FAITH: Why Is Israel So Important?

On Monday the United States of America moved our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Jared and Ivanka Trump traveled to Jerusalem to represent President Trump and our nation. Once again the eyes of the world turned to Jerusalem. Israel is not a very large country. Geographically, it is about the size of New Jersey. It has about the same population as New Jersey. Why is Israel often in the news and New Jersey is almost never in the news? Israel is very strategic in God’s redemptive plan. It is impossible to be neutral concerning Israel.

The Bible begins with an introduction or a prologue. Genesis 1 to 11 introduces the problem. The first eleven chapters of the Bible spell out the problem. The problem is sin. Four great events demonstrate man’s sin- creation, fall, flood and Babel. In Genesis 1 to 11 two great genealogies demonstrate the result of sin- death. Genesis 5 and Genesis 10 record the deaths of many generations. The key phrase in these genealogies is “….and he died” (5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17). Adam’s poor choice in the garden plunged humanity into physical, spiritual and eternal death.

Thankfully, God is merciful. Genesis 12 introduces the solution to man’s sin problem. God intervened. God came to a man named Abram (later Abraham) and in Genesis 12:1-3 made the Abrahamic Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant of Genesis 12:1-3 contains three very important provisions.

The first provision is the land. God told Abraham, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you” (verse 1). God promised to give Abraham the land.

The land of Israel is in a perfect location. Israel is a land bridge between Africa, Asia and Europe. On a flat map Israel is the center of the world. God gave Israel a very important land to spread a very important message. Eventually God gave the Bible to the Jewish people (Romans 3:2). God inspired forty different authors over fifteen hundred years to record the Bible. Every author was Jewish. God speaks through the Bible!

The second provision is the blessing. In verses 2-3 God said, “And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” God promised to bless Abraham and to make him great.

Abraham even today is a very honored person. Abraham is honored by Jews, Muslims and Christians. God indeed made Abraham very great. We must be very careful with the Jewish people. God said that blessing the Jewish people results in His blessing. Cursing the Jewish people results in His judgment.

Egypt, in the Old Testament, tried to destroy the Jewish people. God devastated Egypt through the ten plagues. Spain in 1492 (the same year Columbus sailed the ocean blue) expelled all the Jews from her territory. In doing this she lost her scholars, doctors and bankers. Her economy began to collapse. Eventually, Spain lost her entire empire.

Germany under Hitler placed the Jews in walled ghettos. Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. For almost forty-five years after World War II Germany was divided by a concrete wall. Germany remained divided by the Berlin wall until 1989. “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (verse 3). America historically has blessed Israel. God has blessed America.

The third provision is the seed. The end of verse 3 reads, “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” By far the most important provision of the Abrahamic Covenant is the Seed (Jesus). Genesis 22:18 says, “In your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…” God promised the Messiah- Jesus- would come through the nation of Israel.

Jesus was born as a Jew. Jesus lived a perfect life. He suffered on the cross for our sins. Jesus solves our sin problem through His death, burial and resurrection. How can we overcome physical, spiritual and eternal death? Salvation is possible only through the finished work of Christ. He suffered the wrath of God the Father for us. We must turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. Trust Him for your salvation!

King Midas was an ancient king. Legend says that everything he touched turned to gold. In a sense, Abraham received the Midas touch. God promised to bless him. God promised to give him a land. God promised to send the Messiah through his nation.

The capital of Israel is Jerusalem. It is good that we as Americans are standing with Israel. It is good to understand that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. It is even better to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that occurred in Jerusalem.

Pastor Ethan Hansen

Faith Bible Fellowship

Big Lake, Alaska