This is written in love, with a heart for God’s people and for His truth. What follows is not an attack on Israel, nor a dismissal of God’s promises to them, but a reminder from Scripture that our ultimate allegiance is to the Lord Himself.
Not everyone in Israel belongs to the Lord. The apostle Paul said it plainly: “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel” (Romans 9:6). Being born a Jew does not in itself make someone a child of God. Jesus made this same point when He told certain religious leaders, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did” (John 8:39). What mattered was not their bloodline, but their faith. Throughout Israel’s history, there has always been a difference between those who belong to God by faith and those who only carry the name.
This is an important reminder for us as followers of The Way. We are right to love Israel and to honor God’s unique purposes for His people, but we must be extremely careful not to confuse love with blind allegiance. The modern state of Israel, like every other nation, has a government that makes decisions, some good and some not good. Israel’s leaders, like all leaders, are human and prone to sin. We must not equate every political action or national policy with the will of God. Our first and highest loyalty is to Him alone. As the apostles said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Paul also reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).
If we look at Israel’s own story in the Bible, we see that God often rebuked His people when their leaders led them astray. The prophets had warned Israel’s kings and priests that God would not accept empty sacrifices or corrupt, ungodly leadership (Isaiah 1:10–17). Jesus Himself condemned the Pharisees for turning religion into a system of hypocrisy (Matthew 23:27–28). These examples show us that standing with God’s people does not mean we excuse sin or blindly follow earthly authority. God’s love for Israel never meant He turned a blind eye to injustice.
Now, at the same time, we must also affirm God’s faithfulness. Paul writes in Romans 11:1, “Has God rejected His people? By no means!” God has always preserved a faithful remnant within Israel, and the prophets point us to a future day when the people will look on the One they have pierced and turn back to Him (Zechariah 12:10). But salvation does not come through nationality, religion, or heritage. It comes only through Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Paul grieved for his fellow Israelites because they sought righteousness through the law instead of Christ (Romans 10:1–4).
So what does this mean for us today?
It means we should stand with Israel because God has chosen them for His purposes, but we should not be naïve. We must remember that not all Jews will be saved apart from Christ, just as not all Gentiles will be saved apart from Christ. To support Israel biblically is not to close our eyes to sin or to elevate a nation above the kingdom of God. It is to pray for Israel, to bless Israel, and most importantly, to hold out the gospel of Jesus to Israel and to the nations.
Beloved, our allegiance is not first to any earthly state but to the Lord Himself. That way, our love for Israel is true love, rooted in truth, shaped by Scripture, and pointing toward the only hope of salvation: Jesus the Messiah.
So let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as the psalmist commands (Psalm 122:6). Let us pray that the Jewish people would come to know Yeshua as their Messiah, and that God would bring revival and repentance. Let us also keep our own eyes fixed on Christ, remembering that His kingdom is eternal and His rule is perfect. In Him alone is our hope, our salvation, and our true allegiance is to the Lord Himself.
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