Page 7 - Balfour100-E

✡ Foundations 7

The basis of Christian

support for Israel today

Jewish friend once said to me, “We don’t care what you Christians
believe but only what you do.” This is fair enough when one consid-
A ers the shameful history of Christian behaviour towards the Jewish
people over the centuries and towards Israel in recent times – following
a belief that God has transferred all the biblical promises concerning the
people and land of Israel to Christians. On the other hand, it is important to
note that the actions of Christians who support Israel and the Jewish people
are also directly linked to what we believe.
The early church pioneer Paul asked
rhetorically what advantage there was ‘Abraham, without
in being an observant Jew. He answered Christians have an obligation to demon-
his own question, “Much in every way. wavering in his faith, strate their support for Israel
They have the oracles [or word] of God.”
He then followed, “But what if some was fully persuaded a rose and the mountains shoot forth
did not have faith? Will their lack of branches; and even that a highway
faith nullify God’s faithfulness?” And that God had power would extend from Syria to Egypt with
again he answered, “Not at all. Let Israel a part of this future peace.
God be true and everyone [else] a liar.” to do what he had William Tyndale, the pioneering
Paul distinguished the consistent truth translator of the Bible into English, said
of God’s promises from the fickleness promised.’ to his local priest in 1521, “If God spare
and deceit of humanity. Then, quoting my life, before very long I shall cause a
King David in Psalm 51, Paul affirmed, to how faithful the Jewish people were plough boy to know the Scriptures bet-
“that [God] may be proved right when as custodians. ter than you do!” This ‘prophecy’ was
he speaks and when he judges.” A Muslim friend once asked me also fulfilled in the sense that many
Through millennia the Jewish peo- why the Hebrew Bible dishonours the Christian supporters of Israel can verify
ple have been custodians of God’s Word prophets, with even the failings of Da- the plain text of God’s promises and see
and promises – promises not only con- vid and Abraham being detailed. And, the obligation it places on them. Though
cerning the Jewish people and land but indeed, why the Christian Scriptures do centuries of Christian ‘scholarship’
also surrounding nations, extending to the same. My answer was (and remains) created ‘replacement theology’, a plain
the whole world. Abraham, without wa- simply this: “Firstly, because it is true, reading of the Bible has created a grass
vering in his faith, was fully persuaded and secondly, to demonstrate God’s roots movement that accepts that ‘the
that God had power to do what he had faithfulness.” gifts and calling of God [regarding the
promised. It is our belief (and motivation) that Jewish people] are irrevocable’. Though
His direct offspring through Sarah the promises of God contained in the the divine path is mysterious and ‘past
meticulously recorded and transcribed Bible are true in their entirety. If some finding out’, mercy will be extended and
the Word of God – spoken not only to are questionable then how can any be the natural olive branches will be grafted
Abraham but also to Isaac, Jacob, Moses trusted, and who is to select which are back into their own olive tree.
and the prophets. The Dead Sea Scrolls true and which are not? The obligation on those Christians
– discovered in 1947 – bear testament Some of the promises concerning who believe these words is to prayer-
the physical descendants and land of fully and openly demonstrate their
Tim Vince is Chairman of the Israel have been historically fulfilled. belief, whether in advocacy against a
Balfour100 Committee. He has But others were clearly to be held for a resurgent tide of anti-Semitism and
supported Israel most of his later time. For example, promises that anti-Zionism, or in humanitarian sup-
adult life, promoting products
made in Israel, launching and the Jews would continue as a distinct port. What Christians do is still being
editing the newspaper ‘Israel and Christians people; that even though they would rightly judged, and our hope is that the
Today’, leading large-scale pilgrimage tours be exiled to the ends of the earth they celebration of the Balfour Declaration
and through Bible teaching. He has been a would be re-gathered to the same in November at the Royal Albert Hall
presenter on Revelation TV since 2003 with an land; that their land would become a will be seen as evidence that the faith
emphasis on recovering the Judeo-Christian
worldview and values in Christian homes and wasteland followed by a future restora- of Christian Zionists 100 years ago re-
schools. tion; that the desert would blossom as mains very much alive today.