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[My Help]

Has anyone hear heard of the common wealth theology? I did a google search on wikipedia and found that Israel was actually dispersed and never came back.

[jimwalton]

Yes, Israel (the northern 10 tribes) was dispersed by Assyria (722 BC) and never came back. They are known as the "Lost Tribes." There are some population groups who claim to be their descendants, but such things are difficult to substantiate. Perhaps continuing genetics work will reveal the merit of their claims. But for now, they're lost to history, as are the Philistines, Jebusites, and so many other ancient people groups.

The southern 2 tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were exiled to Babylon (586 BC), and they returned under Ezra and Nehemiah. As far as we know, all Jewish people are descendants of these two tribes.

The relationship between ancient Israel and the Church is one of never-ending discussion. Replacement Theology says that once the Jews rejected Christ, all of the promises and prophesies about Israel transferred to the Church. Those who believe in RT believe that Jews are no longer the people of God (because of their rejection of Christ) and that Christians instead will inherit all of the promises meant for Israel.

The other main position—Dispensationalism—is that while the Church (and Gentiles) were "grafted in," the promises to Israel still pertain to Israel and will be fulfilled in the Promised Land and the Jewish people. In Dispensationalism, there is an eternal distinction between Israel and the Church. (Some Dispensationalists would also say that Israel and the Church will be eternally separated also as far as their eternal destinies, such as Israel spending eternity on a glorified Earth while the Church spends eternity in Heaven.)

Commonwealth Theology tries to bridge the two with a theological compromise. They believe that rather than the Church replacing Israel (RT), the people of God all have one common eternal destiny but that God still has a national purpose for Israel in His plan (distinction without eternal separation). There is only one people of God—people of true faith, whether Jews or Christians or Gentiles. But the Old Testament prophecies about Israel still pertain to Israel as a people, but some of the prophesies also include the Church because we've been grafted in (Rom. 11). The Church is heir to some of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant.

[My Help]

Thanks for your reply. Good to know that there are informed christians out there.