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The Apple of God’s Eye
The descendants of Abraham are called  (bavat eino), the “pupil of God’s eye” (Zechariah 2:8), a term of endearment God uses for no other nation on earth. Indeed, the LORD has never abandoned His original covenant people (Isaiah 14:1) but will yet choose them for His Name’s sake. The church has not replaced Israel in God’s redemptive plan, but is merely “grafted in” to the original “root” of Israel. “Remember,” the Scriptures declare, “it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you” (Romans 11:18).
The brit chadahsha, or new covenant, is described in only one place in the Tanakh (Jeremiah 31:31-4), but notice the outstanding promise made to national Israel that immediate follows its proclamation:
From this passage it is clear that the continuation and perpetuity of the physical descendants of Israel (zera’ Yisrael) is to be reckoned as sure as the very “laws of nature” that are upholding the physical universe. In other words, so long as there is a sun shining during the day and moon and stars during the night, Israel will continue to be a nation (goy) before the LORD for all time (kol-hayamim). Using another analogy, it is as likely for someone to accurately measure the extent of the heavens and earth than it is to suppose that the LORD will cast off all of the seed of Israel. Note especially the last qualifying clause of this verse, “for all they have done,” indicating that the unconditional faithfulness of the LORD is not based on the conditional behavior of national Israel.
Why Bless Israel?
Since this may be a new idea to some of you -- especially if you have been involved in churches that teach the false doctrine known as “Replacement Theology” (i.e., the idea that the church “replaces” Israel as the recipient of covenantal blessings) -- I here list just a few of the reasons why the genuine Christian should love and support the physical descendants of Abraham, the Jewish people:
- Self-Interest. God says He will bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse him (Genesis 12:3). This same statement is made concerning Abraham’s descendants (see Genesis 26:3-4; 27:29; 28:13-15). This is a mysterious fact of Scripture that must be accepted by faith. Blessing Abraham and his descendants honors the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -
 Himself - the very LORD whom Christians claim as their God and the Father of the Jewish Messiah Yeshua. Moreover, we are commanded to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6) and are told that we shall prosper if we do so.
- The Nature of the Abrahamic Covenant. The covenant given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is
 (brit olam), an everlasting covenant that is unconditional in nature. It is not, as supposed by some, conditioned upon obedience to the terms of the Sinatic covenant, since the covenant given to Abraham precedes the Mosaic covenant by 400 years. Moreover, the covenant made with Abraham was in response to his faith and initiated solely by the grace by God (this idea is supported by Romans chapter 4 in the New Testament writings).
- The Example of Jesus, the first disciples, and Paul. The gospel message itself is “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16), a new covenant made with the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). Jesus Himself focused on reaching the Jewish people with His message of ge’ulah (redemption) and had His followers focus their missionary activities on reaching the Jews (Matthew 10:5). The apostle Paul never disavowed his Jewish ancestry and was burdened for the salvation of Israel throughout his ministry (Acts 20:16).
- Gratitude to the Jewish People. We owe the Jewish people a debt of gratitude for the blessings we have received from them. Through Israel the promises and the covenants were given, and Jesus Himself was a Torah-observant Jew descended from the tribe of Judah. And the new covenant is a Jewish covenant made with the Jewish people. Non-Jews can be made partakers of this covenant but that in no way transfers the original terms of the covenant itself. We simply cannot properly interpret the message of the “New Testament” without appreciating its radically Jewish character and focus.
- Trust in God’s Faithfulness. God’s promise to Israel stands forever, and He will never abandon His people Israel, no more than He will abandon His church. The gifts and election of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:28). God revealed the mystery of Israel's temporary fall to the Apostle Paul (Romans 11), but this will last only until the all of the Gentiles called by the LORD have become partakers of the new covenant blessings, and then
 (kol-Yisrael yivashea) -- all Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:26).
- Israel’s Place in Prophecy. God has promised to restore national Israel in the last days (Amos 8:14-5), and we are contemporary witnesses to this miracle. The fact that Israel has been regathered to their ancient homeland after nearly 2,000 years in the Diaspora is a sign and a wonder to the world that bespeaks of God’s faithfulness. We are now told to “comfort God’s people” (Isaiah 40:1-2) and to help regather the remnant of the Diaspora to their original homeland (Isaiah 49:22-23). Israel will also be the focal point at the time of the return of Yeshua, since He will return there to set up His kingdom. All of the promises made to national Israel in the Tanakh will then be literally fulfilled, again demonstrating the faithfulness of the LORD God of Israel.
- The World to Come. In the olam habah (the world to come) we will all serve a Jewish LORD and worship in a new Jerusalem. There the names of the twelve tribes of Israel will be inscribed on the city gates (Revelation 21:12) and we will enjoy communion with the patriarchs and heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11).
God is faithful to Israel
The LORD has not cast off His original covenant people Israel, and neither should we, if we indeed are those who sincerely love the Jewish LORD and Mashiach! God’s faithfulness to national Israel is a testimony of His faithfulness to us, as followers of His Son. Should God abandon Israel and the unconditional promises He made to Israel, what makes you think He would not abandon the church and the promises He has made to us?
How can I bless Israel?
An obvious way to help the children of Israel is to provide a donation for the poorest of the land. Perhaps you did not know that Israel has over 20% of its population living under the poverty level, including 720,000 children? Well you can help “do it unto the least of these my brethren” (Matt 25:40) by donating to Meir Panim, a food shelf in Israel, or to Bridges for Peace, a Christian relief agency in Israel. Click on the logos below to learn more:
 
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) is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel 
) also shall cease from being a nation (
) before me for ever (
). Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel (