Why Christians should love Israel and the Jewish people
Most Christians, pastors and elders disregard Israel as being insignificant. Many think the church has replaced Israel in God’s eyes because they rejected Jesus. They ignor the OT because it’s for the Jews but the NT is for Christians.
Christians should love and respect Israel and the Jewish people because:
1) God used them to reveal Himself to us.
Eze 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.
2) Jesus came through the Jewish people.
3) We would not have known Jesus if not for the Jewish people. Think about it. The apostles, including Paul and even Jesus Himself were all jewish. The original church was made up of all jews! If you haven't studied the book of RUTH, do yourself a favor and study the prophetic modeling in it. Ruth is a model of the church, Naomi of Israel and Boaz Jesus. Look at the analogy. Ruth knew how to court Boaz via Naomi’s instruction. She wouldn’t have found him unless she followed Naomi. Naomi’s land would not have been redeemed back to her if Ruth had not married Boaz.
4) We can trust God’s promises to us regarding salvation, etc because He proved He keeps His promises via His relationship with Israel. We should all be in awe and grateful that we are guaranteed that God will not cast us away or break His promises to us! We deserve to be just like Israel. But even though they turned away from God (just like we do), God was faithful for the sake of His Holy name. God’s treatment of Israel (not breaking covenant) proves how Holy He is and How important His Holy name is to Him and should be to us.
Jer 31:35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the LORD, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says 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 For all that they have done, says the LORD.
Eze 16:59 ‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “I will deal with you as you have done, you who despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.
5) We do NOT replace Israel! We are grafted into Israel.
Rom 11:17 “You, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. Remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.”
6) Jesus returns to earth with us to set up His millineal kingdom BECAUSE of the Jews!
They corporately accept Him as their Messiah, which triggers His return! Rev 5 on is focus just on the Jewish people and Israel.
7) Prophecy regarding Israel’s regathering in 1948 validates God and the Bible are true!
Eze 20:41 “I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.
the Bible describes the reborn Israel in great detail. Consider what the Bible says.
• Israel will be reborn as a nation in one day. They were in 1948 • They would be reborn in disbelief (regarding Jesus) • Hebrew would once again become their national language • Trees would be planted. Israel was barren. Now there are over 1.000,000 trees in Israel. • Israel would have a mighty military. Today they are one of the most powerful in the world. • Jerusalem would become a cup of trembling for whole world.
• Israel would be very prosperous. Today they are very wealthy and prosperous. • Oil and gas would be discovered. Two of the largest oil and gas fields have been discovered in Israel. • Ezekiel 38/39 would come to pass. Today, all five of the countries listed are now uniquely united against Israel for the first time in history. With Russia, Iran and Turkey being 3 of them.
The history of the Jewish people should make Christians fall on our face in awe of God! We should be SO grateful that they were NOT discarded by God.
Through the Jewish people GOD
• Proves He keeps His promises. And if He keeps them with Israel He will with us too! • Reveals Himself to us • Confirms how Holy He is and how much He regards His name
• Demonstrates His love for us and His mercy!
So as a Christian, we need to embrace Israel, and we need to heed God's warning from Genesis....
Gen 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you;