Why Is Israel Special?
With war in the Middle East escalating and tensions rising across the world, this world seems to be at a boiling pitch. The Middle East is an eclectic section of the word, mixing groups such as the Jews, the Palestinians, and the Muslims (just to name a few). How are we to know how the Christians in America should pray? On whose side should we be? Should we support this group? Should we pray for a particular nation in this area? Doesn’t God love all people? Isn’t God fair? These are all good questions. Even Christians today struggle to enunciate true, biblical answers. We may be faced with these questions, but at the root of the matter, I believe the best question is “Why is Israel special?”
As we study the question, “Why is Israel special?” We must break it down into four sub-points as a guide for our discussion. This is not an exhaustive list. It is a list your humble preacher compiled over prayer and thought.
God chose Israel. A cursory view might suggest that God is playing favorites. Everyone is equal at the foot of the cross, right? Yes and no. Everyone IS equal in value to God. However, every people group is not. God sovereignly chose the people of Abraham as “His.” In Genesis 12:1-3, we read of God’s promise: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.” (2) Israel’s intrinsic worth stems from God’s choice, God’s decision. They are God’s special people because God chose them before any other people. Throughout the Old Testament, we see God’s hand upon this nation. Over and over the Israelites turned away from God. Never did God turn His back completely away from them! Paul, in Romans 9:3-5, adds they “pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God and the promises.” (3) They are a people who are chosen by grace (Romans 11).
God loves Israel. Deuteronomy 14:2 refers to them as “a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Did they deserve God’s love? No. They obtain it by “adoption” into the graces of salvation.
God protects Israel. Most other nations have risen and fallen by the wayside. Not Israel. Though they are scattered, they are special. I didn’t make them special. They are special only because God called them as His people. David ends Psalm 25 by making a plea to all, “Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!”
God will redeem Israel. God will redeem those He loves and who love Him. Romans 11:1-2 answers the question, “Is Israel’s rejection of Jesus today, a reflection on God’s choice?” “Did God make a mistake?” No, He did not. Paul answers this question by writing, “Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not case away His people whom He foreknew.” God will never cast away His people. This is a promise for even all of us who have been “grafted in” to the plan of salvation. In Ezekiel 36:24-27, God promises, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will keep My judgments, and do them.” God has a plan for the Jews. He has a plan for our lives, as well.
Israel is blessed by God and are God’s people then, today, and always. We should not only support Israel, but pray for them, as well. We are called to pray for their eyes to be opened and their souls to draw near to a loving God through Christ Jesus. John reminds of their special calling in Revelation 21:12. In describing the New Jerusalem, he writes, “Also, she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tries of the children of Israel.” This is a snapshot of something one day, all Believers will see with their own eyes! We must pray for Israel’s safety as well as their eyes to be opened to Jesus and the salvation which is only found in Him.