In his book Progressive Dispensationalism Craig A. Blaising says that the blessings of Israel's New Covenant are the same blessings enjoyed by Christians today so therefore the New Covenant promised to Israel is the source of the blessings received by Christians:

"It is indisputable that the New Testament views the new covenant predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel as established in the death of Jesus Christ with some of the promised blessings now being granted to Jews and Gentiles who are believers in Jesus. These are not blessings which are like those predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. They are the very same blessings which those prophets predicted. For the new covenant which is presently in effect through Jesus Christ is not one which is like that predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but is that very same covenant which they prophesised which is in effect today" (Blaising & Bock, Progressive Dispensationalism [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993], p.202).

There is no doubt that one of the blessings which Gentiles receives today is salvation. Robert L. Saucy, asserts that this blessing for Gentiles is the same blessing that was prophesised in the Old Testament:

"Our discussion of the New Testament teaching concerning the inauguration of the new covenant and its contemporary application to Jew and Gentile alike in the church has already given clear evidence that the Old Testament prophecy of eschatological salvation for the Gentiles is being fulfilled in this present age" [emphasis added] (Saucy, The Case for Progressive Dispensationalism [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993], p.135).

Is the Old Testament prophecy of eschatological salvation for Gentiles being fulfilled at the present time? Let us look at a prophecy from the book of Ezekiel and see if this prophecy is being fulfilled today in regard to the salvation of Gentiles:

"And I will bring them (Israel), and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness...And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing...In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you" (Zech.8:8,13,23).

This is indeed set in the context of the New Covenant promised to Israel:

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed" (Isa.61:8-9).

Certainly this does not describe the condition of things today.

The blessings under Israel's New Covenant, including the salvation of Gentiles, will be fulfilled during the Millennial Kingdom. Saucy writes that "the connection between the new covenant and the kingdom is evident in Jesus' teaching that his work, which throughout Scripture is intimately identified with the coming of the kingdom, is also the fulfillment of the new covenant. In fact, Jesus expressly tied the fulfillment of the Passover, which he celebrated with his disciples, to the coming of the kingdom of God (Lk 22:16, 18; cf. Mt 26:29; Mk 14:25)" (Ibid., p.133).

At the time when the Lord Jesus was preaching that the kingdom was at hand He also said that "salvation is of the Jews" (Jn.4:22). During the Millennial Kingdom the salvation of the Gentiles will be through the agency of the nation of Israel. The Lord Jesus told the Jews the following with the kingdom in view:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Mt.5:14,16).

It is certain that when Israel's New Covenant is in operation that the nation of Israel will be restored as a "special people unto Himself, above all people who are on the face of the earth" (Deut.7:6). It is also certain that during the time when Israel's New Covenant is in force the salvation of the Gentiles will be through the agency of the nation of Israel:

"Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you...Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor" (Isa.55:3,5; NIV).

Rodney J. Decker writes that "there are OT references to the New Covenant that do anticipate the involvement of Gentiles. Isa 55 speaks of Israel 'summoning nations' and those Gentiles hastening to you [Israel] because of the Lord your God (v 5). This is the context of the everlasting (= 'new') covenant being made with Israel (v 3)" (Decker, Why Do Dispensationalists Have Such a Hard Time Agreeing on the New Covenant?, p.18).

It is evident these prophecies are not now being fulfilled. Despite this Dr. Saucy asserts that "the Old Testament prophecy of eschatological salvation for the Gentiles is being fulfilled in this present age."

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Apostle Paul states in no uncertain terms that it is through Israel's fall that salvation has come to the Gentiles:

"I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?" (Ro.11:11-12).

Progressive Dispensationalist Kenneth L. Baker understands that Gentile salvation today is not in the context of Israel as decribed under her New Covenant. He quotes the following note at Romans 11:15 in the NIV Study Bible: "The 'transgresssion' and 'loss' (v.12) of Israel leads to the salvation of the Gentiles, which leads to the jealousy or envy of Israel, which leads to the 'fulness' (v. 12) of Israel when the hardening is removed..." [emphasis added] (Blaising & Bock, Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church [Grand Rapids: MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992], p.322).

Saucy also understand these facts so later he backtracks, saying that "First--and with this advocates of the other position concur--the present salvific operation of God in not in strict accord with the Old Testament prophecies cited. The Old Testament passages quoted by Paul picture a Gentile salvation in the context of a redeemed Israel " [emphasis added] (The Case for Progressive Dispensationalism, pp.136-137).

Now let once again look at the assertions made by Blaising in regard to the blessings of the Gentiles under Israel's New Covenant:

"These are not blessings which are like those predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. They are the very same blessings which those prophets predicted. For the new covenant which is presently in effect through Jesus Christ is not one which is like that predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but is that very same covenant which they prophesised which is in effect today."

The blessings in regard to the salvation of the Gentiles are not "the very same blessings" predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. If they were the "same" blessings then today the Gentiles would be receiving salvation through the agency of the nation of Israel but that is not the reality at the present time. Since the blessing in regard to Gentile salvation today is not the same blessing described under the New Covenant promised to the nation of Israel then common sense dictates that salvation at the present time has nothing to do with the New Covenant promised to the nation of Israel.

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