Why Support Israel?

By J.S.

I find it insulting when some people proclaim that a Christian cannot be a Christian unless he/she supports Israel...

First of all, claiming that an Old Testament scripture puts a curse on anyone who speaks against present day Israel contradicts Jesus' own words when He said: Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you (Matthew 5:44). Jesus Christ, obviously, did not agree with Moses on putting curses and He himself spoke plenty against Jews: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. - read the rest of John, chapter 8, where Jesus opposed the Jews.
Why would physical Israel remain the chosen people of God after the New Testament, the new covenant, made between God and men through Jesus Christ? (Hebrews 8:8-9)There seems to be no reason why Genesis 12:2 could not have been fulfilled in the days of Salomon, when Israel indeed became a great nation. However, if it is to be fulfilled again, it can only be so in the context of the New Testament, the new covenant between God and men. (Hebrews 12:24).
With Jesus - who came to fulfill the law - Israel became a spiritual nation wherein all those that are saved are God's people (John 1:11 to 13), thus the prophesies given to Abraham of old concerning his seed, his children, are being fulfilled in those who accept Christ, who, by faith, are now the new children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:6-9):"Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham"

Under the New Testament Israel became a nation without borders, the "commonwealth of Israel", wherein aliens, or strangers, are given "citizenship" by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-16): "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby"

The covenant between God and His people is sealed by Jesus Christ, at the cross, when He died for us and made all those that believe on Him the people of God - the Israel of God. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:15:16)

Even Paul who was a Jew after the flesh felt he had no advantage over those that are saved when he said: "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ". Philippians 3:5-7. The same Paul, after he became a Christian, wrote to his fellow Christians: "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise". (Galatians 4:28)

God's chosen people, the Israel of God, are those who, by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, have been "circumcised" in their hearts! Indeed, a great multi-coloured, multi-racial nation with no physical borders. How is that possible? By the miracle of faith that was mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew: "And think not to say within yourselves. We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham"­ (Matthew 3:9).

Jesus cannot be quoted as promising blessings to anyone who supports the present day country of Israel but He did promise to bless the meek, the merciful and the peacemakers: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth... Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy... Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God". (Matthew 5:3-9)

As for the military support of Israel:
The New Testament prevails over the Old Testament and the wars and battles ordained by God are not a sample to be followed by today's Christian - except eventually in being fervent in fighting our spiritual battles. Otherwise we should be sacrificing goats and calves for the remission of our sins too. Why not? If we would follow one OT doctrine, why not the other? "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, ... not.. by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb 9:11,12). .
So, in the same manner that we no longer follow the Old Testament and sacrifice goats and calves for the remission of our sins, because we have a new covenant through Jesus' blood, we no longer follow the Old Testament doctrines in concern to wars, even if in support of "good causes" such as the destruction of the accursed, fighting for Israel or getting rid of evil. "But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it [they] shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." (II Cor. 3:14-16 )
Under the new testament, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, and fought with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Amen!! We wrestle now in the Spirit, not to kill but to bring life: "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life". The old testament brought us the law but the new testament, love, which fulfills it. II Cor. 3:6. "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Galatians 6:14)

Even if you would not know the scriptures it would be easy to see that Jesus Christ had nothing to do with the support of [physical] Israel. He lived and died Israel then occupied by the Romans. Did he have one single word to say about that? It does not seem so. Actually, much to the contrary, He refused to become the king of the Jews and to lead them in an upheaval against Roman occupation - This because Jesus kingdom is not of this world: John 18:36 - "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." - [physical] present day Israel is not God's kingdom in this world - it does take its name after a spiritual kingdom that is mentioned in the New Testament - (Galatians 6:15:16) The Israel of God. All Christians are blessed to be citizens of such kingdom.

Maybe you are the one that needs to watch what you saying against the real Israel: The Israel of God. "... every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37).

The Israel after the flesh of today is not the same Israel of 4.000 years ago. They are no longer the people of God, how could they be without their Savior? Indeed they might fulfill another scripture: "and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2:9).