Bible-Prophecies concerning Israel.
Two common misinterpretations:
One, is to say the fulfilment has been delayed until the future.
Another, is to change the identity of Israel by spiritualising it, to the extent that it was never about Israel at all but instead about the Gentile Church only.
But the New Testament view (the Apostles' doctrine - the Gospel) was that God had fulfilled His promises to Israel, and sent His Son Jesus - the Messiah.
It was just that only a remnant believed.
Next Gentiles began enjoying all the benefits of the same salvation too.
But it wasn't over for Jews, despite widespread unbelief in Israel - because having fulfilled His promise to Israel, God never revoked the opportunity. In fact God started using Gentile believers to provoke Jewish unbelievers to faith!
Thus Israel and the Gentile were on an equal footing - both sinners, both unbelieving; and both receiving the same mercy - if they believed.
Through that process God created one new identity, called the Church - His Body - comprising both Jews and Gentiles without distinction. But salvation was offered in ISRAEL first - in fulfilment of prophecy. All of that fulfilled the exact scenario foreseen by the Prophets.
It fulfilled the promise to Abraham - spoken before Israel ever was; before Moses' Law was given - that all nations (without distinction) would be blessed (saved) in his seed (seed singular, not seeds plural - which was Christ).
The Gospel wasn't unforeseen.
It isn't just an interim plan.
God isn't hiding a better card to play in the future.
The Gospel was the very fulfilment of Israel's promises - then it went to the Gentiles next.
And Jews could still be saved, because having fulfilled His promises to Israel, God never revoked the opportunity - but only through believing in JESUS.
There are two problems associated with seeing Israel’s promises as delayed, or spiritualising it.
A delayed fulfilment implies that we must practise Judaism in future (because the prophecies about Israel described a functioning Levitical priesthood including sacrifices). But that would be impossible, unnecessary and wrong.
It also removes the historical basis for our faith. If Israel's prophecies haven't been fulfilled yet, then Jesus wasn't the Messiah (because Prophecy described Messiah coming in the same historical setting as Israel's promises).
Changing the identity of Israel in prophecy by spiritualising it, also removes the historical basis of our faith - replacing it instead with a mere spiritual, ethereal basis.
But when we understand that God had fulfilled His promises to Israel in history, we can assert that Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah - because only Jesus came in the required historical setting.
It means we have a historical, chronological, geographical, physical, literal, Scriptural and objective basis for our faith - not only a spiritual, ethereal and subjective basis.
This puts the focus of Scripture - and our focus - clearly on JESUS - the Messiah.
It reassures us of salvation without any need to practise Judaism, while we wait for the Second Coming of our Lord, and His Kingdom.
JESUS is Lord and Saviour!
This is the Gospel - the good news - planned before the foundation of the world - for all people.
Two common misinterpretations:
One, is to say the fulfilment has been delayed until the future.
Another, is to change the identity of Israel by spiritualising it, to the extent that it was never about Israel at all but instead about the Gentile Church only.
But the New Testament view (the Apostles' doctrine - the Gospel) was that God had fulfilled His promises to Israel, and sent His Son Jesus - the Messiah.
It was just that only a remnant believed.
Next Gentiles began enjoying all the benefits of the same salvation too.
But it wasn't over for Jews, despite widespread unbelief in Israel - because having fulfilled His promise to Israel, God never revoked the opportunity. In fact God started using Gentile believers to provoke Jewish unbelievers to faith!
Thus Israel and the Gentile were on an equal footing - both sinners, both unbelieving; and both receiving the same mercy - if they believed.
Through that process God created one new identity, called the Church - His Body - comprising both Jews and Gentiles without distinction. But salvation was offered in ISRAEL first - in fulfilment of prophecy. All of that fulfilled the exact scenario foreseen by the Prophets.
It fulfilled the promise to Abraham - spoken before Israel ever was; before Moses' Law was given - that all nations (without distinction) would be blessed (saved) in his seed (seed singular, not seeds plural - which was Christ).
The Gospel wasn't unforeseen.
It isn't just an interim plan.
God isn't hiding a better card to play in the future.
The Gospel was the very fulfilment of Israel's promises - then it went to the Gentiles next.
And Jews could still be saved, because having fulfilled His promises to Israel, God never revoked the opportunity - but only through believing in JESUS.
There are two problems associated with seeing Israel’s promises as delayed, or spiritualising it.
A delayed fulfilment implies that we must practise Judaism in future (because the prophecies about Israel described a functioning Levitical priesthood including sacrifices). But that would be impossible, unnecessary and wrong.
It also removes the historical basis for our faith. If Israel's prophecies haven't been fulfilled yet, then Jesus wasn't the Messiah (because Prophecy described Messiah coming in the same historical setting as Israel's promises).
Changing the identity of Israel in prophecy by spiritualising it, also removes the historical basis of our faith - replacing it instead with a mere spiritual, ethereal basis.
But when we understand that God had fulfilled His promises to Israel in history, we can assert that Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah - because only Jesus came in the required historical setting.
It means we have a historical, chronological, geographical, physical, literal, Scriptural and objective basis for our faith - not only a spiritual, ethereal and subjective basis.
This puts the focus of Scripture - and our focus - clearly on JESUS - the Messiah.
It reassures us of salvation without any need to practise Judaism, while we wait for the Second Coming of our Lord, and His Kingdom.
JESUS is Lord and Saviour!
This is the Gospel - the good news - planned before the foundation of the world - for all people.
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