ALL ISRAEL REGISTERED TO VOTE? OR SAVED?

(Part 10 of "Dispensationalism, Israel, and Scripture")

At long last we come to my final installment analyzing Bruce Ware's progressive dispensational position on Israel. I began reviewing his work in June, 1997. All good things must come to an end (or: bad things — whichever the case may be!).

WARE'S WARES

Ware admits (as over against the older dispensationalists) that "Israel and the church can participate in the same new covenant" (Ware, in Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church, 96; hereinafter: DIC). Yet he holds with the older (broken-hip) dispensationalists that "Israel still awaits a future action of God whereby he will bring 'all Israel' (Rom. 11:26), or the nation of Israel as a whole, under the provision of forgiveness of sin and Spirit-indwelling as well as territorial and political restoration that it will surely enjoy in their fullness when Christ comes again" (Ibid.).

I agree with the first portion of his hope for Israel, that is, that she awaits future salvation from sin. As a lover of Christ who desires with Paul "that all men be saved" (1 Tim. 2:4), how could I not long for such? As a postmillennialist believing in the world-conquering nature of the gospel, how could I not expect this? It is with his second, anti-contextual assertion regarding the "territorial and political restoration" that I strongly disagree.

Paul's teaching in Romans 11 is crucial to a better grasp of redemptive historical progress in Scripture, to understanding eschatology, and to a contemporary full-orbed Christian worldview. And for the dispensationalists, their interpretation here is absolutely essential if dispensationalism has ANY hope of a positive NEW Testament reference to a future blessing for Israel. (Dispensationalism has historically relied on Old Testament prophecies interpreted APART from New Testament reflection. In fact, they chastise reformed expositors for allowing the New Testament to interpret the Old. I kid you not!) Romans 11 is the one New Testament text that SEEMS to suggest the dispensational hope. But it only seems so, as I will show.

As an interesting aside, I am working on a debate book with my friend and theological rival Tommy Ice. The particular focus of our debate is evident in the title of our forthcoming book from Kregal: "The Great Tribulation: Past or Future?" (projected due date: Winter, 1998). In that work Ice makes the remarkable assertion that Romans 11 fits his pattern of a future Great Tribulation. Ice argues: "Preterist Ken Gentry believes Romans teaches a future conversion of Israel, yet he does not associate it with the tribulation as Scripture repeatedly does."

My response to Ice? Neither does Paul! Read Romans 11 for yourself; you will not find any tribulational scenario therein. Ice's problem is his anti-contextual, presuppositional imposition of his hook-line-and-sinker system on this passage.

(The bizarre nature of Ice's naivete is such that he once told me to my face that he believed that during the tribulation, millions of angels will come down from heaven and bodily pick up millions of Jews from all over the world and fly them physically to the Promised Land. An air traffic controller's nightmare! Unfortunately, I forgot to ask him whether these Jews would miraculously arrive in Israel just in time for 2/3 of them to be destroyed by Antichrist during the Great Tribulation. It was near midnight at that time and I was exhausted.)

Of course, Ware does not make the same gaffe as Ice, but neither does his reference to this text help his position. Let us consider the teaching of Paul in Romans 11, as over against the dispensational view.

ROMANS 11 REVISITED

Romans 11 is the classic New Testament passage regarding the future of the Jews. At the very outset it is very important that we understand — in agreement with the dispensationalist (!) and over against many amillennialists — that Paul has the Jewish race in mind. Let us see how this is so, in order to set up the postmillennial approach against Ware's and progressive dispensationalism's (mis)understanding.

As usual, we must begin by discerning the theological context of Paul's teaching. This will throw a flood of light on Paul's theme and his use of the Old Testament in this section. In the section leading up to Romans 11, Paul has much to say regarding the absolute sovereignty of God. In fact, the chapters leading up to Romans 11 (particularly, chapters 8 and 9) strongly emphasize God's sovereignty in the affairs of men.

But a question naturally arises for the careful student of Scripture upon reading Paul's letter: If God is omnipotent, if his covenant faithfulness truly "does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy" (Rom. 9:16), what has happened to Israel, the focus of God's covenant promises? Clearly Israel becomes the enemy of God in the New Testament: "They therefore cried out, 'Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!' Pilate said to them, 'Shall I crucify your King?' The chief priests answered, 'We have no king but Caesar'" (John 19:15; cp, Matt. 8:11; 22:33-44; 1 Thess. 2:14-16).

Romans 11 is Paul's answer to this natural and important question. In it Paul shows the sovereign operations of God in the affairs of the world — especially with reference to the question of the Jew.

Christianity is the historical fulfillment of Israel (Christ is the ultimate fulfillment, and the church as his body is her temporal fulfillment; see: Dispensationalism in Transition, October, 1997). Though this is true, here Paul speaks very clearly of the Jewish people, the race of Israelites — not spiritual Israel. Let us prove this point so that we can present the postmillennial argument from this passage.

First, notice that Paul defines what he means when he refers to "his [God's] people": "I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin" (Rom. 11:1). Paul defines "his people" in terms of his own racial heritage: he is an Israelite descended from Abraham through Benjamin.

Furthermore he refers to Elijah's experience as a type of the current situation with the racial Jew:

"God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 'Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have torn down thine altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life' But what is the divine response to him? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice" (Rom. 11:2-5). Elijah's example serves as a paradigm for Paul regarding the whole question before him: the question of the destiny of the racial Jew.

In addition, the thrust of his argument requires a contrast between Jew and Gentile: "I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous" (Rom. 11:11).

Paul MUST be speaking of the racial Jew in such a

well-defined context. This will be an extremely important observation when we analyze the famous Romans 11:26 statement.

So then, Paul's driving question, "has God cast away his people whom he foreknew [i.e., foreloved]," begins his defense of the sovereignty of God in reference to the question of the Jew. What has become of Israel? What is her future?

In defense of God's sovereignty, notice several facts from Paul's analysis: First, just as God did with Elijah, preserving the people through a remnant, so he is doing with the Jew even at this very time: "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice" (Rom. 11:5). The remnant of Israel during Elijah's day serves as evidence of the divine superintendence of God in the life of Israel.

What is more, Paul goes on to affirm that even the DEFECTION of the vast multitude of Jews confirms God's sovereignty. By his sovereign, inscrutable providence God himself hardened the rest: "What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened" (Rom. 11:7). Does not God's prophet utter these terrifying words, confirming Paul's point: "Let their eyes be darkened to see not, and bend their backs forever" (Rom. 11:10)?

Now we can move toward resolving the question of the future destiny of the Jew. Now we are confident that God is sovereign and he is at work in the historical affairs of his people.

COVENANT ESCHATOLOGY AND THE JEW

The fact of the remnant is important for a fundamental reason: This remnant proves that Israel's rejection is not COMPLETE. Or else, how can we explain Paul's conversion — and the thousands of others among the Jews?

Not only do we discover that Israel's rejection is not  complete, but also that it is not FINAL. Ware and the progressive dispensationalists would agree with me thus far. But the beauty of our agreement is only skin deep.

This is where Israel's ultimate historical destiny and hope come in. This is where we part company with both the dispensationalists (and premillennialists) and the amillennialists. The amillennialist generally interprets Paul's reference in Romans 11:26 ("all Israel will be saved") a referring to the church, the Israel of God. Taken by itself — out of its context setting — such an interpretation is appealing. After all, the New Testament teaches that the church does in fact become the Israel of God. But we MUST NOT take the verse from its context.

Ware and the dispensationalists misconstrue the evidence, as well. They often focus on Paul's statement "how much more their fulness" (KJV Rom. 11:12), asserting that it implies a return to exaltation in God's plan at the Second Advent. As if God sets aside the blood-bought principle that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek!

The postmillennial — and I believe, of course, the appropriate — exposition of Paul's teaching in Romans 11 is that Israel will one day be gloriously saved within the context of the church. And this salvation of Israel will for all practical purposes be total. Let us see how this is so.

Remember Paul's opening question: "God has not rejected His people, has He?" (Rom. 11:1). Paul's answer is a resounding, "No!" He specifically asks: "They did not stumble so as to fall, did they?" (Rom. 11:11). Here the stumbling is, in the Greek construction, cast as a purpose clause. Paul is asking: "Is that the PURPOSE of their stumbling, so that they should utterly fall and be absolutely destroyed?" Are they permanently ruined? Shall they collapse into total, irretrievable demise? Are they hopelessly lost and forever banished from God's good grace?

Paul's response to such a query is strong: "Certainly not!" He employs strong terminology in this reply (Greek: me genoito). Rather, another purpose explains their fall — and this is crucial to redemptive history, and the display of the marvelous grace of God: "I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous" (Rom. 11:11).

Christ teaches us in Matthew 8:11-12: "And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." He reiterates this theme of Jewish judgment / Gentile mercy: "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and be given to a nation producing the fruit of it" (Matt. 21:43). (Of course, as Paul is showing, there is more to the story of redemption: Israel will one day be recovered.)

The fall of Israel opens salvation to the Gentiles. Since the Romans passage focuses on RACIAL Israel, Paul emphasizes the REASON for Gentile salvation: "to make [Israel] jealous" (Rom. 11:11b). Remember Romans 11:1: Paul is here dealing with the question of the destiny of the Jews in history.

Now in response to Ware's surmise that Romans 11 supports dispensationalism, we must note that RACIAL identity is in view here, not GEO-POLITICAL identity; ethnic salvation is Paul's concern, not political exaltation. Paul's concern is with the racial people, not the geo-political nation. The whole interplay effected by Paul focuses on REDEMPTION, not real estate.

In Romans 11:12 we read: "Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!" Here we must clarify Paul's meaning: The word "transgression" speaks of their fundamental sin, their pre-eminent failure: their rejection and crucifixion of Christ — a constant theme of the apostolic witness: Acts 2:22-23; 3:13-15a; 5:28, 30; 7:52; 10:39; 1 Thess 2:14-15. They demanded the Romans crucify Him: Rev. 17; Matt. 20:18-19; 27:11-25; Mark 10:33; 15:1; Luke 18:32; 23:1-2; John 18:28-31; 19:12, 15; Acts 3:13; Acts 4:26-27.

Their transgression is the rejection of Christ; their "failure" indicates the great loss for the mass of Israel. The race was chosen by God, but the bulk of the race now lies lost in their sinful rebellion, says Paul. Paul indicates no interest in geo-politics. His interest is in the gospel and eternal destinies. Thus, he argues that their evil rebellion ("transgression") brings riches to the world (salvation to the other races of mankind); their overwhelming loss as a race results in salvation for the gentiles. God does not grant the Gentiles "Most Favored Nation" status as geo-political entities! Salvation is the issue in question.

Now here we must parallel the Jewish rebellion and loss with their eventual return. Paul parallels current rebellion with future restoration. Romans 11:12: "Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!" How great is Israel's transgression and failure? It is total. John even calls their synagogue system a "synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2:9; 3:9). He pictures Israel, Jehovah's Old Testament wife, as a Babylonian Harlot, soon to be replaced by the bride of Christ (see: Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell. Available from me for $27.95 plus $2.00 shipping. See address below)

Well then, if Israel's loss is total, what shall her recovery be? Surely it must be analogous to her loss, so that her return must be total Romans 11:12: "Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!" The greatness of her recovery parallels the depth of her loss. In fact, Paul exclaims: "For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?" (Rom. 11:15).

Paul even joyously proclaims: "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, 'The deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob'" (Rom. 11:25-26). Once again, salvation and godliness are in view, not geo-political dominance. And once again, a postmillennial scheme best fits the picture: redemption for Israel as salvation overflows the earth.

Thus, Paul teaches that God will yet save the Jews. Nothing in the context indicates any other MEANS to their salvation than those means employed in bringing the Gentiles to salvation. Surely the pure and simple proclamation of the gospel will effect this glorious reality. Indeed, Paul opens Romans with a glorious and bold declaration — glorious in terms of what it entails, bold in terms of Israel's current demise: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).

In fact, when Paul writes: "and SO all Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26), the word "so" is the Greek "outos." It speaks of MANNER. Regarding Paul's concern with God's sovereignty and Israel's current demise, he informs us of the MANNER by which Israel will be saved: Through the sovereignly controlled interplay between Jewish failure, Gentile riches, then Jewish fullness. Thus the MANNER of Jewish salvation shall be through historical interplay by means of the gospel, not by miraculous intervention effected by the Second Advent.

Nor does Paul indicate anything of an EXALTATION of the Jew over the Gentile. He does not suggest the Gentiles must now fall away for the Jews to regain ascendency. Paul is postmillennial, not premillennial. Israel will be turned away from "ungodliness" (not political decline); her "sins" will be taken away.

Here Paul returns once again to God's sovereignty in all of this. Israel's salvation, according to Old Testament prophecy, is divinely monergistic: "The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.' 'And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins" (Rom. 11:26b-27). The Deliverer removes ungodliness; the covenant effects the removal of sins. No Pharisee will stand on that day muttering: "God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get" (Luke 18:11-12). No. Just as God sovereignly judges Israel, so shall he sovereignly save them — through normal means.

Paul is not teaching anything other than God's sovereignty in Israel's salvation here. That is contextually determined by the flow of the argument. He is not teaching the Second Advent by reference to these Old Testament passages.

Ware's employment of Romans 11 in defense of dispensationalism will not stand.

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