Book Details:
- Author: O. Palmer Robertson
- Category: Biblical Theology
- Publisher: P & R Publishing (2000)
- Binding: Softcover
- Page count: 204
- ISBN#: 0875523986
Recommendation:
- Review Date: 11/10/08 by Bob Hayton
- Rating: Highly Recommended
Review:
Like most any American evangelical, how the Bible views the modern state of Israel is a topic that interests me. I’ve grown in my understanding of this issue, even as I’ve evaluated competing theological systems such as dispensationalism and covenant theology. For me, the Bible is most important, as I don’t feel compelled to be loyal to any particular theological system.
Perhaps that is why O. Palmer Robertson’s writings have been so helpful to me. I greatly appreciated his Biblical treatment of the various covenants of Scripture in The Christ of the Covenants. In The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Robertson far exceeded my expectations.
Robertson doesn’t have to convince anyone that interpretations concerning the Bible’s view of Israel are varied and extremely influential. In his book, though, he manages to bring the focus to where it should be: on what Scripture actually says concerning the topic.
And this is where he excels. He doesn’t settle for a few proof texts. Rather he carefully traces out a Biblical theology of the land, the people Israel, their worship and lifestyle, and the Kingdom as it relates to Israel. He offers a careful exposition of Galatians 6:16, Hebrews 7, and Romans 11. All the while, he examines Scripture’s entire testimony on these subjects letting all of Scripture weigh in on this issue.
The book shows how the essence of the land promise was spiritual fellowship with God. This is enjoyed by the church today (Matt. 5:5, Rom. 4:13, Eph. 6:3). It argues that the worship and lifestyle of Israel is radically altered with Christ’s provision of a better covenant (Heb. 7). It goes on to examine how Scripture defines the people of Israel, and it details how Gentile believers in the church are Abraham’s children and heirs, true Jews, yes, even the Israel of God (Gal. 3:26-29, 6:16; Rom. 2:28-29, 4:11-12; Eph. 2:14, 19).
One may well disagree with Robertson’s conclusions. But anyone who cares about Scripture will appreciate his emphasis on letting Scripture speak for itself. I would hope those differing with Robertson would at least give his Biblical presentation fair consideration. His exposition of Romans 11 in particular has the potential of changing the mind of many on this subject. Not because it is novel, but because he shows how clearly the chapter as a whole argues for a present-day focus in Paul’s concern.
I won’t explain all of Robertson’s arguments for you. I encourage you to pick up a copy of the book yourself. Its a fairly quick read which will definitely keep your interest. I’m sure you’ll be glad you gave this book a hearing.
Author Info:
O. Palmer Robertson (B.D., Westminster Theological Seminary; Th.M., Th.D., Union Theological Seminary, Virginia) is director and principal of African Bible College, Uganda. He previously taught at Reformed, Westminster, Covenant, and Knox Theological Seminaries, has served as pastor of four congregations, and has also lectured in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Among his many published works are The Christ of the Covenants, The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, and Understanding the Land of the Bible.
Additional Resources:
- Book Excerpt: Available here
- Other Book Reviews: Available here
- Purchase Links: Amazon.com, Westminster Bookstore, Monergism Books and P & R Publishing
- Author’s Website: (a listing of online sermons here)
- PDF Copy: Download a PDF copy of this review
