In the Bible, you will often see God referred to as “the God of Israel” or “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” What does this mean to us today? This is a particularly relevant question in light of current events in the Middle and Near East. Can today’s Israel be equated with the Israel of the Bible? Does it have a special place in God’s plan for the world?
Today’s Israel certainly has great historical and spiritual value. Many people, including some of our congregation at Golden Grove, have visited the “Holy Land” and had wonderful experiences! However, any thought that the modern nation of Israel is uniquely special to God runs contrary to the Christian message. In Romans 4, Paul points out that Abraham’s faith, not any religious ritual or family lineage, was why God counted him as righteous. Because of this, Abraham’s “children,” those who inherit his promise, are not simply his flesh-and-blood descendants, but all who inherit his faith.
What does this mean? It means that the Israel of the Bible is not limited to a particular block of land or group of people. It is everywhere in the world that people carry on the faith of Abraham: faith in the God who saves people by his grace, not because of anything they did. We are “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). All the promises to Israel belong to us, and we have the opportunity to share them with the entire world. Glory be to God!
James.