Few topics promoted by most of the Christian Churches in regards to how the literal
Israelites and born again Gentile Christians fit into the plan of God are more
unscriptural than the one on "Replacement Theology." Some denominations
are more guilty of this problem than others, but there are few, if any, who do not share
in the guilt to some degree. I will limit my presentation to the Church I was raised
in and the teaching which I fully accepted until the past few years.
"Few passages of Scripture are more commonly misunderstood and variously
interpreted than those containing the divine promises made to ancient Israel through the
prophets. It is an undeniable historical fact that, to this day, the majority of
these predictions have not been fulfilled." (Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary Vol. 4, p. 25)
This is true but why should this be a problem when all the places that discuss the
fulfillment of these promises and predictions are placed at the termination of end time
events; at the second coming of Christ? Keep this in mind as we present the material
to substantiate this. Let us first look at the basic promise that is the pillar of
God's promise to the descendants of Abraham.
Gen. 22:15-18 -- The angel of the Lord called to Abraham
from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, "declares the Lord,
"that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I
will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as
the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of
their enemies, and through your offspring (seed) all nations on earth will be blessed,
because you have obeyed me."
This promise is not based on the future behavior of the descendants of Abraham. It is
built on God's word that He swore by Himself; that He would carry it out. The
promise was made on the basis of what Abraham had already done -- not withheld
his only son as a sacrifice, as God had ordered. Most Gentile Christians are, at
best, lukewarm about taking this promise from literal Israel. Who wants a plot of
land in Palestine when we are going to heaven instead. Most will say this happens at
the time of their demise, others at the great rapture that precedes the Great Tribulation
and the remainder, when Jesus takes them with Him when He returns to heaven following His
second coming. A very appealing option indeed but finding any of this in the Bible
is a most vexing task, especially when what is really going to happen is spelled out so
clearly.
Paul, writing several decades following the crucifixion states that this promise by God to
Abraham's descendants is still in effect and on track.
Gal. 3:16- The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The
Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to
your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.
Vs. 17 -- What I mean is this:
The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously
established by God and thus do away with the promise.
This is very plainly stated that this promise to literal Israel for a permanent
inheritance in their homeland will be fully implemented, sometime future to Paul's
writing.
"It is important to note that all of the Old Testament promises looking forward to
a time of restoration of the Jews were given in anticipation of their return from
captivity." (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 4, p. 32)
What the writer of this quote failed to realize is that the Babylonian destruction of
Jerusalem, and the nation of Israel, was only symbolic of what would happen at the end of
this age immediately preceding Christ's second coming. There is much evidence for
this in the Bible. Notice only a small amount of it, but enough to substantiate
it. First let us note the description of this captivity that will follow their
destruction by the Antichrist and his armies -- the Babylon of the end
time. Note the Lord speaking of this time:
Jer. 23:3-6 -- "I myself will gather the remnant
of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to
their pasture, where they will be fruitful and multiply and increase in number. I
will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or
terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.
Vs. 5 -- "The days are
coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a
King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
Vs. 6 -- In his days Judah will be
saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be
called: The Lord Our Righteousness.
Were all the exiles of the Israelites from the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar brought
back to their homeland with none missing? In fact only a minority ever returned to
Israel. Did they thereafter live in their homeland without any fear? Were they
ruled by a King that was called "The Lord Our Righteousness?" Isn't this
abundantly clear that this picture can only apply to the gathering of the exiles of the
Israelites at the time of Christ's second coming and His Millennial Kingdom which He
ushers in? Now note another one:
Ezek. 39:27,28 -- When I have brought them back from the
nations and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy
through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord
their God, [they refused to accept Him before this] for though I sent them into exile
among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I
will no longer hide my face from them, [which He had done prior to this time] for I will
pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord."
Very much the same story and events as described by Jeremiah. Now note a similar
prophecy by Amos:
Amos 9:8,9 -- "Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord
are on the sinful nation, (Israel) I will destroy it from the face of the earth --
yet I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob," declares the Lord.
Vs. 9 -- "For I will give
the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken
in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground.
Vs. 10 -- "In that day I
will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its
ruins, and build it as it used to be."
Is this difficult to see that this is an impossible fit for the exiles at the time of
Nebuchadnezzar?
"Seventh-day Adventists believe that, generally speaking, the promises and
predictions given through the Old Testament prophets originally applied to literal Israel
and were to have been fulfilled to them on condition that they obey God and remain
faithful to Him. But the Scriptures record the fact that they disobeyed God and
proved disloyal to Him instead. Accordingly, what He proposed to do for the world
through Israel of old He will finally accomplish through His Church on earth today, and
many of the promises originally made to Israel will be fulfilled to His remnant people at
the close of time." (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 4,
pp. 25,26)
"His church on earth today," and "His remnant people," are synonyms
for SDAs, in their church language. According to this quote it would cause us to
expect God to tell the Israelites -- well done thou good and faithful servant,
before He would consider keeping these promises to them. Since we have it in bold
print let us see exactly how they measured up to merit this promise.
Ezek. 36:24-32 -- "For I will take you out of the
nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from
all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a
new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of
flesh...
Vs. 28 -- You will live in the land I
gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God...
Vss. 31,32 -- Then you will
remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and
detestable practices.
I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake,
declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of
Israel!
Vs. 33 -- This is what the Sovereign
Lord says: "On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your
towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt...
Vs. 38 -- Then the nations around that
remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what
was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.
This seems like a poor script for receiving this promise on the condition that they
remain obedient and loyal. Did they merit the promise? No. Then how could He
go ahead and give it to them while they were such sinners as listed above? The same
way that any of us have any chance of being one of the redeemed; through the grace of God
alone.
"The rejection of Jesus by the leaders of Israel meant the permanent irrevocable
cancellation of their special standing before God as a nation." (Ibid.,
p. 33; Christ Object Lessons 305)
Note the contrasting viewpoint as presented by Paul.
Rom. 11:25b-29 -- Israel has experienced a hardening in
part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be
saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn
godlessness away from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them when I take away their
sins." [Isa. 59:20,21]
As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies
on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the
patriarchs, for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable.
Now, are these promises irrevocable, or irrevocably canceled? The lines are
clearly drawn and diametrically opposed. I believe it is worthwhile to note the
entire passage in Isaiah that Paul is quoting from above.
Isaiah 59:20,21 -- "The Redeemer will come to Zion, to
those in Jacob who
repent of their sins," declares the Lord.
Vs. 21 -- "As for me, this is my
covenant with them," says the Lord. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that
I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your
children or from the mouths of their descendants from this time and forever," says
the Lord.
"Only when its leaders formally rejected the Messiah and declared before Pilate
their allegiance to 'no king but Caesar' (John 19:15) did Israel as a nation irrevocably
withdraw from the covenant relationship and the theocracy." (Desire of Ages
737, 738)
I believe it was not Israel as a nation that withdrew from the covenant relationship
but that Christ turned His back on them and prayed for their spiritual hardening in their
state of unbelief. Note Christ's prayer on the cross against His nation that was
crucifying Him, as seen in prophetic vision by David:
Ps. 69:22-28 -- "May the table set before them become
a snare; may it become retribution and a trap. May their eyes be darkened so they
cannot see, and their backs be bent forever. Pour out your wrath on them; let your
fierce anger overtake them. May their place be deserted; let there be no one to
dwell in their tents...
Vss. 27,28 -- Charge them with crime upon
crime; do not let them share in your salvation. May they be blotted out of the book
of life."
No doubt in determining the intent of these verses. Now note the unimaginable
change in the final words of His prayer.
Ps. 69:33-36 -- The Lord hears the needy and does not
despise his captive people. [He sees this trampled and exiled Israelite remnant at
the time of His second coming] For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of
Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;
Vs. 36 -- The children of his
servants will inherit it, and those who love him will dwell there.
These selected and chosen servants (Rev.7:3,4) and their children will inherit the land
of Israel. There are 12,000 of them assigned to represent each of the twelve tribes
of Israel. Those also who love God's name will live there so none of us should feel
excluded from dwelling there if we are born again Christians (those who love His
name). Now note more about this time of abandonment but always followed by
reconciliation
Isa. 1:13-26 -- Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations -- I
cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts
my soul hates... [They keep right on keeping all these symbolic ceremonies which
pointed forward to Christ and since they rejected Him and continued to look for their
Messiah, they continue to keep these obsolete festivals.]
Vs. 15 -- When you spread out
your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will
not listen. Your hands are full of blood...
Vs. 18 -- "Come now, let us
reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they
shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool."
Vss. 19,20 -- "If you are
willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you
will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the Lord has spoken...
Vs. 25 -- I will turn my hand
against you;I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
[Note when the nation of Israel is destroyed during the Great Tribulation, at the time of
the end, the surviving remnant Jews are exiled, brutalized, raped and trampled for 1260
days]
See Zech 13:8,9 -- "In the whole land," [of
Israel] declares the Lord, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third
will be left in it. This third I will bring into the fire. I will refine them
like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer
them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.' "
The following verse is the continuing verse.
Zech. 14:1,2 -- A day of the Lord is coming when your
plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to
fight against it; The city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.
Half of the city will go into exile, [50% of the surviving third] but the rest of
the people will not be taken from the city. [The remaining 50% of the surviving
third. These will be brutalized and trampled for 1260 days. The trampled and
the exiled will all be set free by Christ and His army at His second coming --
and not one in either group will be missing.]
Here is another passage of Scripture which reveals Christ abandoning His nation as His
special people and as usual with the happy ending.
Isaiah 54:6-9 -- "The Lord will call you back as if
you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit -- a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God. "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger [at the cross] I hid my face from
you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says
the Lord your Redeemer.
To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore
that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I
have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again."
Can this possibly be speaking of the Israelites at any time since the
crucifixion? Absolutely not! Nor to any of the rest of His children.
This can only be speaking of the time after His children have all been redeemed and set up
in His Millennial Kingdom in the land of Israel.
"Whatever the Jews, as a nation, may do, now or in the time to come, is in no way
related to the former promises made to them. With the crucifixion of Christ they
forever forfeited their special position as God's chosen people. Any idea that the
return of the Jews to their ancestral home, that is, to the new state of Israel, may in
any way be related to Bible prophecy is the product of wishful thinking on the part of
misguided, even if sincere, religious enthusiasts, and is without valid Scriptural
foundation." (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 33)
Do you have any problem in seeing that the above is completely incompatible with the
multiple passages of Scripture we have just presented. There is much more evidence,
but unless requested, I will rest my case in answer to the above statement.
"Literal Jews may still find salvation by being grafted into spiritual Israel in
precisely the same way that Gentiles are grafted in. 'All Israel' consists of both
Jews and Gentiles, thus "all Israel shall be saved' (Rom. 11:25,26; Prophets and
Kings, p. 367). Paul makes it clear beyond argument that when he speaks of
'Israel' as the chosen people of God he means it in this sense." (Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary, p. 33)
Paul in his presentation of Romans 11 is speaking of literal Israel and their
relationship to the gospel of Christ. They have received a hardening in part -- meaning
not to everyone who is a literal Israelite; like himself for example, the apostles and
other converts. But as a nation God had hardened them in their rebellion to Christ
and His gospel. I believe we have covered that point sufficiently. Now note
his exact wording as recorded in the NIV under the heading: "All Israel Will be
Saved."
Rom. 11:25-29 -- I do not want you to be ignorant of
this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a
hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has been called in. [Does
this hardening in part also refer to the Gentile and Israelite believers? Of
course not! It refers to Christ's curse on them as a nation in His anger while being
crucified.]
Vs. 26 -- And so all Israel will
be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn
godlessness away from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them when I take away their
sins." [Is the deliverer coming from Zion to turn godlessness away from Gentile
and Jewish Christians? No! He is coming to take away the hardening and bring
literal Israel to see that Christ is the God He claimed to be, but which they had refused
to accept. Read the text that Paul is quoting from in Isa. 59:20,21 if you have any
remaining doubt.]
Vs. 28 -- As far as the gospel
is concerned, they are enemies on your account; [This is speaking of "all
Israel" in his topic of discussion. Paul is speaking to Gentile Christian converts.
Are the born again Christians (both Jews and Gentile) enemies of theirs because of the
gospel?] But as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the
patriarchs,
Vs. 29 -- for God's gifts and
his call are irrevocable. [Can there be any further doubt that restoration of the
literal Israelites is speaking of Jacob's literal descendants?]
There is a chapter in Isaiah that gives a beautiful sketch of a picture in Jerusalem
immediately following Christ's soon coming and the recently released trampled and exiled
literal Israelites there.
Isa. 4:2-6 -- In that day the Branch of the Lord (Christ)
will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of
the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will
be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. [Isn't this what
Paul was talking about when he quoted from Isaiah that all Israel will be saved? How
could it be stated any plainer?]
Vs. 4 -- The Lord will wash away
the filth of the women of Zion; [They have just undergone 1260 days of raping, brutalizing
and unspeakable abuse by their captors] he will wash away the bloodstains from Jerusalem
by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.
Vss. 5,6 -- Then the Lord will
create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day
and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be
a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm
and rain.
"The fundamental principal by which we can tell unerringly when any particular
promise or prediction of the Old Testament made originally to literal Israel is to meet
its fulfillment with respect to spiritual Israel is -- when a later inspired
writer makes such an application of it. For instance, the battle of Gog and Magog in
Ezekiel 38, 39 was never fulfilled to literal Israel; but John the revelator assures us
that in principal, though not necessarily in all details (such as those of Ezek. 39:9-15),
this battle will occur at the close of the millennium (Rev. 20:7-9). (Emphasis
supplied)
"But to go beyond that which is clearly
set forth by inspiration -- in the immediate context of the passage concerned, in
the New Testament, or in the Spirit of Prophecy [EGW writings] -- is to
substitute personal opinion for a plain "Thus saith the Lord". Where
inspiration has not clearly spoken it is our privilege to compare scripture with scripture
in an endeavor to understand more perfectly the mind of the Spirit. But here, as in
all expositions of Scripture, we should avoid affirming as the explicit teaching of the
Bible that which is our private, finite view, however plausible it may appear to
be." (Ibid., pp. 36,37)
Any interpretation of an Old Testament event applying to New Testament experience must
be on the basis of a thus sayeth the Lord. The two sources that they will accept to
meet this criteria is:
(1) Any material from the New Testament.
(which I believe most will agree.)
(2) Any of the Writings of Ellen G. White, which they
refer to as the "Spirit of Prophecy."
I believe there will be, and should be, much disagree- ment on this second criteria.
Let us take a look at the sample of Old Testament as brought over to New Testament
time by John, as they claim.
"For instance, the battle of Gog and Magog in Ezek.38 and 39 was never fulfilled
to literal Israel; but John the revelator assures us that in principle, though not
necessarily in all details (such as those of Eze. 39:9-15), this battle will occur at the
close of the millennium. (Rev.20:7-9)" (Ibid. p.36)
Ezek, 38, 39 are the two chapters which gives the best picture of the Battle of
Armageddon in the whole Bible. It can not be speaking of taking place after the
millennium and John does not assure us that it does; not even by a hint. It is a
wonderful and clear picture but inadequate space to do justice to it here. I would
suggest you look up my booklet "Armageddon" (Booklet #6) for more details
of these two chapters of Ezekiel.
I would like to quote a few verses in Chapter 39 that should give you no pause to doubt
that this actually will occur at Christ's soon coming and not a thousand years later.
Ezek. 39:7 -- "I will make known my holy name among my
people Israel, [The Gentile and Jewish Christians already knew His name but not the
literal Israelites as a nation] I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and
the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One of Israel. It is coming!
It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I
have spoken of. [Does this sound conditional to you?]
Vss. 21-24 -- "I will display my
glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and
the hand I lay upon them. From this day forward the house of Israel will know that I
am the Lord their God. [not 1000 years later] And the nations will know that the
people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me.
So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the
sword. I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I
hid my face from them.
Vss. 25-28 -- Therefore this is
what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will
have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous or my holy
name... When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from
the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the site of many
nations, Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them
into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any
behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on
the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.
Note verse 21 above: "I will display my glory among the nations, and all the
nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them."
God is speaking of the punishment that He will bring on the Israelites to purify
them. Christ speaks of this punishment and leaves no doubt of when it is applied.
He gives the disciples some of the signs which immediately precede His
coming:
Luke 21:22 -- For this is the time of punishment in
fulfillment of all that has been written....
Vs. 24 -- They will fall by the
sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled
on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Vs. 27 -- At that time they will
see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Vs. 28 -- When these things
begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing
near.
See the impossible fit for this to occur a thousand years later? There is no
Biblical evidence for that anywhere.
I believe this shows beyond argument that all these prophecies were written to alert us
to the events that immediately precede Christ's soon coming in order for us to not be
deceived by the Arch-deceiver who will claim to be the savior of our world.