Posted by
Brett on Sunday, August 20, 2006 7:23:36 PM
In May of 1948, the Jews did something that put a huge damper on the Church's acceptance of "replacement theology". For anyone who doesn't know what replacement theology is, it is the belief that the Jews are no longer God's chosen people. Because they rejected Jesus as the Messiah, God rejected Israel, removed His blessings from them, and replaced the Jews as His chosen people with the Church. This sounded very good for a long time because shortly after Jesus died and rose again, Israel was wiped out and the Jews were scattered by the Romans in 70 AD. Israel no longer existed so it made sense that all future prophecy related to Israel was actually intended for the "New Israel" aka the Church. Israel was merely a metaphor to refer to the new group of believers who became God's newly chosen people.
One huge problem with this theology is that it ignored God's everlasting covenant to Abraham from Genesis 17 that his descendants, the Jewish people, would forever be God's chosen people. The only condition God put on Abraham was that his people would be circumcised. There was nothing said about following His law or being righteous as long as they lived. To this day, one of the few things the Jews follow without exception is the ritual of circumcision. However, this covenant did seemed easy to ignore for the New Testament Church believers because Israel no longer existed as a nation after 70 AD making it appear as though God removed His favor from the Jews and gave it to His Church. This is where 1948 comes into play. Between 70 and 1948 that land was controlled by various groups but the nation of Israel was re-established following World War II. The Jews were regathering in their homeland and the nation of Israel was reborn, perfectly fulfilling the prophecy in Ezekiel 37. This caused a huge shift in the theology of the Church. What would they do now that Israel was once again a nation? Did the church really replace Israel? Was Israel to be taken as a metaphor even though its existence was once again literal.
To answer these questions, all you need to do is read what Paul tells us in Romans 9, 10, and 11. God is not done with Israel. He has a plan with Israel and will restore them as they realize that their Messiah had already come. The Bible is very clear with what God intends to do with His chosen people, the Jews. Throughout the scriptures we are told that the Jews will always be His people. They have not been perfect by any means. They have messed up tremendously throughout their existence causing God to deal with them very harshly but He always restores them. This time is no different.
Romans 9:1-9
9:1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,
9:2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
9:4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,
9:5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
9:6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
9:7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED."
9:8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
The meaning here is that the Jews were God's chosen people through the promised seed of Abraham, Isaac. The fleshly seed spoken of here are the descendants of Abraham through Ischmael. Both are seeds of Abraham but God promised him a son through Sarah. Because he did not believe God, he bore a son through Hagar. Flesh always speaks of sin so Abraham bore a son in sin by not having faith in God's promise.
Romans 10:19-21
10:19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, "I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION, BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU."
10:20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, "I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME."
10:21 But as for Israel He says, "ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE." </blockquote>
We are told here that God offered salvation to the Gentiles in order to provoke His people to Jealousy. Their Messiah came through the line of Abraham for the Jewish people. Through their rejection, salvation came to the rest of the world as we see here in Romans 11.
<blockquote class=withborder>Romans 11:1-36
11:1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
11:3 "Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE."
11:4 But what is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL."
11:5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.
11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
11:7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
11:8 just as it is written, "GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY."
11:9 And David says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.
11:10 "LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER."
11:11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
11:12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
11:13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
11:14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
11:16 If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.
11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
11:18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
11:20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
11:21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
11:22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
11:26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."
11:27 "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."
11:28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
11:29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
11:30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
11:31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
11:34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?
11:35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN?
11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
This is the key chapter in understanding God's intentions for the Jews and the Gentiles. We must understand the meaning of the olive tree and the branches here. Christ is the Root. The Jews were the natural branches coming off the Root. When the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, they were cut off of the tree and new branches, Gentile believers making up the Church, were grafted in. Through the Jews mistake salvation was offered to the rest of the world. Keep in mind though that it says we were made a nation and grafted in to provoke them to jealousy. Their removal from the Root is not permanent as the Replacement Theologists believe. It gives us a warning not to be too high on ourselves and our own righteousness because we may be cut off also.
Romans 11:17-21
11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
11:18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
11:20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
11:21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
These verses warn us not to speak arrogantly against the branches. We are not any more righteous than the Jews. Our salvation comes from the Grace of God and not of works. We have not earned being grafted onto the Root. Our righteousness come soley through Christ and not of our own works. With this being said, we can not condemn the Jews for their rejection because all of us deserve eternal damnation in Hell, not just them.
One day, the Jewish people will once again return to the Lord and accept Jesus Christ as their promised Messiah. They missed Him the first time but they will not the second time. I believe that this second time is coming quickly as we watch the events unfold in the Middle East. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all looking for their Messiah to come very soon. As Christians, are we ready? Jesus told us to pray that we may escape the things that are about to happen to this world. We must continue to support Israel and the Jews because they are the natural branches of the tree we have been grafted into.