ISRAEL IN LATER MATTHEW
Dispensationalism has a heavy investment in Israel’s future glory as a geo-political entity. But in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus appears to warn Israel of her judgment, not her glory. In yesterday’s article we saw how the early portions of Matthew showed this. Let us now look at the case against Israel in the later sections.
In Matthew 12:43–45 the Lord speaks of the seven-fold demonization of Israel in “this generation.” In Matthew 13:58 he performs no miracles in Nazareth due to their lack of faith. In Matthew 15:7–14 he rebukes the rabbis in Israel for neglecting God’s word and teaching falsely, according to Isaianic prophecy. In Matthew 16:4 he once again speaks of Israel as an evil and adulterous generation.
In Matthew 16:21 Jesus teaches his disciples that Israel’s chief priests will kill him. In Matthew 16:28 he notes that some of his followers will live to see the kingdom come with power. In Matthew 17:10–13 Jesus declares John the Baptist to be Elijah, whom the Jews do not recognize as such and therefore kill him, just as they will kill Jesus.
Matthew 19:28 the Son of Man will come and the apostles will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. In Matthew 20:18–19 Christ once again prophesies that the chief priests will condemn him to death.
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