Did you know there were 16 specific prophecies about Israel in scripture? Even more impressive is the fact that 13 of those 16 prophecies have already been fulfilled in history. There is no other nation mentioned in the bible as frequently as Israel. Whether or not anyone likes it, Israel is a special nation to God and we will do ourselves some justice to watch that nation more closely.
God has special plans for Israel and Paul taught us in his epistles that He is by no means finished with them. The teaching that born-again Christians have replaced Israel as God’s special race is a flawed one when scripture is clearly examined. Derek Prince does a great exposition of the scriptures with respect to God’s heart for Israel. I hope this sermon blesses you as you learn more about this special nation called Israel.
Related articles
- Why We Should Support Israel (socyberty.com)
- One With Israel Prayer Request (graftedinelena.wordpress.com)
I do agree that Israel is very central in Bible prophecy. But I think that a lot of teachings about Isreal have been stretched beyond Biblical limits. I believe that a lot of Bible interpretations about the contemporary Isreal is largely exaggerated or misconstrued. preachers are becoming so obsessed with the nation of Isreal and elevating it beyond the status of the spiritual Isreal. Jesus said,
“Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Doesn’t that state God’s preference.
I think what is always important is for us to look closely at the scriptures and study it in a balanced way so that our interpretation is not skewed. My understanding is that Israel still remains a special nation to God. It doesn’t make the rest of us any less special but there is just a special role that Israel is to play in history. I cannot explain why God chose them but He said He will have mercy on who He will have mercy. His ways are not our ways so I won’t challenge Him on that. He also said He would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. If He is the same yesterday, today and forever then that decree hasn’t changed even today. Whilst I also agree that God is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth, I’m not so sure that the statement can be interpreted in such a way as to say God prefers spiritual Israel over the nation of Israel. Did you know that the salvation of the Gentiles is supposed to cause the Israelites to become envious and turn back to God? Paul says the salvation of Israel is such an important part of God’s plan for humanity and like Mariane said, we should be praying for them. Read Romans 10 and 11 and let me know what you think. It’s interesting to note that Paul sees God’s plan for Israel as an example of the depths of His wisdom and knowledge. We can’t fully fathom what God has planned for that nation but we will be wise to obey the vast portions of scripture that speaks of their special place in His heart and pray for their salvation.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Romans 11
1I ASK then: Has God totally rejected and disowned His people? Of course not! Why, I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin! [I Sam. 12:22; Jer. 31:37; 33:24-26; Phil. 3:5.]
2No, God has not rejected and disowned His people [whose destiny] He had marked out and appointed and foreknown from the beginning. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
3Lord, they have killed Your prophets; they have demolished Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.
4But what is God’s reply to him? I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal! [I Kings 19:18.]
5So too at the present time there is a remnant (a small believing minority), selected (chosen) by grace (by God’s unmerited favor and graciousness).
6But if it is by grace (His unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on works or anything men have done. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace [it would be meaningless].
7What then [shall we conclude]? Israel failed to obtain what it sought [God's favor by obedience to the Law]. Only the elect (those chosen few) obtained it, while the rest of them became callously indifferent (blinded, hardened, and made insensible to it).
8As it is written, God gave them a spirit (an attitude) of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, [that has continued] down to this very day.
9And David says, Let their table (their feasting, banqueting) become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a [a]just retribution [[b]rebounding like a boomerang upon them];
10Let their eyes be darkened (dimmed) so that they cannot see, and make them bend their back [stooping beneath their burden] forever.
11So I ask, Have they stumbled so as to fall [to their utter spiritual ruin, irretrievably]? By no means! But through their false step and transgression salvation [has come] to the Gentiles, so as to arouse Israel [to see and feel what they forfeited] and so to make them jealous.
12Now if their stumbling (their lapse, their transgression) has so enriched the world [at large], and if [Israel's] failure means such riches for the Gentiles, think what an enrichment and greater advantage will follow their full reinstatement!
13But now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I lay great stress on my ministry and magnify my office,
14In the hope of making my fellow Jews jealous [in order to stir them up to imitate, copy, and appropriate], and thus managing to save some of them.
15For if their rejection and exclusion from the benefits of salvation were [overruled] for the reconciliation of a world to God, what will their acceptance and admission mean? [It will be nothing short of] life from the dead!
16Now if the first handful of dough offered as the firstfruits [Abraham and the patriarchs] is consecrated (holy), so is the whole mass [the nation of Israel]; and if the root [Abraham] is consecrated (holy), so are the branches.
17But if some of the branches were broken off, while you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share the richness [of the root and sap] of the olive tree,
18Do not boast over the branches and pride yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root [that supports] you.
19You will say then, Branches were broken (pruned) off so that I might be grafted in!
20That is true. But they were broken (pruned) off because of their unbelief (their lack of real faith), and you are established through faith [because you do believe]. So do not become proud and conceited, but rather stand in awe and be reverently afraid.
21For if God did not spare the natural branches [because of unbelief], neither will He spare you [if you are guilty of the same offense].
22Then note and appreciate the gracious kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s gracious kindness to you–provided you continue in His grace and abide in His kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off (pruned away).
23And even those others [the fallen branches, Jews], if they do not persist in [clinging to] their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
24For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and against nature grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier will it be to graft these natural [branches] back on [the original parent stock of] their own olive tree.
25Lest you be self-opinionated (wise in your own conceits), I do not want you to miss this hidden truth and mystery, brethren: a hardening (insensibility) has [temporarily] befallen a part of Israel [to last] until the [c]full number of the ingathering of the Gentiles has come in,
26And so all Israel will be saved. As it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
27And this will be My covenant (My agreement) with them when I shall take away their sins.
28From the point of view of the Gospel (good news), they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God’s choice (of election, of divine selection), they are still the beloved (dear to Him) for the sake of their forefathers.
29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]
30Just as you were once disobedient and rebellious toward God but now have obtained [His] mercy, through their disobedience,
31So they also now are being disobedient [when you are receiving mercy], that they in turn may one day, through the mercy you are enjoying, also receive mercy [that they may share the mercy which has been shown to you--through you as messengers of the Gospel to them].
32For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike].
33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!
34For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor?
35Or who has first given God anything that he might be paid back or that he could claim a recompense?
36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).
Thanks upwardliving
For whatever reason that God chose the people of Israel to be his chosen people, he has made it known that for us to be blessed, we must bless Israel. Although they still are not acknowedging Christ as the Mesiah, God has a plan in place for his remnant to come to believe that Christ is the Savior. Until that time, we are to pray for them and stand with them. We who worship God is Spirit and in truth know that the nation of Israel is a chosen people.
I agree with you Marianne. Perhaps I will put up an audio sermon I once listened to on the biblical approach to praying for Israel. Thanks for stopping by and God bless.
I have just finished watching Derek Prince (thank you for posting this), I thought it was brilliant and it makes so much sense to me. I am so glad I came across your site. I actually found you through a friend who told me to read your book Secrets of the Secret Place which I have. I found so much help through your book, I am reading through it again! I cannot express how much it has helped me and is helping me. Thank you and may God Bless you each and every minute.
Hello Lesley, I’m so glad you enjoyed the video teaching by Derek Prince. He was such a clear teacher of the Word that the underground church in China fondly referred to him as clearlight! I’m also glad you stopped by the blog and the book is blessing you so richly. I haven’t actually written a book yet but perhaps I recommended it previously. Nevermind though, you may have been speaking prophetically at my becoming an author! Thanks again Lesley. God bless you too.