Bursting Theological Bubbles
Who is “Israel”? Let’s review.
A Bombshell… Then Cruz Got Bombed
Last week I dropped a bombshell report revealing that Israel is not Israel. That is, the present-day nation called the State of Israel is not the Israel of Scripture. The true Israel of God are those who have faith in God and his promised seed, Jesus Christ. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
The very next day, Tucker Carlson released his interview with Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Obviously, Sen. Cruz did not have time to read my article. Tucker confronted Cruz over the motivations for going to war with Iran. Cruz explained why he previously stated that he resolved to be the leading defender of Israel when he went to the Senate. His reason, he said, was two-fold:
“Number one, as a Christian, growing up in Sunday School, I was taught from the Bible, ‘Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed.’ And from my perspective, I want to be on blessing side of things.”
Cruz vs. Carlson: Defining “Israel”
Tucker: “Those who bless the government of Israel?”
Cruz: “‘Those who bless Israel,’ is what it says. It doesn’t say ‘the government of,’ it says, ‘the nation of Israel.’ So that’s in the Bible. As a Christian, I believe that.”
Tucker went on to challenge Cruz on where that’s found in the Bible in a bit of a gotcha moment. Cruz reiterated that the Bible teaches “those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed.” Tucker once again tries to pin Cruz down on Israel as the “government of Israel” and asks, “What does that mean: ‘Israel’?”
Cruz: “Do you not know what Israel is? That would be the country you’ve asked like 49 questions about.”
Tucker: “So that’s what Genesis…that’s what God is talking about… is that the current borders, is that the current leadership, he’s talking about the political entity called ‘Israel?’
Cruz: “He’s talking about the nation of Israel. Nations exist and he is discussing a nation, a nation was the people of Israel, they are the descendants of Abraham…”
Tucker: “The nation in Genesis, is that the same nation as the country run by Benjamin Netanyahu right now?”
Cruz: “Yes.”
Cruz was clearly taken aback by Tucker’s line of questioning and seemed to think it was beneath serious discussion. And no doubt, those who share his theology found Tucker’s question absurd too.
Of course, the nation called “Israel” today is the Israel of the Bible.
Midnight Hammer Drops
Three days later, Operation Midnight Hammer commenced. The United States militarily intervened in the Israel-Iran conflict using B-2 bombers to strike multiple nuclear sites within Iran with bunker-busting bombs.
President Trump addressed the nation later that night confirming the strikes and declared, “Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced, “Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.” Administration officials have gone to clarify that the US is not at war with Iran and reemphasized the necessity of Iran coming back to the negotiation table and refraining from retaliation.
Wartime Politics and Evangelical Math
Support for another regime change war in the Middle East is drastically low with the American people. This is likely why the Administration has repeatedly asserted the US is not in a war with Iran and no troops will be sent into Iran. They are attempting to walk a fine line with a one-time strike that will not alienate very many Trump supporters while also eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The days and weeks ahead will indicate whether this approach is successful.
One thing is clear: the events of this past week have revealed a great divide among American Christians regarding beliefs around Israel. While public support for another war in the Middle East is currently very low, support for Israel among evangelicals remains high though wavering. Much of this support can be attributed to a biblical and theological understanding very similar to Senator Cruz’s: the state of Israel is the Israel of the Bible, and we must bless Israel as God has commanded.
But Who Is Israel? A Review
As I demonstrated in “Stand With Israel! But Who Is Israel?,” Israel is Abraham’s offspring by faith in Christ which, of course, is very different than the secular nation-state called Israel.
I mention several biblical passages but one of my favorites is Romans 11:17-24 where Paul teaches that unbelieving Jews have been broken off from the olive tree (God’s people) and Gentile believers are new branches grafted into the tree among the other branches. Those branches which were broken off may one day “be grafted back into their own olive tree” through Christ so the future is not hopeless for Jewish people. And the Gentiles who have been grafted should not become prideful about it “for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.” All of this leads Paul to finally exclaim, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
Next Bubble: The Rapture
Since we’re bursting theological bubbles here, why not one more?
We’ll discuss THE RAPTURE in our next post.
Cruz was not on his best game! The importance of Israel is as an ally. The importance of denying a nefarious regime of psycho death cult fanatics a nuke is self evident.