Distinguishing The Difference

Feature 1 – February 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Distinguishing The Difference
Differentiating Between Israel And The Church

Sincere believers can often disagree in their understanding of a biblical topic. One such area of potential disagreement relates to how we explain the difference between Israel and the Church. Is there actually a difference? Many say there is not, arguing, “In Old Testament times the Israelites were God’s chosen people, but they failed and were exiled. God has therefore cast them aside and has created a new body of people made up of Jews and Gentiles known as the Church. Israel exists today as a secular nation but nothing more. It has no further place in the purposes of God.”

How can this kind of reasoning be countered? Has the Church replaced Israel in God’s purposes? Have His promises which were made to Israel in the Old Testament now been transferred entirely to the Church? Questions like these need to be answered, but a few pages do not allow for a lengthy response. We believe that the Bible clearly distinguishes between Israel and the Church, and would like to explain that viewpoint. As we begin, perhaps we should ask, “How has such confusion arisen?”

Some Simple Examples
Although some Bible translations are accurate, trustworthy and reliable, we must be aware that not every word is part of the original. In order to assist readers, some Bible translators have added headings. In many cases these can be helpful in enabling us to identify the theme of a chapter, but that is not always the case. Some editions of the King James Version contain well-meaning but misleading headings. For instance, you may find over Isaiah 43 the summary, “God comforteth the Church with His promises.” The opening verses of Isaiah 43 clearly do not concern the Church of the New Testament. In Isaiah 43:1 the LORD addressed “Jacob” and “Israel” – both of which must be understood in their context. The last page of Isaiah in some Bibles contains the summary heading, “The gathering of all nations into one church.” Again, the context refers to Jerusalem (66:10) and has nothing to do with the Church of the New Testament. However, someone reading through Isaiah might believe these headings without question and therefore blur the distinction between Israel and the Church.

One further example may illustrate the care which must be taken in handling God’s Word. In Acts 7:38 (KJV) Stephen referred to “the church in the wilderness” in his address to the Jewish leaders. The margin in some Bibles suggests “congregation” as an alternative – and this is preferable to “church.” The New Testament Church did not exist when Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness, as we shall see.

“I Will Build My Church”
It is always extremely helpful to discover where an expression is used in Scripture for the first time. In Matthew 16:18 we find the first reference to the Church in the New Testament. Simon Peter had uttered a remarkable confession in response to the Lord’s question (v.15), “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter’s words resonated with conviction: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v.16). Acknowledging that Peter had only been able to utter such a confession through divine revelation, the Lord Jesus declared, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church” (v.18).

Those words are vitally important to understand. First, we note that the Church did not yet exist. The Lord Jesus employed the future tense when He spoke of building it: “I will build My Church.” Second, the Church would be His – for He spoke of “My Church.” Third, He would build that Church Himself. The “rock” upon which it would be built was not the person of Simon Peter but his confession. Had the Church been built upon Peter we could never understand the meaning of the Lord’s words “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v.18), for Peter was a mortal, sinful human being (see Lk. 5:8, 22:61-62)! These words of the Lord Jesus Christ are important, for they make it clear that the Church which He was going to build was not the same as Israel.

Romans 9–11
Paul’s epistle to the Romans is a masterpiece in unfolding the message of the gospel. The very first verse refers to “the gospel of God” (1:1), which Paul loved to proclaim. Romans 1:16 makes it clear that the message of salvation must be proclaimed “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Acts 1:8 reveals the Lord’s program of evangelism following His death and resurrection, with the message first being proclaimed in Jerusalem before eventually being taken to the uttermost parts of the earth. Reading through Acts we learn of the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, when a new body of believing people was formed, indwelt by the Holy Spirit (2:1-4). In obedience to the Lord’s command, the apostles took the message of salvation out in ever-widening circles. Initially the Church consisted entirely of Jewish believers, but as the months passed an increasing number of Gentiles was added.

Paul rejoiced to proclaim the gospel, but the opening verses of Romans 9 reveal the “great heaviness and continual sorrow” which remained in his heart as he thought of his own nation after the flesh (v.2). He knew of their heritage and past blessings, but he longed for their salvation. Why were they so blinded to the message of salvation? Had God cast them away for ever (11:1)? These three chapters – Romans 9, 10 and 11 – need to be read carefully. God in His wisdom has allowed a partial “blindness” to affect Israel so that the message of salvation might reach the Gentiles (v.25). But God has not finished with His earthly people! In order to support the notion of the Church’s replacing Israel, one has to completely reinterpret the terms Paul used and suggest that when he spoke of “Israel” he did not mean Israel at all!

Earthly Or Heavenly Destiny
Reading about Israel in the Old Testament and then reading about the Church in the New Testament at once presents a contrast. Israel was a nation which possessed a specific geographical territory. The land occupied by Israel belonged to the nation and had been given to the people by God. If the nation obeyed God, it would enjoy His blessing in that land.

The Church described in the New Testament could hardly be more different. Unlike its Old Testament counterpart, the Church is presented to us as a body of people with a heavenly destiny. The Church does not belong to this world and therefore is not promised a future here. In prayer to His Father, the Lord Jesus expressed His personal desire that His people might be with Him in heaven for eternity (Jn. 17:24). The Lord Jesus “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4). Believers are primarily heavenly citizens who await the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, when they will be changed and made fit for glory (Phil. 3:20-21).

The Old Testament presents Israel as the wife of Jehovah, married to Him and enjoying the land which He had given them (Isa. 62:4). The New Testament presents the Lord Jesus as the Bridegroom and the Church as His bride. In accordance with the features of a traditional eastern wedding, the Bridegroom will return and take His bride to His Father’s home. In contrast to everything revealed about Israel, the Church is promised no home on earth. Rather, the New Testament associates the Church with Christ and with heaven.

Unfulfilled Prophecies
Another compelling distinction between Israel and the Church must be considered. We have already briefly traced Paul’s argument in Romans 9–11, where he revealed how God has set Israel aside at the present time. Other Scriptures, however, make it clear that God is going to take up Israel again.

Daniel was shown the future of his people in terms of “seventy weeks” or seventy sevens. We can find this fascinating prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27. The prophecy relates to “thy people” and “thy holy city” and clearly applies to the literal city of Jerusalem, which is specifically identified. Daniel was told of two defining dates. The first was “the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem,” and the second related to “Messiah the Prince.” A period of 69 “sevens” was envisaged, or recognized, as being between these two marker-points, or 483 years (69x7=483). The 69 “sevens” would end with the Messiah being cut off in death. However, Daniel’s prophecy did not cover 69 but 70 sevens of years. The final seven-year period has not yet run its course.

When we compare Daniel with Revelation we discover further references to that seven-year period which is divided into two equal portions of three-and-a-half years. The second half of this period is sometimes specified as covering 42 months and is known as “the great tribulation.” It will be a time of unparallelled suffering on this earth as the wrath of God is poured out upon unbelievers, and especially upon Israel. This period will be known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7). It will conclude when the Lord Jesus returns from heaven to the Mount of Olives and presents Himself as the Deliverer of His earthly people (Zech. 14:4).

How Can This Be Accommodated?
Explaining the reason for unfulfilled prophecies will not be simple when we fail to distinguish between Israel and the Church. It is important to be consistent in explaining the meaning of Scripture. To recognize that past fulfilled prophecies relating to Israel were fulfilled literally should cause us to expect that unfulfilled prophecies will be fulfilled literally too. However, this is where those who confuse Israel and the Church fail to be consistent. Believing that the Church has replaced Israel requires the prophecies relating to Israel to be understood differently. Rather than having a literal fulfillment, they are now spiritualized. This, of course, introduces an arbitrary distinction and requires some kind of mental gymnastics to be performed.

Instead of resorting to contradictory methods of interpretation, we need to accept that Israel and the Church are not the same entities. The Israelites were God’s people in Old Testament times. The Lord Jesus was born among them and came to them as their Messiah, but they rejected Him. Shortly before going to the cross the Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem and announced that its inhabitants would not see Him again until the moment when they would declare, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the LORD” (Mt. 23:39). The King of the Jews was crucified – but all this was according to the wisdom and purposes of God, as Peter explained on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:23). Through Israel’s rejection of their Messiah, the gospel has gone out to the Gentiles.

At the present time God is saving individuals – whether Jew or Gentile – on the basis of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Him are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and become members of the body of Christ. When the Lord Jesus returns to the air, those who belong to Him will be caught up to meet Him in the clouds and will go to be forever with the Lord (1 Th. 4:16-17). This will bring the church age to its conclusion. After this, God will resume His dealings with Israel, and the seven-year-period of time mentioned in Scripture will run its course, culminating in the personal return of Christ to the earth and His reign.

It is important to handle Scripture correctly and to be found “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Differences must always be distinguished. There is no need to complicate the truths of the Word of God. God is the best interpreter of His own Word, and we ought to allow Him to make it plain to our hearts.

By Martin Girard