Should we always protect Israel and why?

Question

I'm not stating how I feel on this topic. I want to know where others stand on the subject.

hagar22-How is that you can make such an intelligent statement with your first sentence and then turn around and make such an ignorant and slanderous remark in your 2nd statement. I don't believe anyone in either political party stands for genocide as Hitler did.

Aussie Sheila-My question should be what I wanted to ask.

trooper7-Very good!

Answer 1

Yes, ISAIAH 43:1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. . . ." 10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed -- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God." (NIV)
ISAIAH 44:1 But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! 2 Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you in the womb and will help you: Do not fear, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring. 4 They shall spring up like a green tamarisk, like willows by flowing streams. 5 This one will say, "I am the LORD's," another will be called by the name of Jacob, yet another will write on the hand, "The LORD's," and adopt the name of Israel. 6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7 Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. 8 Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one. (NRSV)



So we see from the Scriptures that Israel did indeed become "two," qualifying them to be recognized as two different entities. But is there any other biblical evidence which connects the two houses of Israel with the two witnesses of Revelation 11?

Indeed there is! The next two vital clues are found in Revelation 11:4.

REVELATION 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. (NKJV)

ZECHARIAH 4:1 Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 3 Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left." 4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?" 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' " 8 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. 10 For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." 11 Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees -- at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" 12 And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?" 13 Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 14 So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth." (NKJV)
Here in Zechariah 4 we see the same symbols that are used in Revelation 11 -- olive trees and a lampstand. The two olive trees are said to be "the anointed ones" (literally "sons of the oil") who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth" (Zec. 4:14). But maddeningly, the angel doesn't give Zechariah (or us) a direct answer regarding the identity of these two trees. We must look elsewhere to find identification of the olive trees.

JEREMIAH 11:16 The LORD called your name, Green Olive Tree, lovely and of good fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken. 17 For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal." (NKJV)
Here in Jeremiah 11 we see that both houses of Israel are called "green olive tree." They were planted and named by the Eternal Himself. So we can be certain from Scripture that both the House of Judah and the House of Israel are symbolically labeled as olive trees. But is there any further evidence? Yes!

HOSEA 14:5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily, and lengthen his roots like Lebanon. 6 His branches shall spread; his beauty shall be like an olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon. (NKJV)


JAMES 1:1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.


JOHN 10:16 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

REVELATION 1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. . . . 20 "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches."

GENESIS 49:16 "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel." (NKJV)
Since one cannot be both a witness and a judge in a matter, the tribe of Dan was chosen by God to be the judge in this end-time situation. He is prophesied to be the judge of those among the offspring of Israel that forsake the true God and follow the beast (Antichrist).

Answer 2

Shouldn't your question be: why is there a need to support Israel .
The diaspora lobbed in Palestine after the war having left the region in numbers to migrate elsewhere over the previous millenia - No religious belief is justification for dislocating the resident population that had continuously occupied the region. It is pretty ironic that the Israel appears incapable of feeling these peoples pain and anger when they are so good at articulating their own.
Israel does not appear to have been a gracious and a genuine force for the good in the region, more intent on illegally aquiring additional land It also appears hypocritical that the political/ financial support that Israel receives comes from wealthy individuals and organisations that chose to reside in places other than Israel.
There will be no peace until Israel accepts its place in the region it has chosen to occupy and becomes a cooperative member of that community rather than being a "victim" and finding reasons and excuses not to be the initiator in any resolution. A journey of a thousand miles starts with one small step!

Answer 3

For the most part, YES. Why? A couple of reasons: 1) it's a good thing to do - to protect that smaller population of oft abused people, and 2) because they're a representative (democracy) government like the US and other 'advanced' nations. As such, they help to 'protect' the US in a number of various ways.

Answer 4

We should always protect Israel because every now and then we call on[ask] this country to clean out the odd 'hostile' nuke facility or terrorist faction. Having such a loyal ally like this on the back door of terrorism is just so beneficial to all democracies.

Answer 5

Economically yes, but militarily, I think they can take care of themselves after all they are a super power with nukes. I am sure it would be advantageos for the next president to work closely with Israel and consult with them on dealing with the middle east..

Answer 6

the scriptures say those who pray for the peace of israel will be blessed. if we are to be a blessed country- then we should pray for the peace of israel and help in any way we can. while you may or may not be christian, this country is founded on christian principles.

Answer 7

I don't think so. But then, I've really changed my mind on Israel since the whole Lebanon fiasco. They seem to be capable of holding their own, time to let them stand on their own. If the US stops supporting Israel, it'll get a whole lot less crap thrown at it by the middle east.

Answer 8

Yes. Israel is our major ally against islamofascism. Evidently nazism is still very prevelant in the democratic party.

Answer 9

Israel is one of the few allies that the US can really depend upon.

Life-long buddies.

Answer 10

Yes,they are a very important ally in that region.

Answer 11

i think Israel can protect itself. but as long as we are friends we should always give Israel the means to protect itself.