Landmark Baptist

Below is an article from "The Friends Of Israel Gospel Ministry" website. I just wondered if any of you had heard of "Replacement Theology"? One of my church members asked me about it recently, and I had to plead ignorance. While it appears as though this is very much contrary to Biblical teaching, I would appreciate any of you sharing your thoughts.

ISRAEL'S SIGNIFICANCE IS INSIGNIFICANT

by Elwood McQuaid

The headline of this editorial is the considered opinion of two men who are deemed “very influential and major [religious] voices throughout America.”

Their identities are not particularly relevant. Their statements concerning Israel are being espoused by a host of pop-culture theologians currently afflicted by the pernicious Replacement Theology ideology of the day. The issue is the right of contemporary Israel to a homeland in the Middle East sanctioned by God and whether today’s Israel is in any way related to the prophetic promises of the Word. Their message is that Israel’s presence in the Middle East is not currently relevant for reasons they feel constrained to explain. Following are sermon excerpts from these men:

Geo-political Israel today is not to be understood as God’s promise to Abraham and Joshua. IT IS NOT! . . . It is fair to say, the world owes them a homeland. But, and this is important, there is no biblical right that geo-political Israel has today to that particular piece of geography in the Middle East. For Israel is not a nation state any more; Israel is the church. Israel is people of God, Jew and Gentile from every nation and every tribe. Ancient Israel is a preview of what God intends for the new Israel.

Therefore [because Israel broke her covenant by rejecting the Messiah], the secular state of Israel today may not claim a present divine right to the Land, but they and we should seek a peaceful settlement not based on present divine rights.

By faith in Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, Gentiles become heirs of the promise of Abraham, including the promise of the Land. But I think we will make better progress if we do not yield to the claim of either side to be ethnically or nationally sanctioned by God in their present conflict.

Such Replacement Theology is actually ideology in the guise of theology. And it plays to the cultural interests of self-absorbed Christians in the West.

God’s program for Israel and the Jewish people has not run off the tracks. The inviolable bedrock of prophetic truth did not somehow draw its last breath when the corrupt Temple hierarchy incited a crowd to reject the Christ in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. While acknowledging the historical veracity of all prophecies related to the Messiah’s First Coming, our friends tend to forget that you cannot accept these promises as literal and then leap into the murky realm of allegory, spiritualizing the text to prop up culturally preferential theory. One reference will suffice:

Hath God cast away his people? God forbid (Rom. 11:1).

Despite whatever manipulative gyrations one employs, Romans 11 clearly enunciates the future promise of Israel’s national reconciliation to the Messiah in anticipation of the King’s reign in fulfillment of Scripture:

And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Rom. 11:26).

This does not refer to the proclamation of the gospel to Jewish people and Gentiles during the Church Age. It can only be ascribed to Israel and the future fulfillment of God’s plan.

However, there are more pressing and potentially devastating issues to confront here; namely, the incredible naiveté of promoting the fantasy that Israel is the cause of Muslim and Arab belligerence and worldwide terrorism. Said one of the preachers,

The existence of Israel in the Middle East and the extent of her borders and her sovereignty are perhaps the most explosive factors in world terrorism and the most volatile factors in Arab-Western relations.

This statement is not only wildly exaggerated but potentially deadly. To indulge the fantasy that the issue can be addressed from a purely human-rights perspective is beyond the pale. Such thinking exposes the underlying militancy of Replacement Theology, which seems to relish making Israel the heinous perpetrator, and Arabs and Palestinians the helpless victims.

The Muslim world’s greatest problem is not with Israel; it is with us! Democracy, freedom, and our insistence on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the real adversaries. Israel is but the token of that light in the dark sea of Islamic hatred.

To take potshots at prophetic biblicists and the Chosen People and their inherent, God-given right to a safe haven in the land of their fathers may be the popular sport of contemporary skeptics; but in the end, it may cost us all dearly.

I have never heard of this really being espoused by an mainstream thelogians of any denomination.....This guy ignores many scriptures to say this. Believing "replacement theology" would be the equivalent of believing that God's promise to Abraham that through his seed "All families of the earth will be blessed" was void because of Israel turning from God also.

"This is such an absurd position that, in order to argue it, one must believe the following events are normal and not unprecedented as history would otherwise suggest:

1) The Gathering of the Jews in Israel

Numerous biblical prophecies foretold of the re-gathering of Israel as a nation. Approximately 2,700 years ago, God revealed to the prophet Ezekiel a “Valley of Dry Bones” (Ezekiel Chapter 37). God spoke of these bones (the Jews) gathered together and covered with flesh and muscles (re-gathered from the nations) with life being breathed into them (a dead nation brought to life once again).

“Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones – all hope is gone.’ Now give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 37:11-13 (NLT)

Beginning in the late 19th Century, the birth of the Zionist movement culminated in the gradual emigration of Jews from all over the world to resettle the land of Israel. Each decade the number of returning Jews increased, until finally the nation of Israel came to life once again in 1948.

The claim that “everything has remained the same” since Christ first appeared doesn’t account for the nation of Israel. In 1948, Ezekiel’s prophecy was fulfilled right before the eyes of bible prophecy skeptics, and the world hasn’t been the same since.

2) Israel Becomes a Nation in a Single Day

In addition, the bible prophesied that when Israel became a nation again, it would do so in a single day:

“‘Who has ever seen or heard of anything as strange as this? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin, the baby will be born; the nation will come forth. Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth and then not deliver it?’ asks the Lord. ‘No! I would never keep this nation from being born,’ says your God.” Isaiah 66:8-9 (NLT)

This event occurred in our generation on May 14, 1948. From the year A.D. 70 to A.D. 1948 – the overwhelming majority of the time since Christ first appeared – Israel did not exist as a nation.

The claim that “everything has remained the same” since Christ first appeared just doesn’t make sense. The nation of Israel exists once again, and just as the bible stated, it came into existence in a single day.

3) Jerusalem and Judah Will Become a Burden to the World

The bible prophesied that, in the last days, Jerusalem and Judah would become a burden to the world. In fact, they would become irresistible targets to neighboring nations who would send their armies to besiege and conquer:

“I will make Jerusalem and Judah like an intoxicating drink to all the nearby nations that send their armies to besiege Jerusalem. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone, a burden for the world. None of the nations who try to lift it will escape unscathed.” Zechariah 12:2-3 (NLT)

This prophecy is being fulfilled right before our eyes. Since 1948, the nation of Israel has been besieged, at one time or another, by every neighboring nation in its geographic vicinity. Against great odds, the modern state of Israel has fought and survived four major wars – in 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973 – as well as numerous violent conflicts. Today, the City of Jerusalem, and Israel itself, are the epicenter of world attention. The Arab threat of war over Jewish possession of Israel and Jerusalem is a constant threat to world peace and international stability, making this geographic area a heavy burden on the world’s leaders.

The idea that this is simply “business as usual” or that “everything has remained the same” since Christ first appeared is utterly ridiculous. Despite its historical prominence, Jerusalem has never been “a burden for the world” until our generation.

4) The Rise of the Gog/Magog Alliance

The bible prophesies that, in the last days, Russia and a coalition of Muslim nations led by Iran will gather a horde of armies together in an effort to wipe Israel off the map. Israel will appear defenseless in the face of this massive invasion force with none of its worldly allies willing to come to its defense. However, God is Israel’s greatest ally, and He vows to make his presence known to the entire world by supernaturally destroying the armies allied against Israel:

“Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: When my people are living in peace in their land, then you will rouse yourself. You will come from your homeland in the distant north with your vast cavalry and your mighty army, and you will cover the land like a cloud. This will happen in the distant future. I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you. Then all the nations will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 38:14-16 (NLT)

Is this business as usual? A coalition of these particular nations has never existed in history – at least until the present generation. Today, Russia and Iran are integral partners in a strategic anti-Western alliance. The other nations mentioned by Ezekiel are all anti-Western Muslim nations, and it’s not unreasonable to believe they would join Russia and Iran in a quest to destroy Israel.

5) Calls for Global Government

The bible also prophesies that, in the last days, one man will rule the world via global government:

“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

Although this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled, our generation has been witness to unprecedented global cooperation and interdependence. Ours is the first generation in history that could seriously consider global government. In fact, given the current trend of technological development, global government will soon become a necessity.

As a result, the claim that “everything has remained the same” since Christ first appeared is just plain absurd. The prospect of a truly global government has never been realistic for any generation in human history. But for our generation, it remains a very real possibility.

6) The Increasing Power of Human Technology

Is human technology the same now as it was in past generations?

Prior to our generation, most students of bible prophecy found it extremely difficult to comprehend certain end times prophecies. However, with the development of advanced technologies, many students can now see how such prophecies could be fulfilled.

For instance, how could the whole world “stare at the bodies” of the two witnesses in Revelation 11?

“When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them. He will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city which is called ‘Sodom’ and ‘Egypt,’ the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will come to stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.” Revelation 11:7-10 (NLT)

For the first time in history, this prophecy can be fulfilled through worldwide satellite coverage on cable news networks. As of now, the poorest people in the world don’t have access to cable news networks, but the cost of video technology is declining rapidly. As a result, it’s not difficult to imagine a day in the not too distant future when the entire world population has access to high-bandwidth video feeds via cell phones, PDAs, or other handheld devices, making it easy for them to view an unfolding event in real time.

The amazing increase in the power of human technology in our generation opens the door for the fulfillment of such prophecies as the world looking at the bodies of the two witnesses, the Antichrist controlling world commerce, and the Antichrist conquering the entire world in a short period of time. Therefore, with each passing day, the notion that “everything has remained the same” since Christ first appeared continues to lose its credibility.

7) A Dramatic Increase in Travel and Knowledge

Over 2,600 years ago, it was revealed to the prophet Daniel that the end times would be marked by a noticeable increase in human travel and knowledge:

“But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.” Daniel 12:4 (NLT)

According to the Book of Daniel, two things will markedly increase just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:

1) Transportation
2) Knowledge

Not only have transportation and knowledge increased, but their power and widespread use have done so exponentially. Simple observation has clearly shown this to be the case in the centuries since Daniel first recorded this prophecy.

Knowledge and transportation are now widely available to both rich and poor now more than at any other time in human history. In generations past, most people never wandered more than a short distance from their childhood homes. Today, people routinely fly to the other side of the globe and back. In generations past, the world’s collective knowledge could be summed up in few hundred books. Today, millions of books and billions of Internet documents illustrate the unprecedented explosion in human knowledge.

Given the clearly observable dramatic increase in humanity’s knowledge base and ability to travel, how can anyone buy into the notion that “everything has remained the same since before the times of our ancestors”?

Conclusion

The seven prominent events outlined above are not the only events unique to our generation, yet they serve as a clear signal to the human race that ours is the generation that will witness Christ’s return:

“Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.” Matthew 24:28 (NLT)"

excerpt from BrittGillette.com

I agree with you on this one Bro. Withem

Many people forget that the Jews had the Gospel and accepted it long before the Gentiles had it given to them. When Jesus confronted Nicodemus he expected Nicodemus to know that one must be 'born again' and the only scriptures that Nicodemus would have had were the OT writtings. The Jews had guard over the Gospel for millenia and still carry that hope as a people. It would seem today that even if they reject the NT then the testimony of Jesus to Nicodemus is that the OT is enough to have the Gospel reveled to one. While there are many Jews who ahve rejected Jesus, there are still many who embrace Him as Saviour and as such have become missionaries to the Jews themselves. It is clear from the examples given by the other writers that God is not done with the Jews and we stand at the threshold of a great time as we see 4000 years of Bible prophecy come to life. We get to see the things that Daniel, Ezekiel, Hosea, Micah, and even the NT writers could only dream of and those dreams were clouded by a lack of understanding because the could not comprehend some of the things that God had showed them. Thank God He is not done with Israel, for if He is faithful to keep his promises to a stiffnecked and stubborn people such as they, He will keep His promises to a stiffnecked and stubborn people as we.

Sean

Mike
It is not clear to me from your post just who is saying what. The initial paragraphs make great sense to me as it is what I have believed for years. I never heard of "Replacement theology" and I do not know what it means, but I do believe that the people in Israel today are gentiles, blinded and cut off from the new covenant church truth. Of course, God is not through with them, but that does not mean the people who are there now have a biblical right to be there. When God gathers the nation and breathes live into them, He will give them the full land grant specified in the Old Testament. and there will be no squabbling over it. Until then, they certainly do have a political right to be where they are. Furthermore, their being there is not the Arab's problem and neither are we. The Arabs are not short on land nor wealth, but they are wild people as God said the Ishmaelites would be.
I further agree that the present Israel of God is the New Testament church. It was first 100 percent Jewish then it incorporated the nations according to God's plan to make of the two to be one in the church. It appears that blinded Jews have no biblical advantage over unsaved gentiles unless or until they accept Jesus and come into His New Covenant work. I do not believe that the times of the gentiles are fulfilled (though getting close) and Jesus flatly said that Jerusalem would trodden down of the gentiles until the time of the gentiles is fulfilled. Presently Jerusalem is in the hands of disbelieving Jews which makes them gentiles.

Well, I could go on, but I am sure this is enough to stir considerable controversy.

Bro. Dillard,

It does stir considerable controversy. The fulfillment of Biblical prophecies concerning the regathering of the Jews to their homeland and the rebirth of Israel as a nation has been unfolding since 1948. Think about the Six-Day War. Did you know that the U.S.A. was the very first to recognize the Jewish State? I believe that in our moral and spiritual condition, that if the present administration turns away from Israel, it could be the last straw for our nation.

Even more serious than that: would you please clarify what you mean by "new covenant church truth"?

It could be that God has already removed his protective hand from our country....I know that many Christians love the Bush family but consider the following

1. President GHW Bush launched his land-for-peace plan by giving away Israeli land back in 1991....That day God sent a storm with 100 ft waves into New England damaging even President Bush's home

2. August 23, 1992 talks resume for Israel to surrender land for peace. Within 24 hours Hurricane Andrew, a "30 mile wide tornado" slams the US coast Cost $30 billion

3. April 27 -Sept 13, 1993 Israel and PLO work on and sign a compromise peace agreement in Washington DC. During this same period the country is hit with the most devastating and widespread flooding in U.S. history. Cost $21 billion

4. Aug 25- Sept 10, 2001 The US, Arabia and Israel prepared the most comprehensive "peace plan" ever. God lifted his hand of protection and the twin towers and Pentagon were attacked September 11th just before plans were finalized. Cost $40billion

5.Nov 7-12, 2002 During Ramadan, president Bush hosted a dinner to honor Islam and the "revelation of God's Word in the holy Koran". When Officials flew to pressure Israel, 88 out of season tornadoes hit 7 states

6. In August 2005 The U.S. pressured Israel into evacuating Gaza. President Bush applauded the dividing of Gods land whle families wept from losing everything and dug up the dead to re-bury them in new cemetaries....The next day Aug 29, 2005 Hurrican Katrina (Katrina means judgement) became the largest disaster in U.S. History costing more than $200 billion

facts taken from "Eye to Eye" by William Koenig 2007
"As America Has Done to Israel" McTeman
and "Somebody Angry?" JTC 2008