The Darrell McClain show
Independent media that won't reinforce tribalism. We have one Planet; nobody's leaving so let’s reason together!! Darrell McClain is a Military veteran with an abnormal interest in politics, economics, religion, philosophy, science, and literature. He's the author of Faith and the Ballot: A Christian's Guide to Voting, Unity, and Witness in Divided Times. He was born and raised in Jacksonville FL, and went to Edward H white High School,l where he wrestled under Coach Jermy Smith and The Late Brian Gilbert. He was a team wrestling captain, District champion, and an NHSCA All-American in freestyle Wrestling. He received a wrestling scholarship from Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa. After a short period, he decided he no longer wanted to cut weight, effectively ending his college wrestling journey. Darrell McClain is an Ordained Pastor under the Universal Life Church and is still in good standing. He's a Believer in The Doctrines of Grace, Also Known as Calvinism. He joined the United States Navy in 2008 and was A Master at Arms (military police officer) He was awarded several awards while on active duty, including an expeditionary combat medal, a Global War on Terror medal, a National Defense Medal, a Korean Defense Medal, and multiple Navy achievement medals. While In the Navy, he was also the assistant wrestling coach at Robert E Lee High School. He's a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under 6th-degree black belt Gustavo Machado, Darrell Trains At Gustavo Machado Norfolk under the 4th-degree black belt, and Former Marine Professor Mark Sausser. He went to school for psychology at American Military University and for criminal justice at ECPI University.
The Darrell McClain show
God's Chosen: Who Really Inherits Abraham's Promises?
When Tucker Carlson challenged Senator Ted Cruz to explain exactly who "Israel" is in the biblical promise "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you," he exposed a theological fault line with explosive real-world consequences. As bombs fell on Iranian nuclear facilities and missiles flew in response, Americans witnessed how interpretations of ancient texts directly influence modern warfare decisions.
This episode dives deep into the theological question at the heart of American foreign policy: Who exactly constitutes the "Israel of God" according to Scripture? We examine how evangelical leaders like Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas leverage their interpretation to influence presidential decisions, claiming those who oppose Israel are "on the wrong side of God." Yet when we turn to what the Apostle Paul—himself a Jewish believer—actually wrote about Israel's identity, a more complex picture emerges.
Through careful examination of passages in Romans, Galatians, and elsewhere, we discover the New Testament consistently teaches that true Israel comprises those who share Abraham's faith, not merely his genetics. "Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel," Paul writes, distinguishing between physical descent and spiritual inheritance. This has profound implications for how Christians should understand biblical promises about blessing and cursing.
The stakes couldn't be higher. As Operation Midnight Hammer demonstrated with its precision strike against Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers and massive ordnance penetrator weapons, we're discussing policies that could trigger regional or even global conflict. When Scripture is used to justify military action, theological accuracy becomes a matter of life and death.
Whether you've long questioned evangelical support for modern Israel or have always assumed it was biblically mandated, this challenging discussion will help you dig deeper into what Scripture actually teaches about who inherits Abraham's promises. In a world where bad theology can literally hurt people with "thermonuclear heat," understanding these passages correctly has never been more urgent.
For our Sunday episode. I'm going to put on my pastoral hat, of course. The last episode I did a short on the question of theology and I postulated the claim that bad theology makes bad policy. This particular question was talking about a theological framework that we embrace towards certain nations. This was brought to my attention because of the interview that went viral with Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz. Because the issue is so important, I'm going to do something that I normally do not do and I'm going to play a discussion in our Sunday hour, just like I used to, and plan to get back to posting some of the spiritual sermons from the past. In this one, we're going to do this thing where we go to apologetics and explain this difficult issue from the text. We're going to be going to a show that I watch regularly called Epologia Radio, and that will be the voice you will hear explaining this very difficult issue in a very intelligent and respectable manner. I hope that this is a blessing to you. As it was a blessing to me.
Speaker 3:I hope that this is a blessing to you, as it was a blessing to me. I would say if the authorities didn't want us involved in the public square, they ought not to have crucified Jesus in the public square. Use humanistic principles.
Speaker 2:I would say what's the problem with Stardust by thinking of Stardust In the cosmic picture?
Speaker 4:No, there's no problem. Stardust pumping into stardust In the cosmic picture no, there's no problem. In the cosmic picture, it won't matter. No, mr President, you are not protecting reproductive freedom, you are authorizing the destruction of freedom for one million little human beings every year. I'm sorry, my friends, but I am tired of seeing Jesus presented as a weak beggar. He is a powerful Savior and the gospel is not a suggestion, it is a command. You're a Ramona, don't you sympathize with that? I sympathize with every single human heart wishing to know the one true and living God, but I believe there's only one way that that can happen through Jesus Christ, and the Gospel is about repenting of sin, not celebrating it.
Speaker 6:Right now you're on the threshold of an amazing adventure. We will explore the spiritual abyss. You have not experienced this before. You're going to love it.
Speaker 2:But it is not as though the word of God has failed, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. But through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. That's from Romans, chapter 9. Everybody, welcome back to another episode of Apologia Radio. This is the Gospel Heard Around the World, everybody. Special episode, unusual time. Of course we recognize that, but lots of stuff is happening right now, and so we wanted to speak to it, and speak to it from Scripture, and so I want to thank you guys for joining us. Please share this across all your social media doodads and do all the things and the clicks and the likes and all that stuff like that.
Speaker 2:Let everyone get in on this conversation. It is an important one because it actually has consequences. This is where we talk about bad theology hurts people. Well, this is a premier example. This particular discussion is a premier example of how bad theology can actually hurt people. It can hurt nations and it can hurt people with thermonuclear heat, and so the stakes are high with this one and this particular subject.
Speaker 2:We're talking about it now in light of, of course, the events of the last 12 days or 13 days, and so that matters. What's happening right now matters, but this mattered before the last 12 days. This will matter long after, because this is really about what Scripture teaches about the gospel itself, what does it do? And the people of God. What does Scripture say about the people of God and the blessings and the promises upon the heirs of Abraham? And so this is a central issue right now, because much of what's taken place over the last two-week time period has a lot to do in terms of even the conversation happening with this particular issue of who is the Israel of God, who is a part of the Abrahamic blessings, who is the heir of those promises to bless the world through Father Abraham, who is or who are the people of God. And so this is really important.
Speaker 2:And I want to just say, as we open this, I want to be very humble to all my brothers and sisters in Christ who would disagree on this particular issue. Look, within the Christian church, we have fundamental agreement and essential unity over the fundamentals, the essential issues, and Christians do disagree on tertiary issues, non-essential issues, the adiaphora, those side issues. We have disagreements and some of those disagreements are not very important and not very consequential. And some of those disagreements are vitally important issues. They shouldn't divide us in terms of you're not a Christian and I am, in terms of you're not a Christian and I am. But they have consequences, and they have meaningful consequences in our local churches and our families, but also for international relations. And so if you disagree with me on this issue, just know that I love you and I love you in the Lord's name. But this is a vitally important issue.
Speaker 2:And I want to say at the outset where was I on this particular issue? As a young believer in Christ, as a fairly new believer in Christ? Well, I spent all my time that I could reading the Jerusalem Post, looking for the Red Heifer, the rebuilding of the Third Temple. I was wishing myself into rapture constantly big fan of Left behind series and dispensational premillennialism.
Speaker 2:And just to show you how listen, just to show you how committed I was to the side that is popular now, with legislators in Congress that are influencing our president and even pastors nationally influencing our president. My firstborn son's middle name is Israel, and so if you want to know just how committed I was to that perspective, god's chosen people, the people on the land today, they're God's chosen people and my son's middle name is going to be Israel, the Israel of God, soldier of God. That's where I was, and so hopefully you have some sympathy towards me. I've been there, I've been a part of that, and what convinced me otherwise was a consistent reading of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, but in particular what the New Testament inspired authors say about the identity of Israel and, of course, what the New Testament authors consistently say and the Old Testament promises the kingdom say about the future of the world. And so that's where my mind changed.
Speaker 2:But look, if you trust in Christ, you're a repentant, believing, baptized Christian. We're part of that universal body of Christ. We're together in this. We have disagreements. I just want to say body of Christ, we're together in this. We have disagreements. I just want to say, as your brother and as a minister of the gospel, that this particular issue has. Sometimes it can lead to very terrible consequences, and we're talking about international relations and wars and nuclear bombs and those sorts of things, the threat of that anyways, and so lots has happened in the last two weeks.
Speaker 2:We're going to talk today about two central issues and, just you know, work through them. One is what does the scripture say about who is the true Israel of God? And then we're going to talk a bit, of course, about what happened in Iran and in the Monarch State of Israel the last couple of weeks and also where we're at today. We're going to play a lot of clips today, so it'll be a clip-heavy episode of Apologia Radio. Before we do that, I want to encourage you guys to go to ApologiaStudioscom A-P-O-L-O-G-I-A-Studioscom. Go there, get tons of stuff. All the past episodes of numerous shows Provoked Cultish Apologia Radio, sheologians and you can sign up for all access. When you do, you partner with us in this work, in this ministry.
Speaker 2:Hundreds of millions of people have been impacted by this ministry through the work of people just like you and in partnership with us. Tens of thousands of babies have been saved from death through this ministry and what God has done. And so all access, you get tons of additional content and stuff to bless you. The the app is underway and I'm told that it's very, very close, so there's gonna be an app itself for everybody. So sign up for all access be a part of this ministry with us, and so let's get right into it. All right, so obviously, well, I shouldn't say obviously many of you have probably seen, because it's been making the rounds and I don't know how many memes and shorts and reels have been made over this particular portion of the interview, but Tucker Carlson did a pretty long I think two hour long interview with Senator Ted Cruz and man, this was, this was a heated one right, I mean, if you haven't got a chance to see it yet after the episode today, go take a look.
Speaker 2:One, right, I mean, if you haven't got a chance to see it yet after the episode today, go take a look. I think the stuff they talk about is important. It's a substantial discussion, but also it gets a bit fiery between them both a number of times throughout this, and so it's also, let's be honest, quite entertaining. So if you get a chance after this, go check it out. I think you'll really enjoy it. But there were a few moments in this that were, I think, really important and I think Tucker did a good job of pressing on some of the just rather accepted dogma and so there's sort of a standard dogma of the conservative party, the Republican Party, even evangelical Christians, and how we approach some of these issues. And so I did respect greatly Tucker in challenging some of the ways that we just sort of have an off-the-cuff sort of immediate response. This is our view, this is what we believe, this is what we should do, and Tucker, I think, did a good job of challenging some of those things and at least saying why give us a reason, why not just the party line?
Speaker 2:Now, I have respect for both these men, I love both these men, but it was nice to see Tucker be willing to be brave enough to confront and go after a bit of the sacred cow on a number of issues, and so this is the, I think, most popular and, for our show today, most important part of that interview to deal with, and so I'm going to go ahead and play it for you right now Tucker Carlson, senator Ted Cruz, on the identity of Israel. The question is, is the Israel of the Bible the same as the current Israeli government? I would probably want to frame that more specifically in terms of the modern state of Israel, but here it goes institution and you played a very, very careful word game of eliding.
Speaker 3:You're the one who said it, not me, so you still haven't asked why, but I'm going to tell you why. Okay, and the reason is twofold. Number one as a Christian growing up in Sunday school, I was taught from the Bible those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. And from my perspective, I want to be on the blessing side of things. Those who bless the government of Israel, those who bless Israel is what it says. It doesn't say the government, it says the nation of Israel. So that's in the Bible. As a Christian, I believe that. Where is that? I can find it to you? I don't have the scripture off the tip of my. You pull out the phone and use the it's in Genesis.
Speaker 7:So you're quoting a Bible phrase you don't have context for and you don't know where in the Bible it is. But that's like I'm confused.
Speaker 3:What does that even mean? Tucker? I'm a Christian. I want to know what you're talking about. Where does my support for Israel come from? Number one, because biblically we are commanded to support Israel.
Speaker 7:But number two Hold on, You're a senator and now you're throwing out theology and I'm a Christian and I am allowed to weigh in on this. We are commanded, as Christians, to support the government of Israel.
Speaker 3:We are commanded to support Israel, and we're told those who bless, Israel will be blessed, but what hold on define Israel?
Speaker 7:This is important. Are you kidding this majority Christian country Define?
Speaker 3:Israel. Do you not know what Israel is? That would be the country you've asked like 49 questions about.
Speaker 2:Critical, critically important discussion. And so let's we want to dive into the scriptures here to answer the question. Tucker's doing, I think, a phenomenal job of pressing on definition. What do you mean? Israel? Because there are other places in the world, like in America, cities or towns named Israel. Are we obligated, because they have the name Israel slapped over them, that we have to support them and that God's going to bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them? And so we don't want to. You know, sort of hands off, don't curse those people, don't disagree with them. And so Tucker's asking the right question. He said I'm a Christian, I have a right to ask this question.
Speaker 2:You're referring to the Bible and you're saying, primarily, your support of the modern state of Israel is because of the Bible. The word of God is giving you this direction, that you must support the modern state of Israel. And that seems like kind of unconditionally right. I mean that's kind of what's being said there Bless them, don't curse them, because if you want to be blessed, then you have to bless them. If you want to be cursed, then you have to curse them. And so Tucker's doing a fine job of saying what does that mean? What? Who is Israel? We're talking about the government of Israel. Who are we talking about? And I think you can all see that it's visible. The problem is that Ted Cruz here can't answer the question with a biblical definition. It's just sort of like peanut butter. It's just Israel. Who's Israel? Well, those people over there. You're talking about the modern state of Israel, the government of Israel. That's what the Bible is referring to, and so I think it is not wrong to point out that Ted Cruz is saying I base this fundamentally on the Bible. And then Ted Cruz says okay, but what does that mean? What's the context of it?
Speaker 2:And so here's the first mention of it Genesis, chapter 12, beginning of the Bible. It's about Abram, and it says this verse 1. Now the Lord said to Abram Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you and I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you that's Father Abraham and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. That's the context.
Speaker 2:This is, of course, part of the Abrahamic blessings. This is the covenant God, this whole section. After this, the covenant God makes with Abraham the promised seed. You have Isaac and of course everyone knows the story and it's led to so much conflict in history. Abraham actually has two sons from his own body, from the flesh of the flesh, and Ishmael is there and Isaac is there. And so this whole story I mean central to so much of what's happening in the world today and the wars and the conflict it's still brewing today.
Speaker 2:But this particular section of Scripture in Genesis, chapter 12, is clear and easy enough to understand who is being spoken to by who, god, and what's the promise being made I, who God, and what's the promise being made. And what's interesting is that the way that this is just memorized by churches and by legislators and those in power. It's memorized in such a way that the text doesn't even actually say specifically. And then, when you press on it, okay, but what does the Bible say about that promise and that blessing? And the Bible is actually very specific about it. But let's listen to a little bit more from Tucker and Ted Cruz.
Speaker 7:That's what God is talking about the nation of Israel. Yes, so is that the current borders, the current leadership. He's talking about the political entity called Israel.
Speaker 3:He's talking about the nation of Israel. Yeah, nations exist and he's discussing a nation.
Speaker 7:A nation was the people of Israel Is the nation God's referring to in Genesis. Is that the same as the country run by Benjamin Netanyahu right now?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, it is and, by the way, it's not run by Benjamin Netanyahu as a dictator.
Speaker 7:It's a democratic country. I'm not saying he's the prime minister right.
Speaker 2:So there you go. Sorry, guys, we're going to try also not to get the flag in the morning and everything else from Plainscliff.
Speaker 2:We'll do our best here not to be too jumpy or jerky in this episode today. And so here's the issue. You have a very influential Republican Senator, ted Cruz. Again, he's done a lot of great things. There's so many times I've had a lot of respect for the gentleman Ted Cruz. Again, he's done a lot of great things. There's so many times I've had a lot of respect for the gentleman, but in this case now you have an example one example of many examples of somebody who is in power, who is influencing international relations and the potential for war, who holds a particular theological view.
Speaker 2:And so what we often say and we even have t-shirts of it at apologyofstudioscom in the store bad theology hurts people, and I did a post last week on this issue, quoting a Bible verse and just saying bad theology hurts people, and in this case it can hurt people with thermonuclear heat. We're playing with fire when we talk about the conflict happening in the Middle East and with Israel, and so we have to ask the question is that what the Bible is talking about? Because that's what Ted Cruz is asked by Tucker. So that Bible verse is about Benjamin Netanyahu and the modern state of Israel? And of course, tucker's answer to that is yes, and so he's connecting the two.
Speaker 2:Yes, and so he's connecting the two, and so you have influence from senators and representatives in Congress. That influence is going towards the president, and here's the decisions that you should make on this international conflict, because the Bible says and so that's what's being put into our president's ear.
Speaker 2:And so all we're saying is this not making any statements right now about Israel and their pre-emptive strikes and the conflict with Iran a very long history of conflict with Iran. Not saying that. Not saying that Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself. The modern state of Israel shouldn't be able to defend itself. Of course they do have that right. Not saying any of that? That's not part of the discussion here. We're not throwing shade right now at Israel, because that's not part of the discussion here. We're not throwing shade right now at Israel, because that's not part of the discussion. We're asking the question, the simple question who are these promises for and what does the Bible say about Israel and who are the true heirs and descendants of Abraham and heirs according to the promise? What does the scripture say? And I think you'll find after today in the short episode today, the bible is pretty explicit on this point, and so we really shouldn't be getting this wrong.
Speaker 2:You know there might be never be issues that christians can disagree on, because you know it's a small section of scripture. Maybe it's said it's like a one-off thing from the apostle paul, it's not discussed anywhere else and so, like you know, how do you really manage that christians will come to different conclusions on that. Sometimes there's difficult things, uh, that that Scripture talks about, paul talks about, and Peter's response to that is he says that there are some things in Paul's writings that are hard to understand, and he says that unstable and untaught people twist, and so that's a potential that can happen with hard things that are in Scripture. If you're unstable and you're untaught, you're going to mess the whole thing up. It doesn't mean it can't be understood. It means it's hard to understand and you need to be stable and taught, and so this is not one of those issues, because the Bible is actually really, really clear on this.
Speaker 2:The whole sections in the New Testament are about this specific question on who is truly Israel, who's an heir according to the promise. But to buttress the point and explain like why this is so important, we just had conversations. You know you've been on social media, you've seen the news. You know I'm not instructing anybody on this.
Speaker 2:You've seen a lot of it. We've had conversations taking place over the last 14 days on global war, nuclear war, world War III. All those discussions have been happening. Is Russia going to get involved If we do bomb Iran and support Israel in that way and join together with them in this war between the two of them? Is Russia going to get involved? Is China going to get involved? We got threatened by others that if we dared, you know, join the fight with Israel, this other nation was going to do this to us. I mean all these conversations are happening over the last 14 days. You've seen it, you know. I mean it was intense for a little bit there, like what actually is going to happen.
Speaker 2:If you make the wrong move, it can have a lot of consequences long-term with blood and money, and so this is important. This conversation really, really matters. We all just felt how vitally important this conversation is. And so next point, just to give you an example of the support of the evangelical church on this issue and just the popular view. This is Robert Jeffress, first Baptist Dallas, and this was let's see what time was. This is the 9 am service, I believe 9 am service and this is in the first 21 minutes of the service.
Speaker 2:He comes out and he speaks about the conflict with Iran.
Speaker 6:And listen to what he says thank you, cliff, for your music today. Before we have our offer, tory prayer. The remainder of the service.
Speaker 6:I wanted to take just a few moments and say some words about what we all witnessed last night in the strikes against the nuclear facilities in Iran. There's been a lot of debate in our country, especially the last few months, about whether America should support Israel and to what extent should we support Israel. You may have seen the clip that went viral of the debate between Tucker Carlson and Senator Ted Cruz, and Tucker was ridiculing Ted Cruz for saying that as Christians, we were mandated to support Israel. Tucker said where is that in the Bible? And what does it mean to support Israel? Does it mean we support the government of Israel? What does that mean? Well, tucker, let me help you out. Here's what it means to be supportive of Israel. To support Israel first of all means to support Israel's right to exist. The nation of Iran does not believe Israel has the right to exist. Iran has its stated objective to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, and there are other countries that believe that as well.
Speaker 2:So that's, I think, to be fair. It's a rather low bar in terms of like. Why should we support the modern state of Israel? It's a rather low bar in their right to exist. Now, who else would disagree with that, except for, you know, like just insane regimes and terrorist organizations? But wouldn't we say that about any nation? We believe that all people are created in the wombs of their mothers. They're made in the image of God. Every human life has value, dignity and worth. They're created specially by God. They have meaning, they have purpose.
Speaker 2:And so wouldn't we say, just as a blanket across all of humanity and every nation, every ethnos? Wouldn't we say that about everybody, that we support their right to exist? And if somebody wants to erase somebody, that the the first principle is the preservation of human life, and we should say they have a right to exist. So it's interesting to say, in terms of a response to the real substance being aimed at, of who is that promise about? Who is israel? That's the question tucker was asking, and this doesn't get us any closer to the answer. By saying we're first supporting their right to exist, I mean that should be a blanket right upon all of humanity, Generally speaking. That's where we should all be. So I thought this was not overly helpful as an answer to the question that Tucker wanted to know.
Speaker 6:But onward, but in doing so they are going against God himself, unlike any other nation in the world. God created the nation of Israel. Israel was his idea, and he said Israel will endure forever. No other nation, including the United States, has that promise. But Israel has that promise. But Israel has that promise. And second, to support Israel means to support Israel's right to exist in her land. You listen to the left, listen to what's being taught on college campuses. They will have you believe that this land belongs to the Palestinians.
Speaker 2:So, first thing thing, he makes the claim that Israel by the way, I'm not denying that Israel had a very special place and privilege in the redemptive plan of God. There's no question about that. Romans chapter, chapter 3 acknowledges that Paul has to address that issue because, look it, you can't deny the fact that when the Apostle Paul, a pretty amazing Jew, a Pharisee as in law, trained under Gamaliel of the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised the eighth day, I mean he really has the best in terms of his resume when he explains the gospel, as he opens it up, he basically shows that all humanity is under sin and the Jew, just because they think that they're physically descended from Israel and they've got the Bible in their hands, that they're good to go, he shows them, he indicts them. In Romans chapter 2, he says you're not any better off than the Gentiles in terms of this issue of sin because, yeah, you have the Torah, you have the Tanakh, you have the Word of God, the Law of God, but you violate it Like you tell people not to steal but you steal. You tell people not to steal but you steal. You tell people not to do this, but you do the very same things. And so Paul's summary of the conversation is Jew and Gentile are both under sin, both condemned groups and both need Jesus.
Speaker 2:But he explains in Romans, chapter 3 what benefit is it to being a Jew? He says well, much in every way. He says, first of all, they were entrusted with the very oracles of God, you know to them belong. And he starts just naming all the blessings. And so, yeah, there's a great benefit to being a part of that covenant people that God made specific promises to, and promises even for the future, for for the world. And so we're not denying the fact that there's a unique, special place in the redemptive story for the particular people of physical Israel under the old covenant. There's no question about that.
Speaker 2:But he even he said here and I forget the wording he used where it's a unique nation that God himself created and, like God, didn't do that with the other nations. Well, that goes against what the inspired Jewish apostle said about the nations in Acts 17, verse 26. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined a lot of periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. And so maybe it's just the way that he said. It wasn't completely biblically accurate, and I think in this issue we have to be very precise. It's important that we are precise because that goes against biblical theology. Like Israel was created as a nation, god's not done that with anybody else. No, god actually creates all the nations from one man and he even determines their boundaries and whether they rise and fall, and so that's all from God. God is sovereign, he declares the end from the beginning, and so he creates all nations.
Speaker 2:And, yes, the specific physical descendants of Abraham did have a particular blessing and inherited blessings and promises that were unique to that nation, the physical descendants of Israel. There's no question about that. But the new covenant opens up the story so much more as global blessings for the families of the earth and that's the glory of the gospel is just that point. It goes from this one unique thing to something so beautiful and powerful that's going to bless the entire world, which is precisely the promise to Abraham in Genesis, chapter 12. That's how it opens up.
Speaker 2:In you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I mean, it's not like it's something that dropped out of the sky in the New Covenant and no one understood that. Oh man, all the families of the earth are going to be blessed in this with Father Abraham, and that the knowledge of God is going to cover the earth like the waters cover the sea, that the families of the earth were going to be drawn up to God's mountain, the nations were and wow, this is going to go global. They knew that was the promise of the kingdom of the Messiah. This was going to now be global. I mean, abraham's descendants would be as numerous as the stars and like the sand on the seashore. And so we have to be precise here, biblically precise, because the stakes are so high. Bad theology hurts people.
Speaker 6:Here's more there's. And just in the last 50 years, israel tried to come and steal the land that belonged to those poor Palestinians. Nothing could be further from the truth. You look not just at the Bible, but look at secular history, look at archaeology. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt. We know that Israel occupied that land at least 3,000 years ago. It was theirs because God gave it to them and he said this land will be yours forever.
Speaker 2:Now, we can't spend a ton of time today on this particular point, but I think most of what will be said from the scriptures answers that point.
Speaker 2:I just want to point out this specific promise in Romans, chapter 4. The Apostle Paul seemed to view the promises to Israel and the land and the scope of these blessings in a different way and, I would say, in a more comprehensive way than this pastor does. And so it says here in Romans chapterans, chapter 4. It says for the uh. In verse 13, it says for the promise to abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the land. No, it says that he would be heir of the world. Did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the right adherence of the law, who are they to be the heirs? Faith is null and the promise is void. The promise is void but the law brings wrath. But where there is no law, there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring, not only to the adherents of the law, but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Who is Paul speaking to in Romans? To the church. The church is comprised of Jewish, physically Jewish believers and physically Gentile believers, and Paul's making the point that the promises to Abraham that he would inherit the world not just the land, the world those promises are true, those promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And the Apostle Paul is saying specifically that Abraham, father Abraham, the one these promises came through, father Abraham is the father of us all, jews and Gentiles. Jews and Gentiles, we share the same father. Father Abraham is our Father and so it's critical for us to understand that and to get that. And that is a distinct part of Christian theology about Father Abraham and the scope of these promises and the blessings, and we're going to get more into it now. But I think that we have to go to the Bible to say what does the Bible say about these promises and the blessings? And we're going to get more into it now.
Speaker 2:But I think that we have to go to the Bible to say what does the Bible say about these promises? What does the Bible say about the land? What does the Bible say about the world? What does the Bible say about the church? Who is Israel?
Speaker 2:And that was the question that Tucker was trying to get at. Are we talking about the modern state of Israel? Are we talking about the government of Israel? Are of Israel? Are we talking about where, like where the borders are today or in the past? What specifically are we talking about? And if we're going to quote the Bible, if Ted Cruz and this pastor are going to quote the Bible in terms of this particular issue with the modern state of Israel and build an international policy off of it, we need to say, okay, great, I agree with that. The Bible should guide our international policy. In particular, warfare, like just war theory, should be something we all hold to. But I think it's important for us to say if we're going to say it's because the Bible, senator Cruz, then we should go to the Bible and say what does the Bible say about Israel more?
Speaker 6:very clear on this those who oppose Israel are always on the wrong side of history and, most importantly, they're on the wrong side of God, and thank God. That's a bold, bold claim.
Speaker 2:That's a bold, bold claim, Because actually you don't even have to look at modern times.
Speaker 2:And, by the way, this is not throwing shade at Jewish people. All of us are sinners, but that's a bold statement to make before a church. That's an extraordinary claim to make, that if we oppose Jews, as he's using it, israel, that we're on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of God. Because I mean, isn't the Bible replete with examples of Jewish people, physical descendants of Israel, falling into sin and then God bringing them back and causing them to repent and bringing them back, god disciplining his people at times and even sending them into exile? I mean, that happens in the Bible. And so if you're going to make a blanket statement and say, you know, look, if you oppose Israel at any point, then you're on the wrong side of God. It's like, what about when Israel is in sin? I mean, can't we say that Like? I mean, is there something special about the people of Israel, physically, that they don't sin? I mean, the apostle Paul doesn't agree with that. He's an inspired apostle and he's Jewish and he says, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit no, they sin, we sin. He's an inspired apostle and he's Jewish and he says, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit no, they sin, we sin. He says I'm the chief of sinners and they definitely sin. And so I mean, we can't oppose Israel, as he's using it as his general term and what he means is the modern state of Israel, because we're going to be on the wrong side of God.
Speaker 2:What about if the modern state of Israel does something that is flatly contradictory to the word of the living God and inspired scripture? God has spoken and the modern state of Israel violates the Torah? They violate God's standards, his stipulated standards. He says this is my will, here's my prescriptive will, this is what you ought to do. And the modern state of Israel says, no, we're not going to do that. And then they violate God's standards, like say even, for example and I'm not saying this about the Iran conflict, I'm just saying in general we're going to take this pastor's principle here, not oppose them, or we're going to be on the wrong side of God If they make a move that is against the Torah, the law of God, they do that.
Speaker 2:Are we still supposed to support them, or are we going to be on the wrong side of God if we don't? I mean, I don't look, I haven't actually been to Israel myself physically, and I do know, however, and this can be demonstrated that the modern state of Israel is a far, far far cry from Israel in the past in times of great faithfulness. I mean you're talking about issues of homosexuality and sexual perversion. I mean many physically Jewish people today in the modern state of Israel are more cultural Jews and believe in just more traditional Jews and not even necessarily Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox, and they may not even accept the words of the Torah as the actual inspired divine words of God. And so we have to be very specific because the stakes are so great, because if we're being told by an evangelical pastor that to oppose Israel at any point is to be on the wrong side of God himself, I think we need to take that seriously and say that has dramatic consequences for the future in international policy.
Speaker 6:But in a moment. Here you'll see why it matters even more. We finally have a president who understands that dream and Donald Trump. You know, I was watching the news this week and I saw the president getting hit from all sides, including of his own coalition, about Israel. And so Thursday I texted him and I just reminded him that there are millions of Christians who pray for him every day.
Speaker 2:I said, mr President, the vast majority of those Christians are going to trust you and support whatever decision you make, and last night we saw President Trump make the right decision. So the reason I wanted to play through that for a moment is just to show how important it is to get this particular thing right, and again before there's too much resistance.
Speaker 2:I'm not making any claims right now about Israel, the modern state of Israel's right to defend itself in its own sovereignty and to engage in just warfare. Not saying the American government can't say we support that nation, that nation's an ally of ours, about any nation. Not saying that at all. What I am saying is that when you have an evangelical pastor from the pulpit on the Lord's Day spending time talking about this and that he is personally text messaging the president's cell phone saying I support you in this and really pushing the president towards decisions related to Israel that are based upon bad theology, technically bad ecclesiology, who are the called-out ones? Who are they? This is important.
Speaker 2:What is popular in modern evangelicalism in the West regarding perspectives on Israel, the modern state of Israel? And again, I want Jews to come to Jesus, I want them to know Jesus Christ, have faith in Jesus Christ. We have to have love for the Jewish people like we have for all people. Nobody should say this is really bad theology and so let's start hating on the Jews, being nasty to the Jews. I know there are many people who today are clearly anti-Semitic and they just are filled with hostility and hatred towards the Jewish people, and so that's all sin, that's all wrong. We don't want to fall off that cliff and fall into that pit and into that evil.
Speaker 2:No question about that fall off that cliff and fall into that pit and into that evil. No question about that. What I am saying, though, as a minister of the gospel, is that this issue matters and has consequences. It has consequences potentially for my own children, my grandchildren and all of our money, and so there's a lot of blood and consequence in this discussion. And, again, when you have an evangelical pastor spending time on the Lord's Day to talk about this issue and he's contacting the president and encouraging him, I think we need to as Christians, be able to answer this biblically.
Speaker 2:That's the most important thing Answer this biblically. Who is Israel? Who is an heir of all of these promises? And so a couple Bible verses here. And Genesis 12 isn't the only place in Scripture that talks about the blessing and the cursing. You have an example in Numbers 24, verse 9. It says he crouches, he lies down like a lion or a lioness who dares to rouse him. Those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed. And, of course, you already have the Genesis 12, verse 3 section of Scripture. Okay, so let's get into the Bible here and talk about the issue, because what Tucker was getting at with Ted Cruz is the same issue that you'd want to get at with the pastor we just heard from from Dallas and many pastors across evangelicalism in the West.
Speaker 2:And what does the Bible say about who is an heir according to the promise, who are the sons and daughters of Abraham? What does the Bible say about being Jewish, truly Jewish? And it's easy to see clearly In Romans, chapter 2, in verse 28,. The Apostle Paul is dealing with the issue of who is truly Jewish, who's an heir according to the promise, who's a true Jew, not just someone who says they're Jewish or is physically descended from Israel. Who's truly Jewish? And in Romans 2.28, the inspired apostle, jewish apostle, says this no, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise did not come from men, but from God. A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.
Speaker 2:This is right in the middle of the discussion of Jew-Gentile distinctions and relations, and it's moving right into Romans, chapter 3, where the Apostle Paul then goes in to say all of sin, jew and Gentile. There is none righteous, no, not one, none who seeks for God. Their throats are open graves, the poison of asps is under their lips. Their feet are swift to shed blood. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Who's he talking about? Who's he talking about? He's talking about Jews and Gentiles. The whole human race are all fallen under sin. The Apostle Paul makes it clear All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That's the beginning, the start, your engines, of the explanation of the gospel. We talk about who God is, we talk about who we are. We talk about our fallenness and sin, our abiding against God, and that leads us to the cross, to the Jewish Messiah who died for the sins of his people on the cross, and so this is one of the most important discussions and there can't be any confusion about that.
Speaker 2:Listen, when you say that the true Israel of God is comprised of both Jews and Gentiles into one people of God, you're not denying that there are people who today say they are physically descended from Israel. You're not denying that there are people who today say they are physically descended from Israel. You're not denying that ethnos. You're not saying that. You're saying, however, that the Bible has a pretty specific description and definition of who the Israel of God truly is, who is truly an heir according to the promise.
Speaker 2:And in the Apostle Paul's day he says as a Jew, physically, who is in Christ. He says these people over here who don't know Jesus, though they are physically descended from Israel. You can use that category. You can say that about them. They are not Jewish truly. They are outwardly appearing as Jewish or as Israel, but they actually are not truly Israel, because you see the circumcision they think that counts is the one that's outward. They think this is all about outward physical descent, all that. That's what they think. And the Apostle Paul, who is Jewish himself physically, says that's not what makes you a Jew. This is an inward thing by the Spirit of God, not an outward thing. You must be circumcised in the heart like the physical heart, not even the physical heart. That's not what Jewish people meant by the heart, not a physical thing. When they talk about the heart in Scripture, they're not talking about the physical thing of the heart. They're talking about something that is much deeper, more transcendent than that.
Speaker 2:And the Apostle Paul starts the explanation of the Gospel talking about Jew and Gentile distinction, making it very clear no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly. Nor is circumcision outward and physical to which the physically descended from Abraham Jew of his day could have said to him no, paul, that's not true. I actually am ethnically Jewish. I actually am physically descended from Father Abraham. It's not true that I'm not a physical Jew or outwardly Jew. I mean, I even have the circumcision. Look, I even follow the law. At that point I've got the circumcision itself. And the Apostle Paul says none of that is relevant in the new covenant and what God has done by his spirit here. All the promises are fulfilled in Jesus. Everything we were expecting with Mashiach has occurred now, and he's making the point there is a true Israel and there is a pseudo Israel, a false Israel, a true Jew and a false Jew. He is the one who gives the category outward and inward, what is true and real and what is not, and that's how he starts to explain the gospel. Now there's more on this If you go to your Bibles into Galatians, chapter 3, oh man, there's so much in Galatians.
Speaker 2:So just a quick background on the letter of Paul to the church in Galatia. In Galatians you have a very tense situation where the Apostle Paul opens up in Galatians 1. I mean, right after the greeting. It's like I am amazed. I mean, imagine coming to church in Galatia, you've got a letter from the Apostle Paul. This inspired apostle writes a letter and it's being read before the congregation.
Speaker 2:You've got Jews and Gentiles right and you know, you've all had this tense situation now with, like you know, should we circumcise the Gentile converts so they can become Jewish first and then they're really part of the body of Christ? You know, jesus is Messiah and all of that. He died and rose again. None of that's being denied. We've got these Gentile believers not circumcised. Should we get them circumcised so they become Jewish first, and part of that covenant thing, and then they're good to go? You've got the apostle Peter being referenced there in terms of something he did, where he slipped and he was making it appear that he was denying the gospel and its benefits. But Paul opens up, freaking out. I'm amazed that you're so quickly deserting him. Who called you, by the grace of Christ, to another gospel, which is really not another? And what's the issue? The issue is Jew-Gentile issues who's allowed at the table, who's truly Jewish, and should we circumcise these Gentile converts, all that stuff?
Speaker 2:So in Galatians, chapter 3, this is what the Apostle Paul says and it's directly related to this issue. He says O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain? If indeed it was in vain, does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you. Do so by works of the law or by hearing with faith, and here's the quotation. Just as Abraham quote from the Old Testament believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. That's the question. How was Father Abraham, the father of us?
Speaker 2:all how was he justified before God? But was it by the law?
Speaker 2:I mean it's hundreds of years before law was given and it was before he even offered his son Isaac on the altar. I mean so this is just Abraham with nothing. And it says Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. That's what's quoted, not just here by Paul, but in Romans as well. Here it is Ready. So Abraham believes, he just has faith. He believes God, and God justifies him, declares him righteous, all right, he's our father. So if you're going to be a child of Abraham, a true Jew, a true descendant of Abraham, if you're an heir according to the promise, you have to be of the same faith as Abraham. In other words, it's not faith and law and do this and circumcision. He says how is Father Abraham made right with God? How is he justified? Through faith he believed. Okay, that's the whole point there Paul's making when he's dealing with the circumcision issue.
Speaker 2:Now watch here's where it gets right to the point on this issue. It says know this verse 7 of Galatians 3, that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. Now, by the way, in the context, who are the ones being talked about? Who are of faith? Jewish believers and Gentile believers? That is the context. That's the point Paul's trying to make to these people who are saying you've got to circumcise, at least keep that one part of the law, at least circumcise them. That's really important for us as Jewish people. And Paul says know, then, that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham and the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham saying here it is in you shall all the nations be blessed. What is he quoting from Genesis, chapter 12. The same thing being referenced by Ted Cruz and by Jeffress and evangelical pastors everywhere. Paul's quoting in you shall all the nations be blessed. So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. So, according to the inspired Jewish apostle, if you are of the faith of Jesus Christ, you have faith in Jesus Christ, whether you are Jew, physically descended, or Gentile, not a part of that. He says, you are now blessed along with Abraham. You are those who are blessed with him. You are part of the nations who are already blessed by him and you are a son of Abraham.
Speaker 2:And so when someone says, should we stand with Israel? My answer first yes and no Israel, my answer first, yes and no. Yes, depending on who you say. Israel is, who's an heir according to the promise, according to the premier Jewish apostle who wrote much of the New Testament, it says those who are of faith, who are the sons of Abraham. And so should we stand with Israel, sons of Abraham? And so should we stand with Israel? Well, yes, sure, absolutely. I mean there's caveats to that, like if it was a Christian sin, we should stand against them and say stop sinning against God. We should always leave room for rebuke and confrontation. Please, let's make sure we have that caveat always.
Speaker 2:But someone says will you stand with Israel? I'm going to say you mean that people of God, the body of believers, the true people of God, the true Israel that are comprised of both physical descendants, jews and Gentiles, who are all equally sons of Father Abraham, equally heirs according to that promise. I mean brothers and sisters. It seems to me this is so simple. This is so Christianity 101. How are we getting this wrong? And again, bad theology hurts people.
Speaker 2:In this case, we talk about nations in conflict and nations with thermonuclear weapons. We're talking about consequences that we've never even, we can't even truly fathom. All we can do is really guess and speculate you know, just probably seen a lot of that last couple days as well like in terms of how far away do I need to be from nuclear blast? I mean those are the conversations kicked around on tick tock and youtube and instagram and everything else and facebook. I mean those are the conversations. I mean how far away exactly do you need to be from nuclear blast 50 miles, adequate, or 75 or 100 miles, and how long exactly does that fall out and the consequence from the fallout last? These are the conversations that are happening.
Speaker 2:And again, I'm not making commentary right now, brothers and sisters, on purpose, on the preemptive strike that Israel, the modern state of Israel, made. I'm being very clear on that. I'm not making any comments on that. I'm not making any substantial comments on that. That's a discussion for a different episode. We could talk about just war theory and all of that. What I am talking about is the current underneath the nudge to risk nuclear war or conflict, in war with other nations, that current being well, because God says and if you oppose the modern state of Israel, then you're opposing God. That's what the man said.
Speaker 2:And you read the New Testament. I mean, look, you could read the first six or seven books of the New Testament and then listen to what that pastor said in Dallas and go, yeah, I don't see it. That seems foreign to what Jesus said, to what the Apostle Paul said. That seems completely foreign and so I don't get it. I don't understand how that's being used as a justification and so next, more Again, this will be a text-heavy and video-heavy show today.
Speaker 2:So here is an interesting point, because the Apostle Paul here in Romans 9, we've already been in Romans in Romans chapter 9, now he does something interesting because people will often say oh, so you think Jews and Gentiles in one body is Israel, so you believe in replacement theology? The person who says that, honestly, you're demonstrating your ignorance. I don't want to be nasty to you, mean to you when you talk about a historic Christian doctrine and belief. That is just what the Apostle Paul said here and what Christians have believed many times in many places that Jews and Gentiles are part of that same tree, israel. It is the true people of God, the true Israel. We're all part of this.
Speaker 2:When you say that and someone says, well, that's replacement theology, you're demonstrating your abject ignorance and you haven't studied the issues because we're saying no, there has always been a true people of God. There is specifically referenced an Israel tree and Gentiles getting grafted in other branches, cut off and all that. But you have the people of God, the true people of God, and that's what Paul's point there is. Jews and Gentiles are part of this one true people of God, the Israel of God. When you say that people say replacement theology and you're not acknowledging, physical descendants of Israel are referenced in Scripture. There's a category for that, no question about that. There's a category for those who were physically descended from Israel and were called Jews. But Paul makes a point. There's a layer deeper and more meaningful that God cares most about here, and you should care most about here of who's inwardly a Jew, who's truly a Jew, who's truly Israel. But here's a point where the Apostle Paul gives the category distinctions and then gives a full explanation.
Speaker 2:Romans, chapter 9,. He says this I'm speaking the truth in Christ, I'm not lying. My conscience bears witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers. That's deep love. Brothers and sisters, no question, my kinsmen, according to the flesh, they are Israelites and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises. So like, what are the benefits of being part of that? Well, all of that, it's incredible Gifts, blessings. To be entrusted with the very Word of God to protect that, to preserve that, to pass that along. That's huge. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Messiah, who is God over all, blessed forever. There's reference, by the way, there to the deity of Christ. Thank you for that, paul. Here it is Watch, but.
Speaker 2:But so he gives the category distinction. Here's of the flesh, here's the blessings, all of that. He's already said before. Who is a true Jew? He's already said that in Romans, chapter 2. Who is a true Jew? Who's an heir, according to these promises We've already done all that.
Speaker 2:And now he's talking about people physically descended, who have inherited these blessings and these promises, he says. But it is not as though the word of God has failed. And here it is, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel and not all are children of Abraham, because they are his offspring. But through but through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not. It is not. It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. Now Tucker at one point had asked Ted Cruz like who are they? We're just supposed to bless them and not curse them and support them. Who are they? Like the people there. That's what God is talking about when he says Israel. He's talking about today, the people in the modern state of Israel, like within the borders of Israel now, like the government of Israel, that whole modern state of Israel. That's what God is talking about. That's who truly Israel is. And Ted Cruz said, yes, it's them. It's them over there right now. Really so. Someone today who is an ultra-Orthodox Jew and you can go look at these videos for yourself who says that Jesus Christ is burning an excrement in hell who says that Jesus Christ was a false messiah, that he's a false prophet. They despise Jesus. They spit on Christians who are walking through the streets of Jerusalem. That person is Israel according to the Bible. Let that hang for a second. That person is Israel, paul said. He said, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. Ted Cruz and Jeffress said no, actually they are. Why? Because they're physically descended from Israel. These are the physical descendants in the land today.
Speaker 2:And so when Tucker says, well, who's Israel them? Ted Cruz says yeah, them them over there in the land, not according to the inspired apostle. Who's Jewish, by the way? He says, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel and not all are children of. This is to make the point. We have Father Abraham, the promises to Abraham and to his descendants to inherit the entire world.
Speaker 2:If you are a child of Abraham, if you're true Israel, if you're truly a Jew, inwardly you are of the faith of Abraham, and that is something that both Jews and Gentiles Jews and Gentiles do. They have faith in Jesus. They are the true Israel of God. They have faith in Jesus. They are the true Israel of God. They are the true Jew inwardly. I mean, you can't get more explicit than that, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. So when someone says blanket statement bless and don't curse, you'll be blessed or you will be cursed.
Speaker 2:Okay, who does this have to happen with? Those people over there in the land right now, those ones, the ones who desp in the land right now, those ones, the ones who despise the name of Christ. Many of them, the vast majority of them, do not turn to Christ in faith. We want them to. We need more missionaries and evangelists to go to them and to bring the good news that many Jewish believers physically Jewish people today have come to faith in Jesus Christ and are believers in Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2:But it is all of us who are Abraham's descendants by faith and we are Jews inwardly. We are the true circumcision and so, jew and Gentile, we should be able to say shalom, peace with God, because we are heirs according to the promise, through that promise, through Isaac, and it's not a physical thing. And so we can't just generally say here's the promises to Israel and that goes to them right now. Something that needs to be pointed out and this listen, this is not intended to be scandalous or controversial. We just have to say it as it is, as Christians Listen. Not saying this, not saying this endangers people's souls. Not saying this endangers people's souls. Not saying this endangers people's souls. So I'm going to say this right now, not to be controversial. I'm going to say it because it's true and if we don't do it, we're losing our ability to evangelize and that is this.
Speaker 2:The vast majorities of the Jews since the days of Jesus, his life, death, resurrection and ascension. The vast majority of Jews throughout history have gone to hell because they don't have faith in Jesus. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father. But by me, interesting, years ago I was oh man, many years ago goodness gracious, how many years ago was this, I don't know, 20 years ago or something like that the great church. It was such a good church, it was really a solid church, reformed church, great in every way. But they held to this perspective about Israel and we were in the membership class. And in the membership class we're going over all the verses of predestination and calling and justification and chosen people of God and everything else. And so of course, that is just chocked full of Scripture, you know God's choice and sovereign will and salvation and predestination and all that stuff. And so somehow the question and I didn't bring it up, all right, I didn't do it, I didn't bring it up Somehow the question of like, okay, so like then Christians are God's chosen? And of course the answer was yes, obviously, abraham's descendants, predestined by God, chosen by God, called by God, justified by God and so at the same time, this conversation is happening. That is all about that conversation about. You know, we're chosen by God, we're his children.
Speaker 2:There was still an understanding with some in the room that this particular church holds to this perspective of the modern state of Israel, that those are the chosen people of God. They're the chosen people of God. And so somebody rightly asked the question. They were like well, if all the chosen people of God are all in this whole predestination thing and chosen thing, God choosing them by his grace, you know, if Christians are heirs of that and part of that, well, you said the Jews are the chosen people of God. And he was like, well, yes, they are, and then they go. Well, if they're chosen by God, aren't they saved?
Speaker 2:And then there's like this awkward silence for like 15 seconds where the guy was trying to like bring these two conflicting things together in his own mind like the jews are the chosen people of god today in the land over there. And, uh, you know, as christians we're obviously chosen by god and saved. And so the guy was like trying to put together his head and then the person said this weird, they're obviously new to the faith they go. Does that mean there's like a different level of heaven or a place in heaven for, like Jews who don't believe in Jesus because they are chosen by God? And the guy actually said I never thought about that. Maybe there is. Maybe there is a different place in heaven for those who are chosen by God, jews who reject Jesus as Messiah. They're like not being able to bring that together. If you're chosen by God, you're going to be saved. He chooses you, he saves you. If they're the chosen people of God, they're rejecting Christ, but they're still the chosen people of God. Doesn't that mean they're going to be in heaven?
Speaker 1:one day.
Speaker 2:It was just an interesting way to see those things kind of conflict. But we need to say the vast majority of Jews throughout church history have gone to hell. And I don't relish, I'm not excited about that. That's a horrific thing. That means that we have to raise up missionaries and evangelists to reach them. So that's in no way something that's a happy thought. That's a sad, sad view of church history and there's no question in church history there's many examples of sin and abuse from the church to the Jews. There's no question about that. We shouldn't give the church a pass when she fails in her duties to obey and honor Christ, no question about that. But we need to admit the truth in terms of what does the Bible say about how a person is saved? And that's through Christ and in Christ and only Christ, through faith in him. And so today, I would say today, same thing. Today, I would say the majority of people who call themselves Jews today in the modern state of Israel are, as of right now and I don't want this to be true, 30 seconds from now are going to hell. And that's only because the Bible. You can only say that because the Bible clearly teaches about how salvation is possible and it is only a the Bible. You can only say that because the Bible clearly teaches about how salvation is possible and it is only a gift of God's grace and it is only through faith in Jesus Christ. What God has accomplished in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is only through faith in him. That is it, and so I think it's important for us to say that out loud, to say it out loud.
Speaker 2:Now, of course, the next section to point to in terms of the question of who is true Israel I think it's answered already clearly at this point but of course, is the discussion of Romans 11. We could do more on this, but Romans 11 is a critically important one. 11 through 31. Paul says through 31. Paul says so. I ask did they stumble in order that they might fall? He's talking about who? Physical Jews, descendants of Israel? He says by no means. Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles so as to make Israel jealous. So he still has the category of who is true Israel. He's already said that in Romans 9. Who is true Israel? Who is not true Israel? But he also has a category generally when we say Israel, those physical descendants over there. He says so as to make Israel jealous. Now, if their trespass means riches for the world and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean? Now I'm speaking to you, gentiles, and as much then as I'm an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean? But life from the dead? He's excited about that idea.
Speaker 2:If the dill offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in? See, here's the whole thing. And people talk about replacement theology.
Speaker 2:What is Paul saying here? He says all right, here's this nourishing root of the olive tree. The olive tree is there. All right, here's the olive tree. That's the olive tree. You, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others, and now sharing the nourishing root. So what's that mean? Oh, there's this true Israel, this true olive tree, true Israel, this true olive tree, and you, the wild olive have been grafted in. And he says this do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say branches are broken off, so not even grafted in. That's true, they were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear, for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note, then, the kindness and the severity of God, severity towards those who have fallen, but God's kindness towards you, provided you continue in his kindness, otherwise you too will be cut off. Now my point here is when we talk about how Scripture describes the people of God and this tree. It describes it as this one tree clearly containing Jews and Gentiles, and Paul making remarks on the fact that you've been grafted into this thing of the people of God, the true Israel of God. He's already had this discussion, but it's Jews and Gentiles who are part of that blessing, not simply physical descendants of Abraham, and so critically important discussion to have.
Speaker 2:I do want to also point out at interesting in Galatians, chapter 6. If you guys just go read Galatians, read, of course I already did chapter 3, but read Galatians all the way through. It's six chapters, super easy to get through. It's interesting that the Apostle Paul summarizes the whole entire letter in this way. He says this in verse 13 of chapter 6. He says the Old Creation is done away with. According to the Apostle Paul, the old system, all of that is done away with. We're a new creation in Christ Jesus. He's like that stuff that doesn't matter anymore. That's not defining the people of God. We are a new creation and he says this. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. It is interesting that he chose that language in the discussion about who's truly a Jew. Is it circumcision? How are we doing this? Who's part of the true people of God? I love that he ended it in that way.
Speaker 2:But it is also important to point out in terms of who are the chosen people of God, because people would say the Jews are the chosen people of God. I would say those who have faith in Jesus Christ are the chosen people of God. Somebody who rejects Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is not to be identified as the chosen people of God. I mean, if somebody hates Jesus just is repulsed by the gospel message, they find it offensive, they will not come to Christ in faith. That person is identifying the fact that they are not, at least at the moment, in terms of identification, the chosen people of God.
Speaker 2:Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 4, talks about Christians being chosen by God. We are the chosen people of God In 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9,. We are the chosen people of God In 1 Peter 2, verse 9, the Apostle Peter refers to the people of God, the church, with the language that was used of Israel in the Old Testament. That is critical Because again, tucker was asking Ted Cruz who's Israel? Those promises mean the people over there today. Right, those people, those are the Israel of God, those are the true Jews.
Speaker 2:1 Peter 2, verse 9, inspired apostle says this he said but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Speaker 2:That's 1 Peter, 2, verse 9,. Everybody, that is the apostle Peter, by the way, also a Jew, physically Descended from Israel. Okay, no problems there, but he is now taking the language of Israel in the Old Testament right, all that language of a chosen nation and a royal priesthood, and chose all that, and who's he applying it to Christians? The church which, by the way, is comprised of Jews and Gentiles. So all those designations, all those promises, all of that is being now given to this beautiful display of the people of God that contains both Jews and Gentiles, heirs according to the promise, children of Abraham. I think that's important and I think we should care about that, because, again, people are using this discussion to affect international policy and even whether or not we should go to war. Because I saw it, and I know you probably saw it too. I saw people excited about the possibility of World War III and saying we don't need to worry about these other nations if they get involved.
Speaker 2:We don't even need to worry about nuclear weapons and bloodshed and the military lines. We don't even worry about that. All we need to know is that if we enter into this conflict, god's going to bless us as a nation, because God blesses those who bless. Israel curses those who curse them. So I want to be on the side of blessing and so forget about my children, their safety, their lives, forget about the potential for famine and cutting off oil and supply chain issues and all the rest, trillions of dollars of debt given to my grandchildren. Forget about all that because it doesn't matter, because the blanket thing is bless those people over there, the ones over there who reject Jesus. I'm not saying that we shouldn't support Israel when it honors God, the modern state of Israel, when they are right to defend themselves when they're acting righteously, according to God's standards.
Speaker 2:Of course, we should always, as a nation, say, hey, thank God for that that person's right over there, not saying that, I'm saying. But when you have a policy and you have a belief system that says that we can just forget the future and concern for our children and grandchildren and our neighbors' lives, because we have this peculiar understanding of this Bible verse that says bless those people in that land right now, no matter what they're doing wrong, and again, I'm not making any commentary today on just war theory and what was done wrong or right.
Speaker 2:I'm talking about the principle issues in the belief system that is feeding so much of this. Maybe it matters to me a lot. I know it matters to. I hate to sound like an old person, but I'm starting to sound like an old person. I'm not. Maybe it matters so much to me because I've got seven children and I've got six living grandchildren.
Speaker 2:Maybe that's why it matters a lot to me I mean it mattered to me before theologically and of course I cared about that. It mattered. But it really matters to me. My son is 17 years old and my older son is in the military. He's his mid-20s and you know. So I think about these things as a father with these boys that I love and how these things affect them, and my oldest son has three little boys of his own. I've got grandchildren, I've got little twin girls that are, you know, not even two years old yet. So I think about these things and I hear these guys with bad theology that hurts people and I look at my kids and I go you're going to potentially mess with my ability to love and care for my own children. This bad theology has consequences on my family, my boys, my girls, my grandchildren. It really really matters. It's going to affect my neighbors, my grandchildren. It really really matters. It's going to affect my neighbors. I would say that is for me a very personal and practical reason why this matter so much. But it also primarily matters theologically and we need to get the Bible right and our interpretation of these things right because it matters. All right next. So that moved us into.
Speaker 2:I'm just going to do two parts here, just two quick things that moved us into a pretty epic moment for the history in the history of the United States of America. I'm not going to make commentary today. I think it would be better to do a full show. Obviously this show was already long.
Speaker 2:I think it would be better to do a full show on just war theory and talk about what happened with Israel and Iran and then our involvement. I want to do that later rather than today because we've already sort of emphasized the main point. But no matter what your perspective is on what, we ended up doing as a nation in Iran and dropping the Moabs and first time in use in like that, we tested them, of course, but first time actually in use in in conflict and we drop those. No matter what your belief is about Israel and Iran and us, what happens, you've got to admit what took place was pretty epic. It was pretty awesome to be able to get into Iran's airspace, to drop our bombs and then to get out of there before apparently anything was even shot at us. But no aircraft were mobilized and sent up to us, and so I'm just going to play as many I was talking about today and some people were like I didn't even see that.
Speaker 2:You should see it because it happened and it's pretty epic for our nation to be able to say, hey, praise God that as a nation we have that kind of technology. Here is them speaking on the details of the strike, so I want you guys to hear it, just in case you haven't.
Speaker 8:Doing our nation's work and nice to see everybody on this early Sunday morning nation's work. And nice to see everybody on this early Sunday morning. Last night, on the President's orders, us Central Command, under the command of General Eric Carilla, executed Operation Midnight Hammer, a deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities. This was a complex and high-risk mission carried out with exceptional skill and discipline by our joint force. I want to thank every service member, planner, operator that made this mission possible. Their actions reflect the highest standards of the United States Armed Forces. This operation was designed to severely degrade Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure. It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theaters with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation's choosing. This was a highly classified mission, with very few people in Washington knowing the timing or nature of this plan. I'll refer you to the graphic on the side as I walk you through some of the operational details.
Speaker 8:At midnight Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States as part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise. Part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa. The main strike package, comprised of seven B-2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications. Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area, the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuelings. Once over land, the B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed maneuver requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace. All done with minimal communications. This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world.
Speaker 8:At approximately 5 pm Eastern Standard Time last night, and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a US submarine in the Central Command Area of Responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Esfahan. As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the US employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface-to-air missile threats. The strike package was supported by US Strategic Command, us Transportation Command, us Cyber Command, us Space Command, us Space Force and US European Command and US European Command as the strike package approached Fordow and Natanz. The US protection package employed high-speed suppression weapons to ensure safe passage of the strike package, with fighter assets employing preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian surface-to-air threats. We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the US strike package on the way in.
Speaker 8:At approximately 6.40 pm Eastern Standard Time, 2.10 am Iran time, the lead B-2 dropped two GVU-57 massive ordnance penetrator weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow. As the president stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 MOPS dropped against two nuclear target areas. All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6.40 pm and 7.05 pm Eastern Time Again, that's about 2.10 in the morning local time in Iran, with the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike at Esfahan. To ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation Following weapons release, the Midnight Hammer strike package exited Iranian airspace and the package began its return home. We are unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out.
Speaker 2:So I know it was long, but I wanted to play that. So if you didn't get a chance to hear it now, you know just how, what an incredible operation that was. And you have to think about this this is what I was thinking a lot about that it's got to be so hard today to do some of this, because everybody has satellite, everybody has the ability to see what aircraft are in the air, everybody can track this stuff, everybody can see, even, at times, what's on the ground, and so the fact that we were able to get these b2 bombers, with these epic bombs, with fighter jets, all that stuff, to have decoys and to get it into Iranian airspace and to perform this mission and then to get out is pretty incredible in terms of military readiness, technology planning, all that stuff. You have to admit what a gift of God's grace and blessing that God has given to this nation in terms of being able to pull these sorts of things off. It really is incredible.
Speaker 2:And again, this is not a statement today, because we would do a just war theory discussion and a different thing in terms of Israel's preemptive strike and all of this. Not a discussion on that. Just war theory is a different subject we should talk about, but we can at least say hey, look, in this case this is actually pretty amazing. So more happened after that. The next couple of days were really everybody asking the question is Iran going to fight back? Are they going to do something to fight back? And of course, there was all the threats and you know we're in this for the long run kind of threats to us as a nation. Everyone's questioning are other nations going to get involved? Now, is this going to spark a world war? Is Russia going to get involved?
Speaker 1:And everyone's asking Putin they're like are you going to?
Speaker 2:do something about this. And he said you know, it's not my war, which was commendable of the man, and so everyone's sort of like you know, bated breath, waiting, are they going to do something? And of course, you know our response even there was, I mean, in the discussion that Trump had, like the three or four minute discussion he had, and then that they made the point to Iran if you do anything, you know we're going to retaliate and fight back. Don't do anything, now's the time for peace, which I thought was kind of interesting, actually, by the way, like you know, uh, we dropped these bombs and then we're like now, now's the time for peace.
Speaker 2:Um, it was just it's. It's such a twisted, fallen world we live in where you know, you know we have conflicts like this where it just seems so weird the things that are said. It all feels weird, um, but everyone's waiting with bated breath saying, uh, what's going to happen next? And of course, iran fired um 18, was it 18? Missiles? Forgive me if I got that wrong.
Speaker 2:I believe it was 18 18 missiles back, but they gave forewarning that they were going to do it, uh, to qatar and, of course, to us, and uh, and so not uh, one of those missiles, uh, struck a target. We blew them out of the sky and I think president trump said that one of the missiles was let they let go to fly because it wasn't going to hit any targets. And so then President Trump, fairly quickly after that, announced that Israel and Iran were now going to have a ceasefire. And what was interesting was I was like, oh, oh, thank God. I mean it's been a rough last 12 days, but, um, at least now okay, good, and we're agreeing to a ceasefire.
Speaker 1:And then it was weird, like a couple hours later I started seeing reports from, you know, fairly reputable news agencies that iran was like we don't know anything about the peace deal, nothing about a ceasefire.
Speaker 2:We don't know we haven't even seen anything. So I was like I kind of went to bed last night thinking, uh, that's weird. Like he president said there's a ceasefire agreement. They're saying they've never heard such a thing or didn't see such a thing. It's not true. And so I went to bed like I guess maybe it's not over. And then I woke up this morning to I guess the ceasefire was a real deal.
Speaker 2:And then I think this is the first time in American history if you haven't seen this yet, get ready. If you haven't seen this yet, get ready. I think this is the first time in American history that an American sitting president has been on camera with the media, before the American public and said this in the middle of a military conflict. Now I want to warn you, forewarn you. I'm leaving it because I think you need to get the full effect. I want to forewarn you if you have children around, there's going to be a curse word here from our sitting president, before the cameras and the media. So I've warned you ahead of time. There's a curse word here from our president. But apparently the ceasefire was agreed to and Israel was still engaging, and I guess Iran is still engaging in some way, and so this is President Trump showing his dissatisfaction. If you haven't seen this yet, get ready for this.
Speaker 5:Yeah, they violated, but Israel violated it too. Israel as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs the likes of which I've never seen before, the biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel. You know when I say OK, now you have 12 hours, you don't go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them, so I'm not happy with them. I'm not happy with Iran either, but I'm really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning because of one rocket that didn't land was shot, perhaps by mistake, that didn't land. I'm not happy about that. We have we basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing.
Speaker 2:you understand that he's obviously had a rough couple of days. No question, I mean, I'd say any of us in that same situation for the last 12 days would be, you know, pulling our hair out and, you know, probably taking anxiety medication perhaps. But yeah, he's under a lot of stress, I guess, and I actually was very thankful. I'm not thankful, of course, for how he approached it. I was thankful to see him willing to chastise both nations At least at that point. It looked like somebody who was trying to stand in the middle, who was trying to make peace between nations, who doesn't want war and is willing to chastise somebody that was seen as his partner in this. So at least Iran could see that he's willing to condemn the person that Iran sees as his partner and say that they don't know what they're doing. And so I like that. That was like a just position to stand in the middle, equal weights and measures. Condemn them. You're both wrong. Stop doing what you're doing. I'm trying to help, I'm trying to bring peace. I did like that. I really respected that about what the president did there. Of course, the language was interesting and I think that officially is the first time, unless I'm wrong, something pretty wrong. I think that's the first time we've ever seen an American president say something like that to the media, before the American public, in the middle of a military conflict. I found that to be quite amusing. And so there you go, everybody. I hope the show is a blessing to you.
Speaker 2:I know that it's an important subject. I want to again reiterate my love and my respect for brothers and sisters who are watching this right now, who disagree on this subject. I know that we have unity in the faith around our Savior and Lord, jesus Christ. We're all saved by the same blood and same body, and so we're all heirs of Abraham, we're all part of the people of God, we're all children of God, and I know all of us have some part of our theology or our beliefs that are off in some way. Nobody has perfect theology here, but this word, this book, is what is supposed to guide us. It is supposed to be the standard, and I think we all need to be willing to test. When I say all, I do mean me All be willing to test even our cherished traditions. And my point here is that and I think we can all at least agree on this that the stakes were pretty high over the last two weeks they were pretty high.
Speaker 2:And if people are going to say that our involvement needs to be because of this particular interpretation of these Bible verses, we ought to be able to say, with grace and humility and love towards each other, well then, let's find out what the Bible actually says about that. Let's interpret those Bible verses rightly in context with all of Scripture. Let's see what the Bible actually says, because the consequence of getting this wrong could mean people die and a lot of people die, and all of us should be caring about that. We need to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Bad theology hurts people and, like I said in my post the other day, in this case, bad theology hurts people means with thermonuclear heat potentially, and that should matter to all of us, even with our disagreements with each other. And so love you all.
Speaker 2:Thank you, guys so much for spending time today. If you would share this episode, because we didn't have a plan for an episode this week decided to do this because this is the conversation in the atmosphere. I thought this would be a huge blessing for the sake of the gospel itself and the people of God, and so if you would share the episode, let's get this conversation out there so that Christians who've never even really thought this through maybe can start engaging with this a little bit more and be looking into the scriptures and all of us can come to, essentially, I think, a unity at least on a point that it really does matter what we say about this, because there are real consequences and so we should really really care about this. Again, we want to try to have the just war theory discussion in another episode. So if you're excited about that, let me know, and if there's enough excitement about that and you care enough about that conversation, maybe we'll do one in the next two weeks on just war theory. I think it'll blow your mind just how amazing that particular thing is in church history.
Speaker 2:Just war theory developed because of the Bible, because of the Christian church throughout the centuries, and I think it's just a blessing and a gift to the world, and the Bible does speak a lot on this subject, and so when we are filtering through the news about this action's taken, we're thinking about doing this. We should be able to come to it with the Bible and say well, wait a minute, let's make sure that we're in line with Scripture here, that the Word of God is being honored here and that God is pleased with this conflict. I'm happy and I'll end with this conflict. I'm happy, I'll end with this. I am happy that in this great American experiment before the Revolutionary War or the War for Independence kicked off, that people in the colonies did care about just war theory. They did care about firing a first shot.
Speaker 2:The pastor who led that first group after the declaration of the Redcoats are coming, the pastor who led that first group after the declaration of the redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming. That pastor specifically said God will not bless an offensive war and I'm so glad that there were men and women who believed that and fought that way. And so we'll do that. If you're interested, we'll do it soon. But thank you guys for all for watching Again. Please share this across your social media platforms and go to ApologiaStudioscom for more and sign up for all access there.