A TRANSCENDENT PRESENTATION OF ISRAEL

PART 1

Since release of my original article Palestine Belongs to the Meek in May 2002, the Spirit of Truth has asked me to put forth a fuller, more complete discussion of the issues regarding Israel. After many months of labor, this presentation has been birthed (2007). This discussion, which has taken the form of two treatises, is particularly aimed to bring corrective light to the Christian prophetic and intercessory movements in their apprehension of God’s purposes among the physical people of Israel today.

The topic of relationship between spiritual believers in Christ, natural Jews, and the Middle East conflict is extremely vast. It’s impossible to cover all the bases, and there is always more to be understood. Many layers are to be explored and penetrated—something I’ve accommodated somewhat in the form of footnotes.1 But ultimately, I must release this treatise as a “work in progress.” (Over the course of time, this writing will be revised as the Spirit reveals more.)

Anyone writing about Israel does so from a certain framework. Understanding an author’s framework helps a reader know how to interpret a writer’s mind. To that end, in addition to the opening Proviso, I start by offering the larger spiritual premises that govern my understanding and the meaning of everything else I will advance.

[Note: all scripture quotations in this and the following treatise are taken from the New American Standard Version, unless otherwise noted.]

FIVE PREMISES

My framework for understanding Israel rests on five premises about spiritual things in general.

Firstly is that, at root of the New Testament idea of “flesh” is the concept of human lineage, heritage and culture. The core tenet of self-denial in Christian discipleship as taught by John the Immerser, Yeshua and Paul is to put off allegiance and affection for natural heritage (which John the Apostle also calls “the love of the world”). This means the Christian gospel of discipleship is trans-racial (not interracial); and that all interpretations, teachings and prophecies regarding nations must be held in light of this truth.

Secondly is that God’s cosmologic purpose for mankind and creation is to use the temporal earthly realm to bring to revelation the pre-existent eternal realm through a process of forward development from earthly to heavenly reality revealed across time and marked by clear dispensations. This means that as time progresses, periodic exchanges of operations occur in the divine plan favoring a more heavenly way, and that once an exchange in operation has been made, God does not later revert to a previous basis of operation in the development.

In keeping with this, thirdly, God’s earthly activity must be interpreted in context of His eternal purposes. God’s actions in world affairs are secondary and supportive to transcendent purposes that will not pass away. Therefore, the Father’s heart is not focused on His activity among nations now, but on His end concerning men from eternity. (The challenge of spiritual life is in learning to partner in God’s temporal work while preserving vision for His eternal purposes as our immovable plumb line, avoiding a shortsighted entangling attraction to His earthside activity.)

From these, my fourth premise is that God’s action in time toward nations is a perishable work that only mirrors a permanent work to be revealed in an everlasting transnational people redeemed from this perishable age. This people, referred to as “the elect,” is held in the Father’s heart from before earth’s foundation—has been planted into the field of natural mankind over the ages—will appear in God’s eternal kingdom when it is ready to appear—and is the only people destined to receive all God has promised regarding mankind in the ages to come.

My fifth premise regards the relationship of New Covenant apostolic teaching to Old Covenant prophecy. It is that neither Old Covenant prophecy nor New Covenant apostolic teaching cancels out the other. However to the apostolic, not the prophetic, belongs the authority to establish doctrinal understanding. All prophecy is subject to the greater plumb line of apostolic revelation for interpretation. Prophetic interpretation may not be used to contradict or supplant clear apostolic meaning and intent.

These five premises form my entire basis for understanding the larger Israel drama, including:

1) the identities of Israel

2) the purpose for Israel “according to the flesh”

3) the meanings and relationships of the Abrahamic, Mosaic and New Covenants

4) heirship under these covenants

5) land inheritance through these covenants

6) the Old Covenant prophecies of Israel’s restoration; and

7) the meaning of today’s divine actions toward natural Israel.

This treatise will proceed to examine these points in depth. It will conclude with a prophetic forward view to what the mortal nation of Israel will look like in the glorified Millennial Age.

NEXT – PART 2: SEVEN POINTS TO UNDERSTANDING ISRAEL

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