“I will bless them who bless you and curse him who curses you, and in you all families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you!” (Psalm 121:6)
In the modern Christian world, attitudes towards Israel are quite different. Some support the doctrine of the so-called “replacement” theology (proponents of which believe that Israel, in New Testament times, does not play an important role, since all believers in Jesus Christ represent Spiritual Israel), while others, on the contrary, deify Israel so much that this is already becoming similar to Judaizing Christianity. But what does the Bible say about this?
Let’s listen to what Christ Himself said in this regard to the woman at the well: “… salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22). Only based on this statement of our Teacher, we must admit that God, even after the birth of the New Testament Church, has a special relationship with the state of Israel in the physical realm, in addition to the spiritual.
However, it is worth saying that no other country in the world can claim the same relationship with God as Israel. Those who come to believe among the Gentiles, constitute a single nation – Christians, heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, and not other chosen nations that those ignorant of the faith, blinded by excessive patriotism or even nationalism, try to idolize. God has a plan, prophesied for the rest of the world, which He will carry out in a historical context. But nowhere do we read in the Bible that there will ever be a second chosen nation like Israel.
All we know is that the time of the Gentiles will come to an inevitable end. And this is not surprising, because we already see that Christians are deviating more and more from the truth of the Word of God and are plunging into darkness, as in the times of Noah and Lot. And among the nations of the world, and even among Christians, anti-Semitic sentiments are increasingly visible.
Therefore, according to the above-mentioned Scriptures, we – followers of the same God of Israel – Elohim, Jehovah, El-Shaddai, Adonai – should bless Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, repentance, and the conversion of the Jewish people to Christ. Woe to those who curse and hate Israel!!! Such people lose God’s blessings, bringing upon themselves a curse.
Right before the eyes of our forefathers, in 1948, the prophecy of the Lord about the restoration of the State of Israel was clearly fulfilled. Not a single people, not a single country in the world, which was conquered and almost destroyed, was able to preserve its language and culture, as the Jews did.
The nation of Israel is a miracle of the fulfilled prophecy and God’s faithfulness. Its existence is clear evidence of the Living God and His supernatural intervention in the history of His chosen people. That is why the devil hates this country so much because he hates everything related to the will of God.
The Apostle Paul also unambiguously expresses his attitude towards Israel, even as a follower of Christ, in his epistle to the Romans, in the 11th chapter. He says, referring to physical Israel: “I say then, has God rejected His people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” (Romans 11:1). But does this mean that all the chosen people are saved, no matter what their lives look like? Of course not, for God has no favoritism in spiritual matters. Paul writes the following regarding this: “So then at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5). That does not mean that everyone is saved, but there is a remnant. This is a good example for those who are keen on Calvinistic teachings; of all the chosen people, only a remnant is saved.
He goes on to say: “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness mean?” (Romans 11:11-12). Here Paul clearly contrasts the physical nation of Israel with the entire Gentile world, among whom you and I came to believe.
Paul would have been glad to save at least some of them, which is what we are trying to do to this day: “If somehow I may make my kinsmen jealous and may save some of them.” (Romans 11:14). This is not about the universal salvation of Israel, nor is it about the time when Israel as a nation will turn to the Messiah. Otherwise, why reach the Jews with the Gospel for salvation? “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).
Then Paul says: “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the root and richness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. If you boast, remember you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you. You will say then, “The branches were broken off, so that I might be grafted in.” This is correct. They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.” (Romans 11:17-21). Based on the Scriptures, we must not be arrogant over Israel, but be watchful and fear, lest we fall away and lose salvation ourselves. We must remember that the Lord did not spare the natural branches.
Here we are talking about both the salvation and the suffering of the Jewish nation in their dispersion throughout the face of the earth. Over the centuries, we have seen this throughout history. Thus this has fulfilled the Jews’ own words of curse: “Then all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”” (Matthew 27:25).
Sometimes you meet people who really want to be like Jews, who even look for the slightest trace of their blood in themselves through DNA tests, and are carried away by the teachings of both the Old Testament and modern Jewish interpreters and rabbis, forgetting that their eyes and ears still remain closed to the Only Way and Truth, Who is Jesus Christ.
To summarize, I want to say that it is our direct responsibility to pray for and bless Israel. The time is coming when the Jews will turn to the Messiah and some are already doing so.
GOD BLESS ISRAEL!
Max Volkov in Christ