Has Israel also Been intentionally Replaced By Dispensationalism with their Doctrine by requiring resurrections not really spoken of in Scripture?
Amazingly, The Church isn’t what most believers are taught. But its composition (just who makes her up) is made clear from the teachings and events recorded in Scripture.
If there is an offense, toward God within the Doctrine of the Church today; then it is the robbery from Israel of her promised New Covenant position. And that robbery is not accomplished by just one wrong doctrine or by just one denomination, or by only one missapplication of “Biblical Truth”.
The resurrection is the key to much doctrinally. Listen to this conversation concerning resurrection:
John 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (KJV)
Notice that resurrection of righteous individuals is (in discussions involving Jesus) always spoken of as being a singular event, preceded by the definite article “the”. Also notice in this discussion that being in the grave “in Christ” Jesus tells us here, that it does not end life. For this one who is in Christ shall never die. Also understand that He is speaking here to Jews prior to His own resurrection, His handling of the Resurrection is no different then when He taught the Sadducees concerning the seven brothers having one wife in the resurrection after each had taken her after the one before had died. It was about “whose wife is she in the resurrection”? The definitive article “the” as used in translating Jesus’ words concerning the resurrection is done for definiteness in the Greek usage. The referent is the unique or well-known resurrection in Jewish and Christian proclamation. In other words it is understood to be the one event. I have already gotten too technical with you perhaps. But read the gospels and think when you see Jesus discussing resurrection, and He describes it as the unique resurrection. And when He doesn’t there is the second resurrection of the damned added.
The Apostle Paul, who was a Jews Jew, and a Theologian (a real student of Scripture) in his day, is credited with much of the revelation concerning the Church of the New Covenant (which is Jewish). This following his call to Christ (his and Israel’s Messiah). Much of his revealing to us is even now, still debated in Theological circles. Biblical mysteries pointed out by Paul are discussed. And So, as is often the case with Doctrine, we disagree and that disagreement is proof that at least some if not most will get it wrong. So, we will again begin our journey with Paul’s teachings.
But before we do. The disciples in fact before Paul came along got into trouble with the priests and the Sadducees for teaching the resurrection to be through Jesus. Paul at that time was persecuting the Church. So Paul was very familiar with the perceived heresies committed by these Jewish disciples of Jesus against the Jewish law, as well as His claimed resurrection and the resurrection of the believer in Jesus name. So we must ask just why Paul never made any distinguishing teaching differentiating the resurrection about which Jesus taught to His Jewish disciples and the resurrection that He supposedly taught to Paul for the Church? For these would need to be two very different resurrections if we are to believe that the Church is separate from Israel and Judaism and not one with Them as Paul actually teaches in Eph. 2.
So with this Doctrine concerning Israel’s Messiah there must first be the understanding that within Scripture’s facts are the determining truths concerning the Church and Israel, and how they are to be discerned? who is in the one new man of God’s making of which Paul teaches?
Our doctrine (which is our understanding of Biblical truth) is founded on Israel’s Messiah being God’s anointed one, who came as The Jewish Messiah. He came with the Old Testament’s support of that Truth: including His genealogy as proof. In one message that I read recently from Charles Spurgeon, he stated what must have been his belief that the Church extended all the way back to Abel and, in fact, included him. This understanding was made known to us, as Spurgeon stated Abel to be the Church’s first Martyr.
That thinking took me back again to Paul and his argument concerning the future resurrection of those “in Christ” found in 1 Cor. 15, in the early part of that chapter.
So the thought hit me Paul was talking of the same resurrection that had gotten the Jewish Disciples in trouble under perhaps his own later persecution (see Acts 4:2). And again, if those, who had been on earth and had died before Christ had come, were included in this good news of the Christ leading to their inclusion of the resurrection (a salvation that would provide each with the resurrection from the dead); then why are men in the Church so blind to what God did during the events, which make up this Gospel message concerning the building of His anointed’s Church?
1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death (speaking of Adam), by man (speaking of Christ) came also the resurrection of the dead. (KJV)
Jesus as God’s Son with His coming was sealing in His blood this promised New Covenant for not just Jews and Israel, but for all of mankind, (that fact Paul in Ephesians 2 had made clear, as a mystery being revealed). It’s beginning was with the saints from among the Jews and Israel. Those tribes were given over time covenants and promises. Those very events were known by Jesus. He prayed fervently over them there in the garden knowing full well of His coming blood atonement; so then, why do men Representing the vehicle that God established to spread His truth (the New Covenant Church) not see that the gospel was for Israel and that its extension to us gentiles was the mystery revealed? Paul even makes that fact more clear:
Romans 9:24 [even] us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. 25 As He says also in Hosea, “I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’ AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.'” 26 “AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’ THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.” 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; (NASB1995)
With all of this, why do they not see, that without Messiah’s appearance to those in paradise during the three days, while His body lay in the grave, then Israel and the Jews (the saints of the OT), would never have come to find a way to receive Him? And then to say that these events do not have anything to do with the Church, is almost blasphemy. The one new man that Paul taught us about in Ephesians 2, certainly was in keeping with what Jesus made clear to us concerning both Israel and the Gentiles coming together as one within Christ’s Church.
In John’s presentation of Jesus’ words in Chapter 10 of the good news of these events leading to the sealing of this New Covenant, Jesus had made clear that those included would all come to Him only as their One shepherd and their God man, whether they were Jew or gentile.
John 10:16 “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, [with] one shepherd. (NASB2020)
Apparently Spurgeon thought that this actually happened with the events that took place when Jesus was present to bring this promised New Covenant in His blood into being. The Church is all about Israel’s covenants being brought to fruition through Christ.
So, I want us to ponder this section of verses in 1 Corinthians, thinking about this Church that Jesus is building. These verses tell us that only by this one man (Christ Jesus) will any man take part in the future resurrection leading to eternal life. Called the first resurrection in the Revelation. This act is for all the redeemed of mankind, and it would come only through Him. For Paul’s contribution to Scripture tells us that Christ’s action undoes what Adam’s sin had caused, which was death through the fall.
So how can it be that Able in any other way than the series of events surrounding Christ in paradise was abel to recieve Jesus, who died for him? How else can men living before Christ’s time know Jesus in salvation, because that encounter is what this certainly says must occur? I had asked God for answers to these questions decades ago. And I slowly began to see how it all came about.
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (KJV)
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him [the thief on the cross], Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (KJV)
What suddenly struck me from these verses back then, was the fact that, Jesus was placed with the dead of the ages whose spirits were then and still are in paradise awaiting their resurrection, and though God may have been able to devise some other way to accomplish this encounter with the saints of old, yet, the way that He chose to have them actually see and accept their redeeming Messiah was this. It was God’s way? For they had been entombed in the heart or belly of the earth (most of them) for centuries, at this very time following their redeemers crucifixion (His death for their sin see Isa. 53 and 54). It is as though Jesus had gone back in time. And that seemed correct because it is in a time and a place from the past that they were in holding in paradise. It was from this past that Jesus had told us that “before Abraham was I Am”. Abraham now resided in this place of the dead (but a place that we had learned about from Jesus). A place of consciousness there in the belly of the earth. We learned of it when Jesus was telling of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man’s entrance there, that we now, learn even more from Jesus when He is on the cross. There we learn that it was “paradise”. Now, following the deaths of both Jesus and the thief; we can see that Jesus was on a three day journey there to redeem the dead, who were awaiting Him there. But they are not dead are they? We also learned that, as Jesus had told the Sadducees:
The facts here are important. Paradise has made its way from the garden in Genesis following the fall to Heaven in this future time that is recorded in the Revelation. We are given the need for this scenario as a truth in Genesis surrounding Adam’s own story. This tree of life needed guarding from living mortals simply because they are mortal, and the tree of life was then in the midst of the garden. But after the fall It was somehow put under the protection of Angelic beings, so that men could not eat of its fruit and live forever in their sinful state, not, that is, unless God Himself at the judgment will determine that hell was to be an appropriate judgment for all or for just some of mankind, which we know that He will determine as He is the just judge. His judgment is for each man individually. He is the only good God, only if He is not also the just God with both just rewards and just punishments. He is all of that. He is creator God.
Luke 20:37 “But [as for] the fact that the dead are raised, even Moses revealed [this] in the [passage about the burning] bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. 38 “Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to Him.” (NASB2020)
- So we will also as members of the Church see paradise if and when we die? Some of us may endure to the end of this age.
- Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (KJV)
- Obviously Paul taught that when we die we go there. For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And since Jesus took the thief to Paradise on the very day of his death, in fact one could say that this nameless thief was the very first to die in Christ and to be placed into Christ’s Church. Then afterward we have the Old Testament souls; each of them then in Paradise, were being added into Christ with His preaching of the Gospel while He was there, and He took them into God’s presence as He delivered paradise.
- Then there was John the Baptist the promised forerunner of the Christ on earth, who likely also would have shared again that news to those in paradise: the Christ has come (remember John the Baptist was called by Jesus “Elijah”). And now following the crucifixion here was Jesus in Paradise with them. Their Messiah had come. They hear His preaching. They see Him snatched from paradise in His own Resurrection and they too are soon all delivered into the third heaven as Jesus has led captivity captive. This then is, Scripturally the beginning of Jesus Church, which He had stated to His Disciples that He would build.
The “all” in Luke 20:37 above, is speaking of not all the dead, but all the righteous dead. So then, on this very day of the crucifixion the thief entered with Jesus this space that Jesus called paradise, which was housed in the belly of the earth; because He had work to do among them. He was building His Church. He was bringing the saints of old to this place where the future addition of us Gentiles would result in “one new man”.
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (KJV)
During Tribulation’s coming, men must be saved this same way. So if every man who is saved during the Tribulation is “in Christ”, and therefore most of these if not all will die at the hand of this coming Antichrist, who will hate the Jews and the Church. This before Messiah comes again or returns. It happens because they will not take the mark and worship the beast; then as such these all must be raised (resurrected) with those (even those), who have died and are in Paradise in Heaven where they are still awaiting this first resurrection (the resurrection). And Paul says clearly that this will happen before the Lord will reveal His Church (His Bride). “The dead in Christ will rise first” as the first Resurrection. The Church without spot or wrinkle is now revealed. One new man in Christ, who will rule and reign with Him in eternity; who will worship Him and the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit throughout eternity. Today we await only two things. For the bride of Christ must make herself ready, and Israel must come to belief in their Messiah in order to make that happen:
We now know that Paradise had been moved to the belly of the earth after Adam had sinned, in order to protect future mankind from eating of the tree of life, which we are told that we will eat from when we enter there with Jesus.
Revelation 2:7 “Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life, which stands in the paradise of God, to everyone who wins the victory. (GOD’S WORD)
But here from Scripture we see that this tree is seen today in paradise in the third heaven so just how has it gone from beneath the earth as it was when Jesus was crucified to where it now is: in Heaven?
Scripture teaches us the truth, if we but listen. So, by Jesus’ own statement we are informed where paradise was located at the time of His death. It was in the belly of the earth where He would reside for the next three days, and the thief would be with Him there. “Today Thou shalt be with me in paradise”. Now, Peter had spoken of Jesus preaching while there in paradise:
Peter, a Jew as was Paul, wrote this and here he tells us in these Scripture verses that Jesus went to a prison when He died physically as our sacrificial lamb. This was a sacrifice, which sealed for all mankind, those who would believe and follow this promised final New Covenant from God with man. Final because there will be no further provision for man’s salvation. So Jesus preached therefore, why, because there would be no one else, and no other way by which they could be saved. He was present there in the Spirit. This prison housed Paradise itself. He had left His body in the grave where He would later return and be resurrected. But before, that it is here, in Paradise that He preached to the dead to include even Adam.
His message reached all the way back to all, who had died before: so even the lost of Noah’s day who were in hell heard Him. Even Abel would have heard as Spurgeon deduced, and the dead heard Him. And, the faithful there with Jesus in paradise did have ears to hear and it was for their faith applied during their lifetime that they resided in this place. Peter by sharing this had to be making a point here concerning something that Jesus had told to the disciples:
John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (KJV)
There are only two resurrections spoken of in Scripture that are relevant to Jesus own resurrection. One is to life. The other to damnation. Jesus was the only One who could deliver those in Paradise from the belly of the earth in preparation for that coming resurrection of the righteous; which is still to come and it will lead to life eternal, And so we find that all this He did. Jesus was then and still is building His New Covenant Church. Bringing all men into His sheepfold, who have ears to hear and eyes to see. Don’t miss this.
For the understanding of all this not only impacts our salvation and future, but (our Church doctrine), which is the truth concerning these events. For Heaven would now receive Paradise, but it was not there yet. For after His resurrection we hear Jesus:
John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (KJV)
It was now after these three days and nights in the belly of the earth (in Paradise). And He Resurrected (the tomb was empty) but he had not yet been to Heaven. But Scripture continues His story, and somewhere between this moment of His resurrection and the time of Pauls being caught into the third Heaven, there is the relocation of Paradise into Heaven.
Acts 1:9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, 11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” (NASB2020)
We now know by faith through the hearing of the Word, that He took paradise with Him, and it is seen in Paul’s own later visit there. Listen:
2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (KJV)
Scripture proves just who Jesus came to add to this New Covenant Church (or to Israel’s sheepfold) in which are all things promised first to Israel.
Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (KJV)
God left no doubt if we will but hear. We were without the Christ promised for Israel, and without all that He promised them. Now, Paul was caught up similarly to how the Apostle John was later caught up to receive Jesus’ Revelation to him. Paul didn’t need to tell us what he saw, he only needed to tell us where he went. For that is the truth that God wanted him to convey to us. Without it we would not know for sure the paradise truth.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (KJV)
This message is still for Israel and for the Jews. Further, Scripture tells us how this all transpired:
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (KJV)
These truths provided by Scripture are some of the threads knitting the Scripture’s story concerning the beginning of the building of Jesus’ Church. They are informing us of the fact that all men in Christ from all of history will see one future day the resurrection to eternal life through the acceptance of the one man Jesus Christ, and this would occur because of the established New Covenant which was promised to Israel through Him. A covenant found in Jeremiah 31: 30….
He alone is the Son of man (the God man) provider of the New Covenant, through which His Church was born. Not just a gentile church joined by some Jews. But All who have died and gone before us on this earth are therein, and all who will come after us meaning all who are now dead in the flesh, yet alive in the Spirit of Christ are in Christ and thus all, who ever will be born similarly of woman, and who are saved by Him in this same fashion: will by accepting this one who is God’s Son (Israel’s Messiah by whom we are adopted into Israel, just as Paul has told us; these all are to be raised first in Him. There should be no question about this fact. Scripture is clear.
Jesus says that He will give to eat of that tree after this Resurrection that Paul had told us that Christ alone would initiate. Please understand: we need to see that we, in this life (in Him) are destined for paradise where He will feed us from the tree of life. Additionally: we must know that overcoming in this life means to live and to die obedient in the faith:
Peter made sure in his Acts sermons that Israel’s Jews knew that Christ was their savior and the Messiah. From here on every man whether Jew or Gentile must be saved through Israel’s Christ.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:41 KJV)
Remember “Salvation is in no other”. Jesus said: “no man cometh to the Father but by me”.
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. (NASB2020)
These were added to the Church on the day of Pentecost. So we should see that this is also telling us that the Church had already begun even before Pentecost even as Peter and Paul have explained just how those in paradise were the first to be saved making them part of the New Covenant Church, even as the thief had been saved (placed in Christ) even before Pentecost. So then the wording 3000 “added” on the day: “Pentecost”makes sense. Pentecost was only the beginning of being in the Church for these yet alive on earth at that time, and for those who were and who would in the future be still alive. But those who had died and gone before were placed in His Church first by Christ. He took them to the third heaven when He ascended to the Father before Pentecost.
Romans 11:15 For if their (Israel’s) rejection [proves to be] the reconciliation of the world, what [will their] acceptance [be] but life from the dead? (NASB2020)
Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. (NASB1995)
The New Covenant Church, ironically will not be made ready until after Israel the nation is added to this her body her Messiah’s Church as the last act of completing the Bride (see Isa. Chapters 53 and 54 concerning Israel’s widowhood and her remarriage to her redeemer). “And the Bride has made herself ready.” Today she is making herself ready to receive the nation of Israel as the final capstone on Christ’s bride; His New Covenant Church.
Right now the Bride is divided. The Church has not replaced Israel, the Church is the revelation of Israel’s promised final Covenant with man, by God. Jesus said: “It is finished”.
Not only has reformed theology but so has the Dispensationalist also refused to understand this truth. Dispensationalism wants Israel to be divided alienated from her own covenant. While Scripture teaches that in Christ alone can the covenants all come to be reality.
Ephesians 2:12 [remember] that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both [groups into] one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, (NASB2020)
Israel and her covenants will only see their full life in Christ in the new Millennium. At that time Jesus will have completed The building of His Church (the New Jerusalem, His bride), that is completed when all Israel is saved.
