future of Israel as a theological question, The

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Sep 2001 by Blaising, Craig A

5. Eschatology. What about eschatology? To put Israel in the eschaton on the basis of a historical-grammatical-literary reading of Scripture is to put the context of future Israel there as well. And what that means is a new creation rather than a spiritual-vision eschatology.26 In the history of the Church, supersessionism and spiritual-vision eschatology fit hand in hand. What do I mean by spiritual-vision eschatology? I mean that traditional eschatology which sees eternal life as a timeless, changeless, spiritual existence consisting primarily in the human soul's full knowledge of God. This knowledge is understood to be like a direct view, vision, or beholding of God. This is the sum total of what eternal life is and it defines what is meant by heaven. The resurrected body is expected to be a spiritual body in the sense that the body is composed of spiritual substance or has been transformed into spirit. The emphasis is on the individual's unchanging visionary-like epistemic experience of God. This spiritual-vision eschatology traditionally has seen earthly life as a symbol of spiritual realities. Supersessionism fits well with this view in denying a future for Israel since a future for Israel literally has no place in a spiritual-vision eschatology. A future for Israel would demand a national and political reality in the eschaton with all its context of land and fruitfulness. This is all thought to be carnal by spiritual-vision ideology. It is simply not possible. As a result, Israel can only be a symbol of a spiritual people headed for a spiritual destiny.

To take the future of Israel seriously would demand that this spiritualvision eschatology be modified at best or, at the most, replaced entirely with a different eschatological concept. We are not talking here about that alternative which spiritual-vision eschatology has thought was the only alternative, that is one that is carnal in every sense of the word carnal, in the manner, say, of Muslim eschatology. Rather, we are talking about the alternative most Biblical theologians see expressed in Scripture, that is, new creation eschatology. New creation eschatology emphasizes the liberation of the cosmos from sin, the bodily resurrection and glorification of the righteous, and the liberation of the cosmos to share in the liberty of the children of God. It does not see the eschaton as simply a continuation of the past but does emphasize its continuity with the past as seen in the resurrection of the body. New Creation does not see the eschaton as a timeless, changeless or essentially visionary-like epistemic state. It is not eternal in the classic timeless sense, but everlasting. New creation has a place for the earth, the cosmos, the fullness of created life, but especially for resurrected human life living under the lordship of the resurrected Jesus Christ in fellowship with the triune God. It would see human life in created wholeness-not as undifferentiated individuals but as differentiated individuals. But neither would it see them just as differentiated individuals, but rather as differentiated in ethnic and communal dimensions as well, since these form an essential aspect of our identities. And what will we find here except Israel and the Gentiles who are together blessed by God, living under the lordship of Jesus Christ to the glory of God.