Pentecost, where Peter interpreted the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Church as the direct fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32. Notice, Peter said, "this IS that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." [Acts 2:15-21]. Peter's application of Joel fits right in with Progressive Dispensationalism. A few other noteworthy cases of Old Testament prophecy directly applied to the Church, are as follows: Acts 10:43, Acts 15:14-18, Rom. 1:1,2, Rom. 4:13-17,23,24, Rom. 9:32,33, Rom. 15:4,8-10, 2 Cor. 6:16-7:1.
The Church and Israel are not separate identities, so Classical Dispensationalism must be dismissed as a viable explanation of Israel and the Church.
Covenant Theology or Supersessionism has been a prominent position for centuries and possesses a list of very famous names that have been adherents to this particular paradigm. This view that the Church has replaced Israel as the people of God and that the promises made towards Israel have been and shall continue to be fulfilled in the New Testament Church. Though, this is a very strong position I still find some problems with it.
There are 77 references to Israel in the NT and none of them refer to the Church. Try replacing the words, "the Church," where Israel is mentioned and the passage is rendered unreadable and silly, e.g., Rom. 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." If you put "the Church" where Israel is mentioned, then it is redundant. The Church is the body of saved believers, so how could Paul's prayer be for the Church to be saved? Psalm 105 has a seven-fold affirmation of God's promises of Canaan to Abraham. This is an everlasting promise, as was Genesis 12:1-3. Jeremiah 31:35-37 speaks of the everlasting nature of God's promises to and for Israel, the Jewish people, which is as sure as the sun that shines by day and the moon and stars that glow in the night. Adherents to Covenant Theology seem to overlook one major problem........if Covenant Theology is true then it reflects upon the character of God in a very terrifying way.
God's promises to Israel were unconditional and not dependent upon Israels faith or lack of faith. Now, having said that, it is true that the Church has been the fulfillment of numerous OT passages and it is true that Israel has failed God through her disobedience, but God's faithfulness of her is still intact and God continues to deal with Israel in this present age and also the Church and in the end times He will deal with Israel in a more deeper way.
I believe that Progressive Dispensationalism proposes the least amount of difficulties in explaining this quandary of Israel and the Church. It is the position where the difficulties of both Classic Dispensationalism and Replacement Theology are eradicated and the biblical balance that this view necessitates is met. As we have seen, Israel and the Church are not distinct camps (the numerous OT passages directed at Israel and fulfilled in the Church in the NT), thus as we can see Israel and the Church are being used at times in an interchangeable manner. And as we have also seen the Church has not replaced Israel as the people of God (for God is still dealing with Israel as we have seen with the 3 points of reference above....and that God's covenant promises are eternal)......therefore there is the middle ground by which the Church has been grafted into the vine along with Israel and together God deals with both entities. There is not a distinction between Israel and the Church relationally, but there is a distinction between them functionally. That is to say, the Church as been grafted into the vine and now there is no difference between Israel and the Church relationally there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28-29).
There would be no distinction functionally between Israel and the Church if the Church has replaced Israel, which it has not. God did not cast Israel aside, or withdraw the offer of the New Covenant because of Israel's rejection. Rather, Jesus established the New Covenant with a believing remnant of Israel, His Jewish disciples. Jesus said to them, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. [Luke 22:20]. In Romans 11, Paul argued strenuously that God has NOT cast Israel aside. "I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. ... Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace." [Rom. 11:1,2,5]. Paul's point is NOT that God's program for Israel has been suspended, as Traditional Dispensationalism teaches, or even that God is finished with Israel, as 'Replacement Theology' teaches. Rather, "blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." [vs. 25]. Consequently, part of Israel was not blinded. It was with this remnant that Jesus established the New Covenant.[Rom. 11: 16-29] The believing remnant of Israel is still the focus of God, not the whole nation, but the believing remnant.
Paul concluded his thought in Romans eleven with the parable of the Olive Tree. Jews who did not accept Jesus were likened to natural branches broken off of the olive tree. That some natural branches remained in the tree, both before and after the unbelievers were broken off and wild branches grafted in, demonstrates a CONTINUOUS status of believing Jews both before and after Christ. The grafting in of the wild branches shows a uniting of Gentiles with the believing part of Israel. So, in effect, Paul has illustrated a continuation of God's fulfilling His covenants and promises with Israel in this dispensation, albeit with only a remnant.. But, isn't that the way it has always been? Only a small remnant went into the 'promised land.' Only a small remnant returned from the Babylonian captivity. And only a remnant have received the New Covenant.
Let me hear your thoughts
Let the Love of God reign in your hearts always!
Only By His Grace,
Roger