Should We Bless the Nation of Israel?

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Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3, ESV).

For decades, I would look at recently published book lists and read Christian magazines like “Christianity Today” to keep up with current historical and theological discussion points.

Now, I press the reels/short video button on Facebook, because whenever there’s a Biblical controversy, short videos (linked to more information) begin popping up almost instantaneously, with both sides of an issue claiming to know the truth and denigrating the opposition.

Admittedly, not too scholastic but lots of fun!  

Recently, my “reel feed” began to blow up after an interview between Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson. During the interview, Tucker Carlson asked Ted Cruz if Christians should bless the nation of Israel. On this link, you can hear the entire podcast. Below are the opening words of the discussion … 

Cruz: As a Christian, growing up in Sunday School, I was taught from the Bible that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. And from my perspective, I want to be on the blessing side of things.

Carlson: Of those who bless the government of Israel.

Cruz: “Those who bless Israel” is what it says. Doesn’t say the government. It says the nation of Israel. So, that’s in the Bible. As a Christian, I believe that.

Carlson: Where is that?

Cruz: I can find it for you. I don’t have the scripture on the tip of my tongue. You can pull out the phone and look it up.

Carlson: It’s in Genesis, but so you’re quoting a Bible phrase, you don’t have context for it, and you don’t know where in the Bible it is?

Obviously, Ted Cruz wasn’t too scholastic with his opening words, and Tucker Carlson had him by the theological throat. But the bigger picture — they were discussing “Replacement Theology,” which has been debated for thousands of years by Biblical scholars. 

This theology believes that when reading Biblical passages on blessing Israel, the church replaces Israel. “Replacement Theology” denies that the Jews or the nation of Israel today has special privilege because the church now has a covenant with God.

But other theologians and Bible scholars believe that, in Romans 11, when Paul discusses Israel and says that the “gifts and callings of God are irrevocable,” he refers to the continued covenantal blessing between God and Israel. 

We must admit that current world events seem to favor the “Israel still blessed by God” thinking.

Those for “no blessing” often cite Galatians 3:28-29 …

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

While those for continued blessing today point out Romans 11:25-26 …

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And in this way all Israel will be saved. 

What do I think?

I land on the side of Ted Cruz (but next time, Ted, be prepared). I believe it is unreasonable that the Old Testament mentions the covenant between Israel and God almost three hundred times, with all of them now figurative language for God and the church only.

The church is the church, and Israel is Israel — both are repeatedly predicted in the Bible to remain vibrant throughout history.