Part of the purpose of Hargrave Ministries has been a tremendous drive to support the people and land of Israel and all that God is doing with them. As we return to Israel to visit the organizations we are supporting there, please be in prayer for this important ministry and for the government and people of Israel. Bless this drive to end anti-Semitism and see the Body of Christ actively showing the love of Christ to the Jewish people.

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Show Notes:

We will be going to Israel to visit the organizations Hargrave Ministries contributes to. Please be praying for us on this trip, for these organizations, and for the people of Israel during these challenging times. Recent political events in that country have shaken many Christians who are supporters of Israel. And I think we should be very careful to understand what our faith should be toward Israel and the Jewish people. Our support for them should not be based on natural level events or on politics. We should be backing Israel and the Jewish people because of a revelation from the Lord.

My reasons for backing Israel are biblical. I am looking at what God has said He will do and what will happen in the last days concerning Israel. And because it is God’s Word, it will happen. Many Christians, however, are involved with Israel to try to convert Jews. This focus on conversion has continually led Christians to become bitter when Jews are not converted, leading to anti-Semitism and persecution. As a result, the Jewish people have come to associate conversion with persecution.

What the Jewish people need to see from Christians is first a true picture of Christ and His love for Israel. I caution us all that our faith for Israel not be rooted in anti-Semitism. In other words, if you are blessing them simply because you are trying to convert them, you have the wrong motivation. You need to be blessing them, praying for them, and ministering to them because of the pure love of Christ in your heart for them and direction from the Lord that this is what you are to do. Only then will we have the relationship God wants.

Key Verses:

• Isaiah 40:1. “‘Comfort, O comfort My people,’ says your God.”
• Jeremiah 32:36–40. “I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them …; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety.”
• Jeremiah 32:41–44. “I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.”
• Ezekiel 36:22. “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name.’”

Quotes:

• “We need to recognize that they do have a history that turns them off to conversion. And what they need to see from Christians is first a true picture of Christ and His love for Israel, His love for them, His love for the world.”
• “God is doing something in Israel with the Jewish people, and it’s not based on their politics, how they’re getting along right now, what events are transpiring on a natural level.”
• “God’s covenant with Israel and the Jewish people is everlasting. He will not turn away from doing good to them, and He’s going to give them a heart and they will not turn away from Him. Trust this. This is why we support Israel and the Jewish people because we know by the Word of God what God is doing and will do in these last days.”

Takeaways:

1. We should be backing Israel, praying for Israel, and believing for Israel because of a revelation from the Lord. The Scriptures point to the fact that God is doing something in Israel with the Jewish people that is not based on their politics. God will vindicate His holiness. He will vindicate His great name by what He does in the last days with Israel.
2. When you think about Israel and what you do for Israel, why do you do it? Do it for the same reason as God. He does it for His name’s sake. God is bringing the Jewish people back to the land and He is blessing them and settling them with all His heart. And we likewise, with all our hearts, should be a part of everything that is ministering to Israel and bringing them back into the land and settling them there.
3. We do not even have to open our mouths to talk about Christ. We can show them the example of Him whom we know. Knowing Christ is knowing His love, knowing His grace, and knowing His fantastic promises because He has promised them wonderful things; and He said that He will not relent from fulfilling that great Word.

Resources:
https://www.hargraveministries.org/projects/
https://www.hargraveministries.org/podcasts/bruce-larson-interview-about-israel-episode-81/