Is the concept of “the church age” taught within the Bible? It may surprise you that there is not a single text in scripture which mentions a church age which will come to an end during the time of the second coming of Christ.

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord… ~ Ephesians 3:4-11

God’s eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus is that Jews and Gentiles be united into one family through Jesus Christ. Paul refers to this union as the church. There in no such thing in scripture as a “Gentile church”. There were congregations to which Paul’s ministry served that consisted of mostly Gentiles because they were in areas heavily populated with Gentiles, but never is the church identified as a Gentile entity in the New Testament. The church is always those from among the Jews and Gentiles who are united into one family in Christ Jesus.

The concept of the “church age” is predicated on the idea that the New Testament church is a Gentile entity. This is a faulty premise for the church is not a Gentile entity. The church began with Jewish followers of Jesus who took the gospel message, first to the Jews, then to the whole world.

According to the apostle Paul, God will be glorified in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.~ Ephesians 3:20-21

If you are waiting for the church age to expire so God can get back to separating the Jews from the Gentiles, it’s not going to happen. God is going to be glorified in the Church (the union of Jews and Gentiles in Christ) throughout all ages.

Many “prophecy experts” claim that God has a separate plan for Israel than for the church even though the church is a Jewish concept and was established on the message of the Jewish apostles who were sent by Jesus to proclaim the gospel. It is Gentiles who are grafted into the Jewish message that Jesus is the Messiah, and not the other way around. Jews are not grafted into a Gentile entity when they believe the gospel. Rather Gentiles are grafted into the family of Abraham through faith in Jesus.

The New Testament does not teach that God will revert back to national Israel with an Old Testament stylistic system of worship after he brings an end to the “Gentile church age.” This concept is foreign to the gospel revealed in the New Testament

Those who teach  a return to the law for the Jew after the so-called church age, claim that God has unfulfilled promises to Israel which does not include the church. No such doctrine withstands the cross examination of the New Testament.

The church consisting of Jews and Gentiles is the plan that was hidden in God during Old Testament times when Israel was under the Mosaic covenant.

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel…~ Ephesians 2:11-3:6

The dispensation of the grace of God is not the dispensation of the Gentile church age as some may think. It is the dispensation of grace in which Gentiles are made fellow heirs with the Jews to whom the promises of redemption were given. 

Israel’s prophets had prophesied of Israel’s redemption in terms they could understand, yet the full revelation of those prophesies was hidden in a mystery, and were not fully revealed until after the Holy Spirit was given on he Day of Pentecost. Paul describes the hidden plan of God (Jews and Gentiles united as one family in Christ) as the mystery of Christ, and says it was not made known in other ages as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (a reference to the apostles and ministers of Christ to whom the message of the gospel was entrusted after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus).

Christian Zionists claim that they believe in the literal interpretation of the promises made to Israel even through the apostle Peter, a man who walked with Jesus and was personally trained by Jesus, said, “the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” ~ 1 Peter 1:10-11

If the very prophets who spoke for God could not fully understand intellectually the full meaning of their messages from God, why do Christian Zionists think anyone ought to be able to read the prophecies given by the prophets to Israel and plainly understand them?

After his resurrection, Jesus had to open the understanding of his disciples so they could understand the prophetic scriptures which testified of him, even though they had walked with Jesus and been trained by him for 3 – 3.5 years ~ See Luke 24

God’s plan concerning Israel’s redemption was hidden in a mystery. Being hidden implies that it can not understood by human intellect, but requires the revelation of the Spirit of God.

Who then has the authoritative interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies given to Israel? It is the apostles who gave us the New Testament scriptures. Let’s consider 3 examples from the New Testament which interpret the prophecies given to Israel. There are more examples in the New Testament, but these will suffice for now.

First, in the gospel of Luke, Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied by the Holy Spirit the following words about Jesus:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began… ~ Luke 1:68-70

Notice that Zacharias says, “God has visited and redeemed Israel,” and claims this was testified by God’s holy prophets since the beginning of the world.

The redemption of Israel is not something in waiting. According to the prophecy given by Zacharias, Israel’s redemption has already come through Jesus Christ. Zacharias also prophesied to John the Baptist (only 8 days old) saying, “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby The Day spring from on high hath visited us.” ~ Luke 1:76-78 .

Remember these words were spoken in an entirely Jewish context in view of God’s promised redemption for Israel.

Now consider another example from the book of Acts. The apostle Peter preaching to his Jewish brethren said the following:

But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. ~ Acts 3:18-19

Notice that Peter tells his Jewish brethren to repent and be converted. Is this the message of modern day Zionism? No it isn’t. The Zionist narrative claims that God has a separate plan for Israel than for the church, yet Peter tells his Jewish kinsmen to to repent and be converted. Peter continues:

And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. ~ Acts 3:20-23

Notice the similarities between Peter’s words (which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets since the world began) and the words of Zacharias’s prophecy (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began…)

Both Zacharias before the birth of Jesus, and Peter after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, declare that the God’s words through the prophets to Israel are fulfilled in the the person of Jesus Christ in relation to his first coming.

Peter tells his fellow Jews that Moses prophesied to Israel that God would raise up a prophet like himself who would be the leader of Israel. John the Baptist was asked by the religious establishment in Israel if he was “that prophet.” He denied that he was and declared that Jesus is.

The message of the New Testament to the people of Israel is that Jesus is the prophet that Moses said would come and all who will not listen to that prophet would be cut off from God’s people. In Acts 7 Stephen declared the following as he testified of Jesus before the Sanhedrin: Moses, …said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us… ~ Acts 7:37-38

Note that Stephen refers to Israel in the wilderness as “the church in the wilderness.” The church is not a New Testament concept. 

Now lets continue with Peter’s words to the Jews in Acts 3.

Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. ~ Acts 3:18-26

Now the words of Paul from Acts 13:

Of this man’s seed (King David’s seed) hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. ~ Acts 13:23-39

Even though Paul says to the Jews that they would be justified through Jesus by faith and that they could not be justified by the law of Moses, Christian Zionists and their prophecy experts preach a futuristic plan of God that brings them back under the law with a fabricated temple service and animal sacrifices that God clearly says in scripture he takes no pleasure in.

Now notice the next two verses which are critical to the point that is being made in this teaching.

Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. ~ v. 40-41

The apostle Paul does not preach another alternative to the his Jewish brethren after the flesh. He gives them a stern warning from the prophets. While the prophecy experts within Christian Zionism claim that God has another plan for modern day Israel because he has unfulfilled promises to them spoken through the prophets, the apostle Paul says otherwise, claiming that God has fulfilled his promise to Israel by the resurrection of Jesus.

Paul cites the warning of destruction which was given by prophets to Israel which should come on all within Israel who refused to believe the gospel. Jesus is Israel’s Messiah, and their redemption has already come through Jesus, now they are required to believe the gospel. No rebuilt temple with animal sacrifice will led them to God. They must believe the gospel and be grafted back into their tree of which the root is Jesus, who is also the foundation of the church (Jews and gentiles in one family) with no end.

There are some who preach and teach “God is not mad at you” as an across-the-board truth which applies to everyone. This belief is based on the idea that the death of Jesus has forever satisfied the wrath of God. Consequently God isn’t angry with anyone, not even the hard hearted who refuses to repent, but does the Bible actually teach this?

Consider the words of Paul to the Corinthians, Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:11

Consider also that Paul told the Thessalonians that the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus, and who were hindering his ministry to the Gentiles, were under God’s wrath. ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

Paul believed the hostile Jews who put Jesus to death and who continued in their hostility by opposing the gospel were under the wrath of God. Paul says this after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Yet there are modern day teachers who claim that no one is under God’s wrath because of their “theological” claims that God poured out his wrath on Jesus.

One well know minister has said the following:

Jesus forever changed the way God relates to mankind. Sure, there are scriptural examples of God’s catastrophic judgment on sin. But God’s greatest act of judgment was when He placed all of His wrath for our sins upon Jesus. This forever satisfied God’s wrath. Since that time, God hasn’t been judging our sins.

Compare the quote above with Paul’s words form in the book of Romans:

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. ~ Romans 12:19

If no one is under the wrath of God, as some claim, Paul would not have taught that we who follow Jesus are not appointed to wrath at the coming of the Lord, but those who refuse to obey the gospel are under the wrath of God when Christ comes. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:8 and 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

If no one is under the wrath of God, the author of Hebrews would never have said that those who turn away from the Lord have nothing to look forward to except for a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ~ Hebrews 10:27, 30-31

Peter tells us God that turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes and condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished,  ~ 2 Peter 2:6-9

The apostle Peter also declared: For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? ~ 1 Peter 4:17

The teacher whose comment is referenced above has made a bold statement based on his theological assessment that God placed all his wrath on Jesus which is nowhere taught in the Bible.

According to the Bible, Jesus suffered under the wrath of men, who opposed God and Jesus. ~ Acts 4:25-27.

In Acts 7, Stephen asserted that Jesus had been murdered. Stephen declared this to those who were about to stone him, saying to them that they had been “the betrayers and murderers of Jesus.” ~ Acts 7:52

According to the prophet Isaiah, and Philip preaching to the Eunuch, Jesus was deprived of justice from the time of his arrest until his death on the cross. ~ Isaiah 53:8, Acts 8:33

As Jesus prepared his disciples for the things he was to suffer in his death, he told his disciples that he would suffer at the hands of men.

See Matthew 16:21; 17:9, 22-23; 20:17-19; 26:1-2, 24, 31, 45; 26:51-56; Mark 8:31; 9:9-11, 31-32, 10:32-34; 14:27, 43-50; 15:27-28; Luke 9:21-22, 44-45; 17:24-25; 18:31-34; 22:37; 24:1-8, 13-27, 44-48; John 18:31-32; 19:24, 28

In the book of Acts, the declaration of the gospel by the apostles and men like Stephen, was that Jesus had suffered an unjust death at the hands of sinful men.

See Acts 2:22-24, 36; 3:13-18; 4:10-11, 20, 23- 28; 5:30-32; 7:52; 10:36-43

Neither Jesus, nor any of his followers in scripture ever preached that Jesus died under the wrath of God. They always attributed the death of Christ to the hands of sinful men, and they preached the resurrection as God’s righteous vindication of his Son, Jesus.

According to the apostle Peter, the sufferings Jesus endured serves as our example of how we are to respond when we suffer wrongfully.

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. ~ 1 Peter 2:19-25

Notice that in view of Jesus suffering for us, Peter says that Jesus committed himself to God who judges righteously, setting an example that we should follow when we suffer wrongfully. Peter would not have said this if Jesus had suffered under God’s righteous wrath.

According to the author of Hebrews, Jesus endured hostility from sinners when he died on the cross (Hebrews 12:2-3) and he endured such hostility by the grace of God. ~ Hebrews 2:9

Paul tells us in Romans, the reproaches of those who reproached (defamed) God fell upon Jesus. ~ Romans 15:3

Jesus was crucified by those who were in opposition to God. The condemnation Jesus endured from sinful men, was sinful man’s opposition against God. This is exactly why the disciples prayed in Acts 4 saying: The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and his Christ. ~ Acts 4:26

Within the context of Acts 4:26 (mentioned above) the disciples of the Lord made appeal to Psalm 2, which clearly reveals that Jesus was condemned, not by the wrath of God, but by the wrath of sinful men: why do THE HEATHEN RAGE and the people imagine vain thing.

Heathen raging, is an expression of the heathen’s wrath. Jesus died under the wrath of heathen, and not the wrath of a holy God. The hatred and opposition from sinful men, who condemned Jesus to death, was hatred and opposition against God who sent Jesus. This is what the four gospels and the book of Acts repeatedly give testimony concerning.

According to Jesus, God was with him when he gave his life (John 8:29; 16:28-32) and this is exactly what the prophet Isaiah said. ~ Isaiah 50:5-9

Jesus endure such opposition from sinful men in order that he might give his life as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is the gift of God to us, but he is also the gift to God on our behalf, for he gave himself to God as a holy sacrifice, as a sweet -savor offering (Ephesians 5:2), when he offered his holy life on the altar of the cross for us.

The one who desires to obey God is NOT under God’s wrath. The one who despises God and rejects his goodness is. Those who abduct children, rape children, murder innocent people, live in adultery, mock Jesus, etc., are  absolutely under God’s wrath. Only by repenting and being saved through the cross of Jesus Christ, is the wrath of God turned away from such people.

God patiently gives them space to repent, but God is not, “not angry”, with them. He is angry with the wicked every day. ~ Psalm 7:11

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ~ Ephesians 5:3-6