About 'INAUGURATED ESCHATOLOGY':
(contrasted with Dispensationalism, and Covenant Theology)
1. It emphasises that the COMPLETION of Israel's national-story has now been inaugurated - in Jesus - in two phases: 1st coming/2nd coming - already/not yet - inauguration/consummation - salvation now/Day of Salvation future - Messiah's resurrection/our resurrection - new creation begun/new creation completed)
In Old Testament times national-Israel were granted a glimpse of a story of hope, resurrection, regathering, removal of sin, judgment of evil-tyranny, salvation, redemption, putting creation to rights, 'new creation' and God's presence.
The gospel was the announcement that that hoped-for plan had now been inaugurated - in Israel, and for Israel, first of all - for the benefit of the whole world - in a new and real sense, although its final rollout still awaits Messiah's second coming.
(While Dispensationalism sees a discontinuity between the gospel and Israel's hope; and Covenant Theology struggles to define ancient Israel ethnically).
2. Meanwhile, tribulation and persecution is ever-present. But Christ will come!
(While Dispensationalism emphasises a period of special Tribulation immediately before a Third Coming.)
3. Israel's promise and vocation was carried out by the Holy One of Israel, son of David, Abraham and Jacob - in Israel, for Israel first, and for the benefit of the whole world: but only Israelites who were 'in the Messiah' by faith received the promise, then also Greeks - and together they are called 'Messiah's body' - 'the Church' (the 'church' which, at its inception was in Jerusalem and was all-Jewish) - and all this is the exact scenario foreseen in the Old Testament.
(While Dispensationalism separates Israel from the Messiah's Body, the Church; and Covenant Theology minimises the ethnic and geographical historical order in which God's purpose unfolded.)
4. There is One (triune) God - one way of salvation - one people of God - one future
(While Dispensationalism sees two distinct peoples of God; and Covenant Theology minimises the custodial role played by national-Israel until the promise came.)
5. A Historical-critical 'storied-worldview' hermeneutic is used, as demonstrated in the New Testament writings.
(While Dispensationalism touts an always-literal hermeneutic but actually doesn't adhere to it especially in statements made in prose in the New Testament; and Covenant Theology can tend to over-spiritualise everything without acknowledging the role that ethnic/national Israel had as custodians of the coming-blessing.)
6. The Old Testament vision of a Temple and river was intended in part to inspire the building of the second temple - and there was a carrying-out of that commandment in a measure at the return from captivity - but there was also a transcending heavenly, spiritual, Christ-centred, gospel-shaped, new-creation, eternal reality prefigured by all of that, which has now been fulfilled as intended, in Jesus, in two phases: kingdom now/not yet.
Jesus, John, Paul and Peter each spoke of the temple and/or river in a Christ-centred, gospel-shaped, body-of Christ/Church way, and both made the statement that a physical temple and pilgrimages to Jerusalem are no longer required. And Paul stated that animal-sacrifices aren't the future.
(Dispensationalism insists on two future temples, and animal sacrifices, but inconsistently to their own hermeneutic claim that it will be for a memorial not for sin as Ezekiel had foreseen.)
Debunking:
Okay, finally someone explains what this is. So thus I will debunk it from a position of Dispensationalism.
1. "While Dispensationalism sees a discontinuity between the gospel and Israel's hope"
The discontinuity is not from the gospels, but PAULINE EPISTLES. Romans 11 talks about Israel as a separate entity.
The idea of already/not yet is not unique to inaugurated eschatology, however, Dispensationalism determines that the “already” is a type and a shadow, and that the “not yet” is the absolute.
2. Dispensationalism does not deny there are tribulations today. It just emphasizes there is a GREAT tribulation, correct. But the Bible describes it that way as a FUTURE EVENT.
Matthew 24:21
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
3. The problem with this is that Messiah CANNOT be Israel's body. Why?
Because it says Israel is the WIFE of God the Father, and the Church is the Bride of Jesus Christ, the Son.
The types conflict. That's literally saying Jesus will marry the equivalent of His mother (Revelation 12). Many types in the Bible show the Church to be Gentile, Song of Solomon Shulamite, Moses' Ethiopian wives, Joseph's Gentile wife, etc.
No one denies Jesus went to the Jews first. But He clearly states He will go to the Gentiles the same way Jonah went to Nineveh, Solomon went to the Queen of Sheba, and Elijah to Namaan - NONE of those Gentiles joined Israel. So thus, the Church.
Inaugurated Eschatology breaks the types set forth in the Bible.
4. The divisions are stated right here:
1 Corinthians 10:32
“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”
Abraham is the father of MANY nations. So putting everyone in Israel defeats that, plus the Church is called a separate nation from Israel by Paul in Romans
The desire to just have one people of God is against Scripture. God seeks to have unity in division, like a Trinity. God's unity does not mean abolishing division, but divisions working together.
The divisions are also important in eternity, New Jerusalem is given to the Church (Jerusalem was first Gentile before David took it over), the Earth is given to Israel as priests (Hosea), and the stars are given to the Gentile nations (Deuteronomy).
5. Sure, dispensationalists are sometimes inconsistent with the literal hermeneutic, but consistently applied, it is the only theological system to make correct prophetic predictions, such as Israel being a nation in 1945. And if you show examples, I will debunk them (or correct a previous dispensationalist who was too afraid to take it to its logical conclusion).
6. Only inconsistent mainstream dispensationalists claim it will be for a memorial. So not really a jab at dispensationalism, but inconsistent dispensationalists.
As for two temples, that was already present in the gospels. Jesus was the TEMPLE OF HIS BODY standing in front of ISRAEL's TEMPLE.
John 2:19-21
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
