Promises and Presidents

Has God ‘spirited-away’ His promises to Israel’s patriarchs?

I write these words 24 hours after President Trump issued his order to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, conscious that by the time they are published, the situation will probably have developed and changed…

Some background: The Jerusalem Embassy Act 1995 was passed by Congress in October 1995 for the purpose of initiating and funding the relocation of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, no later than May 31, 1999. The Act calls for Jerusalem to remain an undivided city and to be recognized as the capital of Israel. Israel’s declared capital is Jerusalem, however much of the international ‘community’ disputes this, because of varying responses to Israel’s liberation of Jerusalem from Jordanian occupation in the 1967 war. (It is conveniently forgotten by most commentators that Jordan annexed the West Bank in the 1948 Arab-Israel war that followed the creation of the State of Israel. Only three countries recognized Jordan’s annexation – Iraq, Pakistan and Britain! The Arab League later declared that it viewed the area “annexed by Jordan as a trust in its hands until the Palestine case is fully solved in the interests of its inhabitants”).

Despite passage of the Jerusalem Embassy Act 1995, the law remained unimplemented by Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, who viewed it as a Congressional infringement on the Executive branch’s constitutional authority over foreign policy. Bill Clinton implemented the presidential waiver on grounds of ‘national security interests’and it has been specifically renewed on a 6-monthly basis ever since. What Trump has done that is new is to affirm recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and commence the embassy relocation process.

From a UK viewpoint it is perhaps ironic that many of those who are shouting about this issue – which is, in reality, an affirmation of the US Legislative branch’s supremacy – are the
same people who demanded supremacy of the UK Legislative over the Executive in the recent debates about oversight and approval of the Brexit negotiations. One rule for UK and a different one for USA, it seems?

Irrespective of President Trump’s decision at this time, Christians are right to ask themselves ‘what is the bigger picture from God’s viewpoint?’Of course we do so with a real sense of humility and due reverence. Few Bible believing Christians quibble about the fact that God initiated and sustained a series of Covenants with Israel – though some will quibble about whether the “New” Covenant in some way replaces the “Old” Covenant. (See Alex Jacob’s book “The Case For Enlargement Theology” for a thorough exploration of God’s purposes in extending the Abraham Covenant. See also David Pawson’s “Israel In The New Testament”for a rounded discourse on the subject of God’s continuing Covenantal purposes).

Primer

As a primer to help readers explore God’s ongoing purposes, especially as they relate to Israel, it is entirely right that we explore key Old Testament passages to help inform and guide our modern – and indeed our New Testament – understanding of these same purposes. Sword has uploaded a simple primer as a ‘Table’ to its website. Please look out for “Israel and God’s Purposes”. Whilst this tabulated format does not seek to ask, nor indeed to answer, every major question on this singularly important subject, we pray it might pique interest and the true Berean response amongst some of our readers. Let’s roll up our sleeves and do some digging! However we pose opposite, several thought provoking questions.

Spiritual

As some Christians look at these verses and passages – and indeed our associated questions, they may well say tha all these statements are meant to  meaning that all the blessings associated with Israel now belong to the church – although not the associated curses! This is possibly a case of having one’s cake and eating it! Yet we are entitled to ask, does the history of Israel over the past 70 years reveal anything about the nature of our Holy and Righteous God? When He made promises to Israel, was He (in effect) spinning a story-line, as He really had in His mind’s eye, His future Christian “Church”?

Christians need to be clear about their attitude to and understanding of, Israel. Christians generally agree that there are two causations in this world – that God is the causation of all good, and that the devil is the ultimate causation of all evil. If modern Israel is not of God, then is it of the devil? This is the stark choice before all Christians (except those who do not ‘believe’ in the devil!). If Christians say Israel is of the devil then a number of implications flow:

1. All those Christians who believe that Israel’s restoration in 1948 is of God (when it isn’t) will presumably have to face a measure of censure from God. If we may say so with due reverence, God will presumably look on all those who accept the plain meaning of so many scriptures – and He will (in effect) say “Unwise and foolish child! You should not have accepted the plain statements made in Scripture as plain statements, when all the time I intended you to “read” ‘church’ for ‘Israel’. Whilst you are foolish and dull I will not punish you for your misreading of those scriptures and will instead accept it was your dullness and foolishness that made you read my words in that way.”

In all equity, those of us who have read plain statements as ….. plain statements ……. can presumably plead our dullness as a defence.

2. All those Christians who believe that Israel’s restoration is not of God (despite all the evidence to the contrary) and that all of the promises to Israel are meant for the church, surely now have a far greater burden to defend their active decision to oppose. First, they are accusing God of a sort of obfuscation. Where God makes promises of land/an everlasting covenant, and even provides clear geographical parameters to that inheritance, they must explain why God did not once say “these promises are fully transferable and indeed will be transferred in the future”.

3. If the anti – Israel Christians are wrong (and all those promises were to be read as plain language with plain meaning) then they are, by clear implication, saying
that Israel is of the devil. If Israel is of God then it is also of the Holy Spirit. If Israel is not of God then it is of the devil. Anti-Israel Christians therefore come perilously close to committing (if not actually committing) blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, by teaching that what is of the Holy Spirit is of the devil. It is as stark as that. Time, surely, for some deep prayer and some definite heart – searching on this singularly important subject.

Can you answer these questions?

1. God’s promise of an heir to Abram is immediately followed by the promise of land – a specific land, bounded by Egypt’s River Nile and Iraq’s Euphrates. This is God’s covenant with Abram – and his descendants  (Genesis 15:7, 18)

How do God’s boundaries compare with today’s maps and squabbles over Israel and the Middle East?

2. “I will put Israel in her own land, never more to be uprooted” (Amos 9: 15)

When was this prophecy fulfilled? If it hasn’t been fulfilled, when will it be? (See also Jeremiah 16: 14-15)

3. The terms on which Israel may live there: “If you change your ways, deal justly, protect aliens, then I will let you live there forever and ever.” (Jeremiah 7: 5-7)

What does forever and ever mean? Why the emphasis? Is this the same ‘forever and ever’ as in Galatians 1:5?

4. Jerusalem will be “an immovable rock for all Nations” (Zechariah 12: 3)

When in the past did this happen? What is the meaning of this prophecy if it yet lies in the future? Are we beginning to see this becoming true in our own day?

5. All nations will rise up against Israel (Zechariah 14: 2)

Has this prophesy been fulfilled (especially verse 4)? If not when will it be?