My thoughts: (Originally posted in the Israel thread in the News and Current Events Forum.)
Galatians 3:29, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."
If I am Abraham's offspring and the promise to Abraham was simply land, then don't I have a claim to that land?
I know the question is sort of absurd, but I feel it captures some confusion regarding the nation of Israel.
First, I wish to express my love for Israel. May God bless the nation of Israel. They are the only true democracy in the Middle East and they are a strong ally of America.
Second, I wish to clear up an understanding of modern Israel in relation to Abraham. God's promise was "to Abraham and his seed...He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
Paul says "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:" and "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Not all Jews are God's chosen people. Many Jews throughout the ages have died apart from Christ. This raises an important question: "Hath God cast away his people? The Jews are referred to as God's people because they are the ones "to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." Paul says, "I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day."
There is an elect number of the Jews that come to Jesus and the rest are hardened unto this day. This is part of God's plan. Paul says, "I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." Paul later says, "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all."
As a nation, Israel is blinded, in part, by God. This is not a complete spiritual blindness because many Jews are coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus, but it is a spiritual blindness upon the majority of the Jews. This blindness will happen until the fullness of the Gentiles come in--the full number of elect Gentiles are saved. Then God will remove the blindness on Israel and they will see their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.
Now, notice what is not mentioned in these veres: 1) The current nation of Israel is the receipent of the promises of Abraham. This promise was made to Abraham and his Seed. The Seed is Christ and all who are Christians are Abraham's offspring.
2) Anyone who curses the current nation of Israel will be cursed and anyone who blesses the current nation of Israel will be blessed. Once again, this was spoken to Abraham and his Seed. This applies to Christians, not modern Jews.
3) A third temple will be rebuilt The temple served a purpose and was destroyed because it was no longer needed. When Christ came He did away with the need for a temple and the ceremonial law. The New Testament is clear that the church is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16-17) and the believer's body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 6:19).
Note: What about 2 Thess 2? "1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
The temple is the church and the man of sin exalts himself in the church. This is the apostasy and rebellion in the church, not a Jewish temple.
|