Understanding God's Promises and the Modern Nation of Israel

Join Preston as he dives into Genesis chapter 12 and explores the complex topic of Israel's place in the modern world and its relation to God's promises. Preston addresses a recent interview with Senator Ted Cruz discussing U.S. support for Israel and the broader Christian perspectives on the nation. By examining key scriptures, Preston aims to clarify who God's chosen people are according to the Bible, shifting the focus from geopolitical issues to a spiritual understanding centered on Christ. This lesson provides insight for Christians on how to navigate these discussions and emphasizes the importance of aligning with Jesus to inherit God's promises.

00:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks
00:48 Introduction to the Topic: God's Promises
00:57 Current Events and Evangelical Perspectives
01:44 Biblical Justification for Supporting Israel
04:22 Who Are God's Chosen People?
08:11 Paul's Teachings on Faith and Ethnicity
13:47 The Role of Israel in Salvation History
20:35 Practical Implications and Conclusion

Transcript

Good evening. If you got your Bibles, you would go and open up to Genesis chapter 12. That's, we're gonna be starting in just a minute. I'll say thank you for everybody being out and breathing the weather tonight. Know, it's kind of raining a little bit harder earlier, so hopefully didn't get what coming in.

But if you're visiting with us tonight thank you for being here, choosing to be with us this evening. A break. Open God's word together with us. Thanks Owen. For the songs you sing, wherever you went to, there you are really good songs. I love the Glenda Shell song. Any Glenda Shell song. I absolutely love, and I remember at camp she was in high school, she ended up coming to a camp or Florida camp, and she told the story of writing that particular song.

And verse three especially was during a hard time in her life. And I always love thinking about her recounting her writing that song how much it meant to her. Tonight to kinda shift gears where we are talking about God's promises as Owen kind of sung about. But I wanna start just with the kind of current event that took place.

You know, a couple Wednesdays ago, back on June 18th, Tucker Carlson revealed this interview with Senator Ted Cruz and it revealed this really stark divide between evangelicals or broader Christianity. In the United States right now, and the conversation really revolved around the United States and Israel and foreign policy.

And Ted Cruz argued, you know, that the US should be backing Israel and their current conflicts with Iran. And this last week, as we all saw bombs were dropped and the United States did just that. Let's listen tonight. Don't worry, it's not, not a lesson about. What the United States ought to be doing in terms of foreign policy, but because that's really something I know very little about.

So I'm sure you really don't want my opinions on that. I don't like to hear a lot of people's opinion on that, and especially my own, because I have a little say. But really I want to talk about Senator Cruz's justification for his support of the Israeli state and living in Texas. I'm sure a lot of your friends, all your family or coworkers probably share kind of some of the similar sentiments of what Cruz says up here.

There's a broader context there, so I'd encourage you go watch a video. It's interesting just to watch and kind of understand the thought process and also to see how a constructive dialogue. You know, that's not a constructive format of the conversation between these two individuals in particular, but I think his perspective kind of shed some light on how a lot of people in our area of the world think about the relationship between Israel and God currently.

And Cruz said as a Christian growing up in Sunday school, I was taught from the Bible that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. And I want to be on the blessing side of things. Where does my support from Israel come from? He says, because biblically, we are commanded to support Israel.

It's a pretty strong statement that we're commanded to support Israel, but this is a mindset that's really prevalent of, of a lot of people here in this area of the world who sincerely believe that the modern nation of Israel is the exact same thing as Israel and scripture. So. If they are God's chosen people, well Christians ought to support them, right?

That's how the ideas go. Well tonight. I don't wanna just talk about this, this is a really complicated topic, and I'm not gonna act like I, you know, am gonna put a nail in the coffin or anything, but I want to point you towards some scriptures tonight that'll give you at least a starting point for your own study if you're having these conversations with people at work or in your families.

And then I want us to end and kind of offer some kind of guidance and maybe end with a, a, a po more positive message of hope. About the kind of current state of affairs and things, and no doubt, there's a lot of things there's a lot of different angles to this discussion and there's a lot of, in a lot of ways in which it dovetails with Reagan's sermon last week on, you know, pre-millennial dispensationalism.

And so that's why I wanted to kind of piggyback off of his sermon. I'm not gonna talk about that though. But I want us to really focus on that one key claim tonight that Christians must support Israel because they are God's chosen people. And this is a point that Cruz made himself siding. Genesis chapter 12 and verse three, if you wanna read, there says of verse one.

Now the Lord said to Abram. Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you and I'll make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you. I will curse and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

And so tonight we're gonna talk about, you know, the, really, the bulk of our lesson is gonna be about this idea who exactly are Gods chosen people think. People seem to be mixed up about that. And the key misunderstanding of, you know, this kind of Christian Zionism kind of perspective, this kind of blind positive support and outlook on the, the modern nation of Israel.

It's, the kind of misunderstanding with it is it sees this promise given to Abraham here in Genesis chapter 12 as this unconditional promise to all of future generations of Abraham's descendants. Now as we'll talk about. That's true in a sense, and we'll get to that in our third point in just a moment.

Because God has not abandoned Israel or totally forsaken his people. They have a very specific role in the promises that we just sang about just a moment ago. And so if we say, if we're we go to the other end of the extreme and say that God has forsaken Israel altogether while we're going a little bit too far, and so we'll talk about that as well, but.

A lot of these conversations that you have with other people whether they're talking or you're talking, I think it's really important that we define our terms. We need to clearly define what we mean when we talk about Israel. 'cause if we say, you know, well, ancient Israel, we're God's chosen people, well, I'd say, well, yeah, I agree with that statement, if that's what we mean by Israel as being God's chosen people.

Many sincere Christians today still think that a lot of the Jewish people, specifically the modern nation of Israel and its government, are today the recipients of God's promises, regardless of their attitude or their their reaction to Jesus Christ and his claims to be the, the Messiah or the Christ.

We use those terms interchangeably. They just mean the same thing, Christ and Messiah. And yet the Apostle Paul, he doesn't see it this way in the New Testament. Instead, these blessings given to Abraham in chapter 12 ultimately come to fulfillment, not in Abraham's offspring, plural meaning the plurality of people called Israel, whether ancient or modern times, but to a singular offspring of Abraham.

This is what he says in Galatians chapter three in verse 16. If you wanna turn there. Says now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, and to offsprings referring to many, but referring to one and to your offspring, who is Christ. So if we think about inserting Paul's kind of argument here into this discussion about who is God's chosen people.

Well, the Abrahamic blessing is not to be found by simply just aligning ourselves with the modern nation of Israel, but by aligning ourself with the Christ, with Jesus the Messiah, who is whom the promises were given. Ultimately, Paul says, and that through whom? Its blessings can be obtained. And so elsewhere, Paul even goes farther to make a, an even bolder claim than he does here in Galatians.

Not only did he say that Abraham's blessings are fulfilled in Jesus, but he goes on to say that all the promises that God delivered in Second Corinthians chapter one, he says, for the son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Sivan and Timothy, and I was not. Yes and no. In him. It was always yes and look in verse 20, I love this statement.

For all the promises of God, find their yes in him. This is why it is through him that we utter our amen to God for His glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us and who has also put his feel on us and given us his spirit and our hearts as a guarantee. So if God's promises are ultimately fulfilled in Christ Jesus, well, one's attitude towards him is really key in identifying who God's people really are.

And so our second point is that God's people are chosen by faith, not by ethnicity. Paul is this apostle. We'll continue looking at a lot of his arguments about this. But Paul is this apostle that's sent to the Gentiles he's sent to bring the Gentiles to faith in Christ. And then Romans and Galatians.

Paul dealt with a lot of the struggles between these two different groups these groups of believers in how they understood their new life together. In the kingdom of God. And historically, Israel was God's treasured possession in whom the promises of God were entrusted and would come through would come through one of their own ultimately in Jesus of Nazareth.

And this is exactly what Paul says in Romans chapter nine and verses four and five as we kind of start here. And he talks about the privileged status of the Jewish people. He says they are Israelites. To them belong. The adoption, the glory, the covenant, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises to them belong, the patriarchs.

And then most importantly, he says, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God overall, blessed forever, a men. But as we had on the slide up here, the Jews, he goes on to say, ultimately forfeit their privilege if they reject Jesus as being the Messiah. And so he continues on talking about, he's just mentioned, you know, they have a holy and very unique task that God has given them.

And Genesis 12 points that out where this, they're given this task to bring the blessings of God to all of the other. Nations and the new covenant ultimately reveals that to being Christ as we said. And Paul goes on to say that that all of the corporate people of Israel, they had this calling and promise, but it wasn't guaranteed when Christ was revealed to all Jewish peoples.

And it can be forfeited depending on how they respond to Jesus. And so he says in verse six, but it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel, belong to Israel, and not all children of Abraham, because they are his offspring, but through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

This means that is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children, the promise are counted as offspring. So Paul says, Hey, well if some Israelites are no longer being considered God's chosen people, it's not because God's promises in any way have failed. He says, no, it's because it had to do with their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.

And we can hear kind of in John Jesus' words or ugh, Paul's words here, John the Baptist words back in Matthew chapter three is he's preparing the way for Jesus when he tells the Pharisees. Do not presume to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham, Paul and John the Baptist both show that true sons of Abraham are ones that ultimately repent and recognize that Jesus is the Christ.

And so while Jews may forfeit their privilege by the rejection of Jesus, well Gentiles. Are now included and given privilege because of their faith in Jesus. The blessings are fulfilled first to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles and God's promises are obtained in Christ and anyone who's willing to put their allegiance and and the king Jesus will, they can be part of this blessing.

And this is what Paul goes on to say in Galatians chapter three. I know we're reading a lot of scripture tonight. So again, these are all kind of jumping off points for you. Keep these in your notes and, and refer back to these. If you have more questions afterwards, talk to me for sure. But Galatians three in verse seven through nine, he talks about this newfound privilege.

He says, know then that it is those of faith who are sons of Abraham. The scripture for seeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith. Preach the gospel beforehand to Abraham Ci. In here, Genesis chapter 12 saying, in you shall all the nations be blessed. So then those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

And so Paul says that promise that we, we started talking about at the very beginning that was made to Abraham so long ago. He says, that was a foreshadowing of the mystery of the gospel that was ready to be revealed at the proper time. And he continues talking about the Gentiles accepting this blessing and ultimately following in the footsteps of Jesus and becoming a part of this community through baptism.

And he says in verse 27. For as many of you as we're baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There's neither slave nor free. There is neither or there is no male and female for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And listen to verse 29, he says, and if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs, according to the promise.

So that distinction that had always been there between Jews, God's chosen people, the ancient people of Israel and everybody else, the Gentiles, well Jesus or and Jesus, that division there, it does not exist for those who accept Christ in faith and baptism. And they are now one in Christ Jesus. And now both joint heirs of the promises of God given to Abraham.

And now this leads us to our last points in that, in Christ, there is neither, or there's no longer one or two two separate parties, two different types of people. But now there's one in Christ and we need to understand, I think that the Gentiles participation in the family of God and God's chosen people, like we said, it doesn't nullify God's previous promises to Israel.

Israel was a special people formerly, and they continue to be so when we understand that in the right context. Now, Israel's blessings have been expanded. They've not been taken away from Israel and given to Gentiles, they've been expanded and now invite the Gentiles to come and share in their privileged status.

And so the New Testament church don't understand a lot of people especially if you talk with anybody, if you might know, maybe not so around here, but if you talk to anybody who may have a Jewish background, they may see this as a replacement. They call it replacement theology. That's not what we're talking about.

We're talking about more of a remnant kind of understanding of the Jewish people. The, the New Testament church, we're not saying came and replace the Jewish people, but the early church was at its core Jewish itself. You remember acts back in Acts chapter two when all of these Christians are baptized on day of Pentecost and 3000 souls, 3000 Jews kind of formed the beginning of the early church.

And so Israel was not replaced. A faithful remnant of Jews accepted Jesus as a messiah and became the first converts of the early church. And so Paul makes this clear using two really distinct metaphors. You see the first one up there on the screen. Romans 11 is a really cool one. I've got the entire section there verses 11 through 24.

Really, if you want to the subject a lot, I look at chapters nine through 11. I know we're bouncing around. But for your own study, study chapters nine through 11. But he uses a really vivid metaphor here with this one olive tree. And again, the number one is really important. We're not talking about two different trees here, but we're talking about one and he, we kind of get this picture when we read that this, you know, tree, you know, the, the root itself, he says, are these faithful Jews?

They make up the root of the olive tree. But there's unfaithful Jews who rejected Jesus. They denied that he was the Messiah, and so those branches were broken off. And then he talks about the Gentiles as these wild olive branches that were kind of cut. And if you're familiar with the practice of grafting with trees and things like that, you know, they shaved parts of the trees down.

They're able to kind of tie in to the main tree and add branches that weren't even formally a part of this original tree. And so this is the description of what. But Paul is kind of, he's talking about the relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles here, and look in Romans 11, verses 17 through 18, he says, but if some of the branches were broken off talking about the unfaithful Jews.

And you talking to the Gentiles. Now, although a wild olive chute were grafted in among the others, and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant towards the branches. If you are, remember, it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. So he is telling these believers, Hey, these fellow Jews, there's a lot of struggles going on in Romans between the Jews that are returning to Rome.

And have found this, you know, church that is mostly Gentile now, and previously when they had left after a governmental order to remove some Jews from the city of Rome they come back to the church and it's increasingly gentile. It's grown since they've been away. And so there's a lot of struggles here.

And so he's telling these gentiles who may feel like they have some sort of pride about themselves now in the kingdom of God and rejecting the mosaic covenant and the circumcision, the food laws, the Sabbath day practices, all these things, he's saying, Hey, just because you've been grafted into the tree, don't, don't look don't feel prideful with these other branches that are, you know, existing branches or have been removed.

Ultimately, these Jewish people, they have supported you. They're the reason why you're even able to partake into this new covenant community. And Paul goes on to make another similar argument, another similar image about this one new man, this new humanity in Ephesians chapter two. So if you want to turn over to Ephesians chapter two in verses 11 through 12 again.

If you need some more context, go back and study 11 through 22. It'll help you talk to some people about this, but this different metaphor, it's a little bit different, but it's making the same point essentially. And Christ is now broken down this wall of separation. There's formerly two groups, and now he's broken down that barrier so that they can be won.

So look here, there's, you can see in this text alone in 14 through 16, the emphasis on hostility that was previously existing. Now, peace that Christ has made, and then the language of oneness and unity between these two groups that are now one. And so look, in verse 14, he says. He himself is our peace.

That's Christ who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. Notice here, this is important. Now he says that he might create in himself one new man in a place of the two. So making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

So when people talk about, you know, Israel's elect status and how they were a very precious and chosen nation well. All of fete says yes, that is definitely true because through this lineage of Israel, the Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah was brought forth. He was born, and God's blessings were made to all humans.

Through Israel's role in salvation history, I mean half of more than half our Bible is about the stories of the people of Israel, and this was the plan always from the beginning back in Genesis chapter 12 as we read earlier, that all of Israel, through Abraham's descendants and ultimately as we said, through Christ they would receive blessing.

And so anyone who puts their faith in Jesus has now granted access into the community of God's chosen people. This new Israel, this olive tree that is God's people as we read about and as Ephesians will go on to say the temple dwelling place that is full of God's spirit, which we're all stones making up this living temple.

And so thanks be to God for God choosing Israel and for working through them to bring about salvation of humankind. We, we need to recognize their place in history, but also in the right context. So hopefully this has given you a couple passages to think about. Well, I wanna just end with two points about why this conversation particularly matters to us because.

A lot of, you're probably thinking, why is he even preaching on this? This isn't, you know, something that really, maybe we, I venture to guess 99% of us probably don't believe any of the sentiments shared by, you know, Ted Cruz or people that might have this kind of mindset to think Israel, current day Israel, you know, is God's chosen people.

And they're still, you know, gonna be included in the blessings and things like that, even though they haven't accepted faith in Christ. I'd venture to say most of us probably don't believe that. But this conversation matters. It, it should matter to us and for two reasons in particular, and I'm sure there's probably more, but these are just ones I wanted to bring up.

I mean, if anybody's got anything to say about things pertaining to our faith, it should be us as Christians. And as we mentioned, our concerns, it's not just about answering what the United States ought to do in relation to this modern nation. That's not what we're talking about tonight. Of course, we need to hold our leaders accountable and make sure that they're practicing mercy and justice and peace as much as possible.

But that's not our concern tonight. For us, these conversations really are an opportunity for us to teach God's word and to share the gospel to our culture and to be concerned about the things that our culture today are worried about. And so we need to be ready to do so. So I think that's kinda the first thing, but really, I.

I think for us, we need to be able to avoid these extremes in our really polarized culture, right? 'cause there's two polar opposites of the, the side. We, we can be here, where we can be on the side as we were talking about this Christian nationalist or Christian zionistic kind of mindset that. Kind of blindly sees everything that Israel is doing is blessed by God and positive and never criticizing what they might be doing.

Whereas we may turn it the other way and have a more antisemitic mindset that we look at them only negatively and we only have horrible things to say about the Jewish people to point where we might actually be practicing racism. Really for us, we need to be avoiding these extremes and we need to be showing how other people, or showing other people that there is a Christ-like way.

There isn't this polarization that I have to choose one of these sides, but I can show them the Christian way, the Christ-like way to go forward and how Christ shows us to love our neighbors. I'll be the first to say when we talk about all these things in terms of world politics, that. I don't have a lot of answers for 'em.

I, I don't really know what's going on, so it's hard for me really to have an opinion on the geopolitical issues and things like that. I, I've never been to these countries. I, I really don't know a lot of people who are have a Jewish background or or are Middle Eastern, because where I've lived, I haven't encountered a lot of people like that.

I don't, I don't know the conflict history or the, even the current situations. In the Middle East. I don't know about all of these complicated and, and messy issues. And so when I find myself thinking about these moments of confusion, well, I've got to go with what I know to be true and what I know to be true are ultimately the words of Jesus.

And he's told me very clearly what I need to do. And Matthew chapter 22 a passage we know very well where this lawyer comes to approach Jesus and ask him, trying to attest him. To see what's the greatest commandment. That's what he asked Jesus and, and he said to him, well, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the greatest commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself on these two commandments to pen all the law in the prophets. In all these discussions with whoever you might be encountering, whether it be family, friends, or coworkers, will try always to avoid making these broad, general statements about people, groups, or situations in which you, which I'm not closely linked to, and try to aim to give people the mercy and the love and the grace that you, yourself, or that I would desire myself and I, I need to aim to try and love all people.

Where's my friend or a foe or he just a stranger. Jesus has called me to do. And so let's avoid the extremes and let's show people the Christ-like way to think about some of these difficult issues. Let's focus on the things that we know to be true when there's a lot of information out there telling us to think a certain way, and we don't know which way is up.

Well, let's go back to scripture. Let's go to the words of Jesus and follow His lead. And secondly. I think as people are seeking God's action in the world, we we're able to help them find it in the right places. Don't, don't misunderstand me tonight if maybe somebody's listening online to the sermon just 'cause the title or you know, maybe somebody here might disagree with the things I'm saying.

Don't. Don't misunderstand my criticism of the people that are holding this view. I, I might disagree, but I'm really glad that a lot of people are concerned about these issues and they're talking about them right now. 'cause I'm encouraged that there's people who, who wanna share their faith and they're looking for God's action within the world because there are a lot of crazy things going on.

We're hearing about wars. People are always talking about World War ii and people are talking about, you know, protecting our nation from nuclear warfare. All of these things are up in the air. People are looking for God because they want him to do something about it. And that ought to be encouraging to us.

I think even if people are misguided, and this gives us, I think, two opportunities. First, it helps us because we can show others the way more perfectly about these issues. We need to take advantage of the open doors God gives us. To be able to show people the way more perfectly. It's, it's really easy to let your.

Crazy uncle, your family members, you know, or your coworkers or friends to make passing comments about these issues and not address 'em because maybe we don't wanna rock the boat and we always need to use discernment. 'cause these are really emotional topics. People care about these issues. They think really deeply about them.

They believe these things to be true and to be biblical. And so they're emotional conversations a lot of times. And so we need to tread lightly when these opportunities open up. But we need to offer you know, with conviction. And the biblical perspective in gentleness and truth. And a lot of times these conversations are probably gonna be ones that are long.

They're gonna be, you know, hopefully full of humility. And hopefully through that process we can help people see that, you know, the true Israel today, it is not the modern nation of Israel, but it is in fact Christ's church. Secondly, I think along these lines of people seeking for hope, we can help those people who don't know Christ to find the security and the hope that we have in these dark times, because for us, our faith, it shouldn't rest in our economy.

As we talked about this morning with King Solomon, he put all of his trust, he turned his eye away from God's word. As brother Jerry brought to us this morning, he, he focused on the, the gold and the silver, rather than on God. He, he focused on his alliances. With a modern nation, that shouldn't be our focus either.

Our focus shouldn't be seeking security with foreign nations or our politicians and our leaders, whatever it might be, because our faith rests in the good news of the resurrected Lord Jesus, I need amen on that one. All right. But whatever happens, we have the guarantee of God's life-giving spirit within us that's gonna raise us from the dead on the last day.

And this is what the hope that we have. And, and Jesus or Paul says, if we have this hope, if our hope is in Christ, well, we are not gonna be put to shame. And this is the hope we have. And this is the hope that you can have too. If you're here with us and you're not a Christian, and, and Paul says in chapter 10 of Romans, he says, but what does it say?

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith, that we proclaim this message of the gospel. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord, if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved for with the heart, one receive believes and is justified and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.

For the scripture says Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame and he goes on to say, as we've been talking for, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is Lord of all bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

So tonight. I know this is kind of a more, you know, maybe technical kind of lesson. We're talking about current issues and maybe something we don't necessarily believe, but how to talk to people who, who kind of might hold these convictions. But tonight, I hope you can see where we can help people see where our, our ultimate hope ought to be.

It doesn't need to be in all of these peripheral issues. And, and, and our hope shouldn't be in rulers or princes or men because. If we put our trust in them, well, when they perish their plans, you know, they, they turn to dust, they fall apart. But our trust is ultimately in the king Jesus who sits at the right hand of God.

And if we come and express our faith, as Paul just said, if we confess with our mouth, if we're willing to put away our former life and to, to seek his forgiveness in the waters of baptism, well then we can be added. As Paul says, we can put on Christ and be a part. Of this covenant community, this new Israel that inherits the promises of God.

And that's a beautiful thing that and all those promises that he talks about. Paul says, you know, all the promises of God are yes in Christ. Those promises we sing about they are all yes in Christ. And so if you want to be a fellow heir in those promises, we want to help you with that tonight. If you'll come now as we stand and as we sing,

I.