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politics based on equally bad before you aooept or reject it. for nlany of the thoughts in
theology. I say this because, VV-ith that caveat I will now this seotion of the paper. the
as I shall argue in this paper, begin with a discussion of idea of paradise was renewed
all of God's land promises to by God's inaugurating with the
Israel in the Old Testament Eden and the guilty pair a second oovenant
are to be viewed in terms of Abrahanlic Covenant ~ the covenant of graoe of
shadow, type, and prophecy, Genesis 3:15 - and later by
in contrast to the reality, O. Pahller Robertson begins his covenant with Abrahanl
substance, and fulfillment his treatise on the significance of Genesis 12:1-3 to redeenl
of which the New Testament of the land as a theological a people fr0111 their fallen
speaks. Consequently, contrary idea by stating: The concept condition and to transfon11
to John Hagee who insists that of a land that belongs to God's the cosnl0S. Just as Adam and
"Israel has a Bible nlandate people originated in Paradise. Eve had known God's blessing
to the land, a divine covenant This siIllple fact, so often in Eden, so also God would
for the land of Israel, forever ... overlooked, plays a critioal role bless his redeel11ed people in
[and] Christians have a Bible in evaluating the significanoe of a new Eden, a land flowing
mandate to be supportive the land throughout redel11ptive with l11ilk and honey, that lay
of Israel,"6 I will argue history and its consummate s0111ewhere ahead of thenl in
that it is we Christians, as fulfilh11ent. Land did not the future. With the call of
mel11bers of Christ's Messianic begin to be theologioally Abrahanl in Genesis 12 the
kingd0111, who are the real significant with the promise oovenant of graoe established
heirs to the land promises given to Abraham. Instead, the in Genesis 3: 15 underwent
of Holy Scripture, but only patriaroh's hope of possessing a a rel11arkable advance. The
in their fulfilled paradisical land arose out of the concept of instrul11ent of that advance is
character.7 Hagee terms this restoration to the original state the covenant that God l11ade
view "replacel11ent theology" from which nlan had fallen. with Abrahanl that guaranteed
because, he says, it "replaces" The original idea of land as and secured soterio blessing for
in the econ0111Y of God the paradise significantly shaped "all the faI11ilies of the Earth"
Jewish people who are, he says, the expeotations associated (Genesis 12:3). So signifioant
"God's centerpiece" and "the with redeI11ption. As the place are the pr0111ises of grace in the
apple of his eye" (Zechariah of blessedness arising fr0111 Abrahal11ic covenant, found in
2:8) with the ohurch of Jesus unbroken fellowship and Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-16; 15:18-
Christ. Of course, Hagee's conll11union with God, the 21; 17:1- 16; and 22:16-18, that
perception of ethnio Israel is in land of paradise beoaI11e the it is not an overstatel11ent to
error, beoause ethnic Israel per goal toward whioh redeel11ed declare these verses, fr0111 the
se was never the oenter-piece hUl11anity was returning.8 covenantal perspective, the
of God's covenant progranl most it11portant verses in the
sinoe, according to Paul, God's In the Edenio paradise of Bible. The fact that the Bible
pr0111ises ahvays applied only Genesis 2 we see God, whose sweeps aoross thousands of
to the true spiritual Israel (that garden it was (Ezekiel 28:13; years betv\Teen the creation of
is, eleot Israel) within ethnic 31:8), and which garden man and the call of Abrahanl
Israel (R0111ans 9:6-13); and was employed later as the in only eleven chapters, with
the land promises of the Old prototypical ideal (Genesis the oall of Abrahanl c0111ing
TestaIllent, as we will show, 13:10) and type of the in Genesis 12, suggests that
were always to be viewed eschatological paradise of God God intended the infon11ation
typologically. Nevertheless, (Isaiah 51:3; Revelation 2:7), given in Genesis 1-11 to be
Hagee has thrown down the placing the original pair he preparatory "background" to
Dispensational gauntlet; and had oreated within it to tend the revelation of the AbrahaI11io
it is high tit11e that oovenant and to keep it and to enjoy covenant.
theologians pioked it up and conll11union with him. But the
responded to him Biblically. paradisioal nature of Eden was Revelation subsequent to it
This is what I propose to do lost in and by AdaI11's fall, and discloses that all that God
now. But I offer a word of our first parents were expelled has done savingly in grace
caution, and it is this: Reflect fr0111 this land of blessing. But since the revelation of the
oarefully upon what I say Abrahal11ic covenant is the
Continued on Page 14
cobra, and the weaned child essentialf01" salvation. "pmaching thc Gospel b~f01'chand
would place his hand on the to Abraham," that is, he was
adder's den, and the Earth 4 Pat Robe1"tson stated on public declaring that hc would .iustif:v the
television on January 5, 2006, that Gentiles by faith.
would be full of the knowledge Prime Minister A1"iel Sha1"on qf
of the Lord as the waters cover Israel suffered his 1nassive strohe
the places of the sea (Isaiah at the hand of God because he was
11:6-9). No nlore would sin and in the pmces's qf giving a portion
sorrow reign nor thorns infest of Israel's land to the Palestinians
the ground. Then, writes Paul i;t exchangefor peace. He later
in Romans 9:25-26: Those who apologized for his statement.
were not [God's] people [not 5 See Vital Speeches 61, no. 3
only from the Jews but also (November 15, 1994): 70, 3.
fr01~l the Gentiles, Romans
9:24] [he] 'vill call "my people," 6 John Hagee, 'Yost evangelicals
and her who was not beloved are seeing the e1Tor qf
[he] will call "beloved." And 'replacement theology, '" online
in the very phlCe where it was edition oj the JenlBalem Post,
}.![amh 20, 2006.
said to theIn, "You are not nly
people," there they will be 7 I happily acl?'nowledge my grcat
called "sons of the living God." debt to O. Palmer Robertson, Thc
To Be Continued Israel of God: Ycste1"day, Today,
and Tom01Tow (Presbyterian and
Rcfonncd, 2000), 3-31.
Endnotes
8 Robertson, The Israel of God, 4.
1 (C) The Trinit:J' Foundation
9 John Murra:J', Ch1"istian Baptism
2 I say uso-called" because the (Presbyterian and Rejormed,
phrase Uho{v land" occurs only 1962),46.
twice in Scdptu1"e (Psal1n 78:54;
Zechariah 2:12) and in both 10 For the redemptive implications
instances the W01"d "land" must qf this bad "land theology" see
be supplied. Apart fnnn the holy Knox Theological Seminary's
God's mantfested presence in it, '~n Open Lette1" to Evangelicals
there is nothing holy about the and Othe1" Interested Parties: The
"Hob' Land." But whemver God Pcople of God, the Land qf Israel,
ntantfests his p,"eSe1We that place and the Impartiality of the Gospel"
is ho{v, as God taught Moses at the posted on the Seminary's website
bU1"ning bush in Sinai (Exodus www.hnoxseminary.cdu under
3:1-6). "HTittenbeTg DOO1:"
3 AccoTding to Julia Duin, "San 11 This particular divine promise
Antonio Fundanwntalist Battles has already becn literally and
Anti-Sel1titis11't," in Thc Houston explicitl:J' fulfillcd by the conquest
Chroniclc (April 30, 1988), 1, of thc land undcr Joshua and
Hagcc does not belicve that Jcws Solomon's reign (Joshua 21:43-45;
must trust ChTist in 01"de1" to go to 23:14; 1 Kings 4:24). It docs not
Hcavcn: "Thc Jewish 1)coplc havc require somc fUtU1'C fu(fi.llment in
a relationship to God thmugh the a Jewish millennium.
law as given thmugh Moses. I
bclieve that every Gentile pe1"SOn 12 Abraham owncd on{v the plot The "gap theory" is exposed
can only come tc; God thmugh of ground, .the.field qf }.![achpelah,
and the Gospel is clearly
proclaimed in the text.
the cmss of Christ. I believe that he pumhasedfmm the
that eve1:V Jewish person who Biblical
Hittites living in the land f01" a Historic
lives in the light qf the TOTah ... buTial gmund f01" Sarah his wtfe
has a relationship with God Reformed
(Genesis 23). • Gospel-loaded
and wi1l come to 1"edemption."
This 1-adically Dispensational 13 Paul tells us in Galatians 3:8 24 pages - $3
statement is he1"etical in its denial that whcn God made this p1'omise TO Of1DEPt: www.viclockmali.com
thatfaith in ChTist is unive1"sally to Abraham he was in ~ffect