WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FRIEND OF ISRAEL?

By Greg Denham

The best days are ahead for Israel!

One day all of Israel will know the Lord and know salvation in Christ. In the meantime, millions of Gentiles among the nations are coming to faith in Christ.

Does the church of today play a role in what will be the future of Israel? Does the church have a responsibility to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the people from which Messiah came?

The Bible says that a Christian should have a specific influence to the Jewish community. (Romans 11:11) What does that mean? How does the church influence Israel? What is the relationship that Christians should have with Jews throughout the world and in Israel?

Below, is what I believe is a Biblical vision of what it means to be a “Friend Of Israel!”

(1.) A Christian stands against the ignorance and madness of racism and anti-Semitism. There is no greater friend of sinners, of man, of Israel – than Jesus. History attests of unspeakable acts toward Jews by those who have worn a mask of Christianity. Genuine Bible believing Christians denounce these acts! Zechariah 2:8; Duet. 7:7-9a

(2.) A Christian is a Bible believer who stands on the promises that God gave Israel of a homeland in the land of Israel. God keeps His promises and cannot cancel His character. Zionism is the belief that Jews have a right to a national home in Israel. 1 Chron. 16:17-18; Ez. 26:24; Romans 9:1-5; Joel 3

(3.) A Christian believes in the whole Bible! The roots of the Christian faith sprang forth from the soil of Judaism which began in Jerusalem not Rome. A Christian has been engrafted into the promises that God gave to Israel of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. A Christian believes in the whole Bible and calls both Jews and Christians back to the study of the Holy Scriptures.

(4.) A Christian’s highest expression of blessing “Israel” and the Jewish people is demonstrating unconditional love toward Jews and helping Jewish friends (and the world) to see the hope and salvation of the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus! The Bible foretold that through Abraham, “…all the families of the earth shall be blessed;” that “Salvation is of the Jews” and that the  “…the gospel of Christ … is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Genesis 12:3; John 4:22; Acts 2:22; Romans 1:16-17

(5.) A Christian is not anti-Jewish but on the contrary a Christian worships the “Lord God of Israel” and a Savior who is Jewish who demonstrated that He is the Savior of both Jew and Gentile by resurrecting from the dead. Jeremiah 31:31 says, “Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” The word Jeremiah uses for “New Covenant” is the Hebrew phrase “brith Hadasha” – from which the phrase “New Testament” comes. A Christian is not calling Jews to assimilate and convert to another religion, but rather to be complete in Messiah! Mt 5:17-18 … Jeremiah 31:31 … Romans 10:1-4

(6.) A Christian stands against Islamic extremism – which is rooted in racism and hatred that targets Israel, Christians and the non-Islamic world. Allah is not the God of the Bible.

(Copyright 2008 Greg Denham)