Israel's 1948 reinstitution may not be fulfilled prophecy!

[cyberjosh]

I don't know if this article is true, however it is darn right about one thing: Israel today is far from the promised purified and Godly Israel (most Israelis today are secular and less than 13% are othodox believing Jews), with God ruling over them. At the very least even if it was prophesied, whatever prophecy that may be cannot possibly be fully fulfilled because the promised regathering of Israel was a promise for God's final kingdom on earth, which we under the New Covenant and having the NT now know to be Christ's Millenial Reign (before the New Heavens & Earth are created). Modern Israel is far from any biblical perspective of future Israel - so either (like the article says) it is solely a work of man or it still has a long way to go & possibly yet another scattering & break up of the nation (according to prophecy).

Tell me what you think of the article above. And please read the whole thing, because the real points are toward the bottom with the Scripture.

~Josh

 

[ÃÂoppleganger]

Well, they have hit on some things.
But when knowledge increases!
That Israel was reborn after 2000 yrs!
That Hebrew a dead language was revived!
I could include the Days of Balaam prophecy.
etc. ecetera.

And what happens, If they eventually build the temple.
Isn't It possible, that God is using them to fulfill his word?

 

[cyberjosh]

Actually, before you said something I also thought of one thing which would make Israel have to become a nation again before the final rescattering is that they would have to rebuild the temple and they would have to be a nation again to make a covenant with the Anti-Christ. But all these things are revealed to us in the NT. Where are the similar prophecies in the OT if Israel is to be regathered before the tribulation only to be scattered again? How do you explain the 1948 regathering and the future scattering & regathering other than pointing out two specific sets of prophecies for each?

~Josh

 

[Bubba]

The restoration of Israel examined more closely:


A. FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT...
1. The promise of restoration - Jer 29:14
a. This restoration is the one after 70 years of Babylonian
captivity - Jer 29:10
b. Applied by Daniel to the time in which he was living - Dan
9:2
c. In which Jews throughout the Persian empire (not just
Assyria and Babylon) were encouraged to return to Jerusalem
- Ezr 1:1-4
2. The "second" restoration - Isa 11:11
a. This could apply to the Babylonian restoration, if the
"first" refers to the deliverance from Egyptian bondage in
the days of Moses - cf. Isa 11:16
b. However, the context suggests a figurative restoration made
possible in the days of the Messiah - Isa 11:1,10; cf.
Ro 15:12; 11:5
3. The return prophecies in Zechariah - Zech 8:1-8
a. Zechariah prophesied about the year 520 B.C.
b. His prophecies were fulfilled in the days of Ezra (458
B.C.), Nehemiah (446 B.C.), and afterward - Ezr 7:1-10; Neh
11:1,2; cf. also 1 Macc 14:8-12
4. The "latter days" in Jer 30:24
a. As seen in a previous study, in the OT it can mean simply
"in the future"
b. The context of Jeremiah makes it clear that it refers to
after the 70 years of Babylonian captivity - Jer 29:1,10,14;
30:3,22,24
5. The promise of physical and economic restoration - Isa 35:1;
61:4
a. These passages also have reference to recovery after the
Babylonian captivity
b. They can also have figurative reference to the coming of the
Messiah - cf. Isa 61:1-3; Lk 4:18-21
6. The promise of victories over their enemies - Amo 9:14-15
a. Again, these promises likely refer to the restoration
following Babylonian captivity
b. In any case, such promises were conditional - cf. Jer 18:
7-10
-- Such are the responses to those espousing a latter day
restoration of Israel

B. FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT...
1. The return of Jerusalem to the custody of the Jews - Lk 21:24
a. The passage speaks not of Jews retaking custody, but of the
trampling down of the city
b. "until the times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled" is
interpreted by some to simply refer to the Parousia (second
coming of Christ) - Lenski, Hendriksen
2. The rebuilding of the temple - 2 Th 2:4
a. "the temple of God" is understood by many to refer to the
church - Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Barnes, Gill, Clarke
b. It is so used by Paul and Peter - 1 Co 3:16-17; 1 Pe 2:5
c. Thus it may have no reference to the temple in Jerusalem
3. The regathering of the twelve tribes - Mt 19:28
a. A literal regathering may be inferred, but it is not
necessarily implied
b. The "twelve tribes" has been figuratively applied to
Christians - Ja 1:1; cf. 2:1
c. Many understand Mt 19:28 to refer the blessed state of the
apostles in the eternal state, as their reward in eternal
life after suffering so much for Christ - Mt 19:29; cf. Mk
10:30
4. Regarding the passage in Ro 11:25-27, some thoughts from
various scholars:
a. "The term "All Israel" means the total number of elect Jews,
the sum of all Israel's remnants." - Hendriksen
b. "The term 'all Israel' in Rom. 11:26a must be understood as
indicating the collective elect out of Israel." - Volbeda
c. "'All Israel' in 11:26, is not the people of Israel,
destined lo be converted collectively, neither is it the
church consisting of united Jews and Gentiles; but it is the
full number which during the course of the centuries is
gathered out of Israel." - Bavinck
d. "'All Israel' is to be understood as a designation not of
the whole nation but of the whole number of the elect out of
the ancient covenant people...and the adverb (so) cannot
mean 'after that,' but only 'in this manner.' " - Berkhof
-- Such are the responses to those espousing a latter day
restoration of Israel

C. FROM CURRENT EVENTS...
1. The claim that "the time of the Gentiles ended May 14, 1948,
when Israel became an independent state," and that "the Jews
have returned to their country in fulfilment of prophecy" is
contradicted by the following facts (as per Hendriksen):
a. Today only about one out of every five Jews is living in
Israel
b. Today the very existence of Israel - and of Jerusalem as an
independent Jewish city - is still being threatened
c. The great majority of Jews do not regard Jesus as their Lord
and Savior
2. The second Hezbollah-Israeli War (2006) ended in defeat for
Israel
3. The current land making up the country of Israel is but a small
portion of that promised and fulfilled by God in days of Joshua
and Solomon
4. It is unlikely the Muslims will let Zionists destroy the Dome
of the Rock to rebuild the temple
-- Such are the responses to those espousing a latter day
restoration of Israel

CONCLUSION

1. The arguments for a latter day restoration of Israel...
a. Are based on a literal rendering of prophecy (cf."The
Interpretation Of Prophecy")
b. Depend on eisegesis that often fails to consider the context of
Biblical history

2. They also overlook much of the teaching in the New Testament...
a. Regarding the removal of that which divides Jew and Gentile - Ep
2:11-22
b. The passing away of the Law (with its sacrifices) - cf. Heb 8-10
c. The fact that in Christ Jews have died to the Law - Ro 7:1-6
d. There is no longer any distinction between Jew and Gentile - Ga 3:
28-29

3. The passing of time has also disproved a "latter day" restoration...
a. It has been almost sixty years since modern Israel became a state
b. Many events presumed to take place within a generation of that
event did not occur

It is not that God's Word has failed; rather, God's Word has been
mishandled. Dispensational premillennialism, though it is the most
popular view held today, more than any other has proven to be the most
unreliable view concerning the Second Coming of the Lord...

Note: Much of the material in this outline is based on an article by
William Hendriksen entitled "Are Restoration Prophecies Being Fulfilled
Today?" from his book, Israel In Prophecy, (Baker: Grand Rapids, chapter
II, pp. 16-31). You can read it online here.

 

[cyberjosh]

Bubba,

You make a good case for Israels restoration after 70 years of captivity among the Babylonians/Perisans and that is absolutely correct. But I notice one thing amazing though: in all that scripture you gave not one was from Ezekiel. Ezekiel has different restoration prophecies and not to mention it talks about the end times temple and the end time temple worship that will be reinstituted. That does not fit into any historical framework.

Perhaps you need to do a more personal, thorough examination of Ezekiel. I am doing so now, I'm reading through the entire book. So far I've read straight through to chapter 12 and I've skipped ahead at places to chapter 20, 34, and portions of other chapters. I'm definately seeing end times application.

~Josh

 

[Bubba]

Cyber,
My take on all of Old Testament prophecy, is that Jesus’ first advent and the church fulfilled all but the New Heavens, New Earth and Judgment (final). The Temple prophecies I believe are a typology of what it will be like in Glory, but not necessarily a literal representation. Yet, I could be wrong.
Blessings, Bubba
ps Historical aspects such as Babylon and Tyre make up the first 25 or so chapters of Ezekiel that are unquestionably fulfilled prior to Jesus 1st Coming.

 

[ÃÂoppleganger]

Well the Dome of Rock was built over a church, that was suppose to have been the site of the temple but they were wrong. Today actually, the Muslims are trying to build a minaret (I believe) on the real site, despite Israeli objections. Some Bible verse specifically states that the court not the Temple is given to the Gentiles which would line up with this concept. Also, according to some Muslims, when the Mahdi returns he is suppose to return with A moslem Jesus that will refute the claims he was sent by the Hebrew God but by Allah, which would line up with why The abomination would desolate the High Place. I can't expand on thiis anymore, right now. But, its something to consider, anyways later.

 

[MrVersatile48]

Just time to link:-

Israel reborn: Psalms 17 & 48 etc etc

http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=27370


Many relevant threads are linked from this lyric:-

BEFORE OUR EYES..

http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=18604


Ian

 

[tim-from-pa]

Well the Dome of Rock was built over a church, that was suppose to have been the site of the temple but they were wrong. Today actually, the Muslims are trying to build a minaret (I believe) on the real site, despite Israeli objections. Some Bible verse specifically states that the court not the Temple is given to the Gentiles which would line up with this concept. Also, according to some Muslims, when the Mahdi returns he is suppose to return with A moslem Jesus that will refute the claims he was sent by the Hebrew God but by Allah, which would line up with why The abomination would desolate the High Place. I can't expand on thiis anymore, right now. But, its something to consider, anyways later.

Doppleganger:

As usual, I love your posts and you caught my interest. Do you have Google Earth? I'm a math sort of guy and into locations and numbers. The Dome of the Rock is at N31.77804 E35.23517 approximately. If you put these decimal notations into your Google Earth (by making sure the options is in degees as opposed to D-M-S, that's just a preference of mine), you should be able to "fly to" the Dome of the Rock.

Now, my question to you, could you show me where this minaret is supposed to be built and the true location (that you believe) of the temple? Just move your cursor around over the picture and let me know the new latitude and longitude coordinates, then I can get my bearings relative to the Dome of the Rock. Thanks!!

 

[ÃÂoppleganger]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 07,00.html
Israel allows minaret over Temple Mount
Olmert consents to Muslim prayer tower while denying Jewish plans for synagogue
Aaron Klein, WND Published: 02.04.07, 13:59 / Israel News

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite? ... 2FShowFull
Feb. 14, 2007 14:07 Jerusalem Post
Q&A on the Temple Mount with Dr. Eilat Mazar

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/113311
Synagogue Planned For Temple Mount, Hashemites to Add Minaret

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount
Of course Wiki Has some on It

http://www.templemount.org/
http://templemount.org/theories.html
This site has the most info

I believe the Southern Site theory states that they found the place where the sacrifices were made and lining it up with the East Gate and the Mount Of Olives points to the correct location, but don't quote me on it. Its been a while since I studied this, Not that long but, the details can be a bit thick and searching through the "rumble" as it were, can be time consuming!

Sorry can't google ya, but the temple org has some visual evidence that will help you.

ADDED - These two are also very good sites worth noting
--------
http://www.ancientsandals.com/overviews ... le%20Mount
http://askelm.com/temple/t001211.htm

 

[tim-from-pa]

Thanks Doppleganger! I'm still looking over the sites yet; there is a lot of info here.

I think what I am driving at is the same thing as the pyramid or sacred measure. I suspect that there may be a specific latitude/longitude of the temple---- i.e. the numbers have scriptural significance. It would not be unlikely IMO.

 

[ÃÂoppleganger]

Yea, your probably right about that, you would have to go through all the references to Moriah, Jerusalem, Jebus, the Temple, its measurements, etc.. Search Secular sources and what-not. Remember Dr. Scott even taught about the Christ triangle in the Pyramid, but it runs through Bethleham. not Jerusalem.

 

[Heidi]

Re: Israel's 1948 reinstitution may not be fulfilled prophec

I don't know if this article is true, however it is darn right about one thing: Israel today is far from the promised purified and Godly Israel (most Israelis today are secular and less than 13% are othodox believing Jews), with God ruling over them. At the very least even if it was prophesied, whatever prophecy that may be cannot possibly be fully fulfilled because the promised regathering of Israel was a promise for God's final kingdom on earth, which we under the New Covenant and having the NT now know to be Christ's Millenial Reign (before the New Heavens & Earth are created). Modern Israel is far from any biblical perspective of future Israel - so either (like the article says) it is solely a work of man or it still has a long way to go & possibly yet another scattering & break up of the nation (according to prophecy).

Tell me what you think of the article above. And please read the whole thing, because the real points are toward the bottom with the Scripture.

~Josh

No, it isn't. But 1948 was the beginning of the migration back to Israel. The earth could be around for another week or thousands of more years. ;-)

 

[biblecatholic]

Josh,

I thought the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled after the Babylonian captivity (ezra 1)

I also don't think that Israel is a "jewish" state, heck there more of a pagan country than we are here in the states.

Christ and the christian Church are the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.
Saint Paul tells us that those who follow Christ in faith are the true children
of Abraham and heirs to the promises made by God to the Old Testament patriarch.
The prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel have already been fulfilled
and should not be applied to the modern state of Israel. Also we must remember Israel(mostly europeans) did kick arabs out of their homeland.

interested to hear your thoughts

 

[MrVersatile48]

Such replacement theology is best answered by Romans 9-11 - see http://www.BibleGateway.org

Romans 9

God's Sovereign Choice

1 I speak the truth in Christâ€â€I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spiritâ€â€
2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.
6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."
8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.
9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[c]
10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.
11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or badâ€â€in order that God's purpose in election might stand:
12 not by works but by him who callsâ€â€she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[d]
13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[e]
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
15 For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[f]
16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[g]
18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"
20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "[h]
21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrathâ€â€prepared for destruction?
23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for gloryâ€â€
24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," 26and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "[j]
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah."[l]

Israel's Unbelief

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."
33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[m

Romans 10

1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."[n]
6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'[o]" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'[p]" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"[q] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[r]
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentileâ€â€the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."[s]
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"[t]
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."[v]
19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."[w]

20And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."[x]

21 But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people."[y]

Romans 11

The Remnant of Israel

1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijahâ€â€how he appealed to God against Israel:
3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"[z]?
4 And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."[aa]
5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.[ab]
7 What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
8 as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."[ac] 9And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."[ad]

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry
14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."
20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[ae] my covenant with them when I take away their sins."[af]
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
29for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[ag] receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. 32For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology
33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[ah] knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"[ai]
35"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"[aj]
36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Footnotes:

Romans 9:5 Or Christ, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Christ. God who is over all be forever praised!
Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14
Romans 9:12 Gen. 25:23
Romans 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3
Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19
Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16
Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9
Romans 9:25 Hosea 2:23
Romans 9:26 Hosea 1:10
Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22,23
Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9
Romans 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16
Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5
Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12
Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13
Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14
Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16
Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21
Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2
Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14
Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
Romans 11:6 Some manuscripts by grace. But if by works, then it is no longer grace; if it were, work would no longer be work.
Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23
Romans 11:27 Or will be
Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jer. 31:33,34
Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.
Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
Romans 11:35 Job 41:11

Ian

 

[biblecatholic]

In contrast with Replacement Theology, Catholics believe there is still something particularly special about the modern day Jewish people.

We believe that the Bible is clear that the New Jerusalem is bride of Christ which is the Church (Rev 19:8), and that the Kingdom of God is "not of this world." (Jn 18:36) We would say the "New Israel" spoken about in Scripture is not modern Israel, it is Christianity.

The New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant is completely dependant on the New Covenant as its source of power just as the Old Testament idea of "One God" is completely dependant on the reality of the Trinity found in the New Testament. Saint Paul says that the Old Covenant is obsolete but he does not say that it has been revoked. The problem with modern day Judaism is that it is living in the Old Covenant as if it contains power in and of itself apart from the New Covenant.

The Catholic Church recognizes that there is something particularly special about the the Jewish people. We don't think the Jews have been accursed. As in the other cases in the Old Testament, the Jews were not abandoned and St. Paul makes it clear that the Grace and election they had received from God was irrevocable (Rom 11:29). We do not agree with Evangelical Replacement Theologies that completely divorce the "hard hearted"Jews (as a people) from God's special affection and attention. The nature of that relationship is a profound mystery. We believe they will experience a softening of their hearts towards Jesus Christ in the end times and there will be an amazing mass conversion that will even surpass the day that 3000 people converted after the Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Today, Jewish people who come to Christ are doubly blessed. They are not just like everybody else (the Gentiles) because:

* of their unique heritage and the Patriarchs
* Scripture made predictions about them
* God's mercy and love for them
* their contribution to the Kingdom of God before Christ

Even though we predict a mass conversion of the Jews, Catholics understand that we are not supposed to sit on our hands and say "One day they'll all convert, so let's not try to Evangelize them today." St. Paul said "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16). We must preach the Gospel of Love, with Love, not animosity


my notes from David MacDonald