OPENING THE BOOK OF REVELATION –PART 25 Listen to Audio

                                Sept. 20, 2009

 

  Chapter 7  brings us to another encounter in REV with the word, “Israel”—

Attention needs to be given to the meaning in this context—

1)  It is common among non-dispensational teachers to declare that the

144,000 called ‘Israel’ in ch.7 to be an idealized  expression of both Jew

and Gentile.  This is often predicated upon views of 3 other passages

that require some consideration:

   a. Romans 9:24-26—some view Paul’s use of Hosea 2:23 and 1:10 as

   quoted to mean that God has replaced ethnic Israel with a spiritual “Israel”

   or the Church [I will say to those who were not my people (Gentiles)

  you are my people].  Such a perspective then excludes ethnic Israel or

  the descendants of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob from receiving the large

  body of OT promises and declares the church as now being spiritual

  ‘Israel’.

  

  b. Galatians 6:16- the words “as many as walk according to this rule,

   peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God”- are taken

   as referring, not to ethnic Israel, but to the church which is labeled here

   “Israel of God”.  Sometimes this view of the Church being spiritual Israel

   is called replacement theology (meaning that the church has replaced ethnic

   Israel).

     Such a view represents what is called “covenant theology” (in contrast

   with dispensational theology)---expressive of this is a quote by Rushdoony-

  “A further heresy clouds premillennial interpretations of scripture—their

  exaltation of racism into a divine principle. Every attempt to bring the Jew

  back into prophecy as a Jew is to give race and works a priority over grace

  and Christ’s work and is nothing…less than paganism.  It is significant that

  premillennialism is almost invariably associated with Arminianism, i.e. the

  introduction of race into prophetic perspectives is accompanied by… the

  introduction of works into the order of salvation…..there can be no

  compromise with this vicious heresy.”

 

  c. Romans 9:6- “but it is not as though the word of God has taken no

  effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel.”- here, the replacement

  theology declares that God has clearly rejected any claim to the ethnic or literal

  group called “Israel” by pointing out that beyond race, God favors only true

  Israel (the church).  The teaching is framed so as to infer that physical/ethnic

  Israel is set-aside or disqualified and only spiritual Israel (the church) remains.

 

2. In response to this confusion, we might consider the following:

  a. Romans 9:24-26- Paul quotes Hosea as an illustration of God’s mercy.

  That is, Hosea is speaking of divine judgment on ethnic Israel in his

  own lifetime and then, the later recovery of ethnic Israel as God’s people.

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 Note in 1:9 “you are not my people” and then in vs.10 “Yet the number

  of …..Israel shall be as the sand of the sea—vs.11 “then the children of

  Judah and ….Israel shall be gathered together”—the displacement is

  temporary and the recovery is of literal Israel, not a replacement by a

  spiritual church.  Ethnic Israel will be called “the sons of the living God”

 

b. Galatians 6:16- Paul is simply expressing his wish for peace/mercy to be

  shown to those who live by the principles of vs. 15, where neither

  circumcision (being Jewish) nor uncircumcision (being non-Jewish)

  is the critical factor.  His addition of “upon the Israel of God” only shows

  Paul’s passion for ethnic Israel (see Rom. 9:1-3 and 10:1) and should NOT

  be construed to mean OT promises to ethnic Israel are not longer valid or

  that they have been “spiritualized” into the church.

 

c. Romans 9:6- correctly, Paul is expressing that not all of ethnic Israel is

  spiritual.  That is, within the ethnic group Israel are both believers

  and unbelievers.  Once again, this should not be construed to mean that

  ethnic Israel has been replaced by spiritual Israel (being the church).

  In vs.7-13, Paul makes clear that God’s elective purpose will be fulfilled

  as it was with Jacob and the unbelieving of Israel will not receive mercy.

   That God still has purposes for ethnic Israel can be clearly seen in Romans

11:1-2 where a “remnant of ethnic Israel” has believed- vs.5-6, based on

grace, just as it is based on grace for all.  Further, 11:28-29 makes clear

ethnic Israel is still “beloved for the sake of the fathers (who are all ethnic Jews).

    Dispensationalism embraces a divine plan for both the ethnic people called

Israel and for the church as well with important eschatological aspects.  Those

of Covenant theology (replacement) see only one plan for the church, whether

in OT or NT.