If you’re a Christian, you should have a special affection for Jewish people. Christ hasn’t stopped caring about his ethnic people, so we shouldn’t stop caring about them.
If you’re wondering, no, I am not a dispensationalist. I am not ashamed of my dispensationalist brothers like some people think we should be, but I believe in covenant theology. Some people seem to think it’s only dispensationalists who believe Christians should have a special affection for Jewish people. But my views on Jews are influenced by some of the greatest covenant theologians in Church history, including the Apostle Paul.
As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 9:4-5: “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”
We should be grateful for God’s grace through the Jewish people. Though many Jews curse Christ, I am thankful for the blessings of Christ through them. But our affection for Israel isn’t just about the past, it’s also about the future. In Romans 11:26, the Apostle Paul says, “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.’”
Some covenantal Christians misinterpret this Bible verse. They say it’s about the Church, not Israel. But like Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Rutherford, Theodore Beza, Matthew Henry, Richard Sibbes, and John Owen, I believe the Apostle Paul is prophesying about mass conversions of Jews.
For that reason, Theodore Beza said, “As for myself, I gladly pray every day for the Jews.”
Samuel Rutherford also said: “O to see the sight, next to Christ’s Coming in the clouds, the most joyful! our elder brethren the Jews and Christ fall upon one another’s necks and kiss each other. They have been long asunder; they will be kind to one another when they meet. O day! O longed for and lovely day dawn! O sweet Jesus, let me see that sight which will be as life from the dead, Thee and Thy ancient people in mutual embraces.”
Richard Sibbes said, “The faithful Jews rejoiced to think of the calling of the Gentiles; and why should we not joy to think of the calling of the Jews.”
I do not doubt that Jesus’ adopted people should have a special affection for his ethnic people.
But that doesn’t mean Christians in the West (especially in America) should always support Israel.
If Jesus, the King of the Jews, didn’t declare war against Rome in support of Israel, then President Donald Trump isn’t obligated to declare war against Iran in support of Israel.
There is a major difference between how Christians should feel about Jews and what America should do with the Middle East. Washington, DC isn’t the capital city of Christianity. The nation of Israel is distinct from the Church, and so is America. Just as the Great Commission isn’t an immigration policy, Christian love for Jews doesn’t mean foreign aid.
However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a Biblical position on the conflict in the Middle East. Since the just war theory is a Biblical concept (it was coined by Augustine), we Christians should support Israel’s war against Palestine and Iran. But that isn’t exclusive to Christians, every person who supports justice should support Israel. Just war theory doesn’t demand American involvement in the Middle East, but it means the American government should approve Israel’s right to self-defense.
Another reason why America should support Israel is because they are a crucial ally of the United States. Israeli intelligence is a major part of America’s counterterrorism strategy. They are a major reason why America has stopped Iran’s nuclear ambitions and terrorist attacks from ISIS and Hezbollah. The US-Israel alliance has also led to greater stability and peace in the Middle East, especially because of Trump’s Abraham Accords, which have disempowered America’s enemies in the Middle East.
However, we shouldn’t conflate Christian-Jewish relations with American-Israeli relations.