But you are not free to disagree with what I’m about to say about Israel’s future.

Why?

Because the future doesn’t belong to pundits, politicians, or personal opinions—yours or mine.

The only reliable way to know the future is to read what God has said about it. And what God has said is not up for revision. 📖

So let’s listen carefully to Him as He speaks from Isaiah 4:2–6.

“In that day…” ⏳

“In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and adornment of the survivors of Israel.” (Isaiah 4:2)

Three simple words—“In that day”—but they carry enormous hope. ✨

There is this day, and there will be that day.

This day in Israel is marked by conflict, fear, bloodshed, and uncertainty.
But this day is not forever.

It will give way to that day.
And that day will be far better. 🙏

The Branch of the Lord 🌿

Isaiah tells us that in that day there will be “the Branch of the Lord” and “the survivors of Israel.”

Who is the Branch?

Scripture is remarkably clear: the Branch is the Messiah—Jesus.

You can trace this for yourself:

• Isaiah 11:1–5

• Jeremiah 23:5

• Zechariah 3:8

Again and again, the prophets describe a coming Branch from David’s line—a righteous King, a Redeemer.

In that day, the survivors of Israel will look upon the One they once rejected and despised and finally see Him for who He is: beautiful and glorious. ✝️

Survivors—and a Remnant 🔥

Notice the language Isaiah uses: the survivors of Israel.

That means Israel will survive.
But it also means not everyone will.

The survivors are those who come through what Scripture elsewhere calls the Great Tribulation. Many will perish—but not all.

A remnant will live.
And that remnant will worship the Branch of the Lord forever. 🙌

A New Identity: Holy ✨

“And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 4:3)

Those who remain will no longer be defined by status, power, or position.
They will be defined by a moral and spiritual reality.

They will be holy—kadosh—set apart for God.

Because of this God-given identity, their names will be recorded for life.

L’Chaim. 🍷

Scripture speaks often of a Book of Life. One clear reference is found in Revelation:

“Nothing unclean… shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:27)

In that day, the remnant of Israel will be holy—and their names will be written in the Lamb’s book of life. 🐑📜

When Will This Happen?

“When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem… by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning.” (Isaiah 4:4)

This cleansing will not come through human reform, diplomacy, or effort.

Only the sovereign work of God can do this. 🔥

Glory Returns to Zion ☁️🔥

“Then the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion… a cloud by day and the brightness of a flaming fire by night.” (Isaiah 4:5)

Israel’s future will echo Israel’s past.

When God redeemed Israel from Egypt, His glory was visible—a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. In that day, His glory will once again be visible in Israel.

Notice the word Isaiah uses: create.

Not build.
Not construct.
Create.

Only God creates what was not there before. And in that day, He will create a fresh manifestation of His gracious presence among His people. ✨

The Wedding Canopy 💍

“For over all the glory will be a canopy.” (Isaiah 4:5)

The Hebrew word here is chuppah—the wedding canopy.

It speaks of intimacy, protection, provision, and presence.
It speaks of covenant love.

Israel will be gathered under God’s chuppah.
A restored relationship.
A protected people.
A faithful God. ❤️

A Place of Refuge 🏠

“And there will be a shelter to give shade from the heat of day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.” (Isaiah 4:6)

In that day, Jerusalem will be a place of shelter and security—safe from hostile and opposing forces.

The city once trampled and contested will become the safest place on earth. 🕊️

Why This Matters Now

So then, my fellow Christians—

If God, in that day, will be wedded to Israel, then we, in this day, ought to stand closely by her.

There may be disagreement about Israel now.
But make no mistake about Israel then.

She will be securely united to her Messiah under His wedding canopy.

And this glorious future is not Israel’s alone.

It belongs to all who are connected by faith to Israel’s Messiah—Jesus. ✝️

The believing remnant of Israel has a future.
And so does the Church.

Your past is not your destiny.
Israel’s past is not her destiny.

The future is. 🌅

So now is not the time for despair, retreat, or silence.
The future is glorious.

All the more reason to walk closely with Jesus today—
because He holds the future, for Israel and for His Church. 🙏

-Stuart

To read previous posts, click on this link to my archive:

www.fromstuart.com/archive

Replacement Theology claims biblical support—but only by lifting verses out of context, allegorizing prophecy, and ignoring Paul’s clearest teaching.

Let’s look carefully at the evidence.

Romans 9–11: Paul’s Final Word

Romans 9–11 exists to answer one question:

What about Israel?

Paul’s conclusions are unmistakable:

• Israel’s hardening is partial, not total (Romans 11:25)

• Israel’s blindness is temporary, not permanent

• Israel’s future salvation is corporate, not merely individual

Paul says it plainly:

“A partial hardening has happened to Israel… and so all Israel will be saved.”
(Romans 11:25–26)

If “Israel” suddenly means “the Church,” Paul’s entire argument collapses.

The Jealousy Argument Requires Distinction

Paul says Gentile salvation is meant to provoke Israel to jealousy (Romans 11:11).

That only works if:

• Israel still exists

• Israel is distinct from the Church

• Israel still has a future

You cannot make a non-existent—or already replaced—people jealous.

The New Covenant Was Made With Israel

Jeremiah says exactly who the New Covenant is made with:

“I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
(Jeremiah 31:31)

Hebrews 8 quotes this passage after the cross—without changing the recipients.

The Church participates in the New Covenant through Israel’s Messiah.

Participation is not replacement.

Jesus Affirmed Israel’s Future 👑

After forty days of resurrection teaching, the disciples asked Jesus:

“Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
(Acts 1:6)

Jesus did not correct their theology—only their timing.

If Israel had been replaced, this was the moment to say so.

He didn’t—because it hadn’t.

Prophecy Refuses to Be Spiritualized

Scripture repeatedly promises:

• Israel’s regathering (Ezekiel 36–37)

• National repentance (Zechariah 12:10)

• Messiah reigning from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2; Zechariah 14)

These texts demand future, literal fulfillment.

Allegory doesn’t interpret them.
It evades them.

Unity Does Not Mean Erasure 🤍

Ephesians 2 teaches unity in Christ—not erased identity.

Paul still distinguishes between:

“Jews, Greeks, and the church of God.”
(1 Corinthians 10:32)

Even Revelation preserves both Israel and the Church in the eternal city.

God’s plan ends in fulfilled unity—not replacement.

The Real Issue

At its core, Replacement Theology claims that God chose Israel—and then failed.

But Scripture says:

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful.”
(2 Timothy 2:13)

Israel’s future isn’t about Israel’s goodness.

It’s about God’s faithfulness.

— Stuart

This is Part 2 of a three-part series on Replacement Theology.
You can read Part 1—and all my other articles—here:
👉 https://www.fromstuart.com/archive

What Is Replacement Theology?

Replacement Theology (also called supersessionism) teaches that because Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah, God rejected Israel in return—and replaced her with the Church.

According to this view:

• God revoked His covenant with Israel

• The Church became the “new Israel”

• Israel has no future role in God’s plan

It may sound logical at first.
But Scripture tells a very different story.

And the consequences matter more than most people realize.

What It Claims—and Why It Fails

Replacement Theology rests on four assertions:

1️⃣ God has rejected Israel
2️⃣ The Church has replaced Israel
3️⃣ God’s promises to Israel were transferred to the Church
4️⃣ Israel has no future in God’s redemptive plan

If even one of these claims is false, the entire system collapses.

The Bible shows that all four are false.

God Used the Word “Everlasting” ⏳

When God made His covenant with Israel, He didn’t hedge His language.

“I will establish My covenant… for an everlasting covenant… and give you the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.”
(Genesis 17:7–8)

That promise is reaffirmed to Isaac, Jacob, David, and through the prophets.

Jeremiah goes even further—God ties Israel’s future to the laws of nature:

“Only if the fixed order of heaven and earth ceases… will Israel cease to be a nation before Me forever.”
(Jeremiah 31:35–37)

Everlasting doesn’t mean temporary.
Forever doesn’t mean “until revoked.”

If God can redefine His words here, no promise in Scripture is secure.

Paul Settles the Question 📖

Replacement Theology depends on the claim that God rejected Israel.

Paul answers directly:

“Has God rejected His people? By no means!”
(Romans 11:1)

Then he closes the door:

“The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
(Romans 11:29)

Not postponed.
Not reassigned.
Irrevocable.

If God revoked Israel’s calling, Paul says, God would be contradicting His own character.

Grafted In—Not Replaced 🌿

Paul’s image in Romans 11 is decisive.

Israel is the olive tree.
Gentile believers are wild branches grafted in.

“You do not support the root, but the root supports you.”
(Romans 11:18)

A grafted branch does not replace the tree.
It lives because of it.

Replacement Theology turns Paul’s warning into spiritual arrogance.

Why This Is Dangerous ⚠️

Bad theology always produces bad fruit.

Replacement Theology helped create the theological climate for centuries of antisemitism—pogroms, forced conversions, and silence in the face of Jewish suffering.

The logic was simple and deadly:
If God rejected the Jews, why shouldn’t we?

But God says:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
(Jeremiah 31:3)

Antisemitism isn’t just immoral.
It’s anti-God.

Israel’s Survival Says Everything 🇮🇱

No other people in history have:

• Been exiled for nearly 2,000 years

• Retained identity and language

• Returned to the same land

• Re-established a nation

Israel has.

If Israel is rejected, her existence is inexplicable.
If God is faithful, it makes perfect sense.

Why This Matters to Christians ❤️

Here’s the unavoidable question:

If God broke His promises to Israel, why should we trust Him to keep His promises to us?

Replacement Theology doesn’t strengthen faith.
It quietly undermines it.

God has not replaced Israel.
He has shown—again and again—that He keeps His Word.

“God is not a man, that He should lie…
Has He said, and will He not do it?”
(Numbers 23:19)

— Stuart

You don’t need to be a Bible scholar or a seminary graduate to understand this issue. In fact, it affects all Christians far more than most people realize—especially when it comes to how we read the Bible and how we think about Israel and the Jewish people today.

Over the next few articles, I’ll explain what Replacement Theology is, point out why it is inconsistent with Scripture, and make the case that this teaching isn’t just a harmless difference of opinion, but something that has had serious consequences throughout church history.

In this first article, we’ll start at the beginning: What is Replacement Theology, and where did it come from?

What Is Replacement Theology?

Replacement Theology—sometimes called Supersessionism—is the belief that God has rejected Israel because most Jewish people did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, and that the Church has now taken Israel’s place in God’s plan.

In plain language, this view teaches that:

• God’s promises to Israel are no longer meant for the Jewish people.

• Those promises have either been canceled or “spiritualized.”

• The Church is now the “new” or “true” Israel.

According to this teaching, the Jewish people no longer have a distinct role in God’s purposes, no lasting claim to the land promised to Abraham, and no future as a people in biblical prophecy.

Put even more bluntly: Israel is finished.

That’s a serious claim—and one we shouldn’t accept without careful thought.

Why This Matters (More Than You Might Think)

This isn’t an abstract theological debate. The question “Has God rejected Israel?” touches some of the most important things Christians believe.

For example:

• Can God be trusted to keep His promises?

• What does it mean when God calls His covenants “everlasting”?

• How should Christians relate to the Jewish people today?

If God can set aside promises He clearly made and repeatedly reaffirmed, then every believer should pause. If He could abandon Israel, what does that say about His faithfulness to us?

And practically speaking, Replacement Theology forces large sections of the Bible—especially the prophets—to be reinterpreted, explained away, or treated as symbolic rather than straightforward.

That’s why this matters.

The Basic Claims of Replacement Theology

At its core, Replacement Theology rests on three main ideas:

1. God has rejected the Jewish people as a people because of unbelief.

2. The Church has replaced Israel in God’s redemptive plan.

3. God’s promises to Israel—especially those about land, nationhood, and future restoration—no longer apply in a literal sense.

In everyday terms, this means that modern Israel has no biblical significance, and the promises given to Abraham now belong entirely to the Church.

What Jesus and the Apostles Did Not Teach

One important thing needs to be said clearly: Replacement Theology did not come from Jesus or the apostles.

The apostle Paul—often quoted in support of Replacement Theology—actually addresses this idea directly in Romans chapters 9–11. He asks the exact question Replacement Theology answers wrongly:

“Has God rejected His people?” (Romans 11:1)

Paul’s answer is immediate and unmistakable:

“By no means!”

Paul goes on to explain that Gentile believers have been grafted into what God was already doing—not that Israel has been cut off forever. New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce summarized it this way:

“The Church is not a new Israel; it is a community of Jews and Gentiles who have been grafted into the ancient people of God.”

That difference matters.

So Where Did Replacement Theology Come From?

If the apostles didn’t teach it, how did it become so common?

The short answer is: history, politics, suffering, and a growing distance from Judaism.

After Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, and again after a failed Jewish revolt in AD 135, relations between Jews and Christians became deeply strained. As the Church became mostly Gentile, many believers wanted to separate themselves from anything Jewish—especially as the Roman Empire harshly punished Jewish resistance.

In this setting, a Christian writer named Justin Martyr argued that the Church was now the “true Israel,” and that the Jewish people had lost their place. His arguments were shaped as much by conflict and debate as by careful reading of Scripture.

Church historian Jaroslav Pelikan later observed:

“Supersessionism became a way for the Church to explain history rather than Scripture.”

That shift had lasting effects.

Constantine and the Turning Point

Replacement Theology became more firmly established in the fourth century, when Christianity aligned itself with political power under Emperor Constantine.

As the Church gained influence, it began to see itself as the visible Kingdom of God on earth. In that mindset, there was little room for a future Israel. If the Kingdom had already arrived, then Israel must be obsolete.

During this period, the Church officially distanced itself from its Jewish roots. Passover was replaced with Easter, Sabbath observance was rejected, and Jewish identity within the Church was discouraged or condemned.

Constantine himself wrote words that are still disturbing to read:

“Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd.”

From that point on, theology and contempt often went hand in hand.

A Tragic Legacy

Once the Church embraced the idea that God had rejected the Jewish people, it became easier for Christians to do the same. Over time, this thinking helped justify centuries of anti-Jewish teaching, mistreatment, and violence.

Even influential Christian leaders absorbed this framework and passed it on—often without questioning its foundations.

Karl Barth later issued a sobering warning:

“The Church which forgets Israel forgets the God who elected her.”

That warning still applies.

Why This Comes Down to Trusting God

Replacement Theology isn’t just a wrong interpretation—it represents a slow drift away from taking God’s promises at face value.

Once we decide that God is finished with Israel, something deeper shifts. Promises once called everlasting suddenly need redefinition. Clear prophetic statements must be softened or spiritualized. God’s faithfulness becomes conditional after the fact.

At that point, the question isn’t only What do we believe about Israel?

The real question becomes: Can God be trusted to keep His word?

Scripture’s answer is yes.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob does not change. He does not abandon a people He says He foreknew and bound Himself to by covenant. And He does not break promises when history becomes complicated.

Paul’s warning still stands:

“Do not be arrogant toward the branches… remember, it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.”

The Church does not stand over Israel as her replacement. She stands because she has been graciously grafted in.

That matters—not only for prophecy, but for grace itself. A God who remains faithful to Israel despite failure is the same God who remains faithful to all who have put their trust in Jesus.

-Stuart

It is true that Christian populations across the Middle East are shrinking. But the evidence tells a very different story about why. Israel is not the culprit. In fact, Israel stands out as the one place in the region where Christians are not only surviving—but growing.

Let’s look at the facts.

A Long Decline—Long Before Modern Israel

At the beginning of the 20th century, Christians made up roughly 13–20% of the Middle East. Today, that number has collapsed to about 4%, and experts predict it will fall below 3% by 2050.

This decline did not begin in 1948, when Israel was reconstituted as a modern nation. It began much earlier.

Under the Ottoman Empire, indigenous Christians lived as dhimmi—second-class citizens under Islamic law. This status imposed higher taxes, legal disadvantages, and constant social vulnerability. Over the last century, these pressures intensified under Arab nationalism and, more recently, militant Islamism.

The result has been relentless: discrimination, violence, economic marginalization, and mass emigration.

The Reality Christians Face Across the Region

In much of the Middle East today, Christians live under constant threat.

• Saudi Arabia: Public Christian worship is illegal. Churches cannot be built. Owning a Bible or wearing a cross can lead to arrest.

• Iran: Conversion from Islam to Christianity is forbidden and punishable by imprisonment—or worse.

• Iraq and Syria: Entire Christian communities were uprooted by ISIS. Churches were destroyed. Families were murdered or forced to flee. In Homs, Syria—a city that once had over 80,000 Christians—only a few hundred remain.

• Egypt: Thousands of documented cases detail abductions, forced conversions, rape, and church bombings targeting Coptic Christians.

Across North Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, Christians are routinely charged with blasphemy or apostasy. Pastors are arrested for “upsetting Muslim faith.” Churches are attacked. Communities disappear.

And yet—how often does this receive sustained international media attention?

Gaza, Bethlehem, and the Uncomfortable Truth

Nowhere is selective outrage more apparent than in Gaza and Bethlehem.

Before Hamas took control of Gaza, approximately 5,000 Christians lived there. Today, that number has dropped to around 1,000. Since Hamas seized power, Christian schools, homes, churches—and even graves—have been attacked. Murders have occurred. Investigations are rare.

Bethlehem tells a similar story.

In 1950, Bethlehem was over 80% Christian. Today, it is closer to 10%.

This collapse did not occur under Israeli rule. It happened under the Palestinian Authority, amid rising Islamist pressure, land theft, intimidation, forced marriages, and economic discrimination—particularly against the Christian middle class.

This history is seldom told. It is far easier to blame Israel.

Israel: The Regional Exception

Here is the inconvenient fact:

Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is growing.

Today, approximately 184,000 Christians live in Israel—nearly 2% of the population—and that number continues to rise.

Christian citizens of Israel:

• Have full legal rights

• Perform at high levels in the education system

• Participate freely in the workforce

• Worship openly

• Serve in public life and the military

Israeli political and religious leaders routinely condemn and prosecute anti-Christian harassment. When extremists harass clergy or vandalize churches, they are denounced—not excused.

Israel is not perfect. Harassment of Christians—and of Jewish believers in Jesus—does occur. But unlike in Muslim-dominated countries, Christian life in Israel is protected by law, not threatened by it.

Are there incidents? Yes.

Are they government policy? No.

Are they widespread or legally sanctioned? Absolutely not.

To protect its citizens from horrific terror attacks, Israel has constructed defensive boundaries, fences, and borders. These are security measures any nation would expect of its government. They should not be confused with deliberate, government-sponsored persecution of a religious group.

Israel is a true democracy, providing freedom of religion for Muslims, Christians, and people of all faiths. The evidence simply does not support the claim that Israel is driving Christianity out of the region.

Why Israel Gets the Blame Anyway

Some influential voices insist that Israel is the primary reason Christianity is disappearing from the Holy Land.

But this argument collapses under scrutiny.

It ignores:

• The region-wide collapse of Christian populations

• The growth of Christianity inside Israel

• The near-eradication of Christians in Gaza and Palestinian-ruled areas

• The systematic persecution of Christians across Muslim-majority states

Blaming Israel is easy. Confronting radical Islamic persecution is uncomfortable.

This is not about excusing Israel from criticism. Like every country, Israel has flaws, and violence, harassment, and injustice should be condemned wherever they occur.

But truth matters.

Christians across the Middle East are disappearing not because of Israel, but because they are non-Muslims living under increasingly radicalized Islamic systems. Jews and Christians are targeted for the same reason: they are not Muslims.

May the Lord grant our fellow Christians—persecuted for their faith—strength, courage, and renewed commitment to sharing the Gospel, the Gospel of peace, even with those who persecute them.

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 5:10 (NASB 1995)

-Stuart

In times of war and uncertainty, God calls His people away from speculation and into obedience—away from opinion and into prayer. Psalm 122 speaks directly to this moment, reminding us that long before today’s headlines, God revealed how His people are to think, feel, and act toward Jerusalem, especially when peace seems far away.

This Psalm turns us from debate to obedience, calling us to pray for and seek the peace of Jerusalem in faithfulness to God.

Songs Sung on the Road to Worship

There was a time in ancient Israel when the people would go up to Jerusalem three times a year to worship the Lord. These pilgrimage festivals were approached with reverence and anticipation. The journey itself was part of the worship.

Along the road, the pilgrims sang. These songs are known as the Songs of Ascent.

By God’s grace, they have been preserved for us in Psalms 120–134. One of them, written by King David, is Psalm 122.

“I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’” (v.1)

Standing at the Gates of the Holy City

Picture the pilgrim at the end of his journey. The dust of the road is behind him. The Holy City is finally before his eyes. His heart overflows with joy and gratitude.

“Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.” (v. 2)

This is not merely arrival—it is fulfillment.

A City Lost and Long Denied

History would soon alter that joy.

In A.D. 70, the Romans—specifically the Tenth Roman Legion under Titus—besieged Jerusalem. The Temple was destroyed. It has not yet been rebuilt. The Jewish people were banished and scattered among the nations.

They were denied access not only to the Temple, but eventually even to what remained of it—the Western Wall.

Centuries passed.

Restoration After Two Thousand Years

On May 14, 1948, the modern State of Israel was reborn after nearly two thousand years of dispersion. Yet even then, Jewish access to the Western Wall was denied. It remained under Jordanian control.

Until 1967.

In June of that year, Israel was attacked by Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. By God’s grace, the war ended in just six days.

On June 7, 1967, Israeli paratroopers advanced through the Old City and reached the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. For the first time since A.D. 70, Jerusalem’s holiest site came under Jewish control.

For the first time in nearly two millennia, Jewish people could once again pray at the Western Wall.

And once again, the ancient words of Psalm 122 rang true:

“Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.”

“Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem”

David now issues a command that echoes through history:

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (v. 6)

Jerusalem means “City of Peace.”
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom—wholeness, well-being, completeness.

David is telling us to pray for the shalom of the City of Shalom.

The irony is unavoidable.

Few cities in history have known less peace than Jerusalem. It has endured relentless conflict, invasion, and bloodshed. Yet Scripture uniquely commands God’s people to pray for this city’s peace.

Notably, the Bible commands prayer for no other city in this way.

What It Means to Pray

The Hebrew word translated pray means to ask, but it also means to desire or to long for. This is not a passive suggestion—it is a command of the heart.

To desire Jerusalem’s destruction is not morally neutral; it is a violation of God’s command. To harbor evil desires toward Jerusalem is sin.

Can Human Efforts Bring Peace?

Will human effort produce lasting peace in Jerusalem?

No.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can do that.

Isaiah calls Him Sar Shalom—the Prince of Peace.

To pray for the peace of Jerusalem is ultimately to pray for Jesus Himself to act:

1. That He would come into the hearts of the people

2. That He would come to Jerusalem again—soon

A Promise and a Warning

David adds a promise:

“May they prosper who love you.” (v. 6)

This is not a promise of wealth. The word prosper means well-being—the same shalom being prayed for Jerusalem.

Those who seek Jerusalem’s well-being will themselves experience well-being.

But there is also an implied warning. If blessing attends those who seek Jerusalem’s good, then upheaval and distress await those—individuals or nations—who oppose it.

The Things Which Make for Peace

Are we merely praying for the absence of war?

Jesus answers that question.

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,
‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!
But now they have been hidden from your eyes.’”
(Luke 19:41–42, NASB 1995)

The things which make for peace are the things that reconcile people to God.

Those things are clear: the death, burial, and resurrection of the Prince of Peace.

For the Sake of the Lord

David closes with one final motivation:

“For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.” (v. 9)

For God’s sake, David says, I will seek Jerusalem’s good.

Jerusalem is the city of the Messiah’s birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, return, and future reign. It is the place where the house of God once stood—and will stand again.

God’s redemptive plan for humanity radiates from this city. From this place, God intends to bless the world with the greatest gift He has ever given:

Himself.

So when you pray for the peace of Jerusalem, you are praying for the salvation of its people now—and for the return of the Lord soon.

And that is a prayer God delights to hear.

-Stuart

To read previous articles, click here: www.fromstuart.com/archive

What We Learn from God’s Dealings with Israel

If I failed to reflect on God’s dealings with the Jewish people, I would miss vital insight into both human nature and divine nature.

Here is what becomes clear:

1. Under the best conditions, human nature is sinful.

2. Under all conditions, divine nature is merciful.

Israel’s unfaithfulness has never surpassed God’s faithfulness. In this, we see a grace that is truly greater than all our sin.

Why I Support Israel’s Right to the Land

I support Israel’s right to the land because the land belongs to God—and He chose to give it to the Jewish people. I do not wish to defy God.

But why such animosity toward Israel? Why repeated attempts to “drive the Jews into the sea”? This makes no sense geopolitically. The explanation is not political—it is spiritual.

The presence of Jewish people in the land accomplishes two things that Satan hates.

1) It Proves the Bible to Be True

Scripture repeatedly affirms God’s intent to give the land to the Jewish people:

Psalm 105:8–11
“He has remembered His covenant forever… saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.’”

In A.D. 70, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and forced the Jews out of the land. What followed were centuries of massacres, ghettos, purges, deportations, forced baptisms, concentration camps, and gas chambers.

How, then, could the Jewish people still exist—let alone return to their homeland in May of 1948?

The modern State of Israel is nothing less than evidence that God keeps His word.

Dr. William F. Albright, longtime professor of Semitic languages at Johns Hopkins University and one of the foremost biblical archaeologists of modern times, stated:

“No other phenomenon in history is quite so extraordinary as the unique event represented by the restoration of Israel…”

When God made His covenant with Abraham, Satan took notice. One can imagine him thinking: If I destroy the Jews, I will prove God cannot be trusted.

But the Jewish people remain.

And if God keeps His promises to Israel, then He can be trusted to keep His promises to you.

Frederick II of Prussia once asked a respected Christian general, “Give me proof for the truth of the Bible.”

The general replied with two words: “The Jews.”

You cannot speak today with a Babylonian, a Hittite, or a Moabite. But you can speak with a Jewish person. We are still here—against all odds.

2) It Challenges the Claims of the Koran

Islam refers to Jews and Christians as “people of the Book,” claiming that both have failed and that God has transferred His promises to Islam.

But Israel today tells a different story. The once barren land is thriving. Jewish people are returning and are prospering in their Land.

This reality directly contradicts Islamic theology. Thus, the continued presence of Jews in the land becomes intolerable to those claims.

God Is Not Finished with Israel

When Solomon dedicated the Temple, God said:

2 Chronicles 7:14
“If My people… humble themselves and pray… then I will hear… forgive… and heal their land.”

God’s heart remains open to Israel.

Some claim God has rejected and replaced the Jewish people. The apostle Paul directly addresses this in Romans 11:1:

“God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!”

And then, in Romans 11:11, Paul says:

“I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.”

Israel has stumbled—but not fallen beyond recovery. Their stumbling opened the door for Gentile salvation, with the ultimate goal of stirring Israel to jealousy so that they too might be saved.

A Personal Word

I’m grateful to God for the Gentile believer, Mark Santostefano, who, in 1973, while stationed together in the military, aroused me to jealousy.

He lived the Christ-life before me. He became my friend. He prayed for my salvation. He risked our friendship by telling me about my sin and my need for the Savior.

There are many other Jewish people like me out there. Please don’t leave us out. If the Gospel is for anyone, it most assuredly is for Jewish people.

Hear again the words of Paul in Romans 1:16:

“I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for salvation, to all who believe; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.”

A Final Exhortation

Today, many opinions about Israel are shaped more by social media than by Scripture. This must not be so for those connected to Yeshua, Israel’s Messiah.

May we think about Israel in ways consistent with the mind of Israel’s God, as expressed through the prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 31:1–10

“At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
“I have loved you with an everlasting love…”
“Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt…”
“Behold, I am bringing them from the north country…”
“He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”

God has not given up on Israel—and neither should we.

— Stuart

To see articles previously posted click here: www.fromstuart.com/archive

Israel on the World’s Mind

Though there are many diverse opinions and perceptions about Israel, one fact is not in dispute: Israel is on people’s minds.

Given this reality, it is helpful to step back and consider how Israel began. So here we go.

The Beginning: God’s Call to Abram

God told Abram—later named Abraham—to move. He was to leave familiar territory and go to a place he had never been. Abram was seventy-five years old at the time.

He was living in Ur of Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, in what is modern-day Iraq. This was a place deeply enmeshed in idolatry.

God instructed Abram to leave that land and go to another—a parcel of land already inhabited by a diverse group of people known as the Canaanites. Abram obeyed and followed God’s directives into the land of Canaan.

There, God spoke to him again:

“To your descendants I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:7)

The Question of “Fairness”

Was it “fair” of God to have given this land to Abram and his descendants when it already belonged to others?

Let’s talk about fairness.

God created humanity in His own image, but mankind quickly sinned against Him. As a result, sin entered the entire human race. God responded with a flood judgment upon all humankind—yet He spared a remnant: Noah and his family. With them, He made a covenant, promising never again to destroy humanity in this way.

God reaffirmed His original intent: that humanity would be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.

But instead of spreading out, people united to build a tower reaching into heaven in direct defiance of God.

Now, if we are talking about what would be fair, then fairness would dictate that God give nothing to anyone and simply obliterate everyone.

But here is something essential to understand about God: He is not constrained by human definitions of fairness. He is free to bestow gifts of grace and mercy.

God’s Choice and His Plan

Immediately following the Tower of Babel incident in Genesis 11, we see God in Genesis 12 choosing a particular people through whom He would graciously and mercifully carry out His plan to redeem fallen mankind.

So God chose:

• a particular person,

• through whom would come a particular people,

• whom He would place in a particular land,

• through whom would come a particular Redeemer,

• with a particular plan of redemption,

• for nobody in particular.

No—it is not “fair” to give the land of the Canaanites to Abraham’s descendants. It is an act of sheer mercy and grace.

The Abrahamic Covenant: “I Will”

God promised the land to Abraham’s descendants. This promise is referred to in the Bible as a covenant—specifically, the Abrahamic Covenant. It is entirely God’s doing.

This covenant is unconditional. Its fulfillment does not depend on human behavior but solely on God’s faithfulness. It is a land covenant with no conditions attached.

A conditional covenant says, “I will if you will.”

The Abrahamic Covenant simply says, “I will.”

The Mosaic Covenant: A Different Kind of Agreement

God later made another covenant with Abraham’s descendants—one mediated through Moses and therefore known as the Mosaic Covenant.

Under this covenant, God gave Israel commandments to live by. Known as the Law of Moses, it consists—according to rabbinic tradition—of 613 commandments.

This covenant clearly establishes blessings for obedience and consequences for disobedience. Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, it is conditional.

In the Abrahamic Covenant, God says, “The land is yours.”

In the Mosaic Covenant, God says, “You cannot be blessed in the land if you disobey My commandments.”

Israel’s title deed to the land is unconditional.
Israel’s enjoyment of the land is contingent upon obedience.

Has Israel obeyed? No. And that is why she has never enjoyed the full, unopposed possession of the land promised to her.

A Parallel with the New Covenant

This distinction provides a powerful parallel for believers under the New Covenant. Salvation is unconditional—it is entirely God’s work. Yet our enjoyment of salvation is deeply affected by our obedience.

Just as our disobedience does not nullify our salvation, Israel’s disobedience under the Mosaic Covenant does not nullify God’s unconditional promise under the Abrahamic Covenant.

That God gave Israel the land is undeniable. Whether He continues to maintain Israel’s place in the land is often questioned—and understandably so, given Israel’s rebellion. But her land rights were never based on obedience.

Israel’s claim rests on God’s unconditional, unilateral promise. And in the same way, as previously mentioned, our claim, by faith, to our place of promise, heaven, is entirely based on God’s unconditional promise.

May the God of all grace be praised.

-Stuart

Scripture shows that God both loves Israel and holds her accountable. Supporting Israel’s right to exist does not require endorsing every policy of its government.

“You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
— Amos 3:2 (NASB)

Is Criticizing Israel Antisemitic?

Not inherently.

Criticizing Israel’s policies, leaders, or military actions—even strongly—is not, by itself, antisemitic. Israelis themselves engage in vigorous public debate. As the only true democracy in the Middle East, Israel encourages open disagreement.

But there is a line—and Scripture calls us to discernment.

“Test all things; hold fast what is good.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:21

The Importance of Precision

Legitimate criticism targets specific actions or policies, not Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.

There is a decisive difference between:
• “This policy is wrong”
and
• “Israel has no right to exist.”

The latter is not critique—it is a denial of Jewish self-determination.

When Criticism Crosses the Line: The “Three Ds”

Former Soviet dissident and Israeli leader Natan Sharansky identified three markers that distinguish legitimate criticism from antisemitism.

1. Demonization

Portraying Israel as uniquely evil, blaming it for all Middle Eastern violence, or comparing it to Nazi Germany or Auschwitz crosses the line.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.”
— Isaiah 5:20

2. Double Standards

Singling out Israel for condemnation while ignoring the blatant human rights abuses by regimes such as Iran, China, or Syria reveals moral inconsistency.

“You shall not show partiality in judgment.”
— Deuteronomy 1:17

3. Delegitimization

Denying Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state—by labeling it inherently racist, colonial, or illegal—is antisemitic.

There are many Muslim states.
There is one Jewish state.

“Has a nation been born all at once?”
— Isaiah 66:8

Christian Criticism Requires Discernment

Scripture itself contains prophetic rebukes of Israel. Christians may, at times, speak critically—but such criticism must meet biblical standards.

1. Is it grounded in truth?

Social media rewards outrage, not accuracy.

“The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.”
— Proverbs 18:17

Much of today’s “criticism” recycles old antisemitic tropes: claims of Jewish control over media, finance, or governments; accusations of “globalists” or shadowy Jewish power; or conspiracies about Jews manipulating world events. These lies are not new—and they are not true.

Falsehood travels faster than truth. Responsible criticism requires verification and restraint.

2. Does it align with God’s moral priorities?

Not everything that offends us offends God. Scripture records moments when God authorized actions by Israel that challenge modern sensibilities. Moral discernment must be shaped by God’s revealed priorities, not merely our emotions.

“My thoughts are not your thoughts.”
— Isaiah 55:8

3. Does it account for today’s climate?

Antisemitism is rising globally. Extremists on both the left and right are reviving ancient libels. Even legitimate criticism, if careless or exaggerated, can unintentionally fuel antisemitic hostility.

“Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders.”
— Colossians 4:5

The “New Antisemitism”

Classical antisemitism—blood libels, Nazi symbols, vandalized cemeteries—is easier to recognize. The modern form is subtler. Anti-Israel rhetoric can become a socially acceptable substitute for anti-Jewish sentiment in general.

Conclusion

Criticizing Israeli policies can be legitimate—and sometimes necessary.
But when criticism:

• Demonizes Israel
• Applies double standards
• Delegitimizes Israel’s existence

…it ceases to be criticism and becomes antisemitism.

Followers of Jesus are called to truth, justice, and discernment—not slogans.

A Simple Checklist

Acceptable Criticism
✔ Targets specific policies or actions
✔ Uses verified facts
✔ Applies consistent standards
✔ Affirms Israel’s right to exist
✔ Reflects biblical restraint

Unacceptable Criticism
✘ Denies Israel’s right to exist
✘ Compares Israel to Nazis or genocide
✘ Blames Israel for all Middle East violence
✘ Excuses the blatant abuses by other nations
✘ Uses antisemitic tropes or conspiracies

When it comes to Israel, believers must reject both blind approval and blind hostility. We must refuse ancient hatreds dressed in modern language, while also refusing to silence legitimate concerns.

The line between rightful critique and antisemitism is narrow—but real. Crossing it does not advance justice; it fuels deception, division, and sin.

So speak carefully.
Check your facts.
Weigh your words.
Test your motives.

And above all, stand where Scripture stands:

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May they prosper who love you.”
— Psalm 122:6

-Stuart

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

👉 The Two-State Solution will not work.

I’m not making a political argument.
I’m making a biblical one.

This is Part 4 — the final installment in this series.
If you missed the earlier posts, you can find them here:

🔗 https://www.fromstuart.com/archive

So far, we’ve seen why the Two-State Solution fails:

· ❌ Palestinians don’t want it

· ❌ Israel won’t accept it

· ❌ Islam can’t allow it

Today we come to Reason #4 — and it’s decisive:

✋ God’s Word forbids it.

🎁 A Gift You Don’t Have the Right to Give Away

Let me ask you something.

Have you ever given someone a gift — thoughtfully, intentionally —
and later discovered they gave it away?

Not sold it.
Not returned it.
Just… handed it off to someone else.

How would that feel?

That’s exactly what we’re talking about here.

📖 God gave the Land of Israel to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the Jewish people.

And Scripture couldn’t be clearer.

“To your descendants I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:7)

“To your descendants I have given this land…” (Genesis 15:18)

“I will give to you and to your descendants… all the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 17:8)

“I will give it to you for a possession.” (Exodus 6:4)

And that’s just the beginning.

Deuteronomy.
Joshua.
Nehemiah.
Psalms.
Jeremiah.
Ezekiel.

🔁 God repeats Himself — again and again.

This land is not up for negotiation.
It is a covenant gift.

🛑 Why Dividing the Land Is Not an Option

People ask, “Why can’t Israel just give some of it away for peace?”

Here’s the answer:

👉 You don’t give away what God has given you.

That’s not humility.
That’s disobedience.

God didn’t just promise the land —
He defined its boundaries.

“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates…”
(Genesis 15:18–21)

God chose the people.
God chose the land.
God drew the borders.

And God did not ask the nations for input.

🔄 God’s Promise of Restoration

Even after exile, dispersion, and judgment, God promised restoration:

“I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land…”
(Ezekiel 36:24)

But He doesn’t stop there.

“I will give you a new heart… put My Spirit within you…
You will live in the land I gave to your forefathers;
you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
(Ezekiel 36:24–28)

✨ This is God’s plan.

Not partition.
Not compromise.
Restoration.

⚠️ A Sobering Warning

God is equally clear about those who try to divide His land:

“I will enter into judgment… because they have divided up My land.”
(Joel 3:1–2)

And again:

“In the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the nations… who appropriated My land for themselves.”
(Ezekiel 36:5)

🌍 Why This Matters Right Now

The world keeps pushing peace plans.
Borders.
Maps.
Concessions.

But Scripture tells us Jerusalem will be a problem for the nations:

“I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone… all who lift it will be severely injured.”
(Zechariah 12:3)

In the ancient Near Eastern context, to “lift” a heavy stone meant trying to move, carry, or reposition something that wasn’t meant to be moved.

Meaning in context

“Lift it” = attempt to take control of Jerusalem

It includes ideas like:

· Seizing it

· Manipulating it

· Dividing it

· Reassigning its status

In this very day, people are seeking to “lift” Jerusalem contrary to God’s will.

And yet — here’s the hope.

✝️ Jesus is coming again.

Not to Rome.
Not to Mecca.
Not to Washington, D.C.

📍 He is coming to Jerusalem.

Satan knows this.
That’s why the pressure to divide the land never stops.

But Satan loses.

He already has.

🔥 Final Word

Let me say it plainly:

No compromise.
No negotiation.
No Two-State Solution.

What God has given cannot be divided.

🇮🇱 The Land belongs to God.
👑 The people belong to God.
📖 And God’s Word still stands.

Jesus is coming —
and He’s coming to an undivided Jerusalem in an undivided Israel.

Come quickly Lord Jesus!

-Stuart

If you missed Parts 1 or 2, you can find them—along with other earlier posts—by visiting my archive here:

👉 https://www.fromstuart.com/archive

Now, let’s get started.

A Hard Truth We Rarely Hear

If we want to understand the Middle East conflict—especially the ongoing struggle over the land of Israel—we need to be honest about what’s really driving it.

The objections of Israel’s Arab neighbors to the very existence of the Jewish state are often framed as political or nationalistic. But at their core, they are not.

They are religious.

Not all Arabs are Muslims, of course. But the overwhelming majority are followers of the prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Koran. As a result, opposition to Israel is rooted far more deeply in Islamic theology than in modern politics.

Why the Land Matters So Much

In Islam, the land of Israel is considered holy—second in importance only to Arabia itself. According to the Koran, this land is blessed by God (Surah 7:137; 21:71, 81). That alone makes it sacred in Islamic thought.

The land is also revered because it contains Islamic holy sites, such as the tomb of Abraham in Hebron. Abraham matters deeply to Muslims because, through his son Ishmael, he is regarded as the father of the Arab peoples.

But above all else, Jerusalem holds a unique and exalted place in Islam.

Jerusalem: The Third Holiest City in Islam

Jerusalem is known in Arabic as al-Quds—“the Holy.” It is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, believed by Islamic tradition to have been the second mosque ever built on earth.

Jerusalem’s significance is further magnified by the Islamic account of Muhammad’s “Night Journey.” Based on a brief and obscure verse in the Koran (Surah 17:1), Muslim tradition teaches that Muhammad was carried by a supernatural horse to Jerusalem.

There, he is said to have tied the horse to the Western Wall and ascended from the Temple Mount into heaven, where he received the instruction that Muslims must pray five times each day.

Afterward, Muhammad returned to earth and was conveyed back to Arabia.

To sanctify the spot from which Muhammad supposedly ascended, the Dome of the Rock was built in AD 691—its gold dome now one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

Because of all this, Jerusalem became Islam’s third-holiest city, behind only Mecca (Muhammad’s birthplace) and Medina (the place of his death).

Why Jihad Enters the Conversation

Here is the critical point.

Because Jerusalem—and the land of Israel as a whole—is not currently under Islamic rule, many Muslims believe they are religiously justified, even obligated, to wage jihad—literally “striving,” commonly understood as holy war—to reclaim it.

From this perspective, the modern State of Israel is not just a political problem.

It is a theological humiliation.

It represents the defeat of believers by unbelievers—the triumph of Jews over Islam. And in the Islamic worldview, that shame must be erased.

Why Compromise Is Impossible

Islamic law divides the world into only two realms:

· The House of Islam — lands under Islamic authority

· The House of War — lands that are not

Once a territory becomes part of the House of Islam, it is considered Islamic forever, regardless of who controls it or how much time passes.

There is no expiration date.

This is why territorial compromise is not truly possible. From an Islamic standpoint, Israel occupies land that already belongs—permanently—to Islam.

Islam’s “Replacement Theology”

While Islam acknowledges Judaism and Christianity, it claims to be the final and definitive revelation of God.

In Islamic theology, both Jews and Christians failed when they rejected Muhammad. As a result, Islam believes it inherits everything that once belonged to them—their land, their holy places, and even their religious authority.

In that sense, Islam is the ultimate form of replacement theology.

The logic goes something like this:

Yes, the Jews may once have been God’s chosen people—but they failed.
Then the Christians came along, and they failed as well.
Finally, Muhammad brought the last revelation.
Now we, the Muslims, are the chosen people of God.
We replace you both.

From within that worldview, it is simply inconceivable that Jewish—or Christian—hands should control land and holy sites that Islam believes now belong exclusively to itself.

Why the Two-State Solution Fails

This is why the two-state solution, however reasonable it may sound to Western ears, cannot work.

It asks Islam to accept something its theology does not permit.

And until that reality is acknowledged, every proposed “peace plan” will remain what it has always been:

Well-intentioned, sincere—and doomed to fail.

We’ve looked at this issue from the Palestinian perspective, the Israeli perspective, and the Islamic perspective. In the next—and final—installment, we’ll step back and ask the most important question of all: What does God have to say about it?

-Stuart

If you missed Part 1, you can find it—along with all my previous posts—by visiting my archive. Just click the link below:

https://www.fromstuart.com/archive

Now let’s talk about the two-state solution and…

Why Israel Won’t Accept It

The international community continues to pressure Israel to accept a so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But from Israel’s perspective, this proposal isn’t just unrealistic—it’s dangerous.

There are three core reasons Israel cannot, and will not, accept it:

• Ongoing and unresolved security threats

• Serious doubts about what a Palestinian state would actually become

• Historic, emotional, and biblical ties to the land itself

Let’s take these one at a time.

1. Ongoing Security Concerns

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists carried out a brutal, barbaric attack on Israel.

Nearly 1,200 people were murdered.
Women and girls were raped.
Babies were slaughtered.
More than 250 people were kidnapped.

This was not an isolated event. It was the latest—and most horrifying—expression of a long-standing commitment to Israel’s destruction.

What deeply alarms Israelis is that a large majority of Palestinians openly expressed support for this massacre. Should Israel respond to that kind of hostility by granting sovereignty to a state carved out of what the Bible calls Judea and Samaria—land historically and spiritually tied to the Jewish people?

For many Israelis, that would not merely be unwise.
It would feel suicidal.

History matters. Past behavior is often the best predictor of future behavior.

In Gaza, Palestinian leadership received billions of dollars in international aid. That money did not go toward building schools, hospitals, or economic infrastructure. Instead, it funded an enormous terror tunnel network—over 350 miles long—many of those tunnels running beneath schools, mosques, hospitals, and civilian homes.

Those tunnels were designed for one purpose: mass murder.
The world saw the result on October 7.

So Israelis ask a very simple question:

How can we entrust our survival to a “peace partner” that has demonstrated such intent?

There’s more.

A newly formed Palestinian state would almost certainly seek alliances with Israel’s enemies—Russia, China, and Iran. Would any sovereign nation knowingly allow hostile foreign powers to establish military footholds directly on its border?

Israel has already tried withdrawal once.

In 2005, Israel forcibly removed its own citizens from Gaza.
The result was not peace.
It was years of rocket fire, terrorism, and war.

Why should Israel believe the outcome would be any different in Judea and Samaria—territory even closer to its major population centers?

Palestinian leaders are not preparing their people for coexistence. They are preparing them for conflict. They refuse to recognize Israel’s right to exist.

How do you make peace with those who deny your legitimacy?

A December 13, 2025 poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that 85% of West Bank Palestinians supported Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

Children are routinely indoctrinated—in schools, mosques, television programs, and across social media—to hate Jews and reject Israel’s existence. Instead of teaching hope, reconciliation, or peace, Palestinian leadership glorifies martyrdom and violence.

This is not the preparation of a peaceful society.
It is the grooming of a generation for terror.

Would any nation willingly place such a threat directly on its border?

Israel understands that a full withdrawal from Judea and Samaria would almost certainly recreate the Gaza scenario—only worse, and closer. This is not paranoia.

It is painful experience.

2. Doubts About What a Palestinian State Would Become

Israel is a democracy. There is no credible evidence that a future Palestinian state would be one.

Under Hamas rule, human rights abuses are routine and severe. Women have virtually no rights. Gay people are murdered. Political opponents are silenced, tortured, or publicly executed. Groups like Hamas openly aspire not to democratic governance, but to an ISIS-style caliphate.

By contrast, Israel’s Declaration of Independence (1948) affirms democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and equality before the law for all citizens—Jewish and non-Jewish alike.

Every Israeli citizen has the right to vote, including the roughly 21% who are Muslim or Christian.

Israel remains the only true democracy in the Middle East.

Why would Israel support the creation of a corrupt, authoritarian, and potentially failed state right next door?

Gaza again provides the clearest example.

After Israel withdrew, Hamas was elected in 2007. There have been no meaningful elections since. What followed was not flourishing—but deep suffering for Palestinians themselves.

With Hamas, Fatah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and numerous tribal militias all competing for power, a new Palestinian state would likely collapse into violent civil war.

That would not bring dignity or freedom.
It would bring chaos.

3. A Deep and Unbreakable Attachment to the Land

Finally, there is the issue that is often least understood—and most deeply felt.

The Jewish people’s connection to the Land of Israel is ancient, spiritual, and enduring. Dividing the land—something attempted repeatedly over the last century—is profoundly painful.

There are 22 Arab states in the Middle East.
There is one small Jewish state.

For Jewish people—especially after centuries of persecution and in the face of rising global antisemitism—the Land of Israel is not just another piece of real estate.

It is refuge.
It is identity.
It is promise.

Through millennia of invasion, exile, and destruction—including the loss of both Temples in Jerusalem—the Jewish people never severed their connection to the land.

Despite slavery, blood libels, inquisitions, pogroms, and the murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust, God has, by His grace, brought the Jewish people back to their biblical homeland.

This connection goes beyond politics.
It goes beyond emotion.

It is covenantal.

Psalm 105:8–11

He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance,”

How could Israel give away what God has so clearly, graciously, and unconditionally given?

How dare it do so?

May it never be.

-Stuart

The two-state solution is the approach advocated by the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations. At first glance, it appears to be a relatively simple strategy: divide the land of Israel into two states—one for Israel and one for the Palestinians.

You would think such a plan could work.

But it won’t.

Why the Two-State Solution Fails

The two-state solution is destined to fail for four fundamental reasons:

• Palestinians don’t want it

• Israel won’t have it

• Islam can’t allow it

• God’s Word forbids it

In this first article, we will focus on the first point:

Palestinians Do Not Want a Two-State Solution

The Palestinians have made it abundantly clear that they want a one-state solution. Their stated goal is control of the land “from the river (the Jordan River) to the sea (the Mediterranean Sea),” resulting in a Jew-free state.

They do not want peace with Israel. They want Israel eliminated.

Can you name even one Palestinian leader who is preparing his people for peace with Israel?

The Palestinian Charter, advanced by Yassir Arafat, founder of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), still calls for the destruction of Israel. How do you negotiate peace with people who refuse to recognize your right to exist?

Notably, no Palestinian-produced map of the land includes Israel. Every such map portrays all the territory—from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River—as Palestine, marked in the colors of the PLO flag.

What they want is “Judenrein.” This Nazi term means “clean of Jews” or “purified of Jews.” That is the outcome the Palestinians seek.

Rejection of Peace Offers

If the issue were merely self-determination, why have the Palestinians rejected every peace proposal ever offered to them?

These offers have included “land for peace,” most notably Gaza.

In 2005, Israel made a serious gesture toward peace by forcibly removing its own citizens from Gaza to offer it as the beginning of a Palestinian state. What was the response?

• Missile barrages against Israeli civilian communities

• Continued support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas

So much for peace.

Rather than building Gaza into a functioning, sovereign state, massive amounts of international aid were diverted toward preparations for Israel’s destruction.

Instead of investing in infrastructure—roads, schools, hospitals, and housing—the Hamas-led government purchased weapons, trained terrorists, and constructed hundreds of miles of tunnels. Notably, not a single bomb shelter was built for civilian protection.

“Pay for Slay”

International aid has also funded what is commonly known as a “pay-for-slay” program. Under this system:

• Those who kill Jews and are imprisoned receive financial rewards

• Families of terrorists who die while committing attacks receive lifetime stipends

Once again—so much for peace.

There has never been a key Palestinian leader willing to recognize Israel’s right to exist. Peace negotiations are impossible when one side denies the legitimacy of the other’s existence.

A History of Rejection

Over the last 75 years, multiple two-state solutions have been proposed. Every one of them has been rejected by the Palestinians.

These include:

• The Peel Commission plan (1937)

• The United Nations partition plan (1947)

• Various American mediation efforts

• Israeli proposals, including the Camp David offer in 2000

A two-state solution has been offered seven times, and each time it has been refused.

Arab rejection of Israel’s existence is well documented. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Husseini, famously declared that “not even the size of a postage stamp” would be conceded to a Jewish state.

More recently, senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashal stated:

“We reject this notion of a two-state solution, as Palestinians would have to recognize the legitimacy of the Zionist entity.”

The Real Objective

The Palestinians do not want their own state alongside Israel. They want a single, Jew-free state.

Using Nazi terminology, they are not seeking a two-state solution—they are seeking a “final solution” to the Jewish problem: the removal and annihilation of Jews from the land.

A Man-Made Solution That Will Fail

If all this is true, why does the world continue to push a two-state solution?

Because it is the best solution man can devise.

But this man-made solution is destined to fail.

It is yet another example of humanity turning away from God, creating a problem, and then—while still rejecting God—attempting to solve it apart from Him.

The Only True Path to Peace

There can be no peace in the world apart from peace with God, and peace comes only through Jesus—the Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom).

As the Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 1:19–20:

“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

Let us pray that the Gospel of Peace finds its way into the hearts of Jewish people, Palestinian people, and all people—because there can be no peace apart from the Prince of Peace.

—Stuart

At first glance, the answer appears to be no.

After all… Biblical Israel was a covenant people, governed by Torah and centered on temple worship. Modern Israel is a secular democracy, established by international decree, without a temple or priesthood. Clearly, the two are not identical.

But the question itself is too narrow. I’d prefer that we seek a biblically supported answer to this question:

Does God’s covenant relationship and redemptive plan for biblical Israel continue with the Jewish people and the Israel of today?

To this question, I offer a resounding YES! And here is why:

God’s Covenant Was Never Revoked

God’s covenant with Abraham was unconditional and everlasting (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:18; 17:7–8). It promised a people, a land, and blessing to the nations. Israel’s later disobedience brought discipline—even exile—but never cancellation.

As the apostle Paul affirms: “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29).

Scripture consistently teaches that God scatters Israel in judgment and regathers her in grace. Exile does not erase election.

The Prophets Foretold a Worldwide Regathering

The Hebrew prophets repeatedly spoke of a physical return of Israel to the land, one far larger than the limited return from Babylon.

Isaiah foresaw a future regathering “from the four corners of the earth” (Isa. 11:11–12), tied to the Messianic hope of Isaiah 11:1–10.

Ezekiel likewise described Israel being restored to the land before spiritual renewal (Ezek. 36:24–27).

Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones makes the sequence unmistakable. The bones come together, then flesh forms, and only afterward does God breathe life into them (Ezek. 37:5–10).

God explains plainly:

“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel” (Ezek. 37:11).

This is a two-stage restoration:

1. Physical regathering of Israel to the land

2. Later spiritual renewal by God’s Spirit

Modern Israel Fits the Prophetic Pattern

For nearly two millennia, the Jewish people were dispersed among the nations—yet preserved as a distinct people (Jer. 31:35–37). In the wake of unprecedented persecution, including the Holocaust, they returned to the same land promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:7).

Hebrew was revived as a living language. A nation was reborn in a single generation. “Can a nation be born in a day?” (Isa. 66:8).

No other ancient people has lost its land, retained its identity, and regained national sovereignty after millennia. Biblically speaking, this follows the pattern God declared long ago: scatter, preserve, regather (Deut. 30:3; Ezek. 36:24).

Return in Unbelief Is Not a Problem—it Is a Prophecy

Many Christians assume that if Israel’s return has prophetic significance, Israel must already be righteous. Scripture says otherwise.

God explicitly declares that He regathers Israel not because of their faithfulness, but for the sake of His holy name (Ezek. 36:22–24).

Zechariah foretells Israel’s repentance after they are back in the land, when they look upon “the one whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10).

Paul confirms the same pattern in the New Testament. Israel is presently experiencing a “partial hardening” that will last “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,” after which there will be a future national turning to Messiah (Rom. 11:25–26).

The return comes first. Repentance follows.

The Church Does Not Replace Israel

The New Testament does not teach that the church replaces Israel. Instead, Gentile believers are described as branches grafted into Israel’s olive tree (Rom. 11:17–24).

Paul warns Gentile Christians explicitly:

“Do not be arrogant toward the branches” (Rom. 11:18).

God has one redemptive plan, but distinct roles for Israel and the nations.

Is Israel Just Another Nation?

Yes, Israel is a modern state with fallible leaders and imperfect policies. Christians are not required to endorse everything the Israeli government does.

But Israel is also not merely another nation. Its preservation, regathering, and restoration align strikingly with biblical prophecy and defy historical probability (Isa. 11:11–12; Ezek. 36–37).

Why This Matters

Denying Israel’s ongoing covenant role has historically fueled Christian antisemitism and distorted biblical theology. Affirming God’s faithfulness to Israel honors Scripture and renews urgency for the gospel— “to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Conclusion

Modern Israel is not the final fulfillment of God’s promises—but it is biblically significant. The Jewish people have returned to their land in unbelief, exactly as the prophets foretold. Scripture anticipates a future spiritual awakening that will bless the entire world (Rom. 11:12).

The existence of Israel today testifies not to Israel’s righteousness, but to God’s faithfulness. The God who brought Israel home in unbelief will, in His time, bring them fully home to Himself.

At its core, this is not merely a political issue. It is a spiritual one. There is a cosmic battle taking place between the Savior and Satan. Simply put:

Whom the Savior loves, Satan hates.

In my emails, I’d like to help acquaint and equip you to respond thoughtfully and biblically to claims that are increasingly common in media, academia, and even Christian circles. One such claim is this:

“ISRAEL IS A COLONIALIST STATE.”

Is that statement true or false?

Before answering, it’s important to define what colonialism actually means. Most definitions include the following elements:

• A foreign power sends its own people into another land

• The goal is economic gain or political control

• The process often erases the culture, language, or religion of the indigenous people

If this accurately describes Israel, then the accusation is valid. If it does not, then the accusation is false. So let’s consider the facts.

After the Holocaust, the Jewish people emerged from unimaginable devastation. Six million were murdered.

What foreign power, what “mother nation” sent them out to conquer another people and take its land?

They came not as oppressors, but as survivors.

Moreover, the Jewish people are not foreign to the land of Israel. They are the indigenous people of the land. Their connection to the Holy Land, as descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is affirmed by Scripture, history, and archaeology. In fact, archaeological evidence of Jewish life has been uncovered at more than 30,000 sites throughout Israel.

Even the very word Jew comes from Judea, the ancient name for the land.

When the Jewish people returned to their ancestral homeland in May of 1948, they did not arrive as conquerors sent by an empire. They returned as exiles and refugees, under the authority of the United Nations and in accordance with international law.

As one observer put it:

“Unlike colonial empires that seized land by force, Israel was founded through legal frameworks and global recognition. The Jewish return to Israel was not a march of conquerors but the homecoming of refugees, survivors, and exiles.”

Unlike true colonial powers, Jewish people did not force Arabs to leave when they returned. Much of the land was barren. When Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in the 19th century, he wrote:

“Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes… a barren, desolate land… Her greatest need is that of a population.”

If you have visited Israel, you know that Jewish culture, language, and religion are not being imposed on other people groups. Israel is, in fact, the most vibrant democracy in the Middle East. Arab citizens of Israel enjoy the same civil rights as Jewish citizens—freedom of speech, worship, education, and political participation.

To describe Israel’s return to the land as a “colonialist imposition” is not only historically inaccurate—it is theologically troubling.

God Himself promised Israel’s return, and it is God Himself who brought it about.

Instead of falsely criticizing Israel, shouldn’t we be praising her God for keeping His promises to her?

God Himself promised Israel’s restoration.

“I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,” says the Lord your God. (Amos 9:15)

“I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:24)

“For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers.” (Jeremiah 16:14–15)

To assert that the return of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel is due to anything but the divine providence of God, is to insult God.

Now why is it even necessary to address this mislabeling of Israel as a colonialist nation?

Because as Israel is increasingly portrayed as a colonial oppressor, global antisemitism grows. Even young evangelicals are being persuaded to oppose Israel using the language of social justice and human rights—based on a false narrative.

I hope you can see, however, that the social justice argument falls short. The Jewish people have been brought back into their ancestral homeland, not by oppression, but by the mercy of God in fulfillment of His promises.

And yet, Israel has repeatedly offered land for peace. It has offered Palestinian statehood on a number of occasions yet, each time, these offers have been rejected—not because Israel seeks domination, but because hatred of Israel has too often outweighed the desire for peace.

Two million Arabs live in Israel today as full citizens. Israel has no empire to serve, no foreign power to enrich. This is their land by divine promise, and they returned not to exploit it, but to cultivate it. By God’s grace, a once desolate land has become one of the world’s most productive nations, benefiting Jews and non-Jews alike.

While an increasing number of people, even Christians, explain Israel’s prosperity on the basis of her oppression and injustice, the real explanation, God’s fulfillment of His promises, is tragically being overlooked.

Is Israel a “colonialist” nation? Leaving out all else, and merely by consideration of the commonly understood definition of the word, the answer is a resounding…

NO!!!

There you have it folks. Blessings to you.

Stuart