A great deception that has been foisted upon the church is that the Old Covenant nation of Israel continues to be central to God’s purposes in the New Covenant and will inherit the promises. It cannot. Old Covenant Israel foreshadowed the church, which is God’s new 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. The biological descendants of Abraham who have not experienced the new birth cannot inherit anything eternal.
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. Sadly, they refused to recognize or honor their Messiah, our Lord Jesus, but chose to murder him. All this was part of God’s plan to rescue and redeem people he foreknew and chose before the foundation of the world by including them in Christ. This elect group of people are known by several names: the Body of Christ, the church, and “one new man.” The important point is that 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.
Jesus originated what is called replacement theology, which has become a pejorative label used by those who have an Israel-focused eschatology. Dispensationalism teaches that the revival of national Israel is central to God’s end time plan. It also teaches that the state of Israel has always been and will always be the focus of God’s kingdom on earth, but Jesus taught something very different.
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. Matthew 21:43 (NASB95)
There is no reason for us to assume that Jesus meant that this revocation was merely temporarily. The nation of Israel in Jesus’ day had turned its back on God. Its leaders were serving the devil. (John 8:44)
Our Lord used parables about the fig tree to illustrate the judgment coming upon Israel for turning its back on God.
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 his curse. (Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9) The Jews as a people still reject their Messiah and King, except in those few who are God’s elect. Israel’s leadership still resists God’s salvation in Christ and are condemned (John 8:44), as are all who reject the gospel. (John 3:18) Israel’s continued rejection of the Lord and the gospel is why God has 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.
Israel is no longer a nation composed of Abraham’s natural descendants. In the New Covenant, Israel is the church, those who have been brought into God’s kingdom through the gospel and the new birth. It is composed of Jews and Gentiles.
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)
The New Covenant Israel composed of born-again Jew and Gentile transcends the Old Covenant shadow of a 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. New Covenant Israel will inherit the earth (John 3:16), not just a sliver of land in Palestine (Romans 4:13). In both of those verses, world is the translation for 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)
Israel fulfilled its Old Covenant purpose. It provided the bloodline for the Messiah and preserved the promises of God in the Holy Scriptures, two exceedingly important roles. Moses could not lead God’s people into the land of promise because he represented the law. Joshua, who represented 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)
