WHAT ABOUT MODERN ISRAEL?

 Ever since the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the status of the Jews in God’s redemptive plan has been the subject of theological debate. The Apostle Paul discussed that matter under divine inspiration in his Epistle to the Romans, chapters 9 through 11. It seems clear from Romans 11:2-5 that God has not rejected the Jews and is saving a remnant from generation to generation.

 In spite of Paul’s assurances that God still has a special care for the Jews, one theological system maintains that the Jews have no more special place in God’s redemptive plan than do Gentiles.

On the other side of the debate is a very popular theological system that developed in the late 19^th century. That system sees God’s plan for ethic Jews as totally distinct from the Church. The modern state of Israel, this view maintains, is a fulfillment of prophecy and a preparation for “The Great Tribulation,” identified as “the day of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). This will be followed by the return of Christ to reestablish the kingdom of Israel and reign on the throne of David for a thousand years (which reign they see in Rev. 20:1-4).

In this latter view, the church is taken out of the world before that Great Tribulation and are designated as God’s “heavenly people,” while restored Israel is God’s “earthly people.” Though variations of this system have developed in recent decades, the distinction between Israel and the Church, and God’s different plans for each, remains.

My studies of the Scriptures have brought me to a position that differs from either of the above systems. Other scholars, I have learned, have come to a similar understanding, yet differing in various details. The following is a synopsis of what I believe is in accord with God’s redemptive plan.

 GOD’S SPECIAL CARE FOR ETHNIC ISRAEL

God’s care for ethnic Jews is based on His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even in their wayward, unbelieving state, God has special concern for them just as He did for apostate Israel during the divided kingdom. During the reign of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, God answered the king’s desperate plea to Yahweh for help when the Arameans oppressed the nation.

Then Jehoahaz appeased the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. And the LORD gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Arameans; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as previously. (2 Kings 13:4-5)

Second Kings 13:23 affirms God’s gracious compassion for Israel, even in their state of apostasy:

 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and He was unwilling to eliminate them or cast them away from His presence until now. (2 Kings 13:23)

This verse demonstrates Yahweh's care for wayward Israel in spite of their state of idolatry. And the reason is given: "His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." (See also 2 Kings 14:27) He promised that He "would not destroy them from His presence until now" (that is, until the time of the writing). It would be a mistake to infer that "until now" leaves room for a future complete destruction of the Jews as a distinct people.  Jeremiah 31:35-37 declares that Israel (that is, the Jews) will never cease to be a people.  (See Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown commentary on Jer. 31:36)

God promises the preservation of Israel as a people, and He is saving a remnant in every generation, in fulfillment of His promise to the patriarchs. Believing Gentiles are also spiritual descendants of Abraham by faith (Galatians 3:7, 14) in fulfillment of God's promise that Abraham would be "the father of many nations" (Gen. 17:4, 5) in a deeper spiritual sense.

All believers, Jews and Gentiles, are united as one people in the Church, which is the culmination of the New Covenant, instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper, accomplished by His sacrifice on the cross, and inaugurated by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There is no evidence in the progressive revelation of God’s plan in the Scriptures that there are two peoples of God—earthly and heavenly. All are one in Christ for eternity. (See John 16:10; Ephesians 2:13-21; Zechariah 2:11)

MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL

So, with this understanding, what can we say about the modern state of Israel?

First, since we affirm the sovereignty of God in all the affairs of earth, we must affirm that the modern state of Israel is part of God’s plan for that people. But that plan is not to reestablish an earthly kingdom apart from the Church; rather, it is that “all Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:26), that is, put their faith in their Messiah, Jesus, and become part of the Church, the redeemed people of God under the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-33). This conversion of the Jews seems to occur at a particular time, as the following passage implies:

For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, 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; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written: “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” In relation to the gospel they are enemies on your account, but in relation to God’s choice they are beloved on account of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:25-29)

The clause, “until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in,” seems to set a time for this  removal of ungodliness from Jacob. Yet there is disagreement as to whether “all Israel” means the total number of elect Jews from the first advent of Christ to the end, or all those alive at some future point, perhaps at the return of Jesus. In any case, we know that God is not finished with the Jews, and modern Israel is part of His plan to bring them to repentance and faith in Christ.

LUKE’S FORESHADOWING

 

And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, after watching what had happened, began to return home, beating their chests. (Luke 23:48)

 Only Luke records that the crowd who came to view a “spectacle” beat their breasts in fear and consternation when they witnessed all that occurred. In recording this, Luke foreshadows the response of the Jews and proselytes at Pentecost (Acts 2:37).

 

Luke's characteristic compositional style used foreshadowing of events and people of particular significance. Here he records the troubled hearts of the spectators who would listen anxiously to Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2. Luke also singles out individuals like Stephen and Phillip (Acts 6:5) and Barnabas (Acts 4:36, 37; 11:22-25) who would soon have a special role in the progress of the gospel.

 

Luke’s gospel is the most literary of the four gospels, and its Greek is the closest to classical Greek. The vocabulary and style of Luke and Acts have similarities to the Greek of Hebrews, which has led some to suggest that Luke wrote Hebrews, perhaps in conjunction with Paul. (See The Lukan Authorship of Hebrews by David L. Allen)

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW

 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David became steadily stronger, while the house of Saul became steadily weaker.(2 Samuel 3:1)

The story of David and Saul pictures the progressive sanctification of the believer. David represents the new life of the believer who “delight[s] in the law of God” (Romans 7:22) and Saul the “old man,” who, though dead (Rom. 6:6-8), still causes trouble through his descendants and followers (the habits of the flesh). As the new man grows stronger, the remnants of the old nature grow weaker.

PETER'S THREE DENIALS OF JESUS

 Luke 22:57-60 

Critics, skeptics, and cynics have asserted that there are clear contradictions between the Gospel accounts of the three denials prophesied by Jesus (Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:61; John 13:38). Luke records that Peter answered a woman and two men. Matthew and Mark seem to indicate that the first two inquiries (or accusations) came from women. John says the first was a woman, the second simply people in the crowd ("they"), and the third a relative of the man whose ear Peter had severed. 

Two observations resolve these apparent contradictions rather easily: (1) Matthew and Mark do not say that the second challenge came from the maid directly; the maid said to the crowd that Peter was with Jesus and his disciples. With accusations flying in the crowd, a man, reacting to the maid's accusation, confronted Peter, and Luke records Peter's answer: "Man, I am not." (22:58). Both Matthew and Mark simply say it was the crowd, "they," that accused Peter the third time, so it could have been anyone in the crowd to whom Peter responded. Luke says it was again a man: "Man, I do not know what you are talking about!" John identifies that man as "a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off" (John 18:26). (2) The assumption is made that there were only three denials in total. Jesus simply said that before the cock crowed -- that is, before morning -- Peter would deny Jesus three times. In the confusion and chatter around that hearth, there were undoubtedly many accusations from different people, and Peter may have uttered several different responses. 

What is certain is that after the cock crowed and Jesus looked upon Peter, the latter remembered Jesus' words and knew that he had denied Jesus -- at least three times -- and he went out and "wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62)

As for whether the cock crowed once or twice . . . really! Jesus was speaking of the time of day, that is, “cockcrow.” That is a non-issue.

 Only those who do not want to believe find a major problem with these accounts. The variations in the four accounts actually testify to their independence and thus to their truth.

WHAT WE SEEK MAKES A DIFFERENCE

 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

The Gentiles Jesus refers to are not simply non-Jews. There were non-Jewish believers during Jesus's ministry, like the faithful centurion (Matthew 8:5-10) and the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:21-30). The Gentiles Jesus has in mind are unbelievers who find their only existence in this present world with no thought of eternity or God's kingdom. They seek intensely (επιζητουσιν) the physical and material things of this world.  In Revelation, these people are labeled as "dwellers on the earth" (3:10; 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:14; 17:2,8 et al). Jesus promises His people that our heavenly Father will provide all these things if we trust Him and focus on spiritual priorities. (See v. 33)

 In contrast to the intensive "seeking" of the Gentiles for physical necessities and comforts, Jesus urges His disciples to "seek" (ζητεῖτε) the kingdom of God and His righteousness. The Greek particle translated "but" (δε) is not the strongest word that could have been used to express contrast.  Since it is followed by the adverb "first" (πρωτον) -- "but seek first" -- Jesus is not urging his followers to shift all responsibility for their physical needs to God, nor is He diminishing the importance of diligent work and wise management of resources. 

This verse is about priorities: Godly priorities relieve anxiety. Jesus says that the greatest possession we can have is our relationship to God -- citizenship in His kingdom and righteousness, Christ-like character.  

When our spiritual priorities are in order, we need not be worried, indeed, we will not be worried about our material provisions. God cares for His own.

NOTES ON REVELATION 11 (READ WITH AN OPEN BIBLE AND OPEN MIND)

 11:3-4

The two witnesses are identified in verse 4 as “the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” This is an unmistakable allusion to Zechariah 4:2-3; 11-14.

 Zechariah’s prophecy presented one lampstand, a menorah of seven branches, and two olive trees that fed the menorah with oil, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. (Cf. Zech. 4:6) Here in Rev. 11, the two witnesses are equated with two lampstands and two olive trees. Revelation 1:12, 20 picture seven lampstands which are identified as the seven churches of Asia. The underlying meaning of the imagery is the same: light-bearing through the filling of the Holy Spirit. But why only two lampstands here? Of the seven churches whose “angels” (or “messengers,") received a message from Jesus, only two are commended as faithful: Smyrna (2:8-11) and Philadelphia (3:7-13). These may represent the “anointed ones,” the faithful churches who witness against the ungodly world.

 Numbers have symbolic significance in the Book of Revelation. Seven is the number of completeness. So the seven churches of Asia can be said to stand for the whole church of Christ, which comprises individual local churches. The messages to the individual churches (Rev. 2 & 3), though they are addressed to historical churches, speak to churches in any age.

 The light that a local church gives out to the world depends on the supply of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit works in response to faith and obedience. A lack of repentance may result in removal of the lampstand, that is, the removal of the testimony of that church (Rev. 2:5).

 11:7

“When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss (cf. 9:11) will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.” Note that the beast from the abyss makes “war” with the witnesses. If these were two literal men, it would hardly be necessary to make war with them! If we see these witnesses as representative of the Church, we can see that satanic forces from the abyss are certainly at war against us! And they will seem to overcome us (cf. Rev. 11:7)—until the Church is raised from the dead and called up to heaven: “Come up here.” What follows is a very public catching up of the two witnesses “into heaven in the cloud” (just as Jesus went up into heaven in Acts 1:9). “[A]nd their enemies watched them.”

 Only when the church has finished its testimony on earth will God allow the satanic forces to overcome them. But then the Lord will raise them up again and catch them up to heaven. As William Hendriksen pointed out, this is hardly a secret rapture! Note: Judgment follows immediately after the catching up of the two witnesses.

 11:8-10

The whole world rejoices over the death of the Church, the one voice that condemned their wicked ways. It’s a holiday for them! They send gifts to one another! It was the Church that tormented them, constantly pricking their consciences until those consciences were cauterized. (1 Timothy 4:2)

 11:11-12

In the midst of the world’s celebration over the death of the Church, God breathes life into them, they stand on their feet, and God catches them up into heaven. Three and a half days is symbolic of half the time of the completion of God’s dealings with this world. Judgment follows immediately after the rapture of the Church.

 11:13-19

Here already we see a picture of the final judgment of the saved and the unsaved (cf. John 5:25-29; Mark 11:13).  This supports the view that the visions of Revelation are different views of the same period of time -- the whole redemptive history or in particular, the church age.  (See also Rev. 20:12-15, note the phrase "great and small")

 Darrell W. Johnson notes the parallel between Chapter 7 and Chapter 11. Both are interludes: the first between the sixth and seventh seals, and the second between the sixth and seventh trumpets. The first interlude, says Johnson, asks the question in 6:17: “Who is able to stand?” The answer in Chapter 7 is those “who have the seal of God on their foreheads” (6:10 cf. 9:4). The question answered in Chapter 11 is: What are the sealed ones to be doing during this crisis in history? The answer, as I have already noted, is that they are to be witnesses for Christ in this evil age.

This parallel is important because it shows the parallel structure of the visions. It also supports the interpretation that the two witnesses represent the Church. See Darrell W. Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey Through the Book of Revelation.)

THE SEVEN SPIRITS BEFORE THE THRONE

 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, Revelation 1:4

“Seven Spirits” – this is a difficult expression, but it appears refer to the Holy Spirit. (Cf. 4:5) The blessing of “Grace and peace” can only come from God (cf. Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:2; Eph. 1:2 etc.), and the source of the blessing here is three-fold: “Him who was and who is and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before the throne, and from Jesus Christ . . .” Who else but God could be joined to the other two? Revelation 4:5 calls this spiritual manifestation “the seven Spirits of God,” and likens it to “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne.” In 5:6 the “seven Spirits of God” are “seven eyes” who proceed from the slain Lamb and are sent out into all the earth. We see this imagery of eyes in Zechariah 3:9 and 4:10, clearly speaking of God’s omniscience. So we can conclude that the ”seven Spirits of God” refer to the omniscient Holy Spirit of God.

 Note well that John introduces figurative language from the very beginning of this highly symbolic book. Seven and multiples of seven range throughout. Other numbers also have figurative meaning.