This week Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, pleaded before Congress for a more strict stance against Iran. He emphasized the historical bond between Israel and the United States. This has raised some interesting discussions about a Christian’s view about Israel.

The various Christian views about Israel today seem to form into two categories…

1. God has ‘set aside’ Israel for a time. He will one day salvage His people.

2. God has replaced Israel with the Church. All the promises given to Israel belong to the Church today.

It is important that we find our answers to this issue in the Bible.

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in;  and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,“The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.  And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins. From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;  for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable,” (Rom. 11:25-29).

The Book of Romans is Paul’s full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He explains the need and offer of salvation in chapters 1-4. He then presents the absolute security and certainty of salvation in chapters 5-8. Paul then answers an obvious question – If God’s salvation is so secure, what about the Jews?

At the moment of the writing of Romans, it appeared God was finished with the Jews. Some may have thought, ‘If God cannot be trusted with His promise to the Jews, how can He be trusted with His promise to the Christians?’ Paul argues that God is not through with the Jews in chapters 9-11, especially the verses above.

Until recently someone may have looked at the Jewish nation and concluded that God’s Word was mistaken. But God’s Word is true and God always keeps His promise. He has a plan for Israel. He has some promises He must keep to the nation.

Christians should definitely support the nation of Israel. We must remember that Israel, the nation, is very special to God.

God’s eternal purpose is to bless the world through Israel. All that we have worth having has come to us through the Jews. Our Bible is a Jewish Book, and our Savior is a Jewish Savior. But God’s not done yet. The fullness of the future blessing to the world is found in Isaiah 27:6: “In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.”

I believe the United States has been blessed because of our consistent support of the Jewish nation. With all the sins that America has committed, we deserve to be judged severely. But I believe the reason we have averted the judgement of God has been because we have been the friend of the Jews and the nation of Israel. In 1948, President Harry Truman helped persuade the United Nations to recognize Israel as a nation. Since then, the United States has contributed billions of dollars to help Israel.

God loves and cares for His chosen people, the nation of Israel. Nations have been destroyed because of their evil dealings with God’s chosen people, the Jews. Christian believers should support and pray for the chosen people of God. This is not to say that we support all the methods they use in their relationships and policies. While we do not support everything Israel does as a nation, we most definitely should support Israel’s right to exist.

God will fulfill His promises and covenants with Israel. God still has a plan for Israel. And woe to anyone who seeks to defeat that plan; “whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3).

What do you think about Israel today?