Chris Katulka: Thank you for joining us for The Friends of Israel Today. I'm Chris Katulka, your host and teacher. Hey, listen, foiradio.org. Have you been there yet? I want to encourage you to go to our website because there you can learn all about The Friends of Israel Today radio program and the ministry that we serve with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. While you're there, you can actually listen to more than a decade of content on biblical teaching that's all about Israel and the Jewish people along with a great host of interview guests. Again, be sure to go to foiradio.org. Now we're wrapping up our series on interpreting the Bible. We've actually been calling this series Biblical Essentials for Being a Friend of Israel, and that actually boils down to the way that you interpret the Scriptures. And we've already looked at the first point, which is a literal interpretation of the Scriptures and how essential that is.

But then from that literal interpretation comes the essence of understanding, the significance of the distinction between Israel and the church. And then finally today we're going to look at what's the point of all of history from Genesis to Revelation. What is God doing? What's the point of all of this? Well, according to these essentials of interpreting the scripture, all of it is very important in understanding how we connect with God and worship God and give glory to God.

And so that's what we're going to be talking about today. But before we get to that, here's what's happening in the news. Last month, Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed Mossad to identify nations willing to accept large numbers of Gazans who have been displaced from the Gaza Strip. Since then, 16 flights have departed from Israel's Ramon Airport with hundreds of displaced Palestinians. Well, here's my take. Israel is in contact with countries like Somalia, South Sudan and even Indonesia to give Palestinians the chance at a new life. For more than 15 years, Hamas has done little to advance the wellbeing of their people, so maybe Israel can help the Palestinians find a new path to life.

So we're wrapping up a series on how the way we interpret the Bible matters, and we've been talking about really one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century that's really shaped biblical interpretation. And that's Dr. Charles Ryrie. And see, he did something amazing with biblical interpretation. He boiled it down to three basic points that give us the greatest framework for how we should read the Scriptures. In fact, Dr. Ryrie, he dubbed them the sine qua non of interpretation. Sine qua non is a Latin phrase that means “without which not.” Which, it sounds very confusing, but it actually means it's something that's indispensable or essential, and that's why these three points are indispensable and essential to the way that we interpret the Scriptures and here they are, you ready? The first one, a literal interpretation of the Scriptures. That's a big point of all of this, and that's what we talked about earlier in this series, the importance of a plain reading of the Scriptures.

Because without a plain reading of the Scriptures, we might land in a more allegorical interpretation of the Bible, which can really lead to bad theology like replacement theology, which believes that the church has replaced Israel. Which leads us to our next point that Ryrie likes to make, that there's a distinction between Israel and the church, which is something that we talked about last week and how a literal interpretation of the Scriptures gives way to the fact that God has a special covenant relationship with Israel that's eternal. It can't be undone, it's tied to God's name, so therefore there has to be a distinction between Israel and the church. And finally today we're going to study the purpose of history. From creation to the end of the book of Revelation, the re-creation when God makes all things new according to his glory. Now, if you didn't get a chance to listen to last week's program, you can visit us at foiradio.org and there you can connect with our ministry here at The Friends of Israel and you can listen to last week's program and really all of our broadcasts going back more than 10 years right at your fingertips.

Be sure to visit us at foiradio.org. 

Now, since the beginning of the 20th century, theologians have really attempted to discern the central theme of the Scriptures. Among the many proposed various models like covenant and promise and kingdom theology and redemptive history, a debate has persisted regarding what unifying theme best captures the divine intent behind the unfolding revelation of God. While each of these paradigms contributes valuable insights into the biblical narrative, none perhaps are as theologically expansive, scripturally consistent, and biblically grounded as the one offered by Dr. Ryrie in his sine qua non, those essentials of dispensationalism. That the ultimate purpose of God in history is not man's salvation, but God's glory, his own glory. They call it the doxological center. Doxological is the word for “glory.” That doxological center, that God does what he does for the sake of his glory, is not merely a dispensational emphasis, but really it's a biblical one.

It captures the full sweep of redemptive history from creation to that prophetic re-creation, in the book of Revelation, when God makes all things new, establishing a theological framework in which every other frame, like I had mentioned already, finds its ultimate purpose. Again, it should be noted that themes like covenant and kingdom and promise and salvation are incredibly important. They're vital to God's progressive revelation to us. But the overarching theme that binds all of those things together from Genesis to Revelation is God's glory. For that reason, Ryrie’s third essential point, his third sine qua non on biblical interpretation offers more than a theological preference, it offers a key interpretive lens through which to understand all of scripture. So within our circles, our evangelical circles, the redemptive historical model remains the dominant paradigm. It proposes that the Bible's unifying message is God's work to redeem humanity from sin.

While this theme is undeniably present and crucial to Scripture, its limitations become apparent when examined more clearly. First, the redemptive historical model tends to elevate man's need for salvation above God's intrinsic worth and purpose. Although salvation exalts God's mercy, grace, and justice, it is nonetheless a response to man's problem. A theology centered solely on redemption risks placing humanity at the center of the biblical story, even if unintentionally. In doing so, God becomes more a means to an end, human salvation than the end itself. Dr. Cory Marsh has done a fantastic journal article on this topic where he writes, “by focusing on humanity's redemption, crucial biblical themes are dismissed, overlooked, or absorbed into a presupposed salvation history. Both testaments say a great deal about subjects other than redemption. They testify to the angelic realm, the creation and moving of the nations and cultures and the animal kingdom and all of nature.” Marsh continues, “The prophetic books, for example, do not just prophesy about salvation in Christ but also foretell end times events.”

Second, this model struggles to provide a coherent bridge between creation and redemption. If God's ultimate purpose is to redeem sinners, then someone's got to ask, why create at all? The redemptive historical model begins theologically with the fall rather than with the glory of God's creation. It lacks the explanatory power for pre-fall texts and fails to address why God created a world in which sin and redemption would be necessary. Conversely, a doxological model, that glory model, starts with God's intrinsic glory offering a more robust and coherent theological narrative. God created the world to display his glory and even our salvation is subsumed under that greater purpose. 

Finally, the redemptive historical model approach often marginalizes or neglects large portions of Scripture that are not explicitly about salvation. The wisdom literature, for example, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, contribute kind of little to the themes of salvation. The same is true for certain psalms and prophecies and even portions of the New Testament. See, a redemptive historical model must stretch to fix these texts into its framework while allegorizing or spiritualizing them in the process. When really the glory of God is seen in his wisdom to navigate life and the way we worship him like in the book of Psalms. By contrast, seeing the glory of God as the overarching narrative of the Scriptures rooted in Ryrie's third point here, his sine qua non of interpreting the Bible offers a theme broad enough to incorporate all of the Scripture while remaining specific enough to unite the narratives of the Bible. This model views God's glory as the ultimate end of all things. It's not one theme among many, but the theme that envelops every other theme. From the very first verse of the Bible, God is the central character, or as my kids like to say, the main character.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. See, creation is not primarily about mankind. It's about the stage upon which God displays his attributes. Psalm 19:1 declares, “the heavens declared the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Before sin enters the world, before there's a need for redemption, there's the glory of God revealed in creation. As Scripture progresses, the theme only intensifies. The Exodus story, the defining act of redemption in the Old Testament is repeatedly described as the display of God's glory. God hardens Pharaoh's heart,  “that I may show these signs of mine among them and that you may tell your son and your grandson how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, that you may know that I am the Lord.” Exodus 10:1-2. Showing his glory. The plagues, the parting of the sea, the provision in the wilderness, these aren't just acts of deliverance but demonstrations of divine glory. 

The prophets too, see, they saw history through this glory lens. Isaiah's vision in chapter 6, centers on the glory of God. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3. Ezekiel's visions are saturated with the dazzling splendor of God's presence. Even the judgment and restoration of Israel are framed as means by which God will vindicate his holy name. Just read Ezekiel chapter 36, “God's holy name is upheld, his holy reputation, his glory.” In the New Testament, the theme continues. The incarnation is presented not merely as a redemptive event, but a revelatory one. ..”And the Word”, remember what John 1:14 says? “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His..” what? “His glory.” The miracles of Jesus according to John were signs that manifested His glory. John 2:11.

The crucifixion, rather than a moment of humiliation alone, was also a moment of glorification. Jesus prayed, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” And even in Paul's theology, redemption is repeatedly shown to be to the praise of his glory. Just read it in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 6 and verse 12 and verse 14. The book of Revelation closes the canon, the entire Bible, with visions not merely of a redeemed humanity but of a glorified God dwelling in a glorified creation. “The city has no need of a sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and its lamp is the Lamb,” Revelation 21:23. History ends where it began with God at the center radiating his glory. A glory-centered model succeeds where others fail by providing a seamless link between creation, salvation, and ultimately resurrection and re-creation when God makes all things new. Rather than viewing redemption and salvation as the purpose of creation, this model, the glory model, puts forth that both creation and redemption serve the higher purpose of glorifying our amazing God. Now listen, when we come back, we're going to continue our discussion on seeing the overarching theme of God's glory in every aspect of Scripture. So stick around.

Steve Conover: Are you a new listener to our program? If you are, welcome. We're glad you're here. The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry exists to fuel your passion for the Word which should overflow to a compassion for God's Chosen People, the Jewish people.

Chris Katulka: Whether you're new to our program or have listened for years, we want to encourage you with our resources to help you see why God called us to support the Jewish people in Israel and worldwide. We have a free download, a digital version of our booklet, Whose Land is it Anyway? that we'd like to send you free today. Whose Land is it Anyway? takes the Jewish and Arab claims to the land and helps make sense of the common arguments surrounding the struggle. Whose Land is it Anyway? is an easy-to-read apologetic that will give you a clear answer as you think about Israel's right to the land.

Steve Conover: To get your free digital copy of Whose Land is it Anyway?, visit foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org.

Chris Katulka: Welcome back everyone. We're talking all about the best way to interpret the Scriptures and Dr. Charles Ryrie gives us the best grid, the best matrix to do that. And we've gone through two of them so far in our series here, a literal interpretation of the Scriptures, and making sure that we distinguish between Israel and the church when we read through the Bible. 

But today we're wrapping up our series on the overarching theme of the Scriptures, and Ryrie says that all boils down to God's glory. Dr. Cory Marsh says, “He redeemed so he could re-create. He re-created so he's glorified in all creation. In the end, God is glorified in all of it as his glory progresses throughout the biblical text.” God created a world that would reflect his majesty, beauty, power, and order. He created man in his image not merely to be saved, but to reflect his glory.

When sin entered the world, it didn't thwart God's plan, but became the occasion for his glory to be revealed in mercy and justice. Redemption then was not God's reaction to a problem, but his eternal plan to magnify his grace. As Paul says, “God put forward Christ to show his righteousness at the present time.” That's from Romans 3:26. And redemption exists because God is glorious, not because man is worthy. Furthermore, the trajectory of biblical history doesn't stop with personal salvation. It culminates in a new creation in which the glory of God is fully revealed and perfectly enjoyed by his people. Romans 8 describes creation, “Longing for this moment when it will be set free from the corruption, to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Verse 21 in Romans chapter 8. Salvation then is not an end to itself, it is a means to a greater end— that God might be glorified in and through a redeemed creation. 

See, the glory of God not only provides the theological structure for understanding Scripture, it also offers a proper ethical orientation for the Christian life. Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 10 is really important to see here. He says this, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” God's glory is not merely the destination of redemptive history, it is the motivation for everyday living for the believer. This is especially important in an age where Christianity can be subtly co-opted into a therapeutic religion focused on human flourishing. See God's glory as the overarching theme reorients the believer's gaze upward. It reminds the church that worship is about God not self. That sanctification is about reflecting divine glory, not achieving personal fulfillment, and that mission is about magnifying God's name above the nations, not simply expanding our social media influence.

Charles Ryrie’s  third sine qua non provides the essential interpretive key for understanding the grand narrative of Scripture, by positioning the glory of God as the ultimate purpose of history. Our amazing professor here, Dr. Charles Ryrie, rightly recenters theology where it belongs, on God himself. This model doesn't diminish the importance of salvation or the importance of covenant or kingdom or promise. Rather, it places each of these within their proper theological orbits. God saves to the praise of his glory. He makes covenants to display his faithfulness. He reigns to manifest his majesty. The glory of God is the sun around which every biblical theme revolves. So in the end, this model offers the only framework large enough to encompass the entire biblical canon. Strong enough to connect creation to redemption and to re-creation, when God creates all things new. And worshipful enough to turn theology into doxology, God's glory, praising him. From Genesis to Revelation, from Eden to the New Jerusalem, one theme resounds. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Steve Conover: Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life and ministry of Holocaust survivor, Zvi Kalisher.

Mike Kellogg: I was recently asked to visit a very sick elderly man whose son is my friend. I arrived in the final hours of his life.

He told me he had been a drunk all of his life. “Now that I have reached the end of my life,” he said, “I realize I have never known satisfaction—not from things, people, or even my children. I have been bad and drank far too much. I never even thought about my family. And now God will not hear my voice if I call on Him.” I told him, “No, my friend, that is not so. Every cloud has a silver lining, and you can have a silver lining because even now, at the end of your life, you can be saved.”

“Can I be saved after everything I have done?” He asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “The Lord, our Savior, gave Himself for us so that we can have everlasting life.”

He asked if this was really true. I told him it was indeed true, and I read Isaiah 53:6: “All we like sheep have gone astray. I then said, “This passage, from our own Hebrew Scriptures, is meant for everyone who comes to the Lord, even if that happens at the very end of your life. All you must do is trust in Him. John 3:16 says, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’”

Surprisingly, this man became peaceful and quiet. When his son came into the room, he asked, “What have you done to my father that he is so quiet and says he is happy?” When his father related everything he had heard and told his son he believed it, the son was displeased. I told him, “It is my duty, and the duty of every believer, to tell others the truth in their time of need. We are responsible for each other.”

“How can you be responsible for my father?” he asked. “You are not a member of this family.”

I replied, “We have one Father in heaven. As members of His family, we have a responsibility to one another. Are you against your father having such peace from the Lord in his final hours?”

“No,” the son replied, “but I am against you because you spoke with him about a faith he never heard about all through his life.”

“That is exactly the point,” I said. “Even though he had not heard before how to have true faith in the Lord, the Lord will still receive him, and your father is happy because he is no longer lost.

You will all have to stand before the Lord one day, just as your father will do very soon. He has heard the truth about Jesus Christ and has gladly received Him. He is now happy in the Lord, and you and your family can share his last moments with him in happiness.”

I pray they will accept the Lord soon, before they are on their deathbeds in a lost and hopeless condition.

Chris Katulka: Thanks for joining us for today's episode of The Friends of Israel Today. Hey, don't forget to get your free digital download of our popular booklet, Whose Land is it Anyway? You can get that on our website, foiradio.org. And I don’t know if you heard the key word there, it’s free…foiradio.org. Also, next week, we’re going to be highlighting one of our international ministries here at The Friends of Israel, so that you can see what we’re doing to bless our Jewish friends all around the world. Our web address is foiradio.org. Again, that’s foiradio.org. Our mailing address is FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Write to us. Again, that's FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. You can call our listener line. That number is 888-343-6940. Again, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe and Aiden Williamson. Edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Lisa Small is our executive producer. Sarah Fern is our associate producer. Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. And I'm Chris Katulka, your host and teacher. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.