Posted on 10/18/2025 8:03:32 AM PDT by grumpa
“And I will establish my covenant between you and Me, and you and your offspring after you, through their generations for an everlasting covenant. . . and I will give to you and your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.” (Genesis 17:7-8; cf. Genesis 13:14-15; 48:4; Isaiah 60:21)
“The LORD will establish you as a people holy to himself, as He has sworn to you, IF you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. . . But IF you will not obey. . . the LORD will send on you curses. . . until you are destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 28:9, 15, 20. See also Deuteronomy 29-32; Leviticus 18:28; 26:14-46; Joshua 23:15-16; 1 Kings 9:6-9, and Zechariah 11:10.)
Errors of biblical interpretation arise for several reasons, including:
1. Failure to reconcile all passages on the same topic, especially when they seem to be different. 2. Erroneous presuppositions from errors arising from one’s denominational echo chamber (“mass formation hypnosis”). 3. Confusing new covenant things with old covenant things.
The two passages above from Genesis and Deuteronomy appear to be contradictory. On the one hand, God’s promises to Israel are everlasting. On the other hand, they are contingent on obedience. How do we reconcile these? Here’s how:
“God’s promises to Israel were forever so long as they were obedient. If they fail the obedience test, the promises are null and void. There is a limit to God’s patience.”
Was Israel obedient? NO. Because of this disobedience, God took the blessings of the covenant away from the Jews as we see in such passages as this from the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-45):
“Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. . . When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that He was speaking about them.” (Matthew 21:43, 45)― leaving a remnant of faithful Jews to be saved along with believers in Christ―the new Israel of God (Romans 11).
The Old Testament declared that the land promises to Israel had been fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14-15; 1 Kings 8:56; Nehemiah 9:7-8). The New Testament declares that all God’s covenant promises were fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 5:17; Luke 1:68-73; Acts 13:32-33; Romans 15:8-9; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Galatians 3;16; Hebrews 8:6-13).
Further, according to Kenneth Gentry, “First, lexically, the Hebrew word translated ‘forever’ is olam. It does not necessarily indicate unending perpetuity, but may represent a long period of time. For instance, it applies to the Old Testament sacrificial system, as in the practice of the Passover (which was fulfilled in Christ, Exo. 12:14, 17, 24), the continuation of offerings for the Aaronic priesthood (which has long since vanished, Exo. 29:28; cp. Exo. 40:15; Num. 25:13), and the permanence of the temple (which was fulfilled in Christ and destroyed in AD 70, 2 Chron. 7:16). Clearly these samples of ‘forever’ do not speak of unending duration, not even until the end of temporal history. This is further confirmed when ‘forever’ speaks of the permanent status in Israel of a slave who wants to remain with his master’s house (Exo. 21:6) and the memorial stones set up by Joshua (Josh. 4:7).”
It was necessary that the old covenant and what was connected to it should be fulfilled and vanish away, in order that a place might be found for the new and everlasting covenant, the “BETTER covenant, which was established upon BETTER PROMISES” (Hebrews 8:6-13).
“In speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:13)
The new covenant began at the cross, being announced at the Last Supper when Jesus declared “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant is eternal (Hebrews 13:20). There is no third covenant and no backpedaling to the first.
The old covenant was ready to VANISH AWAY. It was imminent. That is completely clear. You just cannot whitewash that without doing violence to the text! The ceremonial aspects of the old covenant (especially the sacrificial system) went away when the temple was destroyed in AD 70. Only the moral aspects of the Law remained, as the New Testament re-affirmed at least nine of the Ten Commandments as valid. For in Romans 4:9-25 Paul shows what was in God’s sight for Abraham’s children was to be not only of a natural line of posterity, but also “the father of ALL them that believe, though they are not circumcised.” And in that connection, he refers to the promise we are considering, and says: “For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the LAW, but through the righteousness of FAITH” (v. 13). Here we get a view of the vast extent and the TRUE character of this promise; and we see also that the heirs of the promise are, not Abraham’s natural descendants, but his SPIRITUAL children. And this is confirmed by what is written in Galatians 3:7 and 3:29. “Understand, then, that (all) those who believe ARE children of Abraham… And if you belong to Christ, then YOU ARE Abraham’s seed, and HEIRS according to the PROMISE.”
But, why did God take the blessings of the kingdom away from the Jews? ANSWER:
1. They were exceeding sinful (Matthew 12:38-39; 16:4; 23:13-38; Luke 9:41).
2. They broke the old covenant (Hebrews 8:8-9).
3. They persecuted and killed Jesus’ followers (Matthew 21:34-36; 22:5-6; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16; Revelation 18:20-24). Indeed, according to Jesus, the first century Jews would suffer the penalty for all the righteous blood ever shed (Matthew 23:35-36).
4. They refused to accept Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 23:37).
5. They participated with Rome in Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 21:37-39; 27:24-26; John 19:15.)
Can we be certain that the warnings to Israel in Deuteronomy 28-32 were fulfilled in the first century? Yes! Jesus tied the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 28-32 to his own generation multiple times. For example, the time of VENGEANCE from Deuteronomy 32:35, 41, 43 was the first-century generation. Jesus said, “THESE are the days of VENGEANCE to fulfill all that is written” (Luke 21:22, 32). Jesus also echoed the Deuteronomy prophecy about a “perverse generation” (Deuteronomy 32:20), and told the Jews of his day that THEY were that generation (Matthew 12:38-39, 42; Luke 11:29-32).
The New Testament writers affirmed their own generation as the “perverse/crooked” one (Acts 2:40; Romans 10:19; Philippians 2:13-15). In Matthew 3:1-12, John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the world―not concerning the good news of the gospel―but rather concerning the wrath which was “about to come” (Matthew 3:7, Julia Smith Literal Translation). Indeed, Jesus would baptize them (the Pharisees and Sadducees) with fire (Matthew 3:11). The axe was already laid at the root of the tree (Matthew 3:10), teaching that the judgment prophesied in Malachi 3-4 was imminent. The judgment was indeed imminent and ties perfectly with the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70.
In Matthew 23:29-39 Jesus told the Jews of his day that THEY were the target of his wrath, upon whom judgment for the blood of all the prophets EVER IN HISTORY would befall, fulfilling the prophecy from Deuteronomy 32:43! Of further note, Revelation echoes this condemnation against “the great city Babylon” (Revelation 18:21-24) which is clearly identified as the “city where the Lord was slain” (Revelation 11:8-9), again confirming that the Great Judgment was against Jerusalem—an event which would “shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1-3; 18:10; 22:6-20).
Is God finished with Israel? Yes, but only old-covenant Israel, not new-covenant spiritual Israel. It’s not about land, but about the spread of Christianity over the whole world.
The truly everlasting covenant would be the New Covenant in Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 37:26-27; Hebrews 13:20)―a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).
https://prophecyquestions.com/were-gods-promises-to-israel-unconditional-and-forever/
The link to “Who is the Israel of God in the New Covenant?” is
https://prophecyquestions.com/who-is-the-israel-of-god-in-the-new-covenant/
So you are Charles Meek? Then this is promoting your blog?
Considering the span of the wandering of the ten tribes after being released from captivity there's a huge area of land covered in that sojourning, even to America.
Those tribes may have forgotten YHVH, but He hasn't forgotten them.
JMO, YMMV
Galatians 3:16-18 NASB95
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.
17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.
18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
God’s covenants don’t mean anything and he is subject to change his mind? Really? What make’s you think your covenant will stand up then? Paul said in Romans 11:17–18 — King James Version (KJV 1900) - 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Seems like those who believe they have replaced Israel as those who God chose for their purposes seem to be a bit boastful.
God promised that false prophets would arise.
The SDA “sect” is proof!
BTW... shouldn’t you be giving it a rest TODAY?
You are a far more patient man than I. The doomsday cultists that want to argue on behalf of their funders drive me insane.
Earlier this morning I was reminded of that passage in John 21, about the interpretation fanboys versus a guy like John who — like Gwen DeMarco — simply repeated back the words.
Here’s what happened...
In my task bar search box today is an illustration of the Treasury in Petra. Upon hovering I learned that today is International Archaeology Day.
I came at the computer first thing to look up some info re the Raiders movie, so to see this image in the box got me thinking about that scene in that other movie...
AI Overview
The Treasury in Petra was used as the facade for the fictional “Temple of the Holy Grail” in the climactic final scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. While the exterior shots were filmed at the Treasury, the interior scenes were filmed on a studio set at Elstree Studios in England...
AI Overview
The line “He chose... poorly” is from the climax of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It is spoken by the Grail Knight after the antagonist, Walter Donovan, dies from drinking from a false, gaudy chalice instead of the true Holy Grail.
***
“Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee”
Romans 9: NASB95
6 ¶But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s fndescendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.”
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
Each individual is given free will to pray to anything or any gods s/he wishes, including many variations of false gods.
I choose to pray to the one God that doesn’t break His promises.
The land covenant was unconditional. Which is why God brought the Jews back to His land.
It’s not forever. Jeremiah 31:31 says that a new Covenant is coming, one that will include both Christians and Jews.
This used to be universally held by all Christians. It is only in the last 80 years that some Christians have broken with Paul and envisioned a separate covenant with ethnic Jews.
Romans 3:1-4 NASB95
1 ¶Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
4 May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”
There was no separate “land covenant.” There was only one covenant and today it is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
When it comes to the covenant God made with Israel, the only part that was conditional was their condition.
Replacement theology is rooted in either laziness or hatred.
See post 6. Are you taking issue with Paul?
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