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Answering the "Replacement Theology" Critics (Part 1)
American Vision ^ | 10/7/2005 | Gary DeMar

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covenants, believing that their spiritual destiny is either to perish or become a part of the new religion that superseded Judaism (whether Christianity or Islam).1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...


1. Randall Price, Unholy War: America, Israel and Radical Islam (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2001), 412.

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.


Gary DeMar is president of American Vision and the author of more than 20 books. His latest is Myths, Lies, and Half Truths.

Permission to reprint granted by American Vision P.O. Box 220, Powder Springs, GA 30127, 800-628-9460.


TOPICS: Theology
KEYWORDS: arafat; covenants; dispensationalism; eschatology; replacementtheology; wtf
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; Quix
One billion Christians today.

You think there are 1billion Christians?

Where is the fruit?

There may be 1billion when you count Roman Catholics and others who profess to be Christian.

Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in...(Rom.11:25)

1,781 posted on 11/26/2007 1:20:43 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: tabsternager; Quix
My understanding is the Greek word “ge” can either mean “earth,” “country,” or “land.” Since Matthew is speaking of “tribes” and taken in context of both Zechariah 12 and Revelation 1:7, it therefore means Israel.

There we go!!!

Your understanding.

Even your own NIV translates that word as earth yet you will reject any translation to cling to your false theology.

No translation translated the word as 'land' and every translation, NIV included, has either tribes of the earth(NASB,KJV,NKJ) peoples(NCV) or nations(NIV) not Israel.

So, as Quix has noted, you don't have a bible, you have a book of suggestions.

Rev.1:7 it states that every eye shall see him and all kindreds of the earth,(KJV), all the tribes of the earth (NASB), all the peoples of the earth (NIV), all the peoples of the earth(NCV), people of all nations (The Message), and all of the nations of the earth (NLT).

What you need to do is make a preterist translation and just change those verses, just like the JW's did to defend their own non-biblical theology.

1,782 posted on 11/26/2007 1:35:50 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: tabsternager; Quix
Much as dispensationalists would like to wrench the above last sentence from the rest, it is clear what Jesus was referring to and the last verse implies acknowledgement.

Christ was not speaking to that generation, he was speaking about the generation mentioned in Zech.12:10, you know the one that weeps when it sees him, as does the rest of the 'kindreds of the earth'-which didn't happen in 70AD.

So, there is not 'cherry picking' going on, there is simply ignoring what the scripture clearly says by the preterists.

Zech. 13:9-

God seeks to destroy all of the nations that come to destroy Jerusalem, not just Rome.

See Rev.16:14-16 for details.

1,783 posted on 11/26/2007 1:52:08 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: Quix
So this is the Millennial reign of Christ?

I wonder what Satan's reign would have been like?

DETROIT (AP) - Detroit police investigating injuries to a one-year-old boy say they found the skeletal remains of another baby who is the brother of the living child. The boys' parents, 24-year-old Nickella Reid and 27-year-old Joseph Miller, were arraigned Saturday on first- and second-degree child abuse charges for injuries to the child in fair condition at a hospital. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Assistant Prosecutor Maria Miller tells The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press the allegation is the child was severely abused. He suffered burns over one-third of his body. Police say Reid told investigators that Deante Miller died two years ago. Authorities say the couple burned him in a barbecue grill and hid what was left of the baby in the ceiling of a home.

1,784 posted on 11/26/2007 1:58:47 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: Quix

More proof that we are in the Millennial reign of Christ-

HOUSTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to review rulings that said a monument outside a Houston courthouse — featuring the Bible — should be removed.

The judge sided with Kay Staley, who sued in 2003 claiming a monument — featuring the King James version of the Bible — was offensive.


1,785 posted on 11/26/2007 2:11:08 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: fortheDeclaration

What you need to do is make a preterist translation and just change those verses, just like the JW’s did to defend their own non-biblical theology.

. . .

And sadly, risk similar judgment.

imho.


1,786 posted on 11/26/2007 2:31:27 PM PST by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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To: fortheDeclaration

INDEED.


1,787 posted on 11/26/2007 2:32:51 PM PST by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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To: fortheDeclaration

***DETROIT (AP)
HOUSTON (AP)***

Why is the Bible not enough proof for you that we are in the kingdom of God? My Bible teaches that the Lord rules in the midst of his enemies.


1,788 posted on 11/26/2007 2:32:52 PM PST by Lord_Calvinus
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To: Lord_Calvinus
Why is the Bible not enough proof for you that we are in the kingdom of God? My Bible teaches that the Lord rules in the midst of his enemies.

My Bible says that He rules the nations with a rod of iron and warns the kings of the earth to serve Him with fear and rejoice with trembling-(Ps.2)

Clearly, that hasn't happened-yet.

My Bible says that the one ruling today is Satan, not Christ (2Cor.4:4) and when Satan is defeated then the Millennium begins (Rev.20)

1,789 posted on 11/26/2007 2:43:05 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: Lord_Calvinus

The Replacementarian mastry of the non sequitur

STRIKES AGAIN.

Has nothing to do with the points of the prophetic Scriptures we present.

Nothing against this era being the era of THE END TIMES,

AT ALL.


1,790 posted on 11/26/2007 4:21:15 PM PST by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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To: Quix
Massive saucer fleets
WATCHERS/NEPHILIUM/FALLEN ANGELS
NWO PUPPET MASTERS
GLOBALISTS

I’m assuming I won’t get a straight answer.

I don't think one would do any good.

1,791 posted on 11/26/2007 5:46:42 PM PST by Lee N. Field ("Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?")
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To: Lee N. Field

Cute out.

You will be giving an answer . . . at some point . . . if only to the fellow in your mirror.


1,792 posted on 11/26/2007 7:27:28 PM PST by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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To: Iscool; Dr. Eckleburg

“The children of promise...And who are the children of promise??? They are the Jews...Romans 9:4...”

So then why was Paul so distraught if he believed all Israel will be saved, according to dispensationalists’ interpretation of that phrase?

Romans 9:2-4 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

Again, he clarifies why he was so distraught over the people of his own race:

Romans 9:7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children.

Really, as Dr. E said, the Bible is so clear on this.


1,793 posted on 11/27/2007 4:43:27 AM PST by tabsternager
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To: fortheDeclaration

I said “my understanding” because I don’t personally know Greek. I was being honest.

Look up “ge,” google it, and see what the definition is for yourself. You will see that it means “land, country, or earth.”

Again, I’m afraid you still have not looked at Zechariah either or what Jesus said to Caiaphas.

You cannot interpret Scripture in a way that renders it in conflict with what is so clear in other Scripture. Unfortunately, the dispensational interpretation does just that.


1,794 posted on 11/27/2007 4:54:59 AM PST by tabsternager
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To: fortheDeclaration

“Christ was not speaking to that generation, he was speaking about the generation mentioned in Zech.12:10, you know the one that weeps when it sees him, as does the rest of the ‘kindreds of the earth’-which didn’t happen in 70AD.”

I understand that in this “it’s all about me generation” it would be hard for many to believe that. But Revelation is a letter written to the persecuted Christians at the time. Though Revelation is for us, it was not written to us.

Most of Revelation is a prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the end of the Mosaic age. How dispensationalists can manage to interpret that as a victory for national Israel is nonsensical.


1,795 posted on 11/27/2007 5:15:21 AM PST by tabsternager
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To: tabsternager
I said “my understanding” because I don’t personally know Greek. I was being honest. Look up “ge,” google it, and see what the definition is for yourself. You will see that it means “land, country, or earth.” Again, I’m afraid you still have not looked at Zechariah either or what Jesus said to Caiaphas. You cannot interpret Scripture in a way that renders it in conflict with what is so clear in other Scripture. Unfortunately, the dispensational interpretation does just that.

First, even though the word can mean land in the Greek, no translation has 'land' they all have earth.

So, you are making your own private interpretation.

Second, all of the verses have either tribes, or nations etc in the plural showing that it is not referring to Israel alone.

Third, Zech.12:10 also refers to all of the nations being present when Christ returns, so it is you that is not reading Zach. and that upon that return Israel repents, which did not happen in 70AD.

As for Caliphas, he asked Christ if He was the Christ, the Son of God, and Christ answered him by saying that they (ye) would, one, see Him sitting on the right hand of power and two, returning in clouds of heaven.

Caliphas and those unbelieving Jewish leaders would see Christ at the right hand of power at the Great White Throne judgment seat (Rev.20). They are in hell right now waiting for that day.

And the Jewish people would see Him return in clouds of heaven, just as He told the Apostles in Acts 1 and occurs in Zach.12:10.

Neither of which has happened yet.

So, it is you who is ignoring what the scriptures actually say, in any translation to make them fit into your own false theological system.

Comparing scripture with scripture means actually seeing what they say-Christ is seen by all the tribes of the earth, and they weep (Rev.1:7) which didn't happen in 70AD, and that the Jews would see Christ whom they pierced and then repent, and mourn also, which again didn't happen in 70AD.

It has to happen-but will.

1,796 posted on 11/27/2007 5:27:39 AM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: tabsternager
I understand that in this “it’s all about me generation” it would be hard for many to believe that. But Revelation is a letter written to the persecuted Christians at the time. Though Revelation is for us, it was not written to us.

You are right, most of Revelation is for Israel, not the Church.

Most of Revelation is a prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the end of the Mosaic age. How dispensationalists can manage to interpret that as a victory for national Israel is nonsensical.

How you can not see that Christ fulfills the unconditional prophecies He made to the Jews in Revelation is quite amazing and proof that you haven't read what it clearly says in Rev.19-20.

1,797 posted on 11/27/2007 5:37:08 AM PST by fortheDeclaration (We must beat the Democrats or the country will be ruined! - Lincoln)
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To: tabsternager
Look up “ge,” google it, and see what the definition is for yourself. You will see that it means “land, country, or earth.”

Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich (which is close to hand) lists 1)soil 2) ground, 3)the bottom of the sea, 4)land (in a territorial sense), 5)earth (in contrast to heaven) and 6)earth (the inhabited globe). With scriptural and classical references for each usage.

So, probably not wise to be insisting on a particular meaning.

1,798 posted on 11/27/2007 5:45:33 AM PST by Lee N. Field ("Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?")
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To: Lee N. Field; fortheDeclaration

“Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich (which is close to hand) lists 1)soil 2) ground, 3)the bottom of the sea, 4)land (in a territorial sense), 5)earth (in contrast to heaven) and 6)earth (the inhabited globe). With scriptural and classical references for each usage.”

Thanks for the clarification. I stand corrected as far as the exact meaning, not knowing Greek myself.


1,799 posted on 11/27/2007 5:55:58 AM PST by tabsternager
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To: tabsternager
Most of Revelation is a prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the end of the Mosaic age. How dispensationalists can manage to interpret that as a victory for national Israel is nonsensical.

Prophecy is ALWAYS future...If it's already been done, it's HISTORY...

So please tell this feeble minded child how Prophecy can be HISTORY...Revelation was written well after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

1,800 posted on 11/27/2007 6:29:08 AM PST by Iscool
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