Problem 27 - That Old Testament Prophecy is being fulfilled today

PROBLEM NO. 27 --THAT OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED DURING THESE LAST
DAYS OF THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD

Much preaching today by prophetic experts, mainly of the Acts 2 persuasion, teach that Old Testament prophecy related to the Land of Palestine is being partially fulfilled today before the Rapture takes place. The reason for this is to have the land prepared for the Tribulation Period when it comes. They teach that when Israel became a nation in 1948, this event fulfilled prophecy. In addition, they believe that the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven of Matthew 13 are being fulfilled during this Age of grace. This is the view of the New Scofield Study Bible, NKTV, on pages 1145-1149 in its notes on Matt. 13.

THE TRUTH

The Dispensation of grace that was given and committed to the Apostle Paul is an Age that cannot be found in the Old Testament nor in the teachings of our Lord's earthly ministry. This Age of grace can be rightly called a 'parenthesis' by dispensationalists.

Even though there was one prophecy from our Lord that was fulfilled during the early years of this present Dispensation - the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 AD (Luke 21:20-24) - this fulfillment does not give us the right to take other Old Testament prophecies and relegate them to our present time.

The Land of Palestine has been developed to a great extent through scientific and technological advances in industrial progress, but these similarities with what is said about the productiveness of the land during Millennial times does not prove that Old Testament prophecies are being fulfilled today.

They teach this because they believe that when Israel became a nation in 1948, it was a fulfillment of prophecy. THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG. Old Testament prophecy was NOT fulfilled in 1948. How do I know this? Because Israel as a nation MUST REPENT FIRST, and this did not take place in 1948. The nation of Israel is STILL IN UNBELIEF as far as accepting Jesus as its messiah. This will not take place until the Second Coming of Christ. At that time the Jewish remnant that survived the Tribulation Period 'will look on Him whom they pierced' (Zech. 12:10), and the nation will be born in one day (Isaiah 66:7-9). This is exactly what Jesus and His 12 Apostles tried to do at His First Coming (see John 3:5), but were not successful. God is not going to be defeated by the Devil. Jesus arose from the tomb and is ALIVE at the throne of grace. He will make it all happen at His Second Coming.

The mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, outlined in Matthew 13, rightfully belong to God's program for Israel, not to His program for the Gentiles today during this Age of grace. The term 'Kingdom of heaven' is found eight times in Matthew 13, in verses 11, 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47, 52. Parallel passages in Mark and Luke show that the Kingdom of heaven and the Kingdom of God refer to the same thing. The time frame IS the Tribulation Period and beyond. The phrase in verse 9, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" is not only used eight times in Matthew, Mark and Luke, but also eight times in the book of Revelation, seven times in chapters 2 and 3, and once in Rev. 13:9. This is indisputable proof that Matthew 13 is related to the messages of the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. The Body of Christ is not found in the book of Revelation.

The eight parables of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven are:

1. The sower and the seed - verses 3-9; explained by the Lord in verses 18-23
2. The tares among the wheat - verses 24-30; explained by the Lord in verses 37-43
3. The mustard seed - verses 31-32
4. The leaven - verse 33
5. The hidden treasure - verse 44
6. The pearl of great price - verses 45-46
7. The dragnet - verses 47-50
8. The householder - verse 52

It is interesting that in verse 51 we read, "Jesus said to them, Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes, Lord." If the disciples could understand what Jesus taught, why can't theologians today understand these same things? The Church, the Body of Christ, is not related to any of the eight parables, neither are they describing this present Dispensation of the grace of God.

By Robert C. Brock