There are many reasons why Christians should bless and pray for Israel, the tiny land that is the jewel of God’s heart.

1. First, Jesus our LORD and Savior was born there, in Bethlehem, exactly as prophesied (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:1). To most parents, the place where their child(ren) are born is special.

2. Second, it is the place where Jesus lived, taught, preached, delivered, and healed; the place where many Jewish people came to believe in Christ as the Messiah (Matt. 4:17, 9:35).

3. It is the place where Jesus gave Himself for the whole world to be crucified on the cross for our sins, that all who accept Him as Savior and LORD might be made righteous (Rom. 5:17).

4. It is the place where, after being dead three days, Jesus was resurrected, and seen alive again by over 500 people (including His disciples) for 40 days (I Cor. 15:6).

5. It is the place where Jesus gave His disciples the last instruction on earth that the Holy Spirit would come upon them and they would be His witnesses throughout the earth (Acts 1:8).

6. It is the place where He ascended back into Heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9).

7. Jerusalem, considered by Jews to be the capital of Israel, is the place where King Solomon, son of King David, built the first permanent Temple to worship the LORD God (I Kings 6).

8. The LORD has promised to gather His scattered people from throughout the earth and return them to their home of Israel (Ezek. 37:12, 21, 28). He has already started doing so, for Israel was recognized as a nation in 1948 and Jews to this day continue to come back to the homeland of Israel.

9. It is where the LORD will place the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, representing the Bride of Christ, in the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21:2).

10. In the Old Testament, the LORD called Himself “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” among other things. We who call ourselves the followers of Christ--Christians, or “little Christ-like ones,” should understand that it is the mercy of God and because He is the Author of Life and Savior of all mankind (John 3:16) that He opened up the Covenant to us (former) Gentiles, for we are not of Jewish heritage (Romans 11:11-14).

11. According to Sid Roth (SidRoth.org) and David Herzog (Author of The Ancient Portals of Heaven), both themselves Messianic Jews (meaning they are Jews who understand that Jesus, (called “Yeshua” by the Jewish people) is the true Messiah and has already come as Savior (Mark 8:29). The orthodox Jews who follow the Law and various rituals are still waiting for Messiah to come (John 4:25). Both Roth and Herzog have stated that, the faster the Jewish people get saved, the faster the LORD Jesus will return. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 9, laments that the people of Israel had rejected Christ, while the Gentiles had received Him by faith and were actually the true Israel, for it is not because of physical heritage that one belongs to Christ and is made righteous, but by faith (Rom. 9: 31, 32).

12. When we bless the Jews by praying for them and otherwise blessing them, such as contributing money to the preaching of the Gospel to them and helping those who choose to return to the homeland of Israel, we are reaping untold blessings from the LORD (Psalm 122 and Genesis 12), and expediting the return of Christ, Whose Presence is Heaven to us.

13. What happens to Israel impacts America, and every country on earth, for various reasons (Psm. 98:9, Psm. 104:24; Isa. 37:16; I Cor. 10:26). In December 2017, when President Donald Trump announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered the planning of the relocation of the US Embassy there, it was yet another huge sign that Yahweh will have His way, that Israel and Jerusalem are being restored; all will go according to the prophecies in His Word. Although the enemy has tried to destroy Israel throughout the centuries, the almighty God has placed His determined love on this homeland of His beloved Son Jesus. God is a Covenant God and He always keeps His Word (Gen. 17:7) . Anyone who comes against those whom God is in Covenant with comes against God (Ex. 6:4). Although He is amazingly patient and not willing that anyone should perish, if America turns against Israel and gives their land to others, God will come against America. That is not His will, but His first loyalty is to Israel (Ex. 19:5, Ex 34:10).

14. One huge comfort to the true believer is that, even if American government does wrongly come against Israel, we who are in covenant with the LORD through our true faith in the shed blood of Jesus to remit our sins and save us for eternity will be protected, because if we truly are the LORD’s, then we are for Israel and wish the country and its people no harm (Lev. 26, Deut. 7:9, Matt. 26:28, Luke 1:72, 73, Rom. 9, esp. 31, 32).

When we love someone, we care about what they care about. All of us who love the LORD God our Father, can bless His heart by caring about Israel, through prayer and financial support, and by teaching others to care about this most important country on earth.

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. They lift Him up in books (P.O.W.E.R. Girl!; LEGACY; Visions of the King; Your Holy Health; more); presentations; service in church, community, and the world; and via the "River Rain Creative" (309 videos) and "POWERLight Learning" You Tube channels.