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covenants, believing that their spiritual destiny is either to perish or become a part of the new religion that superseded Judaism (whether Christianity or Islam).1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.
However, I also strongly agree with 1000 Silverlings that prophesy contains descriptions which are metaphorical as well as literal. For instance (emphasis mine)
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, [saying], He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
But thou [art] he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope [when I was] upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou [art] my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble [is] near; for [there is] none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong [bulls] of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me [with] their mouths, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones: they look [and] stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
My praise [shall be] of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom [is] the LORD'S: and he [is] the governor among the nations. All [they that be] fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done [this]. – Psalms 22
As to metaphor, on the Cross, Jesus was surrounded by literal beings who were metaphorically bulls and dogs. Other literal fulfillments are readily visible, e.g. piercing of hands and feet, casting lots.
Like so many other prophesies in Scripture, Psalms 22 glimpses into the future in more than one era.
It for instance speaks to the time when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. It speaks of us and our testimony. And it speaks to Christ’s reign on earth.
The Jews of course could not and do not see the whole prophesy because they are focused only on the earthy reign of the Messiah, one part of it.
Likewise, if we concentrate only on a certain era or element of prophesy – or insist that a prophesy is all metaphor or no metaphor – then the rest of the prophesy may be missed.
To God be the glory!
As to metaphor, on the Cross, Jesus was surrounded by literal beings who were metaphorically bulls and dogs. Other literal fulfillments are readily visible, e.g. piercing of hands and feet, casting lots.
Like so many other prophesies in Scripture, Psalms 22 glimpses into the future in more than one era.
It for instance speaks to the time when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. It speaks of us and our testimony. And it speaks to Christ’s reign on earth.
The Jews of course could not and do not see the whole prophesy because they are focused only on the earthy reign of the Messiah, one part of it.
Likewise, if we concentrate only on a certain era or element of prophesy – or insist that a prophesy is all metaphor or no metaphor – then the rest of the prophesy may be missed.
To God be the glory!
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VERY STRONGLY agree. Thanks much for your insights Dear Sister IN THE LORD.
8~)
Your observation is incorrect, it just shows how little of the Bible you know.
The earth (not land), will have TV so they can worship the beast-the anti-Christ will make sure of it, along with getting his mark (666), something else that were also impossible a just a short time ago, but now with chip technology is very doable. (Rev.13:15-16)
I realize that Dispensationalists may think that somehow the book of Revelation speaks about television. Those of us who live in the REAL world understand that only a tiny fraction of the world population even has access to television today.
The NWO doesn't exist. And, even if it did, it would require an unbelievable effort to force the world population to get "marked." When Dispensationalists speak to me in paniky voices about chip technology getting imbedded into their bodies I just smile and say...
It't goiinnng toooo beeee alllriiiight! God is in control.
You can't reason with such people. They are already convinced that the world is filled with the technology when, in fact, 250 million Americans isn't hardly a drop in the bucket compared to the several billions on the earth today. Goodness, there are even places near where I live that are still "black" areas that have NO utilities and people live there. Not much use for a television when you don't have electricity.
You should have seen the comotion created when I copied pictures of the recent "plague" of locusts in Africa and sent it out in a mail asking if it was a sign of the times. I know, there's something wrong about stirring up Dispensationalists that see the boogey man under every bush.
Which reminds me, I think I saw a recent article that was talking about chip implatation in the hand that contains medical records....
***As long as one individual from each people group; language group; tribe saw Him coming on TV...***
So, “every eye” doesn’t mean every eye in the whole world. Isn’t that the Preterist position!!!
Wasn’t that tabsternager’s whole point in his discussion about ge (earth or land)? Interesting when Dispensationalists are required to explain how something will be so they have to back off their assertions.
Oh, and you still have to contend with the fact that entire people groups still don’t have access to television. You would probably be suprised at just how sparse technology really is in the world.
It's all part of the divine paradox.
Having traveled over much of the globe . . .
I suspect you might be surprised at how much I know about a lot of things.
It would depend on how the verses were worded.
Personally, I believe that God will insure that EVERY EYE SHALL SEE—LITERALLY AND PERIOD.
But, not having all those verses in front of me, it is CONCEIVABLE to me that what I outlined would fill the letter of the verses literally.
My conjectures are AT LEAST
as sensible as the Contrarian Preterist ones.
Certainly God seems to
have a passion
for
PARADOCS . . .
And I don’t mean two psychologists in a boat.
lol.
You missed the boat again...
We aren't required to explain anything...
All we do is believe what God said...Sure, we speculate on how God will accomplish what He has predicted but so what??? Maybe he'll have giant drive-in movie screens hanging thruout the sky with live action shots of Him and His army cutting thru the stratosphere and atmosphere coming to avenge His 'chosen'...
We don't demand that God thinks like we do...We don't stick Him in our little pea-brained size box so that His ways are our ways...
The book says every eye shall see Him...You know what that means??? It means, EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM...
You don't change scripture to fit your preconceived theology...You fit your theology to the scripture...And if your theology don't fit, there's something wrong with your theology...
ooooops
thinking of one and spelling the other.
All we do is believe what God said...Sure, we speculate on how God will accomplish what He has predicted but so what??? Maybe he’ll have giant drive-in movie screens hanging thruout the sky with live action shots of Him and His army cutting thru the stratosphere and atmosphere coming to avenge His ‘chosen’...
We don’t demand that God thinks like we do...We don’t stick Him in our little pea-brained size box so that His ways are our ways...
The book says every eye shall see Him...You know what that means??? It means, EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM...
You don’t change scripture to fit your preconceived theology...You fit your theology to the scripture...And if your theology don’t fit, there’s something wrong with your theology...
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A THUNDEROUS INDEED to that!
It is a frightening thought isn't it?
Add to this, Israel back in the Land in fulfillment of prophecy (Isa.11:2) and in control of Jerusalem, and we can see the outlines of the comeing events of Revelation.
It sure seems like it. I hesitate to getting into predictions though. The timing is the LORD's and it could be tomorrow or a thousand years from tomorrow.
I only mentioned that GOD doesn't need all the technology because we are creating artificial constraints on God's ability to do whatever he chooses.
That is a physical place and there is a generation that Christ will return for (1Thess.4:16),...
It's all about timing isn't? These passages don't tell us if this is before the Tribulation or after.
Would you be willing to have that chip implanted?
LOL. No way, Jose.
And no passports with eye scans or bio-info either, even tho I do believe that on the forehead is what you think and on the hand is what you do. Just the idea that they want to do this is abhorrent. First it’s your dogs and cats, next kids and old people and then the rest of us. What you have to watch out for is them sneaking it into you, but at least you don’t take it willingly
I agree. The whole idea of implanted chips is just too close to Scripture. I think the idea is being marketed using "medical records" as the reasoning. You have a chip with all your medical data and if your in an emergency room they can scan it and know what your allergic to etc.
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