Israel, The Church, and the Kingdom of God
- by: Ray Ciervo 03/1/2002
Israel, the Church, and the Kingdom of God
Introduction
What is the kingdom of God? What is the amillennial position regarding the kingdom of God? Finally, what is the role of the church in the kingdom of God as it relates to the last days? These questions are the basis of the following look at the end times.
The word amillennial literally refers to "no millennium." This literal denotation is unfortunate. At best, it leads to a superficial misrepresentation of the real position held by amillennialists. Amillennialists believe there is a kingdom, just not a physical, earthly kingdom represented by the one-thousand-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20, from which those who are premillennialists and postmillennialists also get their labels. For anyone to construct an eschatology from one passage of Scripture would be ludicrous. No serious Bible exegetes do so, not premillennialists, postmillennialists, nor amillennialists, either. The terms premil, postmil, and amil, recognized abbreviations for the aforementioned beliefs regarding Christ's thousand-year reign, are all representative of much larger systems of interpretation which have to do with the end times and the second coming of Jesus Christ, in which all three groups believe.
Understanding the Term "Amillennial"
The following definitions are simple and brief, not meant to be complete. Premillennialists, first of all, believe that Christ will return after certain events take place on the earth and that He will establish a literal, physical, earthly kingdom for one thousand years at that time. Hence the term premillennial. Postmillennialists, secondly, believe that Christ will return after a literal one-thousand-year period ushered in by the church; first the millennium, then the return. Amillennialists, finally, believe that the reign of Christ is symbolized by the one thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20. The reign of Christ, in their eyes, began at the resurrection of Christ and will continue throughout all eternity. Because they do not believe in a physical, earthly reign by the presence of Jesus in bodily form, they are referred to as amils, which technically means "no physical, earthly reign." The basis for the amil belief lies in the manner of interpretation. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm" (John 18:36). The term amillennialism is an unfortunate label because it designates amillennialists as not believing in the literal kingdom of God. In reality, it is literal to them, but it is heavenly; it is not of this tangible realm.
Recognizing the Children of Promise
Amillennialists are also characterized as "spiritualizing away" texts. This is both a "straw man" argument and a "special pleading" argument. The accusation comes from not only their view of the kingdom but also from their view concerning Israel and the Jews. The first instance deals with the term Israel. Amils would point to several New Testament passages to indicate that Paul brought a progressive interpretation of the nature of Israel, known as the people of God. In Romans 9, Paul states:
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED." That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
The qualification for being the children of God is that they must be children of the promise. Not all who are descended from Israel are descendants of Israel because not all are according to promise. They must be according to the promise to be descendants. Consider also Galatians 3:
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.
Paul, in the previous verse (3:28), has just indicated that there is no Jew nor Greek, no slave nor free man, no male nor female. All are one in Christ Jesus. He then adds this identification: If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants and then you are heirs according to the promise. One would have to equivocate about the term descendant to see these two verses in contradiction or having two different meanings.
Discerning the True Israel
In contradistinction to defining this entity as the "new" Israel, something amils are also accused of, is the "true" Israel. That is, the entity of the New Testament is clarification of who is the "true" Israel. The point Paul repeatedly makes is that the promise is according to faith, and the promise is Christ and the salvific work He brings. The true Israel consists of those who have faith in Christ.
Amils are accused of "replacement" theology or "spiritualizing" Israel. This paper's position is that the New Testament people of God, the church, are not a replacement for Israel at all. Gentiles have been "included" in the promise. They have become heirs through faith, which was also the basis for God's choosing Abraham. Gentiles have been grafted into the people of God on the basis of faith. However, Paul's statement about natural Israel, Israel of the flesh, is that they are not the true Israel, either. The true Israel has always been those who have faith in God. Whether they looked through the sacrifices to the redemption of His people or "saw His day," they were the true Israel by faith.
Consider Luke's reporting of Simeon in chapter 2 of his gospel:
"And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, and the glory of Your people Israel."
Here is a man who was "looking" for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was "upon him" and he came into the temple "in the spirit." Is there any doubt this man looked for God to fulfill His promise? Upon looking for the fulfillment of the promise, seeing with the eyes of faith, he was able to recognize the child Jesus among the countless other children he regularly saw in the temple.
The term for "Jew" is also interpreted by Paul for clarification:
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Defining Circumcision and the Old and New Covenants
Here Paul interprets circumcision, which was the seal of the covenant made with Abraham, which promised an everlasting covenant with Isaac. Circumcision was to be an everlasting sign of the covenant. Paul interprets it to mean something different in the New Covenant. The real Jew is someone whose heart has been circumcised by the Spirit - inwardly, not outwardly.
This is in accordance with the promise of the New Covenant made through Jeremiah:
"Behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD; I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
The major difference between the two covenants mentioned in this passage is that the old covenant was outward, where God "took them by the hand to bring them out." The new covenant is inward. "I will put my law within them, and on their heart I will write it." Amils are accused of "spiritualizing" these concepts. However, there is fairly strong evidence that so does the apostle Paul in the New Testament. If this is "spiritualizing," amils are in good company.
Do amils spiritualize away concepts and themes of the Bible? No, they do not. They interpret literally where it is possible. However, when the New Testament brings clarity to Old Testament themes, these clarifications must be employed to explain prophecy and relevant circumstances in the Old Testament.
Teaching the Basic Truths of the Kingdom
The kingdom of God, the reign of God, came in Jesus Christ. It was prophesied and foreshadowed in the Old Testament. In Peter's discourse in Acts 2, he delineates with great precision the prophecies which led up to Christ's ascension and coronation as Messiah King. He tells of the outpouring of the Spirit, prophesied by Joel, David's prophecy of "One who would sit on His throne forever." There he quotes Psalm 110 in part, declaring the work God had done in Christ to make Him Lord. In Acts 3, he tells those who listened to him that, "And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days." Peter and the apostles had spent 40 days with Jesus, during which He spoke to them truths concerning the kingdom of God. The apostles believed that the days they lived in were the days the prophets spoke about.
These days of Jesus' coming, dying, rising again, ascending, and sending His Spirit were days about which the Old Testament prophets spoke. There is no question that Old Testament prophecy was not always clear and that the prophets spoke in figurative language. Once again, the apostle Paul agrees with this and confirms it:
To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
He says he was given grace to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. He then goes on to express seven important truths: 1) to bring to light the administration of the mystery, 2) which has been hidden in God for ages, 3) who happened to create all things, 4) so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known, 5) through the church, 6) to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, 7) in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Jesus Christ.
These verses illuminate the answer to questions originally posed. What is the kingdom of God? What is the amil position regarding the kingdom of God? What is the role of the church in the kingdom of God? The answers follow according to each of the basic truths.
The Kingdom and the Church
Paul had been given grace to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. Gentiles were not part of the covenants. He was to bring to light the administration of the mystery. This mystery needed to be brought to light. What was the mystery? The covenants belonged to natural Israel, including the true Israel. By the grace of God, the Gentiles were brought near and made joint heirs with the Jews through the blood of Christ. This is in concert with the mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. This mystery was hidden in God, who created all things. This would mean the mystery is purposefully hidden. The manifold wisdom of God is the many-faceted wisdom of God. In short, it is diversity in unity, which is revealed in the body of Christ. Mankind has found its purpose in relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Christ in you (plural) the hope of glory!
It is the church which is to reveal the manifold wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Who are these rulers and authorities? The two options are angels and demons. It would seem redundant for God to reveal His manifold wisdom to angels, since He could instantiate the knowledge of it in them. It would seem this is the making of the kingdom dynamic. It is the war between God and Satan, where God demonstrates His glory to His enemies.
Geerhardus Vos defines the kingdom of God as "... where not merely God is supreme, for that is true at all times and under all circumstances, but where God supernaturally carries through His supremacy against all opposing powers and brings man to the willing recognition of the same." This definition is in concert with the verses above. God is working out His purposes against His enemies. Paul's last comment is that all the above is in accordance with God's eternal purpose, which He carried out in Christ Jesus.
The kingdom had been initiated in Christ's earthly ministry. In Luke 4, Jesus announced the kingdom had come.
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written:
"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Quoting Isaiah, Jesus had proclaimed the purpose for His coming. The Messiah had arrived to fulfill God's purpose. The kingdom had come! The poor had the gospel preached to them, the captives were released, the blind saw, the deaf heard. God's enemies, the powers of darkness, had lost their grip on humanity. One had come who could plunder their house. Jesus announced emphatically, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
He continued to prove that He was the Messiah and that Messiah's kingdom had come with His coming. He said as much, essentially, when He announced that the kingdom of God was at hand. In one instance, He reproved the Jews who suggested He was casting out demons by Beelzebub. In effect, He asked them, if he were casting out demons by Beelzebub, how were their sons doing it? Then, he said, "But if I do this by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." Luke's gospel records Jesus' words, "If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you."
What Jesus began before His resurrection, the apostles continued afterwards. The ministry of the early church was remarkably similar to that of Jesus. The works He did, they did also. There is no place in the New Testament where this ministry is reported to have ceased.
Conclusion
The amils' position on the kingdom of God is that it is here and now. What is to follow is the second coming of Christ, the judgment, and the New Heavens and the New Earth. These events are beyond the control of everyone except God Himself. What is the job of the church today in this perspective? It is to continue in the work for which the Lord died and rose again -- to proclaim release to the captives, for their King has come.
In this paper, only one source has been cited for reference besides the numerous Scriptural references. The purpose for this has been to show a consistent hermeneutic in presenting the amillennialist position on the kingdom of God. There are a great number of other points to consider in the realm of eschatology. A sample of these issues may be found in the reading that follows.
Suggested Reading
Allis, Oswald T. Prophecy and the Church. Nutley, NJ, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1947
Cox, William E. Amillennialism Today. Nutley, NJ, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1975
____________. Biblical Studies in Final Things. Nutley, NJ, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1966
Hughes, Archibald. A New Heaven and a New Earth. London, Marshall Morgan and Scott, 1958
Ridderbos, Herman. The Coming of the Kingdom. Philadelphia, PA, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing company, 1966
Vos, Geerhardus. The Kingdom of God and the Church. Nutley, NJ, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1972
___________. The Pauline Eschatology. Grand Rapids, MI, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972
