What Should Be Our Foreign Policy Regarding Israel? (Part 2)

I'm reacting primarily to a post by John Hagee entitled Understanding Christian Zionism.  Hagee  is an American, the founder and the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational charismatic megachurch with more than 19,000 active members.  His has great influence in the US and around the world through his media ministry.

I stated in my previous blog that I believe him to be fundamentally wrong on this issue and if fact this ideology is racist and unbiblical.

The present state of Israel ought to have all the rights and considerations of a modern nation state.  It is sovereign and all the present international laws of morality and trade ought to be respected.  I agree with Dr. John Piper who writes:

"We should approve or denounce according to Biblical standards of justice and mercy among peoples. We should encourage our representatives to seek a just settlement that takes the historical and social claims of both peoples into account. Neither should be allowed to sway the judgments of justice by a present divine claim to the land. If you believe this, it would be helpful for your representatives to know it." (Emphasis is mine.)

Israel has no present Divine claim upon it's land.  God fulfilled his promise to Israel, as confirmed by Joshua 21:43-45.  Later, in 1 Kings 4:20-21 and in 2Chronicles 9:6 we see the precise geographical boundaries promised to Abraham in the actual possession of Solomon, at the height of Israel’s political history. (Pitchford).  Deuteronomy 28:63 (ESV) reminds us:

^"63 And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it."

The promise of the land was never intended for covenant breaking, rebellious Israel.  The promise of the land was for believing Israel .... the Israel of God.   And for believing Israel (not according to the flesh) the promise was far more extensive that a little plot of land in the Middle East.  Romans 4:13 (ESV) affirms that "for the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith."  In fact believing Israel was desiring "a better country, that is, a heavenly one."  (Heb 11:16).

Present Israel is rebellious and lost (confirm Romans 10:1).  Present Israel is not of the same faith as Christians.  Christ Jesus denounced them (confirm John 8:39-47).  Israel is presently an enemy of the Gospel.  Israel needs only one clear foreign policy on behalf of the Church. A Gospel-driven, Spirit-empowered campaign that would allow Jews to see, hear and respond to the Gospel.   Then the hope of Israel and the promise of the Gospel can be realized.  (see Romans 11:25-28)