WHO IS THE TRUE ISRAEL?

As we hear of the increasing atrocities in the Middle East, we often become confused as to the identities of the bad guys and the good guys. Many Arabs are devoted to Islam, and many Jews are devoted to Judaism. Among the many Palestinian Muslims are some extremist terrorists. The forgotten people are the numerous peace-loving Christian Arabs caught in the middle. There are few Christian Jews in Israel. In fact, a large number of Jews (especially the Zionists) hold no religious tenets. Islam and Judaism both oppose Christianity. Both religions have perpetrated atrocities against one another and against Christians. Christian Palestinians are caught in the crossfire between Israel and its Muslim antagonists. The state of Israel was established in 1948 by the UN giving land to the Jews which had been owned for many centuries by Arabs. The secular state of Israel opens its land to Jews from all lands - - except Christian Jews. The Supreme Court of Israel has recognized that no Christian Jew may become a citizen of Israel. That exhibits well the attitude of the present Israel toward Christianity. The state of Israel wants America's money and weapons, but it rejects America's religion -- Christianity.

One reason for America's strong support of Israel exists because of weak theology in the pulpits which causes many in the evangelical Church to side with the present Israel, despite its wrongful actions against innocent Palestinians. They do so on a misunderstanding of God's Word to Abraham saying, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:3) This was a blessing to Abraham and a promise of the Messiah. It was not a guarantee that an apostate nation would always be blessed, even when it rejected its Protector. God's Word is holy, infallible and inerrant, and He does not change. Problems come from our human misunderstandings.

At one time, the secular nation of Israel was blessed by God. God called Israel from slavery to be His chosen people. He set before them a covenant of blessings or cursings. Deuteronomy 28. When the nation of Israel rejected God, He rejected them. These curses followed: "Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. (Deuteronomy 28:16) "The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess." (28:21) "The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies." (28:25) "You shall not prosper in your ways; you shall only be oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you." (28:29) "Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of earth to the other." (28:64) "Moreover all of these curses shall come upon you and pursue you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever." (28:45-46) The present evangelical church ignores God's pronouncements and inflictions of covenantal cursings on an apostate Israel.

Our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied of the cursings to fall upon apostate Israel in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Christ's listeners would have been stunned to hear the present day futuristic/rapturistic interpretation of our Lord's words that "this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place." (Mark 13:30; also, see Matthew 24:34 and Luke 21:32) The words referred to that generation. Some recent translations have substituted the word "race" for "generation," but this is not supported by sound exegesis. Our Lord said, "For these are the days of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled." Luke 21:22. The blood of the righteous would fall on apostate Israel. Matthew 23:34-36.

In 70 A.D., Israel was destroyed by Rome, and the Jewish people were scattered throughout the world, just as God had said they would. Thanks be to God, His mercy is so great that He will one day restore the fallen branch of the Jews back into the trunk of His holy people. At present, however, the secular nation of Israel is an apostate nation deserving God's wrath, not His blessings. Sadly, many evangelicals do not understand this in their unwavering support of Israel. In doing so, they support atrocities committed by Jewish apostates, while condemning heinous actions committed by Muslim terrorists. While self-defense is proper, nationalistic aggression and returning evil for evil are not. Both Jews and Muslims have committed numerous atrocities against innocent civilians in furthering their nationalistic and religious ends. They have sinned in doing so.

Believers in the Christian Church are the new Israel entitled to God's blessings. The true Israel does not include the present secular state of Israel. "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, 'In Isaac your seed shall be called.' That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed." (Romans 9:6-8) Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6. Jews and Muslims can only come to the Father by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Those who oppose God are His enemies. One is either for Him or against Him. There is no neutral zone. "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalm 7:11) Until the Jews in the secular state of Israel repent of their apostasy and return to the only true God through faith in His only Son, Jesus Christ, they are God's enemies. God's people will do well not to ally themselves with His enemies.

May we pray without ceasing for peace in Jerusalem and in all of the world. May the people of God who are being persecuted in many quarters be protected. May the Prince of Peace bring His true peace to all who love Him.

--Milton Dale Peacock