The Blessing of Honoring God's People

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The Blessing of Israel

As God’s chosen people—Jews and Christians alike—His covenant with Israel and its central role in His redemptive plan are important and eternal for us all. By supporting Israel and the Jewish people, Christians affirm the everlasting power of God’s Word, His ability to fulfill His promises, and His faithfulness in blessing us all. First, let’s take a look at God’s original promise to Abraham. The first time the Bible references the Promised Land is in Genesis 12:1, when God tells Abraham (still known as Abram) to “Go from your country… to the land I will show you.” That land is none other than Israel!

When Abraham arrived at last, God promised, “To your offspring I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7). God reaffirmed this promise a chapter later, in Genesis 13:15, telling Abraham, “All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.” 

And ever since that godly promise—through enslavement, through exile, through inquisitions and pogroms and the Holocaust and the vile anti-Semitism we see today—the Jewish people have never stopped yearning for their homeland. God's promise to Abraham created an unbreakable bond between the Jewish people and Israel. The fulfillment of God's promises came in the miracle of the Jewish return to their land and a restoration of the nation of Israel. What a blessing!

Those Who Bless Israel

God’s blessings come in all shapes and sizes. They might come in the form of an unexpected promotion at work or a phone call from a long-lost friend. Or maybe they come in the form of healing. Everyone wants to be showered with God’s many blessings, but how do we unlock them? Genesis 12 gives us the answer. In verse 3, God said to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God makes the answer very clear. Those who bless the Jewish people will be rewarded with many blessings themselves.

God makes good on His promises. People who choose to give to God’s people find themselves inexplicably blessed. As Scripture reminds us, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29). God does not go back on His word. What God says in Genesis 12 is true forever! Those who bless the Jewish people and the State of Israel will undoubtedly enjoy great blessings themselves.

Bless Israel with Love

But how—and why—do we bless Israel? During the Chosen People’s journey, the priests of Israel were instructed by God how to bless the people of Israel. They were given these words: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Leviticus 9:24-26).

But the priests were never given a directive from God or Moses to bless the nation of Israel. You see, a blessing, by its very nature, must come from the heart. A blessing must stem from a place of love, not of obligation. The people of Israel cherish every blessing from their Christian friends—be they the blessing of prayer, a blessing of lifesaving aid, or in standing for the State of Israel.

In Genesis 12:3, God promises: “I will bless those who bless you.” But as Israel’s Christian friends bless her, these blessings should come from a place of love, because the greater the love for Israel, the greater the blessing will be in return. Those who stand for Israel don’t just bless Israel because it’s the right thing to do; they bless Israel because it’s what God has laid on their hearts. As they bless Israel with love, God blesses them in return with His everlasting love.

Blessing God

What about God? He blesses those who bless His people, Israel, but the Bible also instructs us to bless God. But what do you give someone who already has everything? God not only has everything—He is the source of everything. In Deuteronomy 8:10, we’re called on to “bless” God: When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.”

Now, the Hebrew word for “praise” in the above Bible verse actually says “bless.” So yes, we’re instructed to bless God. But how do we do that? “Blessing” in the Bible means “abundance.” The first time the word “blessing” appears in the Bible is in the Creation story. We read, “God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth’” (Genesis 1:22).

God’s Word, as always, is clear here. When He blessed the fish and birds, He was telling them to multiply greatly, “Let there be more of you.” So what do we mean when we “bless” God? Simply put, we bless God with abundance—of Him! We tell God that we want more of Him. We want to see Him more. We want more of Him to be revealed to the world. And we want more godliness in our lives. There’s no greater blessing we can give our loving God!

One of the main ways we “increase” God in the world is by teaching others about Him. In fact, the entire mission of Israel, and all who worship God, is to bring knowledge of God to more people. We bless God by spreading His name. The more people who learn about God, the greater His name becomes—and the more people, in turn, He will bless.

‘Whoever Curses You I Will Curse’

Of course, in the second part of Genesis 12:3, God says, “whoever curses you I will curse.” And as our almighty God says, it will be. Just read Joel 3:1-2, “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.”

Enemies of Israel, take note! Will those who curse God’s people and their Holy Land ever learn? Throughout history, God has punished those who oppress Israel. Why do nations continue to provoke Him?

‘I Will Bless Those Who Bless You’

But that brings us back to Israel’s true friends—Christians around the world who stand for the Jewish state and its people. As we’ve read, Genesis 12:3 teaches us that “I will bless those who bless you.” The Fellowship is committed to bringing blessings to the Jewish people in every way. Join us in bringing blessings to Israel, and you will find that you enjoy God’s many blessings as well.

For as the Bible says, God will bless those who bless Israel. So, take a stand. Speak up for Israel. Stand up for Israel. Pray for Israel. Bless Israel today. And may God bless you in return.

Do you want to learn more about being grafted onto God’s family tree? Visit the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews at IFCJ.org to learn more about how you can align with God's plan, bless His people, and be blessed in return.

Photo credit: ©International Fellowship of Christians & Jews | Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee.