Seraph wrote:I don't have anything against Israel and will pray for them, but I'm just wondering. Do we as modern day Christians have a responsibility to support Israel at all costs? Jesus already came from Israel and died like the jewish prophets said. Today, are they any more important than other countries?
God's relationship is with everyone, not just Israel. I think God's future plan for humanity will come to pass whether the US supports Israel or not. If Israel does in fact play a vital role, then I think God will make sure Israel is preserved.
Basically, I don't think God's will has a possibility of not being played out because we as Americans didn't do enough to support Israel.
Good question Seraph... I believe that Christians do have a moral responsibly to support Israel.. Much of this is addressed in Romans 11: 11-32. We are to be grafted into a Jewish tree, not any other..
Ingrafted Branches
11 Again I ask: Did they (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. 12 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!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their (Jews) rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot (Gentiles), have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root (Jews), 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they (the Jews) were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
All Israel Will Be Saved
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:
Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[f] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”[g]
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned,
they (the Jews) are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
My personal belief about this is that we are running out of time.. Why? Because more Jews are starting to figure out that Jesus was their messiah. My personal belief is they actually have the power to call Him back. And when they do, that will be the end to the evangelization of the Gentiles. It will be over...
