The Narnia 3 Book Review Blog

Robertson, O. Palmer. The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2000. ix + 204pp. (paper) $12.99.

The ongoing political struggles in the land of Israel continue to be cause of great concern for world leaders and a never-ending source of material for modern prophecy “experts.” The “prophecy by current event” genre of literature creates a great deal of excitement, sells a lot of books and now even creates movie screenplays. Fortunately a more safe and sane approach to prophetic matters still is to be found where the Scriptures are examined carefully and thoroughly.

One such book is this effort from the longtime professor of Old Testament at Knox Seminary. Robertson has examined the concept of “The Israel of God” from five directions: Land, People, Worship, Lifestyle, the Coming of the Kingdom and a detailed examination of Romans 11. He concludes with a series of 12 propositions that summarize the key points of his thesis. He affirms the standard amillennial viewpoint that, “the promised messianic kingdom of Jesus Christ has come” (195).

In keeping with the amillennial perspective, Robertson makes a strong presentation that any theological viewpoint that sees a restoration of Israel to the land or Christ reigning in an earthly kingdom is a “retrogression” (31) and views those of us who believe and teach that viewpoint as becoming a “primary tool in misdirecting their [Jewish people’s] faith and expectation” (ibid). He affirms that the “in the realm of new covenant fulfillments, the land has expanded to encompass the whole world” (ibid). In doing this Robertson seems to have abandoned his previously published view that the land promises to Israel were previously fulfilled in the reign of Solomon (Understanding the Land of the Bible [Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1996], 9, 19). Interesting as well, is that he never deals with the key New Covenant passage, Jeremiah 31 in relation to either God’s affirmation of the perpetuity of Israel (35-37) or the geographic expansion of Jerusalem (38-40). In relation to the land issue, while Robertson notes several works, he fails to interact with the important work by Robert L. Wilkin, The Land Called Holy: Palestine in Christian History and Thought (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992) or Israel: The Land and the People, edited by H. Wayne House (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1998); both of which would challenge his thesis at several levels.

In dealing with the subject of the People, Robertson presents a detailed explanation of Galatians 6:16 and all of the possible interpretations. While we would disagree with his conclusion (that Jews and Gentiles combined constitute the Israel of God), even if his interpretation were correct it seems that he is attempting to pack far too much theological freight into an admittedly difficult and somewhat obscure phrase.

The final two chapters (the Coming Kingdom and Romans 11) are a natural continuation of the author’s amillennial presentation. He postulates that since “Israel” is rarely mentioned in the Book of Revelation that he states, “Nowhere in this book are the Jewish people described as having a distinctive part in this kingdom” (165). However, in the totality of Scripture passages abound that discuss the distinct role of Israel in the future kingdom (Is. 61:6 et al). In dealing with Romans 11, Robertson asserts that, “nothing in this chapter says anything about the restoration of an earthly Davidic kingdom, or of a return to the land of the Bible, or of a restoration of a national state of Israel” (191). While that may be true, the chapter does say, “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Romans 11 makes it clear that God is not through with Israel as a people and yet in the future the totality of all the promises made to national and physical Israel will be fulfilled in a national and physical manner.

Despite the clear disagreements we would have with the conclusions of this work, it remains a worthy addition to the library of those who are studying this important theological subject. It will certainly become a standard text for those affirming Covenant Theology and an amillennial approach to Biblical eschatology that cannot be ignored by those who affirm dispensational hermeneutics and premillennialism.