Does Denying the Promised Restoration of Israel Undermine the Integrity of Scripture?

Much like a quarterback suddenly tackled from behind by a player from the opposing side, the claim that God has rejected Israel and replaced the nation with the church represents a blindside attack on the integrity of Scripture.

Those who say the church is now God’s kingdom not only greatly err but also cause considerable harm to the reliability of Scripture, which in turn deprives believers of their safe refuge for the perilous times in which we live.

In defense of these assertions, which I know seem extreme to some, I will start with how a group of prominent leaders in the Christian community defined biblical inerrancy in the last century.

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978)

In 1978, over three hundred Evangelicals met in Chicago and agreed to a statement affirming the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture. This was also the year that I graduated from Talbot Theological Seminary, and as I recall, the integrity of the Bible was a hot-button issue at the time. My professors assigned the reading of several books on this matter. I still have my copy of Harold Lindsell’s The Battle for the Bible, written during this time.

I am aware that a few who signed this document ascribed to Replacement Theology, the belief that God had rejected Israel and replaced the nation with the church, which represents His current kingdom on the earth and thus our inheritance of such a realm.

However, wording of the Chicago Statement refutes the symbolical interpretations of Biblical prophecy upon which Replacement Theology rests. Article VI, which upholds the inspiration and inerrancy of the words of Scripture:

We affirm that the whole of Scripture and all its parts, down to the very words of the original, were given by divine inspiration.

Article XVIII further negates interpreting God’s Word in ways that dismiss the meaning of the words found in any biblical text:

We affirm that the text of Scripture is to be interpreted by grammatico-historical exegesis, taking account of its literary forms and devices, and that Scripture is to interpret Scripture.

In the past few years, I have heard several sermons given from the viewpoint that Jesus is now reigning in fulfillment of prophecies found in passages such as Psalm 2, Psalm 110, and Daniel 7. In each case, the pastor based his exegesis of the passage more upon human wisdom rather than upon the words God inspired the writers of Scripture to record for us.

However, not only does Replacement Theology contradict the ways that church leaders in the past defined biblical inerrancy, but it also fails to measure up to the amazing record left for us by the Old Testament prophets.

The Amazing Hebrew Text

After my graduation from Talbot, I worked for an entire year at the Lockman Foundation assisting in its production of the exhaustive concordance for the New American Standard Bible (NASB). I spent the majority of this time immersed in the Hebrew and Aramaic text of the Old Testament, connecting words in the original to their English equivalents in the NASB.

Spending forty hours a week in the original text of the Old Testament not only greatly increased my love of the words of Scripture but also left the following impression ingrained in my soul:

The amazing uniformity of the Hebrew text, written over a period of many centuries by a variety of authors and prophets, is far more than enough to discredit the retrofitting of its words, with human wisdom, in order to make them support God’s reneging on His solemn promises to Israel.

At the time, I regarded my time at the Lockman Foundation as an unnecessary delay in reaching my goal of serving full-time at a church. Looking back, I regard this detour as a key aspect of the Lord’s preparation for my current ministry.

The Backdoor Assault on Scripture

During the years following 1978, the vast majority of churches identifying themselves as “Evangelical” not only stood by the Chicago Statement of biblical inerrancy but also proclaimed that Jesus would come for His church before a seven-year period of Tribulation upon the earth. They affirmed adherence to John’s account of Jesus’ thousand-year reign upon the earth as recorded in the words of Revelation 20:1-10.

For many years, belief in the inerrancy of Scripture and the pre-Tribulation Rapture remained inseparable in most churches that referred to themselves as “Evangelical.”

Sadly, such is no longer the case. Many churches today adhere to Replacement Theology even though, as noted above, it contradicts the wording of key articles found in the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and rests more upon human wisdom than the words found in Scripture.

Does this not signify a backdoor assault on God’s Word? Rather than outright deny the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, they voice strong affirmation for it while at the same time adhering to views of future things that change the meanings and inspired intent of the words penned by its authors and prophets.

‘What’s the big deal?’ some might ask. ‘As long as a church remains true to the Gospel and its pastors carefully exegete Scripture in areas that do not pertain to future things, why should we be alarmed that it dismisses God’s promises to Israel and promotes a no Rapture future?’

I will answer this objection in the next section.

The Fruit of Dismissing What the Bible Says About Israel’s Future

Though often immediately apparent, the long-term impact of retrofitting Bible prophecy so as to make the church the recipient of God’s promises to Israel negatively impacts believers in the following four ways:

1. It Leads Them to Greater Depths of False Teaching

Replacement Theology provides the basis for other teachings that lead those in the pews into greater depths of false teaching. One of its offspring, Dominion Theology, teaches that the church, not Jesus, will inaugurate millennial conditions to the earth. This takes the error of teaching that the church is God’s kingdom to a far greater extreme.

Despite being the most popular view of future things in churches, Dominion Theology represents an open attack on the reliability of Scripture in all matters pertaining to faith and practice.

Preterism, another child of Replacement Theology, sprang up in the 1500s in response to the Reformer’s insistence that the pope was the antichrist and the Roman Catholic Church his kingdom. Like its sibling, Dominion Theology, such an interpretation of prophecy contradicts God’s Word in many places. Both assault Scripture in ways that severely weaken its reliability in matters not related to future things.

2. It Opens the Door to Wokeism

The acceptance that the words on the pages of our Bibles can signify something entirely different than the meaning of the words used by the authors of Scripture erodes the integrity of other passages. In this way, it opens the door for the acceptance of the LGBQT+ agenda.

If one can assert that God has rejected Israel despite Paul’s clear assertion to the contrary in Romans 11:1-2, then is it not easy to assume how others might apply the same principles of interpretation to what the apostle wrote about homosexuality? Does it not open the door for alternate interpretations of behavior that the apostle specifically addresses?

Andy Stanley is “Exhibit A” for how Replacement Theology leads to Wokeism. Though he stops short of fully endorsing the LGBQT+ agenda, Stanley’s recent statements illuminate the path for others to go there. His views on Israel and the Old Testament reveal that he’s light years away from the view of Scripture expressed by his dad, Charles Stanley:

God’s Word is absolutely true. You may not understand how God is going to bring about what He’s promised you, but He is keeping every promise that He has ever made. He will never deceive you or disappoint you, and He will never change His mind about what He’s told you.[1]

For more on how the denial of a future for Israel opens the door to Wokeism for believers, please read my blog article, Wokeism Begins With Devaluing the Words of Scripture.

3. It Deprives Believers of the Refuge Provided for them by Bible Prophecy

Bible prophecy is the greatest source of encouragement for the perilous times in which we live.

I could not even begin to cope with all that I see happening in our world apart from what the Bible teaches about the Hereafter. Jesus is my strong tower of refuge; His Word is what keeps me sane because I know He is going to intervene in this world in the near future. He is coming soon to take me home and, after that, punish the great wickedness that’s overtaking our world.

Pastors who either remain silent about Bible prophecy or proclaim Replacement Theology deprive those in their charge of the only safe refuge available to them in these perilous times. They lead saints away from the “strong tower” (Proverbs 18:10), that of Jesus’ promises to us in His Word, to sandcastles that will soon disappear amid the raging waves of the sea.

4. It Guides Believers to an Unbiblical Worldview

The religious leaders of first-century Jerusalem failed to connect the words of Old Testament prophecy with the person of Jesus (Matthew 16:1-4). They regarded Jesus as a threat to their status quo and refused to acknowledge or even investigate how He fulfilled the words of prophecy contained in Scripture.

We see the exact same pattern today. Many pastors regard Bible prophecy as a threat to their ministry and treat the Rapture as far too radical of an idea to even discuss from the pulpit. Because of their failure, or unwillingness, to connect the dots between today’s world and biblical prophecy, they lead those in their charge into worldviews that differ little from those espoused by those outside the faith.

Any outlook on life that ignores the Lord’s imminent intervention in our world or pushes it to the end of ages inevitably leads to an unbiblical worldview. The dismissing of the multiple signs of the end of the age inevitably leads to that of exalting earthly expectations above eternal realities (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Denying the Future Restoration of Israel does undermine the Integrity of Scripture

The Apostle Peter wrote that in the last days, “scoffers” would appear, and such people would mock “the promise of his coming” (2 Peter 3:3-4). Jude adds that those who dismiss our hope would be the ones who cause divisions in the church (Jude 17-19). This day arrived, and clearly, it’s no small matter.

In my experience, I have found the following to be true:

Churches that designate beliefs in future things as “tertiary,” or matters of third-rate importance, are by far the most unwelcoming of other positions and thereby divisive to the body of Christ. If you persist in bringing up beliefs in Jesus’ imminent appearing in such places of worship, its pastors are more than willing to show you to the door. I have received emails from all over the world verifying this sad reality.

On the other hand, pastors who adhere to a pre-Tribulation Rapture typically do not close the door of their churches to those with differing views of Bible prophecy. When preaching about future things, they often acknowledge the existence of other viewpoints about Bible prophecy, something one never hears in churches that adhere to Replacement Theology either tacitly or openly.

The denial of God’s future restoration of a kingdom for Israel is no small matter. Although the fruit of such unbelief is rarely evident in the near term, over time, it most definitely leaves a legacy of undermining the veracity of Scripture and harming the saints in the ways noted in the previous section.

Bible prophecy is most certainly not a “tertiary” matter in the day in which we live; it’s of the utmost importance and essential to the well-being of believers.

Churches that degrade the importance of watching for Jesus’ imminent return divide the body of Christ by silencing those who hope in Jesus’ appearing.

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Note: In Hereafter, It’s Far Better Than You Can Imagine, Terry James and I describe the future glory that awaits us as believers beginning with Jesus’ appearing to take us home. From beginning to end, we emphasize the jubilant joy that awaits us in Heaven. The last chapter contains twenty-seven frequently asked questions and answers pertaining to Heaven and our experience there.

Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/. Thanks!

[1] https://www.azquotes.com/quote/857037

 

In my previous Rapture Ready article, Gather Up Courage, we considered our prepositional God, the One who is with us and in us and for us, and how His proximity to us allows for us as believers to gather up courage in these final days. Whether we have one day, one week, or one year (plus) before the coming of the Lord Jesus for His church in the rapture, we must respond accordingly to the blessing of being part of that final generation by becoming God’s prepositional us, a people dwelling with Jesus and being about Jesus.

I’m sure we can agree that we have already seen more than our 2020 selves ever believed we would, and we don’t dare ask what more 2024 might bring for fear that the answer to that question may very well be a national refining like we’ve never known. Whatever is to come, we must ask ourselves if we have what it takes to stand and be effective for the kingdom every moment we’re here, be it one more week or several more years.

I’ve taken inventory of me, myself, and I and have found that I don’t have what it takes. But a tap, tap, tap from within reminds me that I have Who it takes, Jesus. This prepositional us, I in Him and He in me (1 John 4:13), changes everything. He will do in me what it takes to prepare me. He will be through me that which He asks of me. But His activity in me and through me is conditioned upon my willingness to yield to Him and be used by Him. So, what does it take to shape my will to His? It takes dwelling with Jesus.

Practically speaking, what does it look like to dwell with Jesus? Simple answer: Be where He is. John 1:14 tells us that Jesus was the Word made flesh and dwelt among us. Now that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and not physically here on earth, how might we dwell with Him? Certainly through prayer, but today’s topic will focus on dwelling with Jesus by dwelling in His Word.

Jesus knew the Word

While Jesus is the Word, during His time on earth, He took on human form (John 1:14). To dwell as a man, Jesus chose to grow and mature as we do, which would suggest that He studied Scripture as is required of us (Luke 2:52). Because He knew the Word, when in the wilderness, Jesus was able to combat each temptation with “It is written” statements. How well do we know Scripture? When confronted by the massive deception of the last days, is the truth so ingrained within us that we can spot the lies of the enemy right away?

Is it possible that we’re studying the deceptions more than the truth? Some rapture watchers spend more time examining the preparation for the Antichrist, the plans of the WEF, the IMF, the UN, etc., than dwelling with Jesus Christ. Video after video, article after article, news junkies await their next fix of what’s happening now and what might happen next. Yes, we should stay informed, but not at the expense of growing up in the Word (Ephesians 4:15). If more bad news is seeping in than good seed being planted through the Word, then we are off balance. Be certain of this: An off-balance believer will surely topple and not withstand. What’s needed in the days or possibly years ahead are steady and strong Christians, ones armored up and ready for battle.

“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13).

The optimist in me wants to believe that those of you who are reading this are in the Word of God daily, not just skimming a verse or two but truly submerging yourselves in its cover-to-cover truths. A statement I made in the previous article was that only Scripture-strengthened arms can bear a God-given cross. We must be people of His Word, ones who dwell in, are strengthened by, and are armed with the Word of God. We don’t stand a chance without it. If the Word of God isn’t your living water each day, then when the heat of this world is turned up, you’ll be found weak and withered. News flash: The heat is being turned up daily!

We all must take inventory. If or when bad things come, will we be givers or takers? What I mean by that is when the shell-shocked lost and undiscerning believers are running around with their hands on their heads in sheer panic, will you be among them? Will you look like the rest of the world, living in fear and confusion, or will you be spiritually grounded and armored up, able to comfort, console, and counsel? Please don’t skim past that last question. Read it again and pray about it. Do you have what it takes because you are yielded to Who it takes?

What concerns me about many rapture watchers is that they only listen to pastors and teachers who all but assure them the rapture must be today or tomorrow or next week. So they’ve convinced themselves that God will get us out of here before anything really bad happens. In that case, I’m guessing there’s not much armoring up going on. Rather than reaching for the armor and gathering up courage, they are busy only watching for the escape hatch. Here’s a tough question: Could there be a shred of truth in some of what mid and post-tribbers say about pre-tribbers, that we’re guilty of escapism, so set on the rescue that we won’t allow ourselves to consider what may be required of us in darkening days?

Jesus obeyed the Word

While dwelling with Jesus, an eventual overflow of being with Him is that our steps will naturally align with His and how He obeyed the Word and lived out its principles in His daily life. In John 6:38, Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” It’s one thing to read, but another to act upon what you know. James 1:22 warns us that those who don’t do what the Word says delude themselves. Verse 25 says that an effectual doer will be blessed in what he does. If anything can be said of most of us, we sure do love our blessings. Well, here’s one way we will be blessed, by our obedience to God’s Word.

Search your heart. Are there areas where you feel a call to obedience by the Spirit through the Word? If so, don’t ignore those whispers. You may feel called to begin or join an unexpected area of ministry. Jesus, through the Word, may be nudging you to extend forgiveness or to allow Him to plow up a root of bitterness. Perhaps you hear an urging of needed repentance or redirection. Whatever the Spirit’s call, don’t ignore Him.

Jesus lived out the Word

To be a disciple of Jesus, one who follows after Jesus and lives out the Word, we must gather up courage now more than ever to stand for Jesus and for truth. Since Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), dwelling with Him requires us to live out truth in the midst of growing deception. Even if it hasn’t reached your home church yet, massive deceptions are infiltrating churches nationwide. These days, the body of believers lives more like the world than like Jesus, making those of us who choose to live truth the exception and not the rule. As our circle of friends grows only smaller, do we have what it takes to keep standing for truth when people around us, even our families, fall victim to the enemy’s deceit?

A few examples of deceptions infiltrating the church include:

New Apostolic Reformation/Kingdom Now/Dominion theology

New Age practices

Woke ideology

Prosperity gospel/Word of Faith movement

Ecumenism (the coming together of different religions)

Speaking of ecumenism… I must warn of The Chosen and its Mormon and Roman Catholic influence. And the very fact that the world, including Whoopi Goldberg and the cast of The View, love this show should give discerning believers reason to pause and ask why.

Whoopi: “I am a huge fan of the series, The Chosen, which shows the humanity of Jesus in a way we haven’t seen before, and highlights him and the apostles in a different way…”

This would suggest that The Chosen is portraying another jesus, one the world loves rather than the Jesus who said the world hated Him (John 15:18-19).

Admittedly, I almost didn’t include this in my list of deceptions. I even told a coworker that I didn’t want to open a can of worms since I don’t have room to cover it thoroughly. But I know that I must practice what I “preach.” I don’t need to provide you with all the details since this isn’t the focus of the article, but I do want to urge you to do some investigating on your own by reading the informative links I’m providing.

Booklet: The Chosen Series—10 Critical Concerns

List of resources on The Chosen at Lighthouse Trails

We talk often about preparations being made for the one-world economy and the one-world government, but do we recognize the coming together of what will become the one-world religion? As disciples standing for Jesus and for truth, we must be prepared to share with others how these deceptions are paving the way for the worship of the Antichrist.

Discipleship Tested is the header above this passage in my Bible:

“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish'” (Luke 14:27-30).

The longer Jesus tarries, the more our discipleship will be tested. There is a cost for those of us who desire to build the body of Christ and serve the Kingdom of God. In my earlier article, I mentioned how we believers want the joy without the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Sadly, for as long as we’re here, the ridicule we now face will intensify. Persecution will intensify. Deception will intensify. Unless we are dwelling with Jesus, knowing the Word, obeying the Word, and living out the truth of the Word, there is no way we will have what it takes to withstand an uncertain future.

Are you saturated in Living Water? Are you building a tower with strengthened arms and gathered-up courage? Are you armored up and prepared to die to self so that you can carry whatever cross you are destined to bear? Dwell. With. Jesus. Apart from Him, you can do nothing (John 15:5).

If you would like to go a little deeper or discuss this topic with a friend, feel free to use the questions I used with my small group. Questions link

I’ll see you back soon with the next article that will remind us, as we’re dwelling with Jesus and preparing spiritually for whatever may come, that we have an assignment: Be about people. Sign up to receive the continuation of this article on my Updates page.

Waiting on Jesus with you,

Lisa

Quick note: A Rapture Ready reader kindly wrote in to let me know that I incorrectly mentioned how Pastor JD used the Oliver Wendell Holmes quote about being so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. Sorry for my error.

If you would like to read Lisa’s previous Rapture Ready articles, you can find them here: Lisa’s Rapture Ready Articles/Series.

Other Free Resources:

Daybreak, Last Days of Light – Free ebook download

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About Lisa:

As an author, Lisa Heaton is a storyteller with a heart for truth. Her greatest desire in her fiction and nonfiction work is to challenge the reader to discover the truth of who Jesus is and who they are to Him. Now, here as we wait for the any-minute arrival of Jesus for His church in the rapture, Lisa’s latest mission is to warn the lost and wake the found and to help others discover their unique voice to share the truth of our times. More at DaybreakWithLisa.com. Contact Lisa at Lisa@LisaHeatonBooks.com.