Louis Lapides

Writer, photographer, engaging the evangelical anti-Israel movement, rock music, Apple computer nerd, lifelong Yankee fan

[Mark @Mark_Wilson_25]

Did God Make the Same Promises to Israel and the Church?

One of the most important questions in biblical interpretation is simple:

Who did God actually make the promise to?

Scripture presents one plan of redemption centered in Messiah, but it does not present Israel and the Church as interchangeable.

God made specific covenant promises to Israel.

Christ made specific promises concerning His Church.

Shared salvation does not erase distinct identities, covenants, inheritances, or prophetic roles.

A SIMPLE PROMISE LEDGER

Israel was promised:

Land.
National preservation.
Regathering.
Restoration.
The Abrahamic covenant.
The Davidic throne.
Jerusalem-centered kingdom blessing.
Future spiritual renewal.

The Church was promised:

Union with Christ.
One spiritual body.
Heavenly citizenship.
The indwelling Spirit.
Resurrection and gathering to Christ.
Spiritual gifts.
Reward before Christ.
Reigning with Him.

Those promises complement each other. They are not identical.

LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE GOD USED WITH ISRAEL

God told Abraham:
“Unto thy seed will I give this land.”
Genesis 12:7

Then:

“To thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.”
Genesis 13:15

Later:
“I will establish my covenant… for an everlasting covenant.”
Genesis 17:7

And:
“All the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.”
Genesis 17:8

Notice the words:

Everlasting covenant.
Everlasting possession.
For ever.

Those are not incidental details.

Before transferring those promises to someone else, we should ask what textual authority allows us to redefine the recipients.

ISRAEL WAS ALSO PROMISED NATIONAL PRESERVATION

Jeremiah says:

“If those ordinances depart from before me… then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.”
Jeremiah 31:36

Then:
“If heaven above can be measured… I will also cast off all the seed of Israel.”
Jeremiah 31:37

That is preservation language.

And remarkably, the same chapter contains the New Covenant:

“I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”
Jeremiah 31:31

The chapter announcing the New Covenant is also the chapter guaranteeing Israel’s continued national existence.

That matters.

ISRAEL WAS PROMISED REGATHERING AND RESTORATION

Ezekiel says:

“I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries.”
Ezekiel 36:24
Where?

“Into your own land.”

Then:
“A new heart also will I give you.”
Ezekiel 36:26
And:

“Ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers.”
Ezekiel 36:28

The people who were scattered are the people who are regathered.

The land belongs to their fathers.

The recipients are not difficult to identify.

NOW COMPARE THAT WITH THE CHURCH

Jesus said:

“I will build my church.”
Matthew 16:18

Paul says:
“By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.”
1 Corinthians 12:13

Jesus also promised:

“I go to prepare a place for you.”
John 14:2

And:
“I will come again, and receive you unto myself.”
John 14:3

Paul says:

“The dead in Christ shall rise first.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16

And believers will be:

“Caught up together with them.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17

Israel is repeatedly promised restoration to the land.

The Church is repeatedly promised gathering to Christ.

Different promise. Different imagery. Different emphasis.

WHAT WAS THE CHURCH NEVER PROMISED?

The Church is never told:

“I will bring you back into the land I gave to your fathers.”

The Church is never given the territorial boundaries promised to Abraham.

The Church is never called the twelve tribes regathered from among the nations.

The Church is never told that Jerusalem is its ancestral inheritance.

Those promises belong to Israel.

And the Church does not lose anything by allowing Israel to keep them.

ROMANS 11 SHOULD SETTLE THE QUESTION

Paul asks:

“Hath God cast away his people?”

His answer:

“God forbid.”
Romans 11:1

He then warns Gentile believers:

“Boast not against the branches.”
Romans 11:18

Paul says Israel’s present hardening is:
“In part”

and lasts:

“Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
Romans 11:25
Then:

“And so all Israel shall be saved.”
Romans 11:26

And why?

“For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.”
Romans 11:29

Or, as many translations render it:

Irrevocable.

The olive tree preserves distinction too.

There are natural branches and wild branches.

Gentiles are grafted in and share in blessing, but Paul never says the wild branches become the natural branches.
Concerning Israel:

“God is able to graff them in again.”
Romans 11:23

That is restoration, not replacement.

ONE SALVATION DOES NOT MEAN ONE IDENTITY

Galatians says:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek… for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28

But the same verse says:

“There is neither male nor female.”

Salvation does not erase biological distinctions.

Likewise, equal standing in Messiah does not require the erasure of Israel’s identity or covenant promises.

THE WORDS MATTER

Everlasting.

For ever.

Shall not cease from being a nation.

Irrevocable.

What authority do we have to make:

everlasting mean temporary?

for ever mean until the Church begins?

irrevocable mean revoked?

This ultimately touches the character of God.

God does not need to break His promises to Israel in order to bless the Church.

And the Church does not need Israel’s identity in order to possess everything Christ promised her.

One Savior.
One plan of redemption.
Distinct recipients.
Distinct promises.
One perfectly faithful God.

Before claiming or transferring a promise, ask the most basic question first:

Who did God actually make it to?

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

I’ll wait to hear from IG as I tagged them in the original post. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

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My Instagram account, Bronxzu, was hacked. 2/14/25. The hacker linked another account to me. He posted items that broke community guidelines. My FB account, LouisLapides & IG account are suspended. I have lost all access FB/IG. Can u help me 2 appeal my status?

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

Timothée Chalamet: Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Live) - SNL https://t.co/AUxYFIGeMZ via @YouTube

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@StoolBaseball @Joe_Davis Joe, you are competent announcer. But please let the game breathe. You’re smothering the game with your incessant talking about irrelevant baseball stats.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@MTGrepp What we really want to know MTG, if Harris wins, will you leave? Please!!

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@RossMoRock @dudes4harris As long as commentators like the amateur Jesse Polluted Waters states foolish nonsense like this, Fox News Republicans will hand Harris the presidency. Oh, he was just kidding! says his acolytes. This is not a time for a right wing influencer to be “just kidding.”

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

Holy Forever // Chris Tomlin // Acoustic https://t.co/iHYaNa96Qa via @YouTube

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@Bubblebathgirl @NikkiHaley Trump mocking active military and veterans? Not the first time for him.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@Denise74297422 @BethMooreLPM @natsechobbyist @GovMikeHuckabee @MLB Huckabee has pulled these “comedic” stunts over & over. After awhile it’s no longer theater, but an indicator of his heart. “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.””
(Matt. 15:11 NLT-SE)

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@megynkelly Megyn. Do you remember that narcissist jerk in the 1st GOP debate in 2015 how he treated you? Too bad other women in America-esp conservative women-never had the bravery you displayed.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@PinstripeStrong Yankees vs. Dodgers at Dodger Stadium a few years ago. Yankees won!

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@SenTedCruz No, in fact the midst of a pandemic former president Trump focused on an unproven conspiracy theory that the election was rigged. After November 3rd Trump was derelict of duty only focused on his false view of the election and not alleviating the suffering of Americans.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@PamelaGeller According to many sources Angeli has been seen protesting at several pro-Trump events. He is a QAnon Trump supporter. Climate change or not, he should be owned by Trump’s base.

https://t.co/DVCq41QoE3

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@MedvedSHOW A real patriot? No? Best president we’ve had since Lincoln . . . I don’t think so.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@realDonaldTrump Mr. President, doesn’t your “vote dump” include Republican votes as well? Maybe these should not be counted in a “vote dump.”

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@realDonaldTrump So, President Trump, r u saying this election is questionable in your mind as well? Should the DeKalb Co votes be counted in your conspiratorial world.? Wake up, Mr. President. This is the United States of America & not the United States of Trump. Thank God!!

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@realDonaldTrump America is NOT Great Enough for you to focus on dying Americans due to COVID. Instead you are focused on Making Trump Win Again. A losing battle. You should focus on winning as a private citizen post January 20th. America needs a break from your chaos.

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@DrOakley1689 Copeland failed to banish the coronavirus on March 29, 2020. So now he’s downsized his “healing powers” to curing baldness. What’s next? Healing paper cuts?

[Louis Lapides @LouisLapides]

@kayleighmcenany @realDonaldTrump Kayleigh, if you think you are observing 1 million people marching in the streets of D.C., then I am convinced I cannot believe anything you say. You are obviously wiling to lie to Make Trump Great Again.