Hear O Israel!

                                     Israel

 

There is perhaps no country or people group that has suffered more controversy, conflicts, and persecution than Israel and the Jews.  If you were to ask why this is you would receive a wide variety of answers.  On the surface many of them make a great deal of sense, but when you analyze them in light of scripture are nothing more than a smoke screen.  The key to understanding anything regarding Israel is to realize that the primary issue is spiritual, not political or racial. 

 

Unfortunately, a lot of prominent popular people both in the secular world and within Christianity have an incorrect view about Israel.  It is the last group I’m addressing first.  There are several fundamental questions we need to ask in regards to Israel:

 

1.     When God makes a covenant/promise does he keep it?

2.     Who is the Promise made to?

3.     What is the “legal” language in the promise?

4.     Is it literal, spiritual, metaphorical…?

5.     Is it temporary or permanent, Is it transferable or not?

6.     When we see a promise that is repeated but with other details how do we make sense of it?

7.     Is it a different promise/renegotiation, or is it the same promise?

 

The problem we run into is “replacement theology.” Replacement theology says church has replaced Israel and Israel no longer is the recipient of God’s promises to them but the church is.  The church and does have a role to play in regards to Israel and God’s promises and plans for Israel, but it is NOT as a replacement inheritor of the promises God gave to Israel.

 

Whether or not God retains his piece of the covenant/promises to Israel has a direct co-relation and implication for us. If God has broken his end of his promises to Israel, event though he said “forever” What possible assurance do we have he won’t do the same with his promises to us?  

The issue with Israel is not Human rights, Political, Racial, or any other worldly label you might put on it, The problem at it's core is a spiritual one, God has chosen to use Israel reveal himself, his purposes, power and His ways. Satan's fighting to distort and destroy what God is doing and those God's using.

The Spiritual Battle, or as some might say racial feud, Between the world, specifically and especially Middle Eastern peoples and Israel, can be found, traced, and understood through scripture. Starting clear back in Genesis. It starts with Abraham and Lot, to be precise Abraham's sons and Lot's daughters. Although many of the people groups find their family roots in one of Noah's 3 sons.

 You see the problem is not so much Israel as a people group or physical race that is the issue, it's what, or rather Who is represented through them. 

One of the most effective historicals lies the Devil's been able to propigate is the idea of an "Occupied Palastine." there are several reasons this lie is so effective, One is Israel's lack of Obedience to remove the people groups occupying the land, as well as to not intermarry with them as God commanded. Another part is found in the period of Roman occupation and rule, Because Israel did not cooperate with, or respect Roman rule, terms that reffered to "Palastine', were used as insultry, or demeaning remarks.


    Every problem known to man is at its foundation a Spiritual one. No matter how many layers(reasons) we see or add to the issues around us. yet we do our best to filter it through many layers in an attempt to justify or validate our own way of doing or seeing things. One of the fundamental problems is the Denial of God, More exactly his sovereignty. He's perfect and complete both in his power and authority.

So while the reasons I stated in the first paragraph do have ligitimacy, it is only to the extent of a correct understanding and interpretation of Scripture. They are secondary layers to the primary and common problem. To treat them as seperate entities for their own assumed worth is absolutely ludicrous, and irrational.

There is truly a double standard when it comes to Israel, driven by over-emphasized secondary Humanistically defined moral/ethical issues. While obscuring or ignoring the most fundamental truth of the problem.Which gets buried in the mire of forked tounged chatter.

So the question we have to ask is "What is the solution to end the hostilities between Israel and her neighbors?"

Well, there are two ways to answer that.
because while the question(s) are identical. the way we approach them and perspectives on them are not. The truth is humankind in and of themselves is not capable of a true and lasting peace. Because our hearts are naturally hostile, and selfish. True peace is only accomplished by the mutual(same) inward conditions of hearts that are submitted to The authority of Christ, Who is the Prince Of Peace.

Anything other than that only creates a temporal external facade that's "peace-like." But, it is not it's just a lull in outward aggression, which does not nessacarily, reflect the inward reality. Who you really are ultimately on the inside, will be evident by outward behavior. Maybe not initially but always in eventuality.

When there is inconsistency between the two, inward and outward, we are at the very least liars or hypocrites. We need to understand that there are some people who will intentionally try to mislead us. In Islam they believe it is justifiable to lie to those who do not claim belief in the same god they do. Especially if they're "extremist." Granted, it takes a lot of discernment to figure out which "Muslims" truly want true peace between them and Israel.

Those "Muslims" who are inciting and participating in violence are classic liars and hypocrites. It is absolutely ludicrous and illogical to use civilians as shields and call it "genocide" by Israel. It is those who are using the civilians as shields who are guilty of genocide. Israel is perhaps the most pacifist nation in the world, as well as the most humane in terms of pre-military offensive strike action. No other nation or people group the Middle East would have done the things Israel has done and is doing for civilians who are technically enemies. Yet we always seem to find a way to make Israel the problem and blame bearer. It's absolutely irrational to do so. Yet, I suppose for those who don't want to be "reasoned" with it doesn't have to make sense or be logical to anyone but them.

But, for those of us who choose to live in a fully informed reality, we don't have the luxury of being deliberately ignorant to "the other side of the issue." Truth, to an extent is rarely found in either extreme end of a perspective or issue. It's usually found in between. The exception I make is the scriptures. Because God is completely truthful. And God is clear about Israel in scripture. They are chosen, in the right, and God is still using them to bring about the perfect fullness of his plan to redeem people to himself.