Posted on 10/26/2007 9:00:59 PM PDT by topcat54
Replacement theology has become dispensationalism's latest prophetic boogeyman. If you want to end a debate over eschatology, just charge your opponent with holding to replacement theology. What is “replacement theology,” sometimes called “supersessionism,” and why do dispensationalists accuse non-dispensationalists of holding it? Here’s a typical dispensational definition:
Replacement Theology: a theological perspective that teaches that the Jews have been rejected by God and are no longer God’s Chosen People. Those who hold to this view disavow any ethnic future for the Jewish people in connection with the biblical covenants, believing that their spiritual destiny is either to perish or become a part of the new religion that superseded Judaism (whether Christianity or Islam).1
“Replacement theology” is dispensationalism’s trump card in any debate over eschatology because it implies anti-semitism. Hal Lindsey attempted to use this card in his poorly researched and argued The Road to Holocaust.2 He wove an innovative tale implying that anyone who is not a dispensationalist carries the seeds of anti-semitism within his or her prophetic system. This would mean that every Christian prior to 1830 would have been theologically anti-semitic although not personally anti-semtic.
As Peter Leithart and I point out in The Legacy of Hatred Continues,3 it’s dispensationalists who hold to a form of replacement theology since they believe that Israel does not have any prophetic significance this side of the rapture! Prior to the rapture, in terms of dispensational logic, the Church has replaced Israel. This is unquestionably true since God’s prophetic plan for Israel has been postponed until the prophetic time clock starts ticking again at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week which starts only after the Church is taken to heaven in the so-called rapture. Until then, God is dealing redemptively with the Church. Am I making this up? Consider the following by dispensationalist E. Schuyler English:
An intercalary4 period of history, after Christ’s death and resurrection and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, has intervened. This is the present age, the Church age. . . . During this time God has not been dealing with Israel nationally, for they have been blinded concerning God’s mercy in Christ. . . . However, God will again deal with Israel as a nation. This will be in Daniel’s seventieth week, a seven-year period yet to come.5
According to English and every other dispensationalist, the Church has replaced Israel until the rapture. The unfulfilled promises made to Israel are not fulfilled until after the Church is taken off the earth. Thomas Ice, one of dispensationalism’s rising stars, admits that the Church replaces Israel this side of the rapture: “We dispensationalists believe that the church has superseded Israel during the current church age, but God has a future time in which He will restore national Israel ‘as the institution for the administration of divine blessings to the world.’”6
Dispensationalists claim that their particular brand of eschatology is the only prophetic system that gives Israel her proper place in redemptive history. This is an odd thing to argue since two-thirds of the Jews will be slaughtered during the post-rapture tribulation, and the world will be nearly destroyed. Charles Ryrie writes in his book The Best is Yet to Come that during this post-rapture period Israel will undergo “the worst bloodbath in Jewish history.”7 The book’s title doesn’t seem to very appropriate considering that during this period of time most of the Jews will die! John Walvoord follows a similar line of argument: “Israel is destined to have a particular time of suffering which will eclipse any thing that it has known in the past. . . . [T]he people of Israel . . . are placing themselves within the vortex of this future whirlwind which will destroy the majority of those living in the land of Palestine.”8 Arnold Fruchtenbaum states that during the Great Tribulation “Israel will suffer tremendous persecution (Matthew 24:15–28; Revelation 12:1–17). As a result of this persecution of the Jewish people, two-thirds are going to be killed.”9
During the time when Israel seems to be at peace with the world, she is really under the domination of the antichrist who will turn on her at the mid-point in the seven-year period. Israel waits more than 2000 years for the promises finally to be fulfilled, and before it happens, two-thirds of them are wiped out. Those who are charged with holding a “replacement theology viewpoint” believe in no inevitable future Jewish bloodbath. In fact, we believe that the Jews will inevitably embrace Jesus as the Messiah this side of the Second Coming. The fulfillment of Zechariah 13:8 is a past event. It may have had its fulfillment in the events leading up to and including the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Contrary to dispensationalism’s interpretation of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' disciples warned the Jewish nation for nearly forty years about the impending judgment (Matt. 3:7; 21:42–46; 22:1–14; 24:15–22). Those who believed Jesus’ words of warning were delivered “from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10). Those who continued to reject Jesus as the promised Messiah, even though they had been warned for a generation (Matt. 24:34), “wrath has come upon them to the utmost” (1 Thess. 2:16; cf. 1 Thess. 5:1–11; 2 Pet. 3:10–13).
Before critics of replacement theology throw stones, they need to take a look at their own prophetic system and see its many lapses in theology and logic.
Read Part Two of this article...
2. Hal Lindsey, The Road to Holocaust (New York: Bantam Books, 1989). The address for Bantam Books is 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York.
3. Gary DeMar and Peter J. Leithart, The Legacy of Hatred Continues: A Response to Hal Lindsey’s The Road to Holocaust (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 1989).
4. Inserted into the calendar.
5. E. Schuyler English, A Companion to the New Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1972), 135.
6. Thomas Ice, “The Israel of God,” The Thomas Ice Collection: www.raptureready.com/featured/TheIsraelOfGod.html#_edn3
7. Charles C. Ryrie, The Best is Yet to Come (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1981), 86.
8. John F. Walvoord, Israel in Prophecy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962), 107, 113. Emphasis added.
9. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, “The Little Apocalypse of Zechariah,” The End Times Controversy: The Second Coming Under Attack, eds. Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2003), 262.
And I've been busy trying to hold back the Jesuits so Christians could escape that church. ;-0
I’ll second that Amen!
Relax. The good guy has already won. 8~)
29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' 36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2)Peter says that Christ was raised up to be seated on David’s throne. Peter argues that we know David is dead, and Christ is the fulfillment of the David’s promise, then Christ must be seated on David’s throne now. The evidence is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Again, Peter argues that if Christ’s is not reigning then by what authority is the Holy Spirit given?
The "throne of David" is a symbol used to represent God’s legitimate rule over His people (cf. 2 Sam. 3:10). Christ’s rule has certainly begun over the house of Israel in that many thousands from Israel in that day and moving forward have come to acknowledge Christ as King. If Christ is not seated on David’s throne then Peter was certainly misinformed.
The NT writers certainly understood all these things (throne of David, tabernacle of David) as signs and symbols of Christ’s present reign over not only Israel but all the nations.
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9)31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 2)
You've been taken to task before over your blatant misinterpretation and misapplication of that passage in this context.
Another sign that your emperor is not wearing any clothes.
The NT writers certainly understood all these things (throne of David, tabernacle of David) as signs and symbols of Christ's present reign over not only Israel but all the nations.
Amen.
Again, I wonder how the world ever got Christians to deny this fact.
Either Christ reigns today from heaven, and "He is before all things" and "by Him all things consist," or not.
Why would a Christian ever vote "NAY?"
Yes. Many more people will perish in the Great Tribulation than perished in the flood. Additionally the Great Tribulation will be strung out for years. Most everyone who perished in the flood died within minutes of the first drop of rain.
Have you ever heard of apocalyptic hyperbole?
Are you saying that Jesus was a liar?
Then the Catholic Church is the legitimate authority of Christ on this earth.
If Christ literally set up the Millenial Kingdom in 70 AD, then the Reformation was an act of apostasy against the legitimate earthly ruling authority of the Kingdom of Christ on earth.
Blah blah blah. Just meaningless rhetoric --
It is like I said: There is no place in scripture that puts David's throne in heaven.[period]
LOL -- I hope Topcat is invited
No I wasn't -- you just screamed unfair at how John characterizes that Preterist "not in the flesh coming" in 70 AD. John saw Preterism coming 2000 years ago.
“The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:
the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth....
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
I don't know how anyone could miss this...But you did...
You clearly have two groups of dead people here...However, only one group is in the ground...Buried...Graves...What are the other dead people doing???
THEY'RE SPIRITUAL...Look at the last sentence you cited here...She's alive but she's dead...
There are not two physical resurrections here...The first one is referring to people dead 'in Christ', but alive physically...
That alone should change your theology...But it won't...You'll dance around that and go and take some other verse out of context and try to prove something that isn't so...
The 'first' resurrection has three parts to it...The firstfruits, the Harvest, and the gleanings...
The Harvest has not taken place yet...And how do I know??? Because we are not yet in Heaven...
The Harvest is the church...
Note, Marlowe that the FIRST Millennium is bracketed by 2 resurrections: “and they lived” and “but the rest... lived not.”
b>Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Is this you, or anyone you know??? You really believe you are in the (2000 year, so far) Millenium???
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that ALL people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
It's hard to spot...You gotta look close...
So do you see anything in your 'proof' text that might render your proof as not applicable to anything that happened in 70 AD ( or any time) in Jerusalem, or Rome, or New York City???
Ezekiel 5:9: Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again.
Who's the Hyperbole Czar??? Who decides??? You???
Some religious people think this is hyperbole...Do you think this is hyperbole???
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Or how about this??? Is this hyperbole???
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The difference of course being that Jesus predicted His "coming in clouds" against Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in that day, to "this generation". He told His disciples "when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies" that those would be the "days of vengeance". "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations." Not exactly descriptive of modern warfare. "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Cf. 1 Tim. 3:16)
At the same time Jesus took His place as the King of the nations, and is bringing all things in subjection ("under His feet") so that "at the end" He will deliver up the kingdom to the Father (1 Cor. 15). That’s all Daniel 7:14 says in retrospect.
Absolutely you were and you know it. 1 John is talking about Christ's first coming, when He was clothed with flesh and tabernacle among His people. This was being denied by the Gnostics and others who claimed Christ was some type of phantasm.
You know that it does not apply to partial preterist (like you find around here) because you know that we have consistently affirmed a future bodily second coming.
I’m not sure if you are fundamentally dishonest, just get that way when backed into a corner.
Why not check Bullinger?
Is it your opinion that the Roman church is the sole legitimate heir to the apostolic tradition? Is that what you believe?
I can see where you might be confused about the nature of the kingdom of Christ is you hold that view.
I realize you are desperate in wanting to tag all non-dispensationalist as Romanist or some other errant position (in your view), but it really won’t work. I suggest you take your own advice from an earlier post that appears to have been removed by the RM.
It certainly was in AD 70 when Christ allegedly "removed the kingdom from old Israel and its leadership and passed it on to the holy nation under the authority of the apostles".
The RCC was not challenged in regard to its apostolic authority for nearly 1000 years. Clearly the RCC would have a legitimate claim to being the sole legitimate authority for Christ's kingdom if Christ actually set up his ruling kingdom on earth in 70AD.
I realize you are desperate in wanting to tag all non-dispensationalist as Romanist
No. Using your logic and theology, Reformation Preterists would not be Romanists. They would be apostates.
“Yes. Many more people will perish in the Great Tribulation than perished in the flood. Additionally the Great Tribulation will be strung out for years. Most everyone who perished in the flood died within minutes of the first drop of rain.”
They died within minutes of the first drop? Where did you read that?
“Are you saying that Jesus was a liar?”
You must not have read the verses I posted. It should be obvious to anyone who interprets Scripture in light of Scripture that Jesus was using prophetic hyperbole.
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