| Fundamental to understanding Israel's future is the Mosaic covenant which God made with them. Indeed it is so important to understand their future in covenant context that without this understanding of the covenant we will be walking in the dark. The mistake many have made before us and which I will not follow, is that of using texts arbitrarily. I am calling for an integrative and historical approach to understanding Israels future. Just as any builder must first lay the corner stone or foundation stone to make sure the building will endure standing firm so too the covenant is the corner and foundation stone which is built upon by all the holy prophets. To understand the Old Testament without its foundation which is the Mosaic covenant Is like trying to understand the new Testament without Jesus. It can be safely said that in the 5 books of Moses the whole faith of Israel is contained. All that the prophets do is echo it and make things clearer as Revelation from God makes things clearer. In the prophets the promises of restoration exceed Deuteronomy 30: The promises of returning from exile into the land of Canaan are enlarged to return from exile to the Edenic land which covers all the earth. The promises of restoration are often explained as "Edenic" as in Ezekiel 36: 33-35. The land they return to is like the garden of Eden. Isaiah 51:3 uses the same language of a desolate land being turned into "Eden". That the promise of restoration into the land is developed into the Kingdom of God is amply described in Isaiah 51: 9-11and in many other places. An example is Isaiah 51 where their restoration is explained in "Exodus" language of deliverance. It talks of cutting Rahab to pieces, which describes the defeat of Israels enemies. Then talks about how God dried up the sea for the redeemed to pass through. Again the language is of deliverence from ungodly kings. Then it talks of the ransomed of the Lord returning and come to Zion. However this time it's different as at first. The redeemed inherit everlasting joy and sorrow and sighing flee away. This is Kingdom of God language which is used often in different places but especially in the book of Revelation 21&22 describing final salvation in the New heavens and earth. This salvation language describes something which isn't temporary but is instead everlasting. But here we see restoration taking on Kingdom of God tones in a stronger way as at first promised in Deuteronomy. This framework of salvation never speaks of going to heaven when you die. Rather it speaks of the promises of restoration, as promised to Israel in the Mosaic covenant as the world to come. What this teaches us is to ask the right questions concerning salvation. We should rather ask the questions the bible itself asks. The question would go like this "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" or "What must I do to inherit the Kingdom of God?" Staying with the theme of restoration being the return from exile when Israel will no longer suffer the curses of the law. Let us enter into the worldview of Jesus and the prophets and apostles. An example of this worldview would be the book of consolation in Jeremiah 30-32. Here the promise of been brought back into the land from exile and captivity is echoed again from the covenant as found in Deuteronomy 30: Except that the return to the land is explained in New covenant terms. The ones who will be brought back to the land are those whose hearts have been circumcised. This is perfectly in keeping with Deuteronomy 30: For before they can possess the land their hearts must be circumcised so that they will love the Lord with all their heart and soul. This promise is brought to pass in part in the work and person of Jesus. For Jeremiah and Ezekiel speak of a time when God would put His laws in us to keep them. Also a new heart and new mind are promised. The New covenant describes the new man, the recreated man who will inherit the Edenic land which is the Kingdom of God. Books like the gospels and Hebrews tell us the Old covenant has passed away and the new Covenant has come If we are in the time of the New covenant, we need to ask the question what time is it? The time is at the end of the wicked age and the beginning of the Kingdom of God. The New covenant is Kingdom of God language, but is described in now and not yet language. New Testament believers are partaking of the promises of the Kingdom now, because we are already partaking of the New creation. We will also partake of the new creation in fullness when the Kingdom is established and this wicked world passes away. . There is still a greater mystery revealed. The gentiles who are joined to the King of Israel, become fellow citizens and heirs to the covenants and promises made to Israel. Thus the Israel of God are all who belong to the King of Israel, Jesus. Ephesians tells us that we who are gentiles and alien to citizenship in Israel and alien to the promises and covenants have been brought near and are no longer aliens but fellow citizens in the commonwealth of Israel. So we gentiles who have partaken of the promises of the forgiveness of sins and the promises of the New covenant are citizens in Israel. Therefore it is neccesary to reinterpret Old testament promises such as the new covenant which is made to Israel in Ezekiel 36-37 and Jeremiah 30-32. Israel in the new covenant are those who partake of the circumcision of the heart. Israel are the people of the new creation, people of the Kingdom. Israel are the people of God whose sins are forgiven through Jesus, Gods Christ. There is no distinction between Jew or Gentile. All who are in Christ are Gods Israel. In Romans we are spoken of as been in grafted into the olive branch. Israel are not those of physical descent but of faith in Jesus the Christ. |