Christians: Pro-Israel or Pro-Palestine? (We must do better)
It’s been in the responses of governments, as well as from international organisations, through to individual leaders, and everyday people. With Christian versions thrown into the mix too. Pro-Israel or Pro-Palestine are the main options. And those stances are published on various platforms and conversations, as well as beamed onto state buildings, or through people taking to the streets in protest. Driving our read of the unfolding situation are various news outlets – and many of those too seem to have picked a side. Overall, emotions are stretched; convictions are high. And the backdrop to all of this is an Israel-Palestine context so brutally dreadful and complex.
Have you felt slightly at loss about how to reflect on these events as a follower of Jesus? And even whether you should be picking a side? Below is a potential starting point.
1. Recognise that ethnic Israel was entrusted with the promises of God
What this can mean, for lack of a better phrase, is that Christians do have a certain soft spot towards the Jewish people – indebtedness even. I’m thinking here of something like Romans 9:1-5 from Paul:
“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. 5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.”
CSB and throughout
The good news of Jesus is first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile (Rom 1:16). This order sobers us Gentile followers of the Jewish Messiah. We do not boast that we are somehow better than the original olive branches (Romans 11:18). Instead we pray that the ethnic descendants of Israel will recognise that their Deliverer has already come to Zion (Romans 11:26). We love them because of the Patriarchs (Romans 11:28). Muslims call Jews and Christians ‘the people of the Book’ – perhaps us Christians can simply call Jews ‘the people of the Promises’. Promises we long for them to recognise as fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.
There is more to say here, and how much you want to say will also depend on your read of Scripture and the place that ethnic Jews, or the modern nation of Israel, will or will not play in future plans of God. Regardless, this first point simply recognises that ethnic Israel is not just another people group – no, to them, as Paul says, belongs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, the promises, the ancestors and the line that leads to Christ. And this can give us a certain bend towards the Jewish people. One that I think has led to many positive stances towards modern Israel from Christians.
2. Reflect on the relationship of modern Israel to biblical Israel
A potential issue however is that us Christians can draw a straight line from the Israel of the Old Testament to modern Israel in a very favourable way. And (this is how the thinking might go…) if Israel in the Old Testament were the people of God, then modern Israel must be the people of God (or something like that or in some way). And so voila, a profession of ‘I stand with Israel.’ (I do recognise that there are others reasons to say that especially related to a clear condemnation of Hamas and their actions. And of course Hamas and Palestinians are not synonymous).
But IF (and this is a big if)… IF the modern state of Israel was biblical Israel in anyway then it would be as the rebellious Israel of the Old Testament. I’m reading Isaiah at the moment, and so many of the critiques there could stand for the modern state of Israel. For instance, from Isaiah 5:7:
He [the LORD] expected justice (mishpat) but saw injustice (mishpach); he expected righteousness (tsedaqah), but heard cries of despair (tse’aqah).
Modern Israel, somewhat like Israel of old, is a broken contrast – a nation living far out of relationship with God, and actually out of relationship with the people within and without her borders. Instead of remembering the God of her salvation, the rock of her strength (Isaiah 17:10), she has trusted in herself and her allies – again, so Isaiah like. And as a result all kinds of horrible ungodliness has spilled out. Furthermore, just to be clear, as Israel operates in territories like Gaza, in no way should or can that be considered ‘holy war’. That mandate was given to Old Testament Israel for a specific period, and against specific people, and with a specific picturing of a far larger judgment to come. So, cut out any ideas of this being a conflict commanded by God.
Overall: the modern state of Israel as established in 1948 is not the same as the Theocratic Israel of the Old Testament – even if there are moments of similarity with rebellious Israel under the times of the Prophets. More fundamentally, in terms of the relationship between old and new: for any followers of Christ, we recognise that the line of OT Israel is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the true Son called out of Egypt (Matt 2:15 with Hosea 11:1) who perfectly resisted temptation (Matt 4:1-11). He is the true vine (John 15:1 with Isaiah 5). He is the true and better Israel.
And now, both Jew and Gentile must come to Jesus if they want to be included in God’s people. What that means in defining the relationship between Israel and the Church is where we will discover several different interpretations and frameworks. Personally my views are as follows: The Jew in coming to Jesus as the true Israel will be stepping into what it means to be the true remnant of ethnic and believing Israel. And the Gentile in coming to Jesus will be included in the broader people of God, the Church, now comprising of both believing Jew and believing Gentle – all counted as sons and daughters because of faith in the Son. Again opinions will differ sharply at this point.
But here is perhaps the most important part to hear under this heading. Namely, utter allegiance to modern Israel, even with a natural soft spot towards the Jewish people, is problematic. And if your theology or doctrinal system doesn’t allow you to critique modern Israel then you are at odds with dozens of the Old Testament prophets, and of course with Jesus. That needs to be redressed and repented of.
3. Mourn and weep with the loss and destruction in Israel
Did you watch any of the footage, or read any of the reports of Hamas’ incursion into Israel? I’m not inviting you to, I’m simply asking. Personally, I try to stay away from watching scenes of that kind – and the vast majority of times, I do. But I made myself watch this time. For the same reason that I remind myself of events like the Holocaust, or Apartheid South Africa – this felt like something I needed to see some of the harsh reality of. To know some of what went on. And what I saw was sheer wickedness: Hamas soldiers actively pursuing the destruction of civilians. Walking alongside cars of fleeing people and shooting them like fish in a barrel. Throwing grenades into shelters where scores of people looked for relief. And more, which I don’t want to mention. It was sickening. It was evil.
One of my concerns with the pro-Palestinian position, and I realise this won’t come from all under that umbrella, is a potential and shocking coldness towards that evil. A callousness. Calls for that somehow ‘not to count’ because of what’s gone on before. Or even, as I’ve seen reported, a call for more of the same – to see Israel driven into the sea. That is deeply concerning.
I understand that there is a backdrop, a larger history of decades of dehumanisation of Palestinians and so, some would say, this is simply an overflow of that situation. But that argument will not acquit anyone in God’s courtroom, even if it does invite some level of empathy for Palestinians in general. Foundationally it simply cannot be used to excuse the evil exercised by Hamas.
No, we mourn and we weep at the loss of lives and the actions in Israel – against Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and non-Israelis – any who an unfettered Hamas targeted. And I have to stop myself from putting ‘with relish’ on to the end of that last sentence.
4. Mourn and weep with the loss and destruction in Gaza
The Israel-Palestine issue is an incredibly complex and volatile one. What is Israel’s place in the Middle East? Al Jezeera’s videos and reporting will tell you one side related to the lead up and postscript of 1948 – both of Israel’s place and the Palestinian plight.
Of course then there is the other side of the story. Some would remind us that the Jews have a much older heritage to the land. Or that modern Israel from their more recent formation have always felt like they have to fight simply to survive – they live under an ongoing death threat to their existence. An unarmed and powerless nation of Israel in that context is a dead one – for many are her enemies. They would say that ‘the Palestinian problem’ has been kept live from its very start by the Arab nations around Israel as a way to promote a festering wound – one that occupies Israel’s focus, turns public opinion against her, and provides the fertile soil to grow groups like Hamas. And they would ask us to remember that for Israel to do justice against the recent Hamas killings and hostage taking, involves needing to go into Gaza. A need complicated by Hamas’s proclivity to hide below, and among – and even use civilians to shield themselves.
Whether those pro-Israel arguments have merit or not, if they mean that our sympathy for the people of Gaza dries up, then there is a problem. Those Palestinians are not animals, they are not subhuman. No, those are men and women made in God’s image. Many of them weak and vulnerable – and you know how God has a particular eye on the weak and vulnerable! His heart, if you like, goes out to them. So, shouldn’t ours?
As if their history wasn’t bad enough, these Gaza inhabitants are now living (and dying) under horrific circumstances. Have you followed any of the news reports coming out of Gaza? It is unimaginable, even as there is value in us trying to imagine it for ourselves and our loved ones. Try, just try, to imagine the horror and anguish, and fear and grief of those men and women. Should that not lead to us mourning and weeping, and praying for these dear men and women and children? Surely it should.
Some of the pro-Israel narration has been factually correct in some ways, yet empathetically dead in others. Hamas has rightly been condemned, Israel’s position has been given a sympathetic ear – but the plight of the Palestinians has received little to no love. Brothers and sisters this cannot be right in God’s eyes, and should not sit right in our hearts.
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What a need to pray! And I hope the 4 points above could help guide the content of our prayers.
You can also find the article here on Ryan’s blog: Taste and see
