God made Israel His earthly people with earthly promises, and the Church His heavenly people with heavenly promises; the two are distinct and must not be mixed.
Les Feldick teaches that from Genesis 1:1 on, God has divided everything in Scripture between the earthy and the heavenly. The nation of Israel is consistently called God's earthly people, with all her promises on earth. The Church, the Body of Christ, is His heavenly people, with every promise in heaven, and the two lines of truth are never to be blended.
1 Corinthians 15:48 — Paul explicitly contrasts the earthy and the heavenly, matching the two categories Les uses to define Israel and the Church.
Genesis 15:5 — God's star promise to Abraham is the heavenly picture of the seed, set against the earthly picture of the dust.
Genesis 1:1 — From the first verse, God establishes the two realms of heaven and earth that Les says divide all of His dealings.
Genesis opens with the words, 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth' (Genesis 1:1), setting out the two realms — heaven and earth — that run throughout Scripture. God's covenant with Abraham then includes both an earthy picture and a heavenly picture: his seed is compared to the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:16) and also to the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5). Paul makes the same two-fold contrast explicit in 1 Corinthians 15:48–49: 'As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.'
Les Feldick teaches that the whole Bible is built on the division God made in Genesis 1:1 between heaven and earth. Everything in Scripture is connected to one of those two entities: the earthy or the heavenly. Israel becomes the earthy people, and the Church becomes the heavenly people. Les emphasizes that Israel's calling and promises are entirely earthly. He points out that Israel had no concept of dying and going to heaven; even believing Israelites looked for a kingdom on this earth promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When God sets Israel aside in the church age, He calls out a heavenly people, the Body of Christ, whose every promise is heavenly and whose citizenship is in heaven. Les also warns that the two must never be mixed. God's earthly people Israel were under law and centered in Jerusalem, but the heavenly people — the Church — are under grace and have no earthly headquarters. There is a chasm between these two purposes.
Les says no. Everything concerning the nation of Israel is earthly. Israel was God's earthly people, and their promises were earthly. In the Old Testament, they had no concept of dying and going up to heaven; they only saw the grave and a promised kingdom on this earth.
When God set Israel aside and began the Body of Christ, everything became heavenly. The Church is a heavenly people. Believers in the church age have no earthly promises but heavenly ones, and our citizenship is in heaven. All of the Church's promises are heavenly, not earthly.
No. Les says the two cannot be mixed. Israel is earthy, and the Church is heavenly. God's earthly people were under law, while His heavenly people are under grace, and there is a chasm separating the two. The two contrasting principles must be kept separate.
In the Abrahamic covenant, God told Abraham to count the dust of the earth and the stars of heaven. Les sees this as the earthly and heavenly pictures of the seed: dust corresponds to the earthly nation of Israel, and stars correspond to the heavenly Body of Christ.
The Meaning of Adonai: Understanding God as Master
As soon as we add something to that, Galatians 5 tells us, we cancel the work of the cross. And I'm afraid, beloved, millions upon millions upon millions of church-going people over the centuries are going to miss heaven's glory, because that's exactly what they've done. They have added something to the faith plus nothing with regard to the gospel.
Israel's Earthly Promises
Les explains that Israel, as God's earthly people, had no concept of dying and going to heaven; their hope was an earthly kingdom promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Cannot Mix Earthly and Heavenly
Les plainly states that Israel is earthy and the Church is heavenly, and that God's dealings with the two cannot be mixed.
All Earthly vs All Heavenly
Les contrasts the nation of Israel, which has nothing heavenly, with the Body of Christ, which has nothing earthly; all of Israel's promises are earthly and all of the Church's promises are heavenly.
Law vs Grace
Les ties the earthly/heavenly division to Genesis 1:1 and teaches that God's earthly people were under law and centered in Jerusalem, while His heavenly people are under grace with no earthly headquarters.
Dust and Stars
Les uses the 'dust of the earth' and 'stars of heaven' promises to Abraham to illustrate that Israel is earthly and the Body of Christ is heavenly.
Heaven and Earth Principle
Les teaches that everything in Scripture is connected to either heaven or earth; Israel becomes the earthy people, and the Church becomes the heavenly people.
Israel Called Out
Les explains that Abraham was called out of Ur to begin a special, separated, covenant people of God whose promises are earthly.
Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
This verse establishes the two realms of the earthy and the heavenly from the very beginning.
Genesis 13:16: And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
This is the earthly picture of Abraham's seed.
Genesis 15:5: And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
This is the heavenly counterpart to the dust promise.
1 Corinthians 15:48: As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
Paul directly contrasts the two categories of the earthy and the heavenly.
1 Corinthians 15:49: And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
This verse shows the heavenly hope that believers will one day bear.
According to Les Feldick, no. As God's earthly people, Israel's promises were all earthly. They only expected a kingdom on this earth promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not dying and going to heaven.
Les teaches there is none. Jerusalem was the earthly headquarters for Judaism and Israel, but God's heavenly people, the Church, have no earthly headquarters.
No. God's earthly people Israel were under law; God's heavenly people, the Body of Christ, are under grace. Les says a chasm keeps them separated and they cannot be mixed.
As members of the Body of Christ, believers in the church age are described by Les as citizens of heaven. All of the Church's promises are heavenly, not earthly.
Watch the Teaching: The Meaning of Adonai: Understanding God as Master