12 July, 2006

Israel: The Land and Her Way to Heaven

In light of today's newest surge of violence in the Middle East, I must again ask myself the question, why does the USA continue to pour her taxpayer's dollars into a country that would not stand without our aide.

The Trinity Foundation's latest article asks some good questions about why so many American Christians refer to this area of the world as the holy land? Is it holy? Is it holy because Christ was there, or is it because we have a false theology surrounding it and it's future?

As a postmillennial Christian I do believe that God will again restore His people of old. I do not believe that it will be political though. The church will be her knew home as the Jews return unto God. I am afraid that Dispensational theology has made Christ's death of little effect as their system promotes two various ways of salvation. The Jews can have their sacrifices and Christians have their faith? That is absurd! Faith in Christ is how one is reconciled to the Father- and it has always been so. But with the separation of Church and State in all, why do we let Dispensational theology influence where our tax dollars are spent? This view does not mean that we have to pour money into this American pet-project called Israel.

7 comments:

Penumbra said...

Is there even such a thing as "Israel" today? Where's the temple? Where are the sacrifices? Where are the genealogical records? What defines a "Jew"?

Why insist on the restoration of the Jews if the Jews are no more? How about the restoration of "unbelievers?" Perhaps traditional postmillenialism is influencing policies in support of "Israel" as well.

NPE said...

I doubt that because the traditional view does not require the people to have a sacrifical system, a temple, a country.

In the 16-1700s when post mil was at its height there was no Israel, yet Reformed people believed that God would bring these people into the church after 'the fulness of the Gentiles'.

Penumbra said...

Understood, but too many "reformed" Christians have a fuzzy and inconsistent views of eschatalogy. I think a little dispy thinking sneaks it's way in because postmils think of Jews as having a "special place." What that means, varies from person to person. In the end, it seems right to many Americans that Jews would get special treatment and help. Defending their view from scripture looks like a cut and paste bomb threat with no context.

Anonymous said...

Nate, I am going to get a 40x20ft version Kim Riddlebarger's A Case for Amillienialism and finish you.

Lord bless you and keep up your blog work.

NPE said...

Now that is larger than a folio addition if I am not mistaken.

I love Amils despite their error! :)

Anonymous said...

yeah, it is very strange even including the newer PROG-D model(j/k, I mean the progressive dispensationalism), the whole purpose of the temple, king, priests and sacrifice was to point to our Lord and His perfect Sacrifice for sinners, in this system there is return to the symbols. It just isn't right.

Hiraeth said...

It's the hardest thing in the world, this problem. I would note, however, that we have to be tolerant on this. Israel is being attacked, it is a sovereign state. It has the right to defend itself.

If Hezbollah and Hamas were actually prepared to swap land for peace, as Egypt was over the Sinai, there would be no conflict in the Middle East. The problem is that, unlike Egypt, Hamas and Hezbollah are not states and without an external enemy would be recognised in their own countries as the enemy within that they actually are.

But as to true peace, I'm in a greement that there will only be true peace when all people everywhere recognise the rule of King Jesus and Governments are relegated to their true fuction.