From Assumption to Clarity

A Journey Through Eschatology, Israel, and the Search for Biblical Truth

A Word Before You Read:
What follows isn’t meant to be exhaustive or without fault. There is no claim of special insight—just sharing experiences of the study of God’s Word, with the hope it might encourage others to dig deeper as well.

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Truth Was Always There to be found in the Text of Scripture

To some, what follows may seem unnecessary or even irrelevant to their current beliefs. But that, in itself, reflects the tragic condition we find in much of the Church today. I don’t say this to be harsh, but to be honest: the erosion of truth didn’t begin in our generation—it began in the first century, and as certain as the words of Paul that were written to Timothy, his words prove the point: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” — 2 Timothy 4:3–4 — See footnote 1

What started as subtle deviations from sound doctrine has, over time, widened into a chasm between what Scripture actually says and what many have been taught to believe. It’s not a new problem—but it is a growing one, and one that calls for careful reexamination in light of God’s Word.

Amid growing global unrest and heightened focus on the modern state of Israel, a significant number of Christians are re-evaluating inherited frameworks concerning biblical prophecy, the identity of Israel, and the continuity of God’s covenantal promises. This document presents a personal theological journey—from longstanding traditional interpretations toward a more coherent understanding grounded in a comprehensive reading of Scripture.

What emerged through sustained exegetical study was a consistent biblical narrative centered not on ethnic lineage or geopolitical developments, but on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Scripture, when interpreted in context and compared line upon line, reveals that the gospel—not nationalism—is the central axis of God’s covenantal plan.

Included throughout are curated links to supporting resources that played a vital role in clarifying these insights. A categorized index of those sources is provided at the conclusion for further structured study and examination.

A Shared Awakening

  • Stirred by the Times, Drawn Back to the Word
    • In recent years, particularly as global tensions have escalated and headlines increasingly mention Israel, war, and unrest in the Middle East, I’ve found myself repeatedly drawn back to Scripture with a deeper sense of urgency. So much of what we see today—geopolitical conflict, moral decline, deception, and division—not only disturbs the soul, but also raises questions that seem to echo from the pages of the Bible.
    • Are we witnessing events that relate to what the prophets spoke of? How should we as believers interpret the times in which we live? And more importantly, are we rightly dividing the Word of truth as we form our understanding?
    • These questions led me into a season of prayerful reflection and study, particularly around the subject of eschatology—the study of last things. This is not just an academic pursuit for theologians and scholars. For many believers, especially in the Western world, eschatology has shaped how we interpret world events, how we view the role of modern Israel, and how we anticipate the return of Christ. (See: The Shift in Prophetic Interpretation)
  • Stirred by the Times, Drawn Back to the Word
    • In recent years, particularly as global tensions have escalated and headlines increasingly mention Israel, war, and unrest in the Middle East, I’ve found myself repeatedly drawn back to Scripture with a deeper sense of urgency. So much of what we see today—geopolitical conflict, moral decline, deception, and division—not only disturbs the soul, but also raises questions that seem to echo from the pages of the Bible.
    • Are we witnessing events that relate to what the prophets spoke of? How should we as believers interpret the times in which we live? And more importantly, are we rightly dividing the Word of truth as we form our understanding?
    • These questions led me into a season of prayerful reflection and study, particularly around the subject of eschatology—the study of last things. This is not just an academic pursuit for theologians and scholars. For many believers, especially in the Western world, eschatology has shaped how we interpret world events, how we view the role of modern Israel, and how we anticipate the return of Christ. (See: The Shift in Prophetic Interpretation)
  • The Turning Point: October 7, 2023
    • Now to the matter I’ve been thinking on and studying for some time—something that took on deeper significance for me beginning on October 7, 2023. Even prior to that date, I had a cursory understanding, but it wasn’t grounded in deeper study, as I hadn’t yet pursued answers to the questions stirring in my mind.
    • For some, this topic may not seem important. Yet for many serious Christians, it has become a focal point of intense interest, especially for those who closely follow eschatology as it relates to Israel and the unfolding of end-times events.
    • Jesus Himself emphasized the importance of discerning the times, saying, “When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33). With this in mind, I felt compelled to dig deeper—not only to understand what is happening in our world, but to rightly divide the Word of truth in light of Scripture. (See: One Year of Israel’s War on Gaza)
  • Challenging the Prophetic Narrative —
    • What unfolded on October 7—the shocking attacks in Israel and the swift escalation of war—was the moment that forced me to pause. The media was saturated with voices crying out in defense of Israel, many from the evangelical community, declaring that we must “stand with Israel” or risk falling under the curse of Genesis 12:3.
    • Suddenly, pastors, commentators, and Christian influencers were interpreting world events almost exclusively through a prophetic lens rooted in a specific eschatological framework I had long taken for granted but never truly examined.
    • As I listened to these claims, something didn’t sit right. Was the modern state of Israel truly the fulfillment of biblical prophecy? Had we inherited an interpretive lens not grounded in Scripture but shaped by tradition and modern politics? (See: American Christian Zionism)
  • Examining the Framework of Dispensationalism
    • As I began to dig deeper, I quickly realized that much of what I had assumed about Israel, the end times, and God’s prophetic timetable had been shaped by a system I had never intentionally studied—dispensationalism.
    • I had absorbed its framework passively—through sermons, prophecy charts, books, and even political messaging. But when I compared its claims with Scripture, something began to unravel. Many verses used to support the system were either taken out of context or applied in ways that contradicted the broader message of Scripture.
    • This led me to re-examine key passages like Romans 9–11, Galatians 3, and Matthew 24 with fresh eyes and a sincere desire to follow Scripture, not tradition. (See: Futurism & Bible Prophecy: Uncovering the Truth)
  • Reconsidering Genesis 12:3 and the Promise of the Seed
    • One of the first verses I re-evaluated was Genesis 12:3—“I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee…” I had heard this used as a blanket justification for supporting modern Israel. But the original promise was given to Abram, not a nation-state. And when Paul later writes in Galatians 3:16, he clarifies that the promise was made not to “seeds” (plural), but to one seed, “which is Christ.”
    • But something even deeper opened my understanding when I went back to Genesis 3:15—the first gospel. In this verse, God speaks to the serpent: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” I had read it many times, but never fully grasped how it pointed directly to Christ.
    • Suddenly, I saw the pattern. The “seed of the woman” in Genesis 3:15 is Christ—the promised Redeemer. That seed is also the one spoken of in Genesis 12:3, and identified in Galatians 3:16. From the beginning, the plan was about Christ—not modern Israel. The promise of redemption, the bruising of the serpent, the blessing of all nations—it all pointed to the Seed who is Jesus. This changed everything. The Bible wasn’t a story about geopolitical Israel—it was a story about God’s redemption through His Son. (See: Blessed Are Those Who Bless Israel—Where Is This Phrase in the Bible?)
  • Who Is the True Israel?
    • This realization opened my eyes to a major theme in Scripture: the distinction between physical descendants and spiritual heirs.
    • Paul says in Romans 9:6, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” God’s promises were never merely about bloodline—but about faith. “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7).
    • In Romans 11, Paul describes an olive tree with branches broken off and others grafted in. The lesson? There is one tree, one people of God—rooted in faith. Gentiles are grafted in by grace, and Jews can be grafted back in if they believe. The Church is not a replacement of Israel; it is the continuation and fulfillment of the covenant people through Christ.
    • Paul even refers to the Church as the Israel of God in Galatians 6:16—not a nation-state, but a people joined in Christ. (See: The True Israel of God: A People Defined by Faith, Not Lineage)
  • The Error of Equating Israel with Zionism
  • How This Changed My View of Scripture and the World
    • This shift didn’t just affect my theology—it changed how I read the Bible and interpreted the world. I no longer saw every event in the Middle East as a prophetic marker. I stopped chasing headlines and started anchoring myself in the gospel.
    • I realized we are called to interpret the news through Scripture, not Scripture through the news. This brought freedom, clarity, and a renewed focus on holiness and truth. (See: Have I Become Your Enemy? — Speaking the Truth in a World Bound by Deception)
  • The History Behind Dispensationalism
    • This led me to investigate where this system came from. It wasn’t ancient. It began with John Nelson Darby in the 1800s, who taught that God has two peoples: Israel and the Church. His teachings were popularized through the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909, which placed dispensational notes in the margins of Scripture.
    • Later, prophecy conferences, radio broadcasts, and books like The Late Great Planet Earth and Left Behind brought this theology to the masses. Yet it was absent from the early church and the Reformation. (See: The Shift in Prophetic Interpretation)
  • Discovering the Beauty of Covenant Theology
    • I didn’t set out to “leave” dispensationalism—truthfully, I didn’t even know what it was. But as I studied Scripture more deeply, I began to recognize the influence it had on my thinking, and that opened the door to discovering the richness of covenant theology.
    • God has one redemptive plan, centered on one person: Jesus Christ. In Him, Jew and Gentile are reconciled. In Him, the promises to Abraham are fulfilled.
    • The olive tree has always had one root. And whether we were born near it or far off, we are all brought near by faith in Christ. (See: Old Covenant to the New: Who Are Today’s God’s Chosen)
  • The Fear of Being Labeled “Antisemitic”
    • Yet one thing has saddened me along the way: the use of the term “antisemitic” to shut down biblical discussion. Questioning political Zionism or theological systems is not antisemitism—it is discernment.
    • True antisemitism is hatred of a people. What many believers are doing is testing doctrines by the Word. Ironically, the term “Semite” includes not just Jews, but also Arabs and others descended from Shem. The body of Christ must not fear being labeled for speaking the truth in love. (See: The Term Jews – Was Jesus a Jew, “Anti-Semitic or Antisemitic” & To Whom The Promise Was Given)
  • A Word to Those on the Journey
    • I don’t share this to elevate myself, but to encourage those who may be questioning what they’ve been taught. You’re not unfaithful for asking hard questions. The Bereans were commended for searching the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). So should we.
    • Returning to the covenantal framework brought clarity, unity, and a Christ-centered understanding of prophecy. It removed the fear-based interpretations and replaced them with confident hope in Christ.
    • If this journey has stirred your thinking or challenged long-held assumptions, I encourage you to explore the additional study topics listed at the end of this writing. These cover foundational issues related to Israel, eschatology, and the church—each designed to help believers test what they’ve been taught and return to the clarity of God’s Word. (See: The Importance and Power of Humility)

Introduction to 10 Blog Study Topics

In a world where theology is often shaped more by tradition, sensationalism, or geopolitics than by Scripture, it is crucial for believers to return to the foundation of God’s Word.

This section offers ten carefully selected blog topics that expand on key themes addressed in this journey—especially those related to the identity of Israel, the church, the promises of God, and how we rightly divide the Word of truth. Each topic encourages the reader to slow down, reflect, and search the Scriptures like the Bereans of Acts 17:11, who “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

These articles are not intended to provoke controversy; rather, they aim to uplift the body of Christ and guide believers back to the simplicity found in Christ. The subsequent expanded topics provide a more in-depth examination of the questions posed during this journey. Each post is crafted to promote diligent study, thoughtful contemplation, and a renewed focus on the authority of Scripture.

  1. Who Is the True Israel of God? — This study walks through the scriptural definition of Israel, comparing physical descent from Abraham with spiritual inheritance through Christ. Key passages like Romans 9:6, Galatians 3:29, and Galatians 6:16 are examined in context to show that the true Israel is not a modern political nation, but the people of God—Jew and Gentile—who are in Christ. It addresses common misunderstandings among evangelicals and clarifies that God’s promises are fulfilled in the New Covenant community. For a fuller understanding, see “The True Israel of God: A People Defined by Faith, Not Lineage” (link).
  2. Misusing Genesis Twelve Three: Blessing or Blind Support? — Genesis 12:3 is often quoted to promote unquestioned allegiance to modern Israel. This post places the verse in its original context—God’s promise to Abram—and traces how the New Testament reinterprets it. It shows that the true blessing promised through Abraham comes through Christ (Galatians 3:8, 16), and that using this verse as a political slogan distorts its gospel meaning. The post challenges Christians to support what aligns with Christ, not nationalistic agendas. For a careful exposition, read “Blessed Are Those Who Bless Israel—Where Is This Phrase in the Bible?” (link).
  3. Romans 11 and the Olive Tree: One People of God — This post breaks down Paul’s metaphor of the olive tree to reveal that God has one covenant people—not two. It explains the symbolism of natural and wild branches, showing that inclusion in God’s people is based on faith, not ethnic identity. Romans 11 is shown to support unity in the body of Christ rather than a future, separate plan for ethnic Israel. It addresses misconceptions that arise from reading Paul through a dispensational lens. To dig deeper, see “Romans 11:26—A Biblical Historical Correction of the Dispensational View” (link).
  4. What Does It Mean to Be Grafted In? — Building on Romans 11, this entry examines the concept of grafting. It emphasizes that Gentile believers are not second-class citizens in the kingdom, and Jewish believers are not part of a separate covenant. All believers share in the promises of Christ. This post focuses on the humility and gratitude required in realizing that inclusion is by grace, and that there is no spiritual hierarchy based on ethnicity. A helpful resource is “One Body in Christ: A Biblical Response to Dispensationalism & the Misunderstanding of Israel” (link).
  5. The Danger of Dispensational Charts — Dispensational charts and prophecy timelines have become staples in many churches, but this post critiques their origin and influence. It shows how these charts impose a rigid framework onto Scripture, often leading to forced interpretations and confusion. It contrasts this with a covenantal approach that lets the Bible speak through redemptive history. Readers are encouraged to put away speculative systems and return to Christ as the center of prophecy. For background, consult “Futurism & Bible Prophecy: Uncovering the Truth” (link).
  6. Are We in the Last Days? — Rather than depending on news headlines, this study shows how the Bible defines the “last days.” Scriptures like Acts 2:17, Hebrews 1:1–2, and 1 John 2:18 are examined to demonstrate that the last days began with Christ’s first coming. The post confronts the obsession with end-time speculation and reorients the reader to live in light of the gospel—watchful, faithful, and grounded in God’s already-revealed plan. An accessible overview is “The Fig Tree Generation: Today’s Unfolding Events” (link).
  7. Zionism vs. Biblical Zion — This post separates modern Zionism—a political movement—from biblical Zion, which refers to God’s dwelling with His people. It explains how the prophets used “Zion” symbolically, and how the New Testament redefines Zion spiritually (Hebrews 12:22). It challenges Christians to discern between political ideology and scriptural truth, urging them not to mistake a secular state for the fulfillment of spiritual promises. Explore these distinctions in “The Zionist State of Israel: A Political Construct, Not Biblical Israel” (link).
  8. The Church Is Not Plan B — Dispensationalism teaches that the church was a temporary interruption in God’s plan with Israel. This post refutes that idea by showing how the New Testament describes the church as God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:9–11). It highlights how the church was foreseen in prophecy and fulfills the promises made to Abraham and David. Rather than a detour, the church is the culmination of redemptive history in Christ. See “Old Covenant to the New: Who Are Today’s God’s Chosen” (link) for a concise defense.
  9. What About the Promised Land? — This study examines the biblical promise of land to Abraham and how it is fulfilled. It focuses on Hebrews 11:9–16 and Romans 4:13 to show that the true inheritance is not a strip of land in the Middle East but a heavenly city prepared by God. It contrasts the eternal kingdom of God with temporary territorial claims and invites believers to look forward to the New Jerusalem rather than a restored geopolitical Israel. A clear discussion appears in “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob—Was the Promise Fulfilled?” (link).
  10. Test Your View. Compare Scripture Then Decide. — This post is a practical guide for readers ready to examine their beliefs. It outlines steps for comparing Scripture with tradition, including how to study context, interpret difficult passages, and avoid eisegesis. It includes sample questions to ask of any theological claim and encourages readers to seek truth boldly. The goal is not to tear down others, but to pursue faithfulness to Christ and His Word above all. Use the self-assessment in “A Friendly Questionnaire on Examining the Claim to the Land of Israel” (link). It offers practical steps for testing theological claims against Scripture and avoiding eisegesis.

Closing

It’s the hope that these studies serve as a starting point—not a conclusion. They are meant to challenge assumptions, clarify key doctrines, and encourage a deeper love for God’s truth.

In a time when many are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine — Ephesians 4:14 — it is essential that we anchor our understanding not in headlines or popular opinion, but in the unchanging Word of God.

Let these resources prompt you to open your Bible, pray for discernment, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. As Proverbs 2:3–5 reminds us, “If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding… then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

Let the journey toward clarity, conviction, and Christ-centered truth continue. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” — 2 Corinthians 13:8

A Categorized Index

Additional Study: Categorized Articles by Theme

The following article collection aligns with the topics discussed in this testimony. Each category is designed to help you examine the biblical and historical foundation of what you’ve been taught—and invite you to return to Scripture as the final authority.

Foundations & Misconceptions – Challenging traditional views about Israel, covenant, and the Church
Historical Framework & Zionist Assumptions – What history reveals about how we got here
The Church and the Covenant – Seeing God’s people through the lens of promise and fulfillment
The Jewish Identity Question – Examining ethnicity, lineage, and biblical definitions
Gospel Fulfillment, Not Ethnic Supremacy

Footnotes:

  1. Biblical Evidence That Doctrinal Erosion Began in the First Century
    The New Testament records multiple warnings and rebukes from the apostles showing that false doctrine was already creeping into the Church during their lifetime:

    Acts 20:29–30 – Paul warned the Ephesian elders that “grievous wolves” would arise from among them, distorting truth and drawing away disciples.
    Galatians 1:6–7 – Paul was astonished that believers were already being drawn into “another gospel,” perverting the grace of Christ.
    2 Corinthians 11:3–4, 13–15 – Paul warned about “false apostles” and “another Jesus,” showing how deception had already entered the church.
    Jude 3–4 – Jude urged believers to contend for the faith because “certain men crept in unawares,” corrupting grace and doctrine from within.
    1 John 2:18–19 – John noted that “many antichrists” had already come, departing from the Church but once appearing to belong.
    Revelation 2–3 – Jesus Himself rebuked first-century churches for doctrinal compromise (e.g., tolerating false teachers like “Jezebel” and the Nicolaitans).

    Together, these passages confirm that the erosion of truth was not a late development—it began in the earliest decades of the Church and continues to this day. ↩︎
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