Dispies and Israel

 

Dispensationalists are typically more supportive of the present Jewish State in the land of Israel because of their futurist views and because of the Abrahamic covenant. Preterists, it seems, are less supportive of the Jewish State in the land of Israel and more accusatory of the government of evil.

Dispensationalism is a system of theology that sees differing stewardships throughout human history. I understand the stewardships as the people of God for God's purposes, and the most significant ones being the nation of Israel and the “Church.” The distinctions between these two groups are clear in that Israel is primarily descendants of Jacob, existing as a theocracy in a particular land promised to them, while the Church is made up of both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus as the Christ, and it is not a geographically fixed people and government like Israel was.

Dispensationalists or “Dispies” are “futurists” in that they believe there are many prophecies that are yet unfulfilled, besides the “Second Coming” of Christ, concerning things like the “70th week of Daniel,” the “Great Tribulation” period, the salvation and restoration of Israel as a people and nation, and the “Millennial Kingdom” (1000 year reign of Christ).

Opposed to Dispies and their futurist views are “Preterists” (“praeter” is Latin for “past”), who believe all prophecy was fulfilled in the past, mostly involving the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in the events of AD70. Most Preterists still believe in a future resurrection of the dead and a Second Coming of Christ (though some believe even those things have already happened in the past).

Dispies, unlike Preterists, believe one of the “dispensations” yet unfulfilled involves a future salvation and restoration of Israel as a people and nation. Of course, that will be through their acceptance and belief in Jesus as the Christ in connection with end time events, especially in connection with His Second Coming. That salvation of Israel as a people and nation will involve the Millennial reign of Christ on earth.

Dispies understand the “all Israel will be saved” in Romans chapter 11 verse 26 to be about Israel as a people and nation. Jews who believe in Jesus as the Christ and Savior from sin at this present time are part of the “Church,” and the Church belongs to the present dispensation. A new dispensation will begin with the future salvation of Israel as a people and nation for the Millennial Kingdom.

There's a futurist view that is non-dispensational, that believes in a future Millennial kingdom, but the salvation and restoration of Israel is not essential—this is call “Historic Premillennialism.” But some may call themselves Historic Premill, as opposed to being a Dispie, and still believe in a restoration of Israel.

Preterists do not believe in this future salvation of Israel as a people and nation for the Millennial Kingdom. They believe that either the promises to Israel have been forfeited, due to their unbelief and rejection of Jesus as the Christ, or those promises to Israel are fulfilled in the Church: believing Jews are joined with believing Gentiles, and the prophecies concerning the salvation of Israel are fulfilled in that arrangement. Preterists believe God is done with Israel as a distinct people for His purposes. There is not a future salvation of the nation—no restoration to the Land of Israel and no literal 1000 year reign of Christ. The Millennial Kingdom is a spiritual reality fulfilled now in the Church—though some believe in a 1000 year kingdom before Christ's return, in which Christianity advances throughout the earth. They might understand the “all Israel will be saved,” in Romans 11:26 as simply a reference to Jews who believe as opposed to those who don't, and they may reference the statement, “they are not all Israel who are of Israel” Romans 9:6. (I had a man get pretty irate at me and remove all my posts, block me and unfriend me on Facebook because I understood “Israel” as referring to the nation of Israel, and he did not—and the funny thing was that his last name was “Savoie.” Why do people get so angry?)

Dispies are typically more supportive of the present Jewish State in the land of Israel because of their futurist views and because of the Abrahamic covenant, which states: “3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Genesis 12:3 Preterists, it seems, are less supportive of the Jewish State in the land of Israel and more accusatory of the Jewish government of evil, being occupiers in the land that is not theirs, and presently, accusing them of things like genocide towards the Gazan people. The accusations and conspiracies seem to be getting worse.

Dispies see that God still has a purpose for Israel as a people in the Land promised to them, while Preterists believe that God is finished with them as a people, and they have no Divine right or purpose. Yet even some Jews would be opposed to the Jewish State, because they see it as premature and illegitimate because their restoration will be with the coming of Messiah, and ultimately, they are correct, because any kind of peace agreement now (such as a 2 state solution) is only temporary and lacking, for according to the prophecies, such as in Ezekiel (see Ezekiel chapters 36-39), the restoration will a regathering of all Israel into all of the land of promise.

Understanding the different views of Dispensationalism and Preterism can help understand why some Christians are pro-Israel and others are not. And like everything in life, people will differ, and the division seems to get worse as time passes.