“Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit.”  (Isa. 27:6)

One of my Danish friends has submitted to his readers this wonderful picture of sunripe oranges as a reminder of the sad fact that our more or less anti-Semitic government (which we are still exhorted to pray for, 1 Tim. 2:1-5) has started a boycott campaign against Israeli products telling us the lie that Israel is exporting products from “occupied land”.

This is a malicious lie.  Israel has not “occupied” anything.  The tiny little country has been attacked by her enemies several times with the sole purpose of destroying its people fighting with their back to the wall.  Israel has after those battles revised her borders which always happens in any war.  Germany got new frontiers after her surrender in 1945.  Denmark and the rest of the world won´t allow Israel the same right towards her foes.  Israel has even been accused of being the greatest threat to world peace.

When I look at the above picture I´m also reminded of the wonderful Californian oranges and their juices we enjoyed over there.   Often my thoughts went back to my childhood when we could still buy the outstanding big Jaffa oranges from Israel.  Jaffa oranges became almost a proverb.  Today they will together with other Israeli products be the sum of political aversion against the Jewish nation. 

I wish I could have visited just some of the poor orange pickers in California, expressed my sincere friendship and told them that they are doing what my Israeli friends are doing too.  Maybe that could be an occasion for sharing Christ with them as I have done with so many other Americans over there?

Do I over-idealize Israel?  Do I close my eyes for her sin?  Do I not know that even Israel has her homosexual parades?  Yes, I know all that, but I also know that God, despite it all, still has a prophetic plan for Israel, “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29) which are words that refer to Israel in particular.  When it comes to all sin I´m so thankful that also that will be dealt with in due time, for the Bible says that “He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob” and:  “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”  Rom. 11:26-27.

Some (but not all) of my ardent Calvinistic friends disagree with me.  They can see no prophetic plan concerning Israel.  On that issue our ways must part.  The cause of the Jews was implanted in my soul from my very childhood even before I started reading the Bible.  Today it´s my privilege to refer to God´s word and not only to the sentiments of my childhood and the tears of my Dad.

God´s plan for Israel in the past, in the present and in the future is summed up in Rom. 9, 10 and 11.  It´s as simple as that.  I count it my duty to stand up for God´s word in holy defiance against any stain of hatred against a people that are still “beloved for the sake of the fathers”  (Rom. 11:28) despite their present spiritual blindness to the gospel of Christ.  That, however, will not last forever, praise God!

What am I talking about?  Anti-Semitic events , indeed, in our time that should provoke us still more to fulfill our ministry by doing the work of an evangelist!  2 Tim. 4:5. 

Our agenda does have to do with Jesus Christ, doesn´t it? and not the outcome of some deceitful political campaign. It must be one of the two.  We can´t do both. You can´t have your cake and eat it too. 

May 20, 2012  - jn