In a powerful and timely conversation, Jack Hibbs and Amir Tsarfati confronted a growing theological trend that has significant implications for the church today: replacement theology. Together, they warned that this doctrine, which claims that the church has replaced Israel in God’s redemptive plan, not only contradicts Scripture but undermines the integrity of God’s promises and character.
“Replacement theology says that God is finished with the Jew,” said Hibbs. “That the church is now spiritual Israel, and that the Jew and Israel have been cast off by God forever. It is heresy.”
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Tsarfati, founder of Behold Israel, echoed that concern. “There are now more churches that believe that God is done with Israel than churches that believe God is not done with Israel,” he said. According to him, this widespread view stems from a lack of understanding of God’s unconditional covenants. “It’s not about the faithfulness of Israel; it’s about the faithfulness of God.”
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Their discussion highlighted the biblical foundations of God’s enduring covenant with Israel, from Genesis through the New Testament. Hibbs pointed to Genesis 17, where God declares His covenant with Abraham and his descendants to be everlasting. “This is not based on Abraham’s ability to obey, but on God’s promise,” Hibbs explained.
Tsarfati reinforced that idea by drawing a connection to modern-day believers. “If God can break His covenant with Israel, what makes you think He won’t break His covenant with you?” he asked. “He promised Israel He would never forsake her, even when she is disobedient.”
The two also addressed the prophetic significance of Israel in the end times. Hibbs emphasized Romans 11, where Paul makes it clear that God has not rejected His people. “Blindness has happened in part to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in,” Hibbs quoted. “That’s not abandonment—that’s a temporary hardening.”
Tsarfati added, “We’re watching God fulfill His Word before our eyes with the rebirth of Israel in 1948 and the Jewish return to the land. The prophets spoke of this. You cannot spiritualize that away.”
The conversation took a sobering turn as they discussed how replacement theology can lead to antisemitism and a distortion of God’s character. “If God lies to Israel, then He can lie to you,” Hibbs said. “But He doesn’t. His name is at stake.”
For both Hibbs and Tsarfati, this isn’t just theological—it’s spiritual warfare. “The enemy wants to erase Israel to try to stop God’s plan,” Tsarfati warned. “But he can’t. God’s Word will stand.”
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Ultimately, this conversation acted as a reminder to believers that we are to honor God’s covenant with Israel. “Don’t let anyone convince you that God is done with the Jewish people,” Hibbs said. “Because if that were true, then we serve a God who breaks promises. And that’s not the God of the Bible.”
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
It might be closer to the mark to say the God is not finished with humanity itself, jew or gentile, of any belief system or of none! So long as ‘religion’ exists as a theological construct, that is to say theology only exists because nothing has been revealed, any truth claim remains contingent. And only the second coming will define the future of religion, as understood by history and tradition!
You didn’t mention Galatians 4:21-31 on the Two Covenants or Galatians 6:16 “The Israel of God.”
They seem to point to the Church as being Israel by Paul.
Two covenants are not mentioned in the referenced verses? The child born according to Promise (Isaac) and the child born according the flesh (Ishmael) are discussed. The Abrahamic covenant Eternally Promised that his descendants, exclusively through Isaac, would become a people, Nation, Blessing, and Seed—they are the root, so to speak, of the vine. A mysterious New Covenant was added, which is the Church—we are a grafted in branch to the root. The root supports us. A branch was broken off as we were grafted in and that is as far as it goes. Have a wonderful day.
I always point such people to Jeremiah 50:4-7. It is an ancient prophecy that has been partially fulfilled. It covers the Roman diaspora (wandering Jews), the reason it happened, the persecutions they have suffered, even the justification given by those that devour them!
Yet, they have not yet gone seeking to enter into a new covenant; that fulfillment is in our immediate future.
After pointing out how accurate and amazing Jeremiah’s prophecy is, I draw their attention to the first two words of verse 6: “My people …”. That has not and never will change.