What's Wrong with the Pretribulation Rapture Doctrine?

A. Tribulation Delusion

 Countless Christians have debated whether Jesus Christ will return before the seven years of

tribulation (the pre-trib position), in the middle of the seven years (the mid-trib position), or at the end of the seven years (a post-trib position). Those who adopt the pre-trib view contend that God will remove His people in the rapture so they won’t have to endure the final “tribulation” at all. Search the Bible for this exact phrase. Can you find it? It isn’t there.  Amazingly, the entire theory is based on a highly speculative interpretation of one verse—Daniel 9:27.

Daniel 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

 The popular interpretation of this verse (according the “Left Behind” books):

·          “He” is the antichrist

·          “The covenant” is a peace treaty the antichrist makes with the Jews after the “rapture”

·          “One week” is the seven-year period of tribulation that is not continuous with the other sixty-nine weeks.  The prophetic “time clock” stops ticking for over two thousand years, and at some point in the near future the clock will start ticking again to complete the last “week”.

·          “In the midst of the week” means after three and one-half years.

·          “He shall cause the sacrifice…to cease” means the antichrist will stop the sacrifices of a rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem during the tribulation.

 Daniel 9:27 as anciently interpreted (see Matthew Henry’s famous Bible commentary):

·           “He” is the Jesus Christ

·          “The covenant” is “the new covenant” which Jesus Christ “confirmed.”

·          “One week” means “seven years” (see Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34).

·          “In the midst of the week” means after three and one-half years of ministry.

·          “He shall cause the sacrifice…to cease” occurred when Jesus Christ died. His death caused the Jewish sacrifices to “cease” to be of value in God’s sight.

 Daniel 9:27 fulfilled by Jesus Christ:

·          The primary subject of Daniel 9:25-26 is “Messiah the Prince”:

Daniel 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

·          “The covenant” is “the new covenant” which Jesus Christ “confirmed.”

Romans 15:8  Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

Matthew 26:28 (Young’s Literal Translation) for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out—to remission of sins;

·          A study of the Gospel of John reveals that the ministry of Jesus Christ was exactly three and a half years.  Daniel 9:27 states that in the middle of the week (three and a half years into the confirming of the covenant) “he” shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.  When Jesus was “cut off”, He caused the sacrifices to cease to have any atoning value:

Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

·          There were three and a half more years of confirming the covenant after Christ’s death (Acts 1-6).  Then came the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7), which was the final Jewish rejection of the Gospel.  Paul then became the “apostle to the Gentiles”, and Peter was sent to the Romans (Acts 10).  Paul and Barnabas told the Jews, “We turn to the Gentiles.”(Acts 13:46)

Hebrews 10:12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever…

·          The consummation, or that which was to be “poured upon the desolate,” is speaking of Christ’s appointed agents of judgments, the Romans, who would come and destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD.  This historically occurred under the reign of Titus.

Mt 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 24:1  And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.2  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down… 15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place.

Luke 21:20  And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

 Someone may ask, “what about the temple mentioned in Revelation 11?  Isn’t that a literal temple? If so, must it not be a reconstructed future one?”  I’d like to make two points to address this:

·          First of all, when will the church understand that the book of revelation is a book of SYMBOLS, not literal objects?  John makes this clear at the onset of the book. 

Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified (literally “sign”-ified) it by his angel unto his servant John:

Note: As an example of the symbolism, the two witnesses in Revelation 11 are not two individuals, they are the church.  How do I know that?  Because John tells us that they are the candlesticks (Rev 11:4), which he earlier said were the churches (Rev 1:20).  Another example is the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:2.  So many people think this is a literal four walled city. John specifically tells us that it’s the bride (21:2, 21:9)!  Notice in 22:17, the “bride” says “come”.  Do brick and mortar cities speak? Of course not! The bride is the church (Eph 5:25-33).

·          The Greek word for “temple” in Revelation 11 is the word naos.  John uses this word to speak of the Christ’s literal body. Paul uses this word to signify the church, not a real temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple <naos> of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Ephesians 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple < naos > in the Lord: 22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God …

John 2:21  But he spake of the temple < naos > of his body.

·          Secondly, it would be complete blasphemy to re-establish a temple with a sacrificial system.  Christ’s finished work on the cross did away with such a system (Hebrews 10:12):

 We are not appointed a ticket out of this world while a new literal temple is built and the world gets taken over by Mr. Diabolical. The truth is, from beginning of the church age through today, Christians have faced tribulation. If you don’t believe me, just read Foxes Book of Martyrs:

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Romans 5:3  … we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Acts 14:22 … we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation…

 Conclusion: The entire “seven-year tribulation theory” is a mega-myth. With His own precious blood Jesus Christ Himself “confirmed” the covenant mentioned in Daniel 9:27. Throughout history, God has always strengthened His Church to endure tribulation, and He promises to do this until the end.

B. The Rapture Delusion

 Many Christians have been taught that God’s Church will disappear, be “caught up,” or raptured, just before the supposed seven year tribulation (see previous section), and then Christ will physically return after the seven years. According to this theory, it’s a silent rapture first, then seven years of tribulation, then the second coming. Supposedly, those who miss the rapture will have a “second chance” to be saved during those future seven years. Does the Bible really teach this doctrine? Let’s review the key Scriptures that are being used by rapture teachers to support their own views, and find out if the Scriptures truly support them, or actually challenge and contradict their theories.

1 Thessalonians 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

·          According to the above passage, the coming of Christ is anything but “silent”.  This whole event is called the “coming” (Greek Parousia) of Christ, according to the previous verse (v15). At the coming of Christ, we will be “caught up” and meet Him in the air.

·          In this passage we see a blatant error in this Pre-trib rapture system:

o   Pre-trib rapture teaching:  Rapture is seven years prior to the “coming”

o   Bible:  The church being “caught up” (v17) IS at the “coming” (v15)

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him ... 3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

·          In the above passage we have yet another blatant error in this Pre-trib rapture system:

o   Pre-trib rapture teaching:  Rapture is prior to tribulation (which contains the rise of antichrist)

o   Bible:  The coming (which as we just learned is simultaneous with “caught up” church) is AFTER the antichrist.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Mt 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be …29  Immediately after the tribulation … 30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

·          The above passages say the same thing:

o   The time of great tribulation PRECEDES the resurrection, and we already saw in 1 Thessalonians 4 that the resurrection is coincident with the “caught up” church.  The catching up is not a separate event from the resurrection.

o   The time of great tribulation PRECEDES the coming of Christ, and we already saw that the coming includes the “caught up” church.  The catching up is not seven years prior to the coming.  It’s completely fallacious.

 Does “caught up” necessarily mean disappear without a trace?  Does “meet Him in the air” mean that we meet him and take a hike out of here?  No.  In fact, the Greek word for “meet” is used quite the opposite way.  Notice in the following account, those who met Paul were actually meeting him to bring him back with them (not vice versa):

Acts 28:14  Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. 15  And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

 The “day of the Lord” (which is also coincident with the “coming” of the Lord – see 2 Thess 2:1-2), will come as  a “thief in the night”:

1 Thessalonians 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

2 Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

·          Coming as a thief doesn’t mean a “silent” coming.  Peter specifically says it will be with “great noise” (as we already established earlier).  No, it means a sudden unexpected coming.  If the Pre-trib rapture doctrine were true, we could exactly predict when Christ was literally coming.  It would be exactly seven years after the rapture (i.e. the disappearance of millions of Christians).  That would be completely predictable and thus violate the “thief in the night” principle.

 “Rapture” or Second Coming?

Matthew 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

·          Is this a secret “rapture” or the second coming? Read verses 27, 30-31, and 36-39.  You’ll quickly see that it’s speaking of the coming, which is coincident with the resurrection, as we have already established. It’s certainly not speaking of an event seven years prior to the coming.

Corinthians 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming… 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

·          Again, we see here that the second coming of Christ immediately invokes the resurrection of the dead.  There certainly are not seven years of tribulation in between.  This is fallacious!  Notice also the blast of the trump.  Of course, the trump is symbolic of judgment. Yet we already saw that it would come with “great noise”.  It’s not a silent event.  The following verse also shows that it will be a very visible event (not a secret coming to take away the saints for seven years):

Mt 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming ...

 Conclusion: Upon careful examination, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–5:3, Matthew 24:36-41, and 1

Corinthians 15:52 do not teach a silent return of Jesus Christ, a “secret rapture,” or disappearing Christians. Taken in context, they all teach that true believers will be “caught up” at the loud, noisy, visible second coming of our Lord.

C. The Antichrist Delusion

 Popular rapture theories teach that “the antichrist” applies to only one future Mr. Diabolical who shows up after Christians vanish. According to this view, “the antichrist” isn’t here now, won’t confront the Church, and only attacks after-the-rapture, new believers.

 Antichrist? The word “antichrist” is found only five times in the Bible. Contrary to popular opinion, none of these verses points to a yet-future Mr. Sinister.

1 John 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Notice that the antichrist is not future, not is it limited to one individuals.  They existed in John’s day, and there were “many”.  Contrary to much opinion, they come out from “us”, the church.

1 John 2:22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son … 26  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

1 John 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world… 6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

·          Notice that antichrist is a “spirit”. It’s called the “spirit of antichrist”.  It’s also called the “spirit of error”.  Those who follow this spirit attempt to seduce true Christians into false religious systems which ultimately deny the incarnation of Jesus Christ in the flesh

 Read Daniel 7: Although Daniel didn’t use the word, “antichrist,” many of his prophecies describe things that are antichrist in nature. See the following synopsis:

7:3-7: Daniel dreamed of four beasts. A lion, a bear, a leopard, an unnamed “iron teeth” beast.

7:23: A beast represents a kingdom.

7:7-8: The fourth beast had “ten horns.” Then there came up among them a “little horn”.

7:8: The little horn had “eyes like the eyes of a man” and a “mouth speaking great things”.

7:21: The little horn “made war with the saints, and prevailed against them”.

·          So we see that this “little horn” persecutes the true church. 

 You’ll find that Paul also alludes to the same entity:

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple <naos> of God, shewing himself that he is God.

·          Remember that naos speaks of the church (1 Cor 3:16), not some earthly rebuilt temple.  Also notice that this entity is called the “son of perdition”.  The only other person with that title is Judas (John 17:12), the betrayer of our Lord.  Judas was once part of the visible church, and fell away. So shall this man of sin do also.  This fits well with the passages we saw in 1 John 2 which stated that they “went out from us”.  It also fits well with the “falling away” mentioned in this passage.  The falling away is also described in 1 Timothy 4:1-3. Do any religious entities you know of fit the description there?

·          But doesn’t it mention the “man” (not “men”) of sin, limiting it to one person?  1 John 2 has already established that there are “many” antichrists.  Daniel 7 showed us that the little horn is part of a kingdom (i.e. a beast).  So we must believe that the “man of sin” is a general reference to a class of individuals.  Paul uses the phrase “man of God” in such a manner in 2 Timothy 3:17. Now let’s look at the next two verses in 2 Thessalonians 2:

7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

·          Once again, this debunks the idea that the antichrist will rise up only in the future.  Paul makes it clear that the “mystery of iniquity doth already work”.  The powers directly related to the antichrist were at work in Paul’s day.

 Read Rev 13:1-7.  The “beast” here is the same as the “little horn” in Daniel 7. Here’s a synopsis:

13:2: The beast is a combination three beasts:  Leopard, bear, lion.

13:2: Who gives the beast his power and seat? The DRAGON (i.e. Satan – Rev 12:9)

13:5: The beast has “a mouth speaking great things” just like the little horn.

13:7: The beast makes “war with the saints” just like the little horn.

13:7: The beast has power over “every kindred, tongues, and nations”

What religious entity has had political power over the nations, persecuted the saints, and spoken “great things” about itself, showing itself to be God? It’s not rocket science.  Check out our bonus material on Historicism to find out.

 Conclusion: When all biblical verses about “antichrist” are examined, it is clear they do not

apply to only one Mr. Deadly who shows up after the rapture. In John’s day, there were “many antichrists,” and there was also a “spirit of antichrist.” A careful analysis of Daniel’s “little horn,” Paul’s “mystery of lawlessness,” and John’s “beast” also point toward something much bigger than simply one evil person who shows up after we’re gone. Ultimately,  “antichrist” is against Jesus Christ and His true gospel (see 1 John 2:2,18).

D. The Israel Delusion

 Fundamental to rapture theology is the supposed distinction between Israel and the Church.

Rapture promoters teach that after the Church is “caught up,” then God will focus on the Jews. This theory sees physical Israel, a rebuilt Jewish temple in modern-day Jerusalem, and a Middle East Armageddon as the final focus of the Book of Revelation. Does the New Testament and Revelation itself support this doctrine?

 The shocking principle of two Israels (or two types of Jews): According to the New Testament, there  is not just one Israel, but two! Here’s the proof:

ISRAEL ACCORDING TO THE FLESH:

1 Corinthians 10:18  Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

ISRAEL OF GOD (SPIRITUAL):

Galatians 6:15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Galatians 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

THE TWO CONTRASTED:

Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel [spiritually], which are of Israel [natural]:

Romans 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter;

 In other words, not all who are natural Israelites are part of “the Israel of God.” A true spiritual Jew is one “inwardly”.  He is a “new creature”.  The true heirs of Abraham’s promises are those who are “in Christ”, no matter what ethnic background they have.  Christ is the true seed of Abraham, and therefore anyone “in Christ” is the true seed.  The flesh profits nothing!

Romans 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Galatians 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

 Jews and Gentiles are part of God’s Israel through Jesus Christ: Paul did not separate believing Gentiles from believing Jews. Both groups are now one in Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.

Galatians 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both [Jews and Gentiles] one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us [Jews and Gentiles];

 Israel in Revelation and in the Old Testament prophecies: The focus of end-time prophecy is Jesus Christ, the Israel of God, Mystery Babylon, Christ’s heavenly temple (i.e. the church), and the New Jerusalem (i.e. the church) — not physical Israel in the Middle East.

 What about Romans 11:26-27?  Doesn’t it speak of God’s ongoing covenant with literal Israel “after the flesh”?

·         A close look at the broad context of Romans 9 through Romans 11 shows that Romans 11:26 is likely a summary statement speaking of the “Israel of God” to be saved throughout the church age – which consists of “some” natural Jews (Rom 11:14) during the church age, then the “fullness of the Gentiles” (Rom 11:25), and finally the provoked masses of Jews (Rom 11:31).  Paul is correcting the natural Israelite’s mistaken notion that “all” natural Israel is saved.  He corrects that misunderstanding and basically says, “see what I mean?  So all of God’s Israel WILL be saved, even if some of natural Israel isn’t.”  This concluding statement would be the final recap of Romans 9:6, where he told us that not all of [natural] Israel is Israel [of God].    

·         Another idea that supports this interpretation is the conditionality all through Romans 11.  Paul speaks of how the transition to preaching to the Gentiles would “provoke…some” of his Jewish friends to believe. It doesn’t say “provoke…all”.  Yet even this provocation doesn’t guarantee their return to Christ.  They must believe! “If they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.” (Rom 11:23).

·         Romans 11:25-26 does NOT say, “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And THEN all Israel shall be saved”.  That is the mistaken understanding that people are taking.  They assume that “all Israel shall be saved” is an event that takes place AFTER the fullness of the Gentiles.  That’s not what it says.  What it says is, “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.  AND SO all Israel shall be saved.”  It’s not an introduction of a new event, but rather a summation of the truths just mentioned – that the “remnant” of natural Israel PLUS the “fullness of the gentiles” that accept Christ comprises “All Israel”.  “And so all Israel shall be saved.” 

·         Another reason we know that Paul is alluding to the “remnant” (the “Israel of God” within Israel) in Romans 11:26 is due to the fact that immediately afterwards he states, “as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom 11:28). The election is the remnant (Romans 11:5). So ALL of natural Israel is not in view.  The pronouns “they”, “their”, and “them” in the following verses (vv27-31) are referring back to the “election” of verse 26.  This understanding best fits Paul’s entire argument from Romans 9 through Romans 11, as well as Jesus’ promise that God was finished playing favorites with Israel:

Mt 21:43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

·         Of course, this doesn’t nullify an end time harvest of the Jews, along with all nations.  Paul is summarizing his logical argument that, in the above described way, all of God’s TRUE ISRAEL will be saved – i.e. by the blinding of the current non-remnant, which provokes the Gentiles unto fullness, which is intended to then provoke the “rest” of the currently hardened Israel into salvation.  In this way, all of TRUE ISRAEL – the current elect remnant PLUS the future elect masses – will be saved. Paul thus vindicates God’s actions by showing that God has never failed in His promise to the true Israel. Of course the limitation here to spiritual Israel in no way negates the fulfillment of God’s intention to provoke Israel, and thereby having mercy on all of blinded Israel – “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”

 Conclusion: The New Testament’s focus is Jesus Christ, the primary “seed” of Abraham

(Galatians 3:16), “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16) composed of both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ (Galatians 3:28-29), “the temple of God in heaven” (Revelation 11:19), and the “New Jerusalem” (Revelation 3:12; 21:10)—not “Israel after the flesh” (1 Corinthians 10:18) or earthly Jerusalem (see Galatians 4:22-31).  The church is now Mount Zion!  The church is now Jerusalem! There is not a separate end-time agenda for physical Israel!