The time of Jacob

The time of Jacob's trouble

by Dr. William B. Chalfant Thd.

SOME BASIC ELEMENTS

Chapter One

Confusion Over The Purpose of The “Great Tribulation” Period

There is a great deal of confusion over whether the New Testament church, which was established in the Book of Acts by Jesus Christ, will be caught up to meet its Founder in the air before the period called by the some “the Great Tribulation”, or whether the New Testament church will actually go through this period, which is identified by the prophet Jeremiah as the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble”.

The confusion is brought about by a misidentification of Jacob with the church, or by the mistaken notion that the church has succeeded Jacob, and also by a lack of understanding of the purpose of the “Great Tribulation” period.

When the purpose of the “Great Tribulation” period is carefully brought out in the scriptures, then it is clearly seen that it does not directly involve the New Testament church., but rather forwards the Lord’s plan for His people, the nation of Israel.

There are a number of dangers resulting from the incorrect view of the relationship between the New Testament church and the “Great Tribulation” period:

(1) The doctrine of “imminency” is gravely damaged by upholding the post-tribulation rapture of the church.

(2) The constancy of the promises made by God to Israel are brought into question.

(3) The self-centered view of gentiles in the New Testament church, which I call “gentilocentric”, becomes nearly “anti-Semitic”.

(4) The comprehensive plan of God for all of the ages becomes less clear when it is denied that He will again plead with His nation Israel after the rapture of the New Testament church.

These and other skewed views of prophecy develop when the post-tribulation theory is advanced, with all of its consequences.

PAUL’S TEACHING ON JEWS AND GENTILES

Most of these confused theories concerning the relationship of the church and Israel come about because of a faulty interpretation of the writings of the apostle Paul concerning Israel (the Jews) and the church.

Paul, while he recognized a new spiritual “Jew”, nevertheless continued to recognize the nation of Israel, with the promises that God had made to them.

For example, Paul, in Romans 2.28,29, recognized the superiority of the inward spiritual Jew, with “circumcision of the heart”, and “in the spirit”. However, Paul then hastens to acknowledge the continued existence of the nation of Israel, when he adds (Romans 3.1), “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?”. His answer in verse 2 is, “Much every way”.

In Galatians 6.15,16, Paul acknowledges that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature”. He declares “peace” on them that “walk according to this rule”, and he adds, “upon the Israel of God”. Many have used this passage to declare that the phrase used here, “the Israel of God”, means that Paul is declaring that God has done away forever with the old Israel (or Jacob), and that now “the Israel of God” is the New Testament church. But this cannot be the entire case, since Paul constantly acknowledges the pre-eminence of the Jewish nation in God’s plan for the ages.

To Paul, the Gospel is always “To the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile)” (Romans 1.16). Even after what occurred in the Book of Acts, we don’t see Paul totally rejecting the Jews.

In Acts 13.46, Paul and Barnabas are not speaking to all of Jewry, but rather they are speaking to the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia. They tell these Jews, “we turn to the Gentiles”. It is the Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia that receive the word of God.

In Acts 28.28, it is the delegation of Jews in Rome that is told by Paul, “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it”. Obviously, the intent of the writer Luke, in recording these words from Paul, it to indicate the general rejection of the Jews of salvation and the receptiveness of the gentiles. But notice it is not that God has rejected the Jews, but rather it is the fact that the Jews have rejected the Lord.

Paul takes great stock in his Jewish roots. He is not ashamed of his heritage. In Romans 9.1-3, Paul speaks of the heaviness that on his heart because of his people, the Jews.

And he describes them thusly, “Who are Israelities; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises” (Romans 9.4).

He admits, however, in Romans 9.6, that “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel”. He differentiates between “the children of the flesh” (Jews in general), and “the children of the promise” (spiritual Israel). Paul sadly recognizes that his people (the Jews) are rejecting the Gospel, but he is not ready to give them up. He is not ready to say that “Israel” is no longer “Israel”. In Romans 10.1, Paul writes, “Brethern, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved”. Those who believe that the church completely took the place of Israel would find no support from Paul.

The Jews, as far as Paul is concerned, are still “Israelites”. The “adoption”, “the glory”, “the covenants”, “the service of God”, and even “the promises”, still pertain to them.

Paul writes, “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded” (Romans 11.7). Let us speak of “the rest”, who were “blinded”.

First of all, Paul informs us that “salvation is come to the Gentiles” to “provoke (Israel) to jealousy” (Romans 11.11). Paul speaks both of the “fulness” of the Gentiles (in salvation) (Romans 11.25), and also of the fulness of Israel (the remnant) in Romans 10.12.

Paul continues to recognize the presence of Gentiles in the church. He differentiates always between Jew and Gentile (even in the church), although there are times when he identifies the Christian as neither Jew nor Gentile. He never loses the distinction. This is because of God’s plan for Israel. It can never be lost sight of.

Paul reminds the Gentiles in the Roman church that he (Paul) is “the apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11.13). We may say, in one sense, that the church is not “gentile”, but, in another sense, we must recognize the differences outlined by the apostle to the Gentiles in the church. We must acknowledge today that the New Testament church is primarily “gentile”, and it has been since the first century. It only brings about confusion to refuse to admit this. Furthermore, unless the complexion of the church changes, and there is a great revival among the Jews, so that the church once more (as it was on the Day of Pentecost) becomes primarily Jewish, it is more confusion to maintain that the church is going through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (“The Great Tribulation”), since the scriptures indicate that is a period wherein God is dealing with the Jews (Daniel 12 , Matthew 24, Revelation 11, etc.).

PAUL’S TYPE OF THE OLIVE TREE

In Romans 11, Paul uses the type of an Olive tree to illustrate the tension between the Jews and the Gentiles in the church. By this I mean that Paul shows that God is the Great Gardener, and that the Olive tree is the spiritual Old Testament Israel. Notice that the Jews are only the natural “branches” (Romans 11.17,24), and they are not the root. But the Olive tree is “their” Olive tree. The Gentiles are branches of a wild olive tree (Romans 11.24), who are merely “grafted in” to the good Olive tree. The Jews are the “natural branches” of the Olive tree, who were broken off because of “unbelief” (Romans 11.20).

Paul warns the Gentiles, “Be not highminded, but fear” (Romans 11.20). I am afraid that there are many “anti-semitic” Christians today, who are just that: “highminded”, and they are boasting against the broken-off “natural” branches. It is very dangerous to do this. We are partaking by grace of the “root and fatness” of the natural Olive tree.

Paul reminds Gentile Christians that the natural branches were broken off from the original Olive tree because of “unbelief”. And he promises, “if they abide not still in unbelief, (they) shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again” (Romans 11.23).

But the reader should think about this. The entire Olive tree is not just the New Testament church in this type and shadow. The Jews and the Gentiles are only “branches”! These “branches” are “broken off” or “grafted in” to the natural Olive tree. If the “branches” represent the New Testament church, and not the entire Olive tree, then one must admit that the Olive tree pre-existed the “branches”. If the Olive tree represented the New Testament church, then we would have the incongruous situation of the church being established with Jews (natural branches), and then those same Jews (natural branches) being broken off and replaced with branches from a wild Olive tree. This is not the case.

Paul sums up this illustration of the Olive tree and its branches with the revelation of a “mystery”. A “mystery” is something that is not widely known. A mystery is a secret, or something that baffles, and must be revealed.

Paul reveals this in Romans 11.25: Blindness in part has happened to Israel, but it is only to continue until the fulness of the Gentiles (in salvation) “be come in”. No one argues which Israel Paul means in this passage! He mens the Jews. Paul explains why the Jews are not accepting the Gospel. They are blinded. Paul says “in part” because there are obviously the apostles (all Jews), and the church was founded by a Jew.

We still see this “blindness” existing in the Jew. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 3.14 that it is their “minds” that are “blinded”. There is a “veil” (covering) over their eyes in the “reading of the old testament” (vs. 14). But Paul says, “Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away” (2 Corinthians 3.16). Notice that the pronoun that must be used in this verse is “it”. “It shall turn to the Lord” is, of course, referring to the nation of Israel. The antecedent is in verse 13, “the children of Israel” (that is, the Jewish nation). Prophecy teaches us that the nation of Israel shall be dealt with in the future and it shall turn to the Lord (not just some scattered individuals who come into the New Testament church).

It is very unlikely that the wild branches of the wild Olive tree, who were graciously grafted into the original Olive tree, will reach the nation of Israel. That does not even seem to be the mission of the church at this point in time.

Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24.14). This seems to be the mission of the church: to reach the lost of the nations (gentiles) of the world.

In Romans 11.26 Paul notes, “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Then, at this future time, when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in (that is, I believe, when the church has harvested the maximum amount of souls out of the nations), then, says Paul, that is the time when the blindness will be lifted from Israel (the Jews). But notice it is not the church (the primarily wild branches from the wild olive tree, which have been grafted in), which will do this. Paul says, “There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob”. The prophecy is clear in that it is not the church, but rather the Deliverer Himself. He will turn away ungodliness from “Jacob”. “Jacob” clearly refers to the Jews. Nowhere in the Bible is the New Testament church called “Jacob”. “Jacob” is a reference to the nation of Israel.