Ezequiel 38

Ezequiel 38

Piper writes "The promises made to Abraham, including the promise of the Land, will be inherited as an everlasting gift only by true, spiritual Israel, not disobedient, unbelieving Israel." (Ref) Piper goes on to say "Israel still has human rights among nations even when she forfeits her present divine right to the Land." Is that what God promised in Deuteronomy? In truth, Israel did not receive the Land in the first place because she was obedient or righteous. She did not deserve the Land. God gave the Land to Israel because of His faithfulness to covenant, the unconditional covenant He cut with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He will not break that covenant. To reiterate, God never gave Israel the Land based on the obedience of the nation. Yes, it is true, Israel was disciplined and removed from the land temporarily because of her disobedience, but that does not abrogate the covenant promise of the Land to the nation of Israel! Dr Piper says that "spiritual Israel" will inherit the land, but I am not sure what he means by "spiritual Israel." Many interpret "spiritual Israel" as the church (all Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus). If by "spiritual Israel" Piper is referencing that portion of the literal nation of Israel which believes in the Messiah in the end times, those Paul describes in Romans 11:25-26-note ("all Israel will be saved."), then I would agree with him. The nation of Israel will continue to exist as a nation into the Millennium. The "caveat" is that the nation of Israel that enters the Millennium will be composed entirely of believing Jews and it is those Jews and the nation of Israel which will inherit the Land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, a promise that has never been literally fulfilled (Israel never occupied or received all of the Land promised, so if God does not fulfill this promise, He would be unfaithful to His original covenant to Abraham - See the original boundaries in Genesis 15:18). Here are God's words regarding the Land which was always a gift of grace... "(God speaking through Moses to Israel) Do not say in your heart when the LORD your God has driven them out before you, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. 5 "It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath (the covenant) which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 "Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people." (Deut 9:4-6) In fairness to Dr Piper he makes this statement "So the promise to Abraham that his descendants will inherit the Land does not mean that all Jews inherit that promise (Ed: I agree wholeheartedly with this statement, because "all Jews" will not be saved). It will come finally to the true Israel, the Israel that keeps covenant and obeys her God (Ed: I agree with this statement if "true Israel" refers to the nation of Israel. Of course the only way they will be able to "keep covenant" and obey is because of the indwelling Spirit, promised to Israel in the Old Testament, long before the Gentiles partook of that promise. See Ezek 36:26-27-note, cp Jer 31:31-34 - notice with whom God promises to make a New Covenant -- not the church but Judah and Israel -- no place in the NT is the church ever called "Judah and Israel!" The promise was to the Jews first, which is exactly why the Spirit inspired Paul to give the warning in Ro 11:17-21-note!)" In sum, prophecy should give us a better understanding of God's plan for Israel and create in us a love for Israel. This love does not mean that Israel is perfect or deserving to be in the Land granted her by the United Nations in May, 1947. But it does mean that there is a perfect God, a God Who will keep His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and will remain true to the covenant He has made with all believers through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. To help understand the context of Ezekiel's message in Chapter 38, take a moment and study the following diagram of the book of Ezekiel (See below). Another suggestion before you begin to study these eschatological passages in Ezekiel is to take some time and study Dr Tony Garland's well referenced discussion of the Interpreting Symbols (From the preface of Garland's commentary on The Revelation, one of the best and most balanced commentaries from a literalistic perspective I have ever read = A Testimony of Jesus Christ - highly recommended). As you study the chart (below), keep in mind that the fact that the fall of Jerusalem in Ezekiel 33:21 marks a major transition in the book form a message of judgment and hopelessness to a message of future restoration and hope. Ezekiel 36-37 describe the spiritual and physical restoration of Israel. Specifically Ezekiel 37 describes the restoration of Israel to the land promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. J Dwight