By Douglas V. Gibbs
I have been bombarded with challenges against my support for Israel. As a Christian, I believe it is important that we support Israel. That doesn’t mean that I think Israel does no wrong, or that I don’t recognize that like all of humanity they are fallen and disobedient to God. I don’t always agree with all of their political decisions, and like America the country is plagued with leftism and a deep state. But, setting all of that aside, it is important that we recognized that the core issue here is that many of my challengers are simply guilty of a fundamental misunderstanding of God’s covenants and His nature as a covenant-keeping God. The arguments are based on classic replacement theology errors by spiritualizing promises that God made in very specific, physical terms to a specific people.
The Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12, 15, and 17 is an unconditional covenant. God didn’t ask Abraham to do anything to earn it; it was based on God’s own character and promises. Genesis 12:2-3 states, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
God made a distinction between “I will bless you” (referring to Abraham personally) and “I will bless those who bless you” (referring to the nation that would come from him). The “you” in “whoever curses you” refers to the descendants of Abraham, the nation of Israel. This isn’t just about spiritual blessings but about a tangible, physical people and nation.
God’s promise of the land to Israel is specific and irrevocable. Genesis 15:18-21 describes the exact boundaries of the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants. This wasn’t a spiritual metaphor; it was a real estate transaction with God Himself. The fact that Israel was temporarily displaced from their land doesn’t nullify the promise. God’s promises are not dependent on Israel’s performance but on God’s own faithfulness.
The argument that Jesus redefined who the “children of Abraham” are is a misuse of Scripture. When Jesus said in John 8:39, “If you were Abraham’s children,” He was addressing specific individuals who were claiming physical descent but rejecting the faith that characterized Abraham. He wasn’t nullifying the covenant promises to the nation of Israel.
Romans 11 makes this abundantly clear. Paul writes, “Did God reject his people? By no means!” (Romans 11:1). He uses the olive tree analogy to show that God has not permanently rejected Israel. Some branches were broken off because of unbelief, but they can be grafted in again. According to Paul, the church has been “grafted in” to the root of God’s covenant promises, but that doesn’t mean the natural branches (Israel) are permanently cast aside.
The argument that “there was no Israel” before 1948 is historically and biblically inaccurate. Even when they were exiled from their land, the Jewish people maintained their identity as a distinct nation. Prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke of Israel’s future restoration while they were in Babylonian captivity. God told them they would return to their land, and He kept that promise.
While the church has been grafted into God’s covenant blessings, this doesn’t mean God has abandoned His promises to Israel. The church hasn’t replaced Israel; rather, we’ve been invited to partake in the blessings that flow from God’s covenant with Abraham. Romans 11 teaches that “all Israel will be saved” (v. 26), indicating a future national restoration and spiritual revival for the Jewish people.
Regarding the “bless those who bless you” principle, history serves as evidence. Nations that have blessed and protected the Jewish people have generally prospered, while those that have persecuted them (like Nazi Germany) have faced judgment. This principle applies not just to ancient Israel but to the modern state of Israel as well, because they are the same people in the same land God promised them.
I appreciate the fact that folks think they are trying to educate me on this important topic, but I believe we need to distinguish between God’s unconditional covenant promises to Israel and the conditional blessings individuals receive through faith. The Abrahamic Covenant wasn’t nullified by Jesus’ coming; rather, Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the way for both Jews and Gentiles to have a relationship with God.
When Jesus spoke about ‘true children of Abraham,’ He was addressing individuals who had the physical lineage but lacked the faith. He wasn’t nullifying God’s promises to the nation of Israel as a whole. Romans 11 makes it clear that God hasn’t rejected His people.
Israel existed as a people even without their land, and God’s promise to restore them to that land was fulfilled in 1948. This wasn’t merely a political act but a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Supporting Israel doesn’t mean ignoring the importance of the Gospel or the church; rather, it’s acknowledging that God keeps His promises to all peoples.
— Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
