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▐ MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL. Christians are not called to support the notorious, anti-Jewish, anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist, anti-Israel BDS movement but to support Israel, a small ‘David-nation’ surrounded by hundreds of millions of ‘Goliaths’ inside a block of antagonistic, belligerent nations who want to deny Israel the right to existence and statehood by ‘driving it into the sea’.
▐ MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL. Christians are not called to support the notorious, anti-Jewish, anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist, anti-Israel BDS movement but to support Israel, a small ‘David-nation’ surrounded by hundreds of millions of ‘Goliaths’ inside a block of antagonistic, belligerent nations who want to deny Israel the right to existence and statehood by ‘driving it into the sea’.
Well, be that as it may, on at least three occasions (1948, 1967 and 1973) the humble slingshot of ‘David’ has proved victorious over the giant swords of the ‘Goliaths’. The (Evangelical) Christian’s duty toward Israel includes:
► Bless ISRAEL. Bless, and do not curse Israel! The Bible says:
“And I will bless those that bless you [ABRAHAM>ISAAC>JACOB>ISRAEL] and curse the one who curses you. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed."
[Genesis12:3MKJV].
► Comfort ISRAEL. The Bible says: “
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak lovingly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is done, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.”
[Isaiah40:1-2].
► Pray for ISRAEL. The Bible says:
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; those who love you shall be bles-sed. Peace be within your walls, blessings within your palaces.”
[Psalm122:6-7].
► Identify with ISRAEL. Identify with Israel’s right to and need for existence, recognition and statehood. Solidarity with Israel does not have to mean the rejection of the Palestinian’s cry for statehood and self-determination. Unlike the case with every other nation on earth, however, the Bible says about Israel:
“Then what is the superiority of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? Much, by every way! Chiefly, indeed, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God.”
[Romans3:1-2].
► Support ISRAEL Theopolitically. Theologically (and Theo-politically) the case for Israel is not lost. The Bible says:
“I say then, Did they not stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy. But if their slipping away is the riches of the world, and their default is the riches of the nations, how much more their fullness?”
[Romans 11:11-12].
► Take the Gospel to ISRAEL. The people of Israel are as much candidates for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Salvation as anyone else. Contrary to what so many people think, Christianity is not for Christians alone. The Bible says:
“Speak lovingly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is done, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins … For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
[Isaiah40:2; Romans1:16].
“He [JEHOVAH] shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those with young.”
[Isaiah40:11].
▐ JERUSALEM. It is very interesting and significant that the city of ‘Jerusalem’ is mentioned nowhere by any of its names in the Quran [Wikipedia.org] but is mentioned in the Bible (Old & New Testaments) more than 800 times
[firmisrael.org].
Acknowledgments
1. Malan, Prof. J. (2009) British Israelism. Online. https://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Britishisraelism.htm
1. Malan, Prof. J. (2009) British Israelism. Online. https://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Britishisraelism.htm
▐ THE PALESTINIANS. Those who support the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist 'BDS Movement' must realise that their antagonism toward Israel and Jews in general are not only aimed at the Jews and Israel only, but also aimed against Evangelical Christianity in general, as Evangelical Christians support Israel, Zionism and, as a nation, Israel’s historical right to statehood as deduced from just about every book in the Bible.
As mentioned before, however, for Holocaust deniers to say that one does not hate Jews but, in the same breath, say that Israel has no right to statehood, is as absurd as saying that, while one does not hate the Ukrainian people, the nation of Ukraine has no historical right to statehood.
Nevertheless, praying for the ‘peace of Jerusalem’ [Psalm122:6-7] without praying for the cause of the Palestinians and their aspirations will be narrowminded and disingenuous of Evangelical Christians. An amicable solution for the Middle-East’s theo-political impasse will be just as much in the interest of Israel as in the interest of the Palestinians, provided they really want it. How Biblical prophecies will yet, however, play out in the Middle-East is a matter to be eschatologically explained and does not fall within the scope of this article.
As mentioned before, however, for Holocaust deniers to say that one does not hate Jews but, in the same breath, say that Israel has no right to statehood, is as absurd as saying that, while one does not hate the Ukrainian people, the nation of Ukraine has no historical right to statehood.
Nevertheless, praying for the ‘peace of Jerusalem’ [Psalm122:6-7] without praying for the cause of the Palestinians and their aspirations will be narrowminded and disingenuous of Evangelical Christians. An amicable solution for the Middle-East’s theo-political impasse will be just as much in the interest of Israel as in the interest of the Palestinians, provided they really want it. How Biblical prophecies will yet, however, play out in the Middle-East is a matter to be eschatologically explained and does not fall within the scope of this article.
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