In our first installment ("Tzemach Letter", January-February 2002), we looked at the the impact of God's work in the midst of Israel. We also reviewed Israel's battle with Amalek (Exodus 17.8-13).

In the depiction of this battle God has given us a clear picture of the proper place for Israel and the Church in warfare: Israel is the physical portion and wages war in the flesh; the Church is the spiritual portion and makes war in the heavenly places. Only with these two chosen groups working together can the entire battle — both physical and spiritual — be won. For almost two thousand years Satan has worked to keep God's two chosen vessels apart. As long as they were divided, Satan had free reign. Since there has not been unity of the spiritual (Church) and physical (Israel), Satan has been able to maintain his dominance in the earth. In this installment we will look at the Church's role in this battle.

What should the Church be doing in relation to Israel?

One of the main functions of the Church is to be the anointed vessel in the midst of Israel, encouraging her and interceding for her. Paul states that the Church is to be a servant to Israel encouraging her to believe the promises God made to the fathers (Romans 15.8). What are some of those promises? God promised to make Abraham a great nation (Genesis 12.2); He promised the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants forever (Genesis 13.14-15, 15.18, 17.8); He stated that the descendants of Israel would be without numbers (Genesis 13.16, 17.2). What then should the Church be doing in relation to Israel? Christians should take the position of the anointed vessel in the midst of Israel: encouraging Israel to believe God and stand in faith against the nations that would seek to divide her land; interceding before God to raise up men of faith to lead His people; reminding God of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; helping to build up settlements in Judea and Samaria. This must be done within the context of a local body of believers. A para-church ministry does not have a biblical foundation for this type of ministry.

Instead, many Christians concern themselves with the things of this world. For instance, while there is nothing wrong with writing letters to politicians to proclaim the truth, Christians go much further and create political action committees to try to make changes within the government. We have not been called to change the government or to try to save the United States. It is appropriate to make known the truth, but not to entangle ourselves with the political affairs of the government.

Many times Christians recite Genesis 12.3: "And I will bless those who bless you [Israel], and the one who curses you I will curse." The emphasis is usually put on the first part: "And I will bless those who bless you," using it for justification of what they are doing in relation to Israel. It should be obvious that, as followers of Messiah Jesus, we would bless Israel. This is a given. However, I really believe that the Lord meant the emphasis to fall on the second part, as a warning: "and the one who curses you I will curse".

Many Christians concern themselves with things that really do not matter in the Kingdom of God.

Many Christians concern themselves with things that really do not matter in the Kingdom of God. For instance, recently Moslems have been attempting to build a mosque in Nazareth near the 'Basilica of Annunciation' (This is the alleged place where the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary). Christians all over the world have launched a massive fight to stop the construction. But does it really matter? This is not a scared place; it is never mentioned as such in Scripture. (The real significance of what the Moslems are doing in Nazareth is, while trying to portray Islam as a religion of peace, they are attempting to dominate the Christians there.) Instead of concerning themselves with things that matter to God — such as the Temple Mount — Christians are more concerned with pagan shrines that do not mean anything. There is no large Christian outcry against the Moslem Waqf who is destroying remains of the second Temple on the Temple Mount. We need to look to the Scriptures to see what God considers important, not what some pagan emperor's mother declared as sacred.

Israel is in a battle, a major war. She is struggling to fight against a world that wants to see her eliminated once and for all ... the real 'final solution'. Yet it is through Israel that God will bring salvation to all of His creation. God has already begun to put the physical part (Israel) of His plan into place. He is now stirring within the spiritual part (the Church) to help bring that about. The question is simple: Do you want to save a pagan shrine or get involved in politics or do you want to work with God for the deliverance of the world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God? We must be the Moses to Israel's Joshua.

The Lord said "On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves; And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth" (Isaiah 62.6-7.) We, the body of Messiah, are the watchmen spoken of here. Intercession is our never-ending task. We are soldiers — a part of the heavenly host — constantly engaged in battle in the spiritual realm. We are to prepare the way for Israel, to lift up the standard (Isaiah 62.10). "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses" (2 Corinthians 10.3-4). We are not of this world. The things of this world should not concern us: "No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life" (2 Timothy 2.4a).

Part of the problem has been our view of the battle.

Part of the problem has been our view of the battle. The current war in Israel is an excellent example. When it first began, the enemy was throwing rocks at the soldiers. The soldiers responded by shooting rubber bullets to dispel the crowds. Later, the enemy began using rifles and small bombs. The soldiers changed their tactics to include regular bullets and tear gas. A little later, when the enemy began using missiles, snipers, and human bombs, the soldiers stepped-up the defense by assassinating leaders of the enemy and bombing empty buildings used for cover by the terrorists. In the Church, the enemy has stepped-up the battle to include missiles, snipers, and human bombs. Yet the Church is still using rubber bullets. Israel now needs to go beyond bombing empty buildings, but she does not have the spiritual strength behind her.

Our focus must be on the Kingdom of God. The Lord has said that He will reign in the midst of His people in the Land of Israel. That is where our focus should be, that is where our prayers should be. "Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad" (Psalm 14.7); "For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. And the descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell in it" (Psalm 69.35-36).