6 Biblical Reasons Christians Should Support Israel

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The biblical basis for Christian support for Israel is extensive and is not from one isolated section of the Bible but is found throughout. Old Testament covenants, involving the calling of the Jewish people and their gift of land, beginning in Genesis 12, are affirmed throughout the Psalms, the prophetic books, and the New Testament.

The Torah

The Torah is comprised of the first five books of the Bible, and the very first book, Genesis, tells the story of God’s choice of Abraham to birth a nation through whom He would carry out His plan to redeem fallen mankind. In Genesis 12:1-3, God explains that in return for following Him in faith, Abraham would be given a land and made into a great nation that would be a blessing to all the families of the earth. In Genesis 15, God legally guarantees His promise by making a covenant with Abraham, and in chapter 17, He explains that this covenant is to be everlasting, as will be its provision of land.

The Psalms

Psalm 102 is one of the most powerful prophetic passages in the Bible. It is a cry of hopelessness where the psalmist sees his people withering like grass. But suddenly, the tone of this psalm dramatically changes and becomes one of restoration, culminating in the Lord “building up Zion” and “appearing in glory” (v. 16). The key verse is 13, where God suddenly takes action: “You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.” In our lifetime, the Lord has been busy restoring Zion. God has arisen to actively show mercy to her. Therefore, it is also time for us to arise and join what God is doing!

Psalm 105 is another powerful psalm that waxes poetic about how the Abrahamic covenant and its promise of land—confirmed to Isaac, Jacob, and all of Israel—is an everlasting covenant. It cannot be broken. The Hebrew prophets agreed with the psalms. While they witnessed the devastation of judgment on the people for their sins, they foretold of a day when God would bring His people back home, establish a right relationship with Him, and fulfill their calling to bless the world. One such prophet was Jeremiah.

The Book of Jeremiah

Known as the “weeping prophet” for his lamenting over the sins and coming judgment on Jerusalem, Jeremiah also saw a future new covenant that God would make with Israel because His promises to them are everlasting and as sure as the ordinances of the sun, moon, and stars (31:35-36; 33:20). Jeremiah also foresaw a future great return of the Jewish people to their homeland and that God would one day plant them back in their land “with all of His heart” (32:41).

The Book of Isaiah

Isaiah also saw a great end-time return that would not just be from the north—the land of Babylon or Assyria—as in the first return, but the north, south, and from the ends of the earth (43:6). Even though the Jerusalem that Isaiah prophesied to had not yet been destroyed, but was corrupt and fully deserving of judgment, it would be a city praised for its righteousness when the glory of God would shine out from there throughout all the earth. Isaiah knew that day was as sure as any promise Israel’s faithful God had made, and He called upon intercessors to partner in prayer until it happened. Anyone who prayed was asked to be as a watchman on the walls, crying out in persistent prayer until God fulfilled His promise to establish Jerusalem as a praise in all the earth (62:6-7).

That day has not yet taken place, but the words of Isaiah still ring forth. Those of us who know the Lord are called to intercede for the city and its people until God has fulfilled all that He has promised.

The New Testament

Moving now to the New Testament, we find the apostle Paul reflecting upon the everlasting nature of God’s promises to the Jewish people and the source of blessing to the world they are still to be. In Romans 11:28-29, Paul confirmed that the Jewish people are beloved of God and their election secure as He had promised their forefathers. He went so far as to say that even though they might be considered an enemy to the gospel of Christ, their gifts and calling have not been revoked. Neither their rejection of Jesus’ messianic credentials nor exile from the land would annul God’s covenant with Abraham that included a gift of land and a calling to bless all the families of the earth with redemption.

Paul, therefore, instructed the church in Rome to approach the Jewish people with humility and honor them as the spiritual root of our Christian faith. Everything we hold dear as Christians came to us through the Jewish people, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. God used their rejection to bring about the atoning death of Jesus and cause the gospel to go out to the Gentiles. Once the fullness of the Gentiles has come into the church, He will turn again to reveal Himself to the Jewish people, and their acceptance will be a blessing to the entire world.

A Firm Biblical Basis

With such a firm biblical foundation for support of the Jewish people, it is no surprise that many of the fathers of the Bible-based Evangelical Christian movement preached the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland and the blessing this return would bring upon us all. Modern Christian supporters of Israel follow in the steps of great Christian leaders, such as John and Charles Wesley, Robert Murray MacCheynne, Charles Spurgeon, and many Puritan preachers, to name a few.

It is because of this solid biblical mandate that Christians should pray for Israel and the Jewish people and stand in solidarity with them against the evil of antisemitism in our day.

This article was originally published on May 31, 2022: www.icejusa.org/2022/05/31/why-christians-support-israel-part-5-biblical-reasons/

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For over 40 years, Dr. Susan Michael has advanced the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) in the USA and worldwide. She serves as the USA President and sits on the ICEJ’s international Board of Directors. She is frequently asked to address complex issues to diverse audiences—including antisemitism, Jewish-Christian relations, and Middle East affairs—and does so with clarity and grace. Dr. Michael leads the American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI) network, has authored books, such as Encounter the 3D Bible: How to Read the Bible so It Comes to Life, and has developed educational resources, including the IsraelAnswers website, ICEJ U online courses, and curricula for Christian colleges.