Wayne Jackson wrote this article which appeared in the October 1984 Christian Courier. It was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and was edited by Jackson.
Premillennialism, especially that form known as dispensationalism, argues that with the coming of Christ, God intends to reestablish a Jewish kingdom in Palestine. The doctrine contends that there is yet a purpose to be served by physical Israel. Dispensationalists allege that in the "tribulation period" following the "rapture of the church" God will regather Israel into Palestine and a national conversion of the Jewish people will be effected. It is not claimed that every single Jew will be converted. However, such vast multitudes will be saved, numbers proportionate to Israel's tragic fall that it is deemed proper to refer to the conversion of "national Israel."
The foregoing theory is erroneous in that it repudiates numerous fundamental Bible truths. Further, it is exceedingly dangerous in that it offers a false hope to the people of Jewish extraction. Please consider carefully the following facts.
1. It is an assault upon the benevolent character of Jehovah to suggest that He intended to perpetually favor one nation over all others. Such a notion is at variance with the multiple Bible affirmation of the universal love of God and His just, impartial disposition (cf. Genesis 12:3; Psalm 145:9; Acts 10:34-35).
2. The premillennial dogma ignores the fact that God's initial selection of the Hebrew people and the land of Canaan was in view of the coming Christ. The Lord employed the Jewish nation as that exclusive medium for the introduction of Christ into the world. Now that that Messianic mission has been accomplished, the role of "national Israel" no longer exists. That, "middle wall of partition," designed to isolate Israel from the nations, has been broken down (Ephesians 2:14). From the divine viewpoint, old physical Israel has passed away.
3. The Old Testament makes it abundantly clear that Israel's favor with Jehovah, even under the Mosaic system was conditional. "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth" (Deuteronomy 28:1). The Hebrews were also warned of the consequences of disobedience (cf. 28:15ff); they could be disinherited as a nation (Numbers 14:12) and disenfranchised of their land (Joshua 23:13, 16). The truth is, there are about about as many Old Testament warnings to Israel as there are promises!
4. There is not a solitary New Testament passage which speaks of the restoration of national Israel, the re- institution of Judaism, etc. The Old Testament prophecies which foretell the return of the Hebrews to Palestine were fulfilled in the Jews' release from political captivity (cf. Jeremiah 25:12; 20:10; Ezra 1:1). Other predictions which speak of a "restoration" of Israel refer to a spiritual restoration to God, through Jehovah's Servant, Christ; a blessing however, for both Jews and Gentiles alike. Study carefully Isaiah 49:5 and following and the inspired apostle's use of this context in the New Testament (Acts 13:47; II Corinthians 6:2).
5. There are a good many New Testament passages which vividly portray a gloomy future for physical Israel, with not a hint of national conversion. Observe please:
a. Like modern millennialists, there were those Jews of old who felt that there was a certain intrinsic virtue in being the physical descendants of Abraham. John the Baptizer informed them however, that God was able to use even stones in raising up seed to the patriarch. He then warned, "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees..." (Matthew 3:10). In context the allusion obviously includes the impending "wrath to come" (vs. 7) which would find its nearest application in the destruction of the Jewish nation in 70 A.D. Now here is a vital point. When is tree is cut down, there is hope that it will sprout again if the stump or roots remain (cf. Job 14:7-8; Isaiah 11:1) but when the axe is laid at the root, where is the hope of restoration?
b. When Christ pronounced the curse upon the barren fig tree near Jerusalem which served as an apt illustration of national Israel, He declared, "Let there be no fruit from thee henceforth forever" (Matthew 21:19). Where is the hope in that? Later, on that same Tuesday prior to Friday's crucifixion, the Lord announced to those same Jews, "The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you and shall be given to a nation bring for the fruits thereof" (21:443). In other words, fruitless "national Israel" would be replaced by fruitful "spiritual Israel," the church (cf. I Peter 2:9; Galatians 6:16).
c. In the parable of the marriage of the king's son, concerning those who spurned the monarch's invitation (the Jews) it was prophesied that the king (God) would send his armies (the Romans) and destroy those murderers and burn their city, for the Lord adds they, "were not worthy" (Matthew 22:1-8). Later in Matthew 23:38, Christ warned, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." The term "house" as Bloomfield notes, refers not merely to the temple alone but to the whole Jewish nation, especially its metropolis (Greek Testament, I, p. 116).
d. In the parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6-9), it is suggested that the fruitless nation would be cut down soon. "This parable gives Israel to know that its life is only a respite and that this respite is nearing its end" (Godet, Commentary on Luke, II, p. 119).
e. In another parable, Jesus, depicting Himself, spoke of a nobleman who went into a far country (Heaven) to receive for himself a kingdom (the church) and to return (the second coming). While in that distant country, His citizens (the Jewish nation) hated (imperfect tense: sustained hatred) Him and thus sent the message, "We will not (present tense: continued determination) that this Man reign over us" (Luke 19:14). Without the faintest hint that there would be a mass reversal of this hateful Jewish disposition, the Nobleman, "when He was come back" (vs. 15) characterized these citizens as His "enemies" and commanded that they should be slain (vs. 27).
f. In His parable of the slighted invitation, Jesus foretold Israel's rejection of the gospel and the subsequent success of the kingdom of heaven among the Gentiles. Of those stubborn Jews He declared, "...none of those men who were bidden shall taste of My supper" (Luke 14:24). This refers of course, to that Jewish majority that refused the gospel; a remnant accepted the invitation (cf. Romans 11:5). Why did not the Lord give some clue here that eventually there would be a massive Jewish acceptation of His invitation?!
g. Christ, in Luke's account of the Olivet discourse, affirmed of Jerusalem's coming destruction that the city would be, "trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). The term "trodden down" is a present tense participle suggesting prolonged hardships (though not necessarily uninterrupted) for Jerusalem (and what she represented, the nation) until the, "times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." The expression "times of the Gentiles" is used to express a balance between this age and an implied time of the Jews. For 15 centuries the Hebrews had been Jehovah's special people, an era which might be appropriately termed, "the times of the Jews." With their rejection of the Messiah however, that reign (cf. Matthew 21:43) had ended. It was superseded by, "the times of the Gentiles" or the Christian age. It is thus clear that Israel is to be the recipient of divine wrath throughout the Christian era which of course, culminates with the coming of Christ.
Millennialists argue however, that Jerusalem was to be trodden down only until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. After that time, they contend, a reversal of affairs will occur and Jerusalem will be exalted to former glory. The key word here is "until" (Greek: achri). Premillennialists assume the term has a temporal thrust in Luke 21:24, thus indicating a reversal of events after the time specified. But the assumption is unwarranted. The term achri frequently has a terminal thrust in the New Testament. Consider for example, Revelation 2:25 where Christ encourages the saints at Thyatira, "that which you have, hold fast until I come." Does this mean that these Christians would relinquish their blessings after He came? Hardly! Similarly, when the Lord declared that Jerusalem would be trodden down until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, there is no necessity for assuming that after that period the city would be restored to divine glory. The truth is, God's wrath has come upon Israel, "to the uttermost" (I Thessalonians 2:16).
h. In Romans 11:25 Paul writes, "that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." There are several important matters that need to be noted here. First, the "blindness" (hardening in KJV) was that predominate Jewish lack of faith in Christ. Second, the "in part" suggest that such unbelief was characteristic of only a portion of the nation. There was a remnant that did believe (cf. 9:27; 11:5, 14). Third, the verb "has happened" is the perfect tense, stressing the abiding nature of the hardness until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. Fourth, the, "fullness of the Gentiles" simply denotes the accomplishments of Jehovah's purpose among the Gentiles (and Gentiles simply means nations) or in other words, until the end of the present dispensation. As B.M. Christiansen comments, This partial hardening will continue throughout the time of the Gentiles, i.e., until Christ's return" (Lenski, Romans, p. 174).
Since the hardening of Israel was not total but only "in part," there is still hope that many Jews will be saved. But how is it that Israel will be saved? They will be saved by their acceptation of the gospel (10:12-16) and their surrender to the Deliverer from Zion (11:26). This gives us the correct meaning of, "so all Israel shall be saved." The word "so" is an adverb of manner meaning, "in this way." Hence, it is in this way (the way of obeying Christ) that all Israel (who are saved) shall be saved.
The theory that Paul expected a mass conversion of Israel is wanting on several accounts. First, it stultifies his whole series of arguments in Romans 9-11. Secondly, it leaves inexplicable the throbbing anguish for his brethren in the flesh which saturates this entire section. For instance, Paul writes, "For I could wish (potential imperfect tense: 'I was on the point of wishing') that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Romans 9:3). Why pray tell, if he knew a national conversion of his brethren was an ultimate reality?
The premillennial concept of the Jews is clearly erroneous. There is no promise of a national conversion of Israel in the Bible. The gospel is still God's power to save both Jew and Greek (Romans 1:16) and all who possess hearts of, "good and honest" soil (Luke 8:15) will accept it.
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