Judah Gabriel writes:
How do you feel about the following statement from well-known Protestant preacher John Piper?
When I saw this tweet, I was a bit uncomfortable. When I saw that it was retweeted by 97 other Christians, I squirmed. Then when I read the full blog post by Jonathan Parnell, I face-palmed.
Jesus, not Israel? Is that what Christians really believe?
Hail Jesus, King of not-Israel.
Piper links to his church’s blog, where the post by Parnell starts good: citing Romans 9 as an example of the irrevocable nature of God’s election. (Unspoken: God’s election of Israel.)
But he speaks of election only to suggest that God’s choosing of Israel was done in order to elect Yeshua. Thus, Israel’s election is made irrelevant because God’s purposes for Israel are fully carried out in Yeshua. Roll the credits, because in Jesus, it’s Israel: The End.
Though he cited Romans 9, it’s as if he didn’t read it at all.
I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Messiah for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
-Romans 9
To Israel belongs these things. Not belonged. Belongs. The promises of God belong to Israel. They didn’t disappear when Jesus showed up.
The problem with the statements from Parnell is not whether the nations are blessed through Yeshua – they positively are. The problem is that these statements imply a kind of subtle replacement theology: because Yeshua came, Israel is no longer relevant, no longer the vehicle of God’s blessing, no longer relevant in God’s plans, and is just another ethnicity, and Judaism just another non-Christian religion.
God’s important people, then, are Yeshua’s followers – the Church – and if they are the important people, Israel is merely an historical vehicle to get us to the Church, and we are left with nothing but a certain replacement theology, where Jesus’ church has replaced God’s Israel.
“Jesus, not Israel” implies Yeshua ended the specialness of Israel. Consider the absurd implications: Yeshua, the King of Israel, Israel’s Messiah, prophesied by Israel’s prophets, the Holy One of Israel and son of Israel’s David, he comes and does his thing, and what’s the end result? Supposedly, the result is Israel becoming irrelevant. Some King of Israel! A King who makes his people irrelevant.
Huh? Is this making sense to anyone, or are we too occupied with retweeting popular pastors to think clearly?
Christians who want to understand why Jesus is an offence to Jews, take note. When you say, “Israel used to be special, but Jesus changed all that, so now instead of being God’s special people, you’re a heathen going to hell! Isn’t that good news?”
Even though it may not have been Piper’s intent, there remains this sense that Christendom still believes that, because of the work of Israel’s Messiah, it has replaced her. Jesus, not Israel.
Fine and chin-rubbing blog readers, am I being too sensitive? What do you think of Piper’s statement, “Jesus, not Israel”?
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14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. Zechariah 1:14
Who is the Lord of hosts? The Lord of heaven’s army is the Messiah Yeshua. How do we know this? Read Isaiah 48, http://adventofmessiah.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/%e2%80%9cthe-lord-god-has-sent-me-and-his-spirit%e2%80%9d/
Yeshua our Messiah is the Commander of heaven’s armies (The Yehovah of hosts) He is exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. (See Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14:4-5, Matt 25:31)
Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!
4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. 5 You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! Zechariah 14:4-5 NASB
1 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ 3 Thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the [bh]streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of [bi]age. 5 And the [bj]streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its [bk]streets.’ 6 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If it is [bl]too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be [bm]too difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of hosts. 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the [bn]east and from the land of the [bo]west; 8 and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in [bp]truth and righteousness.’ Zechariah 8:1-8 NASB
I don’t really think he is really being negative about Israel. Having read a few of his books, and talking re the tweet saying – He is just emphasizing one thing, Worship, Glory and Power belong to the Lord Jesus, not to Israel. To Him Who is the glory of Israel. He is not talking of replacement theology with the church replacing Israel. He is talking of the ultimate blessing that Israel brings, the Messiah Redeemer.
So I would have to say, answering your own question,—-you are being a bit too sensitive.
You can never be “too sensitive” in the monstrous face of the many and varied replacement theologies alive and well in the “Church” today. I don’t personally believe Piper meant what this has been interpreted by some to mean, but Christianity’s love affair with morphing every concept into some clever, consumable cliche or catchphrase is clearly to blame here, and the responsibility to clarify his message is his alone.
The bigger issue is simply one of communication. As I said, the responsibility that the message is communicated effectively lay with the speaker – not his audience. Deep, theological ideas do not belong in vague, truncated tweets – and Twitter symbolizes nothing more than the utter degradation of communication and understanding within our generation – all in the name of being hip, in my opinion. Couple trendy methods of reaching thousands of people instantaneously with the fact that the “Church” has long since swallowed the line that to stay “relevant” in today’s culture, you must be vague, clever, and hip at the same time – therefore, reinforcing errant views and teaching others to do the same – all in 140 characters or less – and you’ve got a perfect disaster.
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