“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so”. And so it is with Israel. As a Messianic my attachment to Israel is fully based in Torah and the Biblical centering on this small giant place. Abraham was told to leave and take his family, servants and flocks and go to an land which he would be shown. Abraham lived in Ur, a sizable empire at the north of the Fertile Crescent. Egypt and Chaldea were ascending to stature and living in Ur was an advantage. Abraham’s family had wealth and influence and he had a choice to make: leave the empire and its gods and wealth and go to a place he had scarcely heard of, or stay and inherit the position and wealth of Terah, his father. He chose to obey the word of a G-d he had just come to know in a land of many gods. The rest is history, literally.
Empires, emperors, kings and pharaohs are named in the Bible, but only the land given to Abraham and his descendants forever is designated as being divinely chosen for where His tabernacle and mercy seat would rest. Not, Rome, Babylon, Damascus or New York but the land called Israel is named. No other place is cited and the words appear so many times in Scripture it is impossible to misunderstand the intent.
Many times some say that the Bible is a “living document”. It fits the circumstances of the times in which we live. It changes in its meaning as someone interprets it, not as the people of the 1st century would probe and discover its meaning through study and discussion. It is whatever someone says it is. Recently a television “personality” said the Bible needed to be re-edited to fit the times. Thank, you, we’ll refer your request up the chain of command. However, many today are returning to the meanings the Bible contains through the study of Hebrew, the various translations of words, the symbolism of the forms of language and learning the art of the narrative as used in Biblical times. Their rediscoveries are amazing as they recapture the mindset of a people who have endured 3,500 years of persecution, exile and holocaust. The setting for the Bible’s writing, history and prophecies past and to come is in Israel. Period.
Christians must know the value and importance of symbolism in the Bible. People of the times formed their lives around the words and the way of life it demanded. Our development of Western cultures left behind much of the understanding of the words, concepts and figures of speech as these cultures assimilated non-Jewish concepts and melded them into new languages and worldviews. No matter where it is read and studied, the Bible is about Israel and those who are Abraham’s descendants, first born or adopted.
Israel the state is under threat and attack from forces that the Bible says represent a false god, a choice must be made to stand with Israel the state and people or stand with the enemy. G-d does not allow for neutrality, there is no menu system, no mix and match. Christians know where they must stand, it’s in the Bible. Israel is the place G-d intentionally chose to place His people and the Messiah. We cannot allow the enemy to overrun it in any way.
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Mark says
Interesting and yet Jesus told us clearly that the City and religious practices were abandon to them – they were found wanting and they finally rejected God. Jeremiah 31 explains when that time came God would find a New Israel – the Israel of God and that his Temple would be Heavenly just as the Bride of Christ the New Jerusalem is heavenly.
So we can’t have it all ways up because when we consider the writings of Peter, Paul, Luke, and John we recognise that Israel is no longer the chosen nation rather those circumcised in their Hearts and demonstrating the faith like that of Abraham have come into this special relationship.
I too believe and proclaim the Messianic Kingdom and do not look to the Nation State of Israel as any sort of expression of Gods Kingdom today. Their land grabbing, that actions against indigenous inhabitants and their failure to up hold the basic tenets of faith scream that God could not be associated with this nation. Sorry to disagree but I couldn’t just let this pass
J.G.S Editor says
Shalom Mark – And what condition were you in (and indeed most people) spiritually before you truly cried out to God? Blessings from Jerusalem – Best regards, Ian (editor)