ISRAEL IS NOT FORGOTTEN, DISPENSATIONALISTS SAY

I hope Christians are praying for the Jewish people, especially after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. I do not think God is through with Israel, though some say God is done with his “chosen people” and the Church has “become” (taken the place of) Israel.  

As a teenager in the 1960s at Faith Temple Church, Taylors, SC, I was taught that God restored Israel to her homeland in 1948 and though, now, most Jews do not trust in Jesus, many of them will believe (someday) in Jesus as Savior. “The modern State of Israel is an ongoing fulfillment of biblical prophecy,” someone said.

President Ronald Reagan said, “I read in the Old Testament that God will gather the Israelis in the land of return. This has finally happened after almost two thousand years and for the first time everything is ready for the final battle and the return of Christ.” 

I was taught the “Dispensational Premillennialist” (DP) view that says a “rapture” is coming that will remove the Church from the world, followed by a 7-year Great Tribulation. After the rapture (in DP interpretation), Israel will be the main focus of God’s plan on earth once again and many Jews will come to Christ through the 7-year Great Tribulation, fulfilling God’s covenant with Abraham.

In the DP view, “Israel is still the ‘chosen’ people, though they will not return to this status in the world until after the rapture of the Church,” sources say. Meanwhile, the 1948 creation of the State of Israel fulfills prophecy and helps God keep his promises to the nation of Israel.” Some believe the Jews’ role as God’s “chosen” people is still valid despite their sins and rejection of Christ. DP Christians expect God to renew his covenant with the Jews in the Great Tribulation following the rapture of the Church.

Other Christians hold to "Covenant Theology" (CT). They largely believe God “chose” Israel as the people through whom to reveal himself, his Word, and his Son to the world. They hold that Jesus’ followers, including believing Jews and believing Gentiles, are the “new Israel.” That is often called “replacement theology.” (Some Covenant Theology Christians, however, believe that God continues to use the Jewish people in unique ways in the world, sources say.)

DP Christians believe the Bible should be interpreted literally and believe in a distinction between the Church and Israel. CT’s “replacement theology” basically teaches that the church has replaced Israel in God’s plan and God does not have specific plans for the nation of Israel.

Israel has been set aside in God’s program over the past 2,000 years, but has God forgotten that nation? St. Paul said, “Hath God cast away his people? God forbid” (Romans 11:1).