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Did Joshua 21 Fulfill the Land Promise to Israel?
Should we expect God to bring Israel back to the promised land someday? Some Christians argue that Joshua 21:43–45 settles the question. God gave Israel all the land He promised, everything was fulfilled, and there is no reason to expect a future fulfillment of the land promise. I’ve seen this argument frequently in discussions online. And I understand why the passage might initially seem convincing. Joshua uses comprehensive language about God’s faithfulness. But does that mean every aspect of the land promise was exhausted during the conquest? We need to look carefully at both the promise itself and the context of Joshua. What Did God Promise Abraham? The land promise begins in Genesis 12:7, where God tells Abram, “To your offspring I will give this land.” Genesis 13:15 adds an important detail: the land would belong to Abraham and his offspring “forever.” Genesis 15:18 specifies the boundaries, extending from the…
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Ezekiel 40–48: Will There Be Millennial Sacrifices?
How could anyone believe that animal sacrifices will return after Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin? Isn’t that a denial of the sufficiency of the cross? This objection frequently comes up in discussions of the millennial kingdom. Some Christians regard the idea of future sacrifices as so obviously wrong that they dismiss it without much discussion. But the question deserves careful attention. We need to understand what Scripture says about future worship and what the sacrificial system actually accomplished. I believe there are too many passages that discuss a future temple to simply dismiss it out of hand. Furthermore, I believe when we understand the sacrificial system, future sacrifices are completely compatible with Christ’s finished work. Which Temple Are We Talking About? First, we need to distinguish a temple rebuilt in unbelief from the temple associated with the Messiah’s kingdom. Sometimes people miss that 2 Thessalonians 2…
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The Feast of Booths, the Transfiguration, and the Kingdom of God
The Feast of Booths is not something we often take the time to study because understanding it requires spending considerable time in the Old Testament. Yet the New Testament assumes that its readers are familiar with it. In fact, knowing about the Feast of Booths helps us better understand the Transfiguration in Matthew 17 and, even more, the Kingdom of God. What Is the Feast of Booths? The Feast of Booths (Sukkot in Hebrew) was an important celebration in both the Old Testament and New Testament eras. It was one of the three annual feasts during which all the males in Israel were required to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem (Deut. 16:16). The Feast of Booths was an eight-day celebration (beginning on Tishri 15 on the Jewish calendar), which falls around September or October on our calendar. During this feast, the people lived in temporary shelters (booths) and presented…
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The Fascinating Link between Eschatology and Spiritual Gifts
Although it might surprise you, there is an essential link between eschatology and the spiritual gifts. However, this connection is often downplayed in the discussion. To be honest, I’ve only seen it acknowledged a handful of times. But the truth remains: what one believes about eschatology, specifically the kingdom of God, has a logical impact on his understanding of the spiritual gifts. The Connection between the Miraculous and the Kingdom of God Now, before we talk about eschatology, we need to review the Bible storyline and note that there are specific times in history when there are major displays of miracles. Notably, these miraculous exhibitions are linked to time periods associated with the Kingdom of God. To show this in summary form, I have adapted a chart from Mike Vlach: Kingdom Situation Time Period Kingdom Mediator(s) Result Signs and wonders to deliver Hebrews from Egypt The period of the Exodus…
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The Unpopular (but Correct) Translation of Deuteronomy 4:29
I remember reading through Deuteronomy 4 in Hebrew years ago and being struck that Deuteronomy 4:25-30 is one of the starkest evidences for an early prophecy of Israel’s sin and eventual restoration. I mean, Deuteronomy is even before Israel enters the land of Canaan. And yet, Moses is telling Israel that they will sin, go into exile, but the Lord will bring them back to their land. Deuteronomy 4:29 is a key part of this argument by Moses, but as I read through it and double-checked English translations, I was not satisfied with how most English translations treated this verse. Most translations, however, approach this verse in the wrong way (as illustrated below). The Typical Translations of Deuteronomy 4:29 Deuteronomy 4:29 typically exhibits little variation in translation. The only outlier is the CSB and LSB. Observe the following translations. But from there, you will search for the Lord your God,…
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What is Dispensationalism? A Concise Explanation
I have written elsewhere about the beliefs that are often linked with dispensationalism, yet should not be associated with the theological system itself. There are many things people accuse dispensationalists of that are not inherent to the system of dispensationalism. In this brief article, I want to look at which beliefs define dispensationalism specifically. In other words, what must each and every dispensationalist believe in order to be a dispensationalist? We can define dispensationalism broadly as a set of doctrinal beliefs that stem from a specific hermeneutical viewpoint. Dispensational ideas primarily concern hermeneutics, ecclesiology, and eschatology. This means that within those three spheres, a dispensationalist must hold to a specific set of beliefs concerning how one understands Scripture, the role and function of the church, and the end times. Even within these areas, there is room for disagreement. In what follows are the four essential beliefs that each dispensationalist must…
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Dispensationalism and the Interesting History of Date Setting
Opponents of dispensationalism like to accuse dispensationalists of being overly sensational and overly specific about when Jesus will return. To be sure, there have been many dispensationalists who have done just that. For example, Edgar C. Whisenant, a self-taught Bible student and former NASA engineer, wrote the problematic book 88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be in 1988. Since we are still here, such a book has proven to be quite comical and has provided endless fuel against those “crazy dispensationalist date-setters.” The Ironic History of Date Setting What is often overlooked by those engaging in modern dispensational debates is that dispensational premillennialism was founded in response to the date-setting historicist premillennial position. For example, in his elucidating historical analysis, Living in the Shadow of the Second Coming: American Premillennialism 1875-1925, Timothy Weber notes that it was the former versions of premillennialism that were the date setters: Once provided with…
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Does 666 refer to Nero in Revelation 13:18?
Revelation 13:18 says that the one who “has understanding” should calculate the “number of the beast.” This number is then further identified as the “number of man,” specifically, 666. Preterists often say that 666 refers to Nero in Revelation 13:18, but is that what John means when he says that the mark of the beast is 666? Symbolism and the Mark of the Beast Not everyone sees 666 as a reference to Nero. Many notable scholars have read the mark of the beast symbolically. Beale, for example, argues in his commentary that the mark of the beast is 666 because six is the number of imperfection. Thus, when six is used three times as the mark of the beast, it emphasizes the completeness of imperfection. Although this view is possible, it is unlikely. John’s command to “calculate” (ψηφισάτω) the number of the beast is a term that was used for…
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The Premillennial Prophecy of Hosea
One of the most compelling aspects of premillennialism is its ability to weave together the prophecies of the Old Testament and the teachings of the New Testament into a unified, consistent narrative of the future. Far from being a patchwork of disconnected predictions, the Bible’s message offers a clear and cohesive vision of what lies ahead. While major prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah often take center stage in this discussion, the prophet Hosea offers a profound yet underappreciated glimpse into Israel’s future—a future marked by exile, repentance, and ultimate restoration. Hosea’s message may be lesser-known, but it holds vital insights into God’s plan for His people in the latter days. The Context of Hosea 3 Hosea 3 starts with a command to Hosea: “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress” (v. 1). Although some scholars think this refers to a different…
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Soul and Spirit: Is There a Difference?
Human beings are made in the image of God and are often referred to in terms of the physical (body) and the spiritual (soul and/or spirit). With regard to the spiritual realm, a pertinent question is whether soul and spirit refer to the same thing. Are humans made up of three parts: body, soul, and spirit? Or are human beings made up of two parts: body and soul and/or spirit? This is a difficult question, and I know people who hold different views. To discuss this issue, we must begin by surveying the biblical usage of these terms. Looking at Spirit in the Bible In the OT, the word for spirit (רוּחַ) can mean the following: In the NT, the Greek word for spirit (πνεῦμα) has virtually the same meanings: In comparing the OT and NT usage, the word for spirit is used similarly. It appears that when spirit denotes…