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Reasons some Christians consider supporting Israel a religious duty
Covenant theology and the promise to Abraham
• Genesis 12:1-3, 15, 17 and related passages say God gave the land of Canaan to Abraham and his physical descendants “for ever.”
• Many evangelicals read these texts literally and conclude that the Jewish people retain a divine, unconditional title to the land.
• Genesis 12:3 (“I will bless those who bless you…”) is often cited as a standing command that nations and individuals should bless Israel in order to receive God’s favor.
Paul’s teaching on Israel in the New Testament
• Romans 9–11 affirms that Israel remains “beloved for the sake of the patriarchs” and that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
• Some Christians therefore feel obliged to honor Israel as the original “olive tree” into which Gentile believers have been grafted.
Dispensationalism and end-times prophecy
• Popularized by the Scofield Reference Bible, Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, etc., dispensational theology divides history into eras (“dispensations”) and sees the modern State of Israel as the prophetic rebirth foretold in Isaiah 66, Ezekiel 37, and Matthew 24.
• Many expect key eschatological events—the rebuilding of the Temple, the battle of Armageddon, the Second Coming—to occur in or around Israel.
• Helping Jews return to the land or protecting the state is viewed as cooperating with God’s timetable.
Christian Zionism as an organized movement
• Ministries such as Christians United for Israel, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and Friends of Israel actively teach that supporting Israel is a biblical mandate.
• Conferences, “Israel tours,” and church curricula reinforce this conviction among millions of believers, especially in North America, Africa, and parts of Asia.
Rejection of “replacement theology”
• Many evangelicals reject the idea that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s plan.
• They argue that God’s covenant with ethnic Israel runs parallel to the covenant with the Church; therefore Christians should honor, not supersede, Israel’s role.
Moral and historical motives shaped by faith
• Remorse over centuries of Christian antisemitism and the Holocaust motivates some to see support for Israel as an act of repentance.
• Israel is perceived as a democracy that protects holy sites and religious freedom, aligning with Christian values of justice and human dignity.
Evangelistic and messianic expectations
• Some believe that widespread Jewish recognition of Jesus will occur only after Israel’s physical restoration (cf. Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26).
• Supporting Israel is thus viewed as paving the way for a future spiritual awakening.
Practical outworking in politics and philanthropy
• These theological convictions translate into lobbying for pro-Israel policies, donating to humanitarian projects in Israel, and opposing boycotts or divestment.
Diversity of Christian opinion
• Not all Christians share these views; many mainline Protestants, Catholic social-justice advocates, and Palestinian Christians read the Bible differently and may criticize Israeli policies.
• Nevertheless, for the groups outlined above, support for Israel is intertwined with scriptural interpretation, eschatological hope, and a desire to align with what they perceive as God’s unfolding plan.