Theological Tension
Theological tension refers to the concept in Christian theology where seemingly contradictory truths coexist and must be held in balance without reducing their complexity. Tension acknowledges that the Bible presents multifaceted truths that, although appearing to conflict, are, in fact, complementary. Sometimes men use other terms, such as antinomy or paradox, to communicate the same truth.
To uphold tension requires not oversimplifying doctrine. Another way of describing tension is by saying that the truth sits on a razor thin edge, where shifting to one side or another means doctrinal error. Choosing one side over another when tension exists between two truths risks falling into a false belief and/or creating unnecessary division. The inherent tension in the Bible encourages genuine believers to think deeply about their faith and engage less superficially with the text of God’s Word.
Biblical Framework of Premillennialism
As the example of tension, which is the subject of this post, is the biblical framework of premillennialism: God keeps covenant with Israel and at the same time chastises her. I like to say that God intended for us to keep more than one idea in our head at one time. The chastisement does not revoke the covenant, but it enhances it, very much also like the continued salvation by God of saints (Hebrews 12).
God made a promise, agreement, or covenant with Israel, which includes land, descendants, and blessings (Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 15). The nature of the covenant by God is according to the biblical accounts both unilateral and irrevocable, meaning that God establishes it and it is not dependent upon Israel’s actions. The covenant with Israel depends on God keeping it, not Israel.
Reality of Human Agency
The unconditional covenant with Israel does not preclude chastisement or discipline by God upon her. God even uses these means to guarantee the fulfillment of the covenant. The Old Testament has numerous examples where God disciplines Israel for disobedience, which serves multiple purposes. It calls Israel back to faithfulness, demonstrates God’s holiness, and ultimately prepares her for restoration.
Human agency plays a significant role in the unfolding of God’s plan. While God’s covenant remains intact, Israel’s failure to uphold her part—faithfulness to God—leads to consequences. This does not negate the covenant but rather highlights the dynamic relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
Tension Between Chastisement and Covenant
Despite periods of chastisement, God’s ultimate plan involves restoration for Israel. Prophecies in books such as Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36-37) and Isaiah (Isaiah 11) speak of a future time when Israel will be restored spiritually and physically. This restoration aligns with the belief in a literal fulfillment of God’s promises during the Millennial reign of Christ.
The tension between chastisement and covenant can be seen as part of a larger narrative about sin, judgment, grace, and redemption within scripture. Understanding this tension helps believers appreciate both God’s justice in dealing with sin and His mercy in fulfilling His promises. While discipline may occur due to disobedience, it does not nullify God’s irrevocable commitments. It rather sets the stage for eventual restoration.
Even though God’s covenants with Israel (Abrahamic, Davidic, and New) are unconditional, obedience still plays a significant role in the fulfillment of them. Disobedience does not nullify God’s covenants, but disobedience or obedience can affect an individual Jew’s experience of blessings associated with those covenants. The end of Deuteronomy outlines blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Israel’s failure to obey can and has lead to temporal consequences such as exile or suffering. This continues to this very day.
Purpose of Chastisement
Prophetic texts such as Ezekiel 36-37 and Romans 11:25-27 speak of a time when Israel will turn back to God and experience His blessings as a nation. This will bring to consummation what God promised. Central to this restoration is Jesus Christ. Enough individual Israelites will turn to and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to make up an entire nation that God will save. Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth, during which time He will reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years on earth and then into the eternal state (Revelation 20-22).
In the biblical narrative, God used surrounding nations to subject Israel to oppression and punishment. This chastisement served multiple purposes: it was a means of discipline intended to bring Israel back to faithfulness and obedience (as seen in Jeremiah and Isaiah), and it also demonstrated God’s sovereignty over all nations.
God Uses and Then Punishes Nations
God can and use even those who oppose Him or His people for His divine purposes. Nations acting out of their own motives, often by power or greed, still fulfilled God’s plan. Despite being instruments of God’s will, these nations faced repercussions for their actions against Israel. This fulfilled God’s covenants. He cursed them who cursed Israel. This included even the relatively light opposition of a weaker nation like Edom in the book of Obadiah. These nations are accountable for their own actions despite God using them to chastise Israel.
The nature of this judgment varies; it can manifest as military defeat, exile, or other forms of national calamity. The overarching principle is that God holds all nations accountable for how they treat His chosen people. This reflects both justice and mercy within God’s character—justice in punishing wrongdoing and mercy in offering opportunities for repentance.
Even though the chastisement inflicted on Israel by other nations may have been part of God’s sovereign plan, those same nations faced punishment for their actions against Israel. The Gentile nations that move Israel toward their repentance during the time of the Gentiles will also face God’s punishment for their role. This again expresses the tension between Divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
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