Israel

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Israel
Compared to other countries in the world, Israel is a very small parcel of land located in the Middle East--but three major religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) lay claim to it.
What do the "scriptures" have to say about "Israel"?
Genesis 12    1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:    2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:    3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
	What a wonderful promise!  God tells Abraham that He will make him a great nation, and that he would be a blessing to the world.  From Israel and the Jewish people, we have received the Bible, the Messiah Yeshua Himself, and even the church was birthed out of Israel.  But God doesn't stop there. He also said He would bless those who bless this small nation of Israel, and curse those who curse Israel.
Genesis 17    7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy see after thee.    8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Did you catch that?  ...an everlasting covenant, ... for an everlasting possession.  It can't be any plainer, yet many in the church believe in Replacement Theology.
What Is Replacement Theology?
Replacement Theology teaches that Israel (the Jewish people and the land) have been replaced by the church.  It says Jewish people are no longer God's chosen people.  They are no different than any other group, such as the English, Spanish or Africans.  Apart from repentance, Jewish people have no future and no calling in the plan of God.  They claim that since the Pentecost of Acts 2, the term "Israel" now refers to the Church.  The promises, covenants and blessing ascribed to Israel in the Bible have been taken away from the Jews and given to the Church. This might have seemed true 100 years ago, especially since there was no nation of Israel.  But in 1948 something happened.  Israel was born again from the ashes of the Holocaust of World War II.
Dry Bones
Ezekiel 37    4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.    5 Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live    11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel:  Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.    12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.    14And (I) shall put my spirit in your, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
Isn't that exactly what God did after World War II?  The spirit of God came upon the dry bones of a nation that no longer existed, that had been dead for 2000 years, and suddenly Jews from all over the world had a homeland, in the very same place that God had given it to Abraham.  Coincidence?   No, just all part of God's timetable.  Israel is the only nation that has ever passed away, and then been reborn.
The church has not replaced Israel, but rather has been called along side of her.  We've been called to love her, bless her, pray for her, and stand with her.
1. The Western Wall     2. The Lion's Gate     3. En Gedi
Grafted In
Romans 11    1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people?  God forbid. For I (Paul) also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.    2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.
That should be easy enough for all to understand, but sadly enough, some in the church don't seem to see it.  One of our responsibilities as believers is to shed light on this truth.
Romans 11    11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall?  God forbid: but rather through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Because of their fall, Salvation is come to the Gentiles.  And now, scripture says we will provoke them to jealousy. That would not likely happen to the church of the past.  There has been so much anti-Semitism and hatred for the Jews in the church, what could there be that would cause them to be jealous?  Even the Holocaust of WWII occurred in "Christian" Europe. Only recently have true believers started embracing their Jewish brothers and recognizing that God has not finished with them.
	Romans 11    17 And if some of the branches be broken off, an thou being a wild olive tree wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;    18 Boast not against the branches.  But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.    19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.    20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.  Be not highminded, but fear:    21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.    23 ...For God is able to graff them in again.    25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
It's important to remember... 1. We (a wild olive tree) have been graffed in. 2. The root supports the branches, not the other way around.
Israel and the Church, natural olive tree and wild olive tree graffed together, need each other. Israel (the root) without the branches (the church) bears no fruit. The church (the branches) without Israel (the root) does not receive the nourishment it so desperately needs, and will eventually die.
Romans 11    26 An so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:    27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Yeshua (Jesus) said ... John 14    6 ...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. And since Romans 11 says all Israel shall be saved, we know that it will come to pass.  When God makes a promise, He is capable of fulfilling it.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Often we've quoted this scripture concerning a particular calling we think we have.  How can we do that and totally ignore God's gifts, calling, and covenant with Israel?
The Nation of Israel
Genesis 17    19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.   20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation.    21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
The seed of Ishmael will be great... BUT, God's covenant is with Abraham's son Isaac.
Genesis 15    18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.
Wow!  This is certainly much larger than the current boundaries of Israel.  Notice that scripture clearly states that the land given to Abraham was from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates River. We hear much in the news about Israel giving up land for peace...is that what God wants?
Deuteronomy 7    1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whiter thou goest to possess it, and hast cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, even nations greater and mightier than thou;    2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them.
Like it or not, God is really plain.  When they came into the land, there was to be "No covenant"  with their enemies.  No land for peace.  No covenant ... period!  (No Road Map to Peace)
Israel, the Apple of God's Eye
	Zechariah 2    8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of His eye.
Is there any question that Israel holds a special place in God's heart?
Psalm 132    13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.    14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
2 Kings 21    7 In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever.
If you were to see an aerial view of Jerusalem, you'd see the Hebrew letter Shin, the letter for the name of God, "Shaddai".
The Lion of Judah
Revelation 5    5 ...Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David
What is the Role of the Church concerning Israel?
From "The Error of Replacement Theology" by Clarence Wagner, Jr.
We are called to show God's love to the Jewish people, for without them we would not have had God's Word or our Saviour who was a Jew from Israel.  Romans 11    28 With respect to the Good News, they are hated for your sake.  But with respect to being chosen, they are loved for the Patriarchs' sake. (Jewish New Testament) We are to show God's mercy. Romans 11    31 So also Israel has been disobedient now, so that by your showing them the same mercy that God has shown you, they too may now receive God's mercy. (Jewish New Testament) We are to give our material gifts to help them. Romans 15    27 They were pleased to do it, but the fact is that they owe it to them.  For if the Gentiles have shared with the Jews in spiritual matters, then the Gentiles clearly have a duty to help the Jews in material matters. (Jewish New Testament) We are to pray for them and for Israel. Psalm 122    6 Pray for shalom (peace) in Yerushalayim: may those who love you prosper,        7 May shalom be within your ramparts, prosperity in your palaces. (Jewish New Testament) We are to be watchmen on the walls to protect them. Isaiah 62    6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Yerushalayim; they will never fall silent, neither by day nor by night, You who call on ADONAI, give yourselves no rest;    7 And give Him no rest till he restores Yerushalayim and makes it a praise on the earth. (Jewish New Testament) We are to help with the aliyah (immigration) to Israel and the building up of Zion. Isaiah 60    9 The coastlands are putting their hope in me, with the Tarshish ships in the lead, to bring your children from far away, and with them their silver and gold, for the sake of ADONAI your God, the Holy One of Israel, who glorifies you. (Jewish New Testament) Isaiah 49    22 Adonai Elohim answers: "I am beckoning to the nations, raising my banner for the peoples, They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. (Jewish New Testament)
Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim - Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem