Earlier today (Friday), I had the privilege of speaking at the Seventh Annual Israel Solidarity Event held at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. I was invited to speak by the Ambassador from Israel to the United States, Sallai Meridor.
As I began my address to the crowd that had gathered in the Embassy auditorium, I couldn’t help but recall my dad’s great love for Israel. During his nearly 55 years of public ministry, dad never wavered from his position of support for Israel. I shared that, as we have moved into the next generation, we must never walk away from our Israeli friends.
Before the event, Ambassador Meridor invited me to meet privately with him to discuss international conditions affecting the state of Israel. During this meeting, Ambassador Meridor was very candid in his assessment of the current state of Israel’s security and its future.
The Ambassador was very appreciative of the efforts of Evangelical Christians in their support of Israel. He recalled a meeting that took place about 30 years ago when my dad met with Prime Minister Menachem Begin. It was described as a historic meeting that birthed a cooperation that has benefited both Christians and Jews.
While the Ambassador shared his appreciation, he also shared his concerns for Israel in the days to come. His comments were quite poignant in regards to the great challenges that lie ahead for Israel and the very real threats that exist. Those moments together served as an important reminder to me that Evangelical Christians must not waver in our support for Israel.
Expressions of support for Israel are easily and cheaply spoken, but it is action behind those words of support that is needed in today’s political climate. But the realization of Israel’s need for support begs the question, “What action of support for Israel can today’s American Christian take?”
I can answer the question because the Ambassador personally gave me the actions that we can take to ensure Israel’s peace and prosperity. He stated that the greatest and most immediate threat that faces Israel today is the brutal regime currently in power in Iran. Ambassador Meridor was very clear regarding what must happen to ensure that Iran is not successful in its efforts to “wipe Israel from the map” which Iran’s president Ahmadinejad has very recently claimed to be one of his goals.
The Ambassador told me that there are several vulnerabilities that face Iran today, not the least of which is its economy. He shared that while Iran is one of the richest oil reserve states in the world, it actually does not have much capability for refining that oil. Thus, Iran actually imports half of its gasoline even though oil exports are its most important economic product.
Ambassador Meridor shared that one way to pressure Iran into seeking peace, rather than destruction, is to put economic pressure on their country. And, he stated, the best way to do this is through divestment. Currently, there are a number of states, such as California and Illinois, which have taken steps, via their state pension funds, to divest themselves of company stocks that support Iran. He said that there are many state legislatures that are following suit. He also said it is important for individuals to do the same thing.
He shared a personal story of how he called his own investment brokers and asked them to make sure that none of his own funds were being invested in companies that are connected to Iran. With a little bit of research, his broker was able to move funds out of one company and into another company with no ties to Iran. If millions of Americans would do the same, this might pressure Ahmadinejad to back off of his threats and force him to become a constructive member of the world community.
In Genesis 12, God told Abraham that He would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. As we approach the 60th anniversary of the rebirth of the State of Israel, let us make sure that we are doing everything we can to bless Israel. We must realize that God’s statement to Israel did not give us the benefit for interpretation or adjustment. His directive was clear: bless Israel.
Let us all stand by Israel and do what we can to help bring about peace and security for this very important country. One action that we as Christians can certainly take is to pray. Let us daily pray for the peace of Israel, peace in the Middle East and peace in our world.
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Isreal was not given a blank check to prevail in battle. How many false prophets told Isreali Kings to "Go up and take what is rightfuly yours! God is on your side!"
Even in 70 AD, one can imagine there were false prophets assuring the Jews that God would help them drive out "Those evil Pagan Romans" Not so! Has anyone ever advised the Jews to seek the counsel of the Lord? Not a one! The truth is that as long as the Jews continue to reject the Messiah and actually affirm that their forefathers did the right thing in delivering Jesus to Pilate, the Lord will not listen to them. Click here to reply to this post
US Never supported Israel
Posted On: 05/12/08 01:09:29 AM
Age 55, FL
John Loftus's book, "Secret War Against the Jews" should be a real eye-opener for you. He documents some of the behind the scenes actions about how Israel came to be born in 1948. It tells about what went on behind the scenes at the U.N., how Latin American votes were neutralized, and how Stalin's German Jewish spies played a part. He also shows how subsequent US leadership used Israel as a barganing chip with the Arabs involving oil ever since. We all think America is Israel's best friend. Before this Bush, that was not true. The verdict is still out on this Bush.
If God chose this way to recreate Israel, it was not a pretty process. Certainly Ezekiel's account of Israel as "dry bones" reconstituting and standing on its feet would aptly describe Israel from 1948-present.
In spite of this, Israel is an unwilling witness to the truthfulness of Scripture, and the existence of the God of the Bible. Ancient Israel was supposed to bring righteousness and knowledge of God to the world. They failed and were dispersed acrossed the planet. No other country on earth has been so dispersed for so long-scattered acrossed the globe, and came back after nearly 2 thousand years to its ancient homeland. This could not happen naturally, and has happened nowhere else.
But get rid of your hatred, that is where salvation lies. The dry bones will have the breath of life reeinter them. The God of Israel is coming back, possibly soon. There is a war in heaven. An army from across the ends of heaven is heading for earth. God's army is in pursuit. Angels, like minor gods of old are fighting to the bitter end. The war reels across the heavens to settle on earth. God's armies hurl 1/3 of the rebelling creatures to the earth. They will make a last stand on earth, joining with earth's meager forces. I don't know what a war among what we call angels will be like, but frightening most likely. Joel 2 gives a picture, with the largest army ever, fire devours before them, and a flame behind. From a garden to a desert, they leap over mountaintops, like a crackling fire they devour, faces of onlookers grows pale. They run up a wall, the earth shakes and the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened. Is 24 speaks of earth wobbling in its path. Rev speaks of mass drivers, ie asteroid hitting the sea. Mountains fall, while Jerusalem becomes a high mountain Is 2, and after the war, Jerusalem has a shield to shelter the people. Is 4:5 Click here to reply to this post
hermaneutics!!!!
Posted On: 05/08/08 11:20:41 AM
Age 22, MN
Modern day Israel isn't, nor over will be, the nation of God's chosen people. The Israel then is not the Israel now. The Israel back then was God making a nation from one person and then choosing them to be His light to the the world, through which his Son would ultimately be born. Then, Jesus' ministry, the vision that Peter had, and Paul's ministry to the Gentiles, expanded God's Kingdom to everyone. Israel was now symbolic for all who are part of God's Kingdom. The name "Israel" was from then on only a geographic region (which is very ambiguous considering the fact that they never reached the borders that God has originally planned, and they had been conquered by numerous nations, thus getting swallowed into Greek, Roman, Persia, and Babylonian borders. Plus, the birth of the modern day Israel was full of scandal, deceit, oppression, stealing and killing. The Zionists wanted a new land, and essentially took over Palestine (by force) because the British were weakened by WWII. They used propaganda to deceive the UN and the US into thinking that they were freedom fighters when in reality they basically waltzed into Palestine, and forced the Palestinians away from their homes and lad at gunpoint. The Palestinians were mostly Christian and some Jews, living peacefully together! Sorry, but the Israel we know today does not have the resume of God's chosen people. Plus, you doing extremely poor hermeneutics when you take a specific statement for a specific time, place, and culture and then generalize it. Do you honestly think that was a timeless statement? No! Hermeneutics is the process of going from those specific statements, and then figuring out how it applies to our time, place, and culture. Now that Jesus has opened up Israel to be all of God's followers, then the Israel talked about in Gen 12 is no longer a nation state. -Dan Smith Click here to reply to this post
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel
Posted On: 05/07/08 03:53:00 PM
Age 61, MO
God is not blessing the geopolitical state of Israel as a whole, because He simply cannot bless unrighteous behavior. The New Testament concept of the "Israel of God" refers to a remnant of individual believers from all nations who have overcome to the end. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." (Romans 9:6b). It would be unwise to bless that which God does not bless. The geopolitical nation state of Israel was contrived by the Anglo American elite for the purpose of having a foothold in the Mid East, so they could exploit and control the oil rich resources of that region. The imperialistic actions of the U.S. government, in general, have been dispicable. The article calls for sanctions on Iran. To do so would be provocative and uncalled for. Did God die and leave the U.S. in charge of disciplining the world? Absolutely not! But we could be led to believe that was the case, considering the arrogance displayed by U.S. leadership. Equally dispicable is the false Evangelical leadership which props up the image of that governmental beast. George Cancilla Click here to reply to this post
To parrot the false prophets....,
Posted On: 05/07/08 09:08:06 AM
Age 48, CA
Is not blessing Isreal. To assume that God calls upon the Jews to win every conflict in spite of their current state of disobedience is false prophecy at its worst.
Currently, 2/3 of all Isrealis consider themselves Jewish by birth, not by faith.
To give them all the wonder weapons they can shgoot and tell them God is on thier side, go up and destroy your enemies is not blessing that godless socialist state which calls its self Isreal. We do not know whatthe will of God is at this time. Anybody who claims to know is a false prophet. Anyone who blesses Ireal in it's current stste is not blessing them at all but playing the part of yet another false prophet. Click here to reply to this post
