Some Thoughts

I was just listening to what Albert Mohler (President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) had to say about the status of national Israel in a recent radio broadcast. He views the geo-political state of Israel as a sort of “holding tank for God’s people” until the hope of their mass conversion (a la Romans 11 [show] I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. [2]God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? [3]"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life." [4]But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." [5]So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. [6]But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. [7]What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, [8]as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day." [9]And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; [10]let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever." [11]So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. [12]Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! [13]Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry [14]in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. [15]For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? [16]If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. [17]But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, [18]do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. [19]Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." [20]That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. [21]For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. [22]Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. [23]And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. [24]For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. [25]Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. [26]And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; [27]"and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." [28]As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. [29]For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. [30]For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, [31]so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. [32]For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. [33]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! [34]"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" [35]"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" [36]For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (ESV)
) comes to pass. He also believes that–though careful to point out that God is Lord over the entire kosmos and not just some bordered parcel-space in the Mideast–Israel is yet to inherit an actual piece of real estate in fulfillment of God’s Old Covenant promises to Israel. The identity and status of Israel is a source of much controversy today–and I’m certainly in no position to join that fray at this point, but his comments reminded me of something I’d read in the first few pages of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s little book, Life Together. Bonhoeffer writes the following passage merely in passing–his greater theme is living in Christian community–but I don’t think I’ve ever read this perspective of the people of God put more succinctly than he puts it there:

I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries (Zech. 10:9 [show] [9]Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.
). According to God’s will Christendom is a scattered people, scattered like seed into all the kingdoms of the earth (Deut. 28:25 [show] [25]"The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. (ESV)
). That is its curse and its promise. God’s people must dwell in far countries among the unbelievers, but it will be the seed of the Kingdom of God in all the world.

I will…gather them; for I have redeemed them: …and they shall return (Zech 10:8,9 [show] [8]"I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before. [9]Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.
). When will that happen? It has happened in Jesus Christ, who died that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad (John 11:52 [show] [52]and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. (ESV)
), and it will finally occur visibly at the end of time when the angels of God shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matt. 24:31 [show] [31]And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (ESV)
). Until then, God’s people remain scattered, held together solely in Jesus Christ, having become one in the fact that, dispersed among unbelievers, they remember Him in the far countries. (HarperSanFrancisco, 1954. Page 18.)

Wherever it was that I learned whatever theology I formerly embraced so confidently–unaware that there were other options available–it must’ve been there that I was thoroughly indoctrinated into (what I now know was) an Arminian, pre-trib secret rapture, pre-millenial, semi-dispensational perspective (not that they all necessarily go together). But, after discovering a beautiful tulip growing in the wilderness, and after gazing at it for quite some time, I noticed that it was not central but was fed by a spring. As I followed that spring up to its source (along a pathway sometimes painful, others pleasure-full) the desert gave way to a garden (God only knows why I’d missed it until then, for it is large here), and I found that the stream which gave life to that wonderful flower was itself fed by a mighty and self-replenishing fountain. Since that time the waters of that fountain have been running down into every other area of my mind-desert–as irrigation to a barren field. Recently it seems the streams are turning toward the formerly-neglected eschatology-parcel, which is being washed and nourished in hopes of fruit-bearing.

Anyway, the point of all that Bunyan-speak is to say that I don’t know exactly where I stand about the status of modern, geo-political Israel–especially concerning their identity and (thus,) their future. I haven’t figured out how it ‘fits in’ with everything else in the “garden.” This is important because there are practical applications of this theology which await our attention in life today. So, if you’re still stopping by every now and then despite my recent neglect of this mandated parcel-space, what do you think? Who is Israel? What was/is the significance of the establishment of the geo-political entity called ‘Israel’ in 1948? And what should be our stance regarding that entity today? What is their current status before God? What shall be their future status? Shall there be one flock of God, or two?