Why Some Dispensationalists are Like Evolutionists

[John81]

Why Some Dispensationalists are Like Evolutionists
By Gary DeMar | Published: May 24, 2010

Millions of Christians are fixated on what is going on in Israel today. Ever since Israel became a nation again in 1948, prophecy writers have insisted that this event is a prophetic sign that we are nearing the conclusion of the so-called Church Age. When 1988 came and went (40 years after Israel’s modern founding), a new paradigm had to be found to explain why the rapture had not taken place before the end of 1988, as Hal Lindsey and Chuck Smith had predicted, and before the new millennium, as Jerry Falwell and John F. Walvoord had predicted. There was a lull in the prophetic storm when 1988 passed without the promised “rapture” of the church. Dave Hunt, another writer who has made his reputation with prophecy pot-boilers, offered this analysis of the prophecy scene at that time:

During the 1970s, when The Late Great Planet Earth was outselling everything, the rapture was the hot topic. Pastors preached about heaven, and Christians eagerly anticipated being taken up at any moment to meet their Lord in the air. When Christ didn’t return after 40 years since the establishment of a new Israel in 1948 without the fulfillment of prophesied events, disillusionment began to set in.[1]

Dispensationalist prophecy writers are like evolutionists. When the facts don’t fit the theory, modify the theory. When the fossil record did not conform to the theory of gradual evolutionary change over millions of years, evolutionists like Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge came up with a new evolutionary concoction called Punctuated Equilibrium. Like Gould and Eldredge, British evolutionist Derek was honest enough to admit that there are prOBlems with the fossil record:

It must be significant that nearly all the evolutionary stories I learned as a student . . . have now been debunked . . . . The point emerges that if we examine the fossil record in detail, whether at the level of orders or of species, we find—over and over again—not gradual evolution, but sudden explosion of one group at the expense of another.[2]

If we examine the prophecy record of dispensationalists, we will see that they continually modify their prophetic theories rather than admit that the basis of their theory is wrong and needs to be abandoned altogether.

The one prophetic fact that remains intact by dispensationalists is Israel’s return to the land. But as I mentioned above, the timing of the starting point of that event seems always to be on the move. Even before 1948, events surrounding World War I were seen as the starting point to begin the calculations for when the “rapture” might be near. This was the position of Henry Morris (see his Defender’s Study Bible page 1045) and Tim LaHaye (who changed from the generation beginning with the “events of World War I” to “the events of 1948”). When that World War I generation began to pass away, 1948 was put forth as the new starting date. Then it moved to 1967 when the forty-year generation idea began to run out again. The use of 1967 took a forty-year generation to 2007. When these end-time dates came and went without incident, the length of a generation was changed, from 40 years, to 70 years, and then even to 100 years. Dispensationalism is no more reliable as a prophetic system than evolution is as a scientific system.

But there are further prOBlems with the prophetic claims of dispensationalists as they relate to Israel’s national status. (I’ll touch on this topic in more detail in the debate I’ll be having with Jim Fletcher on June 19, 2010 at Midway Presbyterian Church in Powder Springs, Georgia.) One of the biggest prOBlems that even some dispensationalists take note of is the spiritual condition of Jews living in Israel since their return. Stanley A. Ellisen, who earned a Th.D. in Bible exposition from Dallas Theological Seminary, makes some significant points on this topic:

“It remains to put the divine plumbline to the house of Israel claiming Palestine today. Has she met the biblical conditions for restoration? . . . To put it bluntly, she has no biblical right to the covenant land. She has never recognized the Messiah God sent, let alone mourned over his wounding. Though many in Israel admit to Jesus’ greatness as a Jewish teacher, they adamantly reject him as Messiah. They see him as but one of several prominent pseudo-messiahs.”[3]

Ellisen’s book includes an endorsement by John F. Walvoord who describes it as “must reading.”

If Israel’s entry into the land (Num. 13–14) and stay in the land were based on faithfulness to the covenant, and exile from the land was based on the rejection of covenant OBligations, then how is it possible that the return to the land would not be based on the same standards? The condition for returning to the land was a repentant heart and OBedience to God’s commandments (Deut. 30), something that happened after Israel’s return from exile (see Ezra 9). To argue that the spiritual condition of modern-day Jews living in Israel is of little or no consequence and is somehow a fulfillment of Bible prophecy goes against what the Bible teaches. Ellisen continues:

The State of Israel will allow nearly every deviation from Jewish orthodoxy in its policy of toleration and pluralism. Even Jewish atheists are welcomed as citizens—but not believers in Jesus. Though the Law of Return of 1950 granted citizenship to anyone born Jewish, it was amended in 1970 to apply to anyone who is “born of a Jewish mother or has been converted and is not a member of another religion.” On December 25, 1989, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that Messianic Jews “do not belong to the Jewish nation and have no right to force themselves on it. Those who believe in Jesus are, in fact, Christians.”

Judged on biblical grounds, the nation today does not pass divine muster. The promise of the land is directly tied to the nation’s response to Messiah. Though her international right to the land can be well defended, her divine right by covenant has only sentiment in its favor.[4]

As I mentioned above, there are other prOBlems with the claim made by dispensationalists that Israel being in the land is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. I’ll point these out on June 19th when Jim Fletcher and I debate the following question: “Is Modern-Day Israel a Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy?” The first 100 people to attend will get an autographed copy of my new book 10 Popular Prophecy Myths Exposed (one per household) written specifically for the debate.

(For those who may get angry with what I’ve written, post your comments. Do not send them to American Vision. Before you post a comment, be sure you’ve actually read the article and take note of who I quoted in support of my conclusions. They are all dispensationalists. A lot of people will be surprised to learn what I've uncovered in my research for this debate.)

Endnotes:
1.Back cover copy of Dave Hunt, Whatever Happened to Heaven? (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1988). [↩]
2.Derek V. Ager, “The Nature of the Fossil Record,” Proceedings of the British Geological Association, vol. 87 (1976), 24, 133. Quoted in G. Thomas Sharp, Rocks, Fossils and Dinosaurs (NOBle, OK: Icon Publishing Group, 2010), 81. [↩]
3.Stanley A. Ellisen, Who Owns the Land? The Arab-Israel Conflict (Portland, OR: Multnomah, 1991), 173–174. [↩]
4.Ellisen, Who Owns the Land?, 174. [↩]

http://americanvision.org/2578/why-some-dispensationalists-are-like-evolutionists/

[trc123]

I don't see any other way of being able to rightly interpret God's Word without being a dispensationalist.

[Covenanter]

I don't see any other way of being able to rightly interpret God's Word without being a dispensationalist.

There s a book by Gordon Rattray Taylor "The Great Evolution Mystery." He is an evolutionist & his book shows why all the "proofs" of evolution are invalid. His conclusion? In spite of all this, evolution must be true - the alternative - divine creation - is unthinkable.

Gary DeMar makes a lot of sense.

[John81]

Some of this has made me ask questions over the years. Before I was even saved I remember hearing that since Israel came into being that meant nothing else had to happen before the Rapture. Then these same folks would say the Rapture had always been imminent, could have happened at any time over the past 2,000 years, and then they turn around and would say Israel had to come into being before the Rapture could have happened. It couldn't be both!

After being saved in 1981 I heard preachers and read articles and books which proclaimed the Christ would return on or before 1988 because Scripture said that when Israel came back that generation, which we were told means 40 years, would not pass before Christ returned. 1988 came and went and I can recall the preachers scrambling to change their view to say the capture of Jerusalem by the Jews would be the actual beginning of the 40 years. Of course when 40 years from that time had passed they came up with new theories. Some of these are mentioned in the article and I remember much of what he discusses there.

There were so many books out there and preachers were making so many sermons based upon Israel being a nation again and what Scripture says about that generation, which all agreed meant 40 years so Christ would have to return between 1948 and 1988,

emergency, got to go

[Covenanter]

Is there any teaching of Jesus & his Apostles that clearly prophesies the restoration of the nation of Israel to the promised land?

[Invicta]

Is there any teaching of Jesus & his Apostles that clearly prophesies the restoration of the nation of Israel to the promised land?

Yes!

There was a time limit for their exile. "..untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

Cov, you continually avoid that scripture.

Does that make me a dispensationalist? far from it.

Do I believe that the church and Israel will always be separate? Absolutely not.


Has the church replaced Israel. Absolutely not, the church is grafted in to believing Israel.

Do I believs in the restoration of Israel? Absolutely, but not restoration to a Jewish kingdom, but to faith in Christ. Possibly not everyone, but enough to say that the Jews have turned to Christ, that is grafted in again.

[JerryNumbers]

That is the trouble with those who prophesy, that study all of that out, and make predictions that this current event means this or that, they are wrong so many times, thus giving fodder for God's enemies.

I know of a conservative Baptist pastor, a conservative Baptist evangelist, this was their downfall. For the evangelist cane to preach a revival. They both were very intelligent in the Bible. The revival started on Sunday night, by mid-week they had their heads together studying, late in the week at a nightly revival service they announce what they had found the date of Jesus coming for His own.

The majority of its members prepare for that day, yet it came without Jesus coming.

That was in the late 80's, still ever now and again someone will ask, what was the name of that church that thought they had it all figured out?

I might add, the majority of its members got all of their business in order so that their unsaved family members would know what they wanted done with their property. Several even went down to the local bank and paid off their debts. Later a person who worked at the bank told me about the pastor coming in getting all of his stuff taken care of telling her on a certain date Jesus was coming and he wanted all of his affairs in proper order.

I've got a take of an evangelist that gave a message on what aids would lead to, what it would do to American and the world. I know it must have been readily accepted by that church in the late 80's. Yet things have gone nothing like the predicted it would.

Perhaps many would do well to go back preaching, repent,the kingdom of God is at hand.

[Covenanter]

Yes!

There was a time limit for their exile. "..untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

Cov, you continually avoid that scripture.

Not at all. I do not see in Luke 21 the restoration of Israel as a nation following the times of the Gentiles. Show me.

Does that make me a dispensationalist? far from it.

Do I believe that the church and Israel will always be separate? Absolutely not.

Has the church replaced Israel. Absolutely not, the church is grafted in to believing Israel.

The church has neither replaced Israel, nor is separate from Israel. Israel as a nation has ceased to exist in God's economy. Israel [u[as a people, as the believing redeemed people of God continues for all eternity.


Do I believs in the restoration of Israel? Absolutely, but not restoration to a Jewish kingdom, but to faith in Christ. Possibly not everyone, but enough to say that the Jews have turned to Christ, that is grafted in again.

I would love to see the Jews turning to Christ, & of course many have, from Pentecost onwards. Sadly, believing Jews are rejected by the unbelievers, so that instead of building a Messianic people, in fellowship with believing Gentiles, they are cast out, & within a generation or so their Jewish roots are severed. THere is no need for a Jewish nation to effect Jewish salvation, nor large scale Jewish revival.

As the OP indicates, we cannot look to prophecy calculate God's timetable. We have the great commission.

[Invicta]

The important word is "Until".

They would be dispersed amonst the nations "until". For nearly 2000 years they were kept out of the promised land, but now, many are back. The 'until' has either come, or nearly so.

Edited June 4, 2010 by Invicta

[HappyChristian]

John, did you know Gary DeMar is a Reconstuctionist? http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/cor/notes_on.htm

During the 1960s, a new movement began within the sphere of Reformed or Covenant Theology, primarily out of conservative Presbyterianism (Reformed and Orthodox). That movement has been called by three different names: Reconstructionism (because it advocates the reconstruction of society), Dominion Theology (because its theology teaches that Biblical Christianity is to rule every sphere of society), and Theonomy (a combination of two Greek words -- theos [God] and nomos [law] -- because it asserts that all of society is to be brought into the OBedience to the Mosaic Law). It should be noted that this movement is not advocated by everyone within the realm of Reformed or Covenant Theology (12/90, Israel My Glory). "The Reconstructionist movement and its allies and offshoots, by substituting political and cultural action for the proclamation of the Gospel, by substituting eschatology for soteriology, and by mangling the Gospel itself, have become tools of Romanist political action" (3/02, The Trinity Review).

"Theonomy involves the application of the law of God, and the biblical law particularly, to all of life. It also requires that one appeal to the whole law of God -- including the civil law of the Old Testament -- as a necessary supplement to being saved by grace through faith. Some of Rushdoony's followers prefer the term "reconstructionist," because they believe it does a better jOB of conveying their positive outlook on life. Indeed, their view of the future could be described as postmillennial, since they tend to believe that God's Kingdom will eventually be established on earth through the faithful preaching of the gospel and the faithful application of God's law to society. The result will be a Christian civilization and a thousand year reign of Jesus Christ." (Emphasis added.) (Source: William Edgar, "The Passing of R.J. Rushdoony," First Things, August/September 2001, pp. 24-25.)

The three basic points underlying Reconstructionist philosophy are presuppositional apologetics, theonomy, and postmillennialism. Also, Kingdom Theology teaching underscores the doctrine of CRM. CRM holds that man forfeited dominion over the earth at the fall of Adam and Eve. Their fall allowed Satan to gain control of the earth. God, through His Son Jesus, will regain control of the earth with human overcomers who will reign and rule with Christ. The chief Biblical error of the Kingdom concept pertains to the timing of the appearance of the Millennium and the means by which it will be installed. CRM preaches that the Kingdom is NOW.

- At the heart of Reconstructionism's system of belief is a postmillennial view of eschatology. Postmillennialists believe that Christ will return to earth in His Second Coming after the Millennium. Reconstructionism asserts that at creation God issued to Adam a cultural or dominion mandate to subdue the earth on behalf of God and thereby establish the Kingdom of God on earth (Gen. 1:28). This mandate was an eternally binding covenant upon Adam and his descendents. Israel and the Gentiles failed to keep the covenant mandate, just as Adam did. According to the Reconstructionists (Matt 5:17-19), during His first coming Jesus "established and restored" the Mosaic Law "to full measure as the rule of life for believers as well as society."

Gary DeMar is president of American Vision in Atlanta. He says: "Dominion Theology teaches that we can, do and will have a kingdom of God on earth without Jesus' physical presence in Jerusalem" (The Reduction of Christianity, Foreword, p. xii). DeMar edits The Biblical Worldview, a monthly newsletter published by American Vision. This and other kinds of literature put out by Reconstructionists have made significant in-roads into the curricula of Church-affiliated Christian schools and home schools. Theonomist books, such as DeMar's God and Government, are often used as texts.

"In winning a nation to the gospel, the sword as well as the pen must be used" (Gary North, Christian Reconstructionism, 6:1, p. 198).

"The divorce prOBlem will be solved in a society under God's law because any spouse guilty of capital crimes (adultery, homosexuality, Sabbath desecration, etc.) would be swiftly executed, thus freeing the other part to remarry" (Mark Rushdoony, Chalcedon Report #252, 1986).

"Parents would be required to bring their incorrigible children before the judge and, if convicted, have them stoned to death" (Mark Rushdoony, Chalcedon Report #252, 1986).

"A godly nation must keep the Sabbath to have God's blessing, embracing not only a weekly OBservance, but the OBservance of the sabbatical year of rest ... This is a legal national duty and requirement ... For the nation to deny the Sabbath is to deny God" (R. J. Rushdoony, Chalcedon Report #20).

"In a Christian society the death penalty is still appropriate for the crime of worshipping another god on the Lord's day" (James Jordan, The Green Papers, July, 1982). [i guess that means that Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus should be put to death.]

The rest of the article is interesting as well. Some of their ideas sound good...but they are WAY wrong!

[Wilchbla]

The OP's article is by Gary DeMar. Gary DeMar believes that everything in Matthew 24, Revelation and Daniel occured in 70 AD.

[Wilchbla]

Some of this has made me ask questions over the years. Before I was even saved I remember hearing that since Israel came into being that meant nothing else had to happen before the Rapture. Then these same folks would say the Rapture had always been imminent, could have happened at any time over the past 2,000 years, and then they turn around and would say Israel had to come into being before the Rapture could have happened. It couldn't be both!

After being saved in 1981 I heard preachers and read articles and books which proclaimed the Christ would return on or before 1988 because Scripture said that when Israel came back that generation, which we were told means 40 years, would not pass before Christ returned. 1988 came and went and I can recall the preachers scrambling to change their view to say the capture of Jerusalem by the Jews would be the actual beginning of the 40 years. Of course when 40 years from that time had passed they came up with new theories. Some of these are mentioned in the article and I remember much of what he discusses there.

There were so many books out there and preachers were making so many sermons based upon Israel being a nation again and what Scripture says about that generation, which all agreed meant 40 years so Christ would have to return between 1948 and 1988,

emergency, got to go

The "generation" that will not pass before Christ's return in not some generation from 1948 to 1988. It's the generation alive during the tribulation period. Read the context of the verses. Just because some theologians can't read the bible correctly doesn't mean that dispensationalism isn't the key to correct understanding of the bible. In fact the opposite is true, because they couldn't divide the word of God correctly they messed up the whole passage. Even DeMar is a dispensationalist to some degree unless he is still keeping the sacrifices. Edited June 5, 2010 by Wilchbla

[John81]

John, did you know Gary DeMar is a Reconstuctionist? http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/cor/notes_on.htm







The rest of the article is interesting as well. Some of their ideas sound good...but they are WAY wrong!

I've never heard of "Reconstructionist" but I have noted he holds to Dominion. I don't agree with his views on all areas but sometimes he really hits the nail on the head or puts things in a manner that causes, or should cause, folks to think things through (that doesn't necessarily mean after thinking them through one agrees with him, or disagrees for that matter, but that one actually searches for the truth themselves)

Thank you for your post, "Reconstructionist" is new to me.

[John81]

The "generation" that will not pass before Christ's return in not some generation from 1948 to 1988. It's the generation alive during the tribulation period. Read the context of the verses. Just because some theologians can't read the bible correctly doesn't mean that dispensationalism isn't the key to correct understanding of the bible. In fact the opposite is true, because they couldn't divide the word of God correctly they messed up the whole passage. Even DeMar is a dispensationalist to some degree unless he is still keeping the sacrifices.

This is an aspect I've considered. Given that it's generally agreed in the Bible a generation equals 40 years it would seem clear attempts to make this verse fit the reestablishment of Israel in 1948, or the taking of Jerusalem in 1967, isn't what the verse is referring to.

I believe it's postmils who claim this verse is referring to those Jesus was speaking to and they claim it was fulfilled in 70AD.

[1Timothy115]

What's wrong with dispensationalism? We're under grace, salvation by the finished work of Jesus Christ. When it ends we'll be under a new dispensation...

Revelation 21:1-5
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.