Symbolism of Israel and the Church in the Bible

An Essay:

THE RELATIONSHIP OF ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH IN PROPHETIC SYMBOLISM.

Throughout the NT we find a constant tension between the nation of Israel and the Church.

The Church began as a subgroup in Israel, but it soon became clear that the two could not coexist with each other. The claims of Christianity meant the end of Judaism if they were accepted, and this the Jews were not prepared to do.

The Church claimed that God had done a new thing - in fact he had done that which he said he would do, he had saved his people. In doing this God had brought in a new age. Grace had replaced Law, the New Covenant the Old.

Implicit in this claim was the idea of replacing the Priesthood with a New Priesthood, the Christ of God. Clearly this would not be a popular view among the Jewish rulership, who were all special classes of priests. If indeed every person could be a priest and approach God directly, then there was no need for a special class of people to do this for you, so the Jewish leaders would be out of a job. This provided an immediate tension.

Secondly the way God had wrought his salvation in Christ was not the way the Jews had come to expect. They saw salvation in a nationalistic sense - God was coming to save the nation of Israel from its oppressors. This was what God had done throughout history, and it is what God was expected to keep on doing.

However God wrought this new salvation on an individual level. It was not a group event, but the calling out of individuals to a new relationship with himself. On receiving that new relationship, a new Covenant, those that individually responded were joined to a new Community, the Church, the "called out ones".

This implied that the concept of a chosen nation, Israel, was dead, or at least radically altered. The basis of God's favour was no longer race, but faith Jesus as the Christ.

Furthermore the Church began to teach that the OT and God's dealings in Israel were only Types and Shadows - pictures in symbol form of the true reality God wanted to bring into being. Hence Israel was not the true reality of God's people, the Priesthood was not the true priesthood, the sacrifices were not the true sacrifices, and the temple was not the true temple. Even God's acts in history were not to be seen literally, even though they were historically true. But behind them was a greater prophetic reality of what God was going to do in and through the Church.

We can see how this created tensions between the early believers and Israel. Everything held dear by the Jews was under attack, or so it seemed.

As a result of this line of thought we find three clear lines of thought which characterise the NT view of the relationship of Israel and the Church.

(1) The NT consistently rejects Israel as being the people of God, and gives this position to the Church.

(2) As a result the NT takes all of the names, titles, symbols, blessings and promises given to Israel in the OT and applies them to the Church. There are two exceptions to this rule which we shall note later on.

(3) In doing this the NT takes OT promises given to Israel, which we would expect to be fulfilled in a literal sense in a nation, and shows that God meant something far greater. They are fulfilled spiritually, and symbolically, in and through the Church.

This understanding of the relationship of Israel and the Church is fundamental to determining how we are to interpret REVELATION. The root question we need to answer is this: Is REVELATION and NT book or an OT book, i.e. do we interpret the words in REVELATION is an OT way or a NT way?

We have already seen in Chapter 1 several instances of this process of the Church taking over titles and symbols if Israel so we need to address this question at this point.

Let us expand on these three points.

A) ISRAEL IS SUPERSEDED BY THE CHURCH.

(1) Israel is Rejected.

This is, of course, a continuation of the teaching of the OT prophets.

From Elijah onwards we see that God has rejected the nation as a unit - their sacrifices, religious observances and cult. The consistent teaching of the prophets is that "only a remnant will be saved" - and this is not by observance of sacrifices but by faithful obedience.

Micah 6:6-8.

This rejection is seen in nearly every writer of the NT in one way or another:

Matthew 3:9 - John the Baptist.

Matthew 8:11,12 21:19.33-41 22:1-14 23:15 - Jesus.

This rejection of Israel is surprisingly strong in Matthew considering some interpreters see this as being a pro-Jewish Gospel.

Mark 12:1-12.

Luke 20:9-19.

John 8:31-44.

Acts 15:16-18.

Romans 2:25-28 4:1ff 9:1ff.

Galatians 3,4.

Hebrews 8-10.

Again this rejection is surprisingly strong in Hebrews as many interpreters see Hebrews to be a book that is targeted at Jewish believers or Jews in general.

1 Peter 2:8.

Revelation 2:9 3:9 - they were physical Jews, but spiritually Satan's.

Many other references could be applied to this point. Some of them we will touch on later, but the general tenor is clear from these scriptures – Israel as a nation has been rejected as being “God’s people because of nationality”. Rather God’s people are defined by faith in Christ.

This, of course, is fundamental to the NT gospel. If we could be one of God’s people by birth and not by faith then Christ died in vain. However the Apostle Paul makes it plain several times that natural birth never did make one a member of God’s people – it was always faith that made someone a member of God’s people.

This is not to say that Israel as a nation has no part in God’s future plans but it does change drastically our understanding of Israel’s importance and what part it plays.

(2) The Church Has Taken Israel's Place as the People of God.

This will become clear as we look at the names, titles and symbols of Israel, but there are also many clear statements that we have become the children/ people / nation of God. I will not bother to list the references here because even a cursory knowledge of the NT would teach anybody that this is the case.

(B) THE NAMES OF ISRAEL HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE CHURCH.

There are two exceptions to this rule:

(i) The name JACOB which in the OT has become a symbol to mean "those physically descended from Jacob and having his nature in the flesh". In the OT "Jacob" is often put in opposition to "Israel", where "Israel" means "those belonging to the spiritual people of Israel, the covenant people of God".

(ii) The name “EPHRAIM” which in the OT came to mean “those who backslid from the true worship of God.

In each of the following symbols only one instance of OT and NT usage is given where many other illustrations could be given.

Symbol: OT NT applied to Church.

Israel Exod 19:3 Gal 6:15.

People of God Exod 19:6 1 Peter 2:9.

Sons of God Pss 2:7 1 John 3:2.

Kings Exod 19:6 1 Peter 2:9.

Priests Exod 19:6 1 Peter 2:9.

Descendents of Abraham

Isa 41:8 Gal 3:29.

Jerusalem Isa 52:2 Heb 12:22.

Zion Isa 52:1 Heb 12:22.

Bride Hosea 1-3 Eph 5.

12 Tribes Gen 49:28 James 1:1.

Temple 1 Peter 2:5.

Circumcised Gen 17 Rom 2:29.

Holy Nation Exod 19:6 1 Peter 2:9.

Chosen Race Isa 42:6 1 Peter 2:9.

First Born Exod 12-14 Heb 12:22.

12 Gen 37 Rev 21:12-21.

Lampstand Zech 4:2 Rev 1-3.

Jews Rom 2:29.

New Name Isa 43:7 Rev 2:17.

Power over Nations Pss 2:9 Rev 2:26,27.

Book of Life Dan 12:1 Rev 3:5.

God's Name Isa 44:5 Rev 3:12

Witnesses Isa 44:8 Rev 1:2.

Olive trees Zech 4:3 Rev 11:17.

Servants Isa 44:1 many.

This list could continue, but it is sufficient to show a clear pattern: The Early Church saw that they had become God's people, and that meant Israel could no longer hold that position. As a result they took all of the names, symbols and promises of Israel and applied them to the Church. We are the Israel of God, the Covenant People, the Heirs of the Promises.

C) THE PROMISES ARE GIVEN GREATER MEANING.

This we see by direct teaching, and by the way the OT is applied in the NT.

(1) Direct Teaching.

2 Corinthians 1:20.

"All the promises of God" – this is a sort of Jewish shorthand meaning “the OT”. Hence Paul means that the OT is to be fulfilled in us, the Church, to the glory of God.

The blatancy of this statement needs to make us think hard:

Are there ANY promises of God which are NOT going to be fulfilled in us, the Church? Are any promises left to Israel if they are ALL given to us?

If there are, on what basis do they still belong to Israel?

2 Peter 1:4 "his great and precious promises".

We tend to interpret this as meaning NT promises, as we now have the NT. However when this was written there wasn't a NT - Peter's epistles were relatively early in the piece. Hence it is nonsense to apply this to NT promises – at least exclusively. In Peter's mind he must have been thinking of the OT promises primarily. Again it is a traditional Jewish phrase referring to the Scriptures.

Ephesians 2:12-16.

Note: v12 "strangers to the covenants of Promise... have now been brought near". This reconciliation has been brought about by Christ's death. Through the death of Christ two things happened:

(i) "he abolished in his flesh" the things that divided - the Law, nationality, race, religious regulations and rites.

(ii) Then he "created in himself one new man in place of the two".

From this we learn that the Old Jewish man has been abolished as far as God's plan is concerned. We need to ask, "If the old Jewish man is abolished then how much importance should we put on it now in terms of Bible Prophecy?

(2) By Example.

The constant NT Way of interpreting the OT is to reinterpret the promises given to Israel and give them a greater spiritual sense.

(a) Joel 2:28,29 c/f Acts 2:16,17.

The Joel passage is clearly to do with a restoration of Israel in the End Times, but Peter is definite, "This is that..." The Day of Pentecost was not a trial run for the real thing which was to happen in Israel in the Last Days. Rather the last days had already begun and what was being witnessed in Jerusalem then was the fulfilment of the Prophecy. It was not a trial run by God but the real thing and we do not need to look for another fulfillment of it.

(b) Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Again forms part of an extended prophecy about Israel in the last days, but:

c/f Hebrews 10:16-23 - here it is interpreted as being already fulfilled in the Church. What do we do then with the rest of Jeremiah 30,31? Can we expect a literal fulfillment when the NT has already interpreted the KEY portion symbolically?

(c) Ezekiel 36:24-29.

Same as with (b), but c/f Hebrews 8:8-12.

(d) Hebews 11:13-16 - the OT promise to Abraham concerning a Promised Land is reinterpreted. We are informed that even the OT saints knew that it wasn't a literal land at all, but a heavenly city.

Many more illustrations of this principle could be found in the NT.

The teaching, events, rituals, etc., of the OT were simply shadows of the reality to come. The reality is Christ and the Church. Let's not get hung up on the shadows!

PRINCIPLE OF INTERPRETATION.

In the Old the New is Concealed;

In the New the Old is Revealed.

D) THE NT POSITION OF ISRAEL.

This is clearly spelled out in three places in the NT.

(1) Romans 2-4.

Paul's argument here is that:

(a) All men, Jew or Gentile, are guilty before God. No one can be considered to be one of God's people unless they have faith in Christ.

The Jew, however, has certain "advantages":

(i) They have a knowledge of God's law, so know when they are guilty.

(ii) Because of this knowledge they will be first in line when it comes to judgement (but after the Church!).

(b) There is a distinction between the natural and the spiritual seed of Abraham (2:25-29; 4:1-25).

Natural descent from Abraham, i.e. being born a Jew, never did make anyone an heir of the promises of God to Abraham. The promises were made in response to Abraham's faith, so can only be inherited by those who have the same faith - irrespective of whether they are physically descended from Abraham or not.

(c) Because of this the promise to inherit a land cannot be restricted to Palestine, rather it is a promise to inherit the world (Rom 4:13).

(2) Galatians 3,4.

In this passage Paul covers similar ground to Romans 2-4, again reinterpreting the promises to Abraham to mean something other than a physical land. The Heirs of the promises are not the physical seed, but those of equal faith.

Paul notes one important new idea here - the promises were made to "Abraham's seed" which is singular in the original. Hence it must refer to one person, not a nation, and that person is Christ. However Christ is more than one, he is the head and the Body, we are included in Christ because of faith.

Christ then is the Heir of all the OT promises, and hence they are passed on to his body, the Church. But if:

(i) The “seed of Abraham” is singular and is Christ, and

(ii) It is this “seed” that the OT promises are addressed to…

Then those promises never were addressed to Israel as a nation or to the natural descendants of Abraham. It is a fundamental misunderstanding on our part if we think they were

Again Paul is clear - the physical descendants are rejected if they don't have faith.

The Law of Moses was only an intrusion into God's real plan of faith, and was introduced for only one reason - to show that we cannot please God by being good.

(3) Romans 9-11.

In this passage Paul faces the logical question:

"What of the Jews, i.e. the nation of Israel, if the Church has inherited the promises?"

Here Paul outlines the plan of God for the nation of Israel in a way that it is nowhere else in the NT.

(a) 9:1-5. The blessings belong to Israel.

(b) 9:6-8. But Israel is not those who are physically descended from Jacob. Rather Israel is a name of covenant and refers to those who have entered into the covenant God had with Jacob. Hence it is those who are spiritually "Abraham's seed" whether physically descended or not. It is those who are “of faith”.

(c) 9:9-33. All of this depends on God's choice. This fact God has repeatedly demonstrated in history, where he has repeatedly chosen to be his own those who IN THE NATURAL did not have that claim. Those who had a legal claim (by being firstborn) were repeatedly rejected. This all goes to show that it is the mercy and grace of God, and not any special claim we may think we have by birth or otherwise. In fact, the good news is that we who are Gentiles will not miss out because we were born into the wrong nation. God chooses all who have faith.

It is this faith aspect that tripped Israel up as they thought that salvation was obtained by some physical means. They thought that they got the promises by being born physically into Abraham’s family - such never was the case.

(d) 10:1-21. Israel (as a nation) was given a purpose in God - a revelation came to them, and a commission to preach this good news to others. The problem is they failed to see that this revelation was God's grace. They majored on the CONTENT of the revelation, which was LAW, and missed the fact that the revelation came by grace. Hence it was unearned. They thought it came because they were special. As a result the Jews tried to keep it to themselves. In the end they ended up not experiencing the grace, nor did they preach it to others. They were disobedient to the whole thrust of the revelation God gave. As a result God has said he would give the revelation to others to make Israel jealous.

(e) 11:1-6. God hasn't rejected Israel - Paul's own salvation is proof of that. But their acceptance can only be on the basis of faith. However they misunderstood what God really intended. The fact is it was always salvation by faith, not by Law. The fact is this: Israel rejected God's way and there has only ever been a remnant saved by faith.

(f) 11:7-10. As a result of their disobedience as a nation God has blinded their eyes so they cannot see the truth.

(g) 11:11. This rebellion has meant that God has opened the door to the Gentiles so that Israel will become Jealous.

(h) 11:12-16. There is coming a time when the Blindness will be removed and the Jews (as a nation) will respond with true faith. When that happens they will be accepted again by God. When that happens WATCH OUT!

(i) 11:17-24. There is only one tree of God's people. It is Abraham's seed. We were grafted in by faith. The Jews were cut out because of unbelief. However there is something in the Jews that gives them a predisposition to being in the tree of faith. If we foreigners can be grafted in successfully then the natural branches will more readily be accepted back into the tree. We too need to be careful - we could be cut off.

(j) 11:25-27. This hardening on Israel will last until all of the Gentiles who are to be saved will be saved. Then out of Zion (= the people of the Messiah) will come a revelation of Christ to Israel which will spark a revival in Israel. This revival will "banish ungodliness from Jacob" (i.e. the natural Israel), i.e. there will be no unsaved Jews at the End. By the time Christ comes there will be only Christians and non-Christians on the earth.

(k) 11:28-32. We know God will save them as a nation because the character of God depends on it (see below). He has given to the "seed of Abraham" a call and gifts, and the general principle of life is, "What God gives he does not take away". This is true in the natural arena, just as it is in the spiritual arena. Hence God's promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and other OT prophets concerning the nation of Israel will be fulfilled in some sense.

This is the major NT teaching on the place of Israel in the plan of God.

It is significant that Paul here says nothing about the following:

(i) The Promised Land, and the restoration to it.

This is implied in 11:29 but nowhere does Paul state it. Israel cannot return to God without being in the Land - the two go together. However, for Paul the important thing is not the land, but the return to God. The return to the land is only a necessary preliminary to the spiritual renewal.

(ii) The temple and a Jewish cult.

These were only shadows of the reality to come in Christ. Now Christ has come they cannot be restored.

CONCLUSION:

The NT is consistent - The nation of Israel never really was God's people. At best only a remnant was. Salvation has always been by faith and Israel as a whole missed it. Israel was used as a vehicle for God's revelation, but the promises never applied to the nation, only to those of faith.

WHAT OF THE OT PROMISES?

This is the next logical question.

If the Church has taken over from Israel in the plan of God, and are those who inherit the promises, what happens to Israel?

We find that Israel still has a place in the plan of God, as Paul has already hinted. This place can be summed up in three statements:

(1) God will honour the promises he made to Abraham concerning his physical descendants. He will also honour his words and promises made throughout the OT.

We need to note that the Arabs are also the physical "seed of Abraham" and thus under a covenant of blessing from God. We should thus expect a great turning among the Arab nations to Christ. This will happen before Israel returns to God as a nation and will help to make Israel, after the flesh, jealous.

(2) The Pattern of Restoration in Israel is a symbolic picture, or type, of what God is doing in the Church.

(3) Israel will be spiritually renewed and will become joint heirs with the Church.

Let us elaborate on these points.

(1) God Will Honour the Promises.

(a) His honour is at stake.

(i) In this we see the faithfulness of God EVEN THOUGH the people of the promises were unfaithful.

(ii) The integrity of his word is at stake. If we cannot believe the physical promises how can we be sure of the spiritual promises?

Because of this we can expect God to fulfill his word literally. This includes his words about Israel. In particular he will honour those promises which he has made UNCONDITIONALLY, i.e. are not dependent on the faithfulness of Israel.

(b) Prophecy is given as a SIGN.

This sign value attests to the Character of God. The fulfillment of prophetic events in history is PROOF that other events prophesied but as yet unfulfilled WILL ALSO COME TO PASS.

The paramount prophecies that God wants us to note are those concerning the fact of Eternal Damnation to those who do not believe. God's aim is redemptive - he wants to save man. The end for unrepentant man is Hell. God knows this and has warned us of this fact. To attest to us that his warnings of Hell are true he has given us thousands of other prophecies as signs, so that we may have a chance to repent.

What Prophecies Are Unconditional?

There are not many, but one we can look at in this context is:

Ezekiel 36.

This passage talks of the desolation and barrenness of the land of Palestine as a result of judgement on it. It is uninhabited, unproductive and inhospitable.

This came about because of Israel's sin.

To this situation comes the promises of God:

(1) v8 - people will come to live there.

(2) v9 - the land will be harvested.

(3) v10 - it will be a place of hospitality - people happily live there.

(4) v25 - the people will be cleansed.

(5) v26 - they will be spiritually renewed in the new covenant.

Why will God do this?

v22-23. It is not because of anything Israel does but because God is going to vindicate his great and holy name.

This means that God will restore Israel to the Land of Palestine, make it prosperous and then restore the people to himself.

(2) The Pattern of Restoration in Israel is a Type of What God is doing in the Church.

This is what we see in the principle found in:

1 Corinthians 15:46.

What happens in the physical realm has a corresponding development in the spiritual realm. This can be positive or negative.

This principle applies to the relationship of Israel and the Church, and also to the World and the Church.

E.g.

(1) In the 1900s the world began to develop communications - radio, T.V., telegraph, electricity, telephone, videos, tapes, the fax, satellites, fibre optics, computers, etc.

Correspondingly with each new development there has been an outpouring of the Spirit in the area of the spoken gifts - tongues, interpretation, prophecy.

In the 1940s atomic power was unleashed, in the Church God released healing and deliverance and power evangelism.

In the 1960s knowledge was unlocked through the computer, in the Church came the word of knowledge and wisdom.

(2) There is also a parallel between Astrology and Church events.

On Feb 26 1962 the predominant sign of the Southern hemisphere changed from Pisces, the fish, speaking of evangelism; to Aquarius the Water Pourer, speaking of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Since then, in the Southern Hemisphere, has come a great outpouring of the Spirit.

So then there is a parallel between Israel and the Church.

THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH IN PROPHECY.

Two Scriptures clearly give this parallel:

(1) Joel.

Three chapters, three themes.

Ch 1: - Desolation.

Both Israel and the Church have experienced total desolation.

Israel - the fig tree - banished from the land for 1800 years.

Church - the Vine - truth was totally cast down in the Dark Ages.

This desolation was caused by an invading army:

Israel - the Romans.

Church - Demons.

Ch 2: - Restoration.

God's people are coming back to their inheritance - literal and spiritual. The Church has as far to come back as Israel has in God's eyes.

This restoration began partially in the Reformation era. Truth was restored to the Church and persecution against Jews was eased due to the Enlightenment. However it really began in earnest this century.

Ch 3: - Return of Christ.

Armageddon and all that stuff.

The Parallel of Restoration between Israel and the Church.

(a) Israel.

(i) 1897 - formation of Zionist movement dedicated to restoring Palestine to the Jews.

(ii) 1917 - Balfour Declaration - A British Mandate that Palestine would be given to the Jews.

(iii) 1948 - War of Israel's independence.

(iv) 1956 - War securing Israel's borders.

(v) 1967 - War enlarging Israel's borders.

(vii) 1973 - Day of Atonement War - further expansion.

(viii) 1977/78 Israel and Egypt treaty - compromise for peace, a loss of territory.

(b) The Church.

Events in the Church happen just a little after the events in Israel.

(i) 1896 – 1904. Restoration of the Baptism in the Spirit with tongues and the establishing of the Pentecostal Denominations.

(ii) 1917-18. Restoration of Truth of Divine Healing and a big move of healing.

(iii) 1948 - A great outbreak of mass evangelism. Billy Graham, T.L.Osborne, W.Branham and hundreds of others date from here. There were hundreds of crusading evangelists in the U.S.A. alone who had signs following. A great re-emphasis on Divine Healing.

(iv) 1956 - Charismatic Renewal began to enter Mainline Denominations.

(v) 1967 - Charismatic Renewal hit Catholic Church. A great expansion occurred in Pentecostal Churches. A restoration of the truth of Deliverance.

(vi) 1973/4 - A call of God to enter into united/corporate prayer and fasting, and to press into God "within then veil".

(vii) 1977/8 - Moves for Church union gained great promotion, but at the expense of truth.

(2) Ezekiel 37:1-14:- The Valley of Dry Bones.

These bones were originally scattered and lifeless, but are good bones. A good respectable Jew in New York is a dry bone because he is not where

God wants him to be - in Palestine. A good orthodox Christian is lifeless because he is not what God wants him to be.

Three Phases to Restoration:

(1) Rising and Excitement as the Bones move.

(a) Jews return to Palestine.

(b) The Charismatic Movement.

It makes a lot of noise when the bones move around. Bone hits bone, there is some discomfort in the graveyard, but God is moving his people. However this is not the end, God has more.

(2) The Bones Come Together.

(a) Israel as a nation is coming together.

(b) The renewal in the Church cannot be allowed to remain a random thing. There must be structure, a jar to contain the poured out Spirit. Discipleship on the personal and corporate levels must occur.

Here God is bringing together BODIES. The bones come from different graveyards (Denominations and Churches) but God fits them together in a new way to do his will.

(3) The Spirit comes on the Completed Bodies.

(a) A Spiritual Renewal in Restored Israel.

(b) When God has his bodies together as he desires he will pour out his Spirit in a new way. This is talking about a restoration before the Second Coming which we have not seen yet. It is not talking about the resurrection of the dead. There will be a victorious Church before Christ returns.

Notice there are two moves of the Holy Spirit:

(i) On individual bones.

(ii) On Completed bodies.

To take part in the second move of the Spirit we must be prepared to be discipled, to come under authority in the Church, to allow someone over us in them Lord to correct us, and to learn to live disciplined lives. Also we need to restructure the Church according to the word of God.

Two Moves of Holy Spirit:

c/f Joel 2:23 - "latter rains"

2:28 - "after this..."

We haven't seen the "After this..." yet.

The point of all this:

In this series of studies I shall be treating REVELATION as if it was a NT book - which it is. This means I will be using NT interpretation of the symbols. This is, I believe, what the writer intended. This means that, in most cases, things which could appear to be literal I am assuming are symbolic. However I will comment later on possible literal interpretations as well.

I am aware that many interpreters interpret REVELATION in a literal way. I feel this leads to many contradictions and confusions - some of which I will point out along the way. In the light of what has been shown in this essay I feel it is up to the literalists to prove their stand. I feel I have proved my point sufficiently.