The importance of how Christians view Israel

The time has come when Christians can no longer sit on the fence when it comes to Israel.  Whether they’ve largely chosen to ignore it, view it strictly as a political matter or be indifferent to the open conflict about it, the moment has caught up with them where they must take a stand one way or another.

I’m saying this, because as anti-Israel/Zionist sentiments ramp up, Christians, perhaps, have the most to lose if they make the wrong choice or decide not to do their own research into the subject.

Consequently, how they relate to or characterize Israel is of great significance.  That hit home with me after recently listening to the podcast of a prominent Christian with a sizeable listening audience.

While his overall message was very good, he, at one point, shifted to the subject of false religion. Using Matthew 12, to illustrate his point, he quoted Jesus who referred to the Jewish Pharisaic leaders, of that day, as “white-washed tombs, a brood of vipers, being like sons of Satan, mocking them, saying that they make their robes long and their phylacteries large and their tassels long.” 

While the podcaster accurately quoted the scripture, he failed to say that Jesus was addressing the Pharisees, who saw themselves as morally superior. The problem is that a lesser-informed Christian listener could easily come away with the conclusion that this is how Jesus felt about all of the Jews of his time.

It’s also easy to see how any Christian might seize on those words, believing that this is still true for the Jews of today.

In fact, this is, indeed, popular theology, taught to many Christians by their leaders, who neither understand the real meaning of certain biblical passages or have come to believe, on their own, that Jews are no longer the Chosen People but, instead, have been replaced by “enlightened” Christians who are now the inheritors of the Abrahamic Covenant and the promises attached to it.

This insidious belief, better known as Replacement Theology, is not only an erroneous application of the scriptures but has, in recent days, been a huge contributor to the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment which has fomented antisemitism in a way that has not been felt for nearly 100 years. 

The reason it is so clearly wrong is that it flies in the face of Genesis 12:3, which states, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.”  This well-known passage, referring to Israel and the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was a perpetual promise, meaning that it had no expiration date.

Replacement Theology is wholly dependent upon removing the blessing from the Jewish people and viewing them through the lens of irredeemable, ungodly individuals, who not only missed the mark, but angered God so much that He turned to another group, endowing them with what was originally meant for Israel and her people.

By shoving Jews aside, and stepping into their intended role, Christians, who do so, are automatically tempted to see themselves as far more worthy and righteous than the people who were specifically called to be a light to the nations.

The tendency, then, is to not only look upon the Jewish people as invalid, but to see them as an impediment to God’s divine plan and purposes.  That is the beginning of a very dangerous thought process, which can only result in hatred, vilification and complete rejection of those who Christians begin to perceive as their enemy and, by extension, the enemy of the God whom they serve.

Of course, by adopting such a twisted position, which started with a heretical application of scripture, often stemming from jealousy and envy, it’s no wonder that the Jews end up experiencing persecution and derision, driven by individuals who wanted the special place and calling that was reserved only for the chosen race.

By coveting that role, Christians could easily find themselves in the same onerous predicament that caused the angel Lucifer to fall, once he envied the position of the Almighty, seeking to replace Him by promoting himself as the Supreme Being.

We all know how badly that turned out for him, reducing his important heavenly function as a high-ranking cherub and leader of celestial worship in God's presence.

Since that time, the fallen angel has been attempting to deceive all of mankind, in a concerted rebellion to get back at the same God who took him down, stripping him of all of the glory he’d originally been given.

Christians have also been given glory. As those, whose faith was initiated from the God of Israel and the Jewish prophets, they, too, have a special place, intended to support their “root” as opposed to tearing it down and recreating an entirely new faith, based on envy and their own errant thinking.

By refusing that charge, they will find themselves in a position of being on the receiving end of the curses which are stored up for those who do not bless Israel.

While I’m sure that this Christian podcaster did not intend to suggest that today’s Jews are the sons of Satan, by failing to very explicitly explain that his quote was meant for hypocritical religious leaders, of all stripes – not even necessarily Jews, he inadvertently may have caused ignorant Christians to start thinking of Israel, and her collective people, as God’s enemies.

This is why it is so important, especially at this time in history, for Christians to embrace correct theology in order to properly conceptualize the specific order and place of the Jewish people, both today and going forward.  

As world events move more in the direction of blaming Israel and the Jews for crimes which they did not commit, Christians will have to choose sides, whether they want to or not. Because there will come a time when being neutral will no longer be an option.

History has taught us that no one can remain silent. Everyone will be required to account for where they stand on the question of Israel. It’s already happening on the political spectrum, and it won’t be long before it invades every sector of society.

That is why Christians will need to get this right by correctly viewing Israel through the eyes of their God who hasn’t implemented Plan B!