A most significant biblical and geopolitical question today is who is the true Israel? Another way to ask pose this question is to ask if the modern nation of Israel corresponds to the Israel of the Bible. More importantly, is modern day or ancient Israel the Israel of the New Covenant?
These questions divide the Body of Christ and reveal whether we understand the New Covenant.
Dispensationalism blends Old Covenant theology regarding Israel with New Covenant truth, thus distorting gospel truth. It provides religious support for the political movement of Zionism, thus using Christianity to support modern Israel’s geopolitical ambitions. It teaches that any refusal to support national Israel will bring God’s disfavor and perhaps even a curse.
Some Christian Zionists even say that how we regard and treat Israel is a litmus test regarding whether we are true Christians, thus elevating that nation to a status almost equal to the Lord.
Dispensationalists wrongly interpret Genesis 12:3, a promise made to Abraham, and apply to the modern geopolitical entity of Israel.
I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 (NKJV)
As New Covenant Christians, we understand that this verse was made to Abraham, not to modern Israel. In particular, Paul taught that Jesus was the “seed” promised to Abraham through whom the nations would be blessed.
Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NKJV)
Jesus is the true Israelite who inherited all the blessings. To honor and confess him as the Lord is to participate in that blessing. To refuse to so honor him is bring judgment upon ourselves.
The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day rejected him as the Messiah and put him to death as a blasphemer. Jesus spoke God’s judgment over the nation.
Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:10–12 (NASB95) Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. Matthew 21:43 (NASB95) But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” Luke 19:27 (NASB95)
If Dispensationalism and Zionism is correct, Jesus is cursed for cursing (judging) Israel.
Even though Jesus judgment largely was fulfilled in 70 AD, as a whole, the Jews never repented for rejecting their Lord. Today Israel’s religious leaders still curse Jesus in the Talmud saying he is boiling in excrement as a judgment for his blasphemy. Therefore, God’s judgment still rests upon all Jews (and Gentiles) who refuse to confess that Jesus is Lord.
Until the Jews repent, they remain under the curse of the law for putting to death their Messiah.
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 (NKJV)
Those who hold to a new covenant understanding of Israel, as taught by Paul, realize that it is composed of all who put their faith and allegiance in the Messiah, our Lord Jesus.
Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. Galatians 3:7–9 (NASB95)
This new Israel, called the Body of Christ, “one new man,” and the church, is composed of both Jew and Gentile.
Paul called the Israel of God “one new man,” because our being in Christ is the key to everything.
Jesus abolished the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile by fulfilling and setting aside that which divided us.
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. Ephesians 2:14–16 (NASB95)
People who hold this position do not regard Israel as having any special status any longer. That was an old covenant concept. Now, like everyone else, Jews’ eternal destiny will be decided by whether they confess Jesus is Lord.
Dispensationalists like to point to the following verses to contend for their belief that God is going to eventually save the people of Israel.
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; 26 and so all Israel will be saved...” Romans 11:25–26a (NASB95) 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; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:28–29 (NASB95)
“All Israel” in Romans 11:26 is thought by some dispensationalists to mean all those of Jewish descent who are alive at that time, at least those present within the environs of Jerusalem, when Christ appears for the second time. It is indeed possible that Christ will appear to descendants of Abraham in a special way at the very end, as seems to be indicated by Zechariah.
I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. Zechariah 12:10 (NASB95)
However, Paul made it clear earlier in his letter to the church in Rome that only a remnant of those descended from Abraham will be saved, those foreknown by him, the elect from among the Jews.
And as Isaiah said before: “Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed [remnant], We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” Romans 9:29 (NKJV) 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. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew... Romans 11:1–2a (NASB95)
Nowhere does Paul indicate that the entire nation will be saved, except potentially in Romans 11:26. However, we cannot interpret that verse in such a way that would undo what he stated previously, that only an elect remnant will be saved. The Holy Spirit does not contradict himself. In addition, we cannot redefine Israel in a different way than Paul already did. The Israel of God now consists of both Jew and Gentile who have reborn of the Spirit. (Romans 2:29, Romans 9:6, Galatians 3:29, and Philippians 3:3)
It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. Romans 11:5 (NLT)
God’s plan is to save a remnant from Israel, as he is doing from all mankind.
He could have rejected them all after their leaders killed the Messiah, but God had mercy on the elect for the sake of the fathers. This agrees with the larger idea that Christ redeemed those whom the Father chose from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) to be a part of his Body, the church, which is composed of both Jews and Gentiles.
God’s focus in the end times is on Christ and his bride, the church, which is composed of people drawn from every people group on the earth.
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Revelation 5:9–10 (NASB95)
This new creation people, the new Israel of God, is much grander than the Old Covenant nation of Israel.
God has enlarged the narrow Old Testament concept of the kingdom of God under monarchs such as David and Solomon. The focus now is King Jesus, the Lord of all, who will reign from the heavenly Jerusalem over a recreated earth, with the Bride, the church, at his side.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7
Our destiny as the bride of Christ, composed of Jews and Gentiles, is to co-rule with him. (Revelation 21:2)
If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 2 Timothy 2:12 (NASB95)
The mystery is that God will reveal his splendid wisdom through the church, not through the geopolitical entity of national Israel.
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, Ephesians 3:4–11 (NASB95)
