One of the main arguments with futurists and preterists is the dating of the book of Revelation, with its reference to the Temple, the Temple was destroyed in 70AD (fact) so when John is told to measure the Temple it must have been while it was still standing, before 70AD, if the book was written after 70AD(futurist thought) then it would mean a future Temple, one that has not yet been built, but unfortunately for the futurists there is a huge Muslim mosque where the Temple needs to be built and the churches mentioned in Revelation are no longer around, here is a piece I came across, I do not know the guys views on eschatology, but I feel gives a good explanation of the dating of the book of Revelation...
Overview When was Book of Revelation written?
by Wolfgang Schneider
Introduction
There are two dates that are commonly mentioned for the writing of the Book of Revelation: (a) an early date - still during the lifetime of Caesar Nero, about the middle of the 60s AD; and (b) a late date - about 95/96 AD furing the time of Caesar Domitian.
The question about the date of the writing of the Book of Revelation is important for an accurate understanding of those events which are mentioned and spoken of in the book. A correct understanding must take into consideration when a statement was made, only then can the time frames and time related elements of the mentioned events be correctly understood. It is remarkable that the proponents of each position often accuse the other that their whole interpretation is based on the dating of the writing of the book and therefore would fall apart if the book were written at a different time. Such arguments are only partly correct. Certainly, as I have already mentioned, the knowledge of the date of writing is important to correctly understand the statements made in the book; if that premise is wrong, the interpretation will be wrong as well.
Now, the most important points for determining the time of writing of the Book of Revelation are the statements and the information in the book, which provide time elements and hints that either directly tell time factors or else imply or indicate time elements. Considering the truth that the Book of Revelation was revealed by God and that the prophet John correctly wrote down the truths he was shown, we can see that the time related information in the book (internal to the book) is the most important criteria for dating the writing of the book. Such information gained from the contents of the book is often called "internal evidence", and such internal evidence has a higher priority and carry more weight than the so called "external evidence", that is, information about the matter in other sources and other works.
The scholars are not really united on this matter, and in the course of certain theological views the late date is preferred today by the majority. The interpretations based on the acceptance of the late date as correct usually place the events recorded in the book of Revelation in the still future and thus they consider the prophecies in Revelation as unfulfilled. Rather important for the acceptance of the late date (approx. 96 AD) is a quote from a writing of the church father Irenaeus where he mentions John in the context of the persecutions of Christians by Caesar Domitian. Based on this source, the writing of Revelation is then placed in the time of Domitian because of the mention that John was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God.
I would like to set forth in this study some of the often used arguments for both dates. In addition, I will mention some points which I would consider to be imortant. Other than that, the readers have the privilege to consider the matter and to come to their own conclusions concerning this topic.
External sources and evidence
I have listed only some external sources, they are repeatedly used by representatives of both positions as a support for their respective interpretations.
Irenaeus - hints to a late date?
The proponents of a late date determine their conclusion mostly from a statement by church father Irenaeus (AD 130 to AD 202), which was quoted by the church historian Eusebius in AD 325, where he writes:
"We will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen not very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign."
If John had seen these visions toward the end of the reign of Caesar Domitian, the years 95/96 AD would be good candidates for the time of writing. Domitian died in 96 AD after having reigned 14 years as Casear and Roman emperor.
However, there are a number of things about this quote from Irenaeus which are not as clear and somewhat ambiguous. A question remains about "who" or "what" was seen. Was John seen still at that time? Or did John see the vision which then was recorded in the Book of Revelation at that time? A difficulty is that the statement comes to us as a third party quote of what someone else quoted that someone else supposedly said about two centuries earlier. We read what Eusebius had heard or knew from some source about Irenaeus, but the statement by Irenaeus is actually a "second hand" report, in that he makes reference to Polycarp. It was not Irenaeus himself, but Polycarp, who according to Irenaeus' recollection saw "that" sometime toward the end of Domitian's reign. It is not clear from this statement what Polycarp was referring to as "that was seen", for he could be referring to John and the visions John saw, he could be referring to the name of the Antichrist, he could also be referring to the book without it being clear if he actually meant that the book was written then or that it already existed. This quote is not as clear as some want to make it, when they base their dating of the writing of the Book of Revelation on this source.
Irenaeus mentioned in another one of his works concerning the number of the name of the antichrist that this number is found in all ancient and approved or recognized copies/writings. This mention of "ancient copies" is interesting because Domitian's reign ended only shortly before Irenaeus' own time and if the book were written in about 95/96 AD, there would hardly have been any "ancient" copies of the book in his day. This mention in Irenaeus' 5th book of his writings seems to point to an earlier date of writing of the Book of Revelation, at least a few more decades removed from his own time so that he could speak of "ancient [older]" copies being in existence.
Aramaic Peshitta Preface - hints to an early date
The preface comment to the Book of Revelation in the Aramaic Peshitta version has a comment which would place the writing of the Book of Revelation to the early date, a time prior to 70 AD. The title page of the Book of Revelation contains the following statement: "The revelation which God gave the evanglist John on the island of Patmos where he had been banned by Nero Caesar." The emperor Nero however died in 68 AD, and according to Roman rules those banned by a Cesaer would be released after the Caesar's death ... thus, John would have been released from Patmos in 68 AD (or shortly thereafter) and the time when he received this revelation and wrote it down would have been prior to 70 AD. John himself mentions in the book that he was at Patmos, when he received this revelation.
Internal evidence
There are a number of points arising from the internal evidence, that is, from information given in the book itself, which all indicate the early date as not only probable but the only possible date for what is stated in the Book.
Warnings to seven churches in Asia
The Book of Revelation specifically mentions that this revelation was of special relevance to the seven churches in Asia and that John wrote it and had it sent to those churches by messengers (cp Rev 1:4). It is important to note that during Paul's ministry in the 50ies AD, there had been nine churches established in Asia. At about 60/61 AD there was a large earthquake in which, as we can read in secular sources, the cities of Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea were totally destroyed. Laodicea was the only city of these three which was rebuilt soon afterwards, which then left seven cities with churches in Asia. The period of time where there were only seven churches in Asia was only during the few years from the early 60ies AD to the time prior to the Jewish war.
In order for the book to even be of benefit to the Christians in Asia, it must have been written prior to 66/67 AD, before Vespasian was coming through this area with his armies as they were getting in position for the war against the Jews. Once the war started, the Romans plundered and persecuted the Christians as well as the Jews wherever they came through.
An interesting detail from the message to the church at Philadelphia (cp Rev 3:7ff) also sheds some light on the possible time of writing. The believers at Philadelphia are warned by Christ in this revelation that an "hour of temptation" was imminent and "about to come upon all the world [the Roman empire]" and that they should hold fast and remain faithful as he [Christ] was coming soon. This is important and significant in that it is addressed to believers of a church in the 1st century AD and in that the first persecution of Christians all over the Roman empire took place under Nero Caesar in 64 AD. If this warning to the believers in Asia about an imminent temptation and the encouragement to hold fast related to this persecution, then the book seems to have been written even prior to 64 AD.
John's later activities
Another internal evidence in the book itself is connected to a reference about certain activities which John was still to experience in his life afterwards. In Rev 10:11, John is told that he "must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings". Now, if John would have received this revelation in 96AD and written it at that time, then these words which he was told did not come to pass, seeing that he was a very old man at that time and hardly able to walk and travel. But, if John did receive this revelation and write it down during the time of Nero approx 65-66 AD, then he could fulfill what he was told. He would have been able to prophesy and to teach during the reigns of Caeasars Galb, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus and also Domitian (spanning the time from 68-96 AD).
Destruction of city and temple at the end of the age
There are a number of references in the book of Revelation with symbols that have reference to the temple, and in addition Rev 11,1-2 makes reference to the destruction of the temple and the city of Jersualem. This event was also foretold by Jesus, when he prophesied about the judgment on Jerusalem which was to come by the Son of man at the end of the age.
There is a parallel record in Zec 14:2 about this "day of the Lord" with its destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and Zec 13:7ff places this shortly after the shepherd would have dispersed his sheep (Jesus did quote from this section in Mt 26,31). Rev 11,2 is also a parallel to Mal 4, where a day of the Lord is spoken about when the Lord would separate and burn the chaff (the evil ones). This also parallels what Jesus mentions in parables about the burning of the chaff, the burning of apostate Israel, "at the end of the world [age]" (cp Mt 13:40,49).
Now, when is or was "the end of the age"? Other records in the NT scriptures provide some insight as they mention certain things which happen in connection with the end of the age. The writer of Hebrews speaks of Jesus as "now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." (Heb 9:26), and we can see from this passage that "the end of the world [age]"is the time when the Messiah Jesus through his sacrifice put away sin; in other words, the "end of the age" was the time during which Jesus lived and fulfilled his ministry almost 2000 years ago.
The coming of the Lord is placed as "near"
In Rev 1, the coming of the Lord is introduced and it is carried through the whole book to Rev 22, where we read about "Surely, I come quickly [soon]!" In Rev 1:7 the coming of the Lord in the clouds is mentioned, in addition we learn that those who pierced him would see him, as would be the case with all the tribes of the land, etc. Rev 1:7 is a reference to Zec 12:10, the words which Jesus also used when he was speaking to Caiaphas the highpriest (cp Mt 26:64).
The descriptions of Jesus about his coming in Mt 16:27-28; 23:34-39 and 24:30-31 are parallel to the record in Dan 9:24-27. Jesus was very clear about his coming being imminent and still happening during "this generation", that is, during the lifetime of some of his contemporaries, while some of his apostles and disciples would still be alive. Christ would come to judge the wicked and to execute the judgment on apostate Israel who were persecuting him and his disciples. This would not be a judgment that would occur at some very distant time in the future; instead, Jesus was rather emphatic about it being "soon", and "about to come".
For example, in Mt 16:27, Jesus used the words "For the Son of man SHALL COME ...". Grammatically, this looks in English like a simple future, describing an event that could be at any time (near or distant) in the future. However, the Greek uses the word mello in connection with the "come", and the expression should be translated as "For the Son of man IS ABOUT TO COME ..."! (For the meaning of mello, compare Thayer, Greek and English Lexicon, p. 396). Jesus declares that he "is about to come", and this imminency he emphasizes by stating in the next verse, that some of those who heard him that day would not die and actually see the Son of man coming in his kingdom! In other words, they would still be alive when Christ would come!
Conclusion
As we consider these points given in the NT scriptures, and as we accept that what is stated is indeed true, there are really two possibilities: (1) Jesus did already come, as he himself prophesied, or (2) there are some of those disciples who heard Jesus that day who are still alive somewhere on earth and who are approx 2000 years old by now.
The coming of the Lord was one of the various judgments of God and is parallel to the judgments of the LORD mentioned in Gen 3, when Adam and Eve were judged for transgressing God's command. It is parallel to the coming of the LORRD to judge Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen 18; it is parallel to the coming of the LORD upon Egypt at the time of the exodus of Israel from Egypt (cp. also Exo 2:8, Jer 5:25; 10:5-11; Joel 2:1; Zeph 1:1-18; 14:5)
The coming of Christ in Rev 1:7 is a mention of that coming when the Son of man would judge the enemies of his assembly and his coming to execute judgement on apostate Israel, it marks the events prophesied to happen at the end of the age.
From both external and internal evidence of the Book of Revelation, an early date is the only option which will harmonize well with the content of the book. Although the later date of 96 AD is widely accepted in many Christian circles and groups today (even though this theory basically only rests on one statement in one external source), the evidence in the book of Revelation itself points rather clearly to an earlier date of 65-66 AD for the time of writing, the time when John was banned to the Isle of Patmos during the persecution by Caeasar Nero.
A Mystery that Bible Scholars Missed:
The World Ended 2000 years Ago,
But it Was Not Our World, it Was the World of Israel.
THE JEWISH WORLD - FROM ABRAHAM TO CHRIST
The first chapter of Matthew contains an interesting verse: V17 "So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations." The nation of Israel had its very beginning with Abraham, and ended in the days of Christ. It lasted forty-two generations. If Israel were to continue after a two thousand year pause in existence or "holding pattern," or "dormant period," we can be sure the Bible would have worded this passage differently. But the Word of God says nothing about a "restored" Israel in the future, nor any future generation or remnant of Israel. The generation living in Christ's day was the last generation. The Rapture happened. The Resurrection happened. Christ returned. The Great Tribulation happened - not exactly the way "prophets" have been describing it for years. But remember, it only concerned the nation and people of Israel. If Bible scholars could ever accept that, and re-examine their cherished theologies, they would find that 99% of all Scripture verses easily fit into a comprehensible pattern of sound Bible theology; it all would make sense.
DANIEL'S PROPHECY CLOSED
Prophecy experts have preached for years that the book of Daniel will be a "sealed" book until the Second Coming of Christ, that we will only begin to understand it then. And the verse from Daniel most often quoted is this one: "And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." (Dan. 12:15). This means, without a doubt, that no one was supposed to understand anything that Daniel wrote until the time of the end. But a few hundred years later, the Lord Jesus Christ himself quoted from Daniel:
DANIEL'S PROPHECY WAS OPENED
Matt. 24:15 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)" History records that Christ came to earth some 2000 years ago. That was His First Advent. In the days of Christ's First Advent, whosoever heard Him, or whosoever read Daniel's book for himself, could understand it. That, therefore, was the time of the end. The modern Jew today refuses to believe that, and so do certain Bible scholars. The stubbornness of the Jews can be explained; they don't believe in Christ, and reject the New Testament. No one can understand those Bible scholars.
The bottom line is, Christ came to give Israel one last chance. They blew it. Therefore, what would have been a glorious new beginning for the nation became, instead, the time of the end.
THE GOSPEL ALREADY PREACHED
Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Ever since who can remember when, modern "prophets" have been keeping us informed about the advances in radio and television, and how the Gospel is going out even into the remotest parts of the earth, and that it won't be long before the whole earth will be covered with the preaching of the Gospel, and that will be one of the things that will signal the time for Christ to return.
But if we set aside imaginations, and just believe the Bible, we find that the Gospel has already been preached in all the world --- 2000 years ago. Colossians 1:23 "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; "
So, the Gospel was preached in all the known world at that time, thus setting the stage for the end of the world to happen any time thereafter. Now, if the end of the world had not come in those days, and if the world is still waiting to hear the Gospel, then Paul's announcement that the Gospel had already been preached to every creature under heaven would have been a lie. All the "creatures under heaven," most assuredly included the Jews (especially the Jews), and the world was the world as it was then known, not the entire globe. "The end," was the end of the Jewish world.
IN THESE LAST DAYS
Hebrews 1:1-2 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds";
In the "old days," God spoke to the "Old Timers" of Israel by the prophets. But IN THESE LAST DAYS He spoke to "us" (the first century Jews) by His Son, Jesus Christ. This verse leaves no room for debate: "These last days" came in the days of Christ's first advent. We can say that the "last days" lasted from the moment of Gabriel's announcement to Mary of the coming birth of Jesus (the beginning of the end), to the end of the war between Rome and Israel in AD70.
SPIRIT POURED OUT UPON ALL FLESH
Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams": Common "wisdom" of the learned vainly awaits the day when God will pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh. In actuality, however, that has already happened. Acts 10:45 "And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." The Jewish Christians were astonished, they couldn't believe that God would pour out of His Spirit on all flesh, even the Gentiles. But he did just that - two thousand years ago. What more need be said?
SCOFFERS
2Peter 3:3-4 "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."
Who are these "scoffers?" Prophecy experts identify them as future unbelievers and doubters of the world. But the language they use betrays them as Jews, i.e., "...since the fathers fell asleep..." Who talks that way these days? And "...from the beginning of creation..." The modern unbelievers, and future unbelievers, are evolutionists; they don't believe in Creation. How could they argue about anything from the "beginning of Creation?" These scoffers, who appeared in the last days, were the first century Jews who rejected Christ, and the teaching that He would come again. They referred to their ancestors as "fathers," and didn't deny Creation
Who wrote the Gospel of John?
It may of not been the apostle John, could it have been Lazarus.
Read the article here.
Read the article here.
Mistaken Identity Doctrine.
By Terry Cropper
At the center of many debates today is the question of who is "the Israel of God." It is the belief of dispensations that God made a promise to Abraham (Genesis chapters 15 and 17) that he would give to him an earthly, national people with the result they view has always been God's intention to have such a people.
God was so committed to creating such an earthly, nationalistic people that this was the primary reason why God has never has been nor ever will be done with the physical seed of Israel. It is because is this false teaching that most Christians will not even preach the gospel to a Jews.
It is also an article of faith among dispensations that the creation of a modern state, of Israel in Palestine in 1948, is a providential confirmation of their claim that the Jews are God's earthly, national people and that further, God continues to work with the physical seed of Abraham.
Though it might be exciting to think that God is doing something spectacular with the physical seed of Israel in Palestine in our times,. Lest not confuse what is temporary with what is permanent, and what is permanent with what is temporary in scripture.
It is the argument of this article that Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God and that everyone who is united to him by grace alone, through faith alone becomes, by virtue of that union, apart of God’s true Israel. This means that it is wrong headed to look for, expect, hope for or desire a reconstitution of nationalistic Israel out side of fath in Christ in the future.
We cannot understand what God has done for us in history, apart from understanding one of the most important terms in scripture. (The Israel of God). The church is not plan B or something which God instituted until he could recreate a national people in Palestine, but rather, God only had the national people temporarily (from Moses to Christ) as a foreshadowing of the creation of the New Covenant in which the ethnic distinctions which existed under Moses were fulfilled and abolished (Ephesians 2.11-22; Colossians 2.8-3.11).
Christian mistaken identity has made nationalistic Israel the true Israel of God instead of the spiritual/eternal nation in the body of Christ that is taught in the Bible. As a result, this view teaches that the temporal, type or shadow standards serve as the fulfilment of itself. This view takes away the glory from what Jesus Christ has done.
In the Hebrew scriptures the expression "out of Egypt" occurs more than 140 times. It is one of the defining facts of the existence of national Israel. When God gave the Law he said, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:2) They were a redeemed people belonging to their Savior.
However national Israel coming out of the land of Egypt was a (type or shadow) that pointing to a greater spiritual truth to be fulfilled in Christ Jesus. The type or shadow was not the fulfillment.
If we will only let scripture show us it gives the very definition of God’s true Israel come out of Egypt. It most significant when Matthew quotes (Hosea 11.1) which says. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My.
Matthew's inspired interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures is our Lord Jesus, not the temporary, nationalistic, people who are the true Israel of God. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son. (Matthew 2:14-15)
The only reason God orchestrated the first Exodus was so that he might orchestrate the second Exodus and that so we might know that Jesus is the true Israel of God and that all Christians are God's Israel regardless of ethnicity.
Herod was about to execute his bloody rage against the firstborn of the Jews. In Herod’s character, attitude, and actions we are to see an echo from the Old Testament. Herod, king of the Jews, is playing the part of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Herod is doing what Pharaoh did in opposition to God and His people. So what is Matthew doing here? How is he using Hosea’s words? He is saying that Jesus, God’s Son, is Israel, the true Israel. And that Jesus will retrace Israel’s steps. Israel is another proper name of Jesus Christ.
But wait there is more. A further reversal of roles is unfolds in scripture. God refers to the whole nation of Israel as if they were (one person), His ‘son’. We see this in Exodus 4:22-23: Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me”…’ Now, turning to the pages of the New Testament, we see Jesus is God’s one and only Son and the firstborn over all creation.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15) Jehovah's Witnesses will use the Colossians passage to teach that Christ was physically created by God the Father. This is a misunderstanding of the text. A simple understanding of Old Testament and Jewish culture will help enlighten us in regards to the meaning of this passage. The word firstborn was a term to denote the special role of the first son. The firstborn was the preeminent one, the special one that would receive a double portion from the father. It was the important firstborn blessing from the father that Jacob had stolen form Esau. (see Genesis 27)
Therefore, Colossians 1:15 is declaring that Jesus is the firstborn, or special and preeminent One over all creation. Jesus is the only son of God and firstborn of God. And, being the divine first and last and King of kings, Lord of lords such would be true.
Consequently, if Christ is the true Israel, and I propose that He is, then all those who are in Christ, Jew and Gentile, must be the true Israel of God. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians. 6:15-16). Paul taught that since Christ has come only those who have a relationship with God based on faith in Christ are the "Israel of God." Thus, all those joined to Christ are to participate in and receive all the blessings that belong to Christ.
It is because Jesus is the true Israel of God that, in his infancy and indeed in his entire life, he recapitulated the history of national Israel. What rebellious national Israel would not do, Jesus did. He loved God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength and his neighbor as himself. (Matthew 22.37-40; Deu 11:1)
What rebellious national Israel would not obey the commandments of God. (Exodus 16:28; 2 Kings 17:18) Jesus God’s Israel did. (John 12:49) What rebellious national Israel would not shepherd and feed the sheep. (Ezekiel 34:1-2) Jesus God’s Israel did. (Mark 6:34; John 10:11) When the sheep were scattered because rebellious national Israel refused to shepherd over them. (Ezekiel 33:5-10) Jesus God’s Israel gathered them. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. " (John 10:11) Please take the time to read ((Ezekiel 33:11-15).
Whereas national Israel were law-breakers, Christ was the true law-keeper and this not for His own sake but for ours. And where the nation of Israel failed, Jesus the true Israel, and obedient Son, prevailed. When the axe was sunk through the root (Matthew. 3:7-10) of "Israel after the flesh" in AD70, all that stood was the superior eternal nation called the "Israel of God."
Does this mean God has shut out Jews from salvation? Not at all. He has placed Jews and Gentiles on an equal footing. As Paul teaches it, "There is neither Jew nor Greek...for you are all one in Christ Jesus". (Galatians 3:28)
With all this background in mind we ask the questions, "Who are Abraham's children?" The Apostle Paul argues very clearly that the promises to Abraham were fulfilled in Christ. Galatians 3.16 says, The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," (Singular) meaning one person, who is Christ. Paul explains what he means. The promises given to Abraham were NT gospel promises. They were given before Moses and they were fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is Abraham's true Son, he is "the seed" promised to Abraham. Thus Jesus is the true Israel of God.
Jesus also made a crucial distinction between the nationalistic seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. Jesus said to the Jews, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32) To which they respond by pointing out that they are physically descended from Abraham (v.33).
To this Jesus responds, "If you were Abraham's children...then you would do the things Abraham did" (v.39). This, then is our Lord's definition of a child of Abraham. One who does the things Abraham did. What did Abraham do? According to Jesus, "Abraham saw my day and rejoiced" (v.56).
According to Jesus the Messiah, a Jew, a true Israelite is one who has saving faith in the Lord Jesus before or after the incarnation. In fact, Jesus told the Pharisees of His day, that they were sons of the devil! (John 8:44) Thus it should not surprise us to find substantially the same teaching in the Apostle Paul's theology. In Romans 4, Paul says that one is justified in the same way Abraham was justified, by grace alone, through faith in Jesus alone (Rom 4:3-8). And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
Part of the confusion which surrounds God's plan in history, and therefore part of the reason Christians are so confused about God's plans for the future of his people, is the misunderstand what Jesus came to do for national Israel. He did not come to set up a national, earthly Jewish kingdom, but he did come to be their Savior and the Savior of all of God's people whether Jew or Gentile.
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" This was John the Baptist's declaration in John 1:29 upon seeing Jesus for the first time. Our Lord, before he was incarnate, identified himself to Israel through the Prophet Isaiah (43.3) as "the Holy One of Israel," their "Savior."
Later, in sermon, Peter said that God has now "exalted" Jesus "to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. Christ did not come to reinstate and fix the Mosaic theocracy or to establish an earthly millennial Jewish kingdom, but to save Jewish and Gentile sinners and to make them, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, Abraham's children.
"It is not as though God's Word has failed" (Romans 9:6). The reason that only some Jews have trusted Jesus as Messiah is because not "all Israel are is Israel. Nor because they are his fleshly descendants are they Abraham's children." Rather, Abraham's children are reckoned "through Isaac" (9:7) What this means is that "it is not the natural children who are God's, but children of the promise" (v.8). How was Isaac born? By the sovereign power of God. How are Christians born? By the sovereign power of God. Every Christian is an "Isaac" in his own way.
The fact is confirmed in Scripture, most notably by the very definition of who is Israel. The role of natural Israel was a temporal picture of God’s true Israel Christ. It is declared early in the Bible, and is maintained throughout. In Hosea we read. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. And in Matthew 2:15, we read the fulfillment of this Scripture which speaking of Jesus Christ. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
In Exodus 4:22-23 we read. Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me”…Obviously, Christ is the only begotten son of God, and his firstborn. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15) Hebrews 12:23 refers to the saved as the "church of the firstborn"
Who is the Israel of God? Christ is the true Israel of God. Notice it Paul says (those IN Christ Jesus). For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians. 6:15-16).
Is God finished saving Jews? Not at all. Salvation is of the Jews, Gentiles, by God's undeserved favor, have been grafted into the true Israel of God which is Christ Jesus.
At the center of many debates today is the question of who is "the Israel of God." It is the belief of dispensations that God made a promise to Abraham (Genesis chapters 15 and 17) that he would give to him an earthly, national people with the result they view has always been God's intention to have such a people.
God was so committed to creating such an earthly, nationalistic people that this was the primary reason why God has never has been nor ever will be done with the physical seed of Israel. It is because is this false teaching that most Christians will not even preach the gospel to a Jews.
It is also an article of faith among dispensations that the creation of a modern state, of Israel in Palestine in 1948, is a providential confirmation of their claim that the Jews are God's earthly, national people and that further, God continues to work with the physical seed of Abraham.
Though it might be exciting to think that God is doing something spectacular with the physical seed of Israel in Palestine in our times,. Lest not confuse what is temporary with what is permanent, and what is permanent with what is temporary in scripture.
It is the argument of this article that Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God and that everyone who is united to him by grace alone, through faith alone becomes, by virtue of that union, apart of God’s true Israel. This means that it is wrong headed to look for, expect, hope for or desire a reconstitution of nationalistic Israel out side of fath in Christ in the future.
We cannot understand what God has done for us in history, apart from understanding one of the most important terms in scripture. (The Israel of God). The church is not plan B or something which God instituted until he could recreate a national people in Palestine, but rather, God only had the national people temporarily (from Moses to Christ) as a foreshadowing of the creation of the New Covenant in which the ethnic distinctions which existed under Moses were fulfilled and abolished (Ephesians 2.11-22; Colossians 2.8-3.11).
Christian mistaken identity has made nationalistic Israel the true Israel of God instead of the spiritual/eternal nation in the body of Christ that is taught in the Bible. As a result, this view teaches that the temporal, type or shadow standards serve as the fulfilment of itself. This view takes away the glory from what Jesus Christ has done.
In the Hebrew scriptures the expression "out of Egypt" occurs more than 140 times. It is one of the defining facts of the existence of national Israel. When God gave the Law he said, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:2) They were a redeemed people belonging to their Savior.
However national Israel coming out of the land of Egypt was a (type or shadow) that pointing to a greater spiritual truth to be fulfilled in Christ Jesus. The type or shadow was not the fulfillment.
If we will only let scripture show us it gives the very definition of God’s true Israel come out of Egypt. It most significant when Matthew quotes (Hosea 11.1) which says. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My.
Matthew's inspired interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures is our Lord Jesus, not the temporary, nationalistic, people who are the true Israel of God. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son. (Matthew 2:14-15)
The only reason God orchestrated the first Exodus was so that he might orchestrate the second Exodus and that so we might know that Jesus is the true Israel of God and that all Christians are God's Israel regardless of ethnicity.
Herod was about to execute his bloody rage against the firstborn of the Jews. In Herod’s character, attitude, and actions we are to see an echo from the Old Testament. Herod, king of the Jews, is playing the part of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Herod is doing what Pharaoh did in opposition to God and His people. So what is Matthew doing here? How is he using Hosea’s words? He is saying that Jesus, God’s Son, is Israel, the true Israel. And that Jesus will retrace Israel’s steps. Israel is another proper name of Jesus Christ.
But wait there is more. A further reversal of roles is unfolds in scripture. God refers to the whole nation of Israel as if they were (one person), His ‘son’. We see this in Exodus 4:22-23: Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me”…’ Now, turning to the pages of the New Testament, we see Jesus is God’s one and only Son and the firstborn over all creation.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15) Jehovah's Witnesses will use the Colossians passage to teach that Christ was physically created by God the Father. This is a misunderstanding of the text. A simple understanding of Old Testament and Jewish culture will help enlighten us in regards to the meaning of this passage. The word firstborn was a term to denote the special role of the first son. The firstborn was the preeminent one, the special one that would receive a double portion from the father. It was the important firstborn blessing from the father that Jacob had stolen form Esau. (see Genesis 27)
Therefore, Colossians 1:15 is declaring that Jesus is the firstborn, or special and preeminent One over all creation. Jesus is the only son of God and firstborn of God. And, being the divine first and last and King of kings, Lord of lords such would be true.
Consequently, if Christ is the true Israel, and I propose that He is, then all those who are in Christ, Jew and Gentile, must be the true Israel of God. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians. 6:15-16). Paul taught that since Christ has come only those who have a relationship with God based on faith in Christ are the "Israel of God." Thus, all those joined to Christ are to participate in and receive all the blessings that belong to Christ.
It is because Jesus is the true Israel of God that, in his infancy and indeed in his entire life, he recapitulated the history of national Israel. What rebellious national Israel would not do, Jesus did. He loved God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength and his neighbor as himself. (Matthew 22.37-40; Deu 11:1)
What rebellious national Israel would not obey the commandments of God. (Exodus 16:28; 2 Kings 17:18) Jesus God’s Israel did. (John 12:49) What rebellious national Israel would not shepherd and feed the sheep. (Ezekiel 34:1-2) Jesus God’s Israel did. (Mark 6:34; John 10:11) When the sheep were scattered because rebellious national Israel refused to shepherd over them. (Ezekiel 33:5-10) Jesus God’s Israel gathered them. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. " (John 10:11) Please take the time to read ((Ezekiel 33:11-15).
Whereas national Israel were law-breakers, Christ was the true law-keeper and this not for His own sake but for ours. And where the nation of Israel failed, Jesus the true Israel, and obedient Son, prevailed. When the axe was sunk through the root (Matthew. 3:7-10) of "Israel after the flesh" in AD70, all that stood was the superior eternal nation called the "Israel of God."
Does this mean God has shut out Jews from salvation? Not at all. He has placed Jews and Gentiles on an equal footing. As Paul teaches it, "There is neither Jew nor Greek...for you are all one in Christ Jesus". (Galatians 3:28)
With all this background in mind we ask the questions, "Who are Abraham's children?" The Apostle Paul argues very clearly that the promises to Abraham were fulfilled in Christ. Galatians 3.16 says, The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," (Singular) meaning one person, who is Christ. Paul explains what he means. The promises given to Abraham were NT gospel promises. They were given before Moses and they were fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is Abraham's true Son, he is "the seed" promised to Abraham. Thus Jesus is the true Israel of God.
Jesus also made a crucial distinction between the nationalistic seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. Jesus said to the Jews, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32) To which they respond by pointing out that they are physically descended from Abraham (v.33).
To this Jesus responds, "If you were Abraham's children...then you would do the things Abraham did" (v.39). This, then is our Lord's definition of a child of Abraham. One who does the things Abraham did. What did Abraham do? According to Jesus, "Abraham saw my day and rejoiced" (v.56).
According to Jesus the Messiah, a Jew, a true Israelite is one who has saving faith in the Lord Jesus before or after the incarnation. In fact, Jesus told the Pharisees of His day, that they were sons of the devil! (John 8:44) Thus it should not surprise us to find substantially the same teaching in the Apostle Paul's theology. In Romans 4, Paul says that one is justified in the same way Abraham was justified, by grace alone, through faith in Jesus alone (Rom 4:3-8). And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
Part of the confusion which surrounds God's plan in history, and therefore part of the reason Christians are so confused about God's plans for the future of his people, is the misunderstand what Jesus came to do for national Israel. He did not come to set up a national, earthly Jewish kingdom, but he did come to be their Savior and the Savior of all of God's people whether Jew or Gentile.
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" This was John the Baptist's declaration in John 1:29 upon seeing Jesus for the first time. Our Lord, before he was incarnate, identified himself to Israel through the Prophet Isaiah (43.3) as "the Holy One of Israel," their "Savior."
Later, in sermon, Peter said that God has now "exalted" Jesus "to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. Christ did not come to reinstate and fix the Mosaic theocracy or to establish an earthly millennial Jewish kingdom, but to save Jewish and Gentile sinners and to make them, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, Abraham's children.
"It is not as though God's Word has failed" (Romans 9:6). The reason that only some Jews have trusted Jesus as Messiah is because not "all Israel are is Israel. Nor because they are his fleshly descendants are they Abraham's children." Rather, Abraham's children are reckoned "through Isaac" (9:7) What this means is that "it is not the natural children who are God's, but children of the promise" (v.8). How was Isaac born? By the sovereign power of God. How are Christians born? By the sovereign power of God. Every Christian is an "Isaac" in his own way.
The fact is confirmed in Scripture, most notably by the very definition of who is Israel. The role of natural Israel was a temporal picture of God’s true Israel Christ. It is declared early in the Bible, and is maintained throughout. In Hosea we read. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. And in Matthew 2:15, we read the fulfillment of this Scripture which speaking of Jesus Christ. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
In Exodus 4:22-23 we read. Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me”…Obviously, Christ is the only begotten son of God, and his firstborn. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15) Hebrews 12:23 refers to the saved as the "church of the firstborn"
Who is the Israel of God? Christ is the true Israel of God. Notice it Paul says (those IN Christ Jesus). For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians. 6:15-16).
Is God finished saving Jews? Not at all. Salvation is of the Jews, Gentiles, by God's undeserved favor, have been grafted into the true Israel of God which is Christ Jesus.
Firstfruits and the Harvest
By Terry Cropper
The key to understanding any passage of Scripture in the New Testament has always been a good grasp of the historical setting of what it fulfilled, in the Old Testament. Tow few people are willing to take the time to study the Old Testament so they can understand what New Testament fulfills.
The future resurrection that was addressed in the Gospel's eschatological massage was not a different future resurrection from the one foreseen by the prophesy of Israel (Daniel 12:1-3; Acts 26:6-8).
Resurrection was a promise to Daniel. "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that (time your people) everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1) Notice it says in verse 1 (you people) Daniel's people.
Form the time of Ancient Biblical Israel until now our history, culture, politics and language have changed dramatically. For example if Moses, or Abraham, or ever Paul were to read one of our daily newspapers and saw the political cartoons with a donkey and an elephant dressed in weird uniforms and acting strange, what would they think? How would they go about understanding the cartoon? Not only would they have to study the language, but also our culture, history, and politics as well.
The same principle applies to Bible study. If we are really going to understand the timing of resurrection we have to seriously study the language, history, and culture of ancient Israel.
In order to understand the biblical view of the resurrection you must first understand the concept of the "first fruits" and "the harvest." Where did this idea of "first fruits" originate? "On the same general principle that the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the God of Israel and were to be devoted to Him Nehemiah 10:35-39.
The first fruits including the first grain to ripen each season, were to be brought as an offering to God. Every Israelite who possessed the means of agricultural productivity was under this obligation (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Numbers 15:17-21; 18:12-13:). "Speak the to children of Israel, and say to them." When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your, behalf on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it (Leviticus 23:10-11).
The first fruits were brought in a basket to the sanctuary and presented to the priest, who was to set the basked down before the altar. Then, the offering recited the story of Jacob's going to Egypt and the deliverance of his posterity from there. He then acknowledged the blessings with which God had visited him (Deuteronomy 26:2-11).
It would be natural for Paul to have thought of Christ as the first fruits, because the day of Christ's resurrection was the second day of Passover week on which the first ripe sheaf of the harvest was offered to the Lord (Lev 23:10-11,15).
Paul was also establishing another basic point. While Christ was the first fruits his people were also significance of the "first ripe sheaf" (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; James 1:18). Because they were buried with Christ in baptism into death: and raised in His, resurrection by the glory of the Father they walked in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
These "New Covenant saints" were the ones who Jesus addressed in verse 25 of John 5. These saints who followed their Lord would never die (John 11:26). Eternal Life, was a gift to those "New Covenant saints" who would finish their days on earth, under the New Covenant. Believers who live until 70 A.D when everything under the Old Covenant was fulfilled by the inauguration of the New Covenant would never die (John 10:28). They would never experience waiting in the place of the dead, the Hadean realm but would be "absent from the body, and present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).
The resurrection began with the resurrection of Jesus. He opened the way. Those saints who died after they followed their Lord. Those collective believers were of the first resurrection-first fruits to God. These first fruits were representative of the whole harvest before God (Revelation 14:4). This select group of Christians were purchased from the earth as a FIRST FRUITS offering. The Greek for purchased, means to go to the market. It is a picture of God coming to the earth, to select His FIRST FRUITS from the entire harvest. The term "first fruits" itself implies, the remainder of the harvest was about ripe.
The first fruits are related to the harvest as the part is to the whole. Every Jewish Christian understood this Old Testament concept. The second important truth inherent in the first fruits figure is the readiness of the harvest to be gathered as signified in the offering of the first fruits. The act of reaping had already begun, and the harvest was ready to be cut (Revelation 14:15).
The harvest were the dead in Christ from the Old Covenant. These were people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Isaiah, and Daniel, etc, not of a time, still to come in our future for in Christ, the time for death to be abolished had arrived (2 Timothy 1:10). These "Old Covenant saints" were the rest of the harvest, the general resurrection. These were the ones Jesus addressed "though he may die, he shall live (John 11:23). Knowing this, we can appreciate why God said: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38).
Because of the start of the New Covenant at the death of Christ, man now began to pass for death unto life Roman 6:4 and a process of accessing the heavenly realm. For example, when Stephen was stoned he called upon the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" (Acts 7:59).
This is the first resurrection that John mentioned in the last part of verse 5 of chapter 20. These first fruits believers who died before the Parousia "the Finished work of Christ," did not go to the place of the dead Abraham's bosom or the Hadean realm Luke 16:19-31 but instead were under the altar (Revelation 6:9). The first resurrection is considered "blessed and holy" in verse 6 because of their intimate firstfruit relationship with the risen Christ. Their proximity to the Holy Place rendered them priest of God and the Messiah and they became part of that first century symbolic 1000 year reign of Christ.
The harvest, follows the ripening "perfecting and offering of the first fruits." With the return of Christ and the destruction of temple, the way into God presence was now opened (Hebrew 9:8). The Hadean realm was emptied, and the Old Covenant saints, who were the harvest were gathered in the general resurrection in A.D.70. This is the second resurrection that John mentioned in the first part of verse 5 of chapter 20.
One way to better understand the teaching of John's resurrection in Revelation 20:5 is to get a better grasp of the literary devices that are used by the writer to produce the desired results of the revelation he is seeking to unveil. One such device is chiasmas, which is a term that designates a literary figure or principle, which consist of "a placing crosswise" of words in a sentence or writing.
The term is used in rhetoric to designate an inversion of the order of words or phrases which are repeated or subsequently referred to in the sentence or writing.
ANGEL CAME DOWN
20.1 A. And I saw an angel coming down from heaven
KEY OF NON-CITY OF GOD
B. having the keys of the abyss
(ENCIRCLER IN HAND)
C. and a great chain in his hand
22.2 IDENTITY AND FOUR NAME COUNT
D. And he laid hold of the dragon
the old serpent (so named in garden of Eden)
which is the devil
And Satan (so named in (1 Chr.21:1)
20:3 E. SATAN BOUND TO DECEIVE NATIONS NO MORE UNTIL END OF 1000YEAR REIGN
and he bound him a thousand years
and he cast him into the abyss and shut it
and sealed it over him that he should deceive the nations no more
until should be finished the 1000 years
and after these things must he be loosed a little while
20:4 F THEY FROM FIRST RESURRECTION SAT AND GAVE JUDGMENT
and I saw thrones and they say upon them and judgment was given to them
and the souls of them that had been beheaded
for the testimony of Jesus
and for the Word of God
and such as worshiped not the beast neither his image
and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand
G. WHO LIVED IN100 YEAR PERIOD
and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
20.5 G. WHO LIVED NOT IN 100 YEARS PERIOD
The rest of the dead did not live again until were finished the thousand years
F. THEY FROM FIRST RESURRECTION-JUDGMENT BASED ON IMPUTED
RIGHTEOUSNESS
this is the first resurrection
20.6 blessed and holy is the one
who has a part in the first resurrection
over these the second death has no power
they will be priest of God and of Christ.
and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
SATAN LOOSED TO DECEIVE NATIONS
20.7 E. When the thousand years are complete
Satan will be released
20.8 and will come out
to deceive the nations
IDENTITY AND CORNER COUNT OF NATIONS
20.8b D. which are in the four corners of the earth
Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war
the number of them is like the sand of the seashore
20.9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth
ENCIRCLEMENT OF CAMP
C. and surrounded the camp of the saints
O.T.CITY OF GOD
B. and the beloved city
FIRE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN
A. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them
Chiasmus in Rev. 20, Verses 1-9 from the works of George R. Douglas, Jr. Esp/Bethesda,MD
If we are to understand the timing of the resurrection we must immerse ourselves in the first century Jewish understanding of the resurrection.What a difference it make when we read the Bible through their Jewish biblical concepts.
The key to understanding any passage of Scripture in the New Testament has always been a good grasp of the historical setting of what it fulfilled, in the Old Testament. Tow few people are willing to take the time to study the Old Testament so they can understand what New Testament fulfills.
The future resurrection that was addressed in the Gospel's eschatological massage was not a different future resurrection from the one foreseen by the prophesy of Israel (Daniel 12:1-3; Acts 26:6-8).
Resurrection was a promise to Daniel. "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that (time your people) everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1) Notice it says in verse 1 (you people) Daniel's people.
Form the time of Ancient Biblical Israel until now our history, culture, politics and language have changed dramatically. For example if Moses, or Abraham, or ever Paul were to read one of our daily newspapers and saw the political cartoons with a donkey and an elephant dressed in weird uniforms and acting strange, what would they think? How would they go about understanding the cartoon? Not only would they have to study the language, but also our culture, history, and politics as well.
The same principle applies to Bible study. If we are really going to understand the timing of resurrection we have to seriously study the language, history, and culture of ancient Israel.
In order to understand the biblical view of the resurrection you must first understand the concept of the "first fruits" and "the harvest." Where did this idea of "first fruits" originate? "On the same general principle that the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the God of Israel and were to be devoted to Him Nehemiah 10:35-39.
The first fruits including the first grain to ripen each season, were to be brought as an offering to God. Every Israelite who possessed the means of agricultural productivity was under this obligation (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Numbers 15:17-21; 18:12-13:). "Speak the to children of Israel, and say to them." When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your, behalf on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it (Leviticus 23:10-11).
The first fruits were brought in a basket to the sanctuary and presented to the priest, who was to set the basked down before the altar. Then, the offering recited the story of Jacob's going to Egypt and the deliverance of his posterity from there. He then acknowledged the blessings with which God had visited him (Deuteronomy 26:2-11).
It would be natural for Paul to have thought of Christ as the first fruits, because the day of Christ's resurrection was the second day of Passover week on which the first ripe sheaf of the harvest was offered to the Lord (Lev 23:10-11,15).
Paul was also establishing another basic point. While Christ was the first fruits his people were also significance of the "first ripe sheaf" (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; James 1:18). Because they were buried with Christ in baptism into death: and raised in His, resurrection by the glory of the Father they walked in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
These "New Covenant saints" were the ones who Jesus addressed in verse 25 of John 5. These saints who followed their Lord would never die (John 11:26). Eternal Life, was a gift to those "New Covenant saints" who would finish their days on earth, under the New Covenant. Believers who live until 70 A.D when everything under the Old Covenant was fulfilled by the inauguration of the New Covenant would never die (John 10:28). They would never experience waiting in the place of the dead, the Hadean realm but would be "absent from the body, and present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).
The resurrection began with the resurrection of Jesus. He opened the way. Those saints who died after they followed their Lord. Those collective believers were of the first resurrection-first fruits to God. These first fruits were representative of the whole harvest before God (Revelation 14:4). This select group of Christians were purchased from the earth as a FIRST FRUITS offering. The Greek for purchased, means to go to the market. It is a picture of God coming to the earth, to select His FIRST FRUITS from the entire harvest. The term "first fruits" itself implies, the remainder of the harvest was about ripe.
The first fruits are related to the harvest as the part is to the whole. Every Jewish Christian understood this Old Testament concept. The second important truth inherent in the first fruits figure is the readiness of the harvest to be gathered as signified in the offering of the first fruits. The act of reaping had already begun, and the harvest was ready to be cut (Revelation 14:15).
The harvest were the dead in Christ from the Old Covenant. These were people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Isaiah, and Daniel, etc, not of a time, still to come in our future for in Christ, the time for death to be abolished had arrived (2 Timothy 1:10). These "Old Covenant saints" were the rest of the harvest, the general resurrection. These were the ones Jesus addressed "though he may die, he shall live (John 11:23). Knowing this, we can appreciate why God said: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38).
Because of the start of the New Covenant at the death of Christ, man now began to pass for death unto life Roman 6:4 and a process of accessing the heavenly realm. For example, when Stephen was stoned he called upon the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" (Acts 7:59).
This is the first resurrection that John mentioned in the last part of verse 5 of chapter 20. These first fruits believers who died before the Parousia "the Finished work of Christ," did not go to the place of the dead Abraham's bosom or the Hadean realm Luke 16:19-31 but instead were under the altar (Revelation 6:9). The first resurrection is considered "blessed and holy" in verse 6 because of their intimate firstfruit relationship with the risen Christ. Their proximity to the Holy Place rendered them priest of God and the Messiah and they became part of that first century symbolic 1000 year reign of Christ.
The harvest, follows the ripening "perfecting and offering of the first fruits." With the return of Christ and the destruction of temple, the way into God presence was now opened (Hebrew 9:8). The Hadean realm was emptied, and the Old Covenant saints, who were the harvest were gathered in the general resurrection in A.D.70. This is the second resurrection that John mentioned in the first part of verse 5 of chapter 20.
One way to better understand the teaching of John's resurrection in Revelation 20:5 is to get a better grasp of the literary devices that are used by the writer to produce the desired results of the revelation he is seeking to unveil. One such device is chiasmas, which is a term that designates a literary figure or principle, which consist of "a placing crosswise" of words in a sentence or writing.
The term is used in rhetoric to designate an inversion of the order of words or phrases which are repeated or subsequently referred to in the sentence or writing.
ANGEL CAME DOWN
20.1 A. And I saw an angel coming down from heaven
KEY OF NON-CITY OF GOD
B. having the keys of the abyss
(ENCIRCLER IN HAND)
C. and a great chain in his hand
22.2 IDENTITY AND FOUR NAME COUNT
D. And he laid hold of the dragon
the old serpent (so named in garden of Eden)
which is the devil
And Satan (so named in (1 Chr.21:1)
20:3 E. SATAN BOUND TO DECEIVE NATIONS NO MORE UNTIL END OF 1000YEAR REIGN
and he bound him a thousand years
and he cast him into the abyss and shut it
and sealed it over him that he should deceive the nations no more
until should be finished the 1000 years
and after these things must he be loosed a little while
20:4 F THEY FROM FIRST RESURRECTION SAT AND GAVE JUDGMENT
and I saw thrones and they say upon them and judgment was given to them
and the souls of them that had been beheaded
for the testimony of Jesus
and for the Word of God
and such as worshiped not the beast neither his image
and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand
G. WHO LIVED IN100 YEAR PERIOD
and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
20.5 G. WHO LIVED NOT IN 100 YEARS PERIOD
The rest of the dead did not live again until were finished the thousand years
F. THEY FROM FIRST RESURRECTION-JUDGMENT BASED ON IMPUTED
RIGHTEOUSNESS
this is the first resurrection
20.6 blessed and holy is the one
who has a part in the first resurrection
over these the second death has no power
they will be priest of God and of Christ.
and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
SATAN LOOSED TO DECEIVE NATIONS
20.7 E. When the thousand years are complete
Satan will be released
20.8 and will come out
to deceive the nations
IDENTITY AND CORNER COUNT OF NATIONS
20.8b D. which are in the four corners of the earth
Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war
the number of them is like the sand of the seashore
20.9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth
ENCIRCLEMENT OF CAMP
C. and surrounded the camp of the saints
O.T.CITY OF GOD
B. and the beloved city
FIRE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN
A. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them
Chiasmus in Rev. 20, Verses 1-9 from the works of George R. Douglas, Jr. Esp/Bethesda,MD
If we are to understand the timing of the resurrection we must immerse ourselves in the first century Jewish understanding of the resurrection.What a difference it make when we read the Bible through their Jewish biblical concepts.
The Israel of God
Thanks again Terry Cropper.
Most Christians have been taught the true “Israel of God” is comprised of all biological descendants of Abraham only. However I believe God’s word teaches that “true Israel” has always been a (willing obedient spiritual group of people) in a covenant relationship with God form various nationalities, not just an exclusive biological group.
In this article I will endeavor to show why I come to believe from scripture, that from the beginning, there was a “physical Israel” and a “spiritual Israel” - a group within a group -two separate entities even during Old Testament time.
When most Christians are first saved that are told to read the New Testament. The problem is the right way to understand the New Testament is to have a good grasp and understanding of the Old Testament first. When we are told to read the Bible from the end of the story, (The New Testament) and not from the start of the story (The Old Testament) our understand of many of the New Testament concepts which started in the Old Testament are lost. Such as Paul’s words in (Romans 9:6)
In the beginning, God started with one righteous men named Abraham, and subsequently his biological descendants, the nation of Israel. However what is over looked God deals with the patriarchs of Israel as individuals. He dealt with Abraham as an individual; with Abraham’s son Isaac, as an individual; Abraham’s grandson Jacob, as individual. And approximately 400 years after the time of Joseph, God dealt with Moses as an individual, instructing him to lead the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:37).
After God miraculously brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, He spoke to them (as a group) for the very first time establishing the conditions by which individuals within that group would be considered His covenant people. (Exodus 19:3-6) As you read this passage notice the qualifying words “if” and “then.” After God spoke to the group and establishing the conditions by which individuals within that group would be considered His covenant people.
Following the death of Moses, Joshua received his first instruction from God. ( Joshua.1:2ff). God dealt with Joshua as an individual. After the death of Joshua the God dealt with Judah as an individual. Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, "Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?" And the LORD said, "Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand." (Judges 1:1-2) All through out the Bible God deals with individual beginning with Adam.
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had his name changed to 'Israel' by God. His descendants eventually became known as the people of Israel (i.e. the descendants of Israel). The Old Covenant was offered to Abraham’s descendants as a nation, because of their genealogy and because of God’s choice.
Rather, God chose these people because of His love for them and His unconditional covenant with Abraham. This doesn't mean that God loved Israel more than other people, it was just that He intended to use Israel as His means to love and bless everyone.
A study of the Old Testament clearly shows that, even then, people for other nationalities were welcome to becomes part of God’s covenant people (i.e., God’s “Israel”) if they were willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant.
The reason the majority continued to be from the same nationality during Old Testament times is that God never commanded the nation of Israel to evangelize. However God always left the back door open for any alien living among the Israelites who had a sincere desire to become part of God’s covenant people (God’s “Israel”).
Through the ages God’s covenant people included only those individuals who were willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant. In other words, God’s true covenant people has always been spiritual group of believers who had trust in God, even during Old Testament times.
We find in the Old Testament that people from other nationalities were always welcome to become apart of God’s “Israel.” Through willing faith and obedience to the conditions of the covenant, people from other nationalities were assimilated (absorbed as equals) into God’s covenant people. God’s “Israel.”
(...about 600.000 ) men women and children left Egypt with Moses however NOT all the men women and children were biological descendants of Abraham. Some were aliens from other nationalities who trusted the God of Abraham and became apart of God’s “Israel.”
“An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part, like one born in the land...The SAME law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you’ (Exodus 12:48-49).
“An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have same regulations for the alien and the native-born (Numbers 9:14)
“For this is what the Lord says; ... ‘Foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve Him, to love the mane of the Lord, and to worship Him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it, and who hold fast to my covenant these I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’” (Isaiah 56:4a, 6-7)
As we have seen from the previous Scriptures under the Old Covenant system, people from other nationalities who desired to serve the God of Abraham were assimilated (absorbed as equals into God’s covenant “Israel.”
When Matthew began his Gospel with a genealogy or family tree of Jesus, contrary to Luke and many of the genealogies in the Old Testament, he included four women and two of these women were NOT biological descendants of Abraham. Rahab, the great, great grandmother of David (Matthew 1:5) was a common prostitute in Jericho.
When Joshua sent two spies into the city of Jericho, Rahab, gave them shelter. When the king of Jericho sought their lives she hid them on her roof, and afterwards helped them escape. (Josh 2:1-8) They promised her that if she tied red cord to her window when the Hebrew people invaded Jericho, she and all her household would be saved. (Josh. 2:18-21).
They kept their promise, and when Jericho was taken, she and her household escaped. (Josh 6:17- 22). By professed faith in the God of Israel ( Josh. 2:11) Rahab became a part of “Israel” along with her entire family (Josh. 6:25; James 2:25). Ruth, the great grandmother of David and daughter-in-law of Rahab (Matthew 1:5) was from the country of Moab, but professed faith in the God of Israel (Ruth 1:16) and became part of “Israel” with full approval from the elders of the city (Ruth 4:11-12).
This is notable since it was not customary for Jews to include women in their records. The examples of Rahab and Ruth help us understand how God views “Israel” as those individual who trust in the true God. One should also remember both Rahab and Ruth.
Rahab is unusual in that she recognized the action of God, and put her faith in him while the rest of Jericho followed the Canaanite religion. She is listed in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroines of the faith.
Apparently, God Himself was impressed with Ruth's conversion, because He chose to send the Messiah through Ruth's offspring! What an exciting and inspiring example to everyone of us to think that God may have something very important in store for us, even though we have ungodly beginnings.
Just as those individuals in the Old Testament were apart of God’s “spiritual Israel” because they were willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant. Those individuals who were NOT willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant were apart of “national Israel.”
The Apostle Paul alludes to this basic fundamental covenant principle in his letters to early Christians. But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." (Romans 9:6-8) What Paul is saying is that not all the people form the nation of Israel are truly people of God’s Israel.” The covenant relationship is, and was an individual decision and choice as seen with the story of Rahab. The choice, the responsibility, and the Covenant relationship with God are individual , not national.
At the beginning of New Testament times, it was an accepted fact that God’s Covenant “Israel” still included people who were not biological descendants of Abraham (i.e., non - Jews). They were referred to as “proselytes” or “converts” and are mentioned fore times in the New Testament Scriptures; Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10-11, 6:5, 13:43.
I believe that it has always been God’s intentional, plan that we see being a part of (Spiritual Israel) has always been a matter of faith not biological descendants even during Old Testaments times. In 21th century Christianity, we miss the significance of so much that is written in the New Testament by not having any understanding of how God has always assimilated (absorbed as equals) people for other nationalities into His covenant people “spiritual Israel” even in the Old Testament.
During the time of Jesus many biological Jewish Christians also had great difficulty accepting the non-Jewish Christians as equals in the eyes of God - even to the point of not eating with them (Galatians 2:11-16). And as non-Jews began to accept the New Covenant Gospel message, in some instances they too thought of themselves as God’s elite, and as a group totally separated from believing biological Jews. Paul reprimanded the non - Jewish believers in Rome for this very attitude, as we read in (Romans 11:17-18).
God spiritual Israel seems to have been a difficult concept for BOTH Jews and non- Jews to grasp in the first century - just as it is for so many Christians in the 21th century. Any individual who accepted the new covenant relationship offer by Jesus Christ is apart of God’s “spiritual Israel.” The Church has NOT replace the Israel of God. The Church is (i.e., God’s “Israel”) which started in the Old Testament of individuals who put their faith in God. God deals with individuals.
All through the Bible, God’s faithful obedient covenant people are referred to as “Israel.” Unfortunately the nation is also called “Israel.’ This is were the confusion, lies both then and now. In other words, from the very beginning there was a “physical Israel” and a “spiritual” Israel. Those who were part of spiritual Israel were those individuals who accepted the covenant relationship offer and willingly chose to be faithful and obedient to the conditions of the Covenant
The biological descendants of Abraham could be “cut off” from “Israel,” through disobedience to the conditions of the Old Covenant, even though they continued to live in the nation of Israel. “Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people, he has broken My covenant (Genesis. 17:14)
The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book’‘ (Exodus 32:33) “..... any Israelite...who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and does not being it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the Lord, that man must be cut off from his people” (Leviticus 17:8-9). If any Israelite does not obey the prophet (referring to Jesus) would die, be cut off from God’s people;’ (Acts 3:22-23, quoted from Deut 18:15-19). For further study read (Lev. 24:16; Num. 9:13; Deut. 17:2-5).
During the “tribulation” period, culmination in 70 A.D., God used the complete destruction of Jerusalem to dramatically show biological Israelites AND Christians that everything connected to the Old Covenant system was over and done: the priesthood; the animal sacrificers; the earthly temple; the earthly city; the favored nationality; the genealogy records; even possession of all the land.
To this day, many Christians still don’t fully understand it. Consider the following. Since the Jewish genealogy records were destroyed in 70 A.D. along with the temple, ON-ONE can prove that he or she descended form Abraham. This bring us back to the starting place of this study. God deals with individuals who willingly chose to be faithful to his covenant not biological group.
God’s covenant principles of individual choice has been the same from the beginning of time, and continues to this day and into the future. With the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the New
Covenant system, the “rules” simply changed as to how one becomes part of (i.e., God’s “Israel”). Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."(John 6:29).
When studying the subject of “Israel” in the Bible, we need to remember to distinguish between the spiritual nature of God’s covenant “Israel” and the physical nature of the nation of Israel.
Most Christians have been taught the true “Israel of God” is comprised of all biological descendants of Abraham only. However I believe God’s word teaches that “true Israel” has always been a (willing obedient spiritual group of people) in a covenant relationship with God form various nationalities, not just an exclusive biological group.
In this article I will endeavor to show why I come to believe from scripture, that from the beginning, there was a “physical Israel” and a “spiritual Israel” - a group within a group -two separate entities even during Old Testament time.
When most Christians are first saved that are told to read the New Testament. The problem is the right way to understand the New Testament is to have a good grasp and understanding of the Old Testament first. When we are told to read the Bible from the end of the story, (The New Testament) and not from the start of the story (The Old Testament) our understand of many of the New Testament concepts which started in the Old Testament are lost. Such as Paul’s words in (Romans 9:6)
In the beginning, God started with one righteous men named Abraham, and subsequently his biological descendants, the nation of Israel. However what is over looked God deals with the patriarchs of Israel as individuals. He dealt with Abraham as an individual; with Abraham’s son Isaac, as an individual; Abraham’s grandson Jacob, as individual. And approximately 400 years after the time of Joseph, God dealt with Moses as an individual, instructing him to lead the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:37).
After God miraculously brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, He spoke to them (as a group) for the very first time establishing the conditions by which individuals within that group would be considered His covenant people. (Exodus 19:3-6) As you read this passage notice the qualifying words “if” and “then.” After God spoke to the group and establishing the conditions by which individuals within that group would be considered His covenant people.
Following the death of Moses, Joshua received his first instruction from God. ( Joshua.1:2ff). God dealt with Joshua as an individual. After the death of Joshua the God dealt with Judah as an individual. Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, "Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?" And the LORD said, "Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand." (Judges 1:1-2) All through out the Bible God deals with individual beginning with Adam.
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had his name changed to 'Israel' by God. His descendants eventually became known as the people of Israel (i.e. the descendants of Israel). The Old Covenant was offered to Abraham’s descendants as a nation, because of their genealogy and because of God’s choice.
Rather, God chose these people because of His love for them and His unconditional covenant with Abraham. This doesn't mean that God loved Israel more than other people, it was just that He intended to use Israel as His means to love and bless everyone.
A study of the Old Testament clearly shows that, even then, people for other nationalities were welcome to becomes part of God’s covenant people (i.e., God’s “Israel”) if they were willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant.
The reason the majority continued to be from the same nationality during Old Testament times is that God never commanded the nation of Israel to evangelize. However God always left the back door open for any alien living among the Israelites who had a sincere desire to become part of God’s covenant people (God’s “Israel”).
Through the ages God’s covenant people included only those individuals who were willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant. In other words, God’s true covenant people has always been spiritual group of believers who had trust in God, even during Old Testament times.
We find in the Old Testament that people from other nationalities were always welcome to become apart of God’s “Israel.” Through willing faith and obedience to the conditions of the covenant, people from other nationalities were assimilated (absorbed as equals) into God’s covenant people. God’s “Israel.”
(...about 600.000 ) men women and children left Egypt with Moses however NOT all the men women and children were biological descendants of Abraham. Some were aliens from other nationalities who trusted the God of Abraham and became apart of God’s “Israel.”
“An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part, like one born in the land...The SAME law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you’ (Exodus 12:48-49).
“An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have same regulations for the alien and the native-born (Numbers 9:14)
“For this is what the Lord says; ... ‘Foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve Him, to love the mane of the Lord, and to worship Him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it, and who hold fast to my covenant these I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’” (Isaiah 56:4a, 6-7)
As we have seen from the previous Scriptures under the Old Covenant system, people from other nationalities who desired to serve the God of Abraham were assimilated (absorbed as equals into God’s covenant “Israel.”
When Matthew began his Gospel with a genealogy or family tree of Jesus, contrary to Luke and many of the genealogies in the Old Testament, he included four women and two of these women were NOT biological descendants of Abraham. Rahab, the great, great grandmother of David (Matthew 1:5) was a common prostitute in Jericho.
When Joshua sent two spies into the city of Jericho, Rahab, gave them shelter. When the king of Jericho sought their lives she hid them on her roof, and afterwards helped them escape. (Josh 2:1-8) They promised her that if she tied red cord to her window when the Hebrew people invaded Jericho, she and all her household would be saved. (Josh. 2:18-21).
They kept their promise, and when Jericho was taken, she and her household escaped. (Josh 6:17- 22). By professed faith in the God of Israel ( Josh. 2:11) Rahab became a part of “Israel” along with her entire family (Josh. 6:25; James 2:25). Ruth, the great grandmother of David and daughter-in-law of Rahab (Matthew 1:5) was from the country of Moab, but professed faith in the God of Israel (Ruth 1:16) and became part of “Israel” with full approval from the elders of the city (Ruth 4:11-12).
This is notable since it was not customary for Jews to include women in their records. The examples of Rahab and Ruth help us understand how God views “Israel” as those individual who trust in the true God. One should also remember both Rahab and Ruth.
Rahab is unusual in that she recognized the action of God, and put her faith in him while the rest of Jericho followed the Canaanite religion. She is listed in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroines of the faith.
Apparently, God Himself was impressed with Ruth's conversion, because He chose to send the Messiah through Ruth's offspring! What an exciting and inspiring example to everyone of us to think that God may have something very important in store for us, even though we have ungodly beginnings.
Just as those individuals in the Old Testament were apart of God’s “spiritual Israel” because they were willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant. Those individuals who were NOT willingly faithful and obedient to the conditions of the covenant were apart of “national Israel.”
The Apostle Paul alludes to this basic fundamental covenant principle in his letters to early Christians. But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." (Romans 9:6-8) What Paul is saying is that not all the people form the nation of Israel are truly people of God’s Israel.” The covenant relationship is, and was an individual decision and choice as seen with the story of Rahab. The choice, the responsibility, and the Covenant relationship with God are individual , not national.
At the beginning of New Testament times, it was an accepted fact that God’s Covenant “Israel” still included people who were not biological descendants of Abraham (i.e., non - Jews). They were referred to as “proselytes” or “converts” and are mentioned fore times in the New Testament Scriptures; Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10-11, 6:5, 13:43.
I believe that it has always been God’s intentional, plan that we see being a part of (Spiritual Israel) has always been a matter of faith not biological descendants even during Old Testaments times. In 21th century Christianity, we miss the significance of so much that is written in the New Testament by not having any understanding of how God has always assimilated (absorbed as equals) people for other nationalities into His covenant people “spiritual Israel” even in the Old Testament.
During the time of Jesus many biological Jewish Christians also had great difficulty accepting the non-Jewish Christians as equals in the eyes of God - even to the point of not eating with them (Galatians 2:11-16). And as non-Jews began to accept the New Covenant Gospel message, in some instances they too thought of themselves as God’s elite, and as a group totally separated from believing biological Jews. Paul reprimanded the non - Jewish believers in Rome for this very attitude, as we read in (Romans 11:17-18).
God spiritual Israel seems to have been a difficult concept for BOTH Jews and non- Jews to grasp in the first century - just as it is for so many Christians in the 21th century. Any individual who accepted the new covenant relationship offer by Jesus Christ is apart of God’s “spiritual Israel.” The Church has NOT replace the Israel of God. The Church is (i.e., God’s “Israel”) which started in the Old Testament of individuals who put their faith in God. God deals with individuals.
All through the Bible, God’s faithful obedient covenant people are referred to as “Israel.” Unfortunately the nation is also called “Israel.’ This is were the confusion, lies both then and now. In other words, from the very beginning there was a “physical Israel” and a “spiritual” Israel. Those who were part of spiritual Israel were those individuals who accepted the covenant relationship offer and willingly chose to be faithful and obedient to the conditions of the Covenant
The biological descendants of Abraham could be “cut off” from “Israel,” through disobedience to the conditions of the Old Covenant, even though they continued to live in the nation of Israel. “Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people, he has broken My covenant (Genesis. 17:14)
The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book’‘ (Exodus 32:33) “..... any Israelite...who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and does not being it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the Lord, that man must be cut off from his people” (Leviticus 17:8-9). If any Israelite does not obey the prophet (referring to Jesus) would die, be cut off from God’s people;’ (Acts 3:22-23, quoted from Deut 18:15-19). For further study read (Lev. 24:16; Num. 9:13; Deut. 17:2-5).
During the “tribulation” period, culmination in 70 A.D., God used the complete destruction of Jerusalem to dramatically show biological Israelites AND Christians that everything connected to the Old Covenant system was over and done: the priesthood; the animal sacrificers; the earthly temple; the earthly city; the favored nationality; the genealogy records; even possession of all the land.
To this day, many Christians still don’t fully understand it. Consider the following. Since the Jewish genealogy records were destroyed in 70 A.D. along with the temple, ON-ONE can prove that he or she descended form Abraham. This bring us back to the starting place of this study. God deals with individuals who willingly chose to be faithful to his covenant not biological group.
God’s covenant principles of individual choice has been the same from the beginning of time, and continues to this day and into the future. With the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the New
Covenant system, the “rules” simply changed as to how one becomes part of (i.e., God’s “Israel”). Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."(John 6:29).
When studying the subject of “Israel” in the Bible, we need to remember to distinguish between the spiritual nature of God’s covenant “Israel” and the physical nature of the nation of Israel.
