Israel’s Prophecies are NOT Being Fulfilled Today, During the Gentile “Dispensation of the Grace of God.”

We live in the dispensational age of “mystery [the former secret],” a dispensation where the operation of God on the Earth is significantly different than it was during the dispensation of God’s Prophetic purposes for Israel.

Below are reasons that Israel’s Prophecies concerning the coming Tribulation judgments and Earthly kingdom will not be fulfilled during today’s “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) while “the Church, the body of Christ” remains on earth.

As a Bible teacher I try to resolve the common confusion concerning the “signs of the times,” but we must understand first understand “the times of the signs.

  • All Prophecy of the Old Testament concerns Israel,
  • but today is not the time of Israel, rather today we live in the age of the unprophesied time of the Gentiles, until the Rapture.

10 Let their [Israel’s] eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their [Israel’s] fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. - Romans 11:10-11 (KJV)
15  For if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world…” - Romans 11:15a (KJV)
25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [secret plan of God], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in [at the Rapture]. - Romans 11:25 (KJV)

Not until today’s time of the present “mystery [formerly secret]” age of the grace dispensation for the Gentiles is completewill the time of the fulfillment of Prophetic signs toward Israel. They will then proceed according to God’s historic word, the words of Jesus in Matt 24 and Luke 21, and as seen in the book of Revelation.

Note below the contrast between the ‘mystery [secret] program for today’ as described by Paul, and that of ‘Israel’s Prophecy program’ described by Peter at Pentecost. Note how that they are so very different and contrary.

  • Acts 3:21 below says some things that were Prophetically “SPOKEN… Since the World Began,”
  • But Romans 16:25 says it concerns “the Mystery [secret plan of God]” that wasKept Secret Since the World Began.”

Peter said Israel’s program was “SPOKEN by the mouth of all his [God’s] holy Prophets since the world began.”

21 [Jesus] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath Spoken by The Mouth of ALL His Holy Prophets Since the World Began. - Acts 3:21 (KJV)

By Contrast, Paul says today’s age of the revelation of the mystery …  was kept secret since the world began.”

25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of The Mystery, which was Kept Secret Since the World Began, - Romans 16:25 (KJV)

Since “the mystery of Christ for today’s age of “the grace of God” was Kept Secret during every Prophetic utterance in Since the World Began, then logic says Prophetic fulfillment cannot be what is occurring today while the body of Christ remains on planet earth.

Below is an incomplete list of 16 more reasons why Israel’s Prophesies are not being fulfilled today.

  1. Whatever is Prophesied (foretold) is obviously not a secret
    The end time events of judgment, kingdom, and prophetic fulfillment were foretold. If those prophesied days actually speak of days during the mystery dispensation then these days were spoken about before. This is contrary to the scripture when it speaks what is hidden and revealed.
  2. Today God’s gospel is different
    “The gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) offers lost mankind free justification with no accompanying works requirement. The Kingdom gospel for Israel pertains to the “new covenant” which requires works as a sign of repentance, and water baptism in the name of Jesus.
  3. Today God’s operation is different
    Some prophecies are about unbelievers, yet others require God’s intervention. The way he intervenes in prophecy is according to the promises and covenants with Israel. Yet, today God is not operating with humanity according to covenants but rather by His grace.
  4. Today God’s people are different
    The church in prophecy was the obedient nation of Israel only. Today, the people of God are made up of all races, Jews and Gentiles. Today among Christians there is “neither Jew nor Greek [Gk. ethnos, Gentile] … all are one in Christ” (Gal. 3:28).
  5. Today God’s representation on earth is different
    Revelation and prophetic books talk about the priests of the Lord being the promised people of God as promised to Israel. A characteristic of today’s ‘dispensation of grace’ is that there are no priests of the Lord. The church today as “members of his body” was not prophesied.
  6. Today God’s purpose is different
    The prophetic purpose was to set up God’s dominion on the Earth. That is not God’s purpose in this dispensation of grace, which is to build a new creature called “the body of Christ” to inhabit and occupy heavenly dominions.
  7. Today Israel is fallen and will be so long as today’s grace dispensation continues, that is until the Rapture or “catching away” of the Gentile “body of Christ.”.

Romans 11:10-11. 15, 25 (above) describe Israel’s spiritual “fall.” Prophetic fulfillment of the Bible requires that Israel be given the position of spiritual and political prominence as it will be in the Millennial Kingdom to come on earth.

  1. Today Salvation is sent to the Gentiles

Acts 28:28 tells us plainly that salvation is sent to the Gentiles without Israel’s involvement. Yet, according to prophecy the Jewish nation would one day be the evangelists of God’s salvation, as they will in the Millennium.

  1. We the believers today are delivered from wrath to come under Israel’s Prophetic program
    Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 that we are delivered from wrath to come. The prophesied wrath on the Earth is a result of the covenant relationship between God and His people Israel and their unbelief.
  2. We are children of the day, not the night
    1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 says that those in the “night” time of Israel’s present state are looking for ‘signs.’ We are not in that time, but are rather children of the “day” in history. We are not appointed to the coming judgment and we are not looking for signs.
  3. Today God is not imputing [counting] our sins (Rom. 4:1-7)
    The coming judgment on the earth will be justified by the imputation of trespasses upon the world. However, in this day of grace God is not imputing trespasses to anyone.

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not [counting] imputing their trespasses unto them; and [He] hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:19 (KJV)

  1. Today is “the dispensation of the grace of God
    The only events remaining on God’s prophetic calendar refer to his declaration of war [Rev. 13:7] upon the rebellious peoples of the world and also those who declared war on Him in “time past.” One cannot offer terms of peace in the dispensation of grace while at the same time declaring war.
  2. The Prophetic signs are to be global
    Some think the prophecies contain only specific aspect such as “the mark of the beast” or the “Antichrist,” when actually they include the whole earth under judgment. The worldwide nature of some of the prophecies indicates that they would directly affect any false church organization on Earth.
  3. Prophecy is on a timetable
    Today’s previously hidden “dispensation of the grace of God” has no prophetic timetable associated with it. Paul declares the beginning of his message as being “out of due time.” Prophetic fulfillment is precisely foretold to the month and year and fulfilled as such.
  4. Prophecy is for and concerns Israel
    Prophecy was a privilege to the nation Israel who requires “signs” (1 Cor 1:22). There is no Israel today. It will be Israel’s returning Prophets that will be sent to witness to the world during that time God deals with Israel and the whole world.
  5. Israel today is not “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16)
    Most point to 1948 creation of the state of Israel as a fulfillment of prophecy. However, these people who were gathered together by geopolitical forces reject the Messiah. Though they could, many choose not to be saved by God’s grace without the law. Indeed, that message of Grace in the Cross remains an offense to most Israelites. The Israelites of the Nation Israel today are predominantly secular having no religious interest. They are not the “little flock” remnant of Israel that began at Pentecost.

This is an incomplete list of reasons why Israel’s prophecy is not being fulfilled today. It emphasizes the doctrinal differences between what was prophesied and what was kept secret and called “the mystery.”

All Prophetic fulfillment will occur literally as the Bible declares it to be. Many tell stories of prophetic fulfillment and use exaggerated language to ascribe Bible proof texts. This is not proper Bible application and should be avoided.