Understanding Israel

 

Chaos across the board. That is how the Bible describes the first eleven chapters. After a good start—God created the world—things go downhill. In the end, God’s great judgments fall upon the nations: the Flood and the dispersion after the Tower of Babel. Then comes the turning point! The narrator’s “camera” zooms in on one man: Abraham (Genesis 12). Why Abraham of all people? We don’t know. But it is clear that this man is of enormous importance. All eyes are now on him.

The starting point: ABRAHAM

 

God speaks to Abraham and gives him tremendous promises (Genesis 12:1-3): He shall receive a land, and from him a people shall come forth. People plus land equal (in modern terms) a nation. We are talking about Israel. Israel is not an end in itself. It is to be a blessing to the world, a blessing to all of humanity. These are tremendous prospects!

But history takes a bumpy course. The people of Israel grow up in Egypt, fall into slavery, and are freed by Moses. The next stop is Sinai. There, God offers Israel to become his covenant people. Israel agrees and commits itself to the Torah; God, in turn, commits himself to be Israel’s God (Exodus 19–24). The covenant between God and Israel is sealed—it will never be broken again.

But tensions soon arise, as Israel breaks the covenant time and again. For centuries, God struggles for his people, with limited success. Finally, the terrible happens: in 721 BC, the Assyrians destroy the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and scatter the 10 tribes throughout their vast empire. In 586 BC, the Babylonians conquer the southern kingdom (Judah), destroy Jerusalem and the temple, and take the Jews into exile. God’s people could hardly sink any lower. Israel seems to be at an end.

To counter this misunderstanding, God has his prophets proclaim a powerful message of salvation: at the end of days, God will gather his people back into his land. The nation of Israel will rise again and shine anew.

And God will renew Israel from within. He will give His people collectively the Holy Spirit, who will write the Torah in the hearts of the Jews (new covenant). Then Israel will obey God from the heart and have a secure existence—forever (Jeremiah 31–33; Ezekiel 36–39).

NEW COVENANT, NEW BEGINNING

 

The new covenant was established by Jesus, the Messiah of Israel (Luke 22:20). Its primary purpose is the restoration of Israel, for redeeming Israel is the central task of the Messiah. But it soon becomes clear that the redemption contained in the new covenant is not only for Israel, for all people are sinners. All need redemption and salvation. That is why the gospel of Jesus Christ goes out to the whole world. This brings us to us, the Christians.

We believers from the nations receive through Jesus a share in the redemption that was actually intended for Israel. That is the crucial point. Paul describes this with a parable: the olive tree (Romans 11:17–24). We Christians are branches of wild olive trees, are “grafted” into God’s olive tree, and now receive a share of its good “juice.” What a gift! The Jews, on the other hand, who reject the gospel, are “broken off” from their olive tree, but one day they will be “grafted in” again. In the end, as Paul emphasizes, “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26; LUT) and will be allowed to enter the eternal kingdom of God. This means salvation for Israel.

 

WE CHRISTIANS ARE THEREFORE CONNECTED TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN MANY WAYS

 

We believe in Jesus. Jesus belongs to the Jewish people. He is a Jew among Jews; he is a Jewish rabbi and the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews (Matthew 1:1; 15:24). To believe in Jesus is to believe in the Messiah. Our faith is a variant of the Jewish faith.

We share in God’s saving action toward Israel (the olive tree). Whatever we have spiritually, we have received from the Jews. Jews formulated the gospel and carried it into the world. The apostles were Jewish, and so is the New Testament.

Jesus sums it up: “Salvation comes from the Jews” (John 4:22).

We have a mission to Israel: to point Jews to Jesus (Romans 11:11+14). According to Paul, however, this should be done indirectly: through our being, our way of life, our appreciation, and our love for the Jews. When Jews perceive us positively, it paves the way for them to Jesus.

 

THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH: GUILT AND A NEW BEGINNING

 

However, the Church of Jesus has taken a different path. Christians have elevated themselves above the Jews and despised them—against the urgent warnings of the Apostle Paul (Romans 11:18–21). Christians have developed the heresy that God has broken with Israel and replaced it with the Church of Jesus (“replacement theology”). They did this even though Israel is forever God’s covenant people (Romans 11:28!) and Paul decisively rejects replacement theology (Romans 11:1+11).

According to Romans 11:2 (LUT), the exact opposite is true: “God has not rejected his people, whom he chose beforehand!” Clear words that can hardly be misunderstood. How then could Christianity proclaim the opposite for almost 2,000 years? That remains a mystery.

The attitude of Christianity had consequences. Jews were seen as the rejected, as enemies of God and murderers of Christ, as devilish and dangerous, even as the personification of evil. So they were fought against: expulsions, expropriations, burning of prayer books, abuse, rape, murder, and manslaughter—all of this was done to Jews by Christians. This is fatal, horrific, shameful, and calls for repentance.

Many say, “We must take a different path today!” That is true. But how can this be done?

The following questions may help:

• How can we embrace Israel’s special place in the Bible today, learn to affirm it, and honor it in our congregations?
• How can we give Israel an appropriate place in our belief system?
• How can we rediscover our Jewish roots and develop an “awareness of our roots”?
• How can we do good to the Jews so that our repentance becomes practical and we fulfill our mission?
• Simply put: How can we become a blessing to the Jews?

The last question is particularly interesting, because God says: Whoever blesses the Jews will be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This applies in general, even if not everything is fine in Israel. Blessing Israel is a way into God’s cycles of blessing. What could be better?

Christians and Jews have the same roots and a common future. Both follow their path under the direction of the one God. They belong together like brother and sister, like husband and wife, or like good friends. Christians belong at Israel’s side. Spiritually speaking, that is their natural place.

 

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Dr. Tobias Krämer (born 1968) holds a doctorate in theology. He worked for many years as a pastor and theology lecturer. He now works for Christians for Israel e.V. He is also in demand as a coach, church consultant, and speaker. Tobias is married to Christina. They have two sons and live in the Stuttgart area.