Why do Dispensationalists teach Separation Theology?

Here is an interesting, extended defining of the term seed, by Mr. Zodhiates:

zera`: Seed- A masculine noun meaning sowing, seed, descendants, offspring, children, and posterity. The literal use of the word indicates seed of the field (i.e., seed planted in the field). When Israel entered Egypt, Joseph instructed the Israelites to keep four-fifths of the crop as seed to plant in their fields and to serve as food for them (Ge 47:24); the season for planting seed was guaranteed by God to continue without fail (Ge 8:22); and successful, abundant harvests were promised right up until the sowing season if Israel followed the Lord's laws and commands (Lev 26:5). God had created the seed of the field by decreeing that plants and trees would be self-perpetuating, producing their own seed (Ge 1:11) and that the seed-producing plants would be edible (Ge 1:29). Manna, the heavenly food, resembled coriander seed (Ex 16:31). Any seed could be rendered unclean and not usable if a dead body fell on it after the seed had been moistened (Lev 11:38).



The noun is used to describe the seed (i.e., the offspring) of both people and animals. The seed of Judah and Israel would be united and planted peacefully in the land together with animals in a pleasant setting (Je 31:27). Seed can be translated as son (i.e., seed as when God gives Hannah a promise of a son [1Sa 1:11]). The seed of a woman mentioned in Ge 3:15 is her offspring.



The offspring of humans is described many times by this word. Hannah was given additional children to replace Samuel, whom she gave to the Lord's service (1Sa 2:20). The most important seed that the author of Genesis describes is the seed of Abraham, the promised seed, referring to Isaac, Jacob, and his twelve sons (Ge 12:7; 15:3). The author of Genesis uses the word twenty-one times in this setting (Ex 32:13; Dt 1:8). The seed of the royal line of David was crucial to Israel's existence, and the term is used nine times to refer to David's offspring or descendants (2Sa 7:12). In a figurative sense, seed refers to King Zedekiah and perhaps to Israelites of royal lineage, whom Nebuchadnezzar established in Jerusalem (Eze 17:5). Royal lines or seed were found outside Israel, such as in Edom, where Hadad belonged to the royal line (1Ki 11:14), and in Judah, where the wicked Athaliah attempted to destroy the royal seed (2Ki 11:1; 25:25; Je 41:1).



The seed or offspring of a particular nation can be characterized in moral and religious terms as well. Three verses stand out: The seed of Israel was called a holy seed (Ezr 9:2; Isa 6:13); and, in the case of Ezr 9:2, the seed corrupted itself by mixing with the peoples around them. The seed of Israel is a seed of God or a divine seed (Mal 2:15) through its union with God (cf. 2Pe 1:4). An offspring could be described as deceitful and wicked (Ps 37:28; Isa 57:4). It was important in Israel to prove that one's origin or seed stemmed from an Israelite ancestor, for some Israelites and Israelite priests who returned from exile could not show their origin (Ezr 2:59). The word also refers to the seed or posterity of the Messiah (Isa 53:10).

Blindness IN PART (or partial hardening) TOOK place in Israel (old covenant Israel, not Modern non-covenant Israel) ...

It is my understanding that we have this uncanny ability to make the word of God to fit our western culture instead of adjusting ourselves to the culture of the Bible and how Paul applied then.

So, nowhere was Paul the apostle refers to a post 21st Century, modern and political nation, but the Israel of his day, which by the way, was judged by God for all her sins in AD 70.

Personally, I don't see how you can quote this verse without looking at chapter 9:6-8 first and reorganize your thinking as what Paul said Israel was.

By the way, I do not subject myself to Replacement Theology.

i adjust it to bible culture always. and times of gentiles did not end in 1st century. loook in bible when they end. i give hint: jerusalem

The Times of the Gentiles ended when Jerusalem was destroyed and the city was burned to the ground. That's the correct context of the scriptures. There is no reason to believe that modern and false Israel is somehow a continuation of what God judged as Jesus predicted in Mat. 23:34-39.

The Israel of God is and will always be a people of faith that are united to Christ via the Holy Spirit. No one belongs to God without having the Spirit of Christ in them (Ro. 8:9, Heb. 11:6).

The Times of the Gentiles ended when Jerusalem was destroyed and the city was burned to the ground. That's the correct context of the scriptures. There is no reason to believe that modern and false Israel is somehow a continuation of what God judged as Jesus predicted in Mat. 23:34-39.

The Israel of God is and will always be a people of faith that are united to Christ via the Holy Spirit. No one belongs to God without having the Spirit of Christ in them (Ro. 8:9, Heb. 11:6).

i believe everyone is dispensational to some level. dispensationalism means rightly dividing the word of truth, separating bible truths to right time periods. all do it

after resurrection > before resurrection.
noah is told to build a boat not you.

all do it.

ok now i see. if you are calling modern israel false ok but on a secular level who do you want to support? peaceful israel who is striving for peace giving food to gazans who shoot missiles at them or people who say they wont stop until all jews are gone? in other words israel wants peace and has agreed to many concessions, israel's neighbors just want them dead and are evil and racist and have not made any concessions, only want war. if you support israel's racist neighbors that makes you supporting unrighteousness which is evil as well.

if i was in charge of israel i would just take over gaza, but they are more patient than me. enough is enough, their grace period has lasted so long.

Which particular prophecies are you referring to?


You are correct from the standpoint that all believe that there are different "dispensations" in one sense. For instance, God was using the Mosaic Covenant as a type of the New Covenant with ancient Israel. He is no longer doing that, and ancient Israel is no longer bound to it.

However, what I am addressing is the position that Israelites and non-Israelites are somehow separate in God's sight and his intentions for them. That is why I use the phrase "separation theology".

I don't like their phrase "replacement theology" and instead insist that "fulfillment theology" is a more honest description of our position.

Hello Gentle-Warrior,

I was wondering where you might disagree with the following article:

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/reformed/israelaf.htm

"How is the Term Israel Used in the New Testament?"

Used 73x in the NT, … "The term “Israel” is either used of the nation or the people as a whole, or of the believing remnant within. It is never used of the Church in general or of Gentile believers in particular." [quote from conclusion of the article]

in church there is no jew or gentile. but you are still japanese if you become christian.

God promised one people real-estate

The mark of the beast,,where do you say it is,,here now,in the past,or here after?

The mark of the beast is a 2,000-year account of what John saw in his vision. For me to say that Revelation was written for an intergalactic generation of the future, it would only serve to deny the historical context of the scriptures.

So, what's your point in saying all that? You seem to have fallen short in your conclusion.

Who though received the mark and worshiped the image and were destroyed by the brightness of the Lords coming,, someone did this 2000 years ago in your eschatology?

This was a simple relay of information concerning the definition & use of the term “seed,” in Scripture. If you think my conclusion is somehow “short,” then maybe you missed the purpose of my post; to inform.

Please provide related scriptures to give it the correct context. Thanks,

i believe everyone is dispensational to some level. dispensationalism means rightly dividing the word of truth, separating bible truths to right time periods. all do it

after resurrection > before resurrection.
noah is told to build a boat not you.

all do it.