Israel, Hamas, Jewish Homeland - Questions

 

The recent issues in Israel (Oct 7, 2023) and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas (and others), who want to destroy Israel totally, raise moral and theological questions. 

The Heidelcast website has some good articles about the 'reformed' view of Israel and the Church relationship. It is complicated. I'm not fully settled on the issue. 

https://heidelblog.net/2013/08/covenant-theology-is-not-replacement-theology/

I started reading Hosea and the issues in that book made me think of the current issues. It is easy to point out that the current Israel is not really a religious believing nation. It is grounded in a lot of secular thinking but has a 'culturally 'Jewish' identity. 

THAT WAS TRUE OF ISRAEL at the time of Hosea and other prophets. OT Israel was hardly a solid believing faithful godly nation YET God preserved them for the Sake of His Name. He was faithful when the people weren't. 

It makes me wonder about God's dealings with "the Jews" today. 

I'm no as sure as some are that He is finished with them. Nor am I as sure as some are that events today are fulfilling prophecy. 

VoV Christlikeness - not loitering

 

This is one of the most interesting phrases in VoV...

"May loiterers be quickened to greater diligence by my example!"

I'm struck by the word 'loiterers'. 

I guess some would call them backsliders, some would call them 'carnal' Christians (that's another topic). 

It makes me think of the signs in public places that read "No Loitering". 

What if churches posted those signs i.e. "No Spiritual Loitering." 

It wouldn't be 'welcoming', but it might make a point - we can't follow Christ by loitering. 

This would really apply to professed believers who just hang around but don't intend to really engage i.e. they are loitering. This seems to be what Jesus is saying in Rev about being lukewarm. 

The non-Christian who hangs around the church is fine and welcome, but it is no place for loitering. 

If tickets for loitering were to be given out by some special agent angels in every church next Sunday, how many folks would be getting a ticket? Probably more per capita in the States than in most other countries of the world. 

The VoV phrase itself helps give the opposite of loitering....diligence. 

GRACE IS NOT OPPOSED TO DILIGENCE. In fact, it leads to it - Titus 2:11 ff