Veracity

Cherry picking verses out of the Bible to support a particular view is easy. But how does that verse fit within the “whole counsel of God” in Scripture? (Acts 20:27)

Previously, we were discussing what the New Testament has to say about the land promise. It would appear that from a straight forward reading of Romans 4:13 that Paul is redefining the promise of the land to include, not just the physical nation of Israel in the Middle East, but rather the entire world would be promised to both redeemed Jew and Gentile!

What an expansion of the original Abrahamic land promise! Yet as it turns out, it is very difficult to decide debates like this simply on the basis of citing a few Bible quotations. The temptation, one that I have often given into at times myself, is to cherry pick a favorite passage of the Bible, hold that up as “proof,” but failing to consider the possibility that other passages of the Bible might shed more light on my cherry picked verse. Let me show you what I mean.
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Israel, the land, in the New Testament.

While the Old Testament has numerous references to the promise of the Land, the New Testament, in comparison, is somewhat sparse. Nevertheless, we do find passages that touch on this, even if indirectly.

For example, after the resurrection and just prior to His ascension to heaven, the disciples asked a loaded question:

Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b)

If there was ever a golden time for Jesus to address the question of the land promise, now that the Messiah had come, it would have been then. Like most Jews of the day, these early Jewish followers of Jesus were probably expecting Jesus to establish His Kingship, boot the Romans and other pagans out of the Holy Land, and setup shop in Jerusalem at any moment. But Jesus appears to sidestep the question, before he disappears from the disciples’ presence.

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)

He tells his disciples not to worry about the “when” question. Nevertheless, we are left with some questions that concerns us: What is meant by this restoration of the kingdom to Israel? Is the land promise, going back to the Old Testament, included, and is it still in effect? Will Jesus, someday physically rule over a restored national Israel?¹

Interestingly, Jesus redirects their focus. He tells them to be witnesses for Jesus in Israel, but not only in Israel. They are to be witnesses through the whole world. This is not about establishing a worldwide Jewish theocracy. It is about a spiritual kingdom. But does this rule out a physical, literal Jewish kingdom in the Holy Land? Not necessarily. But is Jesus confirming their expectations for a physical literal Jewish kingdom? Not necessarily either. Perhaps we need to look at another passage to find a clearer answer.
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