Should a Christian Always Support Israel?
Introduction
To address this question biblically, we must first make a crucial distinction that many people miss:
"Israel" (Biblical/Theological): The ethnic people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are God’s historically chosen people, the vehicle through which the Messiah came. This includes the covenants, promises, and future destiny laid out in Scripture (Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 11:25-29).
"Israel" (Modern/Political): The sovereign nation-state, established in 1948, with a specific government, military, and set of domestic and foreign policies.
Every Christian is biblically commanded to respect, and many believe to "bless," the people of Israel. But unconditional support for the policies of a modern government is a matter of intense debate.
1. The Biblical Mandate: Covenants and Promises
The strongest argument for supporting the Jewish people and their right to the land comes from God’s covenants.
The Abrahamic Covenant: God’s promise to Abraham is the foundational text cited for Christian support. God promises to bless those who bless Abraham's descendants and curse those who treat them with contempt. Many Christians apply this promise directly to the modern Jewish people.
Scripture Says: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3).
The Enduring Calling: The Apostle Paul, in the New Testament, affirms that God has not abandoned the Jewish people, despite their temporary hardening (a partial turning away from Christ). Their special status and the promises made to them remain in effect.
Scripture Says: "I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin... God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable." (Romans 11:1, 29).
The Prophetic Clock: A large segment of Christians (often called Dispensationalists or Christian Zionists) believe the modern state of Israel’s re-establishment in 1948 is a literal, pre-Messianic fulfillment of prophecy (Ezekiel 36:24) and signals that Christ's return is near. For them, supporting the political state is a way of affirming God's faithfulness and hastening prophetic events.
2. The Biblical Standard: Justice and Peace
While one set of Scriptures affirms the unique status of the Jewish people, another set of Scriptures demands that believers apply the universal biblical standards of righteousness, justice, and compassion to all nations and peoples—including the modern State of Israel.
The Universal Command for Justice: God’s character is defined by righteousness. As believers, our primary political allegiance is to the Kingdom of God, which mandates a love of justice and mercy for the oppressed, regardless of national borders or ethnic identity. When a government (any government) acts unjustly, a Christian's highest calling is to speak prophetically for righteousness.
Scripture Says: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." (Isaiah 1:17).
Scripture Says: "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8).
The Call to Peacemaking: The New Testament calls all believers to pursue peace. This means that a Christian should support initiatives, policies, and actions—by any party—that lead toward reconciliation, peace, and the well-being of all people in the region, including the Palestinians.
Scripture Says: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9).
Conclusion
A Christian's relationship with Israel is best characterized by principled support, not political loyalty.
We support the people because of God's irrevocable covenant and promises (Romans 11).
We support the land as the place of God’s central plan of salvation and the return of the Messiah.
We do not give automatic, blanket approval to the actions of any human government, including Israel’s, but we hold them to the same biblical standard of justice, mercy, and peace that we hold our own government and ourselves (Micah 6:8).
A Christian should always pray for Israel, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and pray for the salvation of the Jewish people—and simultaneously pray for the well-being and justice of all peoples affected by the conflict.
