Chapter4 the davidic covenant

PROPHETIC TOOL CHEST
CHAPTER FOUR
THE DAVIDIC COVENANT
In this chapter the focal point of analysis and dismantling will be the fourth pillar
of dispensationalism, which is the belief in a future SEVENTH dispensation. The
seventh dispensation is said to take place on the earth during the 1,000-year millennium.
The seventh dispensation is believed to be the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant—
homogeneous with the New Covenant. Let us ask the question: How do dispensationalists
define the Davidic covenant?
Dispensational View Of The Davidic Covenant
According to dispensationalists, the Davidic covenant points to a theocracy in
which Jesus will rule as king over the Jewish nation. Dispensationalists argue that the
Davidic theocracy was offered to Israel when Christ came at His first Advent. J. D.
Pentecost explains: “God entered into an eternal, unconditional covenant with David (2
Sam. 7:16) in which God guaranteed that the Davidic kingdom should be the kingdom in
which the theocratic kingdom should come to full realization as one from David’s line
reigned forever” (Things To Come, 441). Pentecost further says, “The kingdom offered to
Israel was the same theocracy anticipated in the Old Testament” (Things To Come, 447).
Dispensationalists teach that Christ came to the Jewish nation with the physical Davidic
theocracy. Dispensationalists tell us: “The seed promises contained in the Abrahamic
covenant is now made the center of the Davidic promise” (Pentecost, Things To Come,
100). What are these promises in the Abrahamic covenant? Genesis 12:1 – 3 illustrates:
(1) God was to make a great nation out of Abraham; (2) Abraham’s seed (offspring) was
to inherit the land of Canaan; (3) Through Abraham’s seed the nations were to be blessed.
Dispensationalists emphasize that the Davidic covenant enlarges on these promises by
bringing out the following: through David’s seed, a great king was to come who would
fulfill these Abrahamic promises and rule over the Jewish nation.
David
2 Samuel 7:12 - 16
Psalm 89:3, 4, 34 - 36
Jeremiah 23:5, 6
Zechariah 14:4, 9
Hosea 3:4, 5
Isaiah 2:2 - 4
Amos 9:11, 12
Christ
Covenant made with
Prophets after David continued to receive
more revelation on how the Davidic Covenant
would be fulfilled.
Christ came to fulfill these scriptures and establish a literal theocratic kingdom for Israel
( 1st Advent )
Dispensationalists teach that the Jewish nation rejected the theocratic, Davidic
monarchy of Christ; therefore, this kingdom has been postponed until the end of the age.
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The Davidic Covenant
Scofield teaches: “Upon His (Christ) return the king will restore the Davidic monarchy in
His own person, re-gather dispersed Israel, establish His power over all the earth, and
reign 1,000 years” (The Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on 1 Cor. 15, 1227). Coupled
with the idea that Christ will return to set up a theocracy for national Israel is the idea that
David’s temple will be rebuilt and animal sacrifices re-instituted. Scofield claims that
these “offerings will be memorial, looking back to the cross, as the offerings under the
old covenant were anticipatory, looking forward to the cross” (The Scofield Reference
Bible, Ft. notes on Ezek. 43, 890). So, according to dispensationalists, at the end of the
age Jesus will return, and fulfill the Davidic covenant, which is an expansion of the
Abrahamic covenant; meaning, Jesus will rule over the physical seed of Abraham in the
literal land of Canaan in a theocratic kingdom. Walvoord emphasizes: “In keeping with
the announced purpose of God to put a man on David’s throne who could rule forever,
Jesus Christ will come back to assume this throne” (Major Bible Prophecies, 390).
1, 000 Year MillenniumChurch Dispensation
Jeremiah 23:5, 6
Zechariah 14:4, 9
Hosea 3:4, 5
Amos 9:11, 12
Isaiah 2:2 - 4
Jewish nation
rejected the
kingdom
The theocratic kingdom has been postponed until the millennium.
Davidic Temple
The dispensational position of the Davidic covenant can be summarized as follows: The
essence of the David covenant is a literal theocracy for national Israel; this theocracy was
offered at Christ’s first advent; Christ was to rule over national Israel in Solomon or
David’s temple; and because national Israel rejected this covenant at Christ’s first advent,
these promises now await the second coming of Christ.
The Immediate Problem With Dispensational Covenant Theology
Up to this point, we have dismantled three of the dispensational pillars: (1) The
two phased second coming of Christ around the seven year tribulation; (2) The seven year
tribulation; and (3) the belief that the literal Jewish nation constitutes the Israel of God.
For starters, the dismantling of the “secret rapture” or “split coming theory” from the
seven-year tribulation places the rapture right before the millennium. It is unlikely that
Jesus will come to rapture the Church only to set back down on the earth. Moreover,
Jeremiah 4:23 – 29—like other scriptures—envision the earth as a desolate wasteland
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after the second coming of Christ. Notice that the removal of the first pillar also removes
the fourth pillar in dispensationalism.
HEAVEN
A Tribulation Period
Church goes to heaven
The wicked are destroyed
1,000 Year Millennium New heaven and earth (Isaiah 65)
2 Peter 3: 10 - 12
2 Thessalonians 1: 7 - 10
1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17
Revelation 20: 4 - 6
Zephaniah 1: 17, 18
Jeremiah 25: 32, 33
Jeremiah 4: 23 - 29
The earth is desolate abyss ( Rev. 20: 1 - 3)
Revelation 20: 5 - 15
Jude 14, 15 ( Second Application )
Revelation 21: 1, 2
The removal of the “secret rapture” or “split coming theory” along with the
removal of any hope of the 70th
week of Daniel 9 being a future occurrence thoroughly
abolishes the distinctions which dispensationalists have concocted between Israel and the
Church. In chapter three, we thoroughly disproved the view that “the Abrahamic
covenant is an unconditional covenant made with Israel, and therefore cannot be either
abrogated or fulfilled by people other than the nation Israel . . .” (Pentecost, Things To
Come, 84). The removal of the third pillar—like the first two—also abolishes the fourth
pillar in dispensationalism. How is this the case? Dispensationalists emphasize that the
Davidic covenant magnifies the Abrahamic covenant. The problem then becomes clear: If
the Davidic covenant magnifies the Abrahamic covenant, and the Abrahamic covenant
has been realized in the Church, then the Davidic covenant too has been realized in the
Church. We can deduct this argument in the following way:
(1) The Davidic covenant magnifies the Abrahamic covenant.
(2) The Abrahamic covenant has been realized in the Church.
(3) Therefore, the Davidic covenant has been realized in the Church.
Moreover, if the Davidic covenant is homogeneous with the New Covenant, then
the Davidic covenant commenced over 2,000 years ago; for we have disproved the view
that there are two New Covenants—one for the Church in the sixth dispensation and one
for Israel in the seventh dispensation—dispensations which themselves are imagined. We
have proved that the New Covenant for Israel, according to Hebrews, has continued
through the Church (see Chap. 3).
The dispensational pillars are dominos of additive reliance. When one falls, all the
others fall. We have, in effect, collapsed the whole dispensational system with every
chapter—mutually exclusive—up to this point. We collapsed all four pillars in chapter
one, in chapter two, and in chapter three; and we will collapse all four pillars in reverse
by expounding on the fourth pillar itself. With what has already been demonstrated in
this course, one may think that we need not continue any further. No, we should continue,
because we want our audience to have no doubts about giving up this doctrine. In fact,
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the second half of this course is twice the size of this block, and reveals that this system
in question is one of the largest components of deception in the system of Antichrist.
Now, the purpose of this chapter is to prove that the Davidic kingdom was not and
will not be a literal theocratic kingdom exclusively for the physical seed of Abraham.
Rather, Christ offered the Davidic kingdom—at his first Advent—to the Jewish nation as
a spiritual kingdom, which inevitably was to embrace the whole of the human race, and
the literal properties of the Davidic kingship began its commencement at the ascension of
Christ into the heavenly sanctuary. We are going to see that the literal kingdom itself is in
heaven and will continue to be in heaven during the millennium. Parallel to the physical
kingdom that was established (meaning an establishment that pertains to the Davidic
promises, for God’s kingdom has always been. Psalm 93:1, 2; 103:19) in heaven at
Christ’s ascension, was and is the Church, the spiritual manifestation of the physical
kingdom. Inevitably the Church will be in the physical kingdom during the millennium,
but this union will occur in heaven, not on earth. Finally, the physical kingdom will be
brought to the earth after the millennium, and this kingdom will embrace all the saints—
both Jew and non-Jew.
TERMINOLOGIES OF CONTENTION
Heaven Or Earth
We must underscore that our purpose is to reveal that the Davidic covenant is
being fulfilled now and will be fulfilled in the future. The issue is not weather or not
Jesus came—at His first Advent—with the intention of being king over Israel. The issue
is: Did Jesus come with the purpose of being king over Israel in an earthly setting; and
because the Jews rejected an earthly theocratic kingdom, the kingship of Jesus has been
postponed until the “so called” seventh dispensation? Thus, the issues are “the place
Jesus intended to exercise the kingship” and “weather or not the kinship is postponed.”
Dispensationalists teach that Jesus came to offer a theocratic kingdom and to be a literal
king on earth—not heaven—and the Jewish nation rejected Christ’s offer (John 12:12 –
19). The dispensational position is incorrect. Jesus, at His first Advent, did not come to
be king in an earthly setting. Notice the following scriptures:
John 6:
15. Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him
by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
John 18:
36. Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of
this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews;
but now My kingdom is not from here."
John 18:37 says, “Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered,
“You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have
come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth
hears My voice.” Notice that in John 18:37, Jesus emphasized that His purpose was to be
king; but yet, in verse 36 He said that His kingdom was not of this world. If the purpose
of Jesus was to be king, but not king in an earthly setting, it follows logically that His
purpose was to be king somewhere else. Where did Jesus intend on being king?
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Daniel 7:
13 I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they
brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples,
nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not
be destroyed.
Compare Acts 1:9 – 11 with Daniel 7:13, 14. Jesus, at His first Advent, did come with
the purpose of being king and establishing the Davidic kingdom, but not on the earth over
the literal nation of Israel. Jesus established both the kingdom and the kingship in heaven
at His ascension. We must ask the question: If Jesus established the Davidic kingship and
kingdom in heaven at His ascension, then what kind of kingdom was Jesus—at His first
Advent—offering in an earthly setting? In Luke 17:20, 21, Jesus told the Pharisees the
following:
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would
come, He answered them and said, “The Kingdom of God does not come with
observation; nor will the say, ‘See here!’ or ‘see there!’ For indeed, the kingdom
of God is within you.”
Jesus established a spiritual kingdom on earth—through the Holy Spirit—while he
intended on establishing the literal kingdom in heaven. As we are going to see further in
this chapter, Jesus was offering a spiritual kingdom to Israel based on His atoning death
on the cross, which was to establish men in SALVATION—made effective in the literal
kingdom where Jesus is both king and priest over spiritual Israel.
Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven
The preceding correlations are very clear to prove that the literal properties of the
Davidic kingdom were neither offered to Israel in an earthly setting nor is postponed until
the “so called’ seventh dispensation. The literal properties of the Davidic kingdom exist
today in heaven, while the spiritual properties of that kingdom apply to the earth.
Regardless of the fact that Jesus Himself emphasized, in Luke 17:20, 21, that He was not
offering a theocratic kingdom to Israel; Pentecost argues the meaning of Luke as follows:
The Lord is not asserting that His kingdom was to be a spiritual kingdom in the
hearts of men. Such is contrary to the entire tenor of the word of God. He is
asserting that the kingdom to which they were looking was already “at hand” in
the person of the king. The rightful king was present and all that was required
was repentance on the part of the nation and a reception of Christ as the
theocratic Messiah (Things To Come, 452).
When Pentecost says the kingdom was present in the person of Christ, he is correct,
because the Greek for “within” is “entos.” This word means: “in the midst of you.” But
what Pentecost fails to acknowledge is that this Greek word also means “within you” as
“in your soul.” The wording of this text illustrates that Christ was bringing the kingdom
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in His person to Israel for them to receive the kingdom in their persons. The simplest and
most humble student of the Bible can look at Luke 17:20, 21 and then look at the
statement made by Pentecost and conclude that there is a major contradiction. How then
do dispensationalists justify their apparent contradictions?
In order for dispensationalists to justify their apparent contradiction with Luke
17:20, 21, they attempt to juggle the terms “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of Heaven”
to represent different kingdoms. Concerning Luke 17:20, 21 Scofield teaches: “The
kingdom in its outward form, as covenanted to David (2 Sam. 7:8 – 17) and described by
the prophets (Zech. 12:8), has been rejected by the Jews; so that, during this present age,
it would not “come with observation” but in the hearts of men.” Scofield then adds:
“Ultimately the kingdom of heaven will come, with outward show” (Scofield Reference
Bible, Ft. notes on Luke 17, p. 1, 100). For emphasis: Dispensationalists attempt to avoid
the clarity of Luke 17 by emphasizing:
The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven . . . The
kingdom of God ‘comes not with outward show’ (Luke 17:20), but is chiefly that
which is inward and spiritual (Rom. 14:17); while the kingdom of heaven is
organic, and is to be manifested in glory on the earth (Scofield Reference Bible,
Ft. notes on Matt. 7, 1003).
In other words, dispensationalists believe that Jesus—at His first Advent—offered the
kingdom of Heaven (a theocratic kingdom) to Israel. Israel rejected the kingdom of
Heaven; thus, the kingdom of Heaven has been postponed until the millennium. Between
the rejection of the kingdom of Heaven—at Christ’s first Advent—and its fulfillment in
the millennium, there exists the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is a spiritual
kingdom congruous with the Church dispensation.
The only way that this dispensational theory could have any plausibility is if the
New Testament gospels apply the terms’ “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” in
a way homogeneous to the dispensational theory; meaning, the gospels must apply each
of these terms—mutually exclusive—only to their designated definition: But this is not
the case.
Correlative List Proving That Kingdom of Heaven and God Are The Same
Matt. 8:11 In the kingdom of heaven many will come from the east and the west and sit
down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Luke 13:28, 29 In the kingdom of God many will come from the east and the west and sit down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Note: Here we have a clear illustration that in the future kingdom, all men will conglomerate to
speak to the fathers of Israel. Notice that these two terms represent the same kingdom.
Matt. 4:17, 23 Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, and He said, “Repent: for
the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
Mark 1:14, 15 Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, and He said, “the Kingdom
of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
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Notice: These scriptures demonstrate that the gospel of the kingdom was the preaching of the
kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven. If these terms represent two different kingdoms,
then Jesus was teaching two different gospels. No, these are parallel descriptions of the ministry
of Jesus. These terms are interchangeable, representing only one kingdom. Mark interpreted
Matthew’s kingdom of heaven, as the kingdom of God.
Matt. 13:10, 11 Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables, and Jesus said that it was for
the disciples to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven,
not the multitudes.
Mark 4:11 Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables, and Jesus said that it was for
the disciples to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, not
the multitudes.
Notice: Here again, Mark interprets Matthew’s kingdom of heaven as the kingdom of God. Both
Matthew and Mark are telling the same story; therefore, we must conclude that there is only one
kingdom.
Matt. 18:3, 4. We must become as little children to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matt. 19:14
Mark 10:14, 15. We must become as little children to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Luke 18:16, 17
Notice: In these Biblical instances, the issue deals with “becoming as little children”; only the
terminology changes. It is completely obvious that these two terms represent the same kingdom.
Matt. 10:7, 8. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Matt. 12:28. The Kingdom of God has come.
Notice: In these Biblical instances, the issue concerns the “miracles of Christ”; both the kingdom
of God and the kingdom of Heaven are implicated in these events.
Matt. 19:23. A rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
24. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man
to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Notice: This time we have one Biblical instance in which both terms are used to depict where the
“rich man can hardly enter.” It is blatantly clear that these two terminologies do not represent two
different kingdoms; but rather, these two terms represent one kingdom.
There is no Biblical proof that the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of
heaven” are separate kingdoms. This is another one of these ridiculous arguments like
we analyzed in chapter one concerning the “Day of Christ” and the “Day of the Lord”
being two different events, which they are not. In spite of the fact that terms’ “kingdom
of God” and “kingdom of Heaven” are used synonymously to represent God’s kingdom,
dispensationalists attempt to create a division on the bases of the phrase “at hand” in
connection with the kingdom of Heaven. For example, when Matthew 10:7 says, “The
Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” dispensationalists argue that the “announcement is being
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made that the kingdom is to be expected imminently. It is not a guarantee that the
kingdom will be instituted immediately, but rather that all impending events have been
removed so that it is now imminent” (Pentecost, Things To Come, 449, 450). In other
words the phrase “at hand” in connection with the “kingdom of Heaven” distinguishes
this kingdom as one that had the potential to come but did not come, because the Jewish
nation rejected it.
The dispensational argument for the term “at hand” does not work, because Mark
1:15 says, “The kingdom of God is at hand,” while other passages state that “the
kingdom of God has come.” Scofield acknowledges: “The kingdom of God ‘comes not
with outward show’ (Luke 17:20), but is chiefly that which is inward and spiritual (Rom.
14:17).” Scofield’s analysis of the kingdom of God says that this kingdom did come in a
spiritual form during the days of Christ; thus, the phrase “at hand” as interpreted by
dispensationalists to be imminent but not immediate, follows no course of logic.
Contrary to the dispensational interpretation of the phrase “at hand,” we must conclude
that this phrase does mean “imminent” as dispensationalists say, but also “immediate” in
the comparison of like scriptures throughout the synoptic gospels.
The “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God” are terms representing the
same kingdom. Scofield attempts to make the “kingdom of God” as something applicable
to the Church era and the “kingdom of heaven” as something applicable to the
millennium. These divisions are mythical inductions. Matthew 11:12 clearly shows that
the kingdom of heaven had suffered attack in John the Baptist’s day…up to Christ’s day
(this confirms that the phrase “at hand” in Matthew 10:7 had the meaning of
“immediacy”). On the other hand, Luke 13:28, 29 says that in the kingdom of God many
will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets. The scriptures do not support
the divisions advocated by dispensationalists. In fact Matthew 11:12 and Luke 13:28, 29
blatantly contradict Scofield’s division; they are opposite of his division. In truth the
“kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God” are one kingdom spiritually being
fulfilled in the Church and literally being fulfilled in heaven in the Melchizedek
priesthood. The literal kingdom (Matt. 16:28; 2 Tim. 4:1) will be manifested on the earth
after the millennium (Rev. 21:1, 2).
The Father and the Son’s Throne
Connected to the division of the terms’ “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of
Heaven” in the dispensational system is the belief that Christ’s throne is to be
distinguished from the Father’s throne. Scofield states conclusively “that Christ is not
now seated upon his throne. The Davidic Covenant, and the promises of God through the
prophets and the Angel Gabriel concerning the Messianic kingdom await fulfillment”
(Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on Rev. 3 and 4, 1334). Dispensationalists impugn the
idea that Christ is now seated on the throne of David by arguing that Christ’s throne is to
be distinguished from the Father’s throne. Christ, at this time, is on the Father’s throne;
but eventually, Christ will have His own throne in which He will rule the literal nation of
Israel. Pentecost emphasizes: “According to the established principles of interpretation
the Davidic covenant demands a literal fulfillment. This means that Christ must reign on
David’s throne on the earth over David’s people forever” (Things To Come, 112).
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Dispensationalists attempt to “divide” Christ’s throne as something separate and
distinct in the millennium from the Father’s throne in the Church era. Walvoord argues:
“The impossibility of David’s throne and the Father’s throne being identical is readily
demonstrated by raising the simple question of whether David could sit on the Father’s
throne.” Walvoord then concludes: “David’s throne pertained to the earth, to the land of
Israel and to the people of Israel. It never contemplated any universality, and it never was
anything more than an earthly throne” (Jesus Christ Our Lord, 225).Can Walvoord’s
statement be supported by the word of God?
First of all, whether or not David could sit on the Father’s throne is answered by
1 Chronicles 28:5; 29:23 and 2 Chronicles 9:8 which clearly show that David’s throne in
the past was equated with God’s throne. Obviously the scriptures in 1 and 2 Chronicles
demonstrate that the throne of God and David was a symbol of the Father and Son’s
throne. This means that the unification of the Father’s throne with Christ was the focal
point of the Davidic promise. Hence, someone from David’s seed was to sit on the throne
with the Father and rule. Walvoord’s question of whether or not David could sit on the
Father’s throne becomes ridiculous when one reads Psalm 132:11: “The Lord hath sworn
in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy
throne.” God, literally said, “I will come through your offspring and sit on your throne.”
What dispensationalists fail to acknowledge is the fact that Psalm 110:1 – 4; Luke 20:41
– 44; Hebrews 1:13; and 1 Corinthians 15:24 – 28 clearly show that the Davidic promise
foretold of the Son’s ruler-ship on the Father’s throne. But this must be the case, for
Revelation 22:1 – 3 demonstrate that the “throne of God and of the lamb” are together in
the New Jerusalem as they are now.
The unification of the Father and the Son’s throne does not exclude the fact that
there is a kingly reign of Jesus, where He has been given all authority and power to rule
the kingdom. The scriptures clearly speak of the Davidic reign of Christ, but never are
the thrones distinct. Furthermore, to completely divide the Father’s throne from Christ’s
(the seed of David) throne is to put an arbitrary division in the Godhead; this puts an
arbitrary division in the divine purpose, which has always been illustrated in the oneness
between the Father and the Son.
Secondly, if we take what Walvoord says to its logical conclusion, we find: To
limit the Davidic throne (Christ’s throne) to the earth is to place the throne of the Father
and of the Lamb in subjugation to ethnic and geographic boundaries, a boundary that God
cannot be limited by. When Walvoord says that the Davidic throne cannot be universal
and that this throne is limited to the earth, he compartmentalizes the Father from the Son,
which cannot be done, and he overlooked the vastness of God. Acts 7:47, 48 points this
out:
(Concerning the house Solomon built for David) Howbeit the most High dwells
not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet. Heaven is my throne, and
earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the
place of my rest?
Where did Stephen gain his understanding of this issue? 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6,
and Isaiah 66:1, 2 clearly prove the fact that God’s throne is far more universal and
extends to far greater lengths than Walvoord says. This is clearly revealed by Matthew
5:34, 35 in conjunction with Galatians 4:26 and Hebrews 12:22 – 24. The earthly
Jerusalem was only a shadow, a typological illustration of a much greater Jerusalem with
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a far greater sanctuary for a much vaster number of saints. The scriptures, mentioned
above, illustrate that God’s purpose is far more inclusive of a much greater prophetic
reality than ethnic and geographical boundaries, a point, which Stephen explained to the
Jews; and consequently, he was killed for his repudiation of the rabbinical view, a view
very similar to modern dispensationalism. The following chart represents the
dispensational view of the terminologies of contention:
1, 000 Years
Father's Throne
( Kingdom of God )
Church Dispensation
Christ's Throne
( Kingdom of Heaven )
New Earth
Dispensationalists create divisions, such as: The Father’s throne where Jesus now
rules is Christ’s ruler-ship over the “Kingdom of God,” which is a spiritual kingdom;
Then they apply a throne that will be Christ’s—exclusively—over the “kingdom of
heaven,” which will be a literal physical kingdom over literal Jews. The preceding
diagram represents the “hair splitting” distinctions that dispensationalists create in order
to maintain their theory of a future theocracy for the nation of Israel. We do not deny that
inevitably Jesus will “rule over His people on the earth forever.” We deny that Christ’s
present ruler-ship with the Father over the Church is compartmentalized from a future
occurrence in which Jesus will have a throne distinct from the Father over fleshly Jews.
KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT POSTPONED
The idea that the Kingdom of God or Heaven points exclusively to the fictitious
seventh dispensation, omits the scriptures that show Jesus is king now. 1 Timothy 1:17
says, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and
glory for ever and ever. Amen.” In this text, Paul indicates that Jesus is king in the
present. Paul came to this conclusion on the basis of the Old Testament scriptures. Notice
the following correlations:
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NKJ 1 Chronicles 17:
12. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
13. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away
from him, as I took it from him who was before you.
14. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall
be established forever.
NKJ 1 Chronicles 22:
10. He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his
Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.
NKJ 2 Samuel 7:
12. When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed
after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom
forever.
14. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten
him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
NKJ Hebrews 1:
5. For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten
You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"?
NKJ Psalm 45:
6. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of
Your kingdom.
NKJ Hebrews 1:
8. But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of
righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
NKJ Psalm 110:
1. The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your
footstool.
2. The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your
enemies!
NKJ Hebrews 1:
13. But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make
Your enemies Your footstool"?
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Notice that the book of Hebrews confirms the Davidic promises in Christ—in the present.
Hebrews 1:13 and 1 Corinthians 15:24 – 28 show that Christ is sitting at the right hand of
the Father on the throne. Dispensationalists acknowledge that Christ is sitting on the
Father’s throne in the present; they just choose not to accept that this position is fulfilling
the Davidic kingship. They are in great error, for Luke 20:41 – 44—like psalm 110:1—is
a clear depiction that the Davidic kingship was to be fulfilled by means of the son of
David sitting on the right hand of the Father:
And he (Jesus) said unto them (scribes), How say they that Christ is David’s son?
And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit
thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.” David therefore
calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
Hebrews 1:13 and 1 Corinthians 15:24 – 28 are in perfect correlation with Luke 20:41 –
44 and are in perfect agreement with the preceding correlation diagram. This is further
proof that David’s throne is not separate from God’s throne, or the Son’s throne separate
from the Father’s throne. In contradiction to dispensationalism, these correlations prove
that the Davidic throne is the throne of the Father and the Son over a present kingdom.
The fact that the Davidic kingdom exists today and is not postponed is seen in Colossians
1:13, which declares: “we have been translated into the kingdom of his (the Father’s)
dear son.” The kingdom of the Father’s Son is the Davidic kingdom. These scriptures
unequivocally declare there is a present kingdom with a king. Compare Colossians 1:13,
Acts 1:9 – 11, and Daniel 7:13, 14
Acts 1:9 – 11 show that Christ left the earth in a cloud. Daniel 7:13, 14 give a
clear depiction of the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He came to the
Ancient of Days, and the son of man received “glory,” “dominion,” and a “kingdom.” It
is astounding that dispensationalists choose to ignore such glaringly clear statements as
these. All the scriptures, which we have analyzed so far, perspicuously demonstrate that
the Davidic kingship of Christ has already begun commencement. One hast to utterly
wrest these scriptures to come up with a conclusion other than that: Jesus is king in the
present.
After looking at these correlations, we must conclude that the “kingdom of God”
and the “kingdom of heaven” are the same kingdom. This kingdom has not been
postponed; it exists today. Neither are we to say that this kingdom is not future. For
those who make the present spiritual kingdom the only purpose for God’s kingdom miss
what scripture teaches (Matt. 7:21; 8:11, 12; 13: 43; Acts 14:22). We agree with George
E. Ladd’s observation:
To insist that the spiritual reign of Christ, the present inner aspect of God’s
kingdom, is the entirety of the kingdom and thereby to deny a future glorious
manifestation , is to make as one-sided an emphasis as to insist that the kingdom
is nothing but a future earthly reign of Christ and has no present spiritual reality.
Both the present and the future are included in the fullness of the revelation of
God’s kingly power (Crucial Questions About the Kingdom of God, 117).
On the other hand, for those who focus exclusively on the future kingdom as being God’s
kingdom miss what the scriptures teach. Hans K. LaRondelle factually says:
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It is true that Christ’s reign over the Church, which is effective in inclining the
hearts and lives of believers (Jews and Gentiles) to the obedience of faith, is not
yet the glory of the future messianic kingdom. The second coming brings its
own, more glorious consummation of the new covenant in the kingdom of glory.
But this greater glory should never lead us to deny the truth and reality of the
spiritual fulfillment of Christ’s present kingdom (The Israel Of God In Prophecy:
Principles Of Prophetic Interpretation, 119).
Church Age
Kingdom of God
Kingdom of Heaven
1, 000 Year Millennium
Kingdom of God
Kingdom of Heaven
( Spiritual Manifestation )
Rapture
Spiritual and Physical become unified
( Physical Manifestation )
New Earth
Kingdom of God
Kingdom of Heaven
IN HEAVEN
( Physical )
Jesus brought us WHAT IS and WHAT IS TO COME
We have not precluded the fact that Jesus will rule during the millennium (Matt.
19:28). We have demonstrated that the Davidic kingdom and the ruler ship of Christ are
not concepts locked entirely in the future. The spiritual aspect of the kingdom began
commencement in the person of Christ while He walked the earth. The Davidic kingship
began commencement at the ascension of Jesus. This kingdom will continue through the
millennium; and as Matthew 19:28 indicates, the physical kingdom itself will bring in
those who are regenerated—those who have experienced the spiritual aspect of the
kingdom—manifested through the Holy Spirit. This of course means that those who are
brought up in the rapture (1 Cor. 15:51 – 54) will go to heaven for the 1,000 years and
will continue to live in God’s kingdom forever.
Salvation Is Inextricably Connected To The Davidic Kingship
What is the “Gospel of the Kingdom” in Matthew 24:14 and Mark 1:14, 15?
The gospel of the kingdom is the message that Jesus came and fulfilled the hope of Israel.
What was the hope of Israel? The hope of Israel was that Jesus would come and die for
their sins, resurrect from the dead, and ascended into heaven to fulfill the Davidic
promise…to sit on the throne as king. In other words, the gospel of the kingdom is what
Paul defined it to be in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also
to the Greek.” The Gospel of the kingdom is the message of salvation and points us to
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the priest king Jesus in the “true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man (Heb.
8:2).”
We find the Biblical correlations which make Jesus king in the present to be in
fulfillment of the prediction made by Hosea 13:9, 10 which show that a KING was to
come and SAVE his people. The Old Testament prophecies taken together illustrate that
Jesus was to die on the cross before He took His seat on the Davidic throne. This means
the cross is inextricably connected to the kingship. We find this truth explained in Acts
5:30, 31 that Jesus died on the tree as Savior for Israel:
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.
Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give
repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 13:22 – 26 declare that the Davidic promise to Israel was realized in the Savior,
Jesus. Notice verses’ 21 – 23 and ask how any one can conjecture that the Davidic
promises are exclusively future?
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis,
a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had
removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he
gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine
own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God
according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.
In Acts 26:6 – 8 and 28:20 – 23 we find that the hope of Israel was the resurrection of
Christ from the dead. We read in Acts 26:6 – 8:
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto
our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day
and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of
the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should
raise the dead?
The resurrection could not have happened without the death of Christ; therefore, the
death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection was the hope of Israel. This truth is
confirmed in Acts 2:29 – 31 which unambiguously teach that the resurrection of Christ
fulfilled the Davidic promise:
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is
both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being
a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit
of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne,
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ . . .
Why was the death and resurrection of Christ the hope of Israel? Acts 13:34 teaches
that in the resurrection, we have received the “sure mercies of David.” Notice that the
sure mercies of David, according to this text, were not postponed thousands of years; the
writer of Acts reveals this as a present reality in his day. Christ’s death and resurrection
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was the hope of Israel, because these two aspects of salvation brought into being the
Davidic promises. Therefore, we must emphasize that the Davidic covenant points to a
finished work of redemption and a continual work of sanctification that is accessible to
the saints in the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus is both king and priest. The saints have
access to the “sure mercies of David,” because the saints are “translated into the kingdom
of Christ” in the person of Christ Himself (Col. 1:13).” Christ is the high priest over His
Church and represents His people in the sanctuary above. Hebrews 4:15, 16 tells us:
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in
time of need.
How do we come to the throne of Grace? We come to the throne of Grace in the person of
Christ who is our priest King.
The kingdom of God, as applied in the present, points to the Savior who ascended
up to heaven to be both king and priest for all those who find entrance into His kingdom
through the blood of Justification and the cross of Sanctification. The purpose of the
kingdom is to bring all men into harmony with God through the life, death, and
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the medium between God and man.
Through Christ we have access to the throne of grace. The kingdom of God is manifested
in the priestly ministry of Christ, for He ever lives to make intercession for all those who
come to the Father through Him (Heb. 7:24). Coming to the throne of grace through
Christ, is the “sure mercies of David” (Acts 13:34).” This is why Romans 14:17 states,
“The kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost,” for the Holy Ghost reveals to the
Christian “the deep things of God (1 Cor. 1:10).” Through the Holy Spirit, we can see the
fact that we—through Christ—have been translated into His kingdom (Col. 1:13).
The Davidic promises were based on the hope of a Savior who was to come and
die for the sins of not only Israel, but the whole world, resurrect, and ascend into the
heavenly sanctuary to be king and priest over worldwide Israel—made up of all
nationalities (Gal. 3:28, 29). These promises included that Christ was to bring mankind a
spiritual kingdom through the Holy Spirit. Note: We have not precluded the fact that the
saints of God will sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the physical kingdom in the New
Earth. We have—through the scriptures—impugned the idea that the Davidic kingdom
points exclusively to the future—focalized in the literal nation of Israel apart from the
Church.
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The Kingdom Of God Is Not Postponed:
(Correlation Tree)
Hosea 13:9, 10
King would come
and save.
Luke 24:25 - 27
Jesus had to die
Old Testament foretold
Acts 5:30, 31
Jesus died for Israel
Acts 26:6 - 8
28:20 - 23
Resurrection is hope
of Israel
Acts 13:22, 26
Davidic promise fulfilled
in the savior, Jesus.
Acts 2:29 - 31
Davidic throne fulfilled
in Christ's resurrection.
Acts 13:34
Sure mercies of David
The "Gospel of the Kingdom"
Matthew 24:14 and Mark 1:14, 15
Romans 14:17
Kingdom of God
joy in Holy Ghost
John 3:3 - 16
Must be born again to
enter kingdom of God
1 Timothy 1:17
Jesus is king
Colossians 1:13
We are translated into
kingdom of Christ
Acts 1:9 - 11
Jesus ascended to
heaven in a cloud
Daniel 7:13, 14
Son of Man came with
clouds and recieved the
kingdom.
Psalm 132:11
The Lord would
sit on the throne
of David.
Hebrews 1:13
1 Corinthians 15:24 - 28
The kingdom has been
given to Christ to rule
Luke 20:41 - 44
sits on will be the throne
the Father places under
Him.
The throne Son of David
Note: Compare the preceding correlation tree with this statement from Walvoord: “An
examination of the New Testament discloses that not a single instance can be found the
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present position of Christ is identified with David’s throne” (Jesus Christ Our Lord, 224,
225). (When I first read this statement from Walvoord, I almost fell backwards in
my chair laughing.) Has Walvoord read the New Testament, for we have well over 30
texts that corporately indicate that Jesus is presently reigning as the Davidic king. The
preceding correlation tree illustrates that Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection
are not only inextricably connected to the Davidic covenant, but also brought that
covenant into being.
The Dispensational View Of The Cross
When we consider the fact that the death and resurrection of Christ are
emphasized as bringing into being the Davidic promises, it is without question that the
Davidic covenant is a present reality. Dispensationalists, however, do not believe this, for
they believe that the death and resurrection of Christ was not intended for the Jewish
nation. Chafer tells us: “To Israel His death was a stumbling-block (1 Cor. 1:23), nor was
His death any part of His office as King over Israel” (Systematic Theology, Vol. 4, 32).
Dispensationalists neither believe that the cross of Christ had anything to do with the
Davidic covenant nor do they believe that the Gospel of the Kingdom has anything to do
with Christ’s death. Said another way, dispensationalists believe that the Gospel of the
Kingdom is a message that points to the Davidic covenant, but neither the Kingdom
Gospel or the Davidic covenant have any relation to the cross. Even though the preceding
New Testament Illustrations thoroughly destroy these concepts, we are still going to
underscore the dispensational view on this matter, for we wish the reader to visualize how
blatantly dispensationalists not only contradict the scriptures, but have no connection
with real salvation.
According to dispensationalists, the “Gospel of the Kingdom” in Matthew 24:14
was not primarily based on the doctrine of salvation through the blood of Christ; but
rather, was based on the message of the restoration of the theocratic kingdom over fleshly
Jews. Pentecost declares: “The gospel of the kingdom did not offer a way of salvation,
but rather offered the hope of the fulfillment of Israel’s eschatological promises, which
contained within them the fulfillment of the soteriological (salvation) hopes…” (Things
To Come, 272. Emphasis mine). It has been argued that dispensationalists do not exclude
the cross from God’s purpose for Israel; but rather, they minimize the cross as something
less important in God’s program. On the other hand, one can get the impression from
dispensationalists that the cross was a backup mechanism to save the Gentiles if the Jews
chose to reject the theocratic kingdom. There are those who make the mistake in
assuming that this is an overstatement. Not so! Scofield, one of the main predecessors of
this volatile system, explains:
He (Jesus) does not receive Gentiles. A Christ in the flesh, King of the Jews,
could be no proper object of faith to the Gentiles, though the Jews should have
believed on him as such. For Gentiles the corn of wheat must fall into the ground
and die; Christ must be lifted up on the cross and believed in as a sacrifice for
sin, as seed of Abraham, not David (Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on John
12, 1132).
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Ryrie points out in his book Dispensationalism Today that anti-dispensationalists with the
consistency of a “ dripping faucet” accuse dispensationalists of teaching multiple ways of
salvation. Ryrie asserts that these are false accusations. Ryrie in defense of statements,
such as Scofield’s statement, says:
the primary reason for the persistence of the charge has been the fact that
dispensationalists have made unguarded statements which, if they were being
made in the light of today’s debate, would have been more carefully worded.
Anti-dispensationalists are never quick to allow for refinement in the statement
of dispensationalism, particularly if it dulls their attack (Dispensationalism
Today, 112. Emphasis mine).
This is exactly what we were talking about in chapter one where we said, “Modernists
have become masters at articulating fallacies through the use of deceitful chicanery.” It
does not take a whole lot of mental depth to figure out what Scofield says. Scofield
unambiguously states that the cross was for the Gentiles, not the Jews. Scofield is only
taking dispensationalism to its logical conclusion, for the elements of that system pave
the way for such a distinction in salvation. The more modernized dispensationalists—
knowing the ridiculousness of Scofield’s statement—attempt to explain that the basis
(death of Christ) for salvation in every age is the same (See Dispensationalism Today,
122 – 124). They try to eliminate the odious taint of earlier dispensational statements by
saying “they were unguarded statements” that were not intended to mean what they
appeared to say. Scofield’s statement most definitely says that God has a different means
of salvation for the Jew than for the Gentile. We can concur that Scofield’s statement was
clearly intended to mean what it said on the bases of other dispensational writers, such as
Chafer, who emphasizes:
Thus “the kingdom of heaven” as a message must ever be distinguished from the
message of the gospel of grace, which came by reason of the cross. The gospel
of grace Israel as a nation has never understood, and furthermore it is addressed
to all peoples and to them (Jews) as individuals only (Systematic Theology,
Vol. 5, 341).
Chafer distinguishes the gospel of grace and the gospel of the kingdom as two different
gospels. Note with clarity the fact that Chafer declared that the gospel of grace came by
reason of the cross, and the gospel of grace Israel as a nation never understood; it is
addressed to individual Jews only. It does not take a copious intellect to ascertain this
theology to its conclusion. Dispensationalists teach that Christ did not come to the Jewish
nation with the gospel of grace; but rather, came to them with the promise of a theocratic
kingdom. If the gospel of grace came by way of the cross, and the gospel of grace was
not meant for Israel as a nation, according to dispensationalists, then they are teaching
that the cross was not intended for the nation of Israel. Is this possible? Could Christ have
offered the Jews a theocratic kingdom without first fulfilling the promise of redemption
through His crucifixion? Absolutely NO!
Dispensationalists believe this to be true, and here is the reason: Referring back
to Scofield’s statement that Jesus had to be lifted up for the Gentiles, not the seed of
David; we find one of the main reasons for this conclusion in the writings of Chafer. He
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asserts: “As for their racial stock, the Gentiles had their origin in Adam and their federal
headship is in him.” What about the Jews? Chafer says, “Whatever Abraham was
nationally before he was called of God, it is certain that God set him apart and through
him secured a race so distinct in its individuality, that from the time of the Exodus to the
end of the record of their history they are held as antipodal (exact opposite) of all other
nations combined” (Systematic Theology, Vol. 4: 5, 6). Dispensationalists teach that Jesus
did not need to die for the seed of David, because God—on a racial basis—considered the
Jews distinct from the seed of Adam. On the other hand, Jesus would have to die for the
Gentiles.
This doctrine is the most ludicrous fiction ever created and cannot be sustained by
the word of God. Acts 17:26 says, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to
dwell on all the face of the earth.” Luke 3:23 – 38 illustrate a clear and concise
nomenclature of the Physical progenitors of Jesus—leading all the way back to Adam.
Chafer’s distinction of the Jews being a separate race from Adam is repudiated. ALL men
die in Adam (1 Cor. 15:22). All men have the fallen nature of Adam; therefore, all men
need a salvation, which could not have happened any other way than the cross (Heb. 9).
Jesus did not come to offer a theocracy to Israel; He came to die (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22).
In John 1:29, John did not say, “Behold the Messiah who cometh to offer the
Jews in the Adamic nature the Davidic monarchy so that the flesh can be
perpetuated.” John says, “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the
world.” Jesus did not come to perpetuate the Adamic nature in the form of national Israel;
He came to die on the cross as the last Adam; to offer Israel the salvation, which qualified
them for regeneration. Death on the cross precedes regeneration through the resurrection,
and regeneration must precede the “entering of God’s physical kingdom” where there is
no corruption.
Matt. 12:40; Luke 11:30
Matt. 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22
Matt. 17:12; Mark 9:12
Matt. 17:9; Mark 9:9
Matt. 17:22; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:44
Matt. 20:18; Mark 10:33; Luke 18:31
Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45
Matt. 26:24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22
Matt. 26:45; Mark 14:41
Dispensationalists complain that their opponents argue in favor of what they
“think ought to be the logical teaching of dispensationalism, rather than what is the actual
teaching of dispensationalism” (Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, 130). On the contrary,
opponents of dispensationalism are not concerned with apparent teachings, they are
concerned with actual teachings. For the opponents, the paint does not disguise the
rust, so like Scofield (who perhaps was being honest in his analysis of his theology; not
being deceptive); the opponents take the system to its logical conclusion. For example:
The dispensational minimization of the cross has lead to the idea that sacrifices will be
re-instituted in the millennium. Hebrews 10:4 – 10, 9:12, 26, and 7:27 undoubtedly
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prove that after the cross, there will be no more sacrifices. This is why Ephesians 2:15
states that the Ceremonial laws have been abolished.
Regardless of the fact that dispensationalists do not teach that these offerings will
be sin offerings, but memorial to the cross; such a doctrine makes the cross of non-effect.
The idea that sacrifices have to be re-instituted for national Israel in the millennium
coincides with Scofield’s statement that Christ did not need to be lifted up for the seed of
David. Christ lifted up on the cross abolishes the sacrifices. To teach that sacrifices will
be instituted for the seed of David gives credence to the idea that the cross has no real
connection with the seed of David. This is definitely the case, because the book of
Hebrews places into effect a perspicuous picture that illustrates: “If you need to continue
the sacrificial system, you are making the cross of none effect.” The book of Hebrews
demands this outlook, for this is the interpretation that we will come to in Hebrews if we
don’t “wrest” the scriptures. The logical conclusion that is drawn from the preceding
dispensational correlations, as we are seeing, is that God has a different means of
salvation for national Israel than the rest of mankind. Oswald T. Allis came to this
conclusion about dispensationalism:
It cannot be too strongly emphasized that if the dispensational doctrine regarding
the nature of the promised kingdom and the meaning of the words “at hand” is
accepted, it leads logically to the view that the Cross, as an atoning sacrifice for
sin, concerns the Church age and the Church saints only. As preached (the
kingdom) at the first advent it did not include or involve the Cross; as preached at
the second advent it will not include or presuppose the Cross (Prophecy and the
Church, 234).
Note: All men are saved the same—through the death of Christ. For dispensationalists to
say that they don’t teach two or more ways of salvation becomes an apparent session of
jugglery. Dispensationalists juggle the purpose of the cross in order to escape the fact that
the Davidic covenant is inextricably tied to the cross. If dispensationalists accept that the
cross was for Israel, they are forced to agree that the Davidic covenant has already begun
commencement (Hos. 13:9, 10; Acts 5:30, 3; 13:22 – 26; 26:6 – 8; 28:20 – 23; 26:6 – 8),
and this Covenant transcends ethnic and geographical boundaries.
The Gospel Of The Kingdom Was Preached In Acts
The book of Acts gives several illustrations of the preaching of the kingdom: Acts
8:12; 17:6, 7; 19:8; 20:25; 26:22; 28:31. Paul said in Colossians 1:23 that he had
preached the Gospel to every creature under heaven. As demonstrated in the preceding
correlation tree, the Davidic kingdom is realized in Christ’s ascension into heaven, and
Christians are partakers of the kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit.
Dispensationalists want us to believe that the preaching of the kingdom in Acts was
exclusively the preaching of the future theocratic kingdom for national Israel. That is
impossible! For example: Take Acts 19:8, 9. Paul argued for three months in a synagogue
over the issues concerning the kingdom of God. Paul ended up leaving because of the
unbelief of the Jews. The Jews of that day expected the kingdom, which
dispensationalists now teach. If Paul had been teaching a future theocratic kingdom for
national Israel, he would not have needed to leave the synagogue because of the Jews’
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unbelief. On the contrary, Paul would have been in good company with them.
Dispensationalists expect us to believe that Paul’s arguments in the book of Acts were
over Paul’s agreement with Rabbinism. No! Dispensationalists create scenarios in
scripture of an oxymoron nature. Paul was preaching the Davidic kingdom as fulfilled in
the ascension of Christ—based on the blood of the Covenant. Acts 17:4 – 7 show that
Paul, Jason, and others were being accused of preaching, “that there is another king—
Jesus.” Why were they preaching that there was a present king? The previous correlation
tree explains that reason most precisely.
Dispensationalists teach the Gospel of the Kingdom—preached in Acts—was
essentially the same Gospel Jesus preached in Matthew. That is very true. However, when
dispensationalists teach that Jesus was preaching an immediate theocracy for Israel in that
Jesus was to be the monarchical, Davidic king over Israel—at that time—in the literal
city of Jerusalem, that is absolutely false. Notice the scriptures in Matthew:
Matthew 3:2: In the ministry of John the Baptist, we see the declaration: “Repent ye: for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” What was John talking about? He was stating that the
kingdom was “imminent” in the approach of the Messiah. John was referring to Jesus in
verse 11 who was to “baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Automatically, in
looking at Matthew 3, we can see that the kingdom of heaven was associated with Jesus
and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3 gives us a clew as to what Jesus was bringing the Jewish
nation.
Matthew 4:8, 9: Satan tempted Jesus with the kingdoms of the world. Satan told Jesus,
“If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you the kingdoms of this world with
all the associated glory and pomp.” Jesus rejected Satan’s offer, and He rejected the
earthly kingdoms associated with this world. Here in Matthew 4:8, 9 we have a clear
illustration that the mission of Christ transcended this world. His kingdom was not to
exist in conjunction with the Gentile world powers even if these powers were to be
overthrown and put into submission to the Jewish theocratic kingdom.
Even here in Jesus’ rejection of Gentile world powers we can see that Christ was
not coming to establish an earthly kingdom. This becomes evidential when we look at
Matthew 16:20 – 23. When Jesus told the apostles that He must suffer many things and
die, Peter began to rebuke Jesus. Jesus then told Peter: “Get thee behind me Satan: thou
art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things of God, but those that be of
men.” Well does T. W. Manson define the meaning of this text where he says, “Out of
my way, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are more concerned for a
human empire than for the kingdom of God” (The Servant Messiah, 36). Jesus obviously
associated a Jewish empire with the Gentile empires; otherwise, Jesus would not have
addressed Peter as Satan. That Jesus had no intention of being a king over the nation of
Israel—in an earthly setting—is described in Luke 17:20, 21, John 6:15, and John 18:36.
Even with scriptures as clear as these, dispensationalists still argue: “Jesus here is not so
much the rejected Savior as the rejected King” (Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on
Matt. 12, 1012). No! Jesus was the rejected savior (John 3:16, 17; Heb. 9:22), not a
rejected king. We agree with the interpretation of Ladd:
The very fact that he did not come as the glorious King, but as the humble
Savior, should be adequate evidence by itself to prove that his offer of the
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kingdom was not the outward, earthly kingdom, but one which corresponded to
the form in which the King himself came to men (Crucial Questions About the
Kingdom of God, 117).
We must underscore: Jesus came with the purpose of setting up the Davidic kingdom, but
He did not come to set up a Jewish theocratic kingdom on earth. The kingship of Jesus
was to be established in heaven over a much greater kingdom, a kingdom of saints that
are found in all parts of the world: “where there is neither Jew nor Greek; but where all
are one in Christ and are Abraham’s seed and heirs of the promise.” Jesus set up the
Davidic temple where He reigns as king in heaven.
Matthew 4:17, 23: After Jesus rejected Satan’s offer of the kingdoms of this world, He
proceeded to preach, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus preached the kingdom as
the “gospel of the kingdom.” Jesus was preaching what He was bringing in His person—
Salvation. Jesus healed the diseases of the people as an evidence of the kind of kingdom
He was offering Israel. Matthew 3 gives the clew that the kingdom of heaven was to be
associated with the work of the Holy Spirit. Here in Matthew 4—after the fact that Jesus
rejected the possession of Gentile kingdoms—we see the association of Matthew 3 being
materialized in the person of Christ. His ministry was the ministry of healing and casting
out demons. Obviously Jesus was bringing the gospel of a kingdom, which was spiritual
in nature. This is exactly why, in Matthew 12:28, Jesus said, “If I cast out devils by the
spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” We find that throughout
Matthew, the gospel of the kingdom was preached as a kingdom that was spiritual in
nature (Matt. 9:35; 10:5 – 8).
Jesus brought a kingdom that undermined the kingdom of darkness. If Jesus had
brought a physical kingdom for national Israel (The way dispensationalists teach) so that
the Jewish nation could fulfill their ambitions to conquer Gentile world powers, this
would not have accomplished anything against the kingdom of darkness. Jesus would
only have been perpetuating another form of the kingdoms already present; meaning,
Jesus would have been perpetuating the Adamic nature, the very place in which the
kingdom of darkness has had its greatest results.
Dispensationalists teach that the saints who go through the tribulation, along with
the Jewish nation, will enter in the millennial kingdom in their natural bodies (the
Adamic nature). Jesus says differently: “Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration
(Gr. Paliggenesia, “new birth” “reproduction” “recreation”) when the Son of man shall
sit upon the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.” Preceding the millennium we must experience a physical change. 1
Corinthians 15:50 says, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” This is an
excellent example of the fact that the “cross” had to precede the actual, physical kingdom
of God. Stated concisely, the three fold aspect of salvation: justification, sanctification,
and glorification must precede the actual, physical kingdom of God, because as
Corinthians shows we cannot inherit incorruption with corruption.
Dispensationalists teach that Christ came to bring a kingdom to national Israel,
which could not have been given to national Israel in their physical states. Or could it be
that Jesus was bringing a kingdom that was conducive for the Adamic nature? If we
accept the teaching of dispensationalism, we are accepting that Christ came to establish a
kingdom based on flesh and blood—to glorify the Adamic nature in the persons of
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national Israel (This is ludicrous!). Neither Christ nor His apostles taught the
dispensational perspective on the kingdom, which pertains to a theocratic kingdom over
Jews with un-regenerative natures. As Mauro says, “Twentieth century dispensationalism
is practically identical with first century rabbinism” (The Gospel Of The Kingdom: with
an Examination of Modern Dispensationalism, 21). What was the belief of Rabbinism?
Pentecost tells us: “It is a well established fact that the Jews at the time of Christ were
anticipating a literal fulfillment of the Old Testament theocratic kingdom promises”
(Things To Come, 446). The Jewish leaders of Christ day were focused on a kingdom that
exalted the Jewish people above the rest of the world. Even Christ’s apostles believed
these errors (Acts 1:6, 7). It was not until after Pentecost and the years that followed that
the Apostles truly began to understand the essence of the kingdom of God. For emphasis:
Did Rabbinism have an accurate knowledge of the kingdom? No! Acts 13:27 says that
the Jewish leaders did not know Christ or the meaning of what the prophets said. Why
was this the case? 2 Corinthians 3:14 – 16 show that it was impossible for the Jewish
leaders to understand the meaning of the Old Testament outside of Christ. By rejecting
Christ, the Jewish teachers of the Old Testament scriptures forfeited a true understanding
of God’s kingdom. Dispensationalists, in essence, support the same doctrines which Acts
13:27 clarifies as false. We agree with Mauro’s statement concerning the future
restoration of national Israel: “That doctrine was the very cornerstone of the creed of
apostate Judaism in its last stage, and the prime cause of their rejection and crucifixion of
Christ” (The Gospel Of The Kingdom, 24). Dispensational theology is literally
propagating the same ideas that caused the blindness of the Jewish nation which lead to
our Lord’s crucifixion. In truth, dispensationalists are preparing the world to misconstrue
the second coming of Christ in a way that apostate Judaism misconstrued the first coming
of Christ (see Chaps’ 8, 9).
Blatant contradictions in dispensational eschatology are the reason why I
(personally) gave up dispensationalism. These contradictions are so clearly seen that it is
not difficult to understand why Mauro says:
The time came when the inconsistencies and self contradictions of the system
itself, and above all, the impossibility of reconciling its main positions with the
plain statements of the Word of God, became so glaringly evident that I could not
do otherwise than renounce it (The Gospel Of The Kingdom, 6, 7).
Conclusions On Kingdom Arguments
Now, in realizing that the Davidic covenant is presently being fulfilled, brings us
to a statement—that we saw in preceding pages—made by Pentecost: “The seed promises
contained in the Abrahamic covenant is now made the center of the Davidic promise”
(Things To Come, 84). Note: Now in light of what has been analyzed in this chapter—in
conjunction with the preceding chapter—we know that the Davidic/Abrahamic covenant
is being fulfilled in the Church, and dispensationalism has been abolished; but let us not
stop here.
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ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
Everlasting Covenant
( Genesis 17: 7 )
Genesis 12: 1, 6, 7
13: 14 -16
15: 18
17: 8
(1) Abraham's seed is to receive the land of Canaan
Genesis 12: 2
13: 16
22: 17
18:18,19
(2) God woould make a great nation out of Abraham's seed.
Genesis 12: 3
22: 18
26: 4
(3) In Abraham's seed shall all the nations be blessed.
If the Abrahamic covenant pointed to Jesus, as the seed of promise, and the
children of Christ, are the true children of the promise; then it becomes clear that the
national and land promises (What dispensationalists call the Palestinian covenant Deut.
30:1 – 10) have also been enlarged to include more than the physical land of Palestine.
This becomes clear in Psalm 37:11, 29 and Matthew 5:5. The land promises given to
Abraham ultimately pointed to the whole earth (Rom. 4:13).” Hebrews 11:10, 13 – 16
clearly reveal that Abraham’s land promises pointed to a heavenly country and a city
made by God Himself. This city is described in Revelation 21, 22 as being the New
Jerusalem. Daniel 2:35, 44, 45 explain that this will be a kingdom that will cover the
whole earth.
Since the Davidic Covenant has been realized in the ascension of Jesus into the
“true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man” (Acts 2:29 – 31; Heb. 8:2) over the
Church; then, we must conclude that the seed promises made to Abraham have been
realized in the Church. The inheritance of the land of Canaan was a type of the whole
world for worldwide Israel—made up of all nationalities (Rom. 4:12 – 16; Gal. 3:28, 29).
Eventually the children of Abraham—those who are the children of God through faith—
will inherit the earth.
THE DAVIDIC SANCTUARY
Up to this point we have seen that the Davidic covenant points to Christ’s present
reign in heaven over the Church. We are now going to expatiate on this fact in more detail
by analyzing the New Testament’s definition of the Davidic sanctuary. The Davidic
sanctuary is inextricably connected to the Davidic covenant. The argument is this: If the
Davidic covenant is presently being fulfilled in the Church, then the Davidic temple must
also exist today.
Where is the Davidic temple, and when was it established? Dispensationalists
want us to believe that the Davidic temple will come in the future—during the
millennium. Dispensationalists, in realizing that the Davidic temple is inextricably
connected to the Davidic covenant, have placed the temple of David up in the imaginary
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seventh dispensation. This interpretation omits the New Testament scriptures that prove
Jesus is the Davidic king in the present. We assert from the word of God that both the
Davidic covenant and Temple exist in the present.
In chapter two we analyzed the fact that the 70th
week was fulfilled in Jesus
Christ, not the Antichrist. In this section we are going to focus in on propositions’ 5 and
6 of Daniels 9:24. According to proposition 5, in the 70th
week, the vision was to be
sealed or ratified. Which vision? The vision of the 2,300 prophetic days was to be sealed.
The 2,300 years, which began in 457 along with the 490 years, was to be “confirmed” or
“ratified” in the 70th
week. Now remember, the 2,300 year prophecy has to do with the
trampling of the “daily” of the sanctuary in connection with the Prince of the host of
heaven. Proposition 6, in Daniel 9:24, shows that a “Most Holy” place was to be
anointed. The “Most Holy” place in Daniel 9 is the Sanctuary manifested two ways: (1)
the literal temple in heaven; (2) and the Church, the body of Christ. First we will analyze
what constitutes the literal Davidic sanctuary in heaven; and then, we will analyze what
constitutes the spiritual sanctuary. We will then see the relationship between the two
sanctuaries. When this is established, the vision of the daily will come alive in a very
visual manner.
Note: Zechariah 6:11, 12 reveal some very important features concerning the Davidic
throne. In fact, these scriptures give a clear picture—key elements—of what is involved
with the Davidic reign of Christ.
The man whose name is the “Branch” (Christ) was to:
(1) Build the temple of the Lord
(2) Bear the glory
(3) Sit and rule upon his throne
(4) Be a priest upon his throne
Acts 2:30, 31
Acts 1:9 - 11
Daniel 7:13, 14
Acts 2:34, 35
Psalm 110:1, 4
Hebrews 8:1, 2
Hebrews 6:18 - 20
THE 4 PROPOSITIONS OF ZECHARIAH 6:12, 13
13:22, 23
If we read Acts 2:30, 31; 13:22, 23 without putting to wrest the “reality of the
definition of what is being said,” we will see that the Davidic promise was fulfilled in the
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resurrection and ascension of Christ into heaven. Acts 1:9 – 11 demonstrate Christ
ascending up to heaven in a cloud. Daniel 7:13, 14 clarify that Jesus, on His arrival to
heaven, was given dominion, glory and a kingdom. Psalm 110:1, 4, in correlation with
Acts 2:34, 35, prove that Jesus is king and priest after the order of Melchizedek and
fulfills the Davidic promise. Hebrews 8:1, 2 and 6:18 – 20 demonstrate that Jesus is
inside of the heavenly sanctuary. The Davidic Temple is the heavenly sanctuary where
Jesus rules (Heb. 1:13). This truth is seen in the application of Types and Antitypes.
Types And Antitypes
Types and Antitypes are fundamental principles of interpretation, which the
scriptures employ. Romans 5:14 explains that Adam was a type (Gr. Tupos, “a figure” “a
pattern”) of Christ (1 Cor. 15:45 – 47). The New Testament also employs the principle of
antitypical interpretation as seen in 1 Peter 3:21 where Baptism is said to be a like figure
(Gr. Antitupos, “A thing formed after some pattern”) of Noah’s escape from the
floodwaters. The New Testament employs itself as the Antitype of Old Testament types.
This means the New Testament employs itself as the focal point and fulfillment of Old
Testament patterns. This is seen in Exodus 25:9, 40. The sanctuary materials were made
after a pattern (Heb. Tabnith, “Form, plan, figure, image”). We learn in Hebrews 8:5
that the Old Testament sanctuary was an example (Gr. Hupodeigma, “Imitation,
representation, figure, copy”) and shadow (Gr. Skia, “An image cast by an object and
representing the form of that object”) of heavenly things. The Mosaic sanctuary was a
pattern (Type) of heavenly things. With this in mind it becomes clear that the local and
literal settings of the land of Palestine, Jerusalem, the temple, and the Jews were a type of
the worldwide saints with the heavenly Jerusalem being the capital of the saints. The
saints in the New Covenant, making up the spiritual Davidic sanctuary, come to God
through the priestly ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. The antitypical
interpretation shows that the literal settings of the nation of Israel served as a type
(pattern) of world wide spiritual Israel. This is not an overstatement, for in 1 Corinthians
10:1 –11 Paul, not only calls the Israelites the Fathers of the Church, but he says, “all
these things happened unto them for examples (Gr. Tupos, Tupikos, “type or pattern”),
and they are written for OUR (The Church) admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come.”
Dispensationalists minimize the Abrahamic—and consequently the Davidic—
promises to ethnic and geographical limitations, because they fail to allow the New
Testament Church to serve as an antitypical fulfillment of Old Testament Israel. The
New Testament employs itself as the Antitype of Old Testament types. Paul applies this
method of interpreting the Church as the antitype of Israel’s history in Hebrews 3 and 4.
Paul literally calls the New Covenant with the Church, the day of David (Heb. 4:7, 8).
He applies the New Covenant as the re-invitation of God’s people to enter into God’s
spiritual rest while it is called “today”; meaning, the Davidic covenant of today.
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The Earthly Sanctuary Was A Pattern Of The Heavenly Sanctuary
(Hebrews 8:5)
The Sanctuary
Type Antitype
Heb. 8:1 – 5. The Old Testament sanctuary Rev. 11:19. Gives clear illustration that
was a pattern and shadow of the there is a heavenly sanctuary.
true Tabernacle that God made.
Heb. 9:1 – 3. The Old Testament sanctuary Heb. 6:19; 9:12, 24. There are two
had two places: the holy and most phases in the work of the
Melch-
place. isedec priesthood.
The Court Yard
Type Antitype
Ex. 12:3 – 5. The Lamb was selected prior John 11:47 – 57. The Jewish leaders selected
to its sacrifice. Jesus to die prior to crucifixion.
Ex. 12:6. The lamb that was to be sacrificed John 11:53, 54. “Jesus therefore walked no
was separated from the flock. more openly among the Jews.”
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Ex. 12:46. None of the lamb’s bones were John 19:33 – 36. The soldiers saw that Jesus
broken. was dead so they broke no bones.
Lev. 23:5 – 11. The first-fruits were offered 1 Cor. 15:20; Luke 23:21 - 23. On the third
the third day after the Passover. day, Christ became the first-fruits
of them that slept.
Lev. 4:3. The animal was to be without 1 Peter 1:19. Christ was without blemish and
blemish. without spot.
Lev. 1:9. The burnt offering was accepted Eph. 5:2. Christ offered himself as a sacrifice
as a sweet savor unto the Lord. to God for a sweet smelling savour.
Lev. 29:38 – 43. When the people offered Heb. 10:8 – 10. “We are sanctified, through
the burnt offerings, the presence the offering of the body of Jesus once
of God sanctified the people. for all.”
The Holy Place
(Seven Golden Candlesticks)
Ex. 40:24, 25. The seven golden candlesticks Rev. 1:12, 13. There are seven golden
were inside of the holy place. candlesticks in heaven.
Ex. 25:37. The seven golden candlesticks had Rev. 4:5. The throne of God has seven
seven lamps. lamps of fire burning before it.
Ex. 30:7, 8. Aaron, the high priest, lighted the Rev. 1:13; 2:1 Jesus is our high priest
lamps in the holy place. walking among the candlesticks
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(Table of Showbread)
Ex. 25:30. The table of Showbread was to be John 6:48 – 51, 63. Christ is the bread of
before the Lord always. life. His words are spirit and life.
Lev. 24:5. The showbread was divided into 1 Cor. 10:17. Jesus, the bread of life, used
12 cakes symbolizing the 12 tribes. the 12 apostles as the beginning of
the Church. We are all one bread.
(The Alter of Incense)
Ex. 40: 26. The alter of incense was next to the Rev. 8:3. There is an alter of incense in
veil. heaven.
Ex. 30:7, 8. Aaron burned incense on the alter Rev. 8:3, 4 The incense is offered with
in the morning and evening every the prayers of the saints upon the
day. alter before the thone of God.
Ex. 30:7, 8, 10. The high priest burned incense Heb. 7:24 – 27; 9:24 – 26. Christ is our
daily and once a year sprinkled blood intercessor and offers his blood
on the horns for the atonement of Israel. from his one time death.
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The Most Holy Place
Ex. 26:33. The ark was placed in the Most Rev. 11:19; James 1:25; 2:8 – 12.
Holy Place in the sanctuary. The ark of God’s Testament is in
heaven. In it, the Perfect Law of
Liberty.
Ex. 25:21, 22. The presence of God was Rev. 15:8; Heb. 4:14 – 16. God’s
manifested above the mercy-seat. presence is in the Most Holy
in the heavenly sanctuary. We
come to the throne of Grace. 37
With such clarity of scripture, we need not look for the Davidic Temple to begin its
commencement in the future, for it is in Heaven. The work, which Jesus has done, was
the anointing of the MOST HOLY place back in the 70th
week.
A Most Holy Person
(The Spiritual Davidic Temple)
The spiritual Davidic temple is realized in the body of Christ. Acts 15:14 – 17 shows:
Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a
people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is
written: After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which
has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of
mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord who does all these things.
These four texts teach that the rebuilding of the Davidic temple has been realized in the
gathering of a people from the Gentile world into God’s Church. This means the Church
is the manifestation of the Davidic temple on the earth. Notice that these texts do not
place the Davidic temple way up into the future as some building in Palestine.
Dispensational theology on this point attempts to nullify the clarity of the issue by
arguing that the phrase “After this” defines the “Gentile gathering” as a dispensation that
37
This list of type and antitype is based on Stephen N. Haskell’s book, The Cross and Its Shadow. I
recommend that the reader get this book and read it.
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precedes the rebuilding of the Davidic temple. Scofield emphasizes, “After this (the out-
calling) I will return” (Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on Acts 15, 1170). Scofield
even asserts that “Dispensationally, this is the most important passage in the N.T..”
(Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on Acts 15, 1169). Dispensationalists, in this
scripture, like other scriptures, are attempting to fabricate a meaning that is not inherent
in the reading; hence, they are applying false inductions. Acts 15:14 – 17 is a quotation
from Amos 9:11, 12. Amos’ ministry existed between 767 and 753 B.C. Amos 9:11, 12
was a prophecy predating the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon. The phrase “after this” in James’ quotation of Amos’ prophecy must
apply to the captivity of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. In Amos’ historical context, this
prophecy pointed to the rebuilding of the temple in the days of Zerubbabel. This means
that Scofield’s argument is an assumption, for Acts 15:16 envisions: “After this (The
Babylonian captivity) I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David.”
James (brother of Jesus), understanding the historical fulfillment of this
prophecy back in the days of Zerubbabel, applied Amos 9:11, 12 to the Church. This
means that James applied the developing Church body as the reconstruction of the
Davidic temple after the days of the Jewish captivity and the days of Zerubbabel. The
dispensation that Scofield interjected into the phrase “after this” disregards the historical
context of Amos 9:11 and disregards the fact that James applied the Church as the
Davidic Temple—after the historic issues involved in those texts. Dispensationalists say
that the prophets had no knowledge of a future Church era; but yet, they try to apply Acts
15:16—a quote from Amos—as a church dispensation. If they apply Acts 15:16 as proof
for a Church dispensation prior to the rebuilding of the Davidic temple; then, they are
teaching that Amos had foreseen the Church era. Yes, the prophecy of Amos did foresee
the Church, but the system of dispensationalism denies such an outlook; therefore, their
application of Acts 15:16 is in violation to their own system. This means they are
inconsistent, not only with history, but they are inconsistent with themselves. Amos
9:11,12 had a historic, literal fulfillment and now has met its secondary fulfillment in the
Church. Ladd explains this excellently:
James cites the prophecy of Amos 9:11 – 12 to prove that Peter’s experience with
Cornelius was a fulfillment of God’s purpose to visit the Gentiles and take out of
them a people for his name. It therefore follows that the “rebuilding of the
dwelling of David” which had resulted in the Gentile mission, must refer to the
exaltation and enthronement of Christ upon the (heavenly) throne of David and
the establishment of the church as the true people of God, the new Israel (A
Theology of the New Testament, 355).
One must raise the question: How did the Church become the earthly and spiritual
manifestation of the Davidic temple in heaven? The Mosaic sanctuary was not only a
pattern of the heavenly sanctuary but was also a pattern of Christ Himself, and we as
Christians—through the humanity of Christ—are His body temple. We are the sanctuary
on earth.
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Exodus 40: 9 - 16
Exodus 40: 35, 36 John 1: 14 John 2: 19 - 21
1 Corinthians 12: 13, 27
Ephesians 1: 22, 23
Old Testament Sanctuary
God's presence manifested
God Tabernacled With
Us In Jesus Christ
Christ's Body Is
The Shrine
The Church Is Christ's Body
The Church Is The Shrine
Ephesians 2: 21, 22
1 Peter 2: 5
1 Corinthians 3: 9 - 17
Acts 15: 14 - 17 2 Thessalonians 2: 3, 4
The Church Is The Temple Of God
The Church Is The Davidic
Temple
The Antichrist Has And Will Manifest
Himself In The Church
The Mosaic sanctuary was a type of Jesus Christ. Exodus 25 explains that the
Mosaic sanctuary was made from earthly elements. The materials that were used to
construct the sanctuary were not holy in and of themselves. Genesis 2:7 says, “God
formed man out of the dust of the ground.” The Hebrew word for ground is “Adamah.”
God created the first man out of the “Adamah” and named him, “Adam.” This name not
only tells us that Adam’s name is a title depicting “earthliness” but that there was a
definite connection between Adam and the world. When Adam fell in the Garden of
Eden, the effect of sin was not only implicated on him and the rest of mankind, but the
effect extended to the earth. When Adam fell, the whole world fell. This is clearly seen in
Genesis 3:17 where it states, “Cursed is the ground [Heb. Adamah, “ground” (tilled
yielding substance) “earth substance” (for building or construction)] for thy sake.”
In Exodus 25, we see that the sanctuary was constructed out of materials from the
“Adamah.” The materials in and of themselves were not Holy, for they were from a fallen
world. In Exodus 40:9 – 16, we see that Moses was commanded to anoint, with oil, the
sanctuary and its vessels. Exodus 40:9 says, “And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and
anoint (Heb. Mashach, “spread something” or “smear” also “consecrate”) the tabernacle,
and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy
(Heb. Qodesh, “apartness, separateness, and sacredness”).” In Daniel 9:25 we find the
word “Messiah.” Messiah in Hebrew is “Mashiach.” Mashiach means, “anointed one”
and is derived from “Mashach.” In essence, the sanctuary was not holy (consecrated and
separated from other materials) until it was anointed or made a type of the Messiah who
was to come. After the sanctuary was “set apart” as a type of the Messiah, the result was
the Glory of God filling the sanctuary in Exodus 40:33 – 35. Exodus 40:34 says, “Then a
cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory (Heb. Kabod, “splendor and
honor”) of the Lord (Heb. YHVH or Yehovah. “Jehovah,” “The existing One.”) filled the
tabernacle.” The splendor and honor of Jehovah filled the sanctuary, a type of Christ.
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament sanctuary. We learn this in
John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (Gr. Skenoo, “abide in a
tabernacle”) among us, and we beheld his glory (Gr. Doxa, “magnificence, splendor and
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brightness”), the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus
(Gr. Iesous) is the Greek word for Joshua, which is “Yehoshua” in the Hebrew. This name
means “Jehovah is Salvation.” Christ in the Greek is “Christos.” This means “The
Anointed One.” Christos is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Mashiach.” In
essence Jesus Christ has the meaning “Jehovah Messiah.” Notice the correlation diagram:
The Old Testament sanctuary was constructed
out of material from "Adamah"
The flesh of Jesus was from "Adam"
The sanctuary was anointed (Mashiach) as a
type of the Messiah who would come.
Jesus was the Christ ( Christos). He
was and is the anointed one.
The glory of Jehovah was manifested in the "Jehovah our Salvation" tabernacled
among mankind in the person of Christ.
Old Testament Sanctuary Jesus Christ
sanctuary.
John 2:19 – 21 expatiates further on the definition of “who and what” constitutes God’s
temple. Jesus explains that His body (Gr. Soma, “the physical aspect of Himself” also
“the Church”) is the temple (Gr. Naos, “The holy and Most Holy of the shrine”)
Ephesians 1:22, 23 and 1 Corinthians 12:13, 27 prove that the Church is the body of
Christ. Here is a simple example that defines the clarity of the issue:
(1) The Body of Christ is the temple.
(2) The Church is the Body of Christ.
(3) The Church is the temple.
Ephesians 2:21 says that the Church is a building (Gr. Oikodome, “a building as in an
edifice” and “to build up as in edification”) that is fitly framed together (Gr.
Sunarmologeo, “to join together” or “to frame together as in parts of a building”) which
grows into a holy temple (Gr. Naos) of the Lord. Let us raise the question: What frames
together the spiritual edifice and shrine—the Church? 1 Peter 2:5 says that we “as lively
stones make up the spiritual house.” The Church is the spiritual edifice or shrine made up
of the lively stones (we as individual Christians), while Jesus Himself is the Chief Corner
Stone. 1 Corinthians 3:9 says that the Church is God’s building (Gr. Oikodome ). As we
read down through verses’ 10 – 15, the truth is put into perspective: on earth, no physical
building can actually constitute God’s temple. Verses’ 16 and 17 unequivocally declare
that we individually (the lively stones) constitute the temple (Gr. Naos). To teach that
God’s temple will inevitably be some physical building in Jerusalem is in direct
contradiction to the New Testament. Acts 7:48 – 50 emphasizes, “The Most High does
not dwell in temples (Gr. Naos) made with hands.” Walvoord asserts that the temple of 2
Thessalonians 2:4 is to be a literal building in Palestine where the Antichrist will pretend
to be God (See Major Bible Prophecies, 260). We can read the same description in
Scofield’s writings (See Scofield Reference Bible, Ft. notes on Rev. 7, 1337). Their
interpretation is not in harmony with the New Testament description of the temple. The
temple (Gr. Naos) in 2 Thessalonians is the same temple (Gr. Naos) in all the texts
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applied to the Church. These scriptures along with the clarity of Acts 15:14 – 17 prove
that the Davidic sanctuary, as applied to earth, must be the Church.
It is obvious that proposition 6 in Daniel 9:24 refers to Christ who built the
Davidic sanctuary in literal form in heaven and built the spiritual manifestation of the
Davidic sanctuary on earth as His Church. These sanctuaries, the heavenly and the
spiritual, are intimately connected. The Church is intimately connected with Heaven, for
Jesus is the high priest over His spiritual temple. We as Christians are represented in the
literal Davidic temple in heaven in the person of Christ. The person of Christ binds
heaven and earth together. This binding together of heaven and earth is the kingdom that
Jesus brought at His first Advent. Access into this kingdom requires faith in the life,
death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as the means of our Justification, Sanctification,
and Glorification.
The Church is “One” with the literal Davidic sanctuary. This is a reality seen in
texts such as Colossians 1:13: “We have been delivered from the powers of darkness, and
translated (Gr. Methistemi, “to transpose” and “remove and transfer from one place into
another”) into (Gr. Eis, literally “into” as “going towards something but going into it”)
the kingdom of his dear Son.” Hebrews 12:22 – 24 explains: When we come to Mt. Zion,
the heavenly Jerusalem, we are coming to the general assembly and Church of the
firstborn.
Note: The following chart, in a nutshell, portrays the big picture of the literal Davidic
sanctuary and the connection it has with the spiritual manifestation of the Davidic
sanctuary as seen in the Church:
Propositions 5 and 6 In Daniel 9: 24: Diagram Of The Two-Fold Temple
(Fulfilled in the 70th
week)
Move to Next Page:
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31
34
Ephesus Smyrna Pergamos Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea
538100 313
1st seal 2nd seal 3rd seal 4th seal 5th seal 6th seal
( Rev. 2 and 3 )
( Rev. 5 and 6 )
( Rev. 8 and 9 ) ( Rev. 11:19; 15:5 - 8 )
( James 1:25; 2:8 - 12 )
( Rev. 6:9; 11:1, 2 )
( Baptism )
( Heb. 8:2 ) ( THE LITERAL DAVIDIC SANCTUARY )
( Heb. 6:18 - 20 )
( THE SPIRITUAL DAVIDIC SANCTUARY )
THE CHURCH IS INTIMATELY CONNECTED TO THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM
Hebrews 12:22 - 24
HEAVENLY JERUSALEM
SON OF THE FREE WOMAN
17501500
(Galatians 4:22 - 31)
1844
[This diagram is conducive to the Historical approach on prophetic interpretation. When
one understands the historical application of the 7 churches, 7 Seals, and 7 trumpets, this
picture demonstrates a panoramic view of Church history in the format of the Sanctuary.]
By D. S. Farris
35

The preceding chart is a picture that depicts
the fulfillment of proposition 6 in Daniel
9:24. In the 70th
week Jesus anointed a Most
Holy place, the Davidic sanctuary in heaven
and the spiritual manifestation of that
sanctuary as manifested in the Church.
Proposition 5, “to seal (Heb. Catham, “affix”
or “fasten up”) up the vision and prophecy,”
tells us that the vision of the 2,300 years was
to begin commencement with the 70 weeks,
and that the 490 years were “cut off” of the
2,300 in order for the Messiah Prince to establish the worldwide sanctuary. At the cross
Jesus Christ, our High Priest, “established everlasting righteousness” both imputed and
imparted for all those who will enter the sanctuary through faith.
Compare Galatians 4:22 – 31 and Hebrews 12:22 – 24: When we come to the
heavenly Jerusalem, we are coming to the “general assembly and Church of the first
born.” This means that there is an intimate connection between the Church and the
heavenly Jerusalem. The Church is the spiritual manifestation of the literal Davidic
sanctuary in heaven, for the Church is intimately connected to the heavenly Jerusalem
through the priestly ministry of Christ.
Galatians 4:21 – 31 thoroughly contrasts the Church and Christ’s Headship in the
heavenly Jerusalem from literal, national Israel and the physical Jerusalem. These
scriptures declare that the former is not heir with the latter. National Israel is not heir
with the Church, because God’s purpose was that: His kingdom, in both the present and
the future, is to embrace all those who have the faith of Abraham (Gal. 3:28, 29)—faith in
the Everlasting Covenant of God. In light of this information, we must consider a
profound statement made by LaRondelle:
The problem with dispensational literalism is not its stance on concrete historical
and visible fulfillments of Israel’s prophecy, but that its literalism comes far short
of the surpassing eminence and glorious transformation of the future fulfillment
of prophecy in human history (The Israel Of God In Prophecy, 53).
We completely agree with LaRondelle. Dispensationalists fall far short of ascertaining the
glorious transformation of national Israel, with its ethnic and geographical boundaries—
imposed, not by God, but by the Jews—into a worldwide community of saints who find
their focal point in the Jerusalem temple in heaven…where Jesus is both king and priest.
The reason that the Abrahamic promises—magnified in the Davidic covenant—have
clearly been identified in the Church, is because the Church is the Israel of God
encompassing the whole human race. The Church is the spiritual manifestation of the
heavenly sanctuary—the Davidic Temple. The Church, as the Israel of God, has access to
the Throne of Grace as heirs of the Everlasting Covenant, because—through faith—the
Church saints are joint heirs with Christ, the One in whom the Covenant has its
preeminence.
What we see today, as the antitype of Israel in the Church, is actually what God
was willing to accomplish with the nation of Israel. God wanted the nation of Israel to
accept the spiritual kingdom offered by Christ, and He wanted Israel to bring forth a great
Copyright 8/27/03
36

harvest of Gentiles into the faith; thus, the nation of Israel would have been the spiritual
heir of the spiritual kingdom as seen in the priestly ministry of Christ in the sanctuary.
Essentially, Christ wanted the nation of Israel to be like the Apostolic Church. They
rejected this calling (Luke 19:44). Therefore, this calling has now been realized in a
group of people separate from the nation of Israel, the Church. The nation of Israel was
unwilling to do what the apostles did on and after Pentecost because of their predilection
for believing that God was a God of predetermined genetic favoritism.
The Little Horn
In reading Daniel 8 and 9 together, it is clear that the 2,300 years did not begin
commencement until 457 B.C.; therefore, the sanctuary in question that was apposed by
the little horn must have existed between A.D. 31 and 1844. Walvoord disagrees:
It should be noted first that this “little horn” comes out of the Grecian Empire
and not the Roman Empire. Therefore, it should not be confused with Daniel
7:8, referring to a “little horn” in the Roman Empire. In comparing the history of
the period to what the scriptures reveal, one clearly concludes that it refers to
Antiochus Epiphanes, the ruler of Syria from 175 to 164 B.C. (Major Bible
Prophecies, 154).
Note: One who studies the scriptures can automatically detect three fundamental errors
in Walvoord’s statement:
(1) Though there was a reference to Alexander the Great as being the horn in the
goat’s head, ultimately, “Horns” do not represent individual men except in such
instances as Daniel 8:21 where it is given to interpret that way. Compare Daniel
7:17 with verse 24. In this comparison, the terms’ “kings” and “kingdoms” point
to a relationship between a kingdom that has a seat of authority over it. The
alternation of these two terms in prophecy tells us that “beasts” and “horns”
represent kingdoms, which have a king over them. In Daniel 8:22, when the first
horn was broken off of the goat, four more horns—said to be four kingdoms—
grew out of the nation. Dispensationalists want us to believe that the little horn
who grew out of one of the four kingdoms was “one man.” It would be more
logical to conclude that the little horn was another kingdom (which has a king)
that arose out of one of the four kingdoms of Greece. It is amazing that
dispensational theology does not interpret the little horn as someone who came
out of one of four men in light of their methodology of interpretation.
(2) This interpretation contradicts the two principles: “parallelism” and “repetition
and enlargement.” Daniel 2, 7, and 8 are parallel prophecies covering the same
kingdoms. The difference is: Daniel 7 covers more ground on the kingdom of
Rome than chapter 2. Daniel 7 brings out the little horn power and the issues
surrounding him. Daniel 8 starts with the kingdom of Persia and goes into more
detail on the little horn power—bringing out more of his attributes—more than in
the seventh chapter—with additional issues surrounding his reign. These
prophecies repeat and enlarge on themselves. This principle is carried over into
the book of Revelation. Dispensationalism, as a system, has forsaken these
By D. S. Farris
37

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