Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

There is a question likely forming in the minds of many Christians, whether they realise it yet or not: what do I actually believe about Israel, and why? We are living in an hour when that question will not stay quiet for long. At some point, every believer will be called upon — by a conversation, a headline, a Jewish friend, or their own conscience — to land on an answer.

The Loudest Voice in the Room

Right now, the loudest voice shaping that answer is typically not the pulpit. It is the media, and louder still, social media. We live in a moment where it is genuinely hard to know what to trust.

History has already taught us that a lie, repeated often enough, becomes believed — not because it is true, but because repetition can become a “working belief” where solid biblical truth is not in place to counter it.

This is precisely the moment for sound biblical counsel to rise above the noise and bring Christian thinking back into alignment with God’s word rather than the shifting opinions of the world.

“What Does This Have to Do with Me?”

Some Christians are on the fence, and plenty would say honestly: I don’t really know about this whole Israel thing — what does it have to do with me? In one sense, that’s a fair question. It may not touch your daily life directly.

But none of us is unaffected by what we see and hear. It shapes our emotions, and emotion has a way of influencing our thoughts and forming into judgment before we’ve tested it against anything solid. This is exactly the point at which we need a biblical foundation to give our thoughts and judgments something true to measure themselves against.

It’s worth noting that many well-known Christian leaders have described coming to a deeper understanding of God’s heart for Israel and the Jewish people only after many years into their ministry — one senior clergyman called it a “second conversion”. If it took seasoned leaders decades to arrive there, it is little wonder that others are still finding their footing.

Seeing Israel Rightly

Here is something often missed: Israel is, in large part, an unbelieving nation. But it seems to be judged differently from any other nation whose very existence is threatened by hostile neighbours.  However, there are several things that do set Israel apart, and Christians should know them. Here are just three:

Jerusalem is the one place on earth where God placed His name. This is important for Christians, because it is also where Jesus will return — on the condition, Scripture tells us, that the Jewish people welcome Him first (Matthew 23:37–39).

Zechariah 12:2–3 goes further, describing a time when God will make Jerusalem “a cup of trembling” and “a burdensome stone for all people” — nations that attempt to move it will only injure themselves.

Current data suggests this is already taking shape: the UN General Assembly has passed more resolutions criticising Israel than all other nations combined,[1] a pattern that makes this ancient prophecy increasingly difficult to dismiss as coincidence.

God said His people would return in unbelief. Ezekiel 36 describes Israel gathered from all the nations where they were scattered before being cleansed and given a new heart.

In 1948, fewer than 500,000 Jewish people lived in the land. Today, there are some 7.8 million Jews (plus 2.1 million Arabs), out of a world Jewish population of roughly 15 million. Yet of that 7 million in Israel, less than 0.5% know their Messiah. We are watching the return unfold; the turning is still ahead, and the Christian response plays a crucial part in this.

Provoked to Jealousy

In Romans 11, Paul explains that Israel’s fall was never the end of the story — it was designed to bring salvation to the Gentiles, and in turn, to provoke Israel to jealousy. That raises a question every Christian should sit with: how are Jewish people being made jealous today by Christians?

With wars raging and antisemitism rising around the world, especially in Australia, knowing what the Bible says about God’s promises for this moment isn’t academic. It shapes how we pray, how we speak, and how we help non-believers make sense of the struggles around the world.

This matters well beyond Israel itself. When sharing the gospel, these questions surface: Why does God allow suffering? Why does He allow children to die in war? How can I trust Him at all?

God fulfilling a 3,000-year-old promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is tangible evidence of His faithfulness. And when we see Israel named in Scripture, we need the discernment to rightly connect it to what we see on the news today.

Now is the time to be informed — not swept along. Especially for those with Jewish people in their circles, the question is no longer whether this matters, but whether we’re ready to speak into it with truth.

Want to Go Deeper?

Israel: Understanding the Times, Past, Present and Future — is the theme for Celebrate Messiah’s national conference that purposely addresses this very topic. Held 27–29 November 2026 at Belgrave Heights, Victoria, it brings together local and international speakers for a weekend of teaching, worship, and fellowship, with programs for youth and children. It’s a full residential weekend, with day tickets also available.

More information and registration: celebratemessiah.com.au

___

[1] Becker, Hillman, Potrafke & Schwemmer, “Peace and war: The relevance of UN General Assembly resolutions for Israel,” Review of International Organizations 10 (2015): 413–437.

Image courtesy of Adobe.