Part 2 – All Prophecy Will Be Fulfilled

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The Great Error of “Replacement Theology?”.

 

The New Jerusalem that John saw, as recorded in the book of Revelation;

 “had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Rev. 21:12)

“And hast made us (Israel) unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev. 5:10)
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they (Israel’s overcomers) shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (a Millennium). (Rev. 20:6)

Throughout the Old Testament, the four Gospels, and the early Acts period, we read about an imminent, literal, physical, visible, eternal earthly kingdom to come on earth, as promised to Israel. These below are some of the promises concerning the “kingdom of heaven” to come on earth as promised to Israel. Note that there are no Pauline verses for “the body of Christ” seen here. This is because we are not involved in the earthly kingdom, since our home is in “eternal in the heavens.” (2Cor 5:1b, Philip. 3:20-21, 1Thes 4:13-18)

  • In the eternal kingdom, there will be no sickness, no sin, and no death (Isaiah 33:24; 35:1-10; Luke 8:1; Acts 3:19-26; Hebrews 2:3-5; etc.).
  • Israel would be redeemed and protected from her enemies and Jesus Christ would reign over her in a Davidic kingdom (Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 61:1-11; Zechariah 14:9-11; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 1:6; etc.).
  • The entire world, but especially Israel, would be free from Satanic captivity and oppression (Isaiah 49:24-26; Zechariah 13:1-2; etc.).
  • Israel would possess her Promised Land (Deut. 30:1-5; Jer. 30:3; Eze. 37:21-23; etc.) and her people, the Jews, would live in that land forever and ever with God Himself in their midst (Gen. 17:8; Joel 3:17,21)!
  • God will marry Israel and “the Land.” Though formerly as an adulteress in His eyes, she would forsake all her idols and pagan religion. God would make her His people after her captivity and dispersion amongst the Gentiles is concluded and she is brought back to “the Land” (Hosea 2:19-23, etc.).
  • Israel would be resurrected spiritually and given new life (Jer. 31:31-34; Eze. 37:1-28; etc.).
  • Through the New Covenant, God would forgive Israel of all her sins and He would give her every spiritual and physical provision she would ever need (Jer. 31:31-34; Joel 3:18-21; Amos 9:11-15; Zeph. 3:14-20; etc.).
  • Israel will in that day be free from all Gentile oppression (Dan. 2:35,44): the Jews would be priests, and they would bring their LORD and His salvation to the Gentiles (Exo. 19:5-6; Isa. 60:1-3, 61:1; Zech. 8:20-23).

Yet, this promised earthly Kingdom of heaven has not yet come. We are 2,000 years removed from Jesus’ earthly ministry, and the above verses still have not been fulfilled. Some of those promises are over 3,000 years old. Today, people still grow sick and die. There is still widespread evil in the world, Satan is still operating his program of evil in governments and religion, and Israel is still largely dispersed worldwide and without a full homeland. The Middle East has no rest from war and strife.

What happened to that earthly kingdom promised throughout much of the Bible? Obviously, God was not lying when He promised all these wonderful things to Israel. Israel will enjoy her Lord in that heaven-on-earth kingdom?

“Replacement Theology” teaches that these prophecies are just “spiritual” and “allegorical” prophecies and so should not to be taken literally, because, they say, these prophecies apply to the church today. This of course is totally erroneous.

We know that the promises and prophecies of Jesus’ first coming were literally fulfilled in every detail; then why would God now revert to not literally fulfilling these prophecies concerning Israel’s restoration in the coming Kingdom on earth.