Israel is the Place, the People, and Others

    Most of us know and understand how the political state of Israel has become what it is, and how historically it was a place populated by Jewish people and leadership for centuries. Most left and Arabs replaced them. Most Christians today and over the centuries, see Israel... Differently, but with many commonalities.

    I started this post a few days ago.

    Politically, there are those feelings. Many of us have religious sentiments and loyalties. The cross overs make it complicated. Economics, racial and cultural and ethnic differences.

    Bibi Netanyahu proclaimed that the Israeli Defense Forces did not start out any Gazans. That would be nice, if true. I need to find that out. One of my biggest gripes since the Gazan War started last fall, 2023.

    Millions of Christians go to Jerusalem and the Holy Land in peaceful times, to the places of the Savior and the Apostles, the lands of the original church. Many of these believers in Christ wholeheartedly support the modern state of Israel, interpreting the Holy Bible to prophesy in the last days (before the return of Jesus the Messiah), that Israel is exactly what the prophets, including Jesus Himself, says it is. People, in my opinion, wrongly conflate in a Christian Biblical understanding that political Israel of the 21st century is the spiritual Israel of which the Bible speaks.

    I disagree. Spiritual Israel is different. It involves millions of children of God, the whole world over, who are literally and spiritually descended of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, or Jacob. We are of Joseph through, his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the others: Reuben, Dan, Levi, Issachar et al. This is a minority doctrine and belief in the Christian world. It is dependent on other beliefs, which have to do with the establishment of a newer tradition in the world, which proclaims to be a re-establishment of Christ's faith, with His priesthoods and correct doctrine.

    But alas, politics, economics, religion, and power, all of these human issues get convoluted and messy, and we have the morass of the Holy Land today. People blame the Shia mullahs and clerics and beliefs of Iran, while others get after the traditional beliefs of the Jewish folks, particularly those who have settled back in Palestine.

    No easy answers.

    As much as the Christian God is the Prince of Peace, there is not much found among many of the places where he dwelt in current times.

    There has to be better ways, better methods or practices for God to prevail, as Israel means.

    Who is Israel? Where is it? It is with you and me; we have to do better, be more peaceful.