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Israel: Antichrist Or God's Special People?

Israel is a hot topic in both the political and religious realms. America has favored and supported the nation of Israel for many years. Evangelical denominations and churches also express the same support, and they assert that Israel is still God's chosen nation and people. Many Christian conservative leaders insist that all of God's blessings, covenants and promises, which were made to Israel in the Old Testament, are still valid today, because they were said to be eternal or everlasting; moreover, they claim that Jews worship the same God as Christians, but that Muslims worship a different god than the God of Christianity and Judaism.

Are these things true? Do Jews worship the same God as Christians? Is Israel still God's chosen nation? Are Israel's Old Testament blessings and promises still valid today? Or, is it possible that the New Testament nation of Israel is the complete opposite; could they actually be a type of "antichrist"? 

Christian leaders who espouse the pro-Israel claims mentioned above are either, dishonest, biblically ignorant or simply blinded by their own bias. God placed conditions upon His "everlasting" promises to Israel, as well as to nations in general. He said that, although He may have promised to build and do good things for a nation, if that nation turns to disobedience, He will not do the good things that He had promised (Jeremiah 18:5-10). God's promises to all nations are conditional, based upon their fidelity and obedience.

Therefore, while it is true that God made many promises of blessings to Israel in the Old Testament, it is also true that all of their promised blessings were conditional. In fact, God told Israel "up front" that, if they persisted in disobedience, they would receive "curses" instead of the blessings (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). The scriptures in Deuteronomy referred to above, say that, instead of God doing "good" for Israel, which He had previously promised, He would rejoice in destroying them.  Instead of Israel becoming a multitude, as God had promised, Israel would become few in number. Instead of Israel becoming the "head" and other nations becoming the "tail", as promised to them within their blessings, Israel would become the "tail", while other nations would become the "head". Instead of God giving Israel their land forever, as had been promised, He would pluck them from their land. Instead of other nations and kings serving Israel, which God had also promised, Israel would serve other nations and be destroyed by them. Furthermore, God states that all of these curses would continue upon Israel and its descendants "forever".

Any student of biblical and secular history knows that Israel did indeed receive God's curses instead of His blessings. Their rebellious history truly did result in them being few in number compared to other nations. Their continual disobedience did also result in Israel becoming the "tail", while other nations were their "head", ruling over them and plundering them. It is undeniable that Israel spent most of their history, not ruling over other nations, but being "ruled over" and destroyed by other nations. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome ruled over them for many centuries, finally resulting in the complete destruction of their nation by Roman armies in 70 AD. Even in modern times, Nazi Germany slaughtered Israel's descendants. And, to this day, they are still harassed and attacked by radical Islamic suicide bombers. To any honest and "unbrainwashed" student of history, the past approximately 3500 years of Israel/Jewish history clearly reveals the fulfillment of God's curses upon them, and not His blessings. In fact, throughout the Jews' 3500 years of existence, including their 400 years of captivity in Egypt, the nation of Israel only spent about 100 years ruling over other nations, during the reigns of David and Solomon. Therefore, Israel/Jews have only spent less than 5% of their history ruling over other nations, whereas they have spent more than 95% of their existence being "ruled over", plundered and/or destroyed by other nations.

God is consistent and He is honest. If He told Israel that they would forfeit their blessings and receive curses instead, if they persisted in rebellion and disobedience, we should not be surprised that He fulfilled what He had spoken.

Israel had repeatedly rebelled and worshipped pagan idols/gods, and God had forgiven them numerous times. The Bible records how Israel frequently murdered the prophets that God had sent to them to call them to repentance. And, Israel finally culminated their centuries of rebellion and disobedience by murdering God's divine Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, the Jewish leaders defiantly proclaimed before Pilate that they had no king but Caesar; moreover, when Pilate publicly washed his hands and said that he was innocent of the blood of Jesus, the Jewish leaders again defiantly declared that Jesus' blood was on them and on their children (John 19:15; Matthew 27:24-25). What amazing declarations from the leaders of a nation that once was a "theocracy", with God Himself as their king, and who had long awaited and eagerly anticipated the coming of their Messiah. Now, their King had come, but they renounced Him and chose Caesar, a pagan king; furthermore, they murdered their long awaited Messiah, and publicly and proudly announced that they and their posterity willingly accepted the responsibility and accountability for His shed blood. And, Israel's rebellion persisted for decades after Jesus' crucifixion, as they martyred the disciples of Jesus. The Apostle Paul fittingly stated that the Jews did not please God, and were contrary to all men. He said that they were always filling up the measure of their sins, and that God's wrath had come upon them to the uttermost (1st Thessalonians 2:14-16).

Jesus Himself had told the Jewish leaders that the Kingdom of God would be taken away from Israel, and would be given to a new nation (Matthew 21:33-45). Then, the Apostle Peter defined that new nation as being the Christian Church. In 1st Peter 2:9, Peter refers to Christians as now being God's "holy nation", "royal priesthood" and His "own special people". These were titles that had previously applied to the Old Testament nation of Israel, but now, because of Israel's rebellion and rejection, they had been transferred to the Christian Church.

The Jewish nation and its capital city of Jerusalem were now given new descriptive titles that reflected their rebellious and rejected status. In Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, they are called a "synagogue of Satan", and these two scriptures state that, although they still claim to be Jews, they are not. Why? It is because several Bible texts clearly state that being a "true Jew" in the New Testament era has nothing to do with bloodline descent or the outward flesh, but rather is determined by inward issues of the "heart" and of "faith". In other words, in the New Testament, physical, bloodline Jews are not even considered as being "true Jews", if they have not accepted Jesus as their Savior. It is those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ who are now regarded as Abraham's true descendants. In my article titled "Israel", on my website address listed at the end of this article, I provide dozens of scriptures that prove beyond question all of the points I am presenting in this article.

Israel's capital city of Jerusalem is referred to as "Sodom" in the New Testament (Revelation 11:8). Sodom, of course, was the city which was so wicked that God sent fire and brimstone down from heaven to destroy it. The New Testament also refers to Jerusalem as "Hagar" (Galatians 4:25). Hagar is the mother of the Arab world, which is comprised of Muslims! Therefore, from this text, it is obvious that God views physical, bloodline Jews, who have not placed their faith in Jesus, in the same manner as Muslims in the New Testament. Many Christian leaders tell us that Jews worship the same God as Christians, but that Muslims worship a different god. However, the previous scripture clearly contradicts their teaching. In the New Testament era, God obviously views Judaism and Islam in the same fashion, and, that is because they both deny that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God. However, to be fair to Muslims, it should be mentioned that Islam actually holds Jesus in higher regard than Judaism. Islam at least esteems Jesus as being a great prophet who was sent by God, whereas Judaism only regards Him as being a good man and a teacher.

We have now answered all of the questions I raised at the beginning of this article, except for one. Are Israel and non-Christian Jewish people, not only rejected by God as His chosen nation/people, but are they also referred to as a type of "antichrist"? There are two New Testament scriptures that enable us to distinctly and confidently answer this question, and which clearly show Israel's "status" in the New Testament era. 1st Corinthians 16:22 states that all who don't love Jesus are "accursed". Do Israel and non-Christian Jews love Jesus? No, they do not. Therefore, according to the Bible, they are "accursed", not blessed. Furthermore, Scripture declares that all, who deny that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), are "antichrist" (1st John 2:22-23). Do Israel and non-Christian Jews deny that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah)? Yes, they do. Thus, according to the Bible, they are a type of "antichrist", not God's special nation and people. And, the previous scripture also unequivocally states that all, who deny that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), have also denied the Father! This text proves, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that unconverted Jews do not worship the same God as Christians. As this passage clearly reveals, if they have rejected Jesus, they have also rejected the Heavenly Father.

About the Author

For an in-depth study of this subject, and a list of the dozens of scriptures that refute contemporary pro-Israel preachers, read my article titled "Israel". And, also be sure to check out other interesting and provocative articles at http://godormen.com.

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