Israel is not something I understood much. For most of my church years there has been almost nothing ever said about Israel other than that they were part of the Bible stories.
And then I went to a ministry that spoke of the importance of Israel and praying for them. And then I went to another ministry that taught the same. I was shocked. It wasn’t something I had ever even heard. The only thing I knew was that Israel was now the church. But new ministries and new friends challenged me on this.
As I reread Scripture, I realized there was truth to what they said. We are not the replacement of Israel, but we are “grafted-in Israel” (Rom 9-11). And then I read Scriptures like here:
“For the nation and the kingdom that will not serve you will perish” (v. 12).
Those are some strong words. And I wonder if some of the blessing that the US has had in the past has been because of how we’ve supported Israel. Although that support today is on much shakier ground.
So when I read Isaiah 60, I read about the great love God has for Israel. The nations will come to her to glorify the Lord.
Isaiah 60:3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
60:4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.
Isaiah 60:5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
Isaiah 60:6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
60:13 “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet.
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
The nations will not only come to Israel but they will serve Israel:
10 “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you.
It goes on and on. Isaiah 60 is all about how all the nations of the earth will bless Israel as they come to worship the Lord Almighty. They will brings gifts, honor and appreciation for Israel. Israel will be blessed.
Why? For the glorification of Israel? No.
“Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever; they are the branch I planted, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified” (v. 21).
This will happen so that in an unlikely people and nation God will be glorified. The Lord would be their everlasting light and that would be for the nations.
When I read this, I realized I need to change and grow even more in this. I need to be praying for Israel, that they would come to know their Messiah. I, as part of a nation that is not Israel, need and want to bless them.
