Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/84

Contributor - John J Opmeer

Title - Is The Old Covenant Finished? or.- Did God promise to give the land back to the Jews?

Topic - Israel

PART 2 OF 2 PARTS

The View of the New Testament Writers

The Old Testament is clear about God's instructions to restore the Jewish nation in the end-time in spite of their disobedience. But what, if the New Testament is silent about God's promises to Israel? What if it teaches that, after all, the Jews forfeited the promises by their unbelief? But the N.T. is not silent, as so many assume, and it does not teach that Israel was rejected by God forever as a nation.

"What if some (of Israel) did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar " (Rom. 3:3, 4) ...

Christians who argue that Israel's unbelief nullified God's specific promises to them really argue on the basis of the law, which Israel broke. But the New Testament specifically teaches that the promises are not based on the law but on God's covenant:

"The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise" (Gal. 3:17, 18).

The apostle Paul teaches in Rom. 9:4 that the promises apply to the people of Israel. Here was his great chance to introduce the new teaching that the promises were no longer valid. He does not do that, for the simple reason that there was no such new teaching.

The view of the New Testament writers is that the unbelief of the Jews resulted in the temporary loss of the promised land. They expected that after God had taken out of the Gentiles a people for His name, He would restore the Jewish nation (Act 15:15 - 18). There would be a time limit set to the scattering of Israel, namely "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:23, 24).

Jesus Himself taught the same view. When His disciples approached Him after the resurrection with the perfectly logical question, "Lord, will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel", He did not not answer: "O foolish disciples do you still not understand that the ' Kingdom has been taken away from Israel." No, He accepted their premise that God would fulfill His word. His answer was: No, it will not be now. God only knows that time. First the Gospel must be preached to all peoples. Then the Kingdom will be restored to Israel. (Acts 1: 6, 7, 8).

I believe, therefore, that the view that the ancient promises given by God to the Jews now only apply to the church was not the view of Jesus. Neither is it taught by the New Testament writers.

The promises of the prophets to Israel have deep, spiritual applications for all believers. But they never lost their original, literal meaning. The God Who said, "I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it" (Ezek. 36:36) is not going back on His word! When looking at the questions raised earlier by Mrs. Van Farowe, that should be kept in mind.

Paul indeed taught, "For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile" (Rom. 10:12). But the next verse explains that the subject is salvation, not the land. Jews and Gentiles, male and female are all one in Christ, says Gal. 3:28. But it does not say that there are no distinctions between male and female, or between Jews and Gentiles.

Christ indeed said that He would give the vineyard to other keepers. But He also taught that the unfaithfulness of -Israel would not cancel out God's faithfulness: "Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord' " (Mat. 23:38, 39); and "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Once more: Jesus' Kingdom is indeed world-wide. But that does not nullify the special place of the Jews within that Kingdom. Notice how Luke, the evangelist to the Gentiles, reports that God "will give Him (Jesus) the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever" (Luke 1: 3 3).

Can geography have a place in God's plan?

For many it is hard to believe that God's saving acts have anything to do with geography. Actually, most have no trouble seeing the connection in the past. n a special way, Palestine was God's land! God had specially chosen that piece of land for His divine purposes. What troubles many, however, is that there still could be special significance to geography in the unfulfilled messianic prophecies. There was no doubt in the minds of the Old Testament prophets about that. Let me give you just a sample of the long list of prophecies that connect the end-times with the return of the Jews to 'their' land: Deut. 30:1 - 10; Isaiah 2:1 - 4; 11:10 - 16; 35:1 - 10; 62:4 - 7; Jer. 3:14 - 18; 16:14,15; 23:1 - 8; ch. 30, 31, 33; Ezek. 36 and 37; Amos 9:11 15; Zech. 8:20 - 23; 12:1 - 11; 14:1 - 21.

Jesus also connects the signs of the end with Israel, and so does Paul (Matt. 24; Rom. I 1). And even though we have to be very cautious in the interpretation of the Book of Revelation, at least we may say that it, too, sees the land of Palestine as backdrop for some of the end-time events (e.g. 16:16).

Should we not get on with more vital issues?

What does all this add up to? Why is it important to deal with Israel? Would it not be just as well to ignore the whole subject? That is what I thought at one time. But the more I study the Bible, the more I am convinced that we neglect what it says about Israel only at our own loss.

First: at least one third of the Old Testament deals with the future of Israel. If it is that important in God's revelation, how could it be any less for us who believe that "all Scripture is God-breathed"?

Second: This subject is a vital issue, for the integrity of God's Word is at stake. God says: man cannot be trusted to keep solemn promises, but I keep all My promises. My Word is true and trust-worthy. You can depend on it. Without such absolute assurance, we could never be sure of God's promises as they apply to us personally. If words that have such plain and literal meaning do not mean what they say, but have only a spiritual meaning, then those people are right who claim that prayer has only subjective value, that Christianity is only for the soul, and that the Kingdom of God only refers to heaven. The Biblical teaching, from creation through redemption, is much more earthy than that!

Third: it helps us to see how God acts in history. The One who sent His Son into our space-time mode, is now setting the stage for the last act of world history. There will be no peace in the world unless there is first peace in Jerusalem. And Jerusalem will have to go through some further convulsions. And there is a veil over Jewish eyes that must first be lifted. It is beginning to lift in our time. God Himself tells us to pay attention to these things: "When you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates" (Matt. 24:33). Then the most dramatic and glorious event in human history will take place: the heavens will be opened, and the Lord Jesus Christ will touch earth again. Yes, on the Mount of Olives! Then every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Israel's true Son of David, its Messiah and King, is Lord of all!

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