Why Pray for Israel? Part 2 – The “Israel of God”

Do you know which nation besides the United States is most frequently included in the geopolitical, economic, and religious headlines?”   [Ready with your answer?]  According to the Pew Research Center and Gallup Polls, next to the United States, the most frequently mentioned nations are Israel and China.  No surprise that China ranks so high; but Israel?  Not only is she ranked second or third between two world superpowers; the tiny nation of Israel has survived among neighbors and their proxies that have repeatedly called for her annihilation!  Might we suggest that the answers to this anomaly lie in the providential hand of God?

Why Should We Care About Israel?

In Part 1 of this series (See HERE.), we asked, “Why Pray for Israel?”   We concluded that one cannot account for either the prominence of Israel geopolitically or the long-term historic record of social and spiritual hostilities against the Jewish people without exploring the relationship of Israel to God’s sovereign plan of the salvation and restoration of His fallen creation.  We explained that to understand “Israel” in God’s plan, we must distinguish three meanings of this name.  “Israel” often refers to
(a) the “State of Israel,” but also can mean
(b) people of Jewish ethnicity worldwide; or,
(c) "the Israel of God" (Galatians 6: 16) which includes all people, both Jew and Gentile, whose faith identifies them as “spiritual seed of Abraham" (Romans 9: 6-7).  

Genesis 12: 1-3 records God's covenant with Abraham in which He promised three things: land, descendants, and blessings.  God repeated these promises to Abraham in Genesis 15:5-7 and 17:4-8; and later, to Abraham’s son Isaac by faith whom his wife Sarah had borne in her old age (Genesis 22: 16-18).  In turn, God gave Isaac’s son Jacob the assurance of God’s “Abrahamic covenant” (Genesis 28: 1-4).  But how does God’s promise of land, descendants, and blessings relate to His plan of salvation and restoration through the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Part 1 concludes with partial answers to this question from within the writings of the Apostle Paul in his epistles to the first century churches after the death and resurrection of Christ.  In Romans 1: 16-17, Paul quotes the Prophet Habakkuk in stating that THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH (Habakkuk 2:4).  The patriarch Abraham demonstrated this faith when he ...believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Galatians 3: 6).  Wonderfully, God’s salvation is a gift to those who surrender their “works of righteousness” and by faith receive salvation as His “love gift” through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His Sin-Bearer (Romans 6: 23; Titus 3: 5-6).

But, if the way of salvation is through faith in Christ and His Gospel, what obligation do Christians (Christ-followers) have toward Israel?  Again, the Apostle Paul, answers this question as we noted in Part 1 (Click HERE.).  There, we used a series of questions with Scripture references that provide answers.  We will now revisit these questions; and then, continue with more questions relating to God's plan for "Israel."
Note:  Our aim is not to present the "final word" on questions of God's sovereign plan. We could not presume to do this anyway based on our theological expertise.  But hopefully, our chosen format will provide a scaffolding for meaningful thought and dialog.

What should be our attitude toward “Israel” and “Jews?” 

1) Does the Gospel apply to Israel?  - Romans 1: 16-17
Paul's calling as an apostle and his testimony following his conversion made him a passionate and bold preacher of the Gospel to all people --"to the Jew first and also the Gentile."
Application: The Gospel is for all people to hear and respond.

2) Do both Jews and Gentiles face judgment without Christ?
     - Romans 2: 4, 9-11
Both Jews and Gentiles are subjects of God's kindness which ought to lead to repentance (turning from our sin) and pursuit of God's righteousness.  Otherwise, neither Jew nor Gentile can be saved from eternal damnation.
Application:  This truth is reason for us to pray for all people (1 Timothy 2: 1).

3) What example does the Apostle Paul leave for us?
     - Romans 9: 1-5
Paul was so burdened for the salvation of his Jewish countrymen that he could wish that he himself would be ...accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh... (v. 2-3).   
Consider:  Paul's example is reason for us to pray for Israel and the Jewish people.  But, we will need to distinguish what is meant by "Israel" to inform our prayers.  Read on, please.

What should be our attitude toward God's sovereign plan?

4) Does God have the right to define "righteousness?"

...the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” - Romans 1: 16-17 (quoted by Paul from Habakkuk 2: 4)
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. - Hebrews 11: 6
Consider:  Although God is patient toward mankind, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Peter 3: 9), yet by God's standard of justice, it is ...not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy He saves us...(Titus 3: 5).  God alone defines righteousness.

5) Does God have the right to dispense mercy?
The Scriptures say, "Yes, He does."  ...as it is written, there is none righteous, not even one...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 10, 23).  So then, God has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens* whom He desires (Romans 9: 18; and see v. 19-21).
Consider:  God's exercise of His choice to whom He will extend mercy and grace is illustrated throughout the descendants of Abraham, beginning with Abraham through Isaac, and made very clear in His choice of Jacob the second-born twin son of Isaac rather than the firstborn, Esau (see Romans 9: 10-16).  So then, it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy (v. 16).  Praise God for His unmerited favor!  [We will address "hardening" in Question 9.]

6) Does God have the right to call Gentiles as well as Jews?
The short answer is "Yes.!" As established in Question 4 above, God has the right to define both His righteousness and to dispense His mercy (Question 5) as He wills.  Romans 9: 22-24 extends this logic by stating that the same God who ...endured with much patience objects of His wrath prepared for destruction...did so to make known the riches of His glory upon objects of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not from among the Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.  The Apostle Paul continues describing God's sovereign plan by referencing Hosea 2: 23:  I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, "MY PEOPLE," AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, "BELOVED."

Consider:  We can see from these Scriptures the ramification of God's covenant with Abraham which we discussed in Part 1 and reviewed above.  God had promised to Abraham that ALL THE NATIONS SHALL BE BLESSED IN YOU (Genesis 12: 3).  Even though God had chosen Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob to make up His "chosen people" in the Old Testament (O.T.) era, it was also clear that God was extending His mercy and grace to Gentiles.  For example, God had extended mercy to the Canaanite prostitute, Rahab (Joshua 6: 25), and the Moabite widow, Ruth (Ruth 4: 13-17), who became the great-grandmother of King David.  And so, Paul could write in Galatians 3: 8:  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham.... The faith calling of the Gospel of Christ was already evident in the Abrahamic covenant which foreshadowed God's plan to call people of faith from "all nations," both Jew and Gentile.
Question:  Does the message of Scriptures like Hosea 2: 23 and Galatians 3: 8 (above) suggest that God has given up on His "chosen people?"  Please continue reading.

Did God abandon His covenant with Abraham?

7) Or has God been working instead through a “remnant?”
The Old Testament Scripture in Hosea 2: 23, quoted by the Apostle Paul (See (6)), suggests that God extends His sovereign mercy and salvation to people outside of the descendants of Abraham.  You may ask, what will happen to God's "chosen people?"  Paul answers this question in Romans 9: 27 by quoting from another O.T. prophet, Isaiah, who lived 700 years BC when Israel was being threatened by Assyria:
For though your people, O Israel,
may be like the sand of the sea,
Only a remnant within them will return;
A destruction is determined,
overflowing with righteousness (Isaiah 10: 22).
In Romans 11: 1-5, Paul elaborates on “the remnant.”  First, he asks if God has rejected His people (v. 1) and concludes that He has not (v. 1-2); but instead, quotes God’s response to the prophet Elijah who was fearful and discouraged when he thought he was the only faithful person left in Israel (1 Kings 19: 18):  God replied, No!  But instead, …I HAVE KEPT FOR MYSELF 7,000 MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL (Romans 11: 4).  Paul then connects this O.T. reference to a the first-century remnant of his own time (v. 5) writing as follows:  In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.
Consider: The notion of a “remnant” runs like a thread throughout the Old and New Testament Scriptures, pointing to God’s sovereignty and covenant love (Heb. hesed, or, “lovingkindness, mercy”).  In spite of the apostasy of both within Israel and among the Gentile nations, a remnant “remained steadfast in covenant loyalty. 

Through them, God’s purposes move forward…” (Bible Hub Commentary, click HERE).  Indeed, God’s remnant does not mean His plan of redemption is a small thing, as we shall now see.

8) What determines who becomes part of the remnant of Israel?
We have established that God’s covenant love and mercy does not include all of Abraham’s offspring, but only through the line of Isaac, Abraham’s son through faith (Genesis 22: 16-18) and through Isaac’s son, Jacob, renamed Israel.  Furthermore, as noted in (7) above, only a remnant of Israel will be saved (Romans 11: 5).  The Apostle Paul explains why only a remnant of Israel were chosen.

Summarizing his explanation in Romans 10: 1-5, Paul repeats his desire and prayer for his Jewish countrymen (v. 1) and commends their zeal for God (v.2).  But then, Paul laments that Israel by and large, …not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own (by depending on “keeping a law of righteousness” of their own (Romans 9: 30-31) they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10: 3). 

And what is the “righteousness of God?” Short answer:  Jesus Christ!  For Christ is the termination of the law for [human-based] righteousness to everyone who believes (v. 4).  The alternative is to place confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3: 4) as many in Israel did, seeking to please God by their own works but failing to reach the standard of the righteousness of God which is only attained by Jesus Christ.  Instead, Israel …did not pursue [righteousness] by faith, but… stumbled over the stumbling stone…Jesus Christ (Romans 9: 30-33).  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and [even] that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast (Ephesians 2: 8-9).
Consider: In (8), we stated that the notion of the “remnant” runs like a thread throughout Scripture.  Hopefully, we now understand that the proper "boast" of all who are the elect is a humble response to God's calling in repentance and in recognition of our need for the gift of the righteousness of Christ.   

Question:  Can you see how the contrast between “human-based right-standing” (i.e. “works of righteousness) before God and submitting to God’s call to His righteousness is evident throughout the Bible.  The contrast began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3: 7-8); then, continued between Cain and Abel (Genesis; Hebrews 11: 4).  Abraham produced a son, Ishmael, by his own works before Isaac was born as a son of faith (Romans 9: 7-9).  We can continue tracing this contrast through the account of Israel from the period of Moses through Joshua and the judges, the kings, the prophets, and into the current age.
Application:  The responsibility to yield to God's calling through the Gospel is one that every person must either accept or reject.  But how does that work?

9) What determines submission of heart to God’s calling?
Earlier, we explained that God reserves His sovereign right to define righteousness (Question 4) and to dispense mercy as He wishes (Question 5).  These biblical claims are predicated upon the central truth that ...without Christ, [we are] excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2: 12), and we are ...dead in our trespasses and sins...(Ephesians 2: 1).  Our "default condition" as a descendant of Adam is death and separation from God.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)... (Ephesians 2: 4-5).

How is it that the same God, rich in mercy, also chooses to cause hardening of hearts?  Scripture supports God's sovereign right to extend to anyone, Jew or Gentile...mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires (Romans 9: 18).  Later, in Romans 11: 7, Paul applies "hardening" to Israel, writing, ...that which Israel is seeking for [based on human-based righteousness; see Question 8), it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

Consider:  Logically, we can conclude that God reserves the sovereign right to allow hardening.  This divinely permitted spiritual dullness is God's judicial response to persistent unbelief.  Paul uses the example of the Egyptian Pharaoh who became hardened as he resisted Moses's pleas to free God's people from slavery (Exodus 9: 16; Romans 9: 17).  But God hardened not only Gentiles like Pharaoh but many within Israel as we noted above. Both were ...A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE  (Romans 9: 17).
Application:  What lesson is here for us to apply to our spiritual lives?  See Hebrews 3: 13.

10)  If God dispenses mercy or hardening, how can He find fault?
The Apostle Paul anticipates this question (Romans 9:18-19) and does not answer it, but simply warns readers not to question the Creator (v. 20-26).  To us, there appears to be a mysterious interdependency between God's sovereign call and election of those who will be saved, on the one hand; and on the other hand, the responsibility of each individual to hear and respond to God's call in repentance and faith in God's salvation through Christ.  In Romans 10: 8, Paul takes away the excuse that God's call is too faint or distant to hear: But what does [righteousness of God] say?  "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH  [to confess] AND IN YOUR HEART [to believe]" -- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching...  Upon hearing the word of faith being preached in the power of God's Spirit, our individual responsibility is to ...confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord  ["supreme Authority, Master; and if we ...believe in your heart [core being; mind, will, affections] that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved... (v. 9).

Consider:   Only God knows how many out of all humanity have heard His call to repentance and faith; and still, they did not respond.  Can you remember times when you heard God speaking so near and inviting to your spiritual ears and tugging on your heart?  Then, hopefully you yielded to God's love in repentance and faith.  The Apostle Paul writes about the mysterious interdependency between God's choice of ...us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1: 4); and then, our responsibility to respond ...after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise...(Ephesians 1: 13).  
Application:  Although we do not fully understand how God's mercy and grace interacts with our stubborn wills, hopefully we can worship and praise Him for saving us and sealing us for eternity in the body of Christ which is His church, the community of faith in Christ composed of both Jew and Gentile.  To answer our overarching question above, God did not abandon His covenant with Abraham but expanded it through a "new covenant" inaugurated in the blood of Christ who is our Great High Priest through whom we have personal access to the throne of God (Hebrews 4: 16).

11) Who or what is "the Israel of God?"
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians who were being drawn away from the righteousness of Christ back into "law-based righteousness."  He exhorted them with these words:  But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God (Galatians 6: 14-16).  Our understanding is that the "Israel of God" is Jesus Christ, God's perfect Israel.  Because of His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection, Jesus is everything that fallen Jacob (renamed Israel) and his Jewish descendants of the nation of Israel had failed to become.  God gave His exalted Son, Jesus Christ ...as head over all things to the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1: 22-23).  Christ, the "Israel of God, "fills all" of His creation with His glory, being Himself the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through His covenant with Israel and the new covenant in the blood of the Lamb which establishes His church.
Consider this!  God gave His Son who has all authority (Matthew 28: 18) to serve as bridegroom and husbandman of His church (Ephesians 5: 25-27).  When the eyes of the body of Christ, the church, the Israel of God, are focused on Him, the old covenant promise of land fades in comparison to the promise of our  "citizenship in Heaven" (Philippians 3: 20).  The ethnic divisions of Jew, Greek, Roman, etc., gender, and social class also dissolve:  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise (Galatians 3: 27-29).
Application:  What do the claims of these Scriptures mean to you?  Take time to meditate on them.  Don't let the apparent theological complexity distract you from exalting Christ ...who fills all in all with His glory.

How then, should Christians pray for Israel?

12) Why has Israel seemingly "missed the boat?"
Given the prominent role of Israel in God's redemptive plan throughout the Old Testament, doesn't it seem odd that His "chosen people" should be so scattered and apparently abandoned?  The Apostle Paul anticipated this notion when he asked, God has not rejected His people, has He (Romans 11: 1a)?  Recall that we discussed how God gave Israel over to spiritual dullness (hardening) as His judicial response to their persistent unbelief (Question 9).  Then, in Romans 11: 11a, Paul asks more specifically, ...they [Israel] did not stumble as to fall did they?  Paul answers his question, emphatically "No!"  Rather, he explains that because of unbelief,  Israel was hardened, what produced a dual effect--  ...salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them [Jews] jealous (v. 11b).  The duel benefits are first, that by giving the Jews a "spirit of stupor (v. 8)...until the fullness of the Gentiles come in; and thus, all Israel will be saved...(v. 25-26a); and second, by the salvation of Gentiles, the Jews are moved to jealousy (v. 14).  It followed that if Paul could capitalize on their jealousy, at least some Jews might be saved (v. 14).

Application:  Again, if we are honest, we are no strangers to spiritual dullness.  May we not take it lightly as Hebrews 13: 3 cautions.  But also, may we be prayerfully sensitive toward others regardless of ethnicity or religious persuasion when we encounter spiritual dullness in them, realizing the miracle of God's grace that awakened us from spiritual death (Ephesians 2: 1ff).  Read on as we address what might be a prideful attitude toward the Jewish people.

13) As a Gentile, am I prideful over the spiritually dull?
Redeemed Gentiles such as us who realize that God still graciously allows His chosen people to experience a spiritual dullness while He calls lovingly to others to be saved (such as we were), it is easy to become prideful.   The Apostle Paul anticipates this unbiblical attitude and counters it with a wonderful botanical analogy to humble the prideful.  Many horticultural varieties from apples to olives have been enhanced over the years by grafting the branches (scions) that bear more promising fruit onto common, or wild, rootstocks.  No one wanting to improve a variety would graft a wild olive rootstock onto a rich-yielding rootstock.  Yet, Paul applies this unlikely scenario when he writes to bring humility to Gentile hearers:  But if some of the branches were broken off [to make room for you], and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either (Romans 11: 17-21). 

As noted in Question 12, here we see the olive tree as the place of privilege of the Jews while the wild branches are the Gentiles grafted in (saved) by God's grace.  But God is not finished with unbelieving Israel and will be grafting them into their own olive tree--another reason the Gentiles (like us) ought not be prideful.
Application:  Notice from Paul's analogy, the rich root of the olive tree is believed to represent the Abrahamic covenant which promised many descendants.  Then, through one of Abraham's descendants, the Lord Jesus Christ, and a new covenant in His blood, salvation is opened not only to the Jews but also to the "wild branches," the Gentiles.  Therefore, in place of pride, let us give humble praise to our Redeemer!

14) How should we focus our prayers for Israel? 
We have interpreted the command of Psalm 122: 6 to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” to mean that we should pray for the whole nation of Israel.  We have found no Scriptural prohibition of praying for Israel whether it be praying for the State of Israel, or praying for all who have Jewish ethnicity, or for “spiritual Israel,” the "Israel of God" (Galatians 6: 16).  In fact, given the ongoing Middle East conflict surrounding the Nation of Israel and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, we ought to pray for that nation.  Also, given the current rise in Antisemitism, it is important that we pray for ethnic Jews and all who hate them.

As we have considered whether and how to pray for Israel or for any nation, there is an important biblical consideration.  Based on our reasoning in Questions 7-10, we can assert that ...they are not all Israel who are descendants of Israel (Romans 9: 7).  Many Jews within the State of Israel and worldwide are apostates just as there are multitudes of Gentiles in the United States and beyond who do not live by faith in God.  Still, a remnant remains steadfast in covenant dependence upon the righteousness of God through faith.  Through the true "Israel of God," Jesus Christ, God's sovereign purposes are unfolding daily on the path toward an eternal "peace of Jerusalem."  God's spiritual remnant, "spiritual Israel" looks forward to gathering in the New Jerusalem on ...Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12: 22-23).

Application: We understand that ...our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3: 20).  But, in the meantime, the Scriptures urge us to pray for ...all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (1 Timothy 2: 1b-2).  When we obey these commands and pray for one another and for leaders like President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, and their administrations, we understand that God has always worked through the hearts of a remnant of godly people.  Nations are only as godly as their leaders and citizens.  When we use the prayer format taught by Jesus, we pray, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6: 10).  Our primary focus is not for the glory of any earthly nation or political leader.  Instead, we bow humbly before Jesus Christ, the true “Israel of God,” the One whom God has made …head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1: 22-23).   It is in the Body of Christ, the church, that our hope for the Earth should rest because …Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen!
Question:  How will you pray after having read and considered the 14 questions we have raised?  We trust that your faith is being strengthened because you are more able to evaluate the current geopolitical, economic, and spiritual forces at work through the lens of a correct biblical worldview.

Comments Welcome:  Hopefully, we have stirred some questions in your mind and we'd love to hear from you.  Just click the "Comment" link below and share your questions and insights on what we have offered in Part 2, or from Part 1 (Click HERE).  You can respond privately by writing to silviusj@gmail.com 

Why Pray for Israel? Part 1 - Which Israel?

Christians and Jews around the world are called upon to “pray for Israel.”  But who is “Israel,” and who is included under this designation?  Politically, “Israel” can mean the “State of Israel.” But "Israel" can also mean "ethnic Jews," the descendants of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, whom God named “Israel.”  Finally, the New Testament Scriptures use the name, “Israel of God,” a special designation that only includes those who are members of the community of faith in Jesus Christ.  Obviously, if we are called to “pray for Israel,” some clarification is needed.

Who and What is “Israel?”
Since 1948, when Israel became a nation with boundaries, “Israel” refers to the “State of Israel,” a political entity located in the general area of the original “Promised Land” that God promised to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12: 1).  Naturally, this act of creating a nation for ethnic Jews sparked a decades-long conflict with the Arab and Palestinian population of the area.

But “Israel” is more than the name of the Jewish nation.  “Israel” is a Hebrew name, meaning “he wrestles with God", or "God strives and prevails."  God gave this name to the patriarch Jacob after he wrestled with a man believed to be the preincarnate Christ (see Genesis 32:22-32).  This name change from Jacob (meaning “heel grabber” or “supplanter”) to “Israel” accompanied God's affirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant with Jacob, now “Israel” (Genesis 28: 1-4).  God had already affirmed this covenant with Israel’s father, Isaac (Genesis 22: 16-18).  It was through Israel’s twelve (12) sons that God created the Jewish nation, first during their bondage in Egypt (Exodus 1-13) and eventually, through their miraculous exodus to the “Promised Land.”

The twelve tribes of Israel have been called “God’s chosen people.”  However, many theologians consider the “Israel of God” to be more strictly defined as “spiritual Israel;” namely, all members of the community of faith in Christ, both Jew and Gentile.  The “Israel of God” has been a central focus in God’s redemptive plan that has progressed forward into our day.

In summary, the name “Israel" is used in three different groupings of people; namely,
(a) citizens of the State of Israel
(b) people of Jewish ethnicity worldwide
(c) Jewish members of the community of faith in Christ;
Therefore, the content and focus of prayers for “Israel” should be informed by an understanding of what we understand "Israel" to be.  This understanding requires a study of the Scriptures from a systematic theological approach. 

Because we are not experts in biblical theology, those who choose to read on will discover that we don’t have all the answers. Our approach will be to raise what we believe are revealing questions and then, provide relevant Scripture passages to address each question.  Then, after a brief commentary, we will invite readers to reason toward a correct answer.  But first, we share a bit of background on the biblical command to "pray for Jerusalem."

God’s Covenant with “Israel”
Psalm 122 is often used to provide a Scriptural basis for praying for Israel.  Historically, during their ascent to worship in Jerusalem, the Jews would sing Psalm 122 which includes King David’s prayer and a command to pray for Jerusalem for peace and prosperity.  The scope of this lovely prayer likely extended to the whole nation of Israel (v. 6-7):

    Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    May they prosper who love you.
    May peace be within your walls,
    And prosperity within your palaces.

King David’s prayer for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem is consistent with the scope of God’s covenant with Abraham, established over 1,000 years earlier.  The Abrahamic Covenant as outlined in Genesis 12: 1-3 included the “Promised Land” on which God would establish a great nation. God had commanded Abraham:

Notice that the Abrahamic Covenant contains God’s promise of blessing to those who bless Israel and curse upon those who curse her.  Reverence toward God and toward His covenant with Abraham and his descendants has placed “God’s people,” the Jews, in the global spotlight for many centuries. 

The covenant and additional blessings from God for His “chosen people” has also led to a sense of pride within the ethnic Jewish community that, justified or not, has created animosity among non-Jewish people toward the Jews.  Anti-Semitism has a long history written with the shed blood of millions of ethnic Jews.  No other ethnic group rivals the Jews in terms of the length of the historical span of persecutions and deaths, and the number of people whose lives were disrupted or terminated.  The magnitude of the animosity and persecutions of the Jews throughout history is difficult to explain apart from the notion of a devilish spiritual warfare against “the Israel of God.”

Today, Israel and ethnic Jews exert a powerful influence upon American culture, global politics, and foreign policy of the United States in relation to western allies and the Middle East.  Here in the United States, we hear of increasing expressions of anti-Semitism both verbally and by acts of violence.  For these reasons, it seems obvious that Christian’s ought to pray for those in authority as well as for all people regardless of ethnicity who are caught in the turmoil of these conflicts.  As we seek to know how and for whom we should pray in regards to “Israel,” we must look more closely at the significance of God’s covenant with Abraham and his offspring, and what God means by making Abraham “a great nation…[through which] all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Why Pray for “Israel?”
Following his miraculous conversion from Judaism to Christianity, a Jewish Pharisee named Saul who became the Apostle Paul, wrote extensively on the subject of the “Israel of God.”  We will begin with the book of Romans, the first of Paul’s writings which compose about half of the 27 books of the New Testament of the Bible.  Romans was addressed to the Christian church in Rome following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As promised, we will proceed with our first revealing question that points to scriptural clues about God’s definition and plan for “Israel.”

What should be our attitude toward “Israel” and “Jews?” 

1) Does the Gospel apply to Israel?  - Romans 1: 16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (or Gentile).  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” - Romans 1: 17
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6: 23
Consider:  Paul understood God’s intended scope of His Gospel and its power to bring salvation to both Jew and Gentile.  The free gift of Life in God's righteousness through faith in Christ's atoning death spares the believer from eternal damnation and frees the believer from trying to please God by law-keeping. Paul's own rebirth made him passionate and bold to proclaim the Gospel to all people.

2) Do both Jews and Gentiles face judgment without Christ?
                                                                     - Romans 2: 4, 9-11
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?  There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For there is no partiality with God.
Consider:   Both Jews and Gentiles are subjects of God's kindness which ought to lead to repentance (turning from our sin) and pursuit of God's righteousness. Otherwise, neither Jew nor Gentile can be saved from eternal damnation.  This truth is reason for us to pray for all people (1 Timothy 2: 1).

3)  What lesson is there in the Apostle Paul's attitude toward
      his Jewish brethren? - Romans 9: 1-5
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.  
Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.  For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. - Romans 10: 1-2

Consider:  Paul expresses deep sorrow for his brethren because they did not comprehend "God’s righteousness."  Instead, by ...seeking to establish their own [righteousness], they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  The Jews did not realize that ...Christ is the end of the law for [all human-based] righteousness to everyone who believes.  It is clear that the Apostle Paul's love for Christ and his love for both Jew and Gentile had compelled him (2 Corinthians 5: 14) to pray and witness Christ to all regardless of religious affiliation (See Romans 10: 1-4).

 

APPLICATION:  Are we "ashamed of the Gospel?" Do we underestimate its power to save both Jew and Gentile? Is God's love for Jews any less than for Gentiles?  If we have been saved from damnation and are being transformed by the Gospel, what ought to be our attitude toward unsaved Jews and Gentiles? Finally, do we believe the Scriptures support praying for Israel?

HOW Should We Pray for "Israel?"

The Scriptures we have cited above and the Apostle Paul's testimony of love for his Jewish brethren ought to convince us of our duty to pray for Israel.  But now, we face a new question: "HOW should we pray for Israel?"  The obvious answer is that we ought to pray for the salvation of our Jewish friends just as we would also pray for our Gentile friends. 

But, like our Gentile friends, our Jewish friends are a diverse group whose love for God ranges widely from the Messianic Jews who acknowledge Jesus Christ as God's Messiah, to the orthodox Jews who hold a very strict view of and obedience to the Torah, and finally to Jews who live a carnal or godless lifestyle in rejection of the Jewish faith.  The latter can generally be considered Jews only by their claim to Jewish ethnicity.  Within the ethnic Jews, there is also a diversity with respect to their commitment to the Zionist movement which encourages Jewish immigration to the region of the "Promised Land" and the establishment of the Jewish state.

The subject of Zionism immediately raises the question, "HOW should we pray for Israel?"  Our focus shifts from individual justification and salvation before God to the question of God's redemptive plan for the Jews--and Gentiles.  Here, we must address how God's dealing with both Jew and Gentile relates to His sovereign plan for redeeming fallen mankind, both Jew and Gentile, that began "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1: 4)? 

Given the religious and political diversity that exists among ethnic Jews, combined with our need to understand God's redemptive plan, it is clear that we must return to God's Word if we are to pray according to God's will and purposes for Israel.  In Part 2 of "Why Pray for Israel" (Click HERE.), we will continue our approach of asking questions pertaining to God's plan for Israel and citing Scripture that will help us find answers.

The questions we are now ready to ask include the following:
1)  Should Christians pray (if at all) for the state of Israel in its struggle against threats to eliminate its existence?
2)  When the Bible speaks of the future restoration of Israel, does this mean the state of Israel as a political entity; or, does God's plan for restoration refer to "the Israel of God" (Galatians 6: 16), all those, both Jew and Gentile who are spiritual "seed of Abraham" (Romans 9: 6-7)?
3)  Should our prayers be different for the state of Israel than for "spiritual Israel" --i.e. "the Israel of God?"

Comment:  Now it's your turn to respond.  Hopefully, we have stirred some questions in your mind and we'd love to hear from you.  Just click the "comment" link below and share your questions and insights on what we have offered in Part 1.  You can respond privately by writing to silviusj@gmail.com 

Did God Forsake His Son on the Cross?

We have lots to read, hear, and ponder during this week of remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Nor should we want these days to slip away without meditating afresh upon their significance.  We hope the following meditation will be helpful.  Have a blessed Easter!

Scripture: 
My God, my God,
why have You forsaken me?  -- Psalm 22: 1
He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. - Hebrews 2: 17

Consider:
My God, My God, Why have you forsaken Me: These were the anguished words of Jesus Christ from His Cross outside Jerusalem (Mark 15: 34).  But the same inspired words expressed the anguish of the psalmist David's soul when he cried out to God one thousand years earlier (Psalm 22: 1).  The same God who heard David's cry also heard the passionate cry of Christ, His beloved Son.  When the Triune God --Father, Son, and Spirit, heard David's cry, did He already know the extent of the agony of the Cross as if He had already experienced it?  If God is omniscient, it would seem so.  Therefore, we might say that the "Passion of Christ," or "Passion of God," was not simply real on "Passion Week." God's passion for fallen mankind remained as an intense expression of His love from eternity past to the entry of sin in the Garden of Eden and onward through Christ's birth, death, and resurrection as a sacrifice for our sin.

Application:
God's passionate love for His creation and mankind is continuous and eternal.  But, when the weight of human sin and consequential suffering fell upon the Son of God during the dark hours on His Cross, the eternal communion of Father, Son, and Spirit seemed to vanish for the Son.  He [God the Father] made Him [the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21).  Although He was God in human flesh, Jesus had lived in perfect communion with the Father.  But when the burden of humanity's sin fell upon Jesus there on the Cross, instead of the perfect communion, He faced the wrathful judgment of the Father unleashed upon Him because of your sin and mine being heaped upon Him on the Cross?

Response:
How would God have you respond when you consider the fact that God foreknew that He would experience injustice, rejection, abuse, suffering, and death on a Roman cross, and yet press forward in loving passion toward that day?  Can you speak from experience how unconfessed sin interrupts your communion with God?  Remember...you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps...(1 Peter 2: 21).

More Meditations?   Go HERE

Daily Easter Meditations: Passion of Christ and Communion with the Father

The season of Lent and the Holy (Passion) Week is an opportunity for Christ-followers to honor His sacrifice for their sin and celebrate His resurrection for our assurance of Eternal Life.  The Bible reveals that God's love and passion to redeem His creation through Christ began in eternity past, long before the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).  God's passion for lost sinners has remained until now. 

Likewise, the divine communion within the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit) has existed from eternity past.  But what happened when the Son was bearing the weight of the sins of humanity on His Cross and incurring the full wrath and judgment of God?  Was the divine communion severed in that dark hour? 

We invite you to use the following daily meditations in which we will explore the divine communion and comfort among God the Father, Son, and Spirit; and provide encouraging applications for Christ-followers.

Day 1:  Eternal Communion: Father, Son, Spirit 
Scripture: 
My God, my God,
why have You forsaken me?  -- Psalm 22: 1
He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. - Hebrews 2: 17

Consider:
My God, My God, Why have you forsaken Me: These were the anguished words of Jesus Christ from His Cross outside Jerusalem (Mark 15: 34).  But the same inspired words expressed the anguish of the psalmist David's soul when he cried out to God one thousand years earlier (Psalm 22: 1).  The same God who heard David's cry also heard the passionate cry of Christ, His beloved Son.  When the Triune God --Father, Son, and Spirit, heard David's cry, did He already know the extent of the agony of the Cross as if He had already experienced it?  If God is omniscient, it would seem so.  Therefore, we might say that the "Passion of Christ," or "Passion of God," was not simply real on "Passion Week." God's passion for fallen mankind remained as an intense expression of His love from eternity past to the entry of sin in the Garden of Eden and onward through Christ's birth, death, and resurrection as a sacrifice for our sin.

Application:
God's passionate love for His creation and mankind is continuous and eternal.  But, when the weight of human sin and consequential suffering fell upon the Son of God during the dark hours on His Cross, the eternal communion of Father, Son, and Spirit seemed to vanish for the Son.  He [God the Father] made Him [the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21).  Although He was God in human flesh, Jesus had lived in perfect communion with the Father.  But when the burden of humanity's sin fell upon Jesus there on the Cross, instead of the perfect communion, He faced the wrathful judgment of the Father unleashed upon Him because of your sin and mine being heaped upon Him on the Cross?

Response:
How would God have you respond when you consider the fact that God foreknew that He would experience injustice, rejection, abuse, suffering, and death on a Roman cross, and yet press forward in loving passion toward that day?  Can you speak from experience how unconfessed sin interrupts your communion with God?  Remember...you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps...(1 Peter 2: 21).

Day 2:  Jesus Christ: With God in the Beginning
Scripture: 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... - John 1: 1-3a, 14a
On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word... - Hebrews 1: 1-3a

Consider:
Notice from our Scriptures for today that both the Book of Hebrews and the Gospel of John reveal that the "spoken word" (or in Greek, logos) is the means by which God reveals His actions and His nature.  Jesus Christ bears the name, "Word of God," or "logos of God" because Jesus is the perfect revelation of God in thought, speech, and divine nature.  Indeed, many theologians believe the relationship of God to Jesus Christ is in like manner to the relationship of thought to spoken word  [Read more HERE.].  And, this intimate relationship or Oneness of God the Father and God Son in thought and in Word is an eternal relationship.  As John wrote, "He was in the beginning with God" (John 1: 2).   [Reread the Scriptures above and marvel at their message.]
Application:
We can begin to grasp how much God loves the world, His fallen creation, when we realize that He gave His most cherished Gift; namely, His Son, the exact representation of Himself, to be born in human flesh and to show us by His example a perfect communion and obedience to His Father; and then, dying at the hands of sinners as a sacrifice for all who will believe in Him.
Response:
The question all of us must answer is, "What will I do with the claims of Jesus Christ as recorded in God's inspired Word?" Meditate on the fact that the eternal fellowship of God the Father and the Son within the triune godhead was altered when Christ came to Earth as Messiah.  Can you personally relate to the blessing of regular communion with God the Father in prayer?  If so, thank Him now for making it possible through Christ.  If not, we hope you will prayerfully use these Easter meditations to consider God's great love for you and desire to commune with you, uninterrupted by unconfessed sin (Isaiah 59: 1-2). 

Day 3:  "The Man of Sorrows" Cried Out in Prayer
Scripture: 
In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.  - Hebrews 5: 7
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.  - Psalm 57: 1

Consider:
The Book of Genesis recounts how God created the heavens and the Earth and formed the first human beings, Adam and Eve.  In Genesis 3: 8 we learn that Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect fellowship with God, walking with him in the cool of the day, hearing the sound of His voice, and receiving the warmth of His love.  But one day, possibly just before the "cool of the day" instead of walking with God, Adam and Eve made the fateful choice to doubt and then reject God's loving provision for them.  Instead of eating from their choices of many other trees God had provided, they ate fruit from the only forbidden tree!  The effect of their rebellious choice and action (their sin) was immediate!  Guilt, fear, and alienation from a holy God caused them to hide from Him.  But God came seeking them!  This action was His first step toward redeeming mankind from sin.  The Old Testament of the Bible gives the account of God pursuing mankind, a pursuit that culminated in His sending His beloved Son to be the sacrificial Lamb to take away the sin and penalty from all who would receive Him by faith. 
Application:
Even before Adam and Eve chose to sin, and even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1: 4), God had already determined that He would redeem Adam's fallen race, including all who will turn to Him by faith. Because of his sin, the first Adam forfeited his close communion with God and lost his ability to represent God's image in creation (Genesis 1: 27).  But God so loved His creation and the communion He had with Adam that He came as the incarnate God in human flesh, Jesus Christ, the "second Adam" (1 Corinthians 15: 45).  Jesus, being fully God yet fully human, left Heaven's glory to live the perfect life the first Adam had failed to live.  Then, Jesus give His life in our place to atone for Adam's fallen descendants including us.

Response:
Take time to reread the Scripture above for today and try to imagine how very much Jesus, In the days of His flesh, needed to [offer up] ...both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death.  Christ avoided sin, separation, and death because He did not yield to the trials and temptations that would separate Him from His close communion in the will of His Father.  Have you experienced at least something of this same need to cry out to God when you face trials and temptations?  If so, thank God for drawing you "into the shelter of His wings until the danger passes by."

Day 4:  Christ Our Example 'Learned Obedience'
Scripture: 
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.  And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation... - Hebrews 5: 7-9
...although He (Jesus Christ) existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. - Philippians 2: 7-8

Consider:
The title "Son of God" signifies the deity of Christ, or His intimate kinship within the divine nature.  If Jesus Christ is One with God the Father who possesses all power and all knowledge, how can it be said that Christ "learned obedience from the things He suffered?"  According to the Bible Hub Commentary, the term "learned" points to Christ's experiential learning as a human being who "tasted the cost of obedience in real time-- practical, active submission to the Father's will, climaxing in the Cross.  Jesus’ suffering was not corrective (He had no sin) but perfective, revealing flawless submission.  Each episode of pain—rejection, betrayal, Gethsemane, the scourge, the nails—became a fresh arena where obedience was proven." 

Application:
How do we benefit from the fact that Jesus "learned obedience" and was "made perfect" because of His "practical, active submission to the Father's will?"  We benefit because Jesus "emptied Himself," exchanging His divine privileges and glory to walk on the Earth as a human where he demonstrated "flawless submission" to His Father's will.  Christ's obedience enabled Him to become God's "spotless Lamb." Now, as our Great High Priest, Jesus continually serves as our Intercessor and Advocate with the Father.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4: 15-16).

Response:
Although Jesus was the divine "Son of God," He still had to submit His human senses and desires to the Father in perfect obedience.  As humans, we know how hard it is to submit our thoughts, desires, and selfish tendencies to God.  Thankfully, Jesus our High Priest understands our struggles perfectly.  Why not call upon Him now and often for His love and forgiveness based on the wonderful assurance of Hebrews 4: 15-16 (above)?

Day 5:  The Father Comforts the Son...from Eternity Past
Scripture: 

He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel,

            In Whom I will show My glory.”       

But I said, “I have toiled in vain,

            I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity;

            Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD,

            And My reward with My God.”

And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,

            To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him

            (For I am honored in the sight of the LORD,

            And My God is My strength),

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant

            To raise up the tribes of Jacob
            and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;

            I will also make You a light of the nations

            So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
                                  -- Isaiah 49: 3-6  (Inspired through Isaiah, ~700 BC)
After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water;
 and ...a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son,
in whom I am well-pleased.”  -- Matthew 3: 16-17 (in part); ( ~AD 27-29)

Consider:
Our Scripture for today is an inspired recording of part of an intimate conversation between God the Father and God the Son, here referred to as "the Servant" or "My Servant Israel."  Amazingly, we are allowed to "listen in" as the Father speaks to the preincarnate Jesus Christ (at least 700 years before His coming to Earth, and possibly many millennia earlier).  God the Father uses the title "Israel" to refer to both the nation Israel and to Christ as His Messiah.  God had charged Israel to be a light of the nations so that [His] salvation may reach to the end of the earth (Isaiah 49: 6b).  Israel had failed in being a holy light to the Gentile nations --i.e. a multiethnic company of peoples” (k’hal ‘amim; Gen 28: 3; kahal, is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek ekklesia translated “church” or “assembly.”).  Jesus Christ came to fulfill what Adam and God's "chosen people" (Israel) of the Old Testament had failed to do (see Day 3).  But this would be a very hard mission and the Servant would have to suffer and die (See e.g. Isaiah 53).

Application:
Please take time to reread today's Scripture, including verses 1-4.  Then, meditate on this intimate conversation in which the human aspect of the Servant is evident in His expression of doubt and dismay in anticipation of His rejection, humiliation, and suffering.  But note also the forceful and compassionate words of comfort from God the Father (vv. 1-3; 5-8).  Centuries and perhaps millennia later, when Jesus ascended from the Jordan River, having been baptized by John and Baptist, God the Father again affirmed His love and approval of His Servant-Son as Matthew records, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

Response:
We hope you are inspired and encouraged by today's meditation.  The same God who so loved and encouraged God the Son in ways beyond our understanding is the God of all comfort for His sons and daughters in Christ today (2 Corinthians 1: 3-5). 

Day 6:  The Father Comforts the Son...in His Testing
Scripture: 

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.  And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  -- Hebrews 1: 1-3a
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law... -- Galatians 4: 4
After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”  -- Matthew 3: 16-17
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”  When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.  Matthew 4: 1-2; 10-11.

Consider:
The Book of Hebrews opens with a summary of God's plan to redeem fallen mankind and creation, first through the patriarchs, then through the prophets, and finally through His Son.  And "when the time was right" (Galatians 4: 4), Christ was born and lived approximately 30 years in the home of Jewish carpenter.  Then, Jesus began His public ministry by submitting to John's baptism in the Jordan River.  Although Jesus had no sin of which to repent, His willing submission endorsed John's "baptism of repentance" and identified Himself with the humanity He had come to redeem from sin.  In this manner, Jesus began His public ministry as the Father's Servant on the way to becoming our Savior.

Application:

But notice from our Scriptures for today that there were two aspects to the "inauguration" of Jesus's ministry on Earth.  First, Jesus enjoyed the experience of submitting to the waters of baptism in the company of those He had come to rescue; and then, Jesus heard His Father in Heaven affirm Him as the "Son in whom He is well pleased."  But, after these "mountaintop experiences" of sorts at the Jordan River, Jesus immediately yielded to the Spirit who led Him into the wilderness for a time of testing.  In God's plan, His Servant-Son, the "second Adam," had to enter into the same kinds of temptations from Satan that the first Adam had faced-- "yet without sin" (Hebrews 4: 15; see Day 3).  Praise God, the Lord Jesus did not yield to repeated testing and came through victorious!
Response:
Can you recall times of testing in your life when you came through it without giving in to sin?  Can you remember times when you did fall prey to temptation and was defeated?  What made the difference between victory and defeat?  Why not take time to thank God for sending Christ who was made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted (Hebrews 2: 17-18). 

Day 7:  The Father Affirms the Son...

At a Time of Need
Scripture: 

And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. -- John 12: 23-34
Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.  “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”  -- John 12: 27-28

Consider:
In our Scriptures for Day 5, we "listened in" on the intimate conversation between God the Father and God the Son at least 700 years before Jesus came to Earth (Isaiah 49): 
(1) God the Father affirms the Son:  "You are My Servant, Israel, in Whom I will show My glory.”
(2) God the Son responds in seeming reservation: " “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity..." 
Flash forward to a few days before His crucifixion. Jesus says, "the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified."  Then, as our Scriptures for today recount, Jesus likens His death and resurrection to a seed which, unless it enters the soil and dies, it cannot bear fruit.  Then, apparently, in anticipation of His suffering and death, in His humanity, Jesus bears His soul and says, "Now My soul has become troubled..."

Application:
If we pause and meditate on our Scriptures and commentary above, we discover one of the most intimate revelations of the heart and emotions of Jesus, the God-man and suffering Servant.  From your experiences of times of grief, can you relate to  Jesus's condition?  But even here, Jesus models how we His followers ought to respond-- in three phases:
1)  Jesus considers how to petition the Father:  "...what shall I say, 'Father, save me from this hour?'"
2)  Immediately, Jesus responds in firm resolve:  "But for this purpose I came to this hour [predestined from eternity past]."
3)  Jesus declares His resolve to the Father:  "Father, glorify Thy Name."

Response:
As you meditate on this revealing dialog between Christ and the Father God, can you see how the Scripture provides for us a blueprint for how we can gain victory physically, emotionally, and spiritually during times of testing?  Pause in prayer to thank Jesus our Savior, remembering the truth that because He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted (Hebrews 2: 17-18).  Praise be to Christ for His example and for His comfort through His abiding Holy Spirit, our Comforter (2 Corinthians 1: 3-5).

Day 8:  God the Father Affirms the Son's Sacrifice
Scripture: 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. -- 2 Corinthians 5: 21

As a result of the anguish of His soul,

   He [God] will see it and be satisfied;

   By His knowledge the Righteous One,

   My Servant, will justify the many,

   As He will bear their iniquities.

Therefore, I [God] will allot Him a portion with the great,

    And He will divide the booty with the strong;

    Because He poured out Himself to death,

    And was numbered with the transgressors;

    Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

    And interceded for the transgressors. -- Isaiah 53: 11-12
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.  -- Ephesians 1: 18-23

Consider:
Our first Scripture verse for today summarizes the Gospel, the "good news" that the sinless Christ willingly took on the sins of humanity and died as an atoning sacrifice in place of sinful mankind so that all who accept His substitutionary death may receive His righteousness.  We saw in Day 7 above the anguished prayer and then the resolve  of the Son, "Father, glorify Thy Name."  Then, Jesus willingly went to the Cross and gave His life.  But how do the Scriptures reveal to us whether the righteous God and Father of Jesus Christ was satisfied with what His Servant-Son accomplished on the Cross?

Application:
Can you find the answer to our question in our Scriptures from Isaiah and Ephesians?  In the Isaiah passage, God the Father speaks prophetically as He sees into the future past the Cross and Resurrection.  God saw Christ's suffering and sacrifice and His wrath against sin was satisfied.

Response:
The Ephesians passage above records part of the Apostle Paul's prayer for the church at Ephesus and for believers today.  This inspired prayer conveys the heart of God through His Spirit who desires that our "spiritual eyes" will be opened to realize what God has done through Christ and for Him in affirming His sacrifice and raising Him from the dead to be our Savior and King.  Take time to meditate on these powerful Scriptures and pray that God will open and enlighten the eyes of your heart during this Easter Season. 

What Is Your Decision? 
Some among you may be asking, "What if I have ignored or rejected the claims of Christ and His lordship in my life?"  If so, you may want to reconsider why you are choosing to face an eternity on your own merits and without God's forgiveness.  Please consider that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is well documented in biblical manuscripts as the basis for the Christian faith and the hope of Eternal Life (e.g. Read 1 Corinthians 15).  If you are open to seeking answers, here are two helpful resources:
How to Come to Faith in Christ:  "Steps to Peace with God" -- Click HERE.
Wondering if there is a God?  Read “Ultimate Questions"  Click HERE.  Order copies, HERE.
More Daily Devotional Meditations:  "Passion of God…Long Before “Passion Week.”  [Go HERE.] 

Today, no matter if we feel like we are living on a mountaintop or in a dark valley of trial, we can rely on Jesus, the Good Shepherd who walks with us to comfort us through His Word and the fellowship of fellow believers. Because Jesus walked through the valley of suffering and death ahead of us all the way to His Cross, He is able to come to our aid (Hebrews 2: 18).