Israel. Israel is a word that we have undoubtedly heard a lot. It might have been mentioned in the news, in our history classes, or even in church. Israel is a little nation, but it appears to be everywhere. Which raises the following query: What’s the big deal?
The simplest response to that query is that it speaks to the nature of God: Is He a God who maintains His word to His people, or is He a God who alters His plans without regard to what He has said? As Christians, we hold that no matter what happens or who we are, the God we know keeps his promises and never deserts his people. Additionally, we think that God has specifically commanded that the Jewish people be blessed. But aren’t we supposed to love and bless all the people, of course we do but God stated in the bible that there is a specific blessing promised to those who bless Israel.
One of the first promises in the Bible is given to Abram, whom God appointed to be a blessing to the whole earth. In Genesis 12, When God made His eternal bond with Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and he who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” He firmly established a connection between the Jewish people and the patriarch’s lineage. This passage from Genesis 12 may appear the most simplest but it is the first time the Bible alludes to the idea of blessing Israel. The blessing of all people on earth is included in God’s promise to Abraham. Therefore, you participate in the promise God made to Abraham by deciding to bless Israel as a country and people.
God is calling us to stand with Israel in ways that no prior generation has ever been able to, leaving the security of our structures and church groups. The hand of God is upon us in extraordinary ways during these exceptional times. The Bible, which we regard as a need for existence, was totally composed by Jews. Jesus Christ, whom we esteem as our Savior and Lord, was a Jew. The Jews were God’s chosen people, and they are the foundation of our entire Christian heritage. Every believer’s calling includes caring about Israel. By praying for the Jewish people to accept their Messiah and loving the Jewish people and Israel, God has given us the ability to turn the “key” that unlocks a global revival.
