Israel the Land and the People: An Evangelical Affirmation of God’s Promises

AS ISRAEL ENTERS THE NEW MILLENNIUM, ITS PRESENT SITUATION AND FUTURE ARE AS ENIGMATIC AS ITS PAST HAS BEEN UNSETTLED. Political debate continues over the proposed solutions for peace in the Middle East. Israeli and Arab peoples seek ways to live together with security and economic opportunities for all. World Jewry looks to Israel as a homeland, a safe haven for Jewish people after the unbelievable horrors of the Holocaust. Christian people are amazed to see God’s ancient people back in the land of their origin, and they are left to wonder what it all means.

Beyond these contemporary concerns, however, are real spiritual issues. Are the Jewish people defined by their citizenship, by their worship, by their birthright, or by something else? What is the relationship between Jewishness, Jewish people, and the State of Israel? What does God have in store for this people? What is the significance of the fact that millions of Jewish people have returned to their ancestral homeland after almost two thousand years in exile? Has the church replaced Israel as God’s chosen people?

Bible-reading Christians have a special interest in the land of Israel and the Jewish people. There are divergent opinions about the significance of what some refer to as the “Holy Land” and “God’s chosen people.” These issues need to be addressed in order to help Christians relate effectively and biblically to the Jewish people.

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