What does Scripture actually teach about Israel?
Israel is one of the most important and most debated subjects in biblical theology. Is Israel simply a symbol of the church? Has God set Israel aside forever? Do the promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the prophets still matter? How should Christians understand Israel, the church, the land, the remnant, Romans 9–11, Jerusalem, and the future kingdom hope?
Systematic Theology — Scripture Defines Scripture. Volume 11: The Doctrine of Israel examines these questions by allowing Scripture to define Israel in its own words.
This volume traces Israel’s story from the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through the twelve tribes, the Exodus, Sinai, the land, the kingdom, the temple, the exile, the remnant, the prophetic hope of restoration, the coming of Messiah, Israel’s rejection of Christ, the apostolic witness, Romans 9–11, Daniel’s seventy weeks, Jacob’s trouble, Revelation, Jerusalem, and the kingdom hope.
Rather than treating Israel as a vague symbol, a political abstraction, or a discarded people, this book follows the biblical witness carefully. Israel is shown as the people chosen by grace, judged in holiness, preserved in mercy, hardened in part, beloved for the fathers’ sakes, and still bound to the faithfulness of God’s promises.
This volume also carefully distinguishes Israel and the church without denying the unity of Jew and Gentile believers in Christ. The church is not minimized. Gentile blessing is fully affirmed. The one new man is honored. But these truths are not used to cancel Israel’s promised restoration. Scripture is allowed to hold together what God Himself has spoken: one Savior, one gospel, one body in Christ, and God’s continuing faithfulness to Israel.
As part of the 24-volume Systematic Theology — Scripture Defines Scripture series, this book fits within a larger Scripture-driven study of biblical doctrine. Each volume works together with the whole set, building doctrine from the whole counsel of God. At the same time, each volume is written to stand on its own. Readers interested specifically in Israel, replacement theology, Romans 9–11, prophecy, covenant promise, or the future kingdom hope can read this volume as a complete study of the doctrine of Israel.
Written from the conviction that Scripture defines Scripture, The Doctrine of Israel calls readers to reject both replacement theology and fleshly presumption, and to behold the faithfulness of God to His name, His promises, His church, His people, and the nations.