Al Ngu    October 12, 2023

Israel was attacked in an unprecedented terrorism attack by Hamas just few days ago and over 1000 innocent Israelite Jewish people were killed and some were captured hostage and even babies killed. The atrocity and cruelty of which shocked the world and Israel was totally caught off guard surprisingly and has since sprung into attack mode.

This has made me burdened to write on my reflection from the Bible on the theological position of Israel in our evangelical world and the reformed world. The reality is there’s just so much confusion on the position of Israel in the theology of the word of God, the charismatics dispensational view holds Israel in a high regards even to this days and calling Israel and the churches two separate entities. While the covenant theology of the reformed world which I’m in now, has posited that that the church is the modern day Israel today inherited from Abraham as in the scripture that says only those who are called by God are truly the children of Abraham and not everyone.

Therefore it is imperative we understand how do we view Israel as a church and where do they fit into all the overall agenda and program of God’s work in this world?

Romans 9:1–5 (NIV)

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, ⁴ the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. ⁵ Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!  Amen.

“For to them to the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises”…. the list goes on when right now we are in the midst of the biggest turmoil & blood shed by terrorism in Israel. And the most shocking is what we see on the social media the news that  of such heinous crime been committed against humanity in Israel.

So the question goes: “Where does Israel stand in the plan of God?” 

There’s so much confusion on really the place of Israel in the plan of God. The Old Testament (OT) is clear absolutely, what is not clear is the NT (New Testament) and now the time we are living now is really the expansion of the New Testament and it requires us to understand that.

That’s why I am determined to write a book on this on Israel and the church, the call of God for them, the call of God for Israel and the church. Can we synchronize them? It is tremendously interesting and make sure that we don’t go on the wrong footings reading from Paul’s epistles, someone who’s been tasked to preach the gospel mainly to the gentiles to all over the world even though he also ministered greatly among the Jewish people. The way he speaks about his heart for Israel is stunning and reveals the staggering depth of his heart compassion, feelings, affection and love for his nation Israel. Often times we get a picture that Paul’s going on all about justification, satisfaction and redemption of the elect and people forget that the background of it there is still the plan of God for Israel.  Nobody can argue that God is done with Israel neither is God done with Israel even though Israel rejected God again and again in the OT and also Israel has suffered, and triumphed & celebrated believing in God.  So Paul was saying that “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart “ (v2).

That’s like a man in anguish or a mother worried sick for her kid as he was so sick and he’s walked away from the Lord. Like Monica in anguish and unceasingly praying for her beloved son Augustine (who turned out to be one of the greatest theologian who wrote “Confessions”), I’m trying to draw some parallels for that kind of passion, crying out to God desperately and hence Paul’s unceasing anguish. But what’s profound about his passionate feelings for Israel is the fact that he said his conscience bears him witness in the Holy Spirit, in other words it is not just a personal emotional fling or a superficial outbreak of a subjective experience, but it’s justified, vindicated, confirmed and affirmed by the Holy Spirit!  

Even though Israel rejected him but he still feels such compelling affection and love for them. He shared his witness that the Holy Spirit confirmed in his heart he feels such deep anguish and sorrow for Israel! To the nations of this world, I wanted to tell how many Christians actually scream having this deep anguish for the nation of Israel? Of course we can’t and don’t do that as we have no connection or have any background connected with Israel, because today essentially the majority of us never been to Israel.  I have read so much about Israel from the scripture on OT and Israel features prominently in the book of Psalms, Genesis, Exodus, etc in every way and it’s all over but we have no biological or cultural affinity or connection with nation of Israel.

Of course God understands that probably you won’t be able to reach the kind of anguish to the level the feeling and the strength, heart for Israel but it does illustrate the point that it is legit to have such affection for Israel. And to answer question that totally legit and it should be done because Holy Spirit is the witness!  “Because my conscience bears witness in the Holy Spirit” .

You know to the point he said I could wish “I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers”– now this this is taking really deep dive now. I think there’s a divine endowment upon all the burden that he feels for Israel. It’s incredible since right now if you look at back his life, he was so driven to protect the sanctity of Torah, the Judaism zeal, that he thinks the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ is corruption at that time.  And now his feelings and passion for Israel remained unchanged but in the right direction for the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit bears witness in his conscience. This is this is deep and profound  he could be in such emotional state that he wished he could be cut off and cursed instead of the unbelieving Israel. Now that that is too much I think that’s insanity. I don’t know it could be metaphorical language and it could be a figurative language how far, how strong they almost feel this way.  I think he has unceasing anguish and cried and wept for Israel when so many gentile churches have been established under his missionary effort, his teaching and the training word of God.

Sometimes I do feel like that because I have for the past years, preached, taught in the church and I wish I could have given more time and to my children, and family and others close to me. But I didn’t feel the unceasing anguish and sorrow but not to the level that that Paul described talk about what himself so I would just say that this is they’re very profound. I said all this highlighted especially in the context of what Israel now is going through. That’s why I chose this passage i Romans to kick off.

-ii

詩 篇 128

Do we pray that God curse the evil wicked ones like David prayed?

For the longest time, I have a hard time to understand the retribution curses that David uttered against his enemy , because in the New Testament, Jesus has never uttered a single word of retaliation towards the enemies, except warnings and forgiveness, and even at the last moment on the cross. Jesus is clearly walking at a higher paradigm, but he seems to contradict Davidic Psalms and plenty of other instances in the Old Testament. Not until I read Dan Carson’s commentary on psalm 28 that liberated me.

Psalm 28: 4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.

Carson writes: Ps 28:4 Repay them. David utters some harsh imprecations (i.e., curses) against those who have done evil and opposed the Lord (also v. 5). Though harsh, these words simply echo what God had promised to do, as far back as Abraham’s day, to those who oppose him and his people (Gen 12:3).

That brilliant explanation by Carson of the seemingly curses against those with evil works is simply an echo of God’s promise to as far as Abraham in Genesis 12! That is such a spot on exegesis. God indeed promised that anyone who blesses Abraham shall be blessed anyone curses Abraham shall be cursed. And that’s why it is legitimate right for David to pronounce curses on those evil ones that go against him and the Lord. This really expanded my horizon of understanding. But in the true sense, the Lord Jesus did not contradict Abrahams promises, because in the ultimate run, Jesus will curse and send those evil people to even more curses and condemnation, more than anyone would imagine or David would even dare to request. So there is no contradiction or tension. It is just a matter of time.

However, the question comes how do we actually implement it in our days and age because there’s so much evil being done in this world today and causing tremendous harm and damage to the people of God and the world in general. The answer I would argue is we can pray to God to curse all those evil ones in his way in his timing, because that will be in line with Abrahamic promise of covenant that God made with him. However a very good point that Carson brought up is that David only asked God to avenge, but he would not do it himself because he leaves that to God. And that is very righteous way of doing it and that we should be following what David has done like in Psalm 5 .

Psalm 5: 9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible Notes) psalm 5: 9–10 David speaks harsh words about his enemies because of their rebellion against God. But David never indicates that he is going to exact private vengeance for himself; he always asks God to do this or vows to take vengeance in his capacity as king. In doing so, he is simply asking God to be true to his own promises: God promised Abraham, “Whoever curses you I will curse” (Gen 12:3), and God reminded the Israelites, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay”

May God save and bless his people and be their shepherd and carry them forever

Psalm 28 (NIV) 9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

To even hear this kind of prayer that David prayed to God, asking God to be our shepherd and carry us forever is touching and humbling: This is even a sense of almost too much to bear that kind of emotional prayer. David has such a pastoral heart and a passionate heart to God indeed and for God to hear this kind of prayer and He recorded this in the closed canon of sacred scriptures, speaks of the profound affection of God towards his people. I have no doubt God delights to do that perfectly, and it would not be a burden for him to do that, because he delights and loves his people. Even as we sometimes rebel and are problematic, God will discipline us and would not forsake us.

And of course there were times God were very frustrated with Israel, as they are sinning against the Lord again and again, and pushed Moses to the limit, and with God fuming at them. There is a love-hate relationship between God and Israel, in old testament in particular, because of the intensity of who God is as a person and God , his expression of affection, no holiness , and frankly, it is hard for anyone to keep up with! And that’s why God instituted the circumcision of the heart as the new covenant to replace the old because to be honest, God knows it is hard to keep up with him.

And when it comes to David’s time, you can see David’s pastoral heart, and his immense love for God seems to be having a special direct line with God. And David’s personal worship, prayer, praise, exhortation, lament, all over the book of Psalms, has an incredible impact on all of us through all generations as the people of God. Truly, Psalms is the most read and impressible book in the Bible, and totally outstanding literature, that captures all the emotions across the board of a man and a woman.

David prayed that “God be their shepherd and carry them forever” speaks of the affectionate relationship between a father and a toddler kid, because that is the relationship most intimate with his or her father. And that’s the kind of language David used to describe the relationship between God and Israel, and the church, because we are all children to God. And Jesus also said, “unless you become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of God.” God delights in us as children, like faith with childlike innocence, but he detests the sophisticated, hypocrisy and deception of the adults. And for David to pray and ask God to carry them for it ever is a term for affection and for love and for protection. It’s not just “to carry” only, but ” forever carry”. Oh, this is the height of the Father’s heart or pastoral heart, that makes God look after his people for all eternity, and that was exactly fulfilled when Christ opened the door the way to eternal life, and he indeed carries as forever. Amen.