The Feasts & Festivals of Israel, Series. Lesson 1 Is the Church, Israel? Part I 6/3/2012 I. Introduction A. What is an epoch? 1. ep och [ep-uhk or, especially Brit., ee-pok] noun a. a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc. b. the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything c. a point of time distinguished by a particular event or state of affairs; a memorable date d. Geology any of several divisions of a geologic period during which a geologic series is formed. e. Astronomy an arbitrarily fixed instant of time or date, usually the beginning of a century or half century, used as a reference in giving the elements of a planetary orbit or the like, or the mean longitude of a planet as seen from the sun at such an instant or date. II. Why do we need to know? A. The disciples, and soon to be apostles, wanted to know when the next epoch would commence and asked Jesus about it right before He left this earth B. In their mind, the next major epoch in the world s history was about to happen Page 1 of 11
that epoch is known to us as the Millennial Kingdom of our Lord, however they saw it in relation to Israel C. So they asked Him in Acts 1:6-8 1. When is the kingdom coming 2. Although there was soon to be a change in epochs, that change was not to the epoch that the disciples had in mind, but instead to one they had never heard of before 3. Consider the words that Jesus used in response a. There are two words used in the Greek language to refer to time b. They are both used in this passage c. The first is the word chronos coo r,nj chronos {khron'-os} Meaning: time of an uncertain duration or length, such as all of time d. This word chronos as used here should be understood to mean the entire duration of time, especially when it is to end e. The second is kairos kr,j aio kairos {kahee-ros'} Meaning: 1) due measure 2) a measure of time, a larger or smaller portion of time, hence: 2a) a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch waited for 2b) opportune or seasonable time 2c) the right time 2d) a limited period of time 2e) to what time brings, the state of the times, the things and events of time Page 2 of 11
f. This word kairos should be understood to mean divisions in time, that is epochs g. See e.g. Matthew 16:3 "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? h. But the word epoch is a generic word, what were these epochs of which our Lord spoke i. They were dispensations D. What are dispensations? 1. They are specific periods of time during which the Lord appoints a group or set of people to be the receptacle of His message and the dispenser or disseminator of His gospel 2. At this point of history there have been three such dispensations a. The first is the dispensation of the Patriarchs (1) it started with the fall of man and ended with Jacob/Israel (2) during that time the leaders of various families were from time to time spoken to by God (3) and they were responsible for leading their families to God (4) after a while it became clear that they had failed (5) in fact they failed twice (a) (b) the first failure was punctuated by the flood the second by a change in dispensation Page 3 of 11
b. The second dispensation is that of the nation of Israel or the dispensation of the Jews (1) This new nation was to be the receptacle of God s message and the dispenser or disseminator of His gospel (2) this dispensation ended with the failure of Israel to disseminate the gospel and their rejection of the Messiah c. The third dispensation is the Church (1) it now was to be the receptacle of His message and the dispenser or disseminator of His gospel (2) this dispensation will end with the rapture of the Church (3) how do you know because all believers will be removed from this earth d. At that point, the dispensation of the Jews recommences for a period of seven years (1) why? (2) Daniel 9:24-27 e. The final dispensation will be the millennial dispensation III. There are many Christian denominations who take the position that since the Jewish people rejected their long awaited Messiah, they are to be punished A. Are they really going to be punished by God yes 1. What is their punishment the tribulation period, which is also known as the time of Jacob s Trouble [Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob's distress, But he will be Page 4 of 11
saved from (out of) it.] 2. But these denominations of which I spoke claim there was or will be additional punishment 3. And that is the loss of the blessings and promises of God, and that those blessings and promises will be transferred over to the church a. But not the cursings B. There are three different doctrinal stands on this issue 1. Replacement Theology 2. Separation Theology 3. Remnant Theology C. Replacement Theology 1. The church and Israel refer to the same group of people, both of which share on the same promises and plans D. Separation Theology 1. The church and Israel refer to different groups of people, with different promises and plans E. Remnant Theology 1. The church and Israel overlap in some manner 2. This view seeks to harmonize the two IV. The Church A. The church started on the Day of Pentecost 1. On that day it was entirely Jewish 2. As time has gone on that percentage has greatly reduced Page 5 of 11
3. Now it is estimated that there may be less than a quarter of a million Jewish believers in the world B. So there are Jews in the church because the have accepted the salvation of their Messiah V. But the church preaches a different Gospel then before A. Although the basics of the Gospel doesn t change, the dispensation in which it is delivered does change and has an effect on the presentation B. For example, during the early part of Jesus ministry, He preached and had the disciples to preach, the Gospel of the Kingdom 1. This is the gospel of the Jewish dispensation 2. This gospel proclaimed that salvation by faith was necessary in order to enter into or be part of the coming kingdom 3. Now the church preaches a gospel that proclaims that salvation by faith is necessary in order to be part of the rapture, which could happen at any time 4. During the tribulation period, salvation by faith will still be proclaimed but they will look forward to the second coming of the Messiah, recognizing that Jesus, the Messiah, had already come a first time VI. Comparing the purposes of Israel and the Church A. Each were to be the receptor of God s message and the proclaimer of His redemptive plan B. The church is now the receptor of the message from God and the one proclaiming the salvation story to the world Page 6 of 11
C. When the church is taken out or raptured, the last seven years of the Jewish dispensation will begin D. If there was no nation of Israel anymore, or they were merged into the group that was taken up in the rapture, who will proclaim the gospel during the tribulation period 1. John makes it quite clear that it is Israelites who will be taking on that task [see Rev. 7:1-8] VII. The church cannot be Israel and Israel is not the church A. They have different purposes and different promises B. Consider the promises made to Israel through Abraham, Isaac and Israel 1. Those promises were made through a series of covenants 2. The first was the Abrahamic covenant a. Consider Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. b. Is this promise conditional? c. If it is Abraham fulfilled the condition d. This was a promise concerning the (1) the land Page 7 of 11
(2) the nation (3) the name (4) and the blessing e. Was this promise conditioned upon future obedience No! f. Consider its restatement in Genesis 17:1-8 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. 2 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly." 3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, 4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. 7 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8 "I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (1) this covenant is for all generations (2) it is an everlasting covenant Page 8 of 11
(3) this covenant is reviewed in Psalm 105:8-11 He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, 9 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. 10 Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance, g. Israel will always have the right to the land of Israel and not the church h. They will always be the nation of God s chosen people C. The second covenant is referred to as the Davidic covenant 1. 2 Samuel 7:8-17 8 "Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. 9 "I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. 10 "I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, 11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you. 12 "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your Page 9 of 11
descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 "Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."'" 17 In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 2. Consider also Psalm 89:20-37 a. Psalm 89:28-29 28 "My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him. 29 "So I will establish his descendants forever And his throne as the days of heaven. b. Psalm 89:30-37 30 "If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, 31 If they violate My statutes And do not keep My commandments, 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with stripes. 33 "But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. 34 "My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. 35 "Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 "His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. 37 "It shall be established forever like the Page 10 of 11
moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful." (1) these covenants are unconditional and everlasting D. As a result, of these promises: 1. The Land of promise will always belong to Israel 2. The people of Israel will always be God s chosen people 3. They will always have a kingdom and a king VIII. If we can t rely on God s promises and prophetic statements, we can t rely on God at all Page 11 of 11