I came across an excellent article dealing with the question of whether there’s a future for Israel. Lately I’ve discussed how Christians should understand the land promise. I’ve also stressed that America, and Israel are both pagan nations. But what I stumble along in a wordy way trying to say, Dr. Russell Moore of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary spells out in a succinct and truly superb manner in his blog post: Is There a Future for Israel? (HT: Paleoevangelical.)
He argues that all the promises for Israel are fulfilled in Christ, the true Israel of God. And the church receives these blessings only because she is organically united to Christ by faith. So Jesus possesses the future of Israel; and since we share in His inheritance, we do too. I encourage you to read Moore’s short piece for yourself.
I read the article and thought it was really great! A thought came to me that I hadn’t had before… Since Christ has built the “new temple” of living stones and He is the once and for all sacrifice…Might the abomination that maketh desolate be a rebuilt Jewish temple where they again hold animal sacrifice?
I have never really understood exactly what that was supposed to be, outside of that’s really not something good.
I’m leaning more toward the abomination having been done by Titus in his sack of Jerusalem in AD 70. ‘Course, Antiochus Epiphanes did it 200 years before that even. There may be an ultimate tribulation coming with yet another abomination. Your thought bears some consideration too, I’d think.
Glad you liked the article. Makes me want to read more of what he has to say.
Nancy,
Good question! You can’t read Hebrews and not see that a return to animal sacrifice would be an abomination and not scriptural.
On the other hand, being a bit of a literalist on Revelation, I believe that the New Jerusalem, as described, is the present day church when you consider it’s foundations are Israel and the Apostles with Christ the cornerstone, of course, and we being the living stones that make up that huge and perfect city (body?).
Bob,
I’ll definitely have to read Moore’s article. Thanks for the link!
Thanks, Prodigal. I’m with you there. However I still think there’s some futurism happening in Revelation and the grand scene in Rev 21 depicts the future state of all God’s people dwelling together with God in a recreated glorious physical world.
Note that when Hebrews was written they were still performing animal sacrifices which was an abomination, but was most likely not the abomination of desolation Jesus speaks of since it was meant to be a “sign event” to let the Christians know it was time to escape the city, so one singular event or closely related events would be more probable.
But whether the abomination was the sacking of the Temple by Titus is questionable only because Titus was doing what should have been done by the Jews after embracing Christ, the Messiah, but they did not. The abomination may be the armies of Rome surrounding Jerusalem like Luke describes or Luke may simply be stating then when you see the city surrounded it’s time to fly and avoids the question of the abomination of desolation all together since he was writing to a Greek audience. Note once the sack had commended it would be too late for those in Judea to flee, so the abomination had to occur before the sacking of the Temple.
Most likey the abomination may have been the acts of zealots in the Temple before the attack of the Romans. These included the murder of a host of priests – even while performing sacrifices – and the murder of the High Priest and setting up their own false High Priest – Phannius – who performed mock sacrifices and had the furniture of the Inner Room removed and replaced with a chair for him to sit down. The zealots also left the carcasses rotting and allowed convicted murderers to roam freely in the Temple.
All of that would be plenty enough warning to those in Judea to get out…along with Rome’s army surrounding the city as described by Luke. I’m actually addressing all of these in my blog “I Was a Teenage Dispensationalist”…right now taking a break from the Olivet Discourse to address the abomination passages in Daniel
low5point,
Great comments here. What’s your blog url. Thx for stopping by.
Blessings,
Bob Hayton
Here’s the url
https://low5point.wordpress.com/
It will eventually be a book based on the formula of “Politically Incorrect Guide To…” series. The basic premise and goal is to be the most thorough, yet easy to understand critique of Dispensationalism. I use a method called “Remedial Study” which first tries to help the reader “unlearn” what they’ve learned and then learn a more biblical approach. It is deep stuff handled in very baby steps method.
David
low5point,
Really good points… And, this again points to the mercies and wisdom of God. The sacking of the temple certainly served to move the Israelites away from the abomination of the daily sacrifice, which would in my estimation be closely related to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
Even today, on a daily basis God wrests from our lives the things of the past that are not meant for the future…