Transformed by His Grace
Shalom, dear friend,
As I write this letter, the war in Israel and its repercussions are still impacting the lives of Israelis. They are hurting and in great need of our prayers and support. Please also remember to pray for the forty-plus Chosen People Ministries staff members currently serving in the land. They are faithful amid incredible challenges to their lives and ministries!
In light of current events, I am especially eager to present to you this current volume of our newsletter. It addresses the critical and contemporary issue of Christian Zionism, or Christian support for the modern State of Israel, which should be a central concern for all who love the God of Israel, the Messiah of Israel, and the land of Israel. This month’s feature article (pages 4–5) was written by Reverend Thomas
Fretwell, who leads the Ezra Foundation and partners with Chosen People Ministries—United Kingdom. We welcome Tommy’s excellent contribution to this newsletter and are pleased to offer you two of his books as a resource. To purchase, please place an order on the reply card or go to store.chosenpeople.com.
This newsletter will answer the question: What role does the Bible ask Christians to play regarding modern Israel?
Let Us Start at the Beginning!
In Genesis 12:2–3, God made a covenant with Abram (later renamed “Abraham”), which included making him a great nation, giving him a land, and granting his descendants a holy purpose. The Jewish people were also to be a bridge of blessing to the world. God did not choose Jewish people for this task because Abram or his descendants somehow deserved this role. Rather, God chose Israel because of His love for her (Deuteronomy 7:7–8).
The Abrahamic Covenant not only established the unique role of Israel in the world, but also forged an extraordinary relationship between Israel and the nations. There were mutual obligations for both Jewish and Gentile people toward one another embedded in the covenant from the very start! God would bless all the families of the earth through Jewish people. Gentiles were also to bless Israel (Gen 12:3).
Paul recognized the key role his own people would play in the drama of world redemption when he wrote to the Roman believers, “From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:28–29, emphasis added).
The Land of Promise
I understand that godly and sincere Christians might not see eye to eye about how to understand the covenant God made with Abraham. But according to a recent poll, 80 percent of evangelical Christians do believe God gave the land to Jewish people based upon Genesis 12:1–3.[1] If you are one of those who do, then you are a biblical Zionist, one who believes God gave the land to Abraham and his descendants. God provided the boundaries of the land gifted to Abram so there would be no mistake regarding the parcel Abram and his descendants would inherit: “From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates” (Gen 15:18). The promise of the land and its boundaries were specific and even larger than those of the modern-day State of Israel.
The One who created the heavens and the earth is sovereign over the boundaries of nations and holds the hearts of the kings of nations in His powerful hand (Deuteronomy 32:8–9; Proverbs 21:1; Acts 17: 24–27). We should not think it odd at all for God to delineate the specific boundaries of Israel’s territory when He first called Jewish people as His special nation.
The Promise of the Land Endures
God’s promise of the land passed from Abraham to his son, Isaac:
Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. (Genesis 26:3, emphasis added)
God then made these same promises to Jacob, after He changed his name to Israel:
God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” (Genesis 35:11–12, emphasis added)
In summary, God created and chose Jewish people to be a holy nation and a blessing to the nations. The greatest blessing from Jewish people came when the greatest Jewish person who ever lived, Jesus the Messiah, was born into this world. The story of His first coming was set within a Jewish context, and His second coming will be the same. The Jewish people and the land of the Savior’s birth will play a major role in His glorious return. In fact, He will return to Jerusalem when, and only when, Jewish people turn to Him as Savior and Lord (Matthew 23:37–39; Zechariah 12:9–10).
Biblical Zionism
The hope of Zion and the promise of God to Jewish people of a land, a purpose, and a destiny is not a political philosophy, but a truth from the Word of God.
What, then, are the responsibilities of believers in Jesus?
First, we are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. In Psalm 122:6, the psalmist tells us to pray for God’s peace to come to Jerusalem. Jerusalem also represents the whole nation of Israel, so please pray for all Israel and Jewish people worldwide. We need to pray for the Prince of Peace to return to His rightful throne in Jerusalem and reign over Jewish people and the nations with true righteousness.
I hope that every follower of Jesus will support Jewish people as Israel is home to more than half of the world’s Jewish population. Supporting Israel, however, does not mean every Christian must agree with every decision made by the prime minister of Israel or the government of Israel. Rather, followers of Jesus should support the right of the State to exist and thrive, and ultimately be a place ready for Messiah’s return. Overall, Christians should bless Jewish people in any way possible as instructed by God (Genesis 12:2–5).
Of course, one of the most obvious responsibilities Christians have toward Jewish people is to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Paul instructs Gentiles to make Jewish people jealous of the Jewish Messiah living in their hearts (Romans 11:11).
Finally, it is very important to bless Jewish people by standing against antisemitism. The line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism is being crossed regularly. We see this fact in the exponential rise in global antisemitism since October 7, which is no coincidence. Today, the political, ethical, moral, and spiritual issues intertwine in ways difficult to separate. Christians must show God’s love for Israel and Jewish people by countering antisemitism on social media. There is also prejudice against Jewish people and Israelis on many college campuses; we should speak up against it at our alma maters and on campuses in our respective towns.
[1] “Evangelical Attitudes Toward Israel Research Study: Evangelical Attitudes Towards Israel and the Peace Process,” Lifeway Research, 2017, https://research.lifeway.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Evangelical-Attitudes-Toward-Israel-Research-Study-Report.pdf.
Highlights of the
Christian Zionism
by Rev. Thomas Fretwell
With the terrorist attacks against the State of Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent shocking manifestation of global antisemitism, it is now more important than ever for the church to have an accurate understanding of God’s plan for Israel.
Although the topic of Israel is a major theme found throughout the Scriptures, it also generates a lot of confusion in the church today. The church has historically fluctuated between two positions when it comes to formulating a theology of Israel and the church. The first is supersessionism, which broadly believes the coming of Jesus spiritually fulfilled the covenantal promises to Israel through the church. This perspective not only removes any distinctive role for Israel as a national entity but also universalizes the specific land promises. As a result, according to proponents of supersessionism, the New Testament redefines the land promises as the whole world. In short, there is neither a specific role for Israel nor any particular land promises for the Jewish nation.
Our news briefs each month feature recent stories from around our ministry. They show how God is working through our staff around the world as we bring the gospel “to the Jew first” and also to the Gentile (Romans 1:16). For our February 2024 newsletter, we focus specifically on how God is using our staff in Israel to offer hope in this difficult time.