Dr. David Jeremiah, author and pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, San Diego, CA, has made a name for himself in the department of Bible Prophecy. For example, one of his recent books on the End Times has made the New York Times Bestseller’s list.
But I believe the otherwise faithful Bible expositor has sort of been involved in hermeneutical gymnastics. Let me demonstrate from Dr. Jeremiah’s use of Genesis 12:3:
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3 NIV)
The California pastor and author has used this text to prove that if America is to survive and to be blessed she must improve her foreign policies toward Israel. America must continue to support and defend Israel.
America must bless Israel.
You see, Dr. David Jeremiah is a Dispensational premillennialist. Despite texts like Acts 3, Romans 4, Galatians 3, and Ephesians 2, which demonstrate God’s creation of a New Humanity in Messiah Jesus, a Bible teacher like Dr. David Jeremiah continues to make the case that Nation Israel remains God’s chosen people and that a text like Genesis 12:3 is still viable.
the archives near Emmaus 
That reminds me of that one passage where Jesus told his disciples to stick around to fight against Rome for Israel….oh wait….I mean that part of Paul’s letter to Rome where he told Christians to send money to Jerusalem to take care of the Temple….hmmmm.
TC,
No disagreement on your comments on national Israel as a geo-political unit, but I think “and that a text like Genesis 12:3 is still viable.” could be easily misunderstood. Do you mean to claim that Gen 12.3 is no longer a viable text or that its reference has been refounded in those who have been united to the True Israelite Jesus the Messiah?
The Left doesn’t like how Israel treats Palestinians. But the Right also has reason to dislike that country, because it legalized homosexual “marriage”. Considered from a standpoint of preterism, a.k.a. fulfilled eschatology, the modern state of Israel is just a country among others and has no special role whatsoever to play in any prophetic plan.
Jeremiah needs to read Bauckham’s: “The Theology of the Book of Revelation,” and “Climax of Prophecy;” he’d be cured 😉 !
I agree with you about David Jeremiah’s misuse of Genesis 12:3, but wonder what you can possibly mean by suggesting that this text is not “viable” (?) in light Acts 3, Romans 4, Galatians 3 and Ephesians 2. This promise to Abraham still stands and is even now in force, since Jesus Christ, is the Son of Abraham, the True Israel, and all the nations of the earth are blessed in him and through him. The promise to Abraham is fulfilled before our very eyes!
I would think TC meant not viable in a dispensationalist sense; like the way that Jeremiah uses it.
@Brian, I hear you. It seems like we can make a text say whatever we want it to.
@Daniel, you correct about the viability of Genesis 12:3, in reworking it around Messiah and his renewed people, which is the ultimate fulfillment.
@J Paul, I can tell that you’re not Dispensational. 🙂
@Bobby I hear you.
@Esteban, I believe you and Daniel are getting at the same things here. And you’re both correct. Yes, I was referring about a dispensational application. Thanks, Bobby.