Posted on 06/05/2002 11:51:09 AM PDT by sheltonmac
Any time there is a flurry of activity in the Middle East you can count on evangelical Christians to put on a good show. They run around proclaiming an "End of the World Is Near" gospel in hopes of scaring people into the Kingdom of God.
I refer to such Christians as "they" because I happen to be one of those evangelical Christians who believe that God is no longer dealing with national Israel and that His chosen people are those who comprise the church—essentially, all who believe in Christ. This may seem like a radical concept to those who look upon writers of doomsday fiction as prophetic geniuses, but that's what happens when people are drawn away from that boring, dust-covered, leaherbound Bible on the coffee table by novels with flashy covers and catchy titles.
When it comes to end times "prophecy," premillennialists seem to have a monopoly on the market. Hal Lindsey burst upon the scene in the 1970's with The Late Great Planet Earth. It became an international best-seller. In like fashion, the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins has proven to be one of the most lucrative enterprises in the history of Christendom. Sure, these books are by no means examples of literary greatness, but the authors more than make up for that with pure, unadulterated prophetic sensationalism.
The success of apocalyptic authors like Lindsey, LaHaye and Jenkins stems from their ability to exploit the prevailing eschatological school of thought among evangelical Christians, that being dispensational premillennialism. (Thank you, John Nelson Darby!) When it comes to the end times, most premillennialists believe that all Christians will be "raptured," that is, taken up out of the world by Jesus Christ at his almost second coming. Those left behind will have to face the Great Tribulation, a seven-year period of unparalleled chaos which will also herald the rule of the Anti-Christ. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return—his actual second coming—to set up his earthly kingdom and reign on the throne of David for a thousand years. After that millennial time of peace, God will do away with evil once and for all at the Great White Throne Judgment. (How there can be a thousand years of peace with evil present I cannot say. I suppose it's one of those things that just works it self out in the premillennialist model.)
With all the hype surrounding the end times, it is certainly understandable that theological misconceptions will filter down into our political ideology. This is not a new phenomenon. In fact, ever since the arrival of dispensational premillennialism on this continent in the 19th century our national political position has shifted to accomodate this line of thinking, thanks to the efforts of evangelical Christians.
Evangelical Christian influence has been around since the founding of this nation, and the beliefs of evangelicals have spilled over into politics. Ordinarily there would be nothing wrong with this, but flawed theology has since given way to a flawed foreign policy, and U.S. interests have become inextricably tied to the interests of modern Israel.
Strong political support for a Jewish nation began in the early 1900s. During World War I, Arthur James Balfour penned the Balfour Declaration which set the stage for British support of a Jewish homeland:
His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.Since dispensational premillennialism had already established itself as a part of the evangelical mainstream, it was only a matter of time before U.S. politicians who had been born and raised in that evangelical tradition began to let their theology affect their political ideology. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signaled his approval of the Balfour Declaration when he said, "The allied nations with the fullest concurrence of our government and people are agreed that in Palestine shall be laid the foundations of a Jewish Commonwealth."
American politicians have continued to voice their strong support for Israel, though little has been mentioned as to why Israel is such an important ally. But that really isn't the issue I want to explore. What seems to be driving the U.S.-Israel relationship, as far as evangelical Christians are concerned, is the popular belief that the nation of Israel still plays an important role in prophecy, and those not wanting to be caught facing the business end of God's wrathful sword come Judgment Day are pushing for more U.S. involvement in the Middle East. About the only reasons we hear are that we have a "moral obligation" to stand behind Israel or that it's simply "the right thing to do."
Dispensational premillennialists typically quote the Book of Psalms when speaking of our "obligation" to support Israel. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May they prosper who love you'" (Ps. 122:6). This passage has been accepted by many Christians as a universal command by which all believers are bound to pray for the physical city of Jerusalem, lest they fall out of favor with God. Of course, that isn't the case.
While it may be good and practical to pray for the peace of modern Jerusalem, we should really be praying for peace all across the world—the peace that can only come about through the Good News of Jesus Christ. So, in a spiritual sense, Psalm 122 does apply to Christians today. We should pray for the peace of the spiritual Jerusalem, the church (Heb. 12:22), for the well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ and the furtherance of the Gospel.
Many Christians, however, are too wrapped up in their flawed eschatology to realize that their first responsibility is to the church, the body of Christ, and not to a nation of unbelievers. As a result, eyes glance up in anticipation at the eastern sky every time Israel is mentioned in the media, and the practice of interpreting Scripture through newspaper headlines becomes commonplace.
It is interesting to see the ensuing pandemonium among evangelical Christians brought about by rumors of war in the Middle East. Believers ignore sound biblical instruction and start buying up extra copies of Left Behind to use as witnessing tools for reaching their non-believing friends. Christian columnists all across America crank out editorial pieces on the Jews' divine claim to the Holy Land and the importance of remaining steadfast in our nation's support of Israel. Jack Van Impe goes on television with an air of righteous vindication and says, "See? My latest reinterpretation of my previous reinterpretation of Revelation was correct! The time of Christ's coming in the clouds is fast approaching!"
Who can blame these Christians for becoming so enraptured (no pun intended) with the idea of being whisked away in the blink of an eye while the world is left to fester for seven years in its own evil juices? It is comforting for people to believe that they will escape tribulation when the end comes.
But ask anyone who holds to the premillennialist view what Christ had in mind when he proclaimed, "Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place" (Matt. 24:34). Ask them what the apostle Paul meant when he said, "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham" (Rom. 9:6b-7a). Ask them why God felt it was necessary to establish a New Covenant (Heb. 8) if the Old Covenant is yet to be fulfilled. Chances are the answers you receive will be less than satisfactory.
The truth is that the covenant God had with Israel finds its fulfillment in Christ. "And if you are Christ's," Paul reminds us, "then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29). Advocating an "End of the World Is Near" gospel that appeals to gullible Christians and poll-driven politicians cannot be edifying for the body of Christ. If anything, it detracts from the work the Son of God already accomplished through his death and resurrection.
I certainly do not hold myself up as a theologian or biblical scholar, but it doesn't take one to see that the premillennialist paradigm is rather precarious. When a fundamental part of our foreign policy is based on a shaky biblical exegesis and championed by the very people who should know better, it gives one reason to question the immediate future of our nation.
At least we can rest in the fact that God is ultimately in control. His true chosen people, those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, will not be forsaken, and the glory of the Almighty will shine forth for all the world to see.
A straw man? Hardly. The "straw men" mentioned in the article are icons in the field of dispensational premillennialism. They are examples of what happens when people get caught up in End Times hysteria.
To address your claim that their eschatology cannot be refuted, the scripture references from Romans, Galatians and Hebrews are stumbling blocks for premillennialism. The dispensationalist cannot help but twist the interpretation of those passages in order make them fit into their paradigm.
Finally! I was wondering when the anti-Semitic accusation train would roll in. I haven't seen an eschatalogical debate yet that didn't involve some kind of anti-Semitic charge against those who don't subscribe to the premillennialist model.
So, as long as you want to steer it that way, let me just say that adhering to a theology that denies the fullness of Christ's sacrifice on the cross sounds a bit anti-Christian to me.
(A) Israel rebels against God over quite a period and ends up tossing their Messiah aside.
(B) Jesus Himself notes they will be scattered and then recalled, drawn, moved back to THEIR LAND wholesale. And then in Revelations, we read of 144,000 being singled out as very called missionaries to the world. . . and perhaps saved compared to others not [cheeky aside . . . I wonder, are Replacement theologians closet Jehovah's Witnesses? Perhaps only their very successful Exlax sellers know for sure].
(C) in 1948 they become a NATION again in A DAY literally as Scripture predicted by an act of the UN with the miracle of Russia agreeing. Thusly, the return migration BEGAN. It is continuing. New York still has plenty who have not migrated.
What happens if NY is nuked and the AntiChrist or some preliminary effort sets up some sort of seeming peace in the MIDEAST. . . and some sort of seeming relative economic benefit occurs vis a vis EU and the MidEast compared to declining America? I suspect more Israeli's would migrate to Israel.
(D) At SOME point God's dramatic supernatural interventions; His Spirit's wooing of them; Public demonstrations of His protection and provision against all odds and all other world forces convinces the thick-headed Israeli's that He alone is Their God; Their Messiah.
(E) Voila--they have then come home. . . spiritually as well as physically. . . I don't see what's so complicated about it. I don't see what's so hard about seeing it plainly in plain Scriptures put multiple ways in a diversity of places in the Old Testament as well as New Testament. It really doesn't take a rocket scientist as much as it takes Child-like faith and confidence that God says what He means and means what He says.
Sure, there are some mysteries about all of the above. But the plain outline is plenty plain. The major data points are rather clearly laid out. The key issues are clear ENOUGH.
Sure, people can choke on gnats and swallow deserts full of camels until Jesus comes but it won't change what He's said. It won't change what He IS DOING and WILL DO.
(F) I've chewed on this sort of Biblical/Scriptural discussion over different issues within and without my own denominational background (A of G; So Bap; Episcopal and non-denominational as well as International Community. and I've had close association with the very rigid and extremely narrow Wisc. Evangelical Lutheran Synod--WELS). As I was pondering all such and quering Father about so much hard heartedness and seeming blindness, close mindedness--I was asking him where it all came from, what sort of spiritual problem; Biblical misunderstanding or whatever caused most of it.
His response sort of startled me. He jokingly chided me about what had He given me a PhD in clinical psychology for if I wasn't going to use it. He then pointed out that the most fierce proponents in all the cases that I recalled in ALL the groups--I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS PHENOMENON SEEMS TO HAVE NO BOUNDARIES RELATED TO PARTICULAR BELIEFS DENOMINATIONALLY--AND CAN EVEN BE OBSERVED IN THE SAME CONGREGATION THAT'S OLDER THAN SAY A YEAR AND A HALF.
The most fierce proponents of the more narrow, rigid, carefully picked proof-text sorts of arguments (as opposed to the whole balance of the whole of the Word of God) were ALL insecure types with strong needs to control and strong needs to have a philosophy of life and even to have a God who would fit in THEIR tidy little boxes. As well, there was usually a fair amount of common fleshy pride in uncommonly huge proportions--usually trying vainly to hide under white robes.
He further pointed out that at it's root, it was at best a lack of trusting Him and at it's worst a rebellion against trusting Him akin to that of the Pharisees. . . and that HE GOD, had even knocked the sides of boxes out that HE HIMSELF HAD CONSTRUCTED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. . . that He doesn't fit boxes well and never will.
I REALLY do NOT know how much of the above applies in this disucssion but some familiar tones and attitudes do seem to have appeared fairly early in the presented documents. Such things are often more evident in nuance than in plainly in one's face. And certainly nuance can be misperceived. But I think there's room for sobering reflection and pondering.
But I don't happen to think God spoke KJV. I don't happen to think it's even more holy than the NIV. I also like THE MESSAGE.
My understanding of the significance is not so much that the re-establishment of the nation in 1948 is itself prophetic as that it makes it possible for their interpretation of God's dealing with Israel at the end of the age possible. For the same reason, you'll see dispensationlists go crazy every time an Israeli group sets a date to lay the cornerstone for rebuilding the Temple.
I haven't completely discounted all aspects of the dispensationlist view, but I can't say as I really hold fast to the whole construct. My thought is that if you're truly living and acting the way you're supposed to (meaning involved in your sanctification) it doesn't matter. Whether there's a pre- mid- or post-trib rapture, or none at all, I'm ready for it. If I must suffer and perhaps die for my faith, so be it. If I live out the rest of my life without ever seeing the end times, so be it. To live is Christ, to die is gain. It's always interesting to study and discuss interpretation of the end times, but it's become WAY to divisive recently and there's way too much focus on it. I know too many people that could draw you a diagram and timeline of the whole dispensationlist end times view, but they couldn't name all twelve Disciples.
It's been too long since you've read I John, and what the apostle has to say about those who claim to know the God of the Bible while denying the Messiah, Jesus. It's been too long since you've read Ephesians 2, about the "ONE new man in Christ," and the abolition of racist distinctions.
This is interesting. SO there is another free-range savior on the hoof out there? And an alternate means of salvation? WHat a cute idea!
What would you call people who do not accept Christ? "Unbeliever" is a term used repeatedly in Scripture. Anyone who rejects Christ as the Messiah is an unbeliever. God does not discriminate along ethnic lines.
John, however, is told not to seal up Revelation because its fulfilment was very near. According to premellenialists, we are still waiting 1900 years later.
So 400+ years is a "long way off" for a premellenialist, while 1900 years is "at hand."
No matter how you do the math, no matter which century you are living in, if you buy into the fortune telling mentality, you find yourself living at the climax of history. After all, how could anyone as important as yourself live at any other moment?
When Napier invented logarithms to help in his Biblical computations, in the 1600s, he proved that his generation was THE generation.
This is really not an issue worth burning down the barn over. I am not convinced that disp. theology is Biblical, but I am not convinced that it isn't either. As we are brothers in Christ, I wish you the very best. May you bear much fruit!
You make excellent points in your post. Perhaps their is too much emphasis on prohecy, i.e. are Gog and Magog Russia and China? and things like that. God bless.
As long as you have all the answers, there is no problem.
>>>might not He also have hidden from you how Israel gets saved?
>This is interesting. SO there is another free-range savior on the hoof out there? And an alternate means of salvation? WHat a cute idea!
You are clanging like a brass gong. You are standing on the branch that is being cut off and you evidence fruit more consistent with 2 Tim 3 than Gal 5:22-23. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 1 Cor 8:1.
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, [love] I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, [love] I am nothing.
Pr 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
The Lord doesn't reveal anything to those who refuse to repent (Antinomians). Because of your arrogance, pride and highmindedness, and your hatred of our brothers the Jews, you can read your Bible in Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and in the tongues of angels but G-d will not give you understanding of the mystery of the Jews or any mystery. Because you wield the letter without the Spirit and without the necessary requirement of obedience (look up shema and pray for understanding), you are not given understanding. Mt. 13:11. Be not wise in your own conceits. Go back to the beginning and get your foundation instead of questioning mine. It appears you have cut the legs off of your Bible by disregarding everything from Genesis through Malachi and reinterpreting Matthew to Revelation to suit yourself.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Further, you might repent of your noxious Nicolaitanism and humble yourself before the Lord so that He might show you something. The fact that some obvious things are hid from you should be a worry to you: 2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. Think about this: Yeshua was a Jew!
I agree with your evaluation of the author. However, Israel is in God's hands, and as He has stated throughout the Bible, He will be the one to "do it" without the help and meddling of man. While I agree that we should support Israel, it should be in the save vein as with everyone else, by seeing everyone get saved and be edified (1Tim. 2:4), which is God's will. The country of Israel as it currently exists could be totally destroyed, yet God will regather the tribes and rebirth the Nation in a day. What goes on today has nothing to do with what God will accomplish, other than possibly hasten the day of wrath.
1. The first principle for all Biblical understanding is that G-d is immutable. That means that He never changes His mind, and He never goes back on His Word. He promised Abraham a Seed and a Land FOR ETERNITY.
Check what the Bible says in Gen. 6:6: "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved his heart." In the next verse God says He will destroy man, "for it repenteth me that I have made them." Repent in this context is to change one's mind. So God did change His mind. However, God is true to His Word because "He changeth not" in His essence and character. God also promised Abraham that "thou shalt be a blessing" and in "thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." This is as much a part of the Abrahamic Covenant as the land and the seed. Each of these are expanded on by the New Covenant, the Palestinian Covenant and the Davidic Covenant respectively.
2. Replacement theology has permeated the Evangelical community for over 100 years, and yet even in those denominations where it is the strongest, there is support for Israel (example: Presbyterian and Lutheran) - and those denominations are not strong on eschatology at all, and if they are they trend AGAINST premellinialisim. So much for that part of this specious arguement.
I can't speak for the Presbyterian church but I have seen a position paper by the LCMS that indicates a strong preterist, or realized eschatology, position. I do agree that replacement theology is specious; in fact, it is a result of truly twisting the Scriptures.
Good post, however.
Actually, as long as the Bible has all the answers, there is no problem.
Where does the Word of God come in your witnessing? Ro. 10:17 says "faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Just how does one go about loving someone into the kingdom? And do people who are lost really seek after God? How does this reconcile with Ro. 3:11 (which is from Ps. 14:1-3): "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God?" What you say sounds wonderful and loving, but it can also be deceiving if it's mush and the focus isn't on Jesus Christ.
I think it's a MUCH HIGHER priority to keep the FOCUS ON THE KING AND HIS MOMENT MOMENT WILL FOR US.
I also happen to think HE put a LOT of prophetic Scriptures in The Book for a reason. I believe He basically wants us to at leasthave a rough outline about what's going on. But I don't think He wants to clue the enemy in to too many specifics much ahead of time at all.
I also think it's a lot like Jesus earthly days. Those with brokenness, humility and a heart after God and tuned in to His Voice, heard and understood. Those puffed up about their own knowledge of The Law; the text--didn't seem to hear OR understand much at all.
Divisiveness is dreadful. But humans seem to find plenty to be manipulated by satan on toward divisiveness--even if it's just the color of the new carpet for the sanctuary. I think Love of Jesus; openness to WHATEVER He's said and saying; Love of others and doing unto others . . . are some key ways to avoid such as much as one may be able to.
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