GOD'S CHOSEN
Recently, I was challenged by a person who does not believe that those who curse Israel will be cursed and those who bless Israel will be blessed. Unfortunately, this person is among many other Christians who believe in replacement theology, which asserts that the New Covenant through Jesus Christ replaces the Old Covenant, thereby, rejecting Jews as God’s chosen people. However, the Word tells us that the LORD, will not forsake His people; He will never abandon His heritage (Psalm 94:14).
Historically, God promised the land of Canaan to the Israelites. He states the consequences of refusing to bless His people: “I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you, I will curse. And in you (Israel) all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
The world has received a multitude of blessings, resulting from Israel’s ingenuity, innovation and technology. They are recipients of multiple awards for over 45 inventions, some of which are PillCam (capsule endoscopy); the micro robotic system used in surgery; the USB SanDisk flash-drive; Netafim, a drip irrigation system that grows food in parched land; the Iron Dome missile and rocket interceptor; Waze GPS Mobile—developed by an Israeli company and then acquired by Google in 2013; and Watergen—cutting edge technology for renewable source of fresh water.
God had said to Abram, “For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. God uses the word “forever” and “everlasting” repeatedly throughout Scripture. The promises that God made to Israel centuries ago are irrevocable and eternal, for He says, “I am the Lord; I change not” (Malachi 3:6).
God was even more specific when He said to Abram (Abraham) “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). That area includes modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, most of Turkey, and the land east of the Nile River.
Following the death of Moses, that same promise made to Abram and Moses was repeated to Joshua who was then called by God to take His people into the land He had promised for an inheritance (1:4-6). Unfortunately, over the centuries, Israel has either given or surrendered much of their “Promised Land” in hopes of achieving and maintaining peace. Their area of land is now the size of New Jersey and yet their enemies want all of Israel’s land and the annihilation of all Jews.
If we look in the Old Testament, we read that the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Philistines, Assyrians, and Babylonians, to name a few, lost their place of power and prominence, because they cursed Israel and attempted to destroy her. Instead, they were crushed under the hand of God.
Clearly, God has not forgotten, forsaken, nor has He replaced the Jews. In fact, He declared His intentions through the Apostle Peter, when he addressed the Jewish Christians, “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar (special, unusual) people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (I Peter 2: 9-10).
The Apostle Paul, when questioned by the Gentiles if God had rejected the Jews, he answered, “Again, I ask: ‘Did [the Jews] stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!’ I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people (the Jews) to envy and save some of them. For if [the Jews] rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:11-15 NIV).
The Apostle Paul gives us further insight into God’s heart regarding the Jews, “I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles come to Christ” (Romans 11:25-29 NLT). As this final age in history comes to a close, more Jews are accepting the One whom they had rejected.
It is important to know that the Lord chose Jerusalem and is exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion (Zechariah 3:2; Isaiah 45:13; I Kings 11:36). He has chosen to dwell on Mount Zion forever (Psalms 68:16 and 132:13–14). It is His resting place. God refers to Jerusalem as My City and declares, “I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt” (Zechariah 1:14, 16). Jesus is coming back to Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-4).
Two American president grasped the biblical significance of supporting Israel. The first was President Harry S. Truman, who on May 14, 1948, signed the Israeli Declaration of Independence, acknowledging the sovereign state of israel, along with 160 other countries that recognized Israel’s legitimacy. The other is President Donald J. Trump, who showed his support by making good on past presidents’ promises to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. For “Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 135:21).
The Prophet Zachariah foretold what would happen in the last days and warned us to “Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming soon!” On that day the Lord will gather together the nations to fight Jerusalem.” “Then the Lord will go out fully armed for war, to fight against those nations.” “Jerusalem will be raised up in its original place and will be inhabited all the way from the Benjamin Gate over to the site of the Old gate, then to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never again to be cursed and destroyed” (Zachariah 14:1, 6, 10,11).
PRAYER: FATHER, clearly Israel is Your treasured possession. You watch over her day and night. May we all recognize that Your beloved city of Jerusalem is Your eternal city and Your love for Your people has never wavered. May we as Christians continue to bless Your people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Picture courtesy of robert-bye-ozxwRFG4aD8-unsplash.jpg