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covenants, believing that their spiritual destiny is either to perish or become a part of the new religion that superseded Judaism (whether Christianity or Islam).1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.
“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.”
I have read it. I suggest that you try reading it using a concordance and not Scofield’s notes to guide you.
In Galatians 4:21-31we are shown two women (Sarah and Hagar) who represent two cities (physical Jerusalem and heavenly Jerusalem). They are symbols representing believers in Christ and nonbelievers.
In Rev. physical Jerusalem (the great city, Rev. 11:8) and the physical temple were destroyed.
Christ, the true Temple, is the victor (Rev. 19). And the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21) is where the believers in Christ will live forever.
It’s actually very clear if you allow the Bible to interpret itself.
BTW, Zechariah 12 has the word “land” and we know that “tribes” (the word used in Matthew) refers to Israel. I don’t know why you keep missing that.
Thankfully, I don't fall into the defeated theology of Dispensationalism. I'll address your Scripture proofs:
Second of all, if you had read a verse or two further on, you would come across the phrase for it is God who commanded light. It is clear that even in this Gospel age that God commands. It doesn't sound very much like Satan is ruling much of anything except those to whom he is still their head. He obviously doesn't have any more power and rule and authority than his own Lord gives him. You see, Satan is a SERVANT and he has always been a servant. He works the will of the Lord just as any other servant, even if he works to further his own cause. It must gall him to no end to know that even his own efforts work ultimately against him. I know that this is so because all I have to do is read the story of Job and know that even Satan must present himself when called and can do nothing without the express permission from the THRONE of the one whom he means to defeat.
Good grief, but all you have to do is read the gospel to know that Satan does not rule, but serves. He is not the king of this age. Not even something as insignificant as a sparrow may fall to the ground apart from the Father and I am more valuable than a sparrow. I am comforted. Not even a single hair of my head may be harmed apart from the permission of the Father. That doesn't sound very much like Satan is in control. It sounds like he has no more authority than his own Lord gives him.
Furthermore, the Lord himself testifying that we should be of good cheer, even in the face of tribulation, because I have conquered the world [John 16:33] and it is NOW my conquest. I added the last portion because of the tense in the Greek verb for nikao (I am conquering) is perfect, active, indicative and means that the action of conquering has been completed in the past and never needs to be repeated. Did you get that: the action of conquering has been completed in the past and never needs to be repeated. The purpose is to conveigh the resulting state, the fact that the kosmos is NOW the Lord's conquest. And, it is this fact which should cause us to be of good Cheer.
But, if you need more proof and the plain speaking of the Lord to know that Satan himself has been defeated, then read the gospel for yourself:
Be of Good cheer. I have conquered the world [and it is NOW my conquest]. ~ The Lord of all the cosmos.
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.
Why? Because men don't submit? Why do you STILL judge and perceive with your sight instead of your faith?
BTW, let's look one more time at Revelation 20 since you seem to believe that it makes your case:
Is this starting to make sense? Satan is the head of his house and kingdom. Satan was bound. His house is being plundered. Those of us precious jewels taken out of his house and kingdom have had our former head removed. We now have a new head.
Now, Dispensationalists love to talk about Satan being cast into some deep hole in the ground with a seal placed over him without ever considering that Satan is a spiritual being, not a physical one. It makes no sense that a physical prison be constructed to contain a spiritual being. Given the context of all things in the Bible, it is clear that this is a spiritual binding and prison for a specific purpose. All you have to do is read Revelation to discover that purpose:
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The Lord came to the earth and conquered it. It is now his conquest.The gospel of the kingdom of God has come to the nations. He truly rules the nations of the earth which is his conquest with a rod of iron. All men are warned to serve him with fear and rejoice with trembling. Has the Holy Spirit come upon you? Do you have the dunamis, power? Do you exercise your power or are you like the man with only one talent? Are even the demons hupotasso, in subjection, to you? Do you have the exousia, the power, to trample on all the power of the enemy?
Hmmm...
Thanks,
***I don’t think one would do any good.***
Yeah, it is hard to discuss something with someone who believe that the return of the Lord will coincide with an invasion of little green big eyed aliens in “massive saucer fleets.”
Since we know that the Lord will come in a cloud in this same manner as he was taken up, would the Dispensationalists care to explain how in their theology all men on the earth will see this coming in the clouds?
I know what they're gonna say (because I've heard it): "It's on TeeVee!"
Furthermore, the Lord himself testifying that we should be of good cheer, even in the face of tribulation, because I have conquered the world [John 16:33] and it is NOW my conquest. I added the last portion because of the tense in the Greek verb for nikao (I am conquering) is perfect, active, indicative and means that the action of conquering has been completed in the past and never needs to be repeated. Did you get that: the action of conquering has been completed in the past and never needs to be repeated. The purpose is to conveigh the resulting state, the fact that the kosmos is NOW the Lord's conquest. And, it is this fact which should cause us to be of good Cheer.
AMEN!
"...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." -- Matthew 28:20
Not exactly. But the logical leap that it requires a single visible human head is quite questionable.
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Cor 10:1
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Better notch up the Rapture index. It appears as if the invasion of space ships has already been happening....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1931266/posts
Ex 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
1 John 5:6
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
Oh that's not that hard for those of us who have seen the space shuttle circling the globe as it returns to earth.
A lot of people quite distant from the actual landing site see the shuttle coming back to earth, but only a few see its landing. The Lord Jesus and the armies of heaven will be much larger, and brighter, and more noticeable than the puny space shuttle, don't you think???
And if Jesus and the armies of heaven circle the globe once or twice on their descent, like the space shuttle, then every eye should be able to see His coming. However only those actually on the ground around Jerusalem will see the actual landing -- on the Mount of Olives, of course.
You're welcome --
So, tabsternager's whole point about earth not literally meaning the whole earth is agreed by the Dispensationalists when they must explain their theology. Huh! Oh, well, you are free to continue to rip him apart with his interpretation of the meaning of ge if it makes you feel better. It is better than looking at the mirror. ;^)
“Revelation was written well after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.”
Actually, the evidence, both internal and external, overwhelmingly supports the early date, i.e., before 70 AD.
In fact, there is no internal evidence at all to support the late date and the external evidence is largely based on an obscure sentence by Irenaeus (130-202 AD) in his work “Against Heresies.” And, BTW, in that same work, Irenaeus also referred to “ancient copies” of Revelation. Considering it must have taken a while to handwrite even one copy, Irenaeus doesn’t make a good witness for the late date advocates anyway.
There’s a great book on the dating of Revelation called “Before Jerusalem Fell,” by Gentry, if you’re interested.
There’s a great book on the dating of Revelation called “Before Jerusalem Fell,” by Gentry, if you’re interested.
You know they don't and won't read anything we "REPLACEMENTARIANS!!" recommend. Not Scofield compliant.
“The current reign of Christians in this world is the most subversive truth on earth.”
I think you are misreading the the intent of the passage; it is referring to our regeneration; our union with Christ, not reigning. It is not realized eschatology, but a reference to our future inheritance as in Eph. 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”.
The Spirit is the present guarantee of the future inheritance, sealing the believer against the coming day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”) That God has already seated His people with Christ in the heavenly realm is best understood as a statement of God’s purpose which is so sure of fulfillment that it can be spoken of as having already taken place i.e. Romans 8:30, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified”. We have been justified but our glorification has yet to take place although God sees it as done. It’s our experience catching up to our election.
The phrase “in Christ Jesus”, I think, clarifies the meaning. Enthronement with Christ in the heavenly realm is not yet part of the experience of the believer. So far as the believer’s experience is concerned, being glorified lies in the future (Romans 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”). But the heavenly realm is the believer’s proper location because we are united with Him. Our true home is where Christ is because that is where the believer’s citizenship is (Phil. 3:20, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”). But the community to which we belong to now is the church; heavenly in origin, character, and destiny, but militant here in earth.
The idea of “made us sit together” probably refers more to reclining at a meal as a guest as opposed to being a servant or reigning or ruling since there is no mention of thrones or places of power i.e. Luke 13:29, “And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.”
What an egg salad post of nonsense, to me.
1. Where did I say the UFO type craft are GOING to INVADE
the earth?
The Nephilium/ fallen angels/ watchers/ “ET’s” have been dinking around with earth pollutng humans for millenia.
There is certainly SCHEDULED a MORE OVERT
“coming’ where all will be more than aware of them.
Some think it will likely be as soon as the Iraq war is more or less wrapped up. Some think not until closer to 2012 or some such.
God only knows, probably.
Many mockers hereon will drop their jaws and hang their heads in shame, if they have any shame . . . at their utter failure to even minimally reasonably consider the abundant evidence.
And, yes, the SCRIPTURES about Christ returning in the clouds much as he was seen go away.
WILL BE LITERALLY FULFILLED AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM.
Just what do you mean by the word "So" -- as if your preconceived irrational conclusion was derived from my post???? I just explained to you how Jesus's coming in the clouds will be seen by the whole earth as it circles beneath and He above it on His descent from the heavens in the clouds.
His touchdown on the Mount of Olives may be local but His coming in the clouds will be seen by every eye just as scripture says until the final descent.
And just what, in God's name, makes you think that the clouds that Jesus will come to earth in do not exist in heaven or cannot exist in space???? Hmmmmmmm???
How small is your concept of God and how little is your faith in His Word!!!!
“Now, Dispensationalists love to talk about Satan being cast into some deep hole in the ground with a seal placed over him without ever considering that Satan is a spiritual being, not a physical one. It makes no sense that a physical prison be constructed to contain a spiritual being. Given the context of all things in the Bible, it is clear that this is a spiritual binding and prison for a specific purpose. All you have to do is read Revelation to discover that purpose:”
Good point.
I think Christ had something to say about human religious perspectives doing such things. And He wasn't very flattering.
JUST AS ALL OF SCRIPTURE, THE VERSES ABOUT SATAN BEING BOUND ARE VALID, OPERANT AND WILL BE FULFILLED TO THE SMALLEST LETTER AND PUNCTUATION POINT.
IT MATTERS NOT ONE SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLE'S WORTH whether God effects the binding of a spiritual being with tangible means, spiritual means, a combination or something else entirely different that we have no concept of.
It may be done with physical chaines with spiritual power in them. The prophet's bones still had spiritual power in them after being buried a long time. IT WILL BE DONE PRECISELY AS ALMIGHTY GOD SAID IT WILL BE DONE.
Doctrines of demons and doctrines of men will fall to the ground shamed and useless.
SATAN WILL BE BOUND THE THOUSAND YEARS OF THE MILLENIUM. HIS EFFORTS ON EARTH WITH MAN WILL BE THEREBY NEUTERED. EVIL AND LAWLESSNESS WILL NOT BE RAMPANTLY RACHETING UP, INCREASING GEOMETRICALLY ON EVERY HAND as is currently the case.
The mechanics of such are not specified. Doesn't matter. God doesn't need for us to know and understand all the tiny mechanical details
It may matter a lot to HIS HEART that man is cheeky enough to disbelieve HIS WORD . . . to rubberize it; rationalize it; side-step it; explain it away; to effectively render it a dry meaningless husk.
But it does not matter one sub atomic particle's worth TO HIM
IN TERMS OF
HIS WILL AND CAPACITY TO FULFILL HIS WORD TO THE NTH TINIEST DEGREE AND DETAIL.
Part of me is beginning to think that
Holy Spirit isn't rising up within one's spirit in fierce outrage at some of the REPLACEMENTARIAN PONTIFICATIONS hereon, then it may well be likely that some major component of one's spirituality is
May need a serious check-up.
ALMIGHTY GOD IS FIERCE--EXTREMELY FIERCE ABOUT THE HONOR AND FULFILLMENT OF HIS WORD. ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
ALWAYS WILL BE.
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