some thoughts

Here’s an email I wrote recently to a couple of friends about my take on Israel, the millennium, etc. -

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Brothers,

Up until a few years ago, I would have agreed with [dispensationalism] completely–and anyone who didn’t I would have accused of anti-Semitism at worst, or of preaching a “Replacement Theology” at best. But despite its modern (and distinctively American) popularity, Dispensationalism (whether classical or progressive) is a bit of a Johnny-come-lately on the church scene (~150 yrs.). Given that the position of historic catholic Christianity, including both the Reformed Protestant and the Roman camps, has been Amillennialism, it would appear that Dispensationalism itself could be credited with the charge of eroding the covenant. (In fact, it’s been labeled “THE Scandal of the Evangelical Mind” by [Mark Noll].) The New Covenant, which fulfills both the “protoevangelion” in Gen. 3:15 and the (typological expansion of that same promise in the) Abrahamic covenant, was not fulfilled in the Mosaic economy but in the Messianic — that is, in the person and work of Christ Jesus himself.

[…] The progressively-revealed purpose of God to fill all of heaven and earth with his presence–making the entire cosmos his holy temple, not just a Rhode-Island-sized parcel of land in the Mideast, let alone a very small building within it–began in Eden, was unfolded further in the meaning of the tabernacle, and then the Temple and Land of Israel–but none of these were the final goal. They were all mere prototypes of God’s cosmic plan: for example, just as there was no religious freedom in the geopolitical state of Israel under the conquest of Joshua, there shall be no religious freedom anywhere in the entire cosmos under the conquest of Jesus (Heb., “Jeshua”). Just as Adam was to guard/cleanse the Edenic garden-temple, and Joshua the Palestinian land-temple, and the priests the Solomonic building-temple, [and just as Christ symbolically cleansed the temple on his first advent,] so also shall Christ cleanse his cosmic-temple [on his second advent]. (”Out like a lamb, in like a lion,” as they say!) His sights are on a much, much, bigger prize than Palestine. The kingdom/land of Israel of the Old Testament was a foreshadow of the coming cosmos-encapsulating Kingdom/Reign of Christ Jesus. The types, shadows, and pictures of the (aptly so-called) “Old Covenant” have long-since served their pedagogical purpose; now that Christ has come, they are to be done away with. Who needs the object-lesson when the reality has come?

As Christians, we are the true Israel (see Rom. 9), the true Jews (see Galatians/Ephesians), the true circumcision (Philippians), and all the Abrahamic promises belong to us in Christ Jesus (Galatians again)–we are heirs of all things, heaven and earth, Christ included, not of a small parcel of land. We, “the meek [in Christ,] shall inherit the earth.” (See also, in context: Matthew 3:9-10, 8:5-12, 21:33-45; Galatians 3:29; and the over-arching argument of Romans. Also check out Kim Riddlebarger’s excellent and concise book, A Case for Amillennialism, if you’re interested in further study. Almost a must-read given today’s evangelical, and dispensationally-inspired political, climate.)

Though the Kingdom of God has come ethically and morally, it has not yet come geographically*–which is why he taught us to pray “Thy Kingdom come,” and why he taught us to live as pilgrims in a foreign kingdom-land–for truly, “…here we have no continuing city.” We are sojourners–Rahabs in a cosmic Jericho awaiting the freedom-bringing conquest of the coming Joshua. In the world, but no longer of it–that is, of the kingdom, but not yet in it. When he (and it) comes, he brings the permanent and true Promised Land with him–”even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!”

Last but not least: what, then, should be our position regarding the geopolitical state of Israel? Simple: we ought to promote freedom and justice for all. (And by that I mean the rule of law, by which I do mean a state-authorized lex talionis system–just not, as [T] rightly decried, an anarchistic vigilante-run lex talionis free-for-all.) And that freedom-and-justice principle goes for all nations, including Israel’s enemies.

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*The only current “geography” of the kindgom is the hearts and minds of its dislocated citizens–just like Rahab’s, as she awaited her coming King. The geographical realm of the coming Kingdom–the territory, the borders–advanced with each step of Joshua and his armies as they marched on Jericho. But the ethical rule of the coming kingdom–personal allegiance–”blossomed” far in advance of his front lines, upon their being given “eyes to see the kingdom” coming toward them, a heart to forsake (or die to) their current kingdom and embrace the coming one. As Rahab saw the kingdom coming, she transfered her life-wide allegiance to Joshua. The rule precedes the realm. It was (and is) a matter of political, as well as religious, allegiance. Which means that Joshua’s attack on Jericho was both a kingdom-expanding conquest of enemy territory, as well as a rescue mission for his captive loyals. And so shall it be for Christ on a cosmic level.

My favorite sentence in the email, reflective of my favorite thought-topic of late, is emboldened above. So many of the New Covenant statements about the Kingdom seem to make a lot more sense, in a real-world practical sense, when interpreted in the “cosmic Jericho” grid. Were I ever to write a short book on something, I think it might be this.

Man, ain’t Truth cool?