Sunday, June 14, 2009

Land Promises to Israel Found in Christ

How are the land promises not better fulfilled in Christ where we have the promise of a New Jerusalem coming down from God who’s extents are 1500 miles by 1500 miles?

Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Sounds much better than the OT land promises. After all, the Lamb Himself lives at the center of the New Jerusalem.

There are at least three strong arguments against the idea of a missing and yet to be fulfilled eternal land promise to Israel.

#1 - The argument from silence. There are no direct NT references to such a thing. You would think that there should be such a reference and there are none at all.
#2 - The New Jerusalem more than fulfills any outstanding land promises and it is eternal.
#3 - Hebrews directly addresses the issue with regards to the land promises to Abraham:
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.
The city in this passage is the New Jerusalem as well (note the "builder and maker" reference which is fulfilled in the New Jerusalem).

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