"Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:7–14)
The issue I am raising in this post is a controversial one, but one that needs to be raised. I was recently asked about this by more than one person in our congregation. It is an issue that many Christians feel strongly about but are confused about. How should we view modern day Israel? Are they God's "chosen" people? Does God expect Christians to "support" the nation of Israel?
For many years I understood that God had two "peoples" - the Jewish people, and Gentile Christians. Having two peoples also meant two religious "systems". Jews were saved by the system God gave them in a particular dispensation of time, and gave another system to Gentiles which involved belief in Jesus. Though the second system is the ideal system he wants Jews to embrace, the original system is still valid. Jews today worship the same God Christians worship. The only difference had to do with what we believe about Jesus. Christians happen to believe he was and is the Messiah. Jews didn't quite understand all of that, but God will let them slide since they are the chosen ones. I have since abandoned this understanding as I now believe it is unscriptural. Yet, this represents the majority view among Evangelicals today.
Will the Real Israel Please Stand Up?
Most people believe that the identity of Israel is strictly biological. Simply because of who their daddy was makes them entitled to all of the blessings of God's covenant with Abraham regardless of what they do, how they live or what they believe. Anyone and everyone biologically related to Abraham has received promises that can never be undone. While I agree God always fulfills his promises, the problem is many interpreters emphasize the promises of blessing. But blessing is not all God promised. "Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them." (Deuteronomy 27:26, Galatians 3:10)
God specifically said if his people did not follow his laws, they would be under a curse. And guess what? They broke the Law and as a result they came under a curse. What does "curse" mean? A slap on the wrist? No - it means condemnation. This is a promise from God which he fulfilled. Moses goes on in the next chapter to explain.
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God...But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2, 15–16)
It is quite simple you see - obedience was the condition for receiving the blessings of God and disobedience earned them the condemnation of God. And since no Jew ever was able to keep the Law, then it stands to reason that every Jew that ever lived is under God's wrath and curse.
But the good news of the Gospel is that there was a Jew who was able to keep it perfectly, and his name is Jesus. And because he is the only Jew to ever keep it, he alone has a right to all the blessings of the Covenant. Therefore Jesus is the remnant, true Israel. All who are in Christ are grafted into Israel and become the beneficiaries of the promises of God. Furthermore, he took away the curse due unto us for sin by becoming a curse for us. Unless Jews come to see this and embrace Jesus in faith, then they are outside of the promises and blessings of God.
Why this is NOT Replacement Theology
Many who espouse this view are often accused of holding to a "replacement theology." But there is no such thing actually. Gentiles are not "replacing" Jews so much as they are becoming Jews. Those who label this understanding as "replacement theology" wrongly view Israel and the Church as two separate entities. But Paul explains in Ephesians 2 that Christ died to unite the nations, not to divide them. Jews and Gentiles become one people in Christ. "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." (Ephesians 2:14)
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God...But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2, 15–16)
It is quite simple you see - obedience was the condition for receiving the blessings of God and disobedience earned them the condemnation of God. And since no Jew ever was able to keep the Law, then it stands to reason that every Jew that ever lived is under God's wrath and curse.
But the good news of the Gospel is that there was a Jew who was able to keep it perfectly, and his name is Jesus. And because he is the only Jew to ever keep it, he alone has a right to all the blessings of the Covenant. Therefore Jesus is the remnant, true Israel. All who are in Christ are grafted into Israel and become the beneficiaries of the promises of God. Furthermore, he took away the curse due unto us for sin by becoming a curse for us. Unless Jews come to see this and embrace Jesus in faith, then they are outside of the promises and blessings of God.
Why this is NOT Replacement Theology
Many who espouse this view are often accused of holding to a "replacement theology." But there is no such thing actually. Gentiles are not "replacing" Jews so much as they are becoming Jews. Those who label this understanding as "replacement theology" wrongly view Israel and the Church as two separate entities. But Paul explains in Ephesians 2 that Christ died to unite the nations, not to divide them. Jews and Gentiles become one people in Christ. "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." (Ephesians 2:14)
How can Gentiles be counted as Jews? By faith in Jesus. Paul tells us that true sons of Abraham share in Abraham's faith. He goes on to say: "Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ." (Galatians 3:16)
Paul makes a similar claim in Romans 9. Ishmael was clearly a biological descendent of Abraham, yet it was the child of the promise who would receive the inheritance. "For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." (Romans 9:6–8)
Two chapters later, Paul describes Christ as the Tree or root and ethnic Jews as "natural branches" and Gentiles as "wild branches". He says the natural branches were cut off and that Gentiles who were from wild trees were grafted into a cultivated tree by faith. What is the identity of this tree? It's simple - Jesus is the tree or "the true vine" (John 15:1ff). He is Israel and that means all connected to him are included in Israel and by faith in Jesus the Messiah, are counted as sons of Abraham, children of the promise. A friend of mine wrote great article that touches on this subject (which I will link to below).
"...the church is not a Gentile organization... The church is a Jewish organization... It's Savior is Jewish. It was founded entirely by Jews. Its first converts were all Jewish. Its apostles were all Jewish. Most (and perhaps all) of the New Testament was written by Jews. As Paul put it in Romans 11, the church is a Jewish olive tree, and Gentiles have been grafted into it. This does not make it a Gentile olive tree. It makes it a Jewish olive tree wherein Gentiles depend on God's grace to include and sustain them as unnatural branches on the Jewish stalk." [1]
But to Answer the Question...
If Israel is Jesus and all who are in Jesus are part of Israel, how should we view those we think of as Israel today? To answer this, a distinction must be made between the political entity called "Israel" and ethnic Jews. The political State of Israel is a secular government and should not be viewed as the successor to the ancient Kingdom of Israel which is how many see it. There is no Davidic King on the throne, no covenant renewal that has taken place. The current Prime minister of Israel is a secular Jew. This means it should not be supported any more or less than other secular nations in the world. And I must add that Christians need to think twice before financially supporting organizations that support Israel. They may very well be supporting something that is anti-Christian.
But does David have a son on the throne? Yes he does! Jesus the Son of David is on the throne of the Church and that means the Church of Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of Israel, constituted by the covenant made in his blood.
But what about ethnic Jewish people? Paul has a very interesting perspective. He says:
"As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers." (Romans 11:28)
On the one hand they are the enemies of Christ who are under a curse due to their unbelief, disobedience and rejection of Jesus as Messiah. This means we cannot treat their unbelief in Jesus as a small matter. The Apostle John makes this abundantly clear.
On the one hand they are the enemies of Christ who are under a curse due to their unbelief, disobedience and rejection of Jesus as Messiah. This means we cannot treat their unbelief in Jesus as a small matter. The Apostle John makes this abundantly clear.
"Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also." (1 John 2:22–23)
Last I checked this pretty much sums up Jewish theology concerning Jesus. John (who was a Jew) says any denial of Christ is antichrist. From the perspective of Christian orthodoxy, Judaism is a unorthodox cult much like Jehovah's Witnesses or even Islam because of their stance on the person and work of Jesus. Christians need to face the fact that Judaism is "antichrist."
Jesus used even stronger language.
"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:43–44)
Yet at the same time, Paul says they are beloved because of their forefathers.
Last I checked this pretty much sums up Jewish theology concerning Jesus. John (who was a Jew) says any denial of Christ is antichrist. From the perspective of Christian orthodoxy, Judaism is a unorthodox cult much like Jehovah's Witnesses or even Islam because of their stance on the person and work of Jesus. Christians need to face the fact that Judaism is "antichrist."
Jesus used even stronger language.
"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:43–44)
Yet at the same time, Paul says they are beloved because of their forefathers.
"...to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ... (Romans 9:4–5)
Therefore, we should see them as natural branches that have been cut off from the Tree, and in danger of being eternally lost. BUT, we should also strongly desire to see them brought back into their own tree. We should grieve over their unbelief as we see Paul do in Romans 9 and 10. "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh." (Romans 9:2-3) We should support mission and evangelism work that aims to bring them to faith in Jesus because he is their only hope.
Therefore, we should see them as natural branches that have been cut off from the Tree, and in danger of being eternally lost. BUT, we should also strongly desire to see them brought back into their own tree. We should grieve over their unbelief as we see Paul do in Romans 9 and 10. "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh." (Romans 9:2-3) We should support mission and evangelism work that aims to bring them to faith in Jesus because he is their only hope.
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[1] http://thirdmill.org/answers/answer.asp/file/40292
Further Reading
Further Reading
http://replacementtheology.org/
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/juneweb-only/john-piper-david-brickner-israel.html
http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/israel-palestine-and-the-middle-east
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