Dear Mr. Best,
I am a recent convert who God has in His mercy saved I. I am writing because I have questions concerning God’s plan for Israel in Eschatology. I am questioning Dispensationalism partially due to the division of the body of Christ into two peoples of God. What is the prewrath view on Israel? Will Israel be eternally separate from the Church? Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.
Thank you for your question and I will do my best to shed some light on this for you. This is a highly debatable topic and the problem is that so many are tied to their systems of theology rather than simply taking a face value approach to the Word of God.
Those of the Covenant system, who are prevalent in your area (Reformed, Christian Reformed) believe that because Israel fulfilled a particular purpose when Christ came the first time he has fulfilled spiritually the promises God gave Israel; therefore, according to Amillennialists, the Church is now considered the “true Israel” and thus there is no future promises for an ethnic Israel. Obviously we see no Biblical substantiation for this line of thought. Amills have reductionisticly reduced God’s promises to only spiritual terms, without allowing for the ethnic, political, social, and physical aspects of God’s promises in the culmination of the Kingdom. Then we have the strict dispensationalist who believes God has eternally separated Israel and the Church. You must remember that these systems, although at times can be of help, are developed by fallible men and as a result you would expect some error.
Now to your question. . .right up front let me say the Bible is clear that there is no division between Israel and the Church in the Body of Christ. However as we move toward the “Day of The Lord” when the Rapture of the Church takes place and God pours out His wrath on this old world, God is dealing with Israel and the Church simultaneously. Here when I speak of Israel I am speaking of national Israel and not saved Israel. In other words there is a difference between an ethnic Jew and a saved Jew (see Luke 3:8). Allow me to quote from an article written by Charles Cooper, “Only by placing faith in the promises of God do natural Jews become saved or part of the “remnant according to the election of grace.” This is Paul’s meaning in Romans 9:6 when he writes, “they are not all Israel who are of Israel.” Rather, “at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” The disciples of Christ belong to this Jewish remnant of righteousness. Paul indicates that he too belongs to this Jewish remnant of righteousness (Romans 11:1-2). Israel therefore consists of a remnant of righteousness (the elect) and those who are hardened (unsaved). Any discussion about Israel that does not take this point into consideration may error when addressing her future.”
I do believe that there is vast biblical evidence that God’s dealings with ethnic or natural Israel and the Church do overlap.
It is obvious in the day in which we live that God is dealing with natural Israel. He is fulfilling the Old Testament promises (Ezekiel 36 for example) to bring Israel back into the land, establishing them as a nation and allowing them to control the city of Jerusalem setting the stage for the Seventieth week of Daniel (the tribulation) to begin. Israel is definitely still in God’s plan, He has not forsaken her. He has made promises to Israel that are forever and He will fulfill them.
According to many Old Testament promises and Romans 11:26 there is a day coming when all Israel will be saved. That day is at the end of the Seventieth week when all Israel who survive this period and have not taken the mark of the beast will be saved and become a part of the Body of Christ. In Revelation 12 the woman is obviously Israel and in verse 17 it speaks of her offspring as those “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus”, obviously the Church.
I have attempted to keep this brief and trust it will be a help to you. A study of Scripture will continually show you that Jews and Gentiles who are saved are one in Christ. Unfortunately not all in the church today are saved, but there is a remnant, likewise not all Jews are saved but there is a remnant. Those two remnants will be joined together through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for eternity. May God bless in your continued study and growth in Christ.
In Christ’s love.
