One of the core beliefs of Dispensational theology is that God still has plans to fulfill his promise to ethnic Israel and use them to bring in the promised Messianic kingdom. This kingdom is for the entire world, for all nations, and will be administered through the nation of Israel, when their Messiah reigns, as promised throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. This eschatological hope is fundamental to the dispensational view of Gods progressive revelation. Romans 9-11 are very important in explaining the overall plan of God.
A person might ask, Why is this so important to believe, and why does it matter if God is going to restore the promised kingdom to Israel? Certainly, we acknowledge that over the centuries there has been unnecessary and even harmful teaching and speculation about when this would happen. We must not fall into this temptation and discredit a reasonable theology by getting involved in such speculation. The timing of future events is known only to the Father, as Jesus himself said while on earth that even the Son did not know the hour of the tribulation and coming of the Son of Man to earth (Mark 13:32-33). However, this passage in Luke, as well as many other statements by the Lord, such as the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24-25), clearly indicates the Lord expected to return after the time of tribulation and reign on earth.
The reason this is important is that it clearly fits within the biblical principle that God always fulfills his promises and is true to his word. What if it turns out that his promises to us in the age of the Body of Christ were not literally to be fulfilled? What if he chose to fulfill them spiritually to another group of people? Where would our hope and confidence be? Likewise, we believe that God will fulfill his promise to Israel and as Paul teaches in Romans 11, they will be saved in the total sense of the word and that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (11:29). What is at stake in this discussion of the future is Gods very Word and promise, and Israel has just as much right to expect God to honor his promise as the church the Body of Christ does. This dispensation of the Body of Christ, while unprophesied, now clearly is part of Gods redemptive plan and will fit into the total plan of redemption finally being consummated in the new heavens and new earth.
This theology has a very practical application to our lives as well. If God is dependable to fulfill his promises to his people, then we can give consideration to the promises we are depending on God to fulfill. What are the promises of God that are most meaningful in your life right now? What are the promises for the future that are most meaningful in your life situation? Have you had the opportunity in recent weeks and months to place your hope and trust in the promises of God and know that he is faithful to his word? If you have, then you can certainly give thanks that we worship and serve a God who is faithful to his word and will certainly honor all the promises he has made.
Scripture references required – cited properly
