There is great controversy in the Body of Messiah worldwide concerning the place of the Jewish people and the land of Israel. However, the issue is not inherently about politics or racial identity but about the very nature of the kingdom of God.
1. Redemption of Planet Earth
Is the ultimate purpose of God for human beings to leave this planet and live forever in a non-resurrected body in the sky (“heaven”)? Or is to restore all things (Acts 3:21), raise the dead into new bodies that can live both in heaven and earth (I Corinthians 15, John 20, Luke 24), and unite heaven and earth together (Ephesians 1:10)? If we can agree on the second “restorationist” viewpoint, then there is an important purpose for the renewed, created earth (Romans 8:21). There must be a way for a “covenant claim” of repossession and restoration in order to redeem what was lost at the fall of Adam.
The Abrahamic covenant is the vehicle for God to reclaim legal ownership of the entire planet. The Abrahamic covenant is not just to repossess the land of Canaan for one man’s tribe: but starting from there to repossess the entire planet (Romans 4:13). Thus, if you don’t believe in Abrahamic-Israel land possession, you can’t possibly believe in a total, planet earth repossession. If there is no continuing validity to the Israel land covenant, then you are simply agreeing to permanently yield planet earth to Satan’s dominion.
2. Literal Second Coming
Is the second coming of Yeshua really physical and literal? Does He come all the way down for His feet to stand on the Mount of Olives? (Zech 14:4) If He is to come to the Mount of Olives, then there is a purpose for the land of Israel. If He is to come, then there must be Jewish people living here who believe in Him and who will welcome Him back with shouts of “Baruch Haba B’shem Adonai (Matthew 23:39).”
So, there must be:
1. Israel land possession covenant
2. Re-gathering of Jewish people to the land
3. Revival of faith among Jewish people in Israel
4. Welcoming Yeshua to return.
If no land, then there is no literal return of Yeshua, because there is no covenanted place for Him to return to.
3. Millennial Messianic Kingdom
Will there be a real millennial kingdom on earth with Yeshua reigning from Jerusalem? If so, then there must be a continuing covenant purpose and claim for Jerusalem and Israel. If no Israel covenant, then there could not be a Jerusalem centered kingdom on earth. And if not, why don’t we just stop praying altogether “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
So, if there is not a continuing covenant with Israel, there would be no purpose for planet earth, no literal second coming, and no millennial kingdom. These are the critical issues behind the “Israel land” controversy. The covenant promises for the land of Israel and the Jewish people are God’s biblical vehicles to repossess planet earth, to invite Yeshua back to earth, and to bring the millennial kingdom.
Spiritual Warfare
And one last thought: why should Christians be confused on this issue? It seems the Islamic Jihad, the United Nations and the Radical Left are not confused. They all do everything they can to stop Israel and the Messianic remnant here. What’s obvious to them on the negative should be obvious to us on the positive.
