Joel M Bradshaw

6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.–Acts 1

There are two big options regarding Israel and the biblical prophecies of God.

1. There is a separate end-times path for national Israel.

2. Messiah Yeshua brings unity to Jew and Gentile who follow Him.

Option 1 pushes against the idea that the Church has replaced Israel. They read the prophecies as saying that both the Church and Israel have separate lanes. God therefore would have a plan for the Church and a separate plan for Israel. Israel is special and in its own path. This path looks for many Old Testament prophecies to literally come true.

Option 2 (as I see it) doesn’t see the Church as replacing Israel, but instead Jesus. Jesus being the true representative and perfect Israelite. The focus of prophecies becomes Jesus and not Israel. The overall message of the Bible being through Jesus and not through Abraham. This path gains perspective by the book of Galatians.

This blog will not argue the Reformed vs Dispensationalism positions further. I do have an episode on my podcast that lays both positions out regarding Israel.https://open.spotify.com/episode/4RuyUGzzwhpSmySx5kvGEV?si=xGPwT5IhQa6frwe3Nqv_5g

My point today focuses on Acts chapter 1. This was the disciples’ final moment with Jesus. He was just about to ascend into Heaven. They got one last question.

And they made it about Israel. This issue was very important to them. Was this the moment when Israel was going to get its special end-times restoration and glory? Jesus had never been more powerful. This was the moment if it was going to happen in their lifetimes. This was the whole point of Jesus’ ministry, right? Restoring Israel?

And Jesus instead made it about the Gospel. Being His witnesses to both Israel and the Gentiles. I think that actually says a lot about the main purpose of the Bible.–JMB