What are the two contrasting principles for Israel and the Church?
For Israel, everything is earthly: earthly promises, a nation, land, and government. For the Church, the Body of Christ, everything is heavenly: no earthly promises, only heavenly promises. These two contrasting principles distinguish Israel’s earthly program from the Grace Age believer’s heavenly calling. This distinction must never be lost.
Les explains that nothing heavenly is connected with the nation of Israel; it is all earthly. Then in the New Testament, when we come to the Body of Christ, or the Church, everything is heavenly, and we have no earthly promises. He calls these two anti-climatic principles: with Israel everything is earthly, but when Israel is set aside and God calls out a heavenly people, it is all with heavenly promises. Les stresses never losing sight of this: everything concerning Israel is earthly, and everything concerning the Body of Christ, Grace Age believers, is heavenly. He also notes Paul by inspiration uses Abraham as an example of faith for New Testament believers, even though Abraham is part of the Old Testament program. Abraham is also the father of the Jewish people genetically through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve sons. After the Abrahamic covenant, God promised them a nation of people, a geographical area of land, and one day a government.