1 The Restoration of the Land  Fundamental tenets of dispensationalism:  1.) Israel has never possessed all the land.  2.) The land was given to Israel “forever.”  3.) O. T. prophets foretold the restoration of all twelve tribes of Israel, “in the land.”  Millennialists insist that no one can properly respond to these promises.  All attempts to say that the promises are fulfilled in Christ, in the church, are labeled as “allegorization.”

2 A Question of Hermeneutic  To help settle the issue of the land, we must determine how the N. T. applies O. T. prophecies. I want to establish several important facts that will answer, definitively in my estimation, the question of the land.  At issue is the authority of the N. T. writers, their prophetic expectations, and how they applied the O. T. prophecies. These are the foundational issues involved in settling the question of the land promises.

3 A Question of Hermeneutic  K. Gentry “This approach to biblical interp. allows the conclusive revelation of God in the N.T authoritatively to interpret incomplete revelation in the Old.”  Fruchtenbaum: “This could be sound if Gentry meant…(progressive revelation) as more details and explanation are added. But this would happen in such a way as not to change the meaning of the original O. T. passages through reinterpretation in the N.T. (i.e. the church replaces Israel in the O. T. passages).”

4 A Question of Hermeneutic  Fruchtenbaum continues… “he believes that the N. T. theology gives him the liberty to take O.T. passages and apply them ‘spiritually’ to the church…  “But, must one adopt an element of spiritualization (i.e. the N. T. re-interprets the O. T.), into one’s hermeneutic in order to properly understand how the N. T. uses the O. T.? I do not think that is necessary.”  “How the N. T. Uses the O. T.”, Arnold Fruchtenbaum

5 A Question of Hermeneutic  I want to establish several points:  1.) The N. T. writers were all Jews.  2.) The N. T. writers preached only the O. T. promises made to Israel.  3.) The N. T. writers believed they were living in the days of the fulfillment of those O. T. prophecies.  4.) The N.T. writers say that the O. T. prophets did not understand what they prophesied!  5.) The N. T. writers say that they, through the Spirit, are giving the authoritative, inspired meaning of those O. T. prophecies!!  6.)The N. T. writers say that O.T. Israel, her history, cultus, and events were only shadows of coming better things.  7.) The writers say Israel’s promises were being fulfilled in Christ and the church.

6 Establishing Our Case #1  Points #1-3 are either not disputed, or will be proven as we progress.  #4- The N.T. (and O. T.!), writers say that the O. T. prophets did not understand what they prophesied!  Isaiah 64: “Since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any of God besides you…” How does Paul use this verse?  Daniel 10-12– “I saw but did not understand!”

7 Establishing Our Case #1  Matthew 13:17– Prophets desired to see what you see, but did not, to hear, but did not!  Romans 16: Mystery hidden in previous ages, now made known, preached from the prophets.  1 Cor. 2:6f- Wisdom hidden in other ages– eyes have not seen (Is. 64!), nor ears heard, nor entered into the hearts of man the things that God has prepared. Natural man -v- spiritual. O. T. prophets and people did not know! Only the N. T. prophets revealed it!

8 Establishing Our Case #1  1 Peter 1:10-12: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven––things which angels desire to look into.”

9 Establishing Our Case #1  We have seen:  1.) The O. T. prophets did not understand their own prophecies.  2.) The New Testament prophets, by inspiration of the Spirit, did understand.  3.) The N. T. prophets were revealing the true meaning, and time of those O. T. prophets!  How did the N. T. prophets understand the O. T. prophecies of the restoration of the Land…or were those prophecies important to them

10 N. T. Prophets and the Land  N. T. writers say they were anticipating fulfillment of O.T. promises to Israel:  1.) Peter  Acts 3:21f– Samuel and all the prophets spoke of these days– cf. Mt. 13:17.  2.) Paul  Acts 24:14; 26:6-8, 21-23; 28:16f– Nothing but the hope of Israel.  3.) John  Rev. 10:7f-- “when the seventh trump is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.”

11 N. T. Prophets and the Land  N. T. prophets were Jews, preaching only the hope of Israel.  Yet,  Not one N. T. prophet ever refers to Israel’s restoration to the Land!  However!!  They do speak of Israel’s salvation (Rm. 11).  They do quote from O. T. prophecies of the restoration to the Land!!  How do they apply those promises?

12 Isaiah 49 / Isaiah 61  Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You. Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages.”

13 Isaiah 49 and the Land Promise  What Isaiah 49 foretold:  Sending of the Servant (v. 6f)  Salvation of Israel (two houses, v. 6), resulting in,  Calling of the Gentiles (v. 6).  Making of the Covenant (in Him, v. 8)  Restoration of the earth (eretz, Land, v. 8).  All this in: “The acceptable time, the Day of Salvation.” (v. 8)

14 Isaiah 61 and the Land Promise  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; To proclaim liberty to the captives, To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,  3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, 4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, … 62:2f– “The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, You shall be called by a new name… You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; And your land shall be married.

15 Isaiah 61 and the Land Promise  What Isaiah foretold:  Messiah’s Anointed Ministry  Proclamation of the Acceptable Day (Is. 49!)  Day of Vengeance  Giving of a New Name  Gentiles called and Glorify Jehovah  Restoration of the Land, The Land shall be married!

16 Jesus and Isaiah’s Prophecy  Jesus was sent to the House of Israel (Mt. 15:10f)  Jesus, Luke 4:16f – “The Spirit is upon me…” “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing!”  In the Acceptable Day, Israel would be restored, given a new name, married, and restored to the Land.  Jesus said that prophecy was being fulfilled that day!  Therefore, the time for the restoration of Israel, the new name, the marriage, and the restoration of the Land was being fulfilled that day!!

17 The Millennial Dilemma  Jesus said the time for the restoration of Israel foretold by Isaiah, had arrived! Did Jesus fail?  Millennialists say it was postponed!  Millennialists: The church never predicted in the O. T.  Yet, millennialists now say that Isaiah 61 was a prediction of the church and the church age!  If Isaiah is the salvation of Israel, and Jesus did not fulfill it, then he failed!!  If Isaiah foretold the church, a pillar of millennialism is destroyed!!

18 Paul and Isaiah  Paul taught nothing but the hope of Israel.  Paul said that through the Spirit, the apostles were revealing what was not known or understood in the O. T.  Remember what Isaiah said:  In the Acceptable Time, the Day of Salvation, Israel would be restored to “the land.” (Isaiah 49; 61)– the Lord would marry Israel “in the land.” Gentiles called (49/61- 62).  Does Paul have anything to say about this?

19 Paul and Isaiah  2 Cor. 6:1-2: “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”  Paul, proclaimer of nothing but the hope of Israel, authoritative interpreter of the O. T. prophecies that the prophets did not fully understand, said the time foretold by Isaiah was present, fulfilled in Christ!!

20 Paul and Isaiah  Paul: the time foretold by Isaiah 49, 61, the acceptable Day, the Day of Salvation, when Israel was to be restored, in the land, was present, fulfilled in Christ!  But, the fulfillment being wrought when Paul wrote was spiritual, not a geographical re- gathering, but spiritual gathering into Christ!  Therefore, unless Paul was wrong, deluded, or lying, then Isaiah actually foretold the spiritual work of restoration in Christ!

21 Paul and Isaiah  Jesus came to fulfill the promises to Israel, and said the prophecies were fulfilled.  Paul preached nothing but the hope of Israel and said the prophecies--- the prophecies of the restoration to the land!!!--- were fulfilled.  Undeniably, Paul did not believe that the promise of the acceptable day of the Lord, the day of salvation (of Israel), had been postponed!  Israel’s restoration “in the land” was being fulfilled “in Christ!”