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Kiss the Son–Not Israel!
No nation is cursed in relationship to physical Israel; they are condemned for not following the Son of God.
Most people are not aware that the views about “end times” that they have learned from Bible teachers originated with Irishman John Nelson Darby around 1830. No one in the history of the church had ever held to the view that Darby began to propagate, yet his ideas took root in America by 1870 as a result of his seven visits to this country. His novel doctrine was this: God has two purposes in history – an earthly one for Israel and a heavenly one for the church. This system of thought gave rise to the notion that the church had to be “raptured” out of history so that God could resume his earthly purpose for Israel in the “seven-year great tribulation” (cf. Jon Zens, Dispensationalism: An Inquiry Into Its Leading Figures & Features, Presbyterian & Reformed, 1978, 56 PP.)
The Lord teaches, however, that there is only one supreme purpose – God’s eternal purpose in Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:11). Jesus Christ, not Israel or anything else, is at the center of creation, history and everything else! It is a trick of the evil one to get people worked up about “the prophetic timetable being fulfilled in Israel.” While prophecy books sell like pancakes, Jesus must take a backseat.
So many people have fallen into the trap of measuring what goes on in world history by how earthly Israel is treated. One Bible teacher in March, 2008, made this remark: “I started to get really strongly to preach about Israel, about the pact. Also, this would probably be the perfect timing to explain why Argentina is under such a curse and that they need to ask Israel for forgiveness on behalf of Argentina.”
Israel is not the benchmark for God’s judgments. Argentina needs to ask Jesus for forgiveness. Argentina does not need to ask Israel for forgiveness! Psalm 2 says, “Kiss the Son,” not “kiss Israel.” No nation is cursed in relationship to physical Israel; they are condemned for not following the Son of God.
Another person connected Japan’s recent calamitous misfortunes to their failure to support Israel:
“…if we take God’s jealousy about Israel his love seriously, Japan is in trouble: Japan does not recognize any unilateral measures that prejudge the final resolution on pre-1967 borders, nor does Japan recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem by Israel, and is constantly bickering about various decisions of the Israeli government, a situation that God does not take lightly” (Wolfgang Simson, March 24, 2011, email).
When the Lord said to Abraham, “those who bless you will be blessed, and those who curse you will be cursed,” this was not a mandate for the nation of Israel to be the yardstick of whether or not a nation will prosper or disintegrate. The promise, “in you all nations will be blessed,” was fulfilled by Jesus – the “seed” of Abraham (Gal. 3:8, 16). The Son guides and directs all things with reference to his ekklesia, the apple of his eye on earth, not out of consideration for a piece of geography in Palestine (Eph. 1:22, 23).
The point is, right now the people in Israel for the most part are not submitting to Christ’s righteousness — so it is way out of line to view them as they currently exist to be “God’s chosen people,” as if they can do no wrong (as John Hagee teaches). The only “chosen nation” right now is the “royal priesthood” of believers all over the world.
The primary person in all issues is Jesus. The Book of Revelation is a “revelation of Jesus Christ” – it’s not about Israel or anybody’s pet views about end times. Back in 1980 Adrio Koenig wrote The Eclipse of Christ in Eschatology, and he showed how every major view of “last times” ends up pushing Jesus to the periphery. Also in 1980 Charles Feinberg wrote Israel: At the Center of History & Revelation. His view relegates Jesus to backstage and places an earthly nation on front stage. Again, Psalm 2 says, “Kiss the Son” – not kiss Israel, or America, or any nation.
Those who embrace an Israel-centered theology basically see the Old Testament as relevant to God’s alleged earthly purpose with Israel. However, Jesus emphatically affirmed that the Old Testament was about him. “Moses wrote of Me.” “And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.” In light of the fact that the Old Testament is Christ-centered, we should note that certain common evangelical approaches to the O.T are skewed and misleading:
The O.T. Is not Israel-centered. Contrary to this, many since 1830 have seen the Old Testament as primarily focusing on the future restoration of national Israel after the church is raptured.
The O.T. Is not commandment-centered. The foundation of the Old Covenant was “do this and live.” The focus was on obedience to some 613 commandments. This is how the Scribes and Pharisees saw the Old Covenant writings — as statutes and decrees. Today, there are those who view Moses’ writings as the law-book for magistrates and suggest that homosexuals, and others, should be stoned. Such views miss the clear words of Jesus which transformed the O.T. into a collection of books about a Messiah to be loved, not precepts to be kept.
The O.T is not principle-centered. Many people see the O.T as a well from which to draw good principles to live a godly life. They tend to use the Old Testament moralistically instead of in a Christ-centered manner.
Most theological errors flow out of a misuse of the Old Testament and a wrong understanding of Israel’s place in the history of redemption. Jesus Christ is at the center of Scripture and history. Jesus is the heart of God’s purpose. The only “chosen, holy nation” on earth now is the ekklesia of Christ. When Paul addressed the predominantly Gentile Galatian ekklesia, he called them “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). Jesus Christ is the benchmark, the yardstick, and the standard of everything – “of him, and to him and for him are all things.” If believers were captured by the love of Christ and God’s eternal purpose in the Son, all the prophecy books would remain on the shelves collecting dust as they should.
- Jon Zens
Israel (according to the flesh), will always have a place in God’s heart because His promises to Israel are irrevocable. God has not rejected them completely because He always leaves them a remnant, much to the devil’s disgust.
As a Christians, I’m praying, like Paul did, for the people of David, the people of Jeremiah, the people of Daniel, the people of Christ to turn their hearts to Christ.
Satan does not want that because he knows when they say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord and mean Jesus when they say it, his time is up.
Despite Satan’s every attempt to destroy and discredit them, they remain a part of God’s plan. Connie
Connie, thanks for stopping by. First, see comment policy under main menu. For future reference, any future comment (not the one in a username) containing a link back to your own sight will automatically be deleted. Consider this fair warning. Secondly, the people of Christ do not reject him as ‘Israel of the flesh’ does. See Romans.
So what is the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Messiah? Was it not “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body (Israel), and partakers of His promise in (the Jewish) Messiah…”?
For He says; “and you … were grafted in among them (Israel)…do not boast against the branches (who were cut off, those of Israel who do not have faith) … remember that you do not support the root (the Jewish Messiah), but the root supports you.
If you’re saying that every Jew is not perfect, sure. “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel.” Are you saying that Israel as a nation is therefore not God’s people? Does Messiah not sit on the throne of David, the king of Israel?
Hello, Fran. You state, “So what is the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Messiah? Was it not “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body (Israel), and partakers of His promise in (the Jewish) Messiah…”?”
Yes, you are correct, that is indeed the eternal purpose He accomplished in the Messiah. And the view espoused in this article contends that “the Gentiles… [are] fellows heirs, of the same body (Israel), and partakers of His promise in (the Jewish) Messiah.” I am not trying to be facetious, but I do not understand why you think this article denies this? My only conclusion is that, sadly, you have listened to far too many of the willfully deaf dispensationalist interlocutors of Reformed folk who have, despite months and years, books and articles, debates and interviews, lectures and sermons, and podcasts and blog posts of explanation and correction, simply refuse to understand that a Covenantalist view of Israel and the Church is not at all a “replacement theology”, but is instead a “fulfillment theology” or an “expansion theology’ (the latter favored by Dr. Kim Riddlebarger). It is not the case that Reformed folk claim, “since the Church is Israel there is therefore no ethnic Israelite who is or ever can be part of the Church under the New Covenant- they’ve been replaced by Gentiles!” Rather, what we believe is a grafting in of Gentiles where Jew and Gentile alike stand united in the Covenant of God in Christ, and thus it is the case that Covenantallism argues that “Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body (Israel), and partakers of His promise in (the Jewish [not sure what polemical purposes this emphasis serves, Fran - you are aware that Reformed folk embrace the full Jewishness of Christ, yes? I understand the emotive appeal of this emphasis, but would invite you to see that Jesus being Jewish in no way, shape, or form supports the view that God has two separate people groups with two separate plans for redemption]) Messiah.”
Remember, Fran; “Fulfillment” theology, not Replacement Theology. I have met a great number of theologians of all cuts and stripes, and have read an even far greater number, and never once have I ever met or even heard of actual Replacement Theologians. No one I know claims that no Jews are permitted in the New Covenant (alas, however, given the plethora of oddities and unfortunate strangeness in the theological and philosophical world, I would, now that I think about it directly, sadly not doubt that there is some kind of ethnic supremacist or antisemitic person/group, or simply some other form of pure and complete idiot(s), who thinks prejudice of ethnicity and racism are morally praiseworthy states of affairs and probably have married their cousin, would hold to something of this sort).
Remember, Fran:
Romans 11:2: “Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their FULFILLMENT be!” =)
Peace, sister Fran. May God guide your heart and mind.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Beau McKinley Boyd
Its regretttable that Darbyism / dispensationism have so distorted the truth of scripture, it really is a terrible hermeneutic to try and shake off.
Thank you. How can it be otherwise? Christ must be the center of everything, not a physical nation. Once I was willing to put away the charts and other interpretations and just read I came to the conclusion that to elevate Israel is to reduce Christ.
And this error is serious as it affects the way Christians live, give and act.
Do you not believe “all Israel will be saved,” as Paul writes?
Of course I do, that is what the Bible teaches. I agree with the article’s definition of ‘all Israel’. Did you read it?
Oh come on, Joel!!! John Hagee said we have to send our money to Israel so they can persecute the Messianic Jewish minority- er I mean rebuild the temple and buy arms from the US to kill civilians… er I mean defend themselves from Russia which we all know is Magog!
Great post..I recommend “The Kingdom of God” by John Bright (Cyrus McCormick) as a real eye opener to the purpose of Israel and the church. JND has influenced so many that escatology has really become a point of dissention. The fact is that no one can come to a dispensational escatology (or theology for that matter) without being ‘taught’ it. A correct exegesis of scripture will never put you in the Darby camp…Be blessed
How do you explain the miracle that is modern-day Israel? They should have lost the ’48 war of independence, the ’56 war, the ’67 six-day war and the ’73 yom kippur war. The fact that Israel exists among the nations of the mid-East is, in fact, a miracle that God brought about. The Bible is full of prophecies regarding the reestablishment of the nation of Israel if one is willing to look at them. Just as evolution has many holes in its “theory,” so does replacement theology.
I do not hold to replacement theology.
Hello again Joel. Thank you for the response. Unfortunately, you did not respond to the main issue of my comment. What should I take from that?