It isn't anti-Semitic to say Bible-prophecies and Promises regarding Israel have largely already been fulfilled. It isn't a theological attack on Israel. Rather it authenticates modern Israelis' claims for blessing.
Imagine if you were promised a house long ago by your parents, and some time later your parents fulfilled their promise and gave you a house. And then after enjoying your house for some time, for one reason or another you were later driven off your property. Then after some years you again make a claim for your property. To assist you with your claim, I take you to the titles office and show you the document of title, and it shows the house is still in your name. It has been in your name ever since your parents fulfilled their promise and gave you the house in the first place. By reminding you that your parents' promise was fulfilled long ago, I'm not attacking your current claim for the house. It would be the very opposite! It would authenticate your claim, since the title was never revoked.
Similarly, saying Bible-prophecies and Promises regarding Israel were largely already fulfilled, is not an attack against modern Jews' claims to the Promises - it authenticates their claims. Because having been fulfilled, the Promises were never revoked.
If you then present the document of title and use it to make a successful claim for your property, the success of your claim wouldn't mean your parents' promise had finally been fulfilled at last for the first time. Rather, the success of your claim would have been possible precisely because it is a legal fact that your parents' promise had literally already been fulfilled long ago and had never been voided.
Similarly, when a modern Jew begins experiencing the promises which potentially were already theirs, his experience of the promises doesn't mean the particular Bible-prophecies are finally seeing their direct historical fulfilment in his generation. Rather, it's something that is possible because Bible-prophecies and promises spoken on their behalf were subsequently largely already fulfilled quite some time ago, and had never been revoked.
Imagine if you were promised a house long ago by your parents, and some time later your parents fulfilled their promise and gave you a house. And then after enjoying your house for some time, for one reason or another you were later driven off your property. Then after some years you again make a claim for your property. To assist you with your claim, I take you to the titles office and show you the document of title, and it shows the house is still in your name. It has been in your name ever since your parents fulfilled their promise and gave you the house in the first place. By reminding you that your parents' promise was fulfilled long ago, I'm not attacking your current claim for the house. It would be the very opposite! It would authenticate your claim, since the title was never revoked.
Similarly, saying Bible-prophecies and Promises regarding Israel were largely already fulfilled, is not an attack against modern Jews' claims to the Promises - it authenticates their claims. Because having been fulfilled, the Promises were never revoked.
If you then present the document of title and use it to make a successful claim for your property, the success of your claim wouldn't mean your parents' promise had finally been fulfilled at last for the first time. Rather, the success of your claim would have been possible precisely because it is a legal fact that your parents' promise had literally already been fulfilled long ago and had never been voided.
Similarly, when a modern Jew begins experiencing the promises which potentially were already theirs, his experience of the promises doesn't mean the particular Bible-prophecies are finally seeing their direct historical fulfilment in his generation. Rather, it's something that is possible because Bible-prophecies and promises spoken on their behalf were subsequently largely already fulfilled quite some time ago, and had never been revoked.
Promises and prophecies can never be revoked, but they can be rediscovered, re-applied and re-asserted. But re-applying a fulfilled promise is not the same as saying the promise is now being fulfilled as if it hadn't been already. Applying the ramifications of fulfilled prophecy is not the same as saying the prophecy is finally now being fulfilled at last. Just like presenting a document of title doesn't mean that title had not already been conferred.
What difference does it make? Does it matter whether we define the recent and future blessings experienced by Israelis as a rediscovery of their inherent potential based on fulfilled Prophecy and fulfilled promises, rather than seeing current events in Israel as the direct historical fulfilment of Bible-prophecy?
The distinction is important because the way we see it affects our focus on Jesus and on the message of the cross. The way we see it either establishes or destroys the Gospel-truth that no-one (neither Gentile nor Jew) is obligated to observe the carrying-out of Old Covenant Feasts and sacrifices in order to please God. How we see it either reinforces or weakens the Christian assertion that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. It either clarifies or obscures the only pathway to blessing and to salvation, for Israel and the nations alike.
The prophecies were spoke while Israel and Judah were still in captivity in Babylon and in the nations. The prophecies predicted Israel's return to their land to resume Mosaic sacrifices. The enemies of Israel were to meet their end. People would travel to Jerusalem even from the nations to keep the Feast. And in that historical context, Messiah was to come bringing salvation to Israel.
What difference does it make? Does it matter whether we define the recent and future blessings experienced by Israelis as a rediscovery of their inherent potential based on fulfilled Prophecy and fulfilled promises, rather than seeing current events in Israel as the direct historical fulfilment of Bible-prophecy?
The distinction is important because the way we see it affects our focus on Jesus and on the message of the cross. The way we see it either establishes or destroys the Gospel-truth that no-one (neither Gentile nor Jew) is obligated to observe the carrying-out of Old Covenant Feasts and sacrifices in order to please God. How we see it either reinforces or weakens the Christian assertion that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. It either clarifies or obscures the only pathway to blessing and to salvation, for Israel and the nations alike.
The prophecies were spoke while Israel and Judah were still in captivity in Babylon and in the nations. The prophecies predicted Israel's return to their land to resume Mosaic sacrifices. The enemies of Israel were to meet their end. People would travel to Jerusalem even from the nations to keep the Feast. And in that historical context, Messiah was to come bringing salvation to Israel.
If such prophecies are yet to be fulfilled in the future, then the ramification is that Old Covenant Feasts and sacrifices must again be observed by Israel and the nations in order to please God. It also weakens the Christian claim that the Messiah has already come. And it obscures the pathway to blessing and salvation, both for Israel and the nations, by introducing a mixture of Old Covenant requirements with the Gospel of grace.
But if the prophecies have already found their historical fulfilment, then it puts the focus clearly on Jesus and on the message of the cross, with no obligation to resume the observance of the Old Covenant Feasts and sacrifices, now or in the future. It defends the Gospel as the pathway to blessing, for Israel and the nations alike.
Israel was indeed restored to their land from Babylon and the nations. Their enemy nations eventually met their demise. Sacrifices were resumed. The Bible shows people travelling to Jerusalem out of all nations to keep the Feast. And in that historical context, Messiah came bringing salvation, as prophesied. Believing Jews experienced the promised salvation, and Gentiles also experienced it, in accordance with the exact scenario which had been promised and prophesied.
So what does the fact of fulfilled prophecy mean for Jews today? What can we expect in modern Israel's future if the promises have already come? Since promises and prophecies have been fulfilled on Israel's behalf and have never been revoked, Jews can still claim the blessing today. They can receive the promises through the one pathway which God set for the promises to be received, which is through faith in Jesus.
God answers faith. God answers prayer. He responds to faith in Jesus. There isn't one pathway for Gentiles, and another pathway for Jews. The cross is the sole fount of blessing, for all nations.
Many Gentiles are experiencing the prophesied blessing, through faith. Jews can still experience it too, through the same door of faith, seeing the promises were spoken first to them.
Prayer and faith has been exercised on behalf of the modern State of Israel, by non-Jews as well as by Jews. It was possible for non-Jews to pray for the restoration of the nation of Israel, which happened in 1948, not because the modern restoration of Israel was necessary in order to directly fulfil Bible-prophecies, but because the prophecies, having already been fulfilled, had never been revoked, and the New Covenant authorises Gentiles as well as Jews to pray and ask for anything in Jesus' Name and to receive it if they ask in faith.
That's what we saw happen in 1948. What we saw was not the first-time direct historical fulfilment of many of the Bible's prophecies. Nevertheless fulfilled prophecies authorised what was possible in 1948, and set the foundation for what will be possible in Israel's future, through faith in Jesus. A blessing which had been lost through unbelief, could now be recovered through faith.
Obviously not all prophecies have been fulfilled, such as the second coming, the resurrection and the visible coming of God's kingdom. Perhaps there are some other Bible-prophecies about Israel too which have not yet had their fulfilment in history. But only the born-again shall enter the kingdom of God, whether Jew or Gentile, seeing no-one could be justified through Moses' Law. By the grace of God all who believe in Jesus can enter in.
That's the Gospel! The good news. That's what Abraham and the Patriarchs foresaw. It's what the Prophets told about. Jesus. The cross. The Gospel. Salvation. The nations of the Jews and Gentiles alike being blessed, and ultimately entering the Kingdom.
But if the prophecies have already found their historical fulfilment, then it puts the focus clearly on Jesus and on the message of the cross, with no obligation to resume the observance of the Old Covenant Feasts and sacrifices, now or in the future. It defends the Gospel as the pathway to blessing, for Israel and the nations alike.
Israel was indeed restored to their land from Babylon and the nations. Their enemy nations eventually met their demise. Sacrifices were resumed. The Bible shows people travelling to Jerusalem out of all nations to keep the Feast. And in that historical context, Messiah came bringing salvation, as prophesied. Believing Jews experienced the promised salvation, and Gentiles also experienced it, in accordance with the exact scenario which had been promised and prophesied.
So what does the fact of fulfilled prophecy mean for Jews today? What can we expect in modern Israel's future if the promises have already come? Since promises and prophecies have been fulfilled on Israel's behalf and have never been revoked, Jews can still claim the blessing today. They can receive the promises through the one pathway which God set for the promises to be received, which is through faith in Jesus.
God answers faith. God answers prayer. He responds to faith in Jesus. There isn't one pathway for Gentiles, and another pathway for Jews. The cross is the sole fount of blessing, for all nations.
Many Gentiles are experiencing the prophesied blessing, through faith. Jews can still experience it too, through the same door of faith, seeing the promises were spoken first to them.
Prayer and faith has been exercised on behalf of the modern State of Israel, by non-Jews as well as by Jews. It was possible for non-Jews to pray for the restoration of the nation of Israel, which happened in 1948, not because the modern restoration of Israel was necessary in order to directly fulfil Bible-prophecies, but because the prophecies, having already been fulfilled, had never been revoked, and the New Covenant authorises Gentiles as well as Jews to pray and ask for anything in Jesus' Name and to receive it if they ask in faith.
That's what we saw happen in 1948. What we saw was not the first-time direct historical fulfilment of many of the Bible's prophecies. Nevertheless fulfilled prophecies authorised what was possible in 1948, and set the foundation for what will be possible in Israel's future, through faith in Jesus. A blessing which had been lost through unbelief, could now be recovered through faith.
Obviously not all prophecies have been fulfilled, such as the second coming, the resurrection and the visible coming of God's kingdom. Perhaps there are some other Bible-prophecies about Israel too which have not yet had their fulfilment in history. But only the born-again shall enter the kingdom of God, whether Jew or Gentile, seeing no-one could be justified through Moses' Law. By the grace of God all who believe in Jesus can enter in.
That's the Gospel! The good news. That's what Abraham and the Patriarchs foresaw. It's what the Prophets told about. Jesus. The cross. The Gospel. Salvation. The nations of the Jews and Gentiles alike being blessed, and ultimately entering the Kingdom.
What we are seeing happen in Israel and the nations is the outworking and application of fulfilled promises and prophecies. We have seen the effects of unbelief and now we are seeing the effects of faith. We'll continue to see it, and ultimately we'll see it at His coming when unbelief and faith both will receive their just and final desert or reward.
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