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What Is Replacement Theology?
Replacement Theology was introduced to the Church after Gentile leadership took over from Jewish leadership. What are its
premises?
Israel (the Jewish people and the land) has been replaced by the Christian Church in the purposes of God, or, more precisely,
the Church is the historic continuation of Israel to the exclusion of the former.
The Jewish people are now no longer a "chosen people." In fact, they are no different from any other group, such as the English,
Spanish, or Africans.
Apart from repentance, the new birth, and incorporation into the Church, the Jewish people have no future, no hope, and no
calling in the plan of God. The same is true for every other nation and group.
Since Pentecost of Acts 2, the term "Israel," as found in the Bible, now refers to the Church.
The promises, covenants and blessings ascribed to Israel in the Bible have been taken away from the Jews and given to the
Church, which has superseded them. However, the Jews are subject to the curses found in the Bible, as a result of their rejection
of Christ.
Are Jews, Jews, and is Israel, Israel in the New Testament? Do They Still Have a Covenant with God?
ABSOLUTELY. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR ON THIS.
"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins,
and build it as it used to be" (Amos 9:11), and physical ones, "I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted
from the land I have given them" (Amos 9:15).
Jeremiah 31:31-37
31 "The time is coming, declares the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them
declares the LORD.
33 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the LORD.
I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,
declares the LORD.
For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
35 This is what the LORD says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar;
the LORD Almighty is his name:
36 Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,
declares the LORD,
will the descendants of Israel ever cease
to be a nation before me.
37 This is what the LORD says:
Only if the heavens above can be measured
and the foundations of the earth below be searched
will I reject all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,
declares the LORD."
The Jews are Israelites, not Gentiles (Rom. 9:4).
To Israel still belong the inheritance, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises (Rom.
9:4).
The gifts and calling of God for Israel are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29).
There are 77 references to Israel in the NT and none of them refer to the Church. Try replacing the words, "the Church," where
Israel is mentioned and the passage is rendered unreadable and silly, e.g., Rom. 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer
to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." If you put "the Church" where Israel is mentioned, then it is redundant.
The Church is the body of saved believers, so how could Paul's prayer be for the Church to be saved?
Psalm 105 has a seven-fold affirmation of God's promises of Canaan to Abraham. This is an everlasting promise, as was Genesis
12:1-3.
Jeremiah 31:35-37 speaks of the everlasting nature of God's promises to and for Israel, the Jewish people, which is as sure
as the sun that shines by day and the moon and stars that glow in the night.
The end-time prophecies, which speak of the return of the House of Jacob to their land (Israel) and its restoration, have
overwhelmingly been fulfilled in Israel and the Jewish people in the past 120 years. (See, Isa. 11:11-12; Eze. 37:1-14; Eze.
36; Eze. 35:1, Isa. 43:5,6; Jer. 16:14-16; Isa. 60:9-11; Isa. 49:22-23, etc.).
The Gospel and Yehshua (Hebrew), (Jesus Christ, Greek), came "to the Jews first, then the Greek" (Rom. 2:9,10; Matt:10:5-7;15:24).
There is a distinction in roles between the two. Galatians 3:28 says: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond
nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This is speaking of everyone's standing
before God as equals, because we are all sinners saved by God's grace and the atoning work on the Cross.
Nevertheless, our roles here on earth are definitely distinct; e.g., men and women, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives,
etc. all have distinct roles to play. Likewise, Jews and Gentiles have distinct roles to play.
What is the Role of the Church?
"On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it" (Matt. 16:18). The Church is built
on the testimony and understanding of Peter, who is Jewish. Ephesians 2:11-14 indicates that Israel and the Jews (we) were
chosen, but Gentiles (you) were also included.
The Church is related to Israel and partakers of the covenants, promises, and hopes, but we have not been called to usurp
them. Our relationship is as "grafted in" (Rom. 11:17); "brought near" (Eph 2:13); "Abraham's offspring" (by faith) (Rom.
4:16); "heirs" to Abraham's promise as adopted sons (Gal. 3:29) and "partakers" (Rom 15:27).
To the world, the Church is called to preach the Gospel to all nations and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20); to love the Lord
our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mk. 12:30-31).
To the Jewish people, we are called to show God's love "for the sake of the Patriarchs" (Rom. 11:28), for without them we
would not have had God's Word or our Saviour who was a Jew from Israel. We are to show God's mercy (Rom. 11:31). We are to
give our material gifts to help them (Rom. 15:27). We are to pray for them and for Israel (Ps. 122:6). We are to be watchman
on the walls to protect them (Isa. 62:6,7). We are to help with the aliyah (immigration) to Israel and the building up of
Zion (Isa. 60:9-11; Jer. 16:14-16; Isa. 49:22-23).
According to Romans 11, we are two distinct groups, both grafted into the same tree, which are the covenants and promises
given to Israel; grounded in the same root, the Messiah; drinking of the same sap, God's Holy Spirit. We do not hold up the
tree, but the tree us, and we are forbidden from boasting against or being arrogant to God's covenant people the Jews (Rom.
11:17-18).
What Happens When the Church Replaces Israel?
The Church becomes arrogant and self-centered.
It boasts against the Jews and Israel.
It devalues the role of Israel or has no role for Israel at all.
These attitudes result in anti-Semitism in word and deed.
Without a place for Israel and the Jewish people today, you cannot explain the Bible prophecies, especially the very specific
ones being fulfilled in Israel today.
Many New Testament passages do not make sense when the Jewish people are replaced by the Church.
The view that Israel and the Church are different is clearly taught in the New Testament. In this view, the Church is completely
different and distinct from Israel, and the two are never to be confused or used interchangeably. We are taught from Scripture
that the Church is an entirely new creation, that came into being on the Day of Pentecost, and will continue until it is translated
to heaven at the Rapture (Ephesians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). The Church has no relationship to the curses and blessings
for Israel. The covenants, promises, and warnings are valid only for Israel. Israel has been temporarily set aside in God's
program during these past 2,000 years of dispersion.
After the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), God will restore Israel as the primary focus of His plan. The first event at
this time is the Great Tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-19). The world will be judged for rejecting Christ, while Israel
is prepared through the trials of the Great Tribulation for the Second Coming of the Messiah. Then when Christ does return
to the earth, at the end of the Tribulation, Israel will be ready to receive Him.
The remnant of Israel which was called out by God and believes, both those who are martyred and those alive at Tribulations
end as well as the resurrected Old testament saints will, with the Lord, establish His kingdom on this earth with Jerusalem
as its capital.
In Christ, reigning as King and Prince of the kings of the earth, Israel will be the leading nation, and representatives from
all nations will come to Jerusalem to honor and worship the King; Jesus Christ. The Church will return with Christ and will
reign with Him throughout the world and beyond for a literal thousand years (Revelation 20:1-5).(BR)
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament support a Pre millennial / Dispensational understanding of God's plan for Israel.
Even so, the strongest support for Premillennialism is found in the clear teaching of Revelation 20:1-7, where it says, six
times, that Christ's kingdom will last 1,000 years. While God may be focusing His attention primarily on the church in this
dispensation of grace, God has not forgotten Israel, and will one day restore Israel to His intended role for the nation He
has chosen (Romans chapter 11).
What Happens When the Church Relates to Israel?
The Church takes its proper role in God's redemptive plan for the world, appreciating God's ongoing covenant relationship
and love for Israel and the Jewish people.
We can see the consistency of God's redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation as an ongoing complementary process, not as
disconnected snapshots.
We show love and honor for God's covenant people, not contempt.
We value the Old and New Testaments as equally inspired and significant for the Church today.
Bible prophecy makes sense for today and offers opportunities for involvement in God's plan for Israel.
We become better disciples of Yehshua as we are able to appreciate the Hebraic/Judaic roots that fill in the definitions,
concepts, words and events in the New Testament that are otherwise obscured. Why? Many were not explained by the Jewish writers
of the New Testament, because they did not feel the need to fill in all the details that were already explained in the Old
Testament.
Had the Church understood this very clear message from the beginning, then the sad legacy of anti-Semitic hatred from the
Church may have been avoided.
The error of Replacement Theology is like a cancer in the Church that has not only caused it to violate God's Word concerning
the Jewish people and Israel, but it made us into instruments of hate, not love in God's Name. Yet, it is not too late to
change our ways and rightly relate to the Jewish people and Israel today, to demonstrate God's exhortation to us to bless
His Covenant People, whom He still loves. Not only do we need to learn the truth and be blessed by God, but we need to teach
others so as to counteract the historical error that has been fostered in the Church for nearly 2,000 years (Gen.12:1-3).
Thank God, He is a God of mercy, redemption and second chances.
Sections of this review were researched and written by Clarence H. Wagner, Jr
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