Old Testament Land Promises and Israel Today

I came across three articles that discuss the theme of the "land promise" made to Israel in the Old Testament and how they relate to the present state of Israel’s existence in the Middle East.  All three articles are dated November 17, 2023, thus all three were written following the Hamas’ attack against Israel on October 7^th of that same year.  Gregory Beale's article is titled “On the Expected Universalization of the Old Testament Land Promises,” Darrell Bock’s article is entitled, “On Israel’s Role in the Land Promise,” Gerald R. McDermott's article is titled “On Why the Land Promises Belong to Ethnic Israel.”

McDermott argues against supersessionism—that is, the idea that the Christian church has superseded the Jewish people of Israel.  Rather, the land promises belong to ethnic Israel.  McDermott claims, “Jesus predicted a time when Jews would have political control over their capital. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say the beginning of Jewish sovereignty over Jerusalem could be seen as a fulfillment of prophecy by the New Testament Jesus.”

Beale investigates the land promise to Israel in the Old Testament.  He sees that the promises were meant to extend beyond the ancient borders to envelop the "whole earth."  The ancient location of the land promises in Canaan evolved to encompass the whole earth.  This “eschatological expansion of Israel’s borders” was part of “God’s predestined plan.”  In this present age, the promises have already begun to be perfected spiritually in Christ, and the land promises will find their ultimate physical fulfillment in the new heavens and new earth.  Thus, Beale concludes, “none of the references to the promise of Israel’s land in the Old Testament appears to be related to the promises of ethnic Israel’s return to the promised land on this present earth. What’s going on in Israel today is in God’s predestined plan, but it’s not any kind of fulfillment of his promises in the Old Testament.”

Block argues, "Whatever else happens with the Christ promise, whatever expansion the promise involves, it doesn't involve the elimination of the original commitments."  He asserts, "The New Testament stresses Gentile inclusion not Israelite exclusion from the promise." Block insists that the New Testament hope includes Israel, which is found in texts such as Matthew 19:28; Luke 13:34-35; 21:20-24; 22:30; Acts 1:6-7; 3:18-22; 26:7; and Romans 9-11.  

YMCA - Jerusalem, Israel