What you think about Israel matters to God

Like a watershed, Israel seems to be dividing people left and right. Not in a political sense so much, since the Jewish state is being denounced from both sides of the political spectrum, but in the sense that sitting on the fence doesn’t seem to be an available option. It feels like people are being forced to choose: for, or against?

Though it may be a democratic, forward-looking nation that supports freedom for all its citizens, Israel is not a perfect representation of biblical values. Of the ten million Jewish and Arab citizens, some 70% are secular (many of whom identify as atheists), and less than half a percent of Israelis believe in Jesus. There are varying shades and streams of Judaism, and there are some two million Muslims and Christians of different denominations, along with other religious minorities such as the Druze and Baháʼí, yet many seem to expect Israel to be a nation governed by the principle of “What would Jesus do?” and become indignant when it doesn’t happen. 

Many become offended or disappointed when Israel does not live up to their expectations of a morally exemplary nation, forgetting that, according to the Bible, God’s chosen people have rarely met divine standards – except during brief, exceptional periods. Like every other nation, Israel is composed of imperfect, sinful human beings. Both Scripture and current events reflect this reality. Nevertheless, the Bible affirms that Israel is uniquely precious to God.

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

God repeats His passion for His people throughout the whole Bible, calling them His “special treasure” and the “apple of his eye.” He protects and blesses them, delivering them from their enemies and caring for them, insisting His covenant with them is unbreakable, and will last till the end of time. (Jeremiah 31:35-36)

The prophet Isaiah writes about the complex relationship between Israel and the nations. The prophecy gives insight into why God chose the nation of Israel in the first place.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend,” He says in chapter 41: “You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off;' fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:8-10).

Though murderous threats seem to constantly come from those who contend with Israel, God encourages His people, saying, “Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff.” (Isaiah 41:14-15)

To call Israel His “threshing sledge” seems rather eyebrow-raising, yet God has always used Israel as a way of sifting the nations. Virulent anti-Israel fury is typically thinly disguised hatred of the God of Israel, and God uses His people as a litmus test, showing the condition of our hearts towards Him. Do we trust God’s word? His choices? Do we rage against His mercy and grace to others even if we are also undeserving? Or do we accept His Lordship and sovereign right to choose and do as He pleases, confident in His goodness and love? This requires faith.

While the current conflict with Gaza has revealed both the brutality of Hamas and some of Israel’s own challenges, the broader hostility from some neighboring nations toward Israel is not new. Those familiar with biblical themes may interpret this enduring enmity as part of a deeper spiritual struggle rooted in opposition to God’s purposes, and Satan’s very own hatred of God.

Ex-Muslim Palestinian believer, Abdel-massih, urges, “Whether you support Israel or struggle with her existence, as many Palestinians understandably do, we must come to terms with what Scripture teaches: God’s covenant with Israel still stands. And God never breaks His promises.” 

It is sheer grace that God keeps His covenant with Israel. But the lavish grace of God causes visceral reactions – it always has and it always will. Consider the parable of the workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20. Overcoming envy when God is unreasonably gracious to others flies in the face of our human nature. 

“I grew up with questions, pain, even anger,” admits Abdel-massih. “I know the Palestinian experience firsthand. But when I came to know Jesus, I couldn’t read the Bible honestly and still hold on to bitterness or revisionism. I had to confront the truth: If God’s Word is true, then His covenant with Israel still matters. And the more I read, the more I saw: Israel’s story isn’t about political power – it’s about a God who fulfills what He promises,” ​​he concluded.

In contrast to Muhammad, Jesus is often referred to as the Prince of Peace, and as such, many may feel that the most Christian response to the ongoing war in Gaza is to call for peace, without necessarily considering the broader context. Compassion for those who are suffering is a natural and appropriate response. However, focusing solely on this aspect of God's character may overlook the fuller message of Scripture. Those who study the Bible may understand that Israel is viewed as having a unique role in God’s plans to bring peace to all humanity, a role that is met with significant spiritual opposition.

God leaves it up to us to make our own choice. Aligning with God’s unconditional love of Israel does not mean turning a blind eye to Israel’s sin, nor does it mean favoritism or rejection of other nations. God loves all His children equally, but He has plans and purposes which He has promised to fulfill through Israel, and invites us all to join Him in agreement. 

God has pinned His colors to the mast on this matter, and now the gauntlet has been thrown down: can you align with God and His unconditional love for Israel, or not?