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On Christians and Old Testament Promises

June 25th, 2015

So I know there’s often some discussion on here regarding Covenant Theology. I wouldn’t say I fall “squarely” in that camp, but I do have an honest question. If we draw a distinction between the church and Israel, how can we as “Gentile” believers still find hope and comfort in the promises of the OT, as these were actually made to Israel (ie., Isaiah 66:13, Jeremiah 29:11, etc.)

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    Ed Chait likes this.
  • Alyson Dreyer We have the benefits of the covenants with Israel but we are not a party to them. We are the Church. We have our own promises. The upper room discourse in the book of John gives us every doctrine for the Church in seed form that will later be expounded by the apostles. Israel has promises concerning a nation and a political order. The church has promises of a spiritual body, not a nation. We are the bride of Christ. We as Gentiles stand as witnesses to Israel that Jesus was who he said he was. We are to make Israel jealous in that we dirty dogs found what they had always looked for. Israel’s job had been to take the teaching of God to all nations. They failed so God did it himself.
    June 23 at 1:06pm · Like · 1
  • Ed Chait As a believer in the age of grace, I find tremendous hope and comfort in the promises of the New Testament. I do not look to the OT promises to Israel for myself, but rather derive much hope from them for the Israelites, my brothers in the flesh.
    June 23 at 1:22pm · Like
  • Tim White To add to the answers, context, context, context. Some promises to Israel were made about Israel, their borders, boundaries, locations, and personalities. Some were made to reveal the character of God to all His people, ei, “If my people which are called by my name…” The error comes when we forget context. For instance, Jeremiah 29 was written to the exiled by the Babylonians. In it, He warns against false dreamers and prophets. He says, “I did not send them. After 70 years has been complete, I will send you prophets. I am not giving up on you as a people, for I know I have the plans I have for you, plans for your hope and future, for your welfare and not your harm. Then we can call and He will hear us……”
    June 23 at 1:36pm · Like · 2
  • Tim White But to use that like it shields us against trouble and only gives prosperity. Context, context, context. Promises which show God’s care to All his people and how He operates can be depended upon for us. Those which specifically are to a specific person or the end of a specific situation, we take it that way.
    June 23 at 1:38pm · Like · 2
  • Joe Maxey I agree, Tim!
    June 23 at 2:08pm · Like · 1
  • Robert Pristoop God will still fulfill his promises to Israel and Romans 9-11 will come to fruition. God is not done with Israel as Paul makes very clear in his epistles. We still need the 144,000 Jewish tribe members mentioned in Revelation. Jesus himself said that the Jews will see him again when they cried out “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23). If God has kicked Israel to the curb and replaced them with the “church” then what hope do Christians have that God will not replace them with another group? God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and He keeps His promises. God chose the Jewish peole to proclaim the oracles of God and bring forth the Messiah. Having done that, the Jews come into salvation through Jesus like Gentiles. But God is not done with Israel or the Jewish people. He will re-gather them to the full land that He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and together Believing Jews and Gentiles will dwell in the millennial kingdom with Messiah on the throne of David. Replacement theology, Dual Covenant Theology, Two House–all are false and not supported by the Scriptures. Jesus and Paul are clear, to the Jew first (Rom. 1) and also the Gentile. There are promises as to both the Jewish people and to the Church as Tim said. God will fulfill His promises to both.
    June 23 at 5:07pm · Like · 1
  • Ed Chait After some more thought, as a Christian in the age of grace, I do rest on God’s promises in the OT. As Tim mentioned, I need to look at context more carefully.

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