A) INTRODUCTION.

B) REVIEWING EARLY CHURCH HISTORY.

C) ISRAEL’S CLOSE OF PROBATION TEXTS.

D) TO YOUR OBJECTIONS.

 

 

A) INTRODUCTION

 

 

A Jewish Christian proverb in Israel is:  “Yeshua is the best kept secret in the land of Israel.”  Let’s change that.  Also, for the Israel of today, see my Bible Study:  “ISRAEL, SPIRITUAL.”  It is definitely a “spiritual” matter, as opposed to a physical matter.

 

Theologians falsely believe the blessing of Israel forever is based upon Genesis 12:3.  However, where MOST Bible students fail, is to understand that ALL Bible prophecies -- except specific time prophecies -- ARE CONDITIONAL.  And in regards to the prophecies being conditional, we find this (in regards to nations) in Jeremiah 18:8-10:  “[8] If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. [9] And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; [10] If it doevil in My sight, that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”

 

The most telling of all for the reason Israel is no longer in the eye of God is Luke 19:44:  “because thou [oh Israel] knewest not the time of thy [oh Israel] visitation.”  Therefore, as prophesied in Daniel 9:24-27, Israel was to be “cut off.”  This can be seen by understanding that “determined,” verse 24, in Hebrew, “H2852; chathak,” literally means, “cut off.”  Also, Christ is even more explicit when He states, “your house is left unto you desolate,” Matthew 23:38 & Luke 13:35.

 

Also, according to John 19:15, even Pilate knew Who was Israel’s King.  But because of Israel’s answer whom their king was, they have been rejected as a nation.  Paul confirms this in Acts 13:46:  “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you:  but [HOWEVER; BUT] seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”  They had the truth, but they changed them, added to them, traditionalized them, to the point that they did not respect them anymore.

 

“Supersessionism,” also known as, “Replacement Theology,” or “Fulfillment Theology,” is a Christian theological view on the current status of the Christian church in relation to the Jewish people and Judaism.  Adherents of “Replacement Theology” believe the Jews are no longer God’s chosen people, and God does not have specific future plans for the Nation of Israel.

 

I believe God no longer looks to a single Nation to represent Him on earth.  But rather a people group, i.e., “Here is the patience of the saints:  here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”  Revelation 14:12.  Therefore, to teach that a Nation (or church) replaces Israel would be incorrect, as no Nation has done that, even though at one time the U.S.A. might have come close.

 

Israel gave up their right to represent God’s value system when they rejected their and our Messiah.  This was previously prophesied in Daniel 9:24:27, and a proper understanding of the 70th week.  The rejection of their Messiah and the killing of Him “in the midst of the week,” verse 27, sealed their fate.  For as stated before, Luke 19:44:  “because thou [oh Israel] knewest not the time of thy [oh Israel] visitation.”

 

To say that “The Church” replaces Israel would be a stretch unless you can find all of the values that our Lord wanted Israel to teach and represent.  “[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you:  and, lo, I Am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.”  Matthew 28:19-20.  If you can find Christ’s values for Israel in a Nation today, or ever, then you can safely say that that Nation has replaced Israel as God’s representation upon earth.  However, at this point you might say your church is doing just that.  I pray it is; but most likely, per Revelation 14:12, as mentioned above, it will only be a small remnant that will do this; remembering that, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.”  Romans 9:6.

 

 

B) REVIEWING EARLY CHURCH HISTORY

 

 

It is easy to see how this “Supersessionism” came about:

 

Marcion of Sinope (110-160 A.D.) was a Hellenist steeped in the ideas of Plato and Gnosticism, and wanted to separate Christianity from any connection with Judaism and the Law of God; particularly the 4th, or Sabbath Commandment.

 

Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) was an early Christian apologist who wrote his, “Dialogue with Trypho the Jew,” in which he claimed that God’s covenant with Israel was no longer valid, and that the Gentiles had replaced them.

 

Tertullian (160-220 A.D.) was another Gentile Christian apologist who blamed the Jews for the death of Jesus.

 

Origen (263-339 A.D.) founded a school in Alexandria Egypt that taught the allegorical interpretation of Scripture.  He was heavily influenced by neo-Platonic Gnosticism.  He was also an anti-Semite who accused the Jews of plotting to kill Christians.

 

Eusebius (263-339 A.D.) wrote an influential history of the church that blamed the calamities which befell the Jewish Nation as a whole, and of the Jews role in the death of Jesus.

 

John Chrysostom (344-407 A.D.) denounced Jews in a series of sermons to Christians who were taking part in Jewish festivals and other Jewish observances.

 

Jerome (347-420 A.D.) produced the Latin translation of the Bible, which became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic church.  He stated, “Jews are incapable of understanding Scripture and should be severely punished until they confess the true faith.”  The Roman Catholic church took this further in that they teach only the clergy can understand Scripture correctly.

 

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) spiritualized the kingdom of God and introduced “Amillennial Thinking” into the Gentile church.  He maintained that the Jews deserved death, but were destined to wander the earth to witness the victory of “Church,” (meaning Gentiles) over synagogue.

 

None of these captured the true spirit or values of our God.  Our battle is not to replace anyone, but to represent God correctly.  According to the Book of Revelation, only those who “Obey” and “Worship” God (and not worship the beast and his values) will represent God and be saved.  No one Nation will do that.  But we should attempt to find the one Church that best does that.  And when you find that Church, it has not replaced Israel, but continues on with the correct values of God.  That is not replacement, but continuation; since the Jews will not do it (see below).

 

 

C) ISRAEL’S CLOSE OF PROBATION TEXTS

 

 

For the “Close of Probation” for the Jewish nation, see Deuteronomy 32:26-38 [39-42 is if they repent]; Jeremiah 31:35-37; Matthew 3:10 & 12; 23:38; Luke 3:9; 13:35; 19:14 &44; John 19:15; Acts 7:43 & 58; 13:46; Romans 11:25.

 

 

 

D) TO YOUR OBJECTIONS

 

 

Matthew 21:43:  “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”  The Greek word for “nation” here is “ethnos.”  Paul employs “ethne,” which is the plural of “ethnos,” in a twofold sense, either as pagan Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (see Rom. 2:14; 3:29; Gal. 2:8), or as Gentiles in contrast to Jewish Christians (see Rom. 11:13; Gal 2:12 & 14).  This double usage is well illustrated by comparing Ephesians 3:1, with Ephesians 4:17.  In both passages, “ethne” is used, but in the first it is simply a mark of nationality, while in the second it has a moral touch.  That is the principle here, as our Lord is ALWAYS concerned about the character of His people.

 

Therefore, as the “ESV;” “ISV;” “Phillips;” “NASV [although it has a footnote denoting “nation”];” “NET;” “NIV;”OJB;” and others have translated it as “people,” many others translate it as “nation.”  Since it is easy to see that NO “nation” is keeping the Commandments of God, individual people are a better representation of the text.  It also must be remembered that Jesus is talking to the spiritual leaders of Israel, in order to -- see my Romans 11:11 explanation below.

 

Matthew 23:37-39:  “(37) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (38) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (39) For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that Cometh in the Name of the Lord.”  Remember, Israel as a nation is “cut off.”  Thus, the “house” and “ye” are speaking of Spiritual Israel, not physical Israel; because physical Israel’s “house is left unto you desolate,” because they “would not” allow themselves to be “gathered.”

 

Matthew 25:31-33 & 45-46:  “(31) When the Son of Man shall Come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: (32) And before Him shall be gathered all nations:  and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (33) And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. (45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. (46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:  but the righteous into life eternal.”  To attribute the “one of the least of these” as meaning the “nation” of Israel is to be irrational.  Christ “separates” the “sheep [“righteous,” verse 37]” from the “goats [unrighteous “cursed,” verse 41].  The context of “nation” here is each individual from all “nations” upon the earth.

 

Acts 1:6-8:  “(6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel [The key here is they were asking, “now”]? (7) And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His Own power [Christ here does not want to discourage them, since they will later understand Daniel’s prophecy of the Jewish nation being “cut off.”  That is the argument.  But that does not then mean, as is nowhere indicated here, that the church then takes its place; because you must then confuse and reason falsely, that the ones in verse 8 are Israel]. (8) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

 

Acts 3:19-21:  “(19) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (20) And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: (21) Whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”  I do not understand the reasoning for using these verses in order to replace Israel.  For the “preached unto you” is clearly referring to Israel.  And since “He [the Father] shall send Jesus” is referring to Christ’s Second Coming, Israel at this point in time only has 3 1/2 years before its “Close of Probation.”

 

Romans 2:28-29:  “(28) For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly [BORN A JEW]; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: (29) But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly [It’s a “HEART” issue.  The “one” is those who are being obedient]; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

 

Romans 9:6:  “Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect.  For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.”  In other words, anyone, Jew or Gentile, where “the Word of God “HAS” “taken” “effect.” 

 

Romans, Chapter Eleven.  Most objectors move directly to Romans, Chapter Eleven.  However, their focus is only on verse one and discount anything else they may learn from the Chapter.

 

Here is Romans 11:1:  “Hath God cast away His people?  God forbid.”  Don’t miss this point.  God did not “cast away His people.”  THEY cast Him away!  This becomes clear from verse 11, that “through their fall,” they failed to stay within God’s graces.  How clear that statement is!  They had fallen away in Paul’s time.  Thus, the time for the Jewish “Nation” to represent God’s values, upholding His Laws, is gone.  We are saved as individuals when we obey God’s Laws.  Romans Eleven, Verse Eleven, continues with, “salvation” going out to the “Gentiles,” not then meaning that they “replace” the Jewish nation.  But to “provoke” the Jews to “jealously.”  Has it worked?  Not at all.  For they said at the base of Christ’s cross, “His blood be on us, and upon our children,” Matthew 27:25.  And latter, the last straw, the stoning of Steven (Acts, Chapter 7), which sealed their fate as a Nation.

 

Romans 11:11-16:  “(11) I say then, Have they [Israel] stumbled that they should fall?  God forbid:  but rather through their [Israel’s] fall [Take Note that they not only “stumbled,” but they also “fell”] salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy. (12) Now if the fall of them [Israel] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them [Israel] the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their [Israel’s] fulness? (13) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine [Paul’s] office: (14) If by any means I may provoke to emulation them [Israel] which are my flesh, and might save some of them [Israel]. (15) For if the casting away of them [THAT SHOULD BE CLEAR] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them [Israel] be, but life from the dead? (16) For if the firstfruit [Israel] be holy, the lump [Gentile] is also holy: and if the root [Israel] be holy, so are the branches [Gentiles].”  This is all conclusive of both parties.  To then claim that the church replaces Israel in these passages is a misuse of Scripture.

 

Romans 11:28-31:  “(28) As concerning the gospel, they are [Israel] enemies for your [Gentiles] sakes:  but as touching the election, they are [Israel] beloved for the fathers' [patriarchs; prophets] sakes. (29) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (30) For as ye [Israel] in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their [Israel’s] unbelief: (31) Even so have these [Gentiles] also now not believed, that through your [believers] mercy they [Israel] also may obtain mercy [from God].”  Again, misapplying these texts to say that the church will convert Israel; thus taking the place of Israel.  The only One Who deserves the credit is God working through those in Spiritual Israel.

 

Galatians 3:7 & 9:  “(7) Know ye therefore that they which are of faith [Jew; Greek; Gentile; ANYONE; not specific to any church], the same are the children of Abraham. (9) So then they which be of faith [ONLY THESE] are blessed with faithful Abraham.”  See also Romans 4:11-12.

 

Galatians 6:16:  “And as many as walk according to this rule [the “this rule” being found in verse 15, “a new creature,” one who is obedient], peace be on them, and mercy, and [many translations miss this Greek word “kai,” which should translate the passage as, “and ALSO”] upon the Israel [THOSE GRAFTED IN] of God.”  Again, the only way to be grafted into “the [Spiritual] Israel of God,” is to be obedient to God’s Laws.  Bottom line, this text is inclusive, in that people is talking about Gentile believers and Israelite believers, in which both are grafted into the “cross of Christ.”  In other words, both parties believe Christ was and is the promised Messiah.  This verse is unique, in that Paul’s normal usage of “Israel,” he is speaking of the national physical “Israel.”  But here, he is definitely speaking of a people who are of “Spiritual Israel.”