Something Brand New in Every Way
Throughout history, the people of Israel have played a central role in God's redemptive plan. From the promises made to Abraham, to the giving of the Law through Moses, to the royal line of David, Israel was chosen to bear witness to God's faithfulness and to bring forth the Messiah. In this sense, Israel absolutely matters. But we must be careful not to distort the biblical significance of Israel by importing assumptions foreign to the Gospel.
God’s Plan Was Always Christ-Centered
The entire Old Testament points to Jesus Christ. The genealogies, the temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices, the festivals—all of it anticipates the One in whom all the promises of God find their “Yes” and “Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus Himself declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Fulfillment does not mean mere continuation—it means culmination. In Christ, the shadows become substance (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1).
The Church Is the Fulfillment of God’s People
When Jesus ascended and poured out the Spirit at Pentecost, the Church was not born as Plan B. Rather, it was the flowering of God's plan all along to bring both Jew and Gentile together in one body through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:14–16). This is why Paul calls the Church “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). Gentiles are not second-class citizens in God's household, nor are Jews excluded. We are all grafted into the same tree by faith (Romans 11). The Church does not “replace” Israel, it IS God’s Israel, and it is not defined by lineage but by faith. If one looks carefully enough, this has always been the case.
Christ Reigns Now—and Will Return Once
Some Christian traditions teach that Jesus will return to establish a literal 1,000-year reign on earth centered in Jerusalem. But this view (called premillennialism) misreads the highly symbolic language of Revelation. The Lutheran Confessions, consistent with historic Christian teaching, reject this idea. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). He reigns now—through His Word, His Sacraments, and His Church. The "millennium" of Revelation 20 is not a future golden age, but a present reality in which the risen Christ reigns spiritually until His return.
When Christ comes again, it will not be to set up a new earthly government, but to judge the living and the dead, ushering in the new heavens and new earth. There will be no third temple, no sacrificial system, and no separate destiny for ethnic Israel and the Church. There will be, as always, one people of God, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
God Has Not Rejected the Jews
Paul is clear in Romans 11: “Has God rejected His people? By no means!” The Gospel remains for the Jew first and also for the Gentile (Romans 1:16). Yet salvation does not come through ancestry, but through faith. “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel” (Romans 9:6). The Church’s mission, therefore, is not to idolize political Israel, but to bring the Gospel to all nations—including the Jewish people—so that they too may believe and be saved.
Prophecy Points to Christ, Not Headlines
Many today search for signs of the end times in modern political events, particularly those related to the state of Israel. But Scripture teaches that the return of Christ will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2). We are not called to decode newspaper headlines, but to remain watchful, faithful, and rooted in the Gospel. The true “sign” of the end is not found in war or politics, but in the preaching of the Gospel to all nations (Matthew 24:14).
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem—What Does That Mean?
Psalm 122 urges us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” But in light of Christ, we understand that this peace is not merely political. True peace is found only in the Prince of Peace. To pray for Jerusalem today is to pray for Christ to be known among the Jewish people, for all who dwell in that city (and across the world) to receive the peace that surpasses understanding; the peace that comes through Jesus alone (Philippians 4:7; Ephesians 2:14).
In Summary
Yes, Israel matters. But not because it holds some prophetic key for unlocking the end times. Israel matters because it points us to Jesus. And now, in Christ, the dividing wall has been torn down. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female—we are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
Let us honor the Old Testament story, but not live as if the New Testament never came. Let us pray for peace, but let us not confuse political allegiance with Christian fidelity. Above all, let us fix our eyes on Jesus—the Author and Perfecter of our faith, and the true fulfillment of every promise God ever made.
