By Grant Phillips
We have so much to thank Israel for. This Jewish nation should always be on our lips in prayer, thanking God for her existence. Without her, we would not exist.
Because of the Jew we have not only the Old Testament that informs us about the one true God, but also the New Testament that clarifies Him even more. Everything about the Bible we Christians cherish, came from our Jewish friends.
Almighty God chose a man named Abram (later changed to Abraham by God) and began the nation we know today as Israel. God showed us Himself and His plan for man in the Old Testament then showed us His grace on a cross on the hill called Golgotha.
From Law to Grace He used the mechanism of faith to bring those to Him who would come through His Son Jesus.
On Passover God provided a sacrifice (1 Corinthians 5:7). The sacrifice was His own Son.
The Unleavened Bread (John 6:35) was the way of salvation. Jesus made it clear that He is the bread of life.
On First Fruits the enemy was defeated and the way paved for man to be saved (John 2:19). He is risen! (Matthew 28:6-7)
On Pentecost a new body was formed (Acts 2:1) in addition to the apple of His eye, Israel. That body was the Church.
Our solid hope is all laid out in the following passage: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)
All the original members of the first Church were Jewish. The apostles of our Lord were Jewish. The book we love so much, the Bible, was provided us by the Lord through the writings of mostly Jewish men. The apostle to the Gentiles was Jewish. The greatest missionary who has ever lived was Jewish.
Today, many churches, various denominations, and so-called pastors hate Israel. Some openly boycott any trade with Israel and side with her enemies. Some in the pews of our churches hate the Jews, and don’t even know why. In my opinion, one of the most dangerous things any man or entity can do is side against Israel. You might as well side against God.
“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3)
It isn’t to say that everything Israel does and stands for today is right, but she is still the apple of God’s eye, and that we need to keep foremost in our minds. She is family, and who of us would not stand by our family members, right or wrong?
We should ache for her, knowing her trials that will come during the Tribulation. She will suffer much, but in the end will finally come to recognize her Messiah, and that is the good news. What a glorious day it will be when the nation of Israel finally recognizes her Messiah as the one she rejected many years ago. I can’t imagine the utter joy of that moment.
It wasn’t wise that Israel rejected her Messiah nearly two thousand years ago, but through that horrible decision we were born as the Church. The Jew is usually the only one blamed for the crucifixion of their Messiah, but lest we forget, the Gentiles were there too. We Gentiles, the Romans, actually did the work. So let us not just blame the Jew.
Maybe as a Christian, you do not like the Jews. Maybe you don’t think about it one way or another. Why not take this opportunity to rethink just how much they mean to the Church? We would not be enjoying our position of the bride of Christ if it weren’t for the Jew.
I find it hard to believe that a true Christian would not have a soft spot in their heart for Israel. Should not the Church love and be in much prayer for God’s people, for they are His people? Our prayer should be that many come to know Him as their Savior now.
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