Replies

I’ll admit that preterism was a defensible position prior to 1948; but when in 1948, over 50 specific prophecies of the return of Israel to its rightful homeland were fulfilled “in a day”, I would think it would be hard to spiritualize those prophecies any longer.
Since the usual way to spiritualize the prophecies of the return of Israel is to ascribe them to the “coming home” of the Gospel into the heart of a believer, rather than interpreting them as an actual physical return to the physical geography of “Palestine” by actual descendants of Jacob, this position is referred to by dispensationalists as “Replacement Theology”. In its essence is the claim that God no longer has any plans for Israel in particular.
I am very much enthused by the return of Israel, and by God’s sustaining them, as He promised to do in the last verse of the Prophet Amos. This is very faith-building for me. And I am appalled that a Christian could believe that God is finished with Israel.

Romans 2:28-29

King James Version (KJV)

28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29But 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.

For many years I believed much as you believe. I was raised in dispensationalism and graduated from a Southern Baptist University where I had formal training in dispensational theology. But my views began to change when God opened my eyes on the matter of Divine Sovereignty. I didn’t want to believe any of it because it went against so much of what I had been taught. I could see how it called into question dispensational eschatology. Eventually, however, I was simply overwhelmed with the truth. And it radically changed my life.

I really hope you will take the time to either watch or download the MP3 or PDF (for free) of the sermon entitled “He is a Jew” by Brother Henry Mahan, an old Baptist pastor from Kentucky. That sermon was preached in the mid-80’s, but I bet it will make you think hard about this topic. You will be challenged in a good way.

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=41107162134

A few other favorites:

“Jacob Have I Love, Esau Have I Hated.”
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=4100621136

“Wherein Do We Differ?”
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=711062196

“They Cry Peace When There is No Peace”
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=140617590

Yours is the most thoughtful answer. I dare say if Jewish leaders at the time of Christ had recognized prophecy of His first coming, not as allegorical, but rather literal and had been looking for that babe in a manger, a savior, and not a conqueror, they would have recognized Him in greater numbers, just as Nicodemus did. The same holds true for His second coming. While God holds many mysteries, His word is living, breathing and LITERAL!!! The fulfillment in 1948, just as the fulfillments 2012 years ago were LITERAL, those yet to be fulfilled are also LITERAL!

I implore any and all to study the 7 feasts. There you will find keys to unlock prophecy. Christ was a literal fulfillment of the true meaning of of the first 4 and will be the LITERAL fulfillment of the last 3 in His second coming.

DO NOT be like the “religious” during the time of Christ's birth who did not see because they did not seek and SCOUR the text. Prophecy is yet to be fulfilled and this time it is going to be a doosy! Do not be caught off guard be because you swallowed what was spoon fed to you, but rather seek on your own. The Holy Spirit will be faithful to guide into all truth!

Shalom

the key is understanding who the Israel of God is.

is Israel all those that are saved, those “ in Christ”

OR is Israel those people sharing a certain DNA.

of course God isn’t thru with Israel, He is thru with those that reject Jesus Christ.