A few days ago I commented on the attack on Israel's Jewish status, and how it is a ploy by Satan to make void God's promises to His chosen people and prevent the return of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem. My friend Jim also published an article detailing Israel's God-given right to the land of Israel. Once again the Jewish status of Israel has come under attack. This time it didn't come from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Not even from Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh. This attack came from the Roman Catholic Church. You would be forgiven for thinking that at this time of year, the leaders of Christendom would be focusing upon Bethlehem and the birth of the Jewish Messiah. Think again. Those sorts of speeches don't draw the crowds anymore. It seems that Jewish Messiahs are "out" this Christmas, and Israel-bashing is "in". In his annual pre-Christmas address, Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah slammed Israel's Jewish identity, and blamed the Jewish state for the lack of peace in the Middle East. He called on Israel to abandon its Jewish heritage and form a political state for Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Quote: "Sabbah denounced Israel's demand to be recognized as a Jewish state by the Palestinians and said "God made this land for all three of us, so a suitable state is one who can adapt itself to the vocation of this land. ''This land cannot be exclusive for anyone,'' he said, adding that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had unleashed "forces of evil" across the Middle East and that it was Israel's obligation, as to end the warring. "The one who will decide is Israel. If Israel decides for peace, there will be peace... Until now, there has been no peace, simply because there has been no willingness to make it."
I don't know what Bible he's reading from, for God never promised to give the Church any land. Jesus Christ Himself stated in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence". On the other hand, as my friend Jim commented, God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning the land of Israel has never been revoked (Genesis 12:7). The Bible states that "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance", Romans 11:19, and the Lord says that just as it is impossible for Him to break His covenant with the sun and moon, so it is equally impossible for Him to break His covenant with Israel.
The Scriptures prophesied that one day the nation of Israel would be reborn. Ezekiel 37:22 states that God would gather the seed of Israel from among the Gentiles, and make them "one nation in the land" upon the mountains of Israel. We have witnessed this prophecy coming to pass in our lifetimes. Psalm 83 also prophesies of Israel's ongoing conflict with the surrounding Arab nations. Their stated desire is to cut Israel off "from being a nation", and they have tried many, many times to accomplish that. The promises of God are wrapped up in Israel's possession of Jerusalem and its Jewish status. If you take away the Holy City, you make void the prophecy that Jesus Christ would reign over His people Israel (Luke 1:32). If you take away Israel's Jewish status, you make void God's promise that Israel would never cease from being a nation. As we can see with today's news, the world will never be satisfied with a existence of a Jewish state, no matter how much land they give away. And we know that things will continue to grow worse until the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. Praise God that His promises are without repentance. Peter states that God has given us "exceeding great and precious promises" (2nd Peter 1:4), and John says "this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life" (1st John 2:25). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.