Welcome back, friends!

Yesterday we explored Who is Prepared to Stand with Israel, and today we’ll talk about why.  If you have followed this blog, or if you have simply run across it a time or two, I hope it is obvious that I stand with Israel!  Not because Israel is perfect, and not at the expense of my own country.  But out of honor and respect for what the Bible teaches us.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28a and Deuteronomy 30:19-20 say:

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God…I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Here, the Lord God is teaching Israel about blessings and curses because He wants them to live on the proper side of that equation.  He even tells them, “Choose life, that you might live!”

The context of that passage obviously points toward the Israelites.  However, there is a principle for us to apply.  God blesses obedience, and He longs for us to stand on the side of blessing rather than curses.

So, let’s move that a little closer to home!  In Genesis 12:3, God emphatically tells us that those who bless the descendents of Abraham (Israel) will be blessed, and those who curse them will be cursed.  God longs for you and me to be obedient, just as He longs for Israel to be obedient.  Thus, when he says to bless Israel, we are blessed if we do so!

With that as our backdrop, I want you to know why, other than sheer obedience, it is important to stand with Israel. I’ll defer to my good friends at the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem to explain.  Will you take a few seconds to read a brief article entitled, Why should America Support Israel?  It is important to know and understand how vital Israel is to the benefit and welfare of America, and how vital it is that we stand beside her!

Enjoy!