I have been concerned about the over emphasis of prophecy by some. I shouldn’t be surprised because I have come to learn that overemphasis of particular truths or views come in cycles and they do eventually run their course. Currently prophecy is one of those subjects. We definitely need some good sound teaching in this area.

First let me say that within the church, prophecy is a part of what we do. It’s not all of what we do, neither does it occupy the majority of what we do but it does have a place within the overall operation of God within his Church.

Now, let me say very precisely, I am not against prophecy. I have both prophesied and been prophesied to. Prophecy has been very encouraging to me especially at certain points in my life and really that is the purpose for the simple gift of prophecy within the Church.

Biblical prophecy in its simplest form is speaking to men to edification, exhortation, and comfort. Of course prophecy can also be coupled with the other gifts as is the case with those who are truly called to the office of the prophet. A prophet may have a word of wisdom which is to be spoken under the inspiration of the gift prophecy.

The gifts of the Spirit will oftentimes overlap. A believer may experience the gift of faith by which he will minister in the gifts of healing or the working of miracles.

Once while I was teaching a simple Bible class, I suddenly was empowered with boldness and spoke under such inspiration that one of the people present (later reported) how they had experienced healing. My speaking under the anointing that evening inspired their faith to act on what they had heard and God was glorified. This happened unbeknownst to me and was the result of my teaching the Word of God under the anointing.

Preaching or teaching under the anointing can often be coupled with the gifts to bring about the desired result of the Lord to answer the prayers of his people. Many times minister’s who are prayerfully prepared will speak by the gift of prophecy within the context of their preaching or teaching and sometimes they may not even know it until they hear reports of what God has done within the hearts of the hearer.

God did not put prophecy in the church to take the place of the preaching and teaching of his holy written word. There is far more in the New Testament about preaching and teaching the scriptures than there is about prophecy. Let me say it this way, the scriptures should be our main diet and the gifts a supplement to our diet. The gifts are very important but we must put God’s holy written word first.

This doesn’t mean we can’t have special meetings to teach on the subject of prophecy or the gifts of the Spirit so that folks can understand them from a scriptural standpoint. We should do this as with other Biblical subjects but the operation of the gifts of the Spirit are as the Spirit wills and not as we will.

It is my conviction that one thing which fuels much of the desire that folks have for prophesy is an intense desire to hear God’s voice. There is a subtle pitfall that needs to be avoided here. That pitfall is elevating personal prophecy above the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Those who elevate prophecy out of proportion tend to value the words of a prophecy as infallible as the word of God. Yet prophesy should always be judged by the written Word of God.

The function of the simple gift of prophecy within the body of Christ is not for doctrinal purposes. The Scriptures are the rule for our doctrine.

The simple gift of prophecy is given for edification, exhortation, and comfort. One does not have to be a prophet to have the gift of prophecy. For example, Acts 21:9 tells us that Philip the evangelist had four daughters, who were virgins, which did prophesy. Acts 19 tells us that Paul laid his hands on certain disciples and the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Yet, in the ministry of a prophet, the gift of prophecy is often coupled with other gifts such as the gift of the Word of Wisdom and/or the Word of Knowledge. For instance, in Acts 11 Agabus the prophet warned the church about a famine that was coming and in Acts 21 he confirmed that Paul was going to be bond in Jerusalem.

In neither incident did Agabus offer detailed guidance or doctrine because prophets were not set in the church to guide us or to to be our rule to live by. The Holy Spirit is our guide and the Word of God is our rule for living. Yet, Agabus did reveal certain facts that were known to God that one would not know simply from reading and/or studying scripture. The revelation of the coming famine allowed the church to prepare for it and the revelation of Paul being bond in Jerusalem was confirmation concerning the will of God.

Back in 2004 my wife Angie and I faced a serious challenge after Angie became pregnant with our son. I will not go into all the details but I would like to high-light the role that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had during this very difficult time.

A few weeks into the pregnancy, Angie began to have some difficulties that were very concerning and very scary to say the least. During this time our faith was challenged and I did everything I could to keep hope and faith alive in my heart as well as my wife’s.

I stood in the gap for my unborn son who could not pray for himself and reminded God of the covenant David (my son) had with Him in Jesus Christ even though he was yet unborn. I did everything I knew to do to strengthen my faith as well as my wife’s faith. We drew strength from various sources such as Kenneth Hagin’s message El Shaddai which was very encouraging.

One Wednesday evening after teaching a Bible Study, I came home and took my wife to the emergency room because the problems were persisting. When the doctors examined things they found a dark mass of something that was endangering the life of our unborn child and we actually saw it because they showed it to us. They sent us home with the diagnosis of a threatened miscarriage.

I believe it was the following Saturday, Angie was again having some difficulty and it was very scary. We decided to go the prayer cottage on the grounds of the church we attended at the time so that we could pray. As we prayed, I prayed in tongues. The scripture says, “if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prays,” and as I prayed in tongues I began to have joy inside of me. I began to laugh because I had a note of victory in my spirit.

I don’t think this helped my wife (in the moment) because she was actually doing the hard physical work of carrying our child and that is tough enough in itself. Yet, my spirit was edified in the Lord through the gift of tongues and I had a witness of victory from praying in the Spirit.

On Sunday morning, my wife woke me up very early. I think it was somewhere between 4:00 and 4:30 am. She had just passed a huge blood clot and feared she had lost our child; she was frantic and understandably so. It was a very dark moment to say the least.

As I was being awakened by Angie, and before my natural mind knew what had just happened, I spoke by the Holy Ghost and these words came out of my mouth, “Who ever heard of an axe- head swimming?”

Angie testifies that she thought I was losing my mind, yet out of my spirit I was speaking through the gift of prophecy. I wasn’t yet fully awake but the gift of prophecy was in manifestation speaking about the hand of God on my child. Axe-heads don’t swim or float, but the one in 2 Kings 6:1-7 did!

Later that morning, Angie spoke with a nurse and described what had happened with the blood clot. That conversation did nothing but confirm the worst of her fears. After their conversation, I took the phone and went to a back room in our home and asked the nurse to shoot straight with me. She bluntly said, “It sounds like a miscarriage.”

It was Sunday, it was Angie’s birthday, and we had to wait till Monday afternoon to see the doctor. It was a long and dark day because all evidence pointed to the fact that we had lost our child in a miscarriage. At one point as I was trying to encourage or console my wife, she looked at me in deep sorrow and said, “You don’t understand, I lost my child!”

That day I stood as strongly as I could, though I struggled with doubt and fear. I continued to cry out for God to keep and protect my son and to raise my son from the dead if need be. I did not simply want a child, I wanted THIS child.

When we visited the doctor on Monday afternoon, the joy of the Lord filled our hearts as the ultrasound/sonogram revealed the beating heart of our little David and that ugly dark mass which was called “the threatened miscarriage ” was gone!

The axe-head did swim, just as the Lord has said he would!

I thank God for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit that the Holy Ghost gives to us. Many times throughout my marriage, the gift of prophecy has helped Angie and I through times when we needed help and encouragement.

The gifts of the Spirit have not ceased. We need them. If it had not been for the simple gift of tongues I don’t think I would have stood in faith as well as I did because praying in other tongues edifies us and builds us up on our most holy faith.

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 (Ephesians 2:11).

• You were called the uncircumcision by the Jews who are called the circumcision in the flesh.

In Philippians 3 the apostle Paul says, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

• The concision is a reference to those who boast in physical circumcision in the flesh. However, according to the apostle Paul, those who are in Christ are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. In this we can see the contrast between circumcision in the flesh and circumcision in the spirit.

• Paul goes on in the following verses (4-14) to disqualify any right he had as a circumcised Jew to boast in his flesh so that his boasting may be found only in Christ Jesus.

In Colossians 2, Paul tells the believers at Colosse that they were “circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”

• In Ephesians 2, Paul speaks of “the circumcision” a reference to Jews in the flesh, as the circumcision in the flesh made by hands.

• The physical circumcision of the ethnic Jew was in the flesh and made with human hands. True circumcision comes through faith in Jesus Christ and is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart. This is “the circumcision” we receive through faith in Christ as mentioned above.

In Romans 2, Paul says to the ethnic Jew, “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision” (Romans 2:25).

• Jews in the flesh, who do not follow the law of God which would lead them to Christ, are uncircumcised in the eyes of God.

Paul continues in Romans 2 saying, “Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?” (Romans 2:26).

• Again, the uncircumcision is a reference to the Gentiles who were outside the covenants given to Israel.

• The righteousness of the Law does not refer to the “works of the Law” but faith as Paul details throughout Romans.

• Those who obey God though faith are the true circumcision regardless if they are Jews (circumcised in the flesh) or Gentiles (uncircumcised in the flesh).

Paul continues, “And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?” (Romans 2:27).

• The true circumcision of the heart is set over against the outward circumcision of the flesh. Heart circumcision knows no ethnicity.

Finally, Paul says, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Romans 2:28-29).

• The true Jew in the eyes of God is the one who has the circumcised heart. It has nothing to do with ethnicity.

Jesus always attributed the things he suffered in his death to the hands of sinful men. Not even once did he ever attribute it to the justice of God.

Likewise, You will not find a single instance in the book of Acts where the apostles ever interpret the death of Jesus as condemnation levied against Jesus from God. The apostles always hold the people responsible.

Stephen, who was not an apostle, also testified of the death and resurrection of Jesus while on trial before the Sanhedrin.

(2). Psalm 22 clearly shows that verse one (quoted in Matthew 27:1) was a perception not the reality. God did had not abandon Jesus according to the whole of Psalm 22. Verse 24 says, “For He (God) hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath He hid His face from Him; but when He cried unto Him, He heard.”

(3). Romans 3:25 is in the context of justification by faith through the grace of God, not the wrath of God. The Greek word halisterion (translated propitiation in the KJV) is employed by the Septuagint to describe the Mercy Seat in the Old Testament. That which was foreshadowed by the mercy seat flows with the context of Romans 3. God has set forth Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement because of His mercy (not wrath) so that by grace He might justify all who believe in Jesus.

(4). 2 Corinthians 5:21 speaks of Christ our sin offering, not our literal sin or our sinfulness. Throughout the Old Testament the words sin and sin offering are translated from the same Hebrew word chattath. Chattath is translated as sin offering 118 times, and translated as sin 168 times.

In Hebrews 10:6, the writer of Hebrews speaks of sacrifices for sin. The words “sacrifices for” are added by the translators of the KJV for clarity. Literally, Hebrews 10:6 says: “In burnt offerings and sin thou hast had no pleasure”. However, we know that the author is not referring to sin, but to the sin offerings instead. We know this because of the context, and we know this because Hebrews 10:6 is a quote from Psalm 40:6 which says, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required”.

The same Greek word (hamartia) used in Hebrews 10:6 which references the sin offering, is used in 2 Corinthians 5:21 for sin, and therefore should be understood as “sin offering”.

The sin offerings, which were holy offerings, were offered to make atonement or reconciliation. Reconciliation is the surrounding context of 2 Corinthians 5:21. The transference of personal acts of sin or of a sin nature is nowhere found in the context, nor was this the case under the Law when sin offerings were offered. The sin offerings had to be holy and unblemished and were offered on behalf of the sins of the people to reconcile the people to God.

God made him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be made the sin offering for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

(5). 1 Peter 2:24 is written in the context of Jesus suffering wrongfully (v.19-25). He is the shepherd of our souls and we are to follow His example when we suffer unjustly. Peter tells us that when Jesus suffered wrongfully, He committed himself to THE ONE WHO  JUDGES RIGHTEOUSLY.  Jesus bore our sins, not as one (who by transference) became guilty with our sins, but rather by laying down His pure and holy life for us, he made atonement through the shedding of His precious blood so that we could be cleansed from our sins. Had Jesus had our personal acts of sins and/or guilt transferred to him, he would not have remained pure. The scripture says we were redeemed by the precious Blood of Jesus as of a lamb WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT.

(6). Galatians 3:13 is written within the context of the curse of the Law imposed on all who are under the Law. The only deliverance from the curse of the law is through the Messiah. Jesus was made a curse in that He was CRUCIFIED, or HANGED on a tree, being openly humiliated and put to shame by those who hated him. However, God raised him from the dead and declared by his resurrection, “this is My Son!”

Jesus endured the hostility of sinful men and was vindicated by God in the resurrection. Hebrews 12:2-3 says, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that ENDURED SUCH CONTRADICTIONS OF SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

• The Amplified Bible says, “Just consider and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself [consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you will not grow weary and lose heart… (Hebrews 12:30).
• Like 1 Peter 2:19-25, Hebrews 12:1-4 exhorts us to follow Jesus, who endured the cross, as our example of perseverance. He suffered cruelty from sinful men, not from God. Yet it was the will of God for Jesus to suffer so that, through Him, God might save all, who believe though Him.
• The sufferings of Christ according to the will of God as expressed in the scriptures should be understood in the same way in which we understand others who, according to the will of God, suffered to glorify God. For example, both Job and Paul suffered for the glory of God, but it was not God opposing and afflicting them. Yet in their sufferings they were completely in the will of God. In much the same way it is important to understand that Christ suffered at the hands of men according to the will of God.
• Under the Law, it was the corpses of those who had already been executed for such offenses as blasphemy which were hanged on a tree. In Galatians 3:1, the apostle Paul says, “Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.” The crucified Christ is the emblem of redemption, and through the broken body of the crucified Messiah, we are free from the curse of the Law. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we are sanctified through the OFFERING of the BODY OF JESUS CHRIST once and for all. Christ gave to God a holy and sinless life to redeem us with his precious blood and through his slain body we are redeemed from the curse of the Law so that righteousness might come to all who trust in him.

Those who teach the theory of PSA create a narrative which is contrary to the narrative revealed in the four gospels and the book of Acts.

When we have as our foundation, the teachings of Jesus and the gospel preached by the apostles in the book of Acts, we will more accurately interpret the death of Christ in view of the whole counsel of scripture. For example, if we would ask the questions, “Does God condemning Jesus prove He is the Son of God, or does God vindicating Him prove He is the Son of God?” What what be the proper response to these questions?

If Jesus had died as a condemned substitute under the justice of God, how would that work with believing He is the Son of God? Those who crucified Jesus condemned Him of blasphemy, for claiming to be the Messiah, the Son of God. If Jesus had been condemned by God, God would have been siding with the people who condemned Him. Yet the scripture says that those who put Jesus to death were gathered against the Lord (God) and against His Christ (Acts 4:26). Those who condemned Jesus were opposing God!

Though He was unjustly condemned, He was vindicated when God raised Him from the dead. He is who He claimed to be, and when we believe and declare that Jesus is the Son of God we agree with the testimony of God who raised Him from the dead. This is revealed in the narrative and comes through clearly within the continuity of the scriptures.

Jesus was delivered over to death according to the will of God for the purpose of laying down His own life for our redemption through the shedding of his Blood.

This can be clearly understood when we will consider others who, according to the will of God, laid down their lives to serve the purposes of God. Stephen, for instance, laid down His life for the glory of God. Stephen was not condemned by God, but rather was a chosen vessel who suffered martyrdom for the gospel and the glory of Christ.

In the gospels, Jesus likened His own death to those who had died before Him for the glory of God. For example in Matthew 17:12-13 Jesus says the following.

But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. LIKEWISE shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Notice that Jesus likens His death to that of John the Baptist. John was not condemned by God, but was a martyr who died for the glory of God. Jesus says, “LIKEWISE shall also the Son of man SUFFER OF THEM.”

We see the same line of thinking In Matthew 21:33-43 in the parable concerning the Husbandmen of the vineyard who rejected the Son of the the Lord of the vineyard. The Lord of the vineyard first sent many different servants and they were mistreated and killed by the wicked Husbandmen of the vineyard. In Verses 34- 39 we read the following. 

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

As we can see in this parable, the Lord of the vineyard was not the one condemning His Son. Instead, it was the Husbandmen who mistreated and killed the Son. They did to the Son as they had done to the other servants who were sent before Him. This is the narrative according to Jesus and His apostles concerning the nature of Christ’s sufferings. He died at the hands of sinful men who unjustly condemned Him. He was condemned by men, not condemned by God. 

As we continue reading this parable, Jesus says the following.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? (Matthew 21:40-42).

The significance of Jesus as the Stone which THE BUILDERS REJECTED and the ONE GOD ACCEPTED is abundantly clear throughout the Gospels and the Book of Acts.

Jesus, in accordance with the will of God, laid down His life, dying unjustly at the hands of sinful men, to redeem us with his precious Blood. In His resurrection, God overturned the verdict of sinful men who oppose God by raising his Son from the dead.

In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul tells us that through the cross, God has made foolish the wisdom of this world.

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.  As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know Him through human wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is THE POWER  of God and THE WISDOM of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

Christ crucified, is both the power of God (through His shed blood for our redemption) and the wisdom of God, who in the resurrection, overturned verdict of sinful men and has brought to nothing the counsel of the princes of this world who unjustly condemned His Son.

For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.  ~ Hebrews 4:8

The reference above belongs to the exhortation by the writer of Hebrews concerning the rest promised for the people of God. In chapter 3, he tells us how the people of Israel fell in the wilderness because of unbelief.

God became so angry with the Israelites in the wilderness that he swore in his wrath that that generation would not enter into his rest, i.e., the Promised Land.

The author of Hebrews, writing to Hebrew believers speaks of Israel’s land inheritance as a rest, foreshadowing the true rest which was yet to come.

Notice that he says, “If Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day.”

Israel never entered into God’s rest under Joshua, though they inhabited the land. This is why he mentions “another day” and quotes the words of David from Psalms 95 which was said by David, long after Israel occupied the land.

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. ~ Hebrews 4:7

Hebrews 4:6-7 in New Living Translation says the following:

God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.

Writing to Hebrew believers, the writer of Hebrews tells them that there remains a rest to be entered by the people of God. That rest is the finished work of Christ. The author of Hebrews will continue to expound on this truth throughout the epistle as he expounds on Jesus’ Priesthood, sacrifice, and the New Covenant of which Christ is the mediator.

Israel’s inheritance in the land of Canaan wasn’t a permanent rest. Instead, it was only a type and a foreshadowing of something much more significant: the true rest that comes through faith in Jesus.

If all Israel being saved means all Jews will be saved, then why is it necessary for them to be in the land of Israel for this to happen? Being in Israel or not being in Israel has nothing to do with being saved. Salvation is by believing the gospel of Jesus Christ through repentance and faith.

If all Israel being saved means all Jews will be saved, then why is it necessary for them to build another temple like the one God destroyed before they are saved? When anyone is saved they become a living stone in God’s true spiritual temple. Salvation is by believing the gospel of Jesus Christ through repentance and faith.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! ~ Psalm 53:6a

I once saw this portion of scripture on a caption on a social media site. In response one commenter wrote the following: “The help will come from God…. seems the President of the US has turned his back on Israel.”

This comment is very indicative of the ideology that many Western Christians have embraced regarding Israel. It is an ideology which advocates that salvation for Israel is something that has not yet come. On the contrary, the New Testament reveals that salvation has indeed already come to Israel.

For example, consider the following declarations from the New Testament about the salvation of Israel which has come through Jesus Christ.

In the gospel of Luke, Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied by the Holy Spirit these 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

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

Notice three things here:

1. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the Lord. This was also prophesied by Isaiah the prophet and is recorded in Matthew and Mark.
2. John was sent to give the people of Israel the knowledge of salvation. In John 1:31, John the Baptist says that he was sent to reveal the Messiah to Israel.
3. Zacharias prophesied that God had visited his people according to his promises and John the Baptist was the forerunner who would make this glorious announcement (see Luke 1:68-80 in its entirety).

In Luke 2 we read of Simeon, who lived in Jerusalem. He was a just and devout man. The Bible says he was waiting for the Consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah ~ Luke 2:25-26.

When Simeon came by the Spirit to the temple at the time of the dedication of Jesus by Joseph and Mary, he took Jesus up in his arms, and praised God saying, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” ~ Luke 2:28-30

We also read of men like Zacchaeus, of whom Jesus said, “This day is Salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.” ~ Luke 9:19

Consider also the words of the apostle Peter from Acts 10.

The word God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:). That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. ~ Acts 10:38-43

In Acts 13 Paul says, “Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.” ~ v. 26

According to the New Testament gospel, Israel’s salvation is not about the political well being of the modern State of Israel. Instead, it is about redemption from sin and death through Jesus Christ. Rather than holding firm to the Biblical gospel concerning Israel’s salvation, the influence of Zionism has brought about a redefinition of salvation for Israel which is, at its core, political rather than spiritual.

The Psalmist prayed that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion, and it has! His name is Jesus. He is the Savior, and he was preached first to the Jews. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ as the announcement of salvation to the people of Israel.

Tell ye the daughter of Zion, ‘BEHOLD THY KING COMETH UNTO THEE… ~ Matthew 21:5, John 12:15

At the heart of the redefinition of Israel’s salvation is a new narrative which is contrary to the gospel revealed in the New Testament. This new narrative has ethnic Israel being saved when the Jews are back in the land, with a rebuilt the temple, and animal sacrifices.

Yet, the Bible reveals that these were judged because Israel (not the remnant) rejected the prophets and the righteous men whom God had sent to them. Their rejection of Jesus, the Son of God, was catastrophic in that it brought about the permanent end to the Jewish national status as the chosen nation.

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. ~ Matthew 23:34- 39

Jesus also told them, “the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). The Kingdom of God is no longer revealed through the physical nation of Israel, (their priesthood, their temple, and their city). Instead it is revealed through Christ and those who belong to him, both from among the Jews and the Gentiles.

The new narrative which redefines salvation for Israel by making it political is contrary to the New Testament’s declaration of how the people of Israel are saved. This new narrative is based on proof texting Bible verses such as Romans 11:26 which speak of all Israel being saved.

However, there is nothing within the context of Romans 9-11 which supports the ideology that Paul is speaking of a future nationalistic salvation in the last days wherein Israel will be superior to all other nations.

Paul never says all ethnic Israel would be saved; rather, he tells us that only a remnant from among the Jews would be saved. Paul quotes from the Old Testament book of Isaiah and says the following:

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. ~ Romans 9:27

Throughout the narrative of the story of Israel, God was faithful to those who were faithful to him, but those who rebelled against him, he judged. In both the Old and New Testaments, those who trusted God were delivered and did not perish.

Israel’s salvation doesn’t mean all Jews will eventually be saved. Instead, it means that salvation has come through Jesus Christ and all who look to him for deliverance will be saved. Jesus is the promised deliverer who has come out of Zion.

In Romans 11:26, the words “all Israel shall be saved” are qualified by the following statement, which says, “As it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob…”

In Acts 3, the apostle Peter declared to the Jews, “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 3:26

The turning of ungodliness from Jacob (Israel) came through Jesus and it is not something still yet to come. Nowhere in Romans is 9-11 does Paul ever imply that Israel’s deliverer is still yet to come. According to the text all Israel will be saved when the deliverer comes out of Zion and turns ungodliness from Jacob (Israel).

Who then is Israel?

According to the flow of thought in Romans 9-11, there is Israel (the remnant) and Israel in unbelief (the rest). Those who are the remnant are referred to by Paul as the children of God according to the promise. Those who are in unbelief are those who are not truly Israel.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. FOR THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL, WHICH ARE OF ISRAEL: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, THESE ARE NOT THE CHILDREN OF GOD: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. ~ Romans 9:6-8

Throughout Romans 9-11, Paul carefully explains the distinction between those who are truly Israel according the promise and those who are Israel after the flesh.

This is evident all throughout the narrative of scripture. For instance, Jesus referred to Zacchaeus as a son of Abraham, and therefore salvation came to his house (Luke 9:19). On the other hand, Jesus referred to those Jews opposing Him in John 8 as children of the devil. Jesus told those Jews who opposed Him that they would die in their sins if they did not repent and believe in Him ~ see John 8-10.

Those who are Israel according to the promise are those who embrace the promise, those who are Israel after the flesh stumble over the promise.

As it is written, Behold, I lay IN ZION a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ~ Romans 9:33

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. ~ 1 Peter 2:6

Throughout Romans 9-11, Paul reveals that the true Israel within Israel are those who are of faith. These are they who are the true election according to grace. These, along with the Gentiles who are grafted in with them, are the, all Israel who shall be saved.

The Psalmist said the following concering Israel.

Thou hast brought A VINE out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, AND PLANTED IT. Thou preparest room before it, AND DIDST CAUSE IT TO TAKE DEEP ROOT, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea and her branches unto the river. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it (Psalm 80:8-13).

In Isaiah, we something very similar.

Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching HIS VINEYARD. My well-beloved hath A VINEYARD in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and PLANTED IT WITH THE CHOICEST VINE, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and IT BROUGHT FORTH WILD GRAPES. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and MY VINEYARD.  What could have been done more to MY VINEYARD, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to MY VINEYARD: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but THERE SHALL COME UP BRIERS AND THORNS: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD OF HOST IS THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THE MEN OF JUDAH HIS PLESANT PLANT: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness,  but behold a cry (Isaiah 5:1-7).

In Matthew 21 Jesus gives a parable about the vineyard.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which PLANTED A VINEYARD, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when THE TIME OF FRUIT drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive THE FRUITS OF IT. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, THIS IS THE HEIR; come, let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of THE VINEYARD, and slew him. When THE LORD OF THE VINEYARD cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out HIS VINEYARD unto OTHER HUSBANDMEN, which shall render him THE FRUITS in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, THE KINGDOM OF GOD shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth THE FRUITS THEREOF (Matthew 21:33-43).

This parable spoken by Jesus is consistent with the description of the vineyard given by both the Psalmist and Isaiah the prophet. If we would have continued reading in Psalm 80, we would have read the following.

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and VISIT THIS VINE; And THE VINEYARD WHICH THY RIGHT-HAND HATH PLANTED, and THE BRANCH that thou madest strong for thyself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. LET THY HAND BE UPON THE MAN OF THEY RIGHT HAND, UPON THE SON OF MAN WHOM THOU MADEST STRONG FOR THYSELF. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved (Psalm 80:14-19).

Who is this son of Man? It is Jesus, the true vine of Israel.

I AM THE TRUE VINE, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth, not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ABIDE IN ME, and I IN YOU. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide IN THE VINE; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I AM THE VINE, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth MUCH FRUIT for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:1-6).

Under the Old Testament, there were many Gentiles who became members of the nation of Israel.

And in EVERY PROVINCE, and in EVERY CITY, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And MANY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND BECAME JEWS; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them (Esther 8:17).

These were Gentiles who became Jews. They were grafted in with the nation of Israel.

Under the Old Testament, Israel was not a race. Israel was a nation which began with the descendants of Jacob.

In Esther, the scripture says, “in every province, and in every city…many of the people of the land BECAME Jews.”

King Ahasuerus ruled over 127 provinces reaching from India to Ethiopia (Esther 1:1; 8:17).

Now consider how many Gentiles from 127 Provinces, reaching from India to Ethiopia, may have become Jews. The scripture says it was “many.” This is only one of the accounts of those mentioned in the Old Testament where Gentiles became Jews. 

Furthermore, have you ever considered how many people were born with Jewish DNA, which resulted from the Israelites committing fornication or intermarrying with other nations?

Consider Judges 3:5-6

So the people of ISRAEL lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and they INTERMARRIED with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods.

The descendants of these marriages had Jewish ancestors, but they were not pure blood Jews.

One of the misconceptions about the Old Testament Israel is that they were a pure race of people. They were not. In Matthew 1, for example, we read of two women in the genealogical record of Jesus (Rahab and Ruth) who were not Jews by blood lineage. They were Gentiles who were grafted into Israel.

Though Israel began with the descendants of Abraham, they increasingly became a nation with a mixture of Gentile DNA. Furthermore, according to scriptures, the descendants of Abraham were not recognized by their blood line. They were recognized by circumcision, the Law, and the tribes they belonged to. This is why Rahab and Ruth are mentioned in the ancestral lineage of Jesus dating back to Abraham. 

At the foundation of the ideology which states that ethnic Israel maintains an ongoing covenant status with God, is the concept of Covenant with God based on Jewish DNA.

This concept, which is entirely unbiblical, breeds contempt towards those who believe God’s promises to Israel are fulfilled in Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus told Nicodemus, who was a leader in Israel, “I tell you the truth unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

DNA is of no value with regards to a relationship with God.

The accusation of being labeled as having a replacement theology for believing Jesus fulfilled God’s promises to Israel is simply unmerited. It is impossible that the church could have “replaced Israel,” because Israel has always been the church!

The church is NOT a new concept which began in the New Testament. In Acts 7 Stephen refers to Israel in the wilderness as “the church in the wilderness.” In fact, Jesus himself used the term “the church” in Matthew 16:18 and 18:17.

Israel is, and has always been “the church” in both the Old and New Testament. However, that which needs to be understood is Jews who reject the Messiah no longer have a covenant with God.

Jews who reject Jesus Christ are cut -off from the covenant with God as Moses said they would be (Acts 3:22-23). They are the branches of which Paul refers to as, cut off, in Romans 11. On the contrary, Gentiles who believe in Jesus are “grafted in.”

Grafted into what?

They are grafted into Israel with the believing Jews. Though the modern state of Israel may have the title, Israel, they are not God’s Israel. God’s Israel is “in Christ” who is both the King and Shepherd of Israel.

Jesus told the Jews, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY DAY: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).

These Jews were standing in the presence of the Son of God, the Messiah, the Shepherd and King of Israel, yet they accused Him of falsehood and ridiculed Him.

Do you think God had a plan for “these Jews” apart from Christ? Do you think God required the Romans to bless THESE Jews in order to be blessed?

When God said, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you,” He was talking TO Abraham, and not to Israel.

These Jews missed the blessing of Abraham, and unless they repented somewhere between this dialogue in John 8, and the time of their death, they were cursed and have been separated from God for nearly 2000 years.

The apostle Peter preached to the Jews telling them, “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.

Paul told the Galatians that Jesus bore the curse of the Law so that “THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM” might come upon the Gentiles.

The blessing which God promised Abraham, saying, “I will bless those who bless you,” is in reference to Abraham becoming the father of many nations. This blessing comes ONLY through Jesus Christ. This blessing is not on national modern Israel, this blessing is in Christ, and it is upon those who are in Christ.

God told Abraham. “I will bless them that bless THEE , and curse him that curseth THEE: and IN THEE SHALL ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED” (Genesis 12:3).

In Galatians, the apostle Paul refers to this as the gospel in advance.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before THE GOSPEL unto Abraham, saying, IN THEE SHALL ALL NATIONS BE BLESSED. So then they which be of faith are BLESSED WITH FAITHFUL ABRAHAM (Galatians 3:8-9).