Jim Duke Perspective
Several posts by myself as well as others address the growing criticism of Israel as a nation. While some defend its right to exist, and the biblical meaning as a nation prophesied, others regard a separation between a biblical interpretation of Israel and the one some Christians consider a mandate that God has orchestrated.
Dispensationalists are those who believe the bible outlines a constant plan for Israel, that the church age separated the 70 weeks (70 seven year periods) of Daniel (Daniel 9) to leave a gap between the 69th and 70th week (483 years and the last 7 year period). They hold that God must continue that plan to fulfill his promise to the tribes of Israel. They regard the Bible sign that God is moving towards the end times using the national State of Israel as that time piece. This does not consider the covenant theology that there are two covenants, one old and the other new. This says that despite the covenants, the dispensation period MUST focus back on Israel for a separation of ages because of what was laid out in the Old Testament (covenant).
Those who believe God’s Israel promise was short circuited when Israel failed the conditions to meet the promise of land in the time, and that when God divorced her, set forth a promise of a new and better covenant. This is also Old Testament, however it keeps in mind that Old Testament promises were superseded with better fulfilled new covenant promise.
Dispensationalists are quick to reveal the 70 weeks of Daniel denying any end times previous fulfillment and look to the future with the modern State of Israel as that sign. They point to Amos 9:15 “And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up again out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.” However without regard that God will give them a new and better promise of inheritance of the Kingdom of God.
That seems to be the conflict and disconnect. As a covenant view I see the two covenants as the witness of Jesus Christ, and the latter more of a fulfillment than the previous which was waxed away and made obsolete by the new (Hebrews 8 ).