As we pick up our study of the Book of Nehemiah, we come to the eighth chapter where a national revival takes place in Judah. Before studying this next week, we need to think carefully about some issues—issues that happen to be very much in the news today, which surround America’s war with Iran, Israel our ally, and the war itself. Is God on our side? Is this a just war? Are Christians right who seem to say we should blindly support Israel in its conflict with Islamic Jihadists? Is America a Christian nation? Let’s try to find clarity in Scripture about these issues.
BIBILICAL LENS OVER THE ANCIENT NATION OF ISRAEL
Israel began in Genesis 12:1-3. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Abraham is the father of both ethnic Israel and spiritual Israel. Romans 9-11 make clear that God’s covenant was made with the faithful remnant of Israel who trusted God’s provision for their sin, foreseen in the temple sacrifices, but ultimately accomplished by Christ. “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world,” writes Paul, “did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith” (Rom 4:13). God’s covenant, by which He promised to save Abraham, always belonged to the descendants of Abraham who had faith, the faithful remnant within ethnic Israel (which later included God-fearers in the Mediterranean World). That remnant and the promises of the Covenant of Grace come into the NT era as the church. Abraham is both the father of those in the new and old covenants who are saved by faith and the father of ethnic Israel. Paul’s explanation that Abraham’s children, who were part of spiritual Israel are those who lived by faith, is reinforced by Hebrews 11, which catalogues some of spiritual Israel’s greats. During Jesus' lifetime, he said that true members of spiritual Israel, i.e. those who knew the Father, would recognize the Father’s voice in Jesus, who said things like "I and the Father are one.”
Because of Israel’s covenant relationship with God, blessings for spiritual Israel and ethnic Israel always came through keeping the covenant sanctions—obedience to the law. God said, If you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God… (Deut 28:1-2) But disobedience would bring the curse. If you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. (Deut 28:15-16).
It is important to note that Israel was a theocracy. God’s Law had three categories, moral law (summarized by the Ten Commandments), ceremonial law, which dealt with cleansing and temple rituals, and civil law, which promoted justice by explaining what was to happen when your ox gored someone else’s. This overlap of law categories, which happens only in a theocracy, led to 36 different capital offenses in the Torah. These ranged from severe crimes like murder and kidnapping to religious infractions such as idolatry and Sabbath breaking.
One of the covenant curses for worshipping a false God was drought. Elijah announced this covenant sanction coming upon Israel to King Ahab, which led to Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. God’s common grace led the people to turn back to Yahweh, in a national revival. God then sent rain. Another of the curses for idolatry was being conquered by foreign military powers. This sanction led to Judah’s Babylonian captivity, which lasted for 70 years. After some Jews returned to Jerusalem and subsequently helped Nehemiah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, God sent a national revival. If they had not turned back to Yahweh, those walls might have been torn down by another conquering power! This repentance would have included both spiritual Israel and ethnic Israel through God’s saving and common grace.
The arrival of the Messiah brings an end to Israel as a theocracy. Its unrepentant religious leaders suffer horrible judgement in 70 AD when Jerusalem is destroyed, surviving ethnic Israel scattered, and the temple sacrifices end forever, since the Lamb of God has come. Spiritual Israel continues as the church. The New Testament prohibits a Christian theocracy from ever being established. Paul tells us that the power of the sword is given to the state and not the church. Jesus, before Pilate, forbid his followers from building a theocracy when he said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Then to make clear what he meant. Jesus continued, “If my kingdom were of this world my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Jesus here specifically repudiated the use of the sword to spread his kingdom.
Christ’s kingdom of righteousness spreads in two ways: 1) Christ-followers implementing Christ’s agenda in each sphere of their own lives, 2) through influence, never military conquest. The establishing of God’s covenant people at one time in history in one nation as theocratic Israel, has given way to the Day of Pentecost and the sending of the gospel into every nation of the world. Christ’s kingdom does not spread by tearing down the political structure of a nation and replacing it with Christian theocracy. The kingdom of Christ permeates Kingdom Earth, its members living side by side with the lost. Jesus explained this process.
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest (Mt 13:24-30).
The kingdom has come into history but in such a way that political structures are not overthrown. The sons and daughters of the kingdom have surrendered to God’s rule and entered into his blessings. They live as redeemed people putting on display restored humanity through obedience to Christ’s agenda for them in their loyalties, their attitudes, their behavior. Yet, they continue to live in this age intermingled with the lost in a mixed society because the way Christ’s kingdom of righteousness grows is through our example and our influence. Jesus used the metaphor of salt, light, and yeast, to describe the Christian influence upon a culture.
BIBLICAL LENS OVER AMERICA
Is America a Christian nation? Yes, and no. The founding of the United States and formulation of its constitution were shaped by two groups, Christians like Sam Adams and Deists like Thomas Jefferson. What made this marriage exceptional were three, world-view assumptions shared by both groups:
- Natural law. Deists believed there was a creator god whose creation operated according to fixed, logical natural laws, which Christians believe is the moral order God established within creation that humans can discern through reason and conscience. Since there was agreement on the supernatural origin of moral law, society should be governed by the rule of this moral law.
- High regard for the Bible. Thomas Jefferson, though a Deist, said, “The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty.” American law inherited foundations from English Common Law, which was heavily shaped by Scripture, from legal philosophers like Christian William Blackstone, and from biblical concepts of justice. Many specific constitutional features have biblical roots, such as the requirement of two witnesses for a conviction of treason (Deuteronomy 19:15).
- Opposition to a state religion. To guarantee religious liberty, prevent political tyranny, and avoid the sectarian violence observed in European history, the founders believed a "wall of separation" should exist between church and state. By this phrase of Thomas Jefferson, they never intended to strip the public sphere of spiritual, Christian, or biblical influence; both groups believed natural law originates in a spiritual, moral being, which should shape culture through discourse. But they wanted no state church.
The confluence of these shared worldviews and God’s goodness has resulted in America being an exceptional nation. But Christians cannot embrace American nationalism. Patriotism is a virtue, but Americans are no more special to God than the Chinese, North Koreans or Iranians. Our citizenship is in Christ’s kingdom made up of those from every tribe, and tongue, and nation. Furthermore, to call America a Christian nation is to imply the existence of a theocracy, which Scripture repudiates. However, resisting theonomy and nationalism does not mean withdrawal from the culture. Christians must engage the public arena to exert our influence as salt, light, and leaven.
BIBLICAL LENS OVER IRAN
Iran is the largest state sponsor of jihadists (those who fight “holy war”) in the world. Iranian jihadists, particularly those within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxy network, are driven by Shia Islamist ideology designed to extend the sovereignty of Allah’s law (Sharia) worldwide. The IRGC is mandated by Iran's constitution to pursue a "jihad in God's way," which they interpret as fighting against "oppressive governments,” especially Little Satan (Isreal) and Big Satan (America). The October 7th massacre by the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists in southern Israel that killed over 1,200 Israelis and other foreign nationals and took over 250 hostages, was a clear picture of the savagery that Iran promotes.
It is, however, important for Christians to distinguish between Islamic Jihadists, and Muslims, the vast majority of whom are peaceful, despite their founder’s violence. Muslin countries surrounding Iran have shown this by becoming US allies and remaining allies after the US attacked Iran during Operation Epic Fury. Both branches of Islam, the Sunnis and Shia have Jihadist components. Iran is 95% Shia, and sponsors Shia Jihadi groups, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, besides Sunni Jihadists, Hamas. Sunni Jihadists also include ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and Palestine Islamic Jihad.
BIBLICAL LENS OVER WAR IN THE MIDDL EAST
A. The claim that Israel stole Arab land to form its country. This is false. Here are the facts. Jews were dispersed across the world after 70 AD, when Jerusalem was pillaged. In 1917, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire with less than 10% of the population Jewish. During WWI, Britain passed the Balfour Declaration, in 1917, to establish a "national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.” The declaration called for “safeguarding the civil and religious rights for the Palestinian Arabs” who composed the vast majority of the population. After Britain’s army drove the Ottoman Turks out of the Middle East (WW1) the Britts set up a political entity called Mandatory Palestine under its rule.
Meanwhile, in Europe, the Jewish Zionist movement called for Jews to migrate to Palestine to repatriate Israel. Arab nationalists naturally opposed this effort, claiming Arab rights over the former Ottoman territories and seeking to prevent Jewish migration. But the Ottoman Turks had lost the war to Britain. Mandatory Palestine belonged to the Britts. It was their decision what to do with it.
After World War II, in 1945, the United States took up the Zionist cause. Britain, unable to find a practical solution for the rule of Palestine, referred the problem to the United Nations, which in 1947 approved a plan for 1) an independent Arab State, 2) an independent Jewish State, and 3) the city of Jerusalem to be under an international trusteeship system. But the Arab coalition spurned this attempt at a just division of the land. The very next day, the Arab League members, Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq attacked Israel. After an initial loss of territory by the Jewish state, the tide turned in the Israelis' favor, and they pushed the Arab armies back beyond the borders of the proposed Arab state. The departure of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs from Israel during the war that the Arab League started left the country with a substantial Jewish majority.
Unjustified hostility towards Israel among the Arabs smoldered for twenty years leading the Arab league in 1967 to plan another attack. Israeli intelligence learned of it and the Israeli air force launched pre-emptive strikes destroying the Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian air forces on the same day. It then defeated Egypt, Jordan and Syria in this Six-Day War. Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem, the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights.
In 2005, Israel gave up its occupation of the Gaza Strip. All Jewish settlers were evacuated from Gaza and Israel set up free elections there. Hamas won the free 2006 Palestinian election with 75% of the vote. Hamas then staged a bloody coup against the Palestinian Authority which had won the other 25%, seized control of Gaza, and turned it into a base for attacking Israel with rockets, tunnel infiltrations, and incendiary balloons.
As recently as 2020, Hamas rejected the Trump Middle East peace plan that was embraced by the Arab states, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Morocco. The plan provided for Israeli security needs and cleared the way for U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over many settlements and Jewish holy sites in the territory of the West Bank. It also included important benefits for Palestinians, who were offered the opportunity to build a state of their own, supported by a $50 billion regional development plan for the Palestinian territories and nearby Arab states. Despite the economic benefits and the diplomatic pathway to a Palestinian state the Islamic extremists Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran rejected the plan. Today’s Christian’s must realize that the cry, “From the river to the sea” (which refers to the land west of the Jordan River to the Mediterranean coast—the land Israel occupies) is not a cry for justice. It is rooted in Islamic Jihad hatred of Jews and belief that Allah wants them exterminated.
B. Who is committing war crimes? In the 13th century, theologian Thomas Aquinas synthesized biblical teachings on peace and war, proposing what was called Just War Theory. His thinking had a lasting impact on later generations and became the basis for the humane treatment of civilians and prisoners required by the Geneva Conventions. Here is a summary of Iran and its proxy’s severe violations: (Remembering the on-screen atrocities of October 7 will help).
- Specifically, those captured must be “treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, color, religion or faith, sex.”
- The killing of all civilians is prohibited.
- Beating, rape, cruel treatment of any soldier or civilian is prohibited.
- Mutilation, torture, outrages upon dignity…humiliating and degrading treatment are forbidden.
- Taking civilian hostages of any kind is forbidden.
Iran and its Jihadi proxies violated every last one of these. They have been for the past 47 years. Jihadis break all international laws by hiding among civilians and firing their weapons next to hospitals, schools and mosques. Iran has fired thousands of indiscriminate missiles in order to maximize civilian casualties not only in Israel but its surrounding Muslim countries! These are war crimes.
This contrasts in the greatest possible way with US and Israeli actions. The IDF has hamstrung itself because of Israel’s adherence to the Geneva Conventions. In response to Hamas atrocities against its children, Israel did what every country in the world would justly do; it took military action to secure its territory and entered Gaza to rescue its hostages and eliminate the threat on its border. The former Supreme Commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Richard Kemp, has testified that, in this fighting, “The Israel Defense Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.”
C. Is the US preemptive attack against Iran justified by Just War Theory? Yes. Both the 47-year history of Iranian attacks against America leading to nearly 1000 deaths, and preemptive action to prevent the evil attack of an enemy are justified by Just War theory.
BIBLICAL LENS OVER GOD’S COMMITMENT TO ETHNIC ISRAEL
The re-formation of Israel in 1948, after Jews were dispersed over all the earth for 2000 years is without precedent in history. So is the antisemitism that accompanied them everywhere, which I can’t help but see as Satan’s hatred of the ethnic group God chose. Admittedly the rebirth of Israel has led to wild eschatological views with which I strongly disagree. Nevertheless, I believe that this historic fact—the reconstitution of Israel in Palestine with its capital in Jerusalem—is consistent with what Paul teaches and the Book of Revelation. This commitment of God to give ethnic Israel the promised land does not mean God has reinstituted his theocracy of Israel; it means God is faithful to his promises. Israel is not God’s reconstituted theocracy; it is a secular state. On the other hand, we would do well to take God’s promise to Abraham seriously, I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.
Furthermore, in Romans 11, Paul uses the analogy of the olive tree to say that God has grafted the Gentiles into God’s covenant community. Then he writes, “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins (vs 25-27). I agree with the ESV Study Bible footnotes that argue that the best interpretation of Paul’s phrase “all of Israel will be saved” in context is that after the ingrafting of the Gentiles, before Christ returns there will be a great outpouring of the Spirit in the nation of Israel, leading to millions of Jews coming to faith in Christ. Isreal has ben reconsituted. If you see millions of Israelis coming to faith in Christ, get ready!
For Further Prayerful Thought:
- How would you describe the difference between ethnic Israel and spiritual Israel. How does this difference make sense? Why is it important?
- Why is it important to recognize that God’s covenant with spiritual Israel is continued in the church?
- Contrast Israel’s theocracy with America’s democracy.
- What is the difference between recognizing the influence of Christians in America’s founding and constitution and saying America is a Christian nation?
- What is your opinion of the Islamic Jihadi cry, “From the river to the sea.”
