Little Timmy and the Sailing Trip

Little Timmy’s father was a decorated naval officer who had one last deployment at sea. Wanting to celebrate his retirement and also thank his wife and son for their forbearance toward his frequent absence over the years, he promised Timmy that he would take them on an extended sailing trip upon his return. Little Timmy was ecstatic. He could not wait to spend time with his father traveling, exploring the seas, and visiting new places. While on his final deployment, Timmy’s father regularly called back home, and every time he would be bombarded by Timmy’s questions. What would life at sea be like? What boat would they be traveling in? What destinations did his father have in mind? His father happily answered these questions, delighted at his son’s excitement, which in turn made him all the more eager to return home. 

Finally, the day arrived. Little Timmy was bursting with anticipation. But then, in a groundbreaking turn of events, Timmy’s father usurped expectations by revealing that his promise to bring the family sailing was not meant to be taken literally! Rather, the promise was to be fulfilled in his own person and presence, and in his renewed relationship with his son. Timmy’s father would fulfill his word not by actually taking the family on a sailing trip, but by simply being back home and being present, never leaving for extended periods again. Though they would not be sailing the seas, he and Timmy would still be “riding the waves” of quality time spent together. Little Timmy of course felt rather confused. What could he say? Wasn’t he glad to have his dad back? Shouldn’t that be enough? Isn’t that better than sailing? 

This, in fact, is the same kind of reasoning that is often applied to promises and prophecies about Israel. Consider, for example, the claim that “God’s covenant and blessing promised to Abraham is being fulfilled in the person and ministry of Jesus and his followers.”1 According to this, God’s promise that Abraham and his descendants would inherit the land was being fulfilled in Jesus, even though the Jews were expelled from the land within a generation and Abraham is still dead, to this day never having possessed any of the land (Acts 7:5). Consider also the future glorification of Jerusalem that is spoken of numerous times (e.g. Isa 62:1, 65:18). Yet when it is claimed that “the church does not replace Israel, but it does fulfill the promises made to Israel,”2 then we have to believe that somehow Jerusalem has been glorified through the church, even though the actual city of Jerusalem remains as imperfect as ever. 

At what point does this become blatant trickery? Somehow Abraham and his descendants have inherited the land without actually inheriting the land. Somehow Jerusalem has been glorified without actually being glorified. We are like little Timmy who has to think he is sailing with his dad even though in reality he is not. It may sound pious to say that the promises were fulfilled “in the person and ministry of Jesus,” that it is “all about Jesus,” and that Jesus is enough and even better than what Israel was hoping for—who cares about land when you have Jesus? But in the end, the problem remains: God did not do what he said. Ultimately, Timmy’s father did not bring him sailing. Of course, salvation in Jesus and the ministry of the Spirit are wonderful things. Yet God in his wisdom has chosen to administer this salvation within a story in which Israel has a special place. Jesus does not nullify Israel’s distinctiveness under the guise of fulfillment; rather, he affirms God’s calling upon the Jews and invites Gentiles to join in anticipating the fulfillment of Israel’s promises.

1 Schnabel, Eckard J., “Israel, the People of God, and the Nations,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45, no. 1 (2002): 50.

Parker, Brent E., “The Church as the Renewed Israel in Christ: A Study of 1 Peter 2:4-10,” SBJT 21, no. 3 (2017): 46.