Eschatology (Doctrine of Last Things): Israelology and the Relationship of Israel and the Nations
1. Israelology in the Study of Eschatology
Eschatology, the doctrine of last things, cannot be understood without considering Israelology, the theology of Israel’s role in God’s plan. The relationship between Israel and the nations has always been central to the biblical story. In Scripture, Israel was chosen not as an end in itself but as the means by which God would bring blessing to all peoples. The covenant with Abraham is the foundation: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
The Bible never portrays the covenants with Israel as alternative paths of salvation. The Abrahamic covenant points to faith, as seen in Abraham himself: “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Likewise, the prophet Habakkuk affirms, “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Salvation in both Old and New Testaments is by grace through faith, with Christ at the center of God’s plan.
In eschatology, Israelology matters because it asks how these promises and covenants are fulfilled in the doctrine of last things. The question is not whether God will be faithful to Israel, but how his faithfulness is revealed through Christ and extended to the nations.
2. The Purpose of the Law in Israel’s Story
The Mosaic covenant, given at Sinai, established Israel as God’s covenant people in the land. Yet the law was never meant as a saving covenant. Paul explains, “By works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20). Instead, the law revealed sin and pointed to the need for a greater mediator.
Peter proclaimed before the Sanhedrin that salvation was never in Torah-keeping but only in Christ: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Israel’s law served as a guardian until Christ, showing God’s holiness, humanity’s failure, and the necessity of divine grace.
Israelology within eschatology must therefore reject the idea that the Jewish people are saved by law or covenant membership. The doctrine of last things affirms continuity: both Israel and the nations are saved by faith in the one Messiah.
3. Continuity and Fulfillment in Christ
Some theological systems create a sharp discontinuity between Israel and the church. Dispensational theology, for example, often separates God’s plan for Israel from his plan for the nations, awaiting a future fulfillment of promises in a millennial kingdom. While this framework emphasizes God’s sovereignty, it risks shifting the center of Scripture from the cross to future events, from redemption to reign.
The Bible itself, however, presents fulfillment in Christ. Paul writes that “all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus is the true Israel, the obedient Son who succeeds where the nation failed. Out of this identity flows the church as the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16), composed of Jew and Gentile alike who believe in Christ.
This continuity matters for eschatology. The doctrine of last things is not about two separate peoples of God but about one redeemed humanity in Christ. Israelology helps us see that God’s faithfulness to Israel is fulfilled in Jesus and extended to the nations through the Gospel.
4. Israel and the Nations in the Plan of God
From Genesis to Revelation, the theme of Israel and the nations unfolds. God chose Israel to be a light to the nations: “I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Israel’s failure to live out this calling only magnifies the need for the Messiah.
Jesus himself embodies Israel’s mission. At his birth, Simeon declared that he was “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). After his resurrection, Christ commanded his disciples to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In the doctrine of last things, this mission reaches its fulfillment as people from every tribe, tongue, and nation worship the Lamb (Revelation 7:9–10).
Eschatology shows that the promises to Israel are not abandoned but expanded. Through Christ, the dividing wall of hostility is broken down, creating one new humanity (Ephesians 2:14–16). Israelology teaches us that God’s plan always included the nations, and the Gospel is the means by which his promises are realized.
5. Israelology, the Gospel, and the Doctrine of Last Things
When Israelology is read through the lens of covenant continuity, eschatology becomes a testimony to the power of the Gospel. The law and the prophets testify to Christ, who brings both Israel and the nations into the promises of God.
The doctrine of last things reveals the ultimate fulfillment: Christ reigns as King, and his people—Jew and Gentile together—share in his glory. This is not a retreat from Israel’s story but its true climax. The promises of land, blessing, and kingship are gathered up and transformed in Christ’s kingdom.
For the church today, Israelology reminds us that God’s purposes are global, not tribal. The Gospel is bigger than national boundaries or ethnic distinctions. Eschatology calls believers to anticipate the day when the nations are healed and the dwelling place of God is with humanity (Revelation 21:3).
Conclusion
Eschatology, the doctrine of last things, cannot be understood apart from Israelology. The Bible shows that Israel’s covenants, law, and promises all point to Christ. Continuity, not discontinuity, defines God’s plan: the faithful God fulfills his word through Jesus, who unites Israel and the nations in one redeemed people.
The relationship of Israel and the nations reveals the heart of God’s plan from the beginning. In Abraham’s seed, the nations are blessed. In the Messiah, Israel’s hope is realized. And in the doctrine of last things, the final vision is one people gathered around the throne of Christ, proclaiming the Gospel that is bigger than we ever imagined.
Bible Verses about Israel and the Nations
“And I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)
“And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
“The righteous shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)
“I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)
“For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14)
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9)
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)
