The Place of the Church in Prophecy

William R. Newell

1 - The Church in the Old Testament -- The Church did not exist during the O.T. period. It was vaguely foreshadowed in types, but never predicted in prophecy. The reference found in Acts 7: 38 to "the church [ekklesia] in the wilderness" is not a reference to the Church as it would be in the N.T. It is rather calling attention to Israel as God's "called out" people (called out of Egypt) for the purpose of being the divine channel of redemption. They were a people separate and distinct from all the other people with a different purpose and destiny; but they had no organic relationship with the N.T. Body of Christ.

The Church, as we know it, was unknown to the prophets of the O.T. (See Eph. 3:1-10; Rom. 16:25,26; Col. 1:24-27).

The Church is not an O.T. institution in N.T. form. It is something entirely new and peculiar to the N.T. This is what constituted its mystery, namely, that a new body would come into existence of which both Jew and Gentile would be members (Eph. 2:11-16). The saved of the O.T. period (Heb. 11: 13) are not a part of this N.T. Body of Christ, but form a separate company known as "the friends of the Bridegroom" (John 3:29).

And the Church is not the Kingdom. It is rather something within the Kingdom. The Kingdom is the over-all purpose of God extending from eternity to eternity. Because this is so, the business of the Church is not Kingdom business. It is not the task of the Church to bring in, or establish the Kingdom. When the Kingdom comes it will be political as well as spiritual. It will exercise universal government over all the earth. To bring in such a Kingdom by evangelizing the world is not the task of the Church. That can only be done by the direct intervention of God at the Second Coming of Christ.

Failing to "rightly divide" between the Kingdom and the Church will lead to a wrong conception of the Bible and a false interpretation of its truths and application of its promises. One of the first things that will happen will be to spiritualize the Kingdom promises of the O.T. and attempt to make them apply to the Church of this age. This only results in confusion and conflict.

The fact that the New Testament Church does not have any connection with the Old Testament Kingdom does not in any sense rob the Church of the spiritual values of the teaching of the O.T. Paul carefully states that ''all these things happened unto them for ensamples (types): and they are written for our admonition (1 Cor. 10: 11; Rom. 15: 4). We can take the spiritual values of these types and apply them to our Christian experience. For instance, there is no greater instruction for the believer's life in all the Bible than the parallel between Israel's conquest of the new land (Canaan) and the Christian's conquest of the new life.

But to attempt to appropriate the Kingdom promises of Israel to the life of the Christian is fatal to a right division of the Word of God.

The purpose of the Kingdom and the purpose of the Church are totally different.

The purpose of the Church in this age is not to form a kingdom by securing subjects for the King, but to call out and perfect those who will reign with the Lord Jesus in His coming Kingdom (Rom. 8: 17- 19; Phil. 1: 6; 2 Tim. 2: 12; Rev. 20:6).

2 - The Church in the Gospels -- The point of view in the four Gospels is largely that of the O.T. The Lord Jesus is revealed as the chosen Seed coming to Israel for His ministry of redemption to the whole world.

The Church is still something anticipated. It was not in existence in the lifetime of the Lord Jesus on earth. He only spoke of it three times. It is mentioned first and only in Matthew and then only in two Scriptures (Matt. 16:18; 18:17). The Lord Jesus spoke of the Church as something future (Matt. 16: 18).

The Gospel of Matthew contains other matters of importance to an understanding of the place of the Church in prophecy. Here are found the parables of the "Kingdom of Heaven" (Chap. 13). The expression "Kingdom of Heaven" is found 32 times in Matthew and nowhere else in the N.T. It literally means the Kingdom of the Heavens. These parables declare the "mysteries" (vs. 11) which will be true on earth while the King is in heaven "to receive for Himself a kingdom and return" (Lu. 19:12). They cover the period between His rejection and return.

These parables do not immediately refer to the Church as the Body of Christ, but rather to "Christendom," in which the Church exists during this age. They do not describe the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, but rather the character of the earthly aspect of our present dispensation. They have to do with the sphere of Christian profession where one sees both wheat and tares as good and evil. The Church comes into view only as it exists during the age within the sphere of this "kingdom of heaven."

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are not the same although the same things may be true of both in many instances. The Kingdom of God is the rule of God over all creation, all creatures and during all time. It is as broad as the universe. It is both physical and spiritual. In its spiritual aspect it is entered only by the new birth. It belongs to all ages from the Garden to the City.

It is not manifested, but is something within. The Kingdom of Heaven is the rule of God in relation to the earth, literally heaven's rule over the earth. It is the present external form of the earthly kingdom yet to come (millennial-Davidic).

The Kingdom of Heaven embraces both professing and true Christians. It is characterized by wheat and tares. It is in existence now in mystery (Matt. 13). It is the earthly phase of the universal Kingdom of God. It merges with the Kingdom of God when the Lord Jesus delivers up the Kingdom to God (I Cor. 15:24-28).

These parables refer to the present age in mystery form. It is the "Kingdom of Heaven" which is the present mystery; not the Church. The Church was a mystery in the O.T. age, but now is revealed (Eph. 3:1-5). These parables cover the time of the prophetic pause between Daniel's 69th and 70th week. The 69th week ended with the Cross. The 70th week (Tribulation) has not yet commenced. Between the 69th and 70th weeks is the present period of mystery. There is no prophetic schedule for it in Daniel's prophecy. But when we come to Matthew 13 we find the Lord Jesus giving a prophetic description of the course and character of the age which falls between these weeks and which comprises our present age when the Kingdom is a mystery waiting for its manifestation in the Millennium that follows the 70th week of the Tribulation.

These parables also refer to the conditions which will be true in the world when the Church exists as God's "called out people." The age will end with the return of the Lord Jesus and the rapturing of the Body after which Christendom (not the Church) will move into the Tribulation. During the course of this age, God is forming the Body of Christ by calling out of the world a "people for His name," while Israel remains in spiritual blindness and temporary rejection.

3 - The Church in Acts -- The Church began and was empowered at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4 and 1 Cor. 12:13). It becomes God's corporate witness in the world to the salvation message of grace and is the organic body for the believers of that message. Its formation began at Pentecost and is continuing through our day for since that time the Lord has been adding "unto the Church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).

The Church "could not have existed before the Cross; for it must be reconciled unto God by that Cross. It could not have existed before the resurrection, for its members must partake of His resurrection life. It could not have existed before His ascension, for it would have been a body without its head (Eph. 1: 22,23). It could not have existed before Pentecost, for until then there could have been no organic union by the baptism of the Spirit into one body (1 Cor. 12:13)." --L.S. Chafer

The Church is made up of such as are called out of the world of Adamic life and are made partakers of the last Adam's new life by the new birth. This "calling out" process will continue until the Body is complete. When it is completed it will be raptured for its final judicial perfecting at the Reward Seat of Christ. After this the Lord Jesus will return with His Bride to establish His Millennial Kingdom (Acts 15:14-16; Col. 3:4). The hope of the Church is not back to Pentecost, nor the Garden of Eden, but to that Blessed Hope, which is the goal of its perfection and the hope of its manifestation.

4 - The Church in the Epistles -- Here both the Church and churches are in view. The Church is the mystical Body of Christ. The churches are bodies of believers such as received Apostolic Epistles, namely the church of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, etc. Acts records the history of the founding of the Church, while the Epistles contain the doctrines for the conduct of the Church.

The Church is found in the Epistles under several figures:

1. As a Body - - Eph. 1: 22, 23; Col. 1: 18; 2: 19; 1 Cor. 12: 13, 27.
2. As a Building - - 1 Cor. 3: 9- 17; 2 Cor. 6: 16; Eph. 2: 20- 22; 1 Peter 2: 4- 7.

The proof that the Lord Jesus referred to Himself as the one on whom He would build the Church when He said to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16: 18) is found in 1 Cor. 3: 11 and 1 Peter 2: 6 where He is set forth as the foundation of this Building or Temple, which is the Church. The Church is built upon Jesus Christ, not upon Peter. Whatever share the Apostles may have in the foundation, Jesus Christ is always the "Chief Cornerstone" (Eph. 2: 20).

3. As a Bride - - Eph. 5:25-27,32; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:6-9.

The next prophetic event in the expectation of the Church, which is the Bride, is the call of the Bridegroom. This will lead to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb after the Reward Seat of Christ. For this coming the Church is charged to "watch," "wait," "look," "love," and "be ready." The time and event is a mystery (1 Cor. 15:52), but the fact constitutes the Church's "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13).

5 - The Church in Revelation -- The Book of Revelation reveals the consummation of the purposes of God in respect of redemption. In chapters 2 and 3 is recorded the entire course of the Church from Pentecost to the Rapture.

From chapters 4-19 the Church is in her raptured state having been removed from the world prior to the Tribulation (Rev. 4: 1). Before God declares war on the world (Tribulation) He will call His ambassadors home (Rapture).

Chapter 20 tells of the Millennium when the Church reigns with Christ, while chapters 21 and 22 record the concluding events which begin the eternal ages.