By: Orean Brown
With the recent world events surely, you have seen and heard people express their views on the Nation of Israel and the Middle East. Especially those who believe that physical Israel is central to God’s plans have come to the forefront. None more than “John Hagee,” the Lead Pastor at Cornerstone Church here in San Antonio. Mr. Hagee believes that Christian’s in the United States judgement and salvation is tied to our relation and how we treat the current Nation of Israel. John Hagee, suggest that the promises of God to Israel have carried over to the church is false doctrine. He once stated the following “We need to cease emphasizing respect for dead Jews like Abraham and David and honor living Israel today, the Jewish people.” Brethren this is so far from the truth, the physical Nation of Israel just like any other physical nation in the world has no special relationship or place in God’s Redemptive Plan of Salvation. The physical nation of Israel is not true Israel. “Because of unbelief they were broken off” (Romans 11:20). “If they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted back in again” (Romans 11:23). They can be blessed if they are not too hardened in heart to hear God’s gospel evidence of salvation in Christ Jesus. If hardness is only in part, then that Jew can and will open his heart to the truth of Jesus and be saved. Brethren because the Jews in the time of Jesus rejected the Old Testament prophets who foretold of Him and subsequently rejected Him as the Messiah, let’s look at what Jesus had to said to them, ““Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:37-39). Israel ended as a nation of God & #39’s people when the Lord Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Note Luke & #39’s record regarding the apostles before the Sanhedrin Jews: & quote; When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:27-32). So, you are asking yourself why I titled this article, Yes! God Bless Israel? Is this a contradiction? How can God Bless Israel, and yet the physical Nation of Israel currently being lost and needing to obey the gospel? Because it is not about the Physical Israel it is about the Spiritual Israel. Paul wrote & quote; For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God & quote; (Galatians 6:15-16). God has nothing in the Palestinian Arabs or Israeli Jews today. Today, the church of Jesus Christ, which began on Pentecost in AD 33, is & quote the Israel of God & quote; Notice also (Galatians 3:26-29) & quote; For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise & quote; The ultimate promise the Lord made to Abraham was spiritual. The church is the true Israel that will be saved. The gospel is the power to save (Romans 1:16). Being a mere Jew in the flesh does not save. There must be the circumcision in heart to make a true Jew (Romans 2:28-29). So, all true Jews will be saved. You see the true Jews believe the truth God revealed to them about the Messiah, and true Jews are not hardened against Jesus Christ being the Messiah, Immanuel, God manifest in the flesh. The plan is for any person, Jew, or Gentile, to come out from under condemnation by the convicting power of the gospel, and in this manner, all true Israelites (those who are converted by the gospel) will be saved. There is no other plan for saving unbelieving national Israel. They are outside God’s blessings because of unbelief. They can come back in the same way the 3,000 Jews did on Pentecost (Acts 2:36-41). The church of Christ that began on Pentecost is the true Israel of God. Gentiles came into that same vine of blessing. Jews who are not too hardened in heart can be grafted in again. But all who reject Jesus are not part of the Israel that will be saved. God’s blessings are on the spiritual Israel, Jesus’ church, not on the old national Israel. So therefore, in this manner all Israel (true Spiritual Israelites) will be saved. MAY GOD ALWAYS BLESS ISRAEL!!!!!!