Does God have a future plan for the Nation of Israel, or has God replaced ethnic Israel with the body of Christ known as the church? This has been the debate among believers in the church since post-Apostolic days, even though the Apostle Paul's question and answer statement should be enough to settle the matter: “Has God cast away His people? Certainly not!”

Despite the fact God clearly demonstrated that His covenant with the Nation of Israel is unconditional, everlasting and forever, and that God has pronounced the Nation of Israel to be His “special treasure” above all other nations, some church leaders have made the claim that God has rejected Israel and replaced national Israel with the church. This is commonly called Replacement Theology. This doctrine basically teaches that “God has rescinded all His promises to Israel and those promises have been given to the church.”

It is extremely concerning that Christian teachers in the church have decided to turn their backs on Israel when God has not!

Replacement Theology teaches that the Church is the replacement for Israel and that the many promises made to Israel in the Bible are fulfilled in the Christian Church, not in Israel. So, the prophecies in Scripture concerning the blessing and restoration of Israel to the Promised Land are “spiritualized” or “allegorized” into promises of God's blessing for the Church. Major problems exist with this view, such as the continuing existence of the Jewish people throughout the centuries and especially with the revival of the modern state of Israel. If Israel has been condemned by God, and there is no future for the Jewish nation, how do we explain the supernatural survival of the Jewish people over the past 2000 years despite the many attempts to destroy them? How do we explain why and how Israel reappeared as a nation in the 20th century after not existing for 1900 years?

The view that Israel and the Church are different is clearly taught in the New Testament. In this view, the Church is completely different and distinct from Israel and the two are never to be confused or used interchangeably. We are taught from Scripture that the Church is an entirely new creation, that came into being on the Day of Pentecost and will continue until it is translated to Heaven at the Rapture (Ephesians 1:9-11). The Church has no relationship to the curses and blessings for Israel; the covenants, promises and warnings are valid only for Israel.

After the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) God will restore Israel to the primary focus of His plan. The first event at this time is the tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-19). The world will be judged for rejecting Christ, while Israel is prepared through the trials of the Great Tribulation for the Second Coming of the Messiah. Now, when Christ does return to the earth, at the end of the Tribulation, Israel will be ready to receive Him. The remnant of Israel which survives the Tribulation will be saved and the Lord will establish His kingdom on this earth with the capital as Jerusalem. With Christ reigning as King, Israel will be the leading nation and representatives from all nations will come to Jerusalem to honor and worship the King. The Church will return with Christ and will reign with Him for a literal thousand years (Revelation 20:1-5).

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament support this view of God's plan for humanity. Even so, the strongest support is found in the clear teaching of Revelation 20:1-7, where it says, six times, that Christ's kingdom will last 1,000 years. After the Tribulation the Lord will return and establish His kingdom with the nation of Israel, Christ will reign over the whole earth with Jerusalem as His capital and Israel will be the leader of the nations. The Church will reign with Him for a literal thousand years.

Replacement Theology is neither correct nor is it Biblical.