If you’re a Christian and trying to make sense of the war between the State of Israel and Gaza, you’ve been taught that Israel is “God’s chosen people”. But the violence against the Palestinians is horrific so you feel uneasy and unsure what to believe, this message may be for you.
The enemy has hijacked the term “Israel”. Just like the enemy uses a rainbow, a symbol of God’s promise to symbolize pride in sin.
The devil seeks to deceive by taking something good and attaching it to individuals who have submitted to living in sin. Many who want to do unspeakable, detestable crimes have been claiming themselves to be Jews in order to avoid criticism. Those who call out their evil are branded anti-semites.
Who are these people? The Bible refers to them as belonging to the Synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9).
I have noted a language where people who notice these things will say things like “Israel is demonic”. Beware of this language too. Do not fall into enemy trap and coin a term of new beginning, one that God gave to Jacob, as demonic. It will indeed trap you into real antisemitism.
So what do we do? The Bible says that we ought to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). This makes so much sense of course. Because we do not want to destroy wheat with tares so to speak. God is not done with His work there. One day nations will gather against Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:3). God Himself allows it in order to judge them for their sins (Zechariah 13:2), just as He will judge other nations for their own sins. He will purge the evil from the land. One day, all of Israel will be saved. Who is “all of Israel”? (Romans 11:26)
All of Israel, the Israel of God, comprises of both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 9:6, Romans 11:25, Galatians 3:28-29).
If you feel like you still don’t understand and ask, doesn’t the Bible say God will bless those who bless Israel? No, the Bible does not say that. Especially not in the way some tag it to mean. That passage was specifically spoken to Abraham (Genesis 12:3). And we know that faith is what was accredited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).
But what about the covenants God made in regards to the land (Deuteronomy 29:1-30) and establishing the throne of David forever (2 Samuel 7:26)?
Firstly, God has always been clear that turning to false gods and walking in evil will lead to punishment. It was a constant back and forth. God put an end to this back and forth through Christ. That is why “it is finished” (John 19:30). Likewise, the throne of David has been established forever also in Christ (Romans 1:3). Both Jews and Gentiles if they want to be blessed forever and receive the blessings God promised must do so in Christ. There’s no moving forward unless we do so in Christ (John 6:66, John 14:6, John 15:5, Galatians 3:28-29). The end of the road is with Christ. So we either submit to Him or turn around to be enslaved by the spirit of the anti-Christ.
Scripture has been clear that faith is what justifies regardless of your location or physical bloodline. Ishmael himself was of the physical bloodline of Abraham. But his story was used to illustrate the narrative of flesh/physical vs faith/promise; To be born by the power of the Spirit (Galatians 4:28). It is important for Christians to understand this theology; that we know how to share the truth that will set captive minds free. And also importantly, so that we do not behave like Esau and in ignorance give away our inheritance.
‘But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” (Galatians 4:30)’