Dispensationalism's Inherent Racism

by Ken Gentry, Th.D., Director, NiceneCouncil.com


Built within the very foundation of dispensationalism is racism. The dispensational system sets apart the Jewish race for special favors during the millennium. Note some of their radical statements regarding the exaltation of the Jews in the millennium:

"Israel, regathered and turned to the Lord in salvation, will be exalted, blessed, and favored through this period." (Ryrie, Basis of the Premillennial Faith, 149.)

"The Gentiles will be Israel’s servants during that age. . . . The nations which usurped authority over Israel in past ages find that downtrodden people exalted and themselves in subjection in their kingdom. And these are not unsaved Gentiles: The Gentiles that are in the millennium will have experienced conversion prior to admission." (Pentecost, Things to Come, 508.)

"The redeemed living nation of Israel, regenerated and regathered to the land will be head over all the nations of the earth. . . . So he exalts them above the Gentile nations. . . . On the lowest level there are the saved, living, Gentile nations." (Hoyt, "Dispensational Premillennialism," in Clouse, Meaning of the Millennium, 81.)

"God will keep his original promises to the fathers and will one day convert and place Israel as the head of the nations." (House and Ice, Dominion Theology, 175.)

"Israel will be a glorious nation, protected from her enemies, exalted above the Gentiles. . . . In contrast to the present church age in which Jew and Gentile are on an equal plane of privilege, the millennium is clearly a period of time in which Israel is in prominence and blessing. . . . Israel as a nation will be exalted." (Walvoord, Millennial Kingdom, 136.)

"In the millennium Israel as a nation will rule over the Gentiles." (Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, in Popular Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, 201.)

This doctrine regarding the ultimate goal of history is astounding for many reasons. I will just cite two.

First, dispensationalism contradicts the revelation of God in the OT. In a passage dealing with the glorious kingdom of Christ (which in dispensationalism would be the millennium), God absolutely destroys this concept of the exaltation of the Jewish race:

"In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, 'Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.'" (Isaiah 19:23-25)

Nothing in this passage allows for an exaltation of the Jew above the Gentile. It speaks of absolute, redemptive equality.

Second, dispensationalism contradicts the revelation of God in the NT. According to Paul, Jew and Gentile have been united in one body, with the "middle wall of partition" being broken down (Eph 2:11-19). Nothing in the Ephesians 2 passage appears to be temporary. This union of Jew and Gentile in one is, in fact, the goal of God's redemption in history. Paul repeatedly declares that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, for we are all one in him (Rom 10:12; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11).

Dispensationalists long for the rebuilding of the temple and the re-establishing of its "middle wall of partition" so that the Jew can rule over saved living Gentile nations -- who will be on the lowest level. And while doing that, they want to repair the temple veil that God tore at the crucifixion of Christ. In longing for such, they desire a repeal of the new covenant and the return of the sacrificial system, which has been fulfilled in Christ (read Hebrews). (Oddly, during the millennial reign the lamb will lie down with the lion, but a priest will come by and snatch up the lamb to offer as a sacrifice, apparently while petting the lion.)

Dispensationalism is inherently racist, as well as retrogressive. No wonder some dispensationalists are rebelling against the system with their "progressive" dispensationalism! All power to the new dispensationalists, who are dismantling their own system because of its abuses of Scripture.

These and many other such systemic problems are dealt with in my third edition of He Shall Have Dominion, which NiceneCouncil.com's publishing arm (ApologeticsMedia) just released. Many of these types of problems will be focused on in volume 2 of The Late Great Planet Church. Stay tuned.