God's Promises to Israel

I.                 Abrahamic Covenant
The Abrahamic covenant is the basis for three additional covenants

II.             How Believers Participate

1.                 By faith, believers are the children of Abraham (Rom. 4:5-16; Gal. 3:6-9, 29) and participate in the New Covenant.

III.         Israel�s Current Status

1.                 Physical Israel does not currently participate in the promised blessings of the New Covenant. Jews who do not know Jesus are lost (Rom. 10:1; 10:1).

1.                Rom. 9:1-8[1]

2.                 But promises still pertain to Paul�s �countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites� (Rom. 9:3-4)

3.                 God has not cast them off and has promised to regenerate Israel. (Rom. 11:1-28)

IV.            Unfulfilled Promises to Israel

1.                 The promises relate to the New Covenant (spiritual regeneration), the Land Covenant (occupation of the promised land) and the Davidic Covenant (reign of Messiah on earth from Jerusalem).

2.                 Regathering to the land and spiritual regeneration (Isa. 11:11-12; 49:1-26; Jer. 16:14-15; 23:1-7; Eze. 30:33-42; 36:22-28; 37:1-14, 21-25; Jer. 23:3-8; Rom. 11:25-26)

3.                 Christ to rule from David�s throne.

1.                The promises and expectations. (Ps. 132:11-12; Isa. 9:6; 23:5-6; Eze. 37:21-25; Jer. 30:9; Zec. 14:9; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 1:6; 2Ti. 4:1)

2.                David�s throne is distinct from God�s (Mat. 3:21; Rev. 3:21)
"Several factors indicate that David's throne is separate and distinct from God's throne in heaven.

a)                 �First, several descendants of David have sat on his throne, but only one of his descendants ever sits on the right hand of God's throne in heaven. That descendant is Jesus Christ (Ps. 110:1; Heb. 8:1; 12:2).

b)                 �Second, David's throne was not established before his lifetime (2S. 7:16-17). By contrast, since God has always ruled over His creation, His throne in heaven was established long before David's throne (Ps. 93:1-2).

c)                 �Third, since God's throne in heaven was established long before David's throne and since God's throne was established forever (Lam. 5:19), then it was not necessary for God to promise to establish David's throne forever (2S. 7:16) if they are the same throne.

d)                 �Fourth, David's throne was on the earth, not in heaven. David and his descendants who sat on his throne exercised an earthly, ruling authority. They never exercised ruling authority in or from heaven. By contrast, as noted earlier, the Bible indicates that God's throne is in heaven.

e)                 �Fifth, the Bible's consistent description of David's throne indicates that it belongs to David. When God talked to David about his throne, God referred to it as 'thy throne' (2S. 7:16; Ps. 89:4; 132:12). When God mentioned David's throne to others, He referred to it as 'his throne' (Ps. 89:29; Jer. 13:13), \'David\'s throne\' (Jer. 13:13), and 'the throne of David' (Jer. 17:25; 22:2, 4, 30). By contrast, the Scriptures' consistent description of the throne in heaven indicates that it belongs to God the Father."[2]

f)                 "The impossibility of David's throne and the Father's throne being identical is readily demonstrated by raising the simple question of whether David could sit on the Father's throne. The answer is obvious. David's throne pertained to the earth, to the land of Israel and to the people of Israel. It never contemplated any universality, and it never was anything more than an earthly throne."[3]

3.                Occupation of the throne is conditioned on obedience (Ps. 132:11-12; Jer. 22:30; Jer. 23:5-6), but unconditional in duration (2S. 7:14-15; Ps. 89:34)

4.                 Rule from a restored Jerusalem (Ps. 110:2; Isa. 2:1-4; 24:23; 49:14-16; 62; Jer. 3:17; Zec. 14:16)

5.                 Believers to rule with Christ (Mat. 19:28; Rev. 20:4; Rev. 20:4)



[1]���� Paul�s point is that just as not all of Abraham�s descendants belonged to the physical people of God-or national Israel-not all of those who are true children of Abraham through Isaac are the true spiritual people of God and enjoy the promises made to Abraham�s spiritual children (4:6, 11; cf. 11:3, 4). John F. MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible, (Dallas: Word Publishing) 1997.

[2] �� Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Israel My Glory, January/February 2001, p. 30.

[3] �� Walvoord, John F. Jesus Christ Our Lord, p. 225.