Why Israel Should Matter To Every Christian Pt. 2
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What is Replacement Theology? “Replacement Theology” means the belief is because of Israel’s unfaithfulness, her
constant spiritual adultery and her outright rejection of Jesus the Messiah. The belief is that God has “started over” in this
“age of grace” with the Church as his new covenant and chosen people.
1. Gentiles first come into the faith
Acts 15:28-29 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:
29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you
keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well…
A. This moment would forever change the life of the church.
B. Within one generation following the death of the Apostles, the majority of the church leadership consisted of Gentiles.
(Today
jew/gentile 1/1000)
C. Instead of unity- Strife between Gentile leaders and Jewish believers (both followers of Jesus, one Torah-observant
other not) spilled into
social circles
D. Current 1nd century events “proved” God’s rejection of Israel
E. The Temple destroyed and Jews forbidden to enter Jerusalem on pain of death.
F. Apostle Paul when he declared that he was going to the Gentiles, as proof of this turning away of God from His
people.”
2. A glimpse at Replacement Theology spreading through History
A. 2nd & 3rd centuries- theme of “Christ-killers” was applied to the Jews by the early Church fathers, as they spoke
openly of Israel “justly suffering” for their sins. In their mind, it was obvious that God had completely rejected Israel forever
as punishment for their having crucified Jesus and started again with the church.
B. Emperor Justianian 1- 529 writes Corpus Juris Civilis ("Body of Civil Law") = Christianity state religion and Jews are 2nd
class citizens
C. Martin Luther in 1543 wrote “The Jews and their Lies” in 1543 … He also seems to advocate their murder, writing " we
are at fault in not
slaying them.”
D. In 1924 Adolf Hitler, idolized Luther’s writings: "Martin Luther has been the greatest encouragement of my life. Luther
was a great man. He was a giant….. He saw clearly that the Jews need to be destroyed and we're only beginning to see
that we need to carry this work on."
3. HOW CAN YOU GATHER THESE CONCLUSIONS FROM THE BIBLE?
A. In the 2nd century, the early leaders taught the Old Testament as a parable or an allegory to preserve messianic
prophecies and Godly values, but throw Israel out.
B. Church is not a “remnant of Israel” - completely separate Gentile entity. “Israel”, “My people”, = the Church
Messiah = Christ
The Sabbath was now represented by Sunday
Separating Passover & Easter and Seder = last supper
C. The interpretation of the Old Testament became completely subjective and open to anyone’s understanding, by which
destroying the former value of its historical context and scriptural confirmation. This view creates confusion in the OT and
removes God’s absolutes.
4. Old and New Testaments warn against the complete rejection of the Jewish people.
A. We must return to actually believing the OT, understanding the promises God made to Israel (that includes those of us
joined by faith), and trust what the Word of God says.
• Lev 26:11-12 "Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 12"I will also walk among
you and be your
God, and you shall be My people.
• Leviticus 26:14-43 -Israel’s sins would bring, to name just a few, terrible sicknesses, cannibalism, destruction of cities
and sanctuaries, weak and fearful hearts and their being scattered to the land of their enemies.. After all of this, we come
to verse 44…
• Lev 26:44-45 44"Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor
them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. 45"But I will remember for them
the covenant with their ancestors…
• Ex 32:9-14- God ready to destroy Israel and start again because of their sin. 10 "Now then let Me alone, that My anger
may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation." 13 "Remember Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to
whom You swore by Yourself,…. 14 So the Lord changed His mind…
B. Moses changed the Lord’s mind about God changing His mind about Israel.
C. If God has not remained faithful to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (who became Israel), then what hope do we have? This
belief is a direct challenge to the faithfulness and the trustworthiness of the Creator.
• Jer 31:35-37…"If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also
cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the Lord.
• Jer 51:5 –For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken By his God, the LORD of hosts, Although their land is full of guilt
Before the Holy One of Israel.
D. Paul found himself confronting this arrogant doctrine as he wrote to the Romans in chapters 9-11, years before the Temple was
destroyed. Little did he know that the Church would still be asking the same questions and need his answers 2000 years later…
• Rom 11:1-2 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too, am an Israelite, a descendant of
Abraham,
of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.
5. So what is God’s plan with Israel and the Church? ONE NEW MAN Eph 2:12-22 12 remember that you (Gentiles)
were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of
promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
…14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, … so that in
Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body
to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. … 19 So then you [Gentiles] are no longer strangers and
aliens, but you are fellow citizens [of Israel] with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building,
being fitted together
Ex 12:48-49 (If a stranger is in the covenant, he is like a native)
Num 15:14-16 (If a stranger wants to worship the Lord, the Lord views him as one of you- Israel)
6. Grafted In
Rom 11:17-21 17 …and you [gentiles], being a wild olive, were grafted in among them [Israel] and became partaker with
them of the rich root of the olive tree…
A. Olive trees also have a remarkably strong and vast root system and can survive in drought conditions. Its also gives
life and amazing
longevity.
B. Planting a young shoot= least 8-10 years before full fruit bearing yields can be achieved. By grafting graft them into
mature trees = only 2-3 years before harvesting quality yields. Through pruning and grafting, many fruitless years of
hard work and cultivating expense can be skipped.
C. During the pruning process, smaller olive branches that are cut off are buried in a nutrient-rich soil that promotes growth.
In a very short time, these branches start sending out “wild olive” shoots that continue to grow. These young and fruitful
shoots will eventually be cut and grafted into the branches of an older tree, to reap from all of the benefits a mature tree
has to offer.
D. Choose one tree for its roots system and maturity, and younger tree for its leaves, flowers, or fruit= one tree that produces
an abundance of high quality fruit while benefiting from the sap of a mature root system that is often resistant to drought,
diseases and insects
Rom 11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated
olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
E. Paul warns against the arrogant idea that the Gentiles have forever replaced Israel. When the branches that were grafted
in have reached their peak in fruit production, the original branches can then be added again and will enjoy the same
fruitfulness. In the end, there will be “one tree” of Jews and Gentiles, all being nourished by the root of God’s covenant
love for Israel.
Rom 11:25-26 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own
estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all
Israel will be saved…