A great deception has been embraced by the evangelical church that the Old Covenant nation of Israel continues to be central to God’s purposes in the New Covenant and will inherit the promises made to Abraham. It cannot. To believe otherwise reveals that we do not understand the New Covenant.
Old Covenant Israel foreshadowed the church, which is God’s New Covenant people and is composed of both Jew and Gentile.
Only the church, whose members are born again by the Spirit of God, can inherit immortality.
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:5 (NASB95)
The biological descendants of Abraham who have not experienced the new birth through putting their faith and allegiance in Jesus the Messiah-Lord cannot inherit anything eternal.
Being a physical descendant of Abraham carries no weight whatsoever in the new order of things.
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:28–29 (NASB95)
Old Covenant Israel served two very important purposes. It provided the blood line for the Messiah and preserved the promises of God recorded in the Scriptures. (Romans 1:3 and Romans 3:2) Sadly, they refused to recognize or honor their Messiah, our Lord Jesus, but chose to murder him as prophesied by the Lord.
But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ Luke 19:14 (NASB95)
All this was part of God’s plan to rescue and redeem those he foreknew and chose before the foundation of the world by including them in Christ
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Ephesians 1:3–5 (NASB95)
This elect group of people are known by several names: the Body of Christ, the church, “one new man,.” and the Israel of God.
For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. Galatians 6:15–16 (NASB95)
Every single person included in the elect are “in Christ.” Through the miracle of the new birth, we are joined to Christ in the Spirit, from whom we derive our life and blessings.
Anyone outside of Christ cannot be blessed because all blessings reside in him. Since Israel rejected our Lord Jesus, they rejected the life and blessings that could be theirs.
Only a remnant of Abraham’s biological descendants has chosen to put their faith and allegiance in the Messiah. The rest are lost and outside the purposes and promises of God.
In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. 7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; Romans 11:5–7 (NASB95)
Jesus warned Israel’s leaders that their rejection of him would result in their being rejected by God.
Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you [the Jews] and given to a people, producing the fruit of it [the Gentiles]. Matthew 21:43 (NASB95)
This revocation was permanent because the New Covenant operates on a different basis. No longer would the promises come to those biologically descended from Abraham. Now they are given to those born again into God’s kingdom. Jesus is the Second Adam through whom an entirely different race of humans derives. Everything connected to Adam will perish, including all those non-born-again Jews and Gentiles.
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NASB95)
Our Lord used parables about the fig tree to illustrate that judgment would come upon Israel for turning its back on God and his Messiah.
Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered. Matthew 21:19 (NASB95)
This parable was affirmed by another found in Luke 13:6-9, in which Jesus said that if the fig tree did not produce fruit in an allotted time, it would be cut down. The fig tree was an Old Covenant symbol for judgment regarding Israel. (Hosea 9:10 and Jeremiah 8:13)
The nation of Israel has not had a change of heart since Jesus spoke that curse or judgment.
In Revelation he calls them a synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9) This very harsh term did not originate with me; so, don’t judge me as being anti-Semitic, please. I do not have a special hatred for anyone, Jew or Gentile. I also do not consider the biological descendants of Abraham to have any special place or favor with God. That belongs to the elect only, which is composed of Jew and Gentile. There is no difference at the foot of the cross.
Israel’s rejection of the Lord and the gospel is why God transferred the kingdom to a new nation, those who are purchased by the blood of the Lamb.
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. 1 Peter 2:9–10 (NASB95)
Israel still is at the heart of God’s purposes, but the definition has changed in the New Covenant. Now Israel is composed of born-again Jews and Gentiles and transcends the Old Covenant nation composed of biological descendants of Abraham.
The New Covenant reveals God’s plan to save the entire world, not just a small group of people descended from Abraham. New Covenant Israel will inherit the entire earth (John 3:16), not just a sliver of land in Palestine (Romans 4:13).
In both of those verses, “world” is the English translation of the Greek word “cosmos,” which has a much broader meaning than a small section of land. This expanded purpose for Christ’s ministry and rule was prophesied by Isaiah.
He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 (NASB95)
Moses could not lead God’s people into the land of promise because he represents the law. Joshua, who represents the New Covenant Jesus, accomplished that to give us an Old Covenant shadow of what was to come.
Old Covenant Israel cannot inherit the earth. That is reserved for God’s born-again church, the New Covenant Israel.
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NASB95)
The natural descendants of Abraham cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Only those born of the Spirit will be included in God’s rule.
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. Romans 9:8 (NASB95) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:28–29 (NASB95) For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:14–18 (NASB95)
Dispensationalism the nation state of Israel, an Old Covenant concept, will inherit New Covenant promises. This is impossible.
National Israel was only a shadow of the reality to come, which is the church. The shadow recedes and disappears after the fulfillment arrives. (Colossians 2:17 and Hebrews 10:1) Unless we have a proper understanding of Old Covenant national Israel’s place in the divine plan, we cannot fully understand the New Covenant.
All legalism is an attempt to water down the gospel by adding elements from the Old Covenant.
Paul made it clear, however, that if we do this we step away from New Covenant grace.
And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:3–4 (NASB95)
If we try to revive national Israel’s Old Covenant purpose and stamp it upon the New Covenant, we disfigure New Covenant grace which has enlarged the people of God to include those from every nation and people group, who will inherit the earth, not just a sliver of land in the Near East. We dare not allow ourselves to be duped into accepting anything less. Christ will be glorified in the church for all eternity, not in the nation state of Israel.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20–21 (NASB95)
