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.”  - 
Consider:  Paul understood God’s intended scope of His Gospel and its power to bring salvation to both Jew and Gentile.  This salvation freed the believer from trying to please God by law-keeping; and instead, brought new Life through the Gift of God's righteousness by faith in Christ's death in his place. Paul's 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.  For example, should Christians pray (if at all) for the state of Israel in its struggle against threats to eliminate its existence?  When the Scripture 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), those Jews who are both ethnic and spiritual "seed of Abraham" (Romans 9: 6-7)?  We will attempt to address these questions in "Why Pray for Israel," Part 2, "Israel of God."

Comments:  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.  Or, you can respond privately by writing to silviusj@gmail.com