Who Is Israel? (Intro)

In a world of polarization, a chaser for theological and eschatological discussions on the Middle East. Hopefully, where prophecy can meet mercy, and doctrine meet humility.

Are We on the Brink? A Christian Reflection on Israel, the End Times, and the Bigger Story

I don’t know about you, but lately… the news feels like it’s turned up to eleven. Conflicts escalating. Nations posturing. Social feeds boiling. It’s hard not to wonder: Are we standing on the edge of World War III? We’ve asked this question before haven’t we?

For Christians, the tension hits differently. We’re not just watching history, we’re trying to understand it through the lens of prophecy, promise, and Jesus’ words about the end of the age. And maybe the most loaded question in all of this is: What about Israel?

Here’s the problem: the conversation around Israel today is deeply polarized. You’re either all in, seeing the modern state of Israel as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy, or all out, convinced it has absolutely nothing to do with the Israel of Scripture. Unknowingly, we in the west are waving theological flags like it’s a tribal war zone. But what if there’s another way?

What if we approached this topic with biblical fidelity and human empathy? What if we actually listened, slowed down, and made room for complexity, without losing conviction?

This series is not an apologetic for one view over another. It’s not a doctrinal grenade lobbed into the comment section. It’s based on a simple (but increasingly rare) idea: introduce thoughtful perspectives, hold space for tension, and invite people deeper into Scripture. I want to spark interest in real study, help us honor those we disagree with, and maybe, just maybe, rediscover some humility around our eschatology.

Because here’s what the Church has agreed on for two thousand years: Jesus is coming back. That’s the immovable truth. The rest? We do our best to faithfully interpret His words, to discern the signs, to study deeply, and to live ready, with our lamps burning, our hearts awake, and our lives aligned as if today might be the day He returns.

So here’s what I want to do in this series: I’ll walk you through the major theological frameworks around Israel and the Church, how they developed, what they teach, where they converge, and where they clash. I’ll do my best to present each position fairly, without caricatures or lazy generalizations. In this series, we’re going to walk slowly and thoughtfully through the major eschatological frameworks that shape how Christians view Israel: Dispensationalism, Historic Premillennialism, Amillennialism, and Postmillennialism. Each offers a distinct perspective on how Israel fits into the unfolding plan of God, and each comes with its own theological beauty, complexity, and tension. Each has its variations, which I won’t dive into. My goal is an intro into this discussion, not something exhaustive.

Together, we’ll compare these views, not to crown a winner, but to understand them clearly. We’ll later dive into key passages like Romans 9–11, Galatians 3, Ephesians 2, and the foundational Old Testament covenants. We’ll explore the hermeneutical lenses behind each framework, literal vs. typological, spiritual vs. historical, and respond to common objections, engaging with voices like John Piper, Sam Storms, and others wrestling faithfully with these questions.

Along the way, we’ll consider the Church’s identity in the New Testament, the theological significance of the modern State of Israel, and the insights of both early Church Fathers and later thinkers from the Reformation to today, including modern scholars like N.T. Wright and Michael Brown.

The heart behind this is simple: not to argue, but to illuminate. To create a space for clarity, curiosity, and respect, and maybe even discover how we can affirm both the Church as the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan and the continuing place of ethnic Israel in the story. Heads up: I do lean historic premillennial , I’ll be honest about that, but the goal here is not to persuade you to join me. It’s to clarify. To listen. To learn. Because Jesus is coming. And we want to be ready.

So buckle up.
(I’ll dedicate a substack to each view, for a simpler more easy way to digest each block)