Supersessionism (Replacement Theology) Pt. 1
- Apr 21, 2020
- 7 min read
Supersessionism, yes I know, “what does that mean”. This one word defines the topic will be covering in our class regarding Israel and the future. The interest in need to understand this topic arose because it has been observed that Israel is missing in some of the prophetic teachings in the church. In the early 1900s, Israel did not exist as a nation. The Jews were scattered all over the world on every continent. In Israel's absence, many churches began to either dismiss Israel from prophecy or replaced themselves as the “people of the promise of God”. The Bible is full of prophetic references of Israel. Some of the promises given to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament have not yet been fulfilled i.e. Gen. 3:15. It would seem that the reef formation of Israel in
1948, would demonstrate God's intent to fulfill his promises regarding Israel. But this has not because some denominations and seminaries to change their view. It has caused the Catholic Church to soften its stance on this matter has demonstrated in Vatican II 1965 Nostra aetate .
Supersessionism is the traditional Christian belief that Christianity is the fulfillment of Biblical Judaism, and therefore that Jews who deny that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah fall short of their calling as God's Chosen people. (Theopedia 2016)
Supersessionism is also known as replacement theology is a theological view which teaches that the church has succeeded Israel as a definitive people of God. This belief also holds the view that the Jews no longer are the people of God in any sense, outside of the church. It also holds the view that the church is the successor of all the blessings God had promised to Israel in the Old Testament Scriptures. Those who agree supersessionism, tend to allegorize Israel's place in prophetic Scriptures. This greatly differs from dispensationalism, which teaches a more liberal view of Israel prophetically. Dispensationalism teaches that all of the blessings and curses that the Bible prophesied regarding the nation Israel will be fulfilled literally as described.
The early Roman Catholic Church’s replacement view held by the popes, give him justification to murder tens of thousands of Jews in Jerusalem and abroad. Jews were mercilessly slaughter in the Roman Empire until Augustine took control. This is also why Catholic churches across Europe turnover Jews to the Nazis during Hitler's attempt to cleanse the land the Jews. Helena last 30 years has Catholic Church made attempt to reach out to the Jewish people in an attempt to convert them from Judaism. They believe only to conversion can the Jews be saved.
As written in my book “Revelation: From the rapture to the end”, I believe the promises to the nation Israel should be taken literally. I follow the belief that Israel holds a prominent place in the future. Prophecy of the Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39, which we see coming into fruition, daily on the news, describes a future attack on the nation Israel from Iran, Russia, Turkey, and many of their allies. Israel is most probably mentioned in future prophecy in the Scriptures:
Psalms 83
Isaiah 17
Ezekiel 36-48
Daniel 7-12
Zechariah 14
Matthew 24
Revelation 12
And many other places…
I believe the primary area of confusion arises is in the interpretation of Hebrews 8:13:
Hebrew 8:13
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
The argument for supersessionism is largely based on this Scripture. The interpretation is that the new covenant replaces the old covenant made with Israel, therefore exempting Israel from the covenant God made with them. I believe this contradicts verses 8-10 in the same chapter which tells us that God will make a new and even better covenant with Israel.
Hebrews 8:8-10
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
God is immutable and keeps all of his promises and covenants. Israel has been and will be continually protected by God. God will continuously “bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee”. (Gen. 12-3) Prophetic Scriptures become confusing when Bible Scriptures are taken out of context or omitted. Omitting Israel from prophetic Scriptures leaves holes that cannot be correctly filled. I believe this is why churches, seminaries, and Bible teachers have avoided teaching in time prophecy or the book of revelation in depth.
There are places in Scripture where Israel's sins and rejection of Jesus have caused them to lose their position with Jesus. During the millennial period, the final Temple will be rebuilt. But in the Temple, Jesus will have an actual physical barrier between him and Israel. Only the Levi sons of Zadok will be allowed to offer sacrifices in the outer court.
Ezekiel 43
7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcasses of their kings in their high places.
8 In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.
9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcasses of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them forever. It's.
Ezekiel 44
6 And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,
7 In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.
8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.
9 Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
10 And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.
11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. 12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity.
13 And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.
14 But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein. 15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God:
Israel is the woman of revelation chapter 12. But as we see in Revelation chapter 19 the woman, that becomes the bride of Christ, is the church. Israel will be amongst those who are invited to the “marriage supper of the lamb” but not as the bride. Israel’s failures during the Old Testament will cause them to lose their position within the Temple during the millennial period. Jesus will enter the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and establish his throne in Jerusalem for 1000 years. The prophecy from the Lord's Prayer:
“thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven”
(Matt. 6:10), will be fulfilled. The position of royal priesthood and sons of God will be held by the church that has the blood of Jesus on their hearts.
I would conclude that Supersessionism is a belief that should not be followed because it leads to direct contradictions within Scriptures. Numerous prophetic Scriptures would stand in contradiction if Israel is omitted from the future. I am happy to see the subject of Israelology being introduced into curriculums of seminaries. The belief of Israel in the future shows faith in God's commitment to keep His covenants. In the study of Scripture, there are times when we have to lean on our faith in the word of God beyond what we may see or understand.
References
Theopedia 2016 http://www.theopedia.com/supersessionism
Wikipedia (September 2016)
Catholic Culture.org (2016)
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