From Dispensational to Covenantal Part III

Investigating Israel:

In my previous blog I described a little bit of my personal theological journey, that of what initially compelled me to reconsider the eyes through which I viewed God's Word. In realizing that it may have been a little too presumptuous to read "all Israel will be saved", apart from it's context, to mean so simplistically that all national ethical Israel will be saved.

I decided that before I toss around any more accusations toward God, regarding his mishandling of the human race, that it would probably prove prudent to investigate this idea of Israel, reflecting of course on the cryptic statement that 'not all Israel are Israel'.

The Obvious Israel:

The most obvious factor pertaining to the idea of 'Israel' in the bible is that Israel was, in fact, a national ethnic group! Some historians dispute the origins of the Nation of Israel--was she birthed out of slavery from the Egyptians or did she simply emerge as the dominant group already living in Canaan during ancient times--but from a biblical perspective (in which our discussion is based), the Nation of Israel was, in fact, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and of course, Jacob who took on himself the name Israel.

So his children, the children of Jacob (i.e. Israel), and those also who belong to his tribe, quite naturally became known as "the children of Israel". This is the way the earliest nations were often named--the Amalakites where known as the children of Amalak for example--and so from a physical and historical standpoint, Israel must first be recognized as a national entity.

The biblical narrative tells us how God called Abraham from out of Mesopotamia and promised to give his descendants the land of Canaan as an inheritance. The promise was transferred to Abraham's son Isaac (not his older son Ishmael) and to Isaac's son Jacob (not his older son Esau). The descendants of Jacob, and those who belonged to his tribe but were not blood relatives, took refuge in the land of Egypt to escape a terrible famine in the Middle East. As time passed the Egyptians, for fear of the population growing of the children of Israel, enslaved them. Then, so the narrative tells us, God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt in what became known triumphantly as the Exodus.

The children of Israel entered Egypt as a relatively small tribe, but they left Egypt (some four hundred years later) as the "Nation of Israel" as though a nation can be birthed in a single day!

It would be fool hearty to ignore this biblically obvious factor and I would dare not do such a thing. Israel was, no question about it, a physical nation with a divine providential purpose guiding it's very existence. That God called Israel out of Egypt and worked with her, through her and for her as a corporate body is, once again, beyond any doubt.

The question that the reflective Christian must ask however is: To what end? Why did God birth and guide this single nation, calling her apart from the rest of the nations of the earth? It simply won't do to say that "He did it and that's that", then jump to the conclusion that "all Israel will be saved"? For this reluctance to respect and over simplify the often complex and multi-layered subjects of the bible leads us right back to the arbitrary and unjust God we met in my previous blog.

So to this question, to what end did God call apart national Israel? we will return, but first let us consider some other ways by which we may understand this "idea" of Israel.

The Other Israel:

We should begin our discussion of "the Other Israel" by acknowledging the fact that the New Testament is, and should be viewed as, the revelation and fulfillment of those things spoken of in the Old Testament. It is in this way that the author of the book of Hebrews can say that Moses esteemed the riches of Christ above the riches of Egypt, and in this way that the author of Acts can refer to Israel as the Church (ekklesia) which wondered in the wilderness before entering the promise land. We can also see this cross-over in reverse when Paul speaks of the Galatians as the "Israel of God" referring to those who are circumcised of the heart and not just of the flesh, or when God tells Habakkuk, in very strong New Covenant terminology, that "the righteous shall live by faith".

There is one more thought which I believe must be kept in mind whenever a study on biblical matters dives beyond the obvious: God is Spirit, his Words are spiritual; and as such we also must be spiritual. True worshippers worship God in spirit and in truth the Word says. It also says that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and that the carnal (and dare I say the fleshly and/or baby Christian) mind cannot understand the truths of God (c.f. Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 2:13-3:3).

Spiritual Israel and the Point of God's Plan:

When the word "Israel" first appears in scripture it is given to Jacob after his encounter and struggle with the Angel of the Lord. The change is significant; Jacob means deceiver, and even a cursory glance at his life reveals how his name simply reflected his character. Israel on the other hand means "prince with God" or "one who rules with God" (think back to the garden with Adam as God's co-regent). Jacob was to no longer be a deceiver (ultimately reflected as a child of the father of lies, i.e. the devil, so Jesus says), but he was to take on the role originally intended for Adam, the role humans were to fill as rulers over this earth. In giving Jacob the name Israel God was in process of recreating, and since Israel was directly created by God, the scriptures could refer to Israel as the "son of God" and as his "firstborn" (c.f. Exodus 4:22). So immediately within it's first usage we see two Israel's, one of the flesh (Jacob the deceiver) and one who is a son of God (Israel a prince with God).

In the New Testament we see this idea of two Israelites in flying bright colors; one Israel of the flesh (i.e. Jacob or deceiver) and one Israel of God (i.e. a true Israelite). The leaders of Israel in the days of Jesus believed the privileges (and prophecies) of Abraham were given to them simply because of their national identity and ethnic lineage -- Jesus corrects this assumption (the Dispensationalist would do good to note this fact as I did). Jesus explains (rather unapologically) that their true father is the devil because they do as he does, and not as Abraham did. The devil is the father of lies, and they chose to believe the lie rather then accept the truth found in Christ (John 8:31-47). The antithesis of this is found in Nathanael's surprisingly pleasant encounter with his Messiah. Jesus takes one look at Nathanael, and utters these profound and revealing words about the young disciple to be, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!". (Apparently Nathanael was ripe and ready for the Messiah, for he responds with "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" [John 1:47-49].) Notice those words, "a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit" as opposed to an Israelite of the flesh, who evidently is not necessarily a true Israelite! Again, a distinction is made between one who is an ethnic descendant of Abraham and one who is a true prince with God, a true Israelite. Notice the strong and undeniably spiritual meaning in the text that cannot and must not be overlooked. The point of God calling Israel apart as a holy people, was not to exclusively redeem an ethnic group, resulting in two separate plans and purposes of God within human history. The purpose (as we shall see) is much greater then this erroneous and unspiritual reading of God's Word found in Dispensationalism.

So what about Israel then, has she lost her place in the plan and purposes of God? Well the Apostle Paul anticipated this question and came prepared with an answer. This idea of two Israel's does not (by no means!) exclude an Israelite from God's purpose and plan of Redemption in history, for Paul himself was an Israelite in the strictest of senses (Romans 11:1). Yet salvation is not found in the blood-line or lineage of Abraham, salvation is found in the faith-line or lineage of faith in Israel's Messiah; and this door is open to any Israelite who should be willing to accept it. Paul even hopes and pleads with his brothers in the flesh (ethnic Israelites), that they will see the influx of Gentile converts and be provoked to jealousy, so that they too may be saved! But make no mistake about it, salvation is found in the Messiah alone, and not in any national ethnic identity! Paul also, in this same context, reveals the earth shattering fact that even in ancient times there were two Israel's, one of the flesh who served baal, and one of faith who served Yahawa -- only a remnant of true Israelites existed within Israel (c.f Romans 9:6) during the days of Elijah, the same was evidently true of Paul's day as well (for this entire paragraph see Romans 11).

In conclusion then, there are and always have been, two distinct Israel's, one of the lineage of the flesh, and one of the lineage of faith (Romans 2:28-29). True descendants of Abraham are those of faith (Galatians 3:6-7), not those of the flesh, for these are children of the devil (so Jesus says). The distinction of the lineage of faith and the lineage of the flesh can be seen in the symbolic representatives of Isaac and Ishmael (so Paul says). Isaac represents those who are of faith, while Ishmael represents those who are also of Abraham by are not of faith (Galatians 4:22-31).

In my next blog I want to take a closer look at the New Testament, particularly in reference to how true spiritual Israel relates to the Jewish Messiah and his Church.

Till then, hold fast to the hope, blessings and promises we have in the Messiah.

In Him,
Derek
http://www.pensees-derek.blogspot.com/