This is my current understanding of Israel in Bible-Prophecy:
Bible-prophecies which were about Israel were to be fulfilled in Israel and for Israel, not directly in Gentiles.
Any such Bible-prophecy which was about Levitical worship and related themes, MUST have been fulfilled WHILE the Old Covenant still stood - because God isn't into returning to a shadow.
(That would include prophecies about priests, Levites, altar, sacrifices, incense, Temple, mount Zion, pilgrimages to Jerusalem, feasts, new moons and sabbaths, etc).
The Apostles asserted that Israel's salvation had been presented to Israel in Israel through the Gospel, but not all Israel believed and received - which was an outcome which the Prophets had also foreseen.
Gentiles were later included in the Church. The Apostles validated this by citing Bible-prophecies which had nominated Gentiles specifically, not Israel.
They taught that believing Jews and Gentiles together comprised one new man, in fulfilment of a promise which God had given Abraham before Israel and the Law ever were, a promise which did not mention Israel.
But this long-promised outcome did not come about without due process: first believing Jews were saved in fulfilment of prophecies about Jews, then believing Gentiles were saved in fulfilment of prophecies about Gentiles.
There was no blurring or altering of identities in Bible-prophecy in order to prove that there had been the fulfilment of Bible-prophecy. Rather the Apostles adhered exactly to identities in Bible-prophecy in order to defend the Gospel and to validate the inclusion of Gentiles.
Bible-prophecies which were about Israel were to be fulfilled in Israel and for Israel, not directly in Gentiles.
Any such Bible-prophecy which was about Levitical worship and related themes, MUST have been fulfilled WHILE the Old Covenant still stood - because God isn't into returning to a shadow.
(That would include prophecies about priests, Levites, altar, sacrifices, incense, Temple, mount Zion, pilgrimages to Jerusalem, feasts, new moons and sabbaths, etc).
The Apostles asserted that Israel's salvation had been presented to Israel in Israel through the Gospel, but not all Israel believed and received - which was an outcome which the Prophets had also foreseen.
Gentiles were later included in the Church. The Apostles validated this by citing Bible-prophecies which had nominated Gentiles specifically, not Israel.
They taught that believing Jews and Gentiles together comprised one new man, in fulfilment of a promise which God had given Abraham before Israel and the Law ever were, a promise which did not mention Israel.
But this long-promised outcome did not come about without due process: first believing Jews were saved in fulfilment of prophecies about Jews, then believing Gentiles were saved in fulfilment of prophecies about Gentiles.
There was no blurring or altering of identities in Bible-prophecy in order to prove that there had been the fulfilment of Bible-prophecy. Rather the Apostles adhered exactly to identities in Bible-prophecy in order to defend the Gospel and to validate the inclusion of Gentiles.
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