God’s Heart for Israel
Phil Hanlen’s ministry Ambassadors and Embassies is different from most church organizations that arrange trips to Israel with Christian believers. Most such trips are sightseeing tours to observe and experience the holy land where Jesus walked. Phil’s ministry is different in that their mission is to serve and support the citizens of Israel.
Jerusalem today is 99% Muslim. However there are several Christian ministries in the midst of this Muslim enclave. These Christian ministries are dedicated to manifesting the love of God in the Holy Land where God first called Abraham to be the father of many nations.
On the Palestinian side of the River Jordan, Phils ministry supports Netivah a serving ministry to the people on the West Bank. Phil also partners with Matt who is works with the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Israel.
The Orthodox Jews teach that Christians are the enemy. They do not understand that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecy that was given to Abraham and his descendant’s.
Phil’s organization raised $2000 to bless Israeli soldiers. They are building a special area for assembly, prayer, and meditation near an Israeli military base.
What is the purpose for blessing Israel? How important is Israel to God? Israel is mentioned in the Word of God over 2500 times. The God of Israel is referenced 200 times. In Genesis 12, God made his original covenant with Abraham. God said, I will make you into a great nation and you will be a blessing. I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you. God’s ultimate promise to Abraham was that the Messiah would come through Abraham’s lineage.
Deut 6:6-7 says, Israel is God’s possession whom he has chosen from among all of the nations of the world.
God’s ultimate plan is in the book of Isaiah. He said, I will make Israel a light to the nations to reveal my light to all the earth. The purpose for the God’s covenant with Israel was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.
The picture of what Christ would accomplish was given to Israel through the systems of Levital sacrifices and holy days.
Orthodox Jews celebrate the Old Testament. However, they do not acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God’s way of redemption for all mankind.
When Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the people celebrated his arrival. They thought that Jesus would fulfill his purpose as king of kings and Lord of Lords. They thought he would be their political messiah to establish a new kingdom upon earth and overthrow the power of the corrupt and brutal Roman Empire. However the next time they saw him he had been whipped, pummeled, beaten, and mocked and scourged. Then the Romans nailed him to a Roman Cross to be crucified as a common criminal….
They did not understand that this was his purpose… to shed his innocent blood as the perfect sacrifice as the lamb of God without spot and without blemish. He was the fulfillment of the Levitical sacrifice as the atonement for the sin nature that we inherited from Adam’s fall. This was his purpose and the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham: that from his seed all the world would be blessed… for Jesus Christ who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
The Jews thought they were God’s chosen people and the rest of the nations and peoples of the world were condemned to death. However, in the book of Acts, God revealed to Peter, that which you considered unclean, I have cleansed. If I have cleansed the Gentiles through Jesus’ payment for their sin, then do not call them unclean.
How would God accomplish his promise of salvation? According to Romans 10:9-10: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Did they not hear? Did Israel not understand? Isaiah said, I was found by those who were not looking for me and had no knowledge of me.(the Gentiles.). Romans 11 is given to answer the question, has God rejected his people Israel?
According to Romans 11:11-12 and 15-32, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead.
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of 32the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all”
God’s plan for Israel has not yet been fulfilled. God’s plan for both Israel and the Gentiles is a result of the Love of God.
Romans 15:27 says, It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of Israel’s spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
God’s plan for Israel will ultimately be fulfilled in the book of Revelation. His original promise to Abraham holds true today: Those who bless Israel God will bless…
This is our purpose… to love God by loving the people he has called, especially those who are Abraham’s descendants of the twelve tribes of the house of Israel…
That together as Brothers of Christ and sons of God we may live to the praise of the glory of God’s grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
