Israel Under the New Covenant

This is part twelve of my series on the Story of the Bible. The previous posts looked at the unexpected way that the promise made to Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus. We find that the promise made to Abraham applies to all those who have the faith of Abraham. Jews and Gentiles alike can be Abraham’s heirs.

Jesus is the promised descendant of David who would establish an eternal kingdom. A kingdom that even now is in existence. The numberless descendants promised to Abraham are the Jews and Gentiles of faith. And the blessing to the nations was fulfilled in Jesus.

But if the promise is fulfilled in Jews and Gentiles alike, what about the nation of Israel? That is the subject of this post. Many, if not most, of you reading this will likely disagree with me. But I do hope and pray that you will at least consider my arguments rather than dismiss them out of hand.

One People of God

So, what is the status of the Jews now, as a nation, in God’s eternal plan? Have they been set aside due to their broken covenant? Or does God have plans for them that are distinct from his plans for the church?

I do not believe that either of those is true. In Ephesians 2:11-22, I believe Paul addressed this issue. As Gentiles, we were “separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Under that old covenant, Gentiles were on the outside looking in.

But Jesus “has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph. 2:14), “that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two” (Eph. 2:15). So we Gentiles “are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph 2:19).

There is only one people of God, composed of believing Jews and Gentiles. In Romans 9:24-26, Paul quotes from Hosea 1:10, 2:23, applying it not just to Israel, but to the Gentiles as well. “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ​‘sons of the living God’” (Rom 9:25-26).

What About Israel Now?

If there is only one people of God, composed of believing Jews and Gentiles, what about the unbelieving Jews? Is there any place in God’s plan for them?

The New Testament is mostly silent on this question. After Pentecost, the focus is on that one people of God. The status of unbelieving Jews is much the same as that of unbelieving Gentiles. But not entirely.

In Romans 9-11, Paul shares his anguish for his countrymen who have rejected Jesus as their Messiah. But he closes this section with the thought that God is not through with them. Before the end comes, they will once again experience God’s mercy and experience his salvation.

What will trigger this “revival” in Israel is unknown. But there is no indication that it will result in something distinct from the body of Christ. There is no way to salvation apart from belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).

What About the Land

However, a question often arises concerning the land promised to Abraham. While the blessing to the nations is fulfilled in Jesus, and the promised heirs are all those with the faith of Abraham, what about the promised land?

An Answer from Hebrews

I believe three passages in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews address this. First is Hebrews 11:9-10. This passage says that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in the promised land. But they were foreigners living in tents. And they were looking forward to a city whose foundations were designed and built by God.

Hebrews 11:13-16 goes on to say that they died without receiving what was promised, specifically the land. They only saw and greeted them from afar as strangers and exiles on the earth. Their desire was for a better country, a heavenly one.

And at the end of a long list of people who had lived by faith, including David and the prophets (Heb. 11:32), Hebrews 11:39-40 says that they had not received the promise. The greatest extent of the land of Israel was under David. And it exceeded what had been promised to Abraham. Yet even that did not fulfill the promise.

Hebrews 11:39-40 goes on to say that it is only together with us, the true heirs of Abraham, that they receive what was promised, that heavenly land that Abraham had looked forward to. The land promised to Abraham was ultimately not a matter of the physical land of Canaan. Instead, it was a heavenly land—the land of the kingdom of God.

An Answer from the Psalms

I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” – Psalms 2:7-9 (ESV)

This psalm was likely directed initially at David. But the New Testament authors clearly saw it as looking forward to Jesus. Acts 13:22, Hebrews 1:5, and Hebrews 5:5 all quote from this passage to declare that “You are my Son” is a reference to Jesus. And Revelation 12:5 and Revelation 19:15 refer to Jesus ruling with a rod of iron.

And what is it that this psalm says can be the heritage and possession of Jesus, the Son of God who will rule? It is not just Canaan. It is the nations, the earth. Jesus’ kingdom, while not of this earth (Jn. 18:36), is found wherever his people are—throughout the world.

Coming Up

I expect there will be two more posts in this series. The next post will examine what the future holds for God’s people. And the final post will be a review of the whole story of the Bible, at least as I see it.

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