Length: 11 minutes

As Christians, how should we treat the nation of Israel? This is not as popular as it should be, but the short answer is, “Just like you would treat anyone else.”

Before I expand on this question, I want to point out some things for context. You may not see the relevance at first but stay with me. Most Christians (especially conservatives) will ardently fight against hiring, promoting, or giving assistance to people based on skin color, ethnicity, or national origin. That is a correct stance. “Immutable characteristics,” as they’re called, should not come into play when promoting someone. If you’re a good citizen, you should be promoted. If you’re a bad citizen, you should have freedoms taken away. What color your skin is, your ethnicity, or whatever country you (legally) immigrated from should not be a consideration. It’s content of character, not color of skin. 

Hopefully every Christian could get behind that mentality. The funny thing is, even Christians who are the staunchest advocates for these principles will give Israel the benefit of the doubt simply because they’re Israel. They will point out that God chose Israel (which is true) but will therefore believe that there is virtue in siding with Israel, simply because they’re Israel. Many don’t realize that this is siding with someone due to their nationality, which breaks the very principles we just spoke of. You might call that “identity politics.” The Bible would call that being “a respecter of persons.” Now, don’t get offended on me. Stay with me. I’ll be nice!

Of course, no one should ever treat anyone worse for their nationality or ethnicity, but we also shouldn’t treat someone better for their nationality either. 

Respecter of persons

Sometimes, when people say that “God is not a respecter of persons” they think that just means that God doesn’t respect certain people more than others. That’s actually not so. God loves everyone equally, but God does respect certain people and lightly esteems others, based on whether they have believed in His Son or not (1 Samuel 2:30). There’s a particular honor God gives people for their faith in His Son. 

The term “respecter of persons” actually means “a respecter of the face.” It refers, in part, to people’s appearance. And it is used specifically in context for people’s nationality. It just means that God does not respect people for their outward characteristics, like their skin color, their ethnicity, and what part of the world they’re from.

When Peter realized that God had opened salvation, not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles of every nation, he said:

Acts 10:34-35 (KJV) Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons [of the face]: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

The context here is Jews and gentiles. When Peter says, “God is no respecter of persons,” in context, he’s saying that God is not a respecter of the Jew or the gentile. He is saying that God does not respect people for their nationality. Israel is a nation. Therefore, God does not respect someone because they are of the nation of Israel. God has no more respect for someone of Israel, than He does any person on the earth. If someone believes in Jesus, God honors them. If they don’t believe, God loves them but will not honor them for that decision – that goes for Jew or gentile equally (1 Samuel 2:30). This contradicts most Christians’ view of Israel. 

The vast majority of Christians believe that God has a special respect and blessing on Israel, and therefore we should as well. We will accuse others of playing “identity politics” when they favor a certain race or nationality, but we say that God does this very thing with Israel. This is being a “respecter of persons.” In fact, in Acts 10:34-35 the original context of “being a respecter of persons” is referring to Israel. 

Stay with me.

God’s Chosen People

So then, what about all the scriptures about Israel being chosen by God, set apart from other nations. That is certainly true. All we need is a little context.

What Was The Purpose Of God’s Choice?

God did choose Israel. First off, let’s ask, “For what purpose did God choose Israel?” God chose Israel to give them the great advantage of receiving the gospel, and therefore the inheritance, first (Galatians 4:1). They got first dibs so that they could learn and bring that message to the rest of the world. Their symbolic practices were meant to be a testimony of the Messiah to come, and they were meant to be the heralds of this message to everyone else. That’s why Romans 1:16 says the gospel is to the Jew first and also to the gentile. This is also why John 4:22 says that salvation is of the Jews, because it came through the Jews first. Romans 3:1-2 says that they were “entrusted with the word of God.” While most of them rejected that word, aside from a small remnant, these things did come to pass (Romans 11:5). 

By virtue of being born of the nation of Israel, they were given first rights to the gospel and the inheritance. The Bible calls it “a birthright.” Israel is symbolized by Esau, the firstborn son (Genesis 25:34). God calls Israel His firstborn son because they were the first to receive from Him (Exodus 4:22). But as Esau sold his birthright, so the Jews sold their rights to their inheritance to the gentiles. This is also symbolized by how the sons of Jacob sold Joseph (Jesus) to the Gentiles. 

The point I’m trying to prove here is that the Jews were given the inheritance first. Israel was chosen to get first dibs on the gospel, with the intention that they would bring it to the rest of the world. God needed a herald. That’s why they were chosen.

Why Israel?

“Why did God choose Israel, as a nation, specifically?” Well, if God chose Israel because of their nationality then He would be a “respecter of persons” and we know that’s not the case. It turns out, God did not choose Israel because of their skin color, ethnicity, or nationality. He chose them out of respect for the faith of their fathers, Abraham Isaac, and Jacob. God tells them why He chose them here:

Deuteronomy 7:7-11 (NKJV) The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand… 9 “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him…

God is telling the people of Israel, who were present at that time, that He did not choose them for their own greatness, but because of the oath that He swore to their fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed in Jesus to come (John 8:56), and because of their faith, God chose their descendants after them to be the heralds of the gospel. 

You see? This was not God respecting someone for their nationality. God was respecting their father’s faith. It’s true, it was a nation that was chosen, but they weren’t chosen for their nationality. They were chosen because their fathers obeyed the Lord, and the Lord respected that. 

Israel’s Blessing

This is very important to understand: When you believe in Jesus (as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did), that doesn’t just affect you. That blessing affects anyone associated with you. 

For instance, in Genesis 39:5 Joseph was blessed, but that blessing came to Potiphar’s whole house for Joseph’s sake. Also, 1 Corinthians 7:14 says even your unbelieving family is set apart, just because you believe. It doesn’t mean they’re saved, but they get fringe benefits because they’re associated with you, and you’re blessed by God!

That is exactly what is happening with Israel today. Not only were they chosen to be the heralds of the gospel, but there is still a blessing on Israel today! 

What? Am I saying that there’s a blessing on people of a certain ethnicity? Yep! But they’re not being blessed because of their ethnicity. They are getting a fringe benefit because their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed. So yes, if someone is physically born of those men, it doesn’t mean they’re saved, and they’re not receiving their own blessing from God, but they’re getting a fringe blessing because their fathers believed. But this is nothing unique to Israel. The family and descendants of anyone who believes in Jesus get that same fringe blessing (1 Corinthians 7:14). 

If you believe in Jesus, your children are blessed (Psalms 112:1-2), but it’s important to know: that’s not their own blessing they’re receiving from God. That’s your blessing they’re getting benefits from. For instance, that’s why there’s so much blessing on America today. A lot of people are Christians or have descended from someone who was.

If someone is a Jew, but doesn’t believe in Jesus, any blessing that they’re working in is not their own blessing. It’s for the sake of their believing fathers. That’s why Paul says, although the Jews made themselves enemies toward God by rejecting the gospel, they are still “beloved” for the fathers’ sake (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob)! It’s so important to recognize, the blessing on Israel is not their own blessing but for their fathers’ sake.

Romans 11:28-29 (NKJV) Concerning the gospel they [the Jews] are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Conclusion

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. There’s only one way to receive blessing from God. That’s Jesus (Romans 5:2). If you don’t believe in Jesus, you don’t get any blessing from God. You don’t pass go. You don’t collect $200. Jesus is the only way. Believing in God doesn’t get you there. Being a descendent of Abraham doesn’t get you there (Matthew 3:7-10). Only faith in Jesus does.

 If God is directly blessing Israel today, despite their unbelief, then Jesus is clearly not the only way to receive from God. In that case, you can receive blessing through Jesus, or alternatively, if you happen to be God’s favorite nation. I know. But it’s true. 

The truth is, Israel was chosen for a purpose – to be trusted with the gospel first. There is a blessing on Israel – but it’s not their own blessing. It’s for their father’s sake. No Christian should look at Israel and think God regards them in a unique way than any other descendants of believers. 

God doesn’t care whether you’re of Israel or not. God only cares whether you’re of Hisrael or not – that is, “His Israel,” heavenly Israel. That’s all that matters to Him (Galatians 4:26, Romans 9:6).

Some may say, “If the gospel came through Israel, we should have a special respect for them.” That’s true, but only of the people that actually brought the gospel. That would apply to the apostles, for instance, but Jews broadly don’t get credit for bringing the gospel if they didn’t bring the gospel. We still love them, but every man according to his works.

When it comes to politics, should we side with Israel? Well, if they’re doing the right thing we should. Just call balls and strikes, as you would for any nation. If they do the right thing, back them. If they don’t do the right thing, step away. There is no inherent virtue in giving Israel the benefit of the doubt just because they’re Israel. They are people that God loves, Jesus died for, and still need to believe in Him. We shouldn’t treat them any less or any more than anyone else. Just love them like you would anyone. I say, love them like you would anyone!

Any antisemitism and prejudice against Jewish people is straight from the devil. That is not from God (Revelation 12:13). On the other hand, any “benefit of the doubt” or favoritism that we pay the nation of Israel is being a respecter of persons. Neither is anything God would ever do. 

There’s a great thing God is going to do in Israel in these last days. During the last seven years of famine (tribulation) the sons of Jacob will come back to submit to the One they rejected. But it’s not going to be because of a special favoritism toward them. It’s going to be because God so loved the world.

If this article blessed you, share this with someone else!