1948 or A.D. 33 — What Did Paul Call “Israel’s Hope”?
Many Christians have been taught to look at the modern nation of Israel as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
The establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948 is often treated as one of the great prophetic events of modern times.
But there is a more basic question we should ask:
What did the apostles call Israel’s hope?
Fortunately, we do not have to guess.
Paul tells us.
Paul Was Waiting for Israel’s Hope
When Paul stood before King Agrippa, he explained why he was on trial:
“And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial.”
— Acts 26:6
Notice what Paul says.
His hope was based on promises God had made to Israel’s ancestors.
That sounds exactly like the subject we are discussing.
So what did Paul believe those promises were pointing toward?
Keep reading.
“Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”
— Acts 26:8
Paul connects Israel’s promised hope with resurrection.
That changes the discussion considerably.
Paul Was Not Waiting for Israel to Become a Nation
Paul lived while Israel was under Roman rule.
If Israel’s great prophetic hope was national independence and possession of the land, this would have been a perfect opportunity for Paul to say so.
But he did not.
He pointed to resurrection.
And later in the same chapter, Paul explained that his message was nothing more than what Moses and the Prophets had said would happen:
“The Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
— Acts 26:23
Paul saw Israel’s Scriptures pointing toward Christ—His suffering, His resurrection, and the gospel going to Jews and Gentiles.
Paul Said Something Similar in Acts 28
Near the end of Acts, Paul arrived in Rome.
He called together the Jewish leaders and explained why he was a prisoner:
“It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
— Acts 28:20
There it is again:
the hope of Israel.
What was Paul preaching while he was imprisoned?
Acts tells us:
“He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.”
— Acts 28:23
Paul’s message about Israel’s hope was about the kingdom of God and Jesus.
He was not waiting for another prophetic program to begin.
He believed Israel’s Scriptures were being fulfilled in Christ.
What About the Promises to Abraham?
God certainly made promises to Abraham.
He promised descendants.
He promised land.
And He promised that through Abraham all nations would be blessed.
But the New Testament tells us where those promises were ultimately headed.
Paul writes:
“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.”
— Galatians 3:16
Christ stands at the center of the Abrahamic promise.
And what about those who belong to Christ?
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
— Galatians 3:29
That includes Jews and Gentiles.
The promise has not failed.
It has reached its intended goal in Christ.
What About Israel According to the Flesh?
Paul never stopped loving his Jewish people.
He wrote:
“I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.”
— Romans 9:2
And:
“My heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”
— Romans 10:1
Paul wanted Israel saved.
But notice what he did not say.
He did not tell unbelieving Israelites to wait for national restoration.
He wanted them to come to Christ.
Why?
Because Christ was their hope too.
1948 Was an Important Historical Event
The establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948 was certainly an important event in modern history.
But historical importance does not automatically make something the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
That must be demonstrated from Scripture.
The question is not:
Did something remarkable happen in 1948?
It certainly did.
The question is:
Did the apostles teach Christians to expect Israel’s prophetic hope to be fulfilled by the establishment of a modern political nation?
When Paul actually speaks of “the hope of Israel,” he points somewhere else.
He points to Christ.
He points to resurrection.
He points to the kingdom of God.
And he points to the fulfillment of the promises made through Moses and the Prophets.
Israel’s Hope Had a Name
Paul did not abandon Israel’s promises when he became a Christian.
He believed them.
That is why he preached Christ.
The promises to Abraham had not been forgotten.
The Prophets had not failed.
Israel’s hope had not been canceled or postponed.
Israel’s hope had arrived.
His name was Jesus.
He died.
He rose from the dead.
He reigns as King.
And through Him the blessing promised to Abraham is going to every nation.
So before we look to modern headlines to discover Israel’s prophetic future, perhaps we should first listen to an Israelite apostle who said he was imprisoned because of “the hope of Israel.”
Paul tells us what that hope was.
Jesus Christ and the resurrection.