DO NOT DISCOUNT ISRAEL – OR DO IT TO YOUR OWN PERIL – ARROGANCE IN JERUSALEM
[1]. INTRODUCTION
Earlier this year there was a release from an organisation of Catholic and Orthodox leaders in Jerusalem that was an affront to Protestant Christians, to Jews and to Israel.
Before we enter into that I want to begin with an important part of scripture for a correct setting in this matter I will share on. Jesus had died for the sins of the world, and rose again, and for 40 days He taught His disciples, but the time had arrived for Him to go back to heaven. The disciples were with the Lord on the Mount of Olives. Then we read this – {{Acts 1:6-7 “When they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, IS IT AT THIS TIME YOU ARE RESTORING THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority,”}}
This Kingdom to which the disciples were referring is the promised one in the Old Testament over which Messiah reigns as King – {{Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD will be KING OVER ALL THE EARTH; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.”}} Read the rest of Zechariah to see it in the setting of the Lord’s reign in His earthly Kingdom. It is a kingdom of peace when implements of war are made into plough shears. (Isaiah 2:4) – Note the words “never again will they learn war.” This peace is also the time in Isaiah 11.
The restoration of Israel is a major theme in the Old Testament in all the prophets especially in Isaiah and Jeremiah. That has never been cancelled out. The immense weight of prophesies wait for fulfillment.
The disciples asked Jesus about this Kingdom’s timing and the Lord told them the timing was not theirs to know. Jesus DID NOT DENY THE KINGDOM. It is fact.
[2]. QUICK LOOK AT SIMEON
In Jesus’ time the continued hope for restoration and blessing for Israel was alive. {{Luke 2:25 “Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and this man was righteous and devout, looking for THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”}}. It would be Messiah who would bring in everlasting righteousness and consolation, and the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises, and Simeon knew it was to be the Lord who would do that.
Simeon had a great revelation from Holy Spirit in what would happen. Jesus was not going to bring in the kingdom suddenly to Israel at that time, but there was sorrow ahead. This is what he said to Mary – {{Luke 2:35 and a SWORD will pierce even your own soul - to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”}}. The crucifixion would pierce Mary’s soul.
Simeon knew this kingdom would be the consolation for Israel but God was not going to give them the kingdom of peace and righteousness to men whose heats were unrighteous. That would be pearls before swine.
The cross paved the way for man’s acceptance to God and without that, there could be no kingdom set up. The righteousness the Gentiles have through the cross will be the same platform the Jews will have in Messiah’s kingdom for Israel. The blood of Christ gave us the New Covenant and from that issued the Church.
God will save all Israel in a future day and it will be through the very same covenant of the cross. {{Romans 11:26-27 and thus ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” “And THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, when I take away their sins.”}}
The New Covenant for Israel is just another aspect of what was accomplished in Christ’s death. Here is that Jewish Covenant described –
{{Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, “declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. “And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”}}
That is what Simeon was looking forward to, BUT the way was closed because the means of men’s righteousness had not yet happened. The Church was the “joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2) that Jesus had even way back in eternity, but he could not come into the world suddenly to set that up – His Church – because the means of righteousness had not yet been established. That means was the cross. It was the same for the Kingdom in Israel.
[3]. A QUICK LOOK AT JOHN THE BAPTIST
John breaks onto the scene as the forerunner of Christ – {{Matthew 3:1-2 “Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying, “Repent, for THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is at hand.”}}
The kingdom of heaven is what the righteous Jew was hoping for, the fulfillment of all the prophetic predictions of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah. He preached that, and his message was repentance in baptism as entry into the kingdom. He knew how important Jesus Messiah was in this, and was delighted when he first met Jesus – and righteousness was to the fore as expressed here:-
{{Matthew 3:13-15 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John to be baptised by him, but John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptised by You, and do You come to me?” Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time for in this way it is fitting for us to FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Then he permitted Him.”}}
It was at that point John expected the kingdom to be set up as Messiah had come into the world and now was the time. However a short time had elapsed and John could see no kingdom. He did not know what the delay was as he waited in prison. {{Matthew 11:2-4 Now when John in prison heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples, and said to Him, “ARE YOU THE EXPECTED ONE, or shall we look for someone else?” and Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:”}}
John was in a spate of uncertainty. Surely it was Jesus who was going to set up the kingdom, but it had not happened? He contacted Jesus about this matter. Again, we have to say, the way for the kingdom was not open because the cross was necessary. John did not realise that, even though prophetically he uttered these words – {{John 1:28-29 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptising. The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!”}}
The means for permanent forgiveness, and the cleansing of sin permanently, had to be instituted before any man could see heaven, or the kingdom be established in Israel.
[4]. WHEN WILL THE KINGDOM BE SET UP?
The answer is, “When the time is ready.” When will be that time? That time will be when the “times of the Gentiles” have come to an end. In His Olivet discourse of Matthew 24 and 25 the Lord was speaking of the Tribulation that comes on the earth leading to the Second Coming after the Church is removed in the Rapture. Part of what He said is this – {{Luke 21:24 “and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and JERUSALEM WILL BE TRAMPLED under foot by the Gentiles UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED.”}}
Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles while Gentiles still have control of the world - BUT when those times end, the kingdom will be set up when Messiah returns at the Second Coming. What great changes are coming for Israel when that happens! Here are some of them –
[1]. {{Joel 2:25-27 “Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you, and you shall have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. THEN MY PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME. Thus YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM IN THE MIDST OF ISRAEL, and that I am the LORD your God and there is no other, and MY PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.”}}
[2]. {{Joel 3:20 “but Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem for all generations.”}}
[3]. {{Ezekiel 39:21-22 “I shall set My glory among the nations and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them, AND THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD FROM THAT DAY ONWARD.”}} The house of Israel is NOT the Church. Israel is Israel and the Church is the Church.
[4]. {{Ezekiel 39:25-29 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Now I SHALL RESTORE THE FORTUNES OF JACOB, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel and I shall be jealous for My holy name, and they shall forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated against Me when they live SECURELY ON THEIR OWN LAND WITH NO ONE TO MAKE THEM AFRAID. When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations. THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land and I will leave none of them there any longer. I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord GOD.”}}
Messiah’s Kingdom will be set up with Jerusalem as the chief city of the world and it is from there Messiah rules. Please read the Old Testament prophets and do first Isaiah and Jeremiah. On SermonCentral I have two series - The Restoration of Israel in Isaiah; one another in Jeremiah.
The future of Israel is set as stone and any replacement theology from Augustine only does disgrace to what God’s promises are. GOD HAS NOT REPLACED ISRAEL.
[5]. ESCHATOLOGY AND SOME PROTESTANT CHURCHES
A number of reformation churches follow the Roman Catholic line in eschatology (last things) because the Catholic church follows Augustine. Reformed churches – Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican – Methodist. Many of those churches tend to be State churches.
Because they adopt Replacement theology from Augustine they generally write off the great promises for Israel’s restoration and the rule of Messiah in His Kingdom to be established on earth. You know, God will not let the matter rest, and why is it that Israel is always in the News and the world is focused in the Middle East? It is because God is preparing for the soon coming kingdom that will be set up after the Rapture and Tribulation – at the Second Coming when Messiah comes back to Israel (Zechariah 14:2-4).
Certain Protestant churches hold to these prophetic events as do a few individuals even in the reformed churches. In the main Baptist, Brethren, and some Pentecostal churches and Independent churches, believe the biblical account of prophecy and the reign of Jesus Christ on earth when His Kingdom is set up.
These people and churches also follow the events in Israel and take tours to Israel and have offices in Jerusalem. A multitude of books and articles have been written on eschatology, some of these from past presidents and lecturers of the Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute.
[6]. NOW FOR THE DISGRACE
That was a long background to explain what things are because what was previously said will make more sense – “Earlier this year there was a release from an organisation of Catholic and Orthodox leaders in Jerusalem that was an affront to Protestant Christians, to Jews and to Israel.”
The Catholic church has put prophetic believers from Protestant churches in the firing line with an attack on their belief. They call this belief “Christian Zionism”. “Christian Zionism” (as they use the term) is the teaching of future blessing for Israel in the light of prophecy; AND the support for the Jewish State.
Here is a release from the Catholic organisation INFOVATICANA | January 19, 2026 – [[ The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem issued a statement (January 17, 2026) in which they denounce certain local initiatives, associated with “harmful ideologies” such as Christian Zionism, which “deceive the public,” sow confusion, and damage the unity of the flock. The signatories also warn of a possible political instrumentalization that could harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East. ]]
[[ In their statement, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem affirm that the Christian community in the Holy Land is entrusted to the apostolic Churches, which have sustained their ministry “through the centuries.” In that context, they denounce recent activities by local individuals promoting “harmful ideologies, such as Christian Zionism,” which would be causing public confusion and weakening the unity of the faithful. ]]
[[ The text expressly mentions Christian Zionism. In general terms, it is a current - very present in certain evangelical and Protestant sectors - that interprets support for the State of Israel and the Zionist project as part of the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, and therefore promotes political and cultural backing for that agenda. ]]
[[ From that perspective, the Holy Land ceases to be primarily a place of faith and Christian custody, to become an ideological and geopolitical chessboard. It is precisely that shift - from faith to political activism - that concerns Jerusalem’s leaders. ]]
It must be noted that the greatest supporters of Israel are in the Protestant/evangelical churches. It is no secret that the Catholic Church through the ages has persecuted and killed possibly millions of Jews. It is on record – just search for the documentation. You will find it.
This is what this Infovaticana organisation also has said – [[ “Even more: they (Catholic and Orthodox heads in Jerusalem) express concern because these persons would have been welcomed “at official levels” both locally and internationally, something they describe as a interference in the internal life of the Churches and a disregard for the pastoral responsibility of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem.” ]]
In actual fact, many, many times the Parliament and Prime Minister of Israel has acknowledged the help and support from Christians around the world (this of course would not include the Catholic church which does not support Israel)
The release from Infovaticana concludes with this outrageous statement – [[ “The declaration includes a particularly forceful point: the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches reiterate that ONLY THEY REPRESENT the Churches and their faithful in matters relating to the religious, communal, and pastoral life of Christians in the Holy Land.” ]] Here is the Catholic Church again trying to bring all in subjection it itself.
These enemies of evangelical Christians, and of Israel, will not prevail because even though they try to exterminate Jerusalem according to Zechariah, God prevails and returns at the Second Coming to install His Kingdom. Then so much happens and this is just one tiny part, though most important. – {{Isaiah 19:23-25 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, A BLESSING IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed saying, “BLESSED IS EGYPT MY PEOPLE, AND ASSYRIA THE WORK OF MY HANDS, AND ISRAEL MY INHERITANCE.”}}
