On May 14, 2018, the dedication ceremony for the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem took place. Donald Trump had carried through on a promise that had been made before by others but never fulfilled. By moving the embassy to Jerusalem, the United States was recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. A noteworthy coincidence of the date of this ceremony is that it was 70 years to the day when Israel became a nation again.
Two evangelical pastors were invited by the Trump Administration to offer prayers for the occasion. Both men are dispensationalists. Pastor John Hagee who is the founder of “Christians United for Israel,” and Pastor Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. Pastor Jeffress gave the opening prayer as well as the prayer of dedication. Pastor Hagee delivered the benediction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the ceremony quoting from Zechariah 8:3, “The prophet Zechariah declared over 2500 years ago, ‘So said the Lord, ‘I will return to Zion and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth.’’’
Netanyahu is a friend of the Christian Zionists and dispensationalists because they hold compatible religious views concerning the present-day state of Israel. As a Jew, he is glad to quote O.T. Scriptures that refer to Israel, the land, Mount Zion and Jerusalem. In quoting from Zechariah 8:3, I’d venture a guess that he hasn’t given any convicting thought to the fact that God did in fact “return to Zion” and He taught “in the midst of Jerusalem” in the Person of Jesus Christ. Netanyahu’s ancestors may have been living in Israel at that time when the nation of Israel rejected Jesus Christ. That nation was judged by God with the complete destruction of the temple as well as Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Romans.
Of course, the redemptive historical truths concerning the Lord Jesus Christ are not a part of the current confession of the modern Jewish state of Israel nor was there any element of a national repentance concerning the Lord Jesus Christ on that occasion in 2018, nor at any time, even in 1948. Compare this to the response of the multitude of Jewish people gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection when they heard the words of the Apostle Peter. “‘Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call’” (Acts 2:36-39).
Pastor Robert Jeffress, during his prayer of dedication offered that day in Jerusalem, didn’t call the nation to repentance as Peter had done when he had preached in Jerusalem those many centuries ago. In Pastor Jeffress’ prayer of dedication, he thanked God, “for miraculously regathering Your people in this land seventy years ago this very day- just as Your prophets predicted thousands of years ago.” If this is indeed the case, one could argue that Israel’s ongoing conflicts over that same promised land is reflective of the wars that Israel fought for that land during the days of the Old Testament when God led them there the first time.
David Ben Gurion established the new state of Israel on May 14, 1948, and since that date, Israel has fought in more than eight ‘major’ wars and conflicts. The most recent wars being the Israel-Hamas war which began with the Hamas assault on Israel on October 7th, 2023, as well as what is referred to as “the Twelve-Day War” which began on June 13of this year with Israel’s attack on Iran and ended on June 24th with a ceasefire.
Pastor Jeffress referred to the present-day nation of Israel as the “miraculous” outcome of what God had promised through His prophets, but some may ask why he believes the present Jewish state of Israel holds such prophetic status.
In that case, one would be questioning the dispensationalist’s interpretation of the Scriptures concerning Israel, and someone recently did just that. That person was the journalist Tucker Carlson in an interview that took place with Texas Senator Ted Cruz. They were discussing what is the basis on which the United States should be involved in helping the nation of Israel.
Ted Cruz who doesn’t claim to be a theologian, when asked about Israel by Tucker, said that he remembered his younger days in Sunday School class when he heard the words from the Bible which he remembered as “Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed.” The actual wording from Genesis 12:3 is, “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you” (NKJV). Take note of how the two quotes differ from one another.
As a Christian, the senator has been influenced by dispensationalism in his thinking concerning Israel. For him, his understanding of this verse of Scripture gives a strong reason to support Israel not only because they are a democratic nation and our strong ally in the Middle East, but because as he said to Tucker Carlson, “Biblically we are commanded to support Israel.” For Ted Cruz and all the other dispensational minded congressman and congresswomen, there are strong religious grounds to support the nation of Israel. It will bring God’s blessing, that is, if it is true that this present-day nation of Israel continues to hold the same ‘chosen nation’ status as the former nation of Israel once did in the days of the Old Testament.
Tucker, who also does not claim to be a theologian, was interested in knowing more about how Ted Cruz has connected his remembrance from Genesis 12:3 to the modern state of Israel. His question to Ted Cruz was “Define Israel.” That is the right question to ask.
Senator Cruz struggled to provide an answer that satisfied Tucker. The answer to this question concerning present-day Israel and its relationship to Abraham, to O.T. Israel and to the church is what separates dispensationalism from amillennialism and postmillennialism. As an amillennialist, I would answer Tucker’s question by pointing out that dispensationalists project O.T. promises made to Abraham and to his offspring, Old Covenant Israel (Numbers 24:8,9) upon this present-day nation of Israel.
Amillennialists teach that the earthly promises made to Abraham that concern his offspring, Israel, have been fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45 & 23: 14-16). They will also point out that the promises made to Abraham and his offspring have a greater spiritual intent and were meant to find their final and eternal fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised “seed” (Genesis 22:18 & Galatians 3:16-18).
We would say, “Jesus Christ has come in fulfillment of the Scriptures. So don’t project upon the present-day nation of Israel what was already fulfilled under the Old Covenant, which has passed into history, having given way to the One to Whom the promise was made” (Galatians 3:19-29).
The Old Covenant, which is referred to as the Mosaic Covenant, with its earthly promises and earthly worship ceremonies was meant to be temporary and has been made obsolete by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah. He has instituted the New Covenant with all its spiritual blessings that come to the Jews and the Gentiles who put their faith in Him (Ephesians 1:3-14, Hebrews 8:13).
Believers should recognize that this present-day Israel does have a ‘connection’ to O.T. Israel because of God’s covenant with Abraham (The Abrahamic Covenant). That connection is best understood in the light of the New Testament Scriptures and what they reveal to us concerning Jesus Christ, His church and Israel under the New Covenant. Dispensationalists, who do not have a proper regard for New Testament light concerning God’s covenants and His people have caused confusion in this matter concerning the nation of Israel.
We should also recognize that present-day Israel is a secular nation made up of both secular as well as religious people, and as such, it is similar to all the other nations that exist now on this earth. Like these other nations, Israel’s government employs worldly tactics and covert operations to protect its interests and its people. That being said, we are aware that “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1b). The United States has demonstrated its commitment to support the state of Israel. Israel has strong ties to this country as a democratic nation and our friend and ally in the Middle East. But there is more than just a political component to this support. Because of our Judeo-Christian heritage and the generational influence of Bible believing Christians, there has been and continues to be a religious component that ‘connects’ the people of this country and the people of Israel. Since this is the case as was demonstrated in Tucker Carlson’s interview with Senator Ted Cruz, then it is very appropriate to examine one’s understanding of the nation of Israel from the vantage point of sound Christ-centered teaching and the full light of Scripture.
Therefore, we continue to proclaim that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. He has died for sin, and He has risen from the dead. He has ascended into heaven and sits in glory with the Father on heaven’s throne. Let it be known that “the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28). One of these nations is present-day Israel. Like all the other nations in our day, it exists in the world for God’s purpose and is under His rule. What that purpose is as we approach the end of this present age must certainly be a part of one’s ‘end times’ theological discussions.
Michael Galus serves as pastor of Sonrise Christian Fellowship Church in Quarryville. To learn more, visit: sonrisechristianfellowship.org.
