The Bible, Israel, and Antisemitism
I have encountered a growing tendency toward antisemitism among evangelical Christians, based in part on acceptance of long-debunked conspiracy theories and in part on a distorted understanding of biblical theology. Over the next few blogs I’d like to address the theological issues involved.
Interpreting the Bible (especially on this issue) is a bit complicated because first we must work forward from the Old Testament to the New, and then we must look backwards at the Old Testament THROUGH the lens of the New.
Genesis 1-11 is a prelude. The story of the Old Testament and the nation of Israel begins with the call of Abram in Genesis 12.1-3:
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12 follows the account of the scattering of “the families of the earth” at Babel. God chooses Abram to be the father of a nation that will mediate divine blessing to that scattered world. The chosen nation will be given land from which to operate as God’s mediator to the world.
In Exodus the descendants of Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) become the nation of Israel. At Sinai God tells the Israelites:
You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19.4-6a)
The phrases “treasured possession”, “kingdom of priests”, and “holy nation” describe Israel’s place as God’s mediator of blessing to the world.
Finally, God gave the Laws of Moses to the nation of Israel to mold them into an exemplary nation. Their obedience to the law would bring blessing to them that would rouse the curiosity of other nations and draw them to the one true God.
See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? (Deuteronomy 4.5-8)
That’s our foundation, our starting place, regarding a biblical understanding of the nation of Israel.
Interpreting the Bible (especially on this issue) is a bit complicated because first we must work forward from the Old Testament to the New, and then we must look backwards at the Old Testament THROUGH the lens of the New.
Genesis 1-11 is a prelude. The story of the Old Testament and the nation of Israel begins with the call of Abram in Genesis 12.1-3:
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12 follows the account of the scattering of “the families of the earth” at Babel. God chooses Abram to be the father of a nation that will mediate divine blessing to that scattered world. The chosen nation will be given land from which to operate as God’s mediator to the world.
In Exodus the descendants of Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) become the nation of Israel. At Sinai God tells the Israelites:
You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19.4-6a)
The phrases “treasured possession”, “kingdom of priests”, and “holy nation” describe Israel’s place as God’s mediator of blessing to the world.
Finally, God gave the Laws of Moses to the nation of Israel to mold them into an exemplary nation. Their obedience to the law would bring blessing to them that would rouse the curiosity of other nations and draw them to the one true God.
See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? (Deuteronomy 4.5-8)
That’s our foundation, our starting place, regarding a biblical understanding of the nation of Israel.