Should Christians support Israel?

[Guest]

Shalom John,

I often receive direct mailings urging me to donate to the cause of supporting the building up of the nation of Israel. I am unsure whether or not I believe that this is God’s will, to treat secular Israel as a nation as a special cause, one which I as a Christian should support financially and politically. While I certainly believe that Israel is entitled to its nation, I do not especially understand the spiritual reasons why I am to be involved. In fact, it seems almost self-serving, that Christians are building up Israel and supporting it because it is more special than other nations in the future of Christian prophecies. In other words, would you mind telling me if you personally support these organizations? Is this a clear mandate in Scripture that I am missing somehow?

[admin]

Shalom,

I think it would be very helpful to give comfort - both material and spiritual - to Jews in the land of Israel, and especially to those Jews who accept Yeshua as their Messiah (i.e., Messianic Jewish believers). As for supporting the political state of Israel, this is a matter for personal prayer and and inner conviction. We give to some organizations in Israel that directly help the Jewish people, but these are unaffiliated with political issues. Nonetheless, as Paul wrote concerning ethnic Israel, "regarding the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake; but regarding election, they are beloved for the sake of fathers" (Rom. 11:28). God still loves the Jews and has a promised future for Israel. This future is not "incidental" to the plan of God but is central, since the Torah , the Writings, and the Prophets all presuppose God's faithful love for the Jewish people... Indeed, the "New Covenant" itself refers explicitly to the perpetuity of the the nation of Israel:

Thus says the LORD (יהוה), who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar– the LORD of hosts (יהוה צְבָאוֹת) is his name: “If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel (זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) cease from being a nation (גּוֹי) before me forever.” Thus says the LORD: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel (זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) for all that they have done, declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 31:35-36

According to the prophet Jeremiah, if you saw the sun shine today or the stars in the night sky, you can be assured that God's promise to preserve the "offspring of Israel" - i.e., zera Yisrael - is in effect. Indeed, in the world to come, heavenly Jerusalem will have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved upon its gates (Rev. 21:12). Note well that this is the only occurrence in the entire "Old Testament" that the New Covenant (בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה) is explicitly mentioned… It is a foundational passage of Scripture for those who claim to be followers of the Jewish Messiah…

If we love God and He loves the Jews, we likewise should love the Jews. After all, Yeshua is called the "King of the Jews" (the very term "Mashiach," i.e., "Christ" affirms this) -- and one day He will return to Jerusalem to complete the redemption of the Jewish people. "Salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22). God will prove faithful to ethnic Israel. To question this is to likewise question His faithfulness to the "Church."

Take care,

John