Book Review: From Adam and Israel to the Church by Benjamin Gladd

Dispensationalism is one of the few of Eschatological viewpoints that some Christians hold. Most of them are in the United States. Dispensationalism has the view that Israel and the church are two different things and have no connection whatsoever. Many good Bible-believing preachers teach this as it were the gospel. Some of them I would agree with their soteriology and other views of sound doctrine. John MacArthur comes to mind who believes dispensationalism and teaches it from the pulpit.

Are Israel and the church two different things in the Bible? Are dispensationalists correct in their view of the church in relation to Israel? Benjamin Gladd address this and other issues in his book, From Adam and Israel to the Church: A Biblical Theology of the People of God. This book is part of the "Essential Studies in Biblical Theology" (ESBT), which is published by InterVarsity Press.

Gladd mentioned in the beginning of the book that he was exposed to dispensationalism while attending The Master's Seminary, which was started by John MacArthur. As he studied the Bible, Gladd began to believe that Israel and the church "were not separate but were unified in the person of Christ." So we know in the beginning that Gladd holds the view that Israel and the church are not two separate branches in God's redemption history. Gladd wants to show that God's plan since the beginning of time was to set apart a people to himself that is made of up of different people group that are unified under one name, Jesus Christ.

Gladd shows how this plan began with Adam to bring dominion on the earth and to worship the Lord as one people, which was disrupted by sin. As a result of sin, God's people were separated into different nations and yet God created one nation to bring all people together under His name, Israel. Gladd shows from the Bible, God's plan of redemption for Israel and how the Gentiles were also included.

Gladd goes on to show the three-fold office that Christ holds, which are prophet, priest, and king. Later on, Gladd even shares that the church in some way hold those offices as well. I have admit I was a little iffy about this because it almost sounds like something out of the Word of Faith Movement. Gladd goes through the Bible to back up his points which there is nothing questionable in my mind regarding this view that the church are prophets, priests, and kings while at the same time not in exalted as Jesus is.

I really enjoyed this book. There were times I could not put it down. I was eager to read more of it. Gladd communicated his points very well and with clarity. I am excited to see more books in the "Essential Studies in Biblical Theology" series in the near future.

Thanks InterVarsity Press for letting me review this book.