How far are evangelical believers and the MAGA crowd from the people who say “Jews will not replace us”?  Now is a good time for the tourists who go to Israel for a high to explain their love of the Jewish people and support for their just aspirations.  The UK and the United States never really bought the vision of the self-determination of First Nations. We can see that they have not understood the problems associated with the Partition of Palestine.  Compare what the exiles returning from Persian rule did with what the Jewish immigrants following WWII occupied themselves.  To this day there is no temple, no levitical administration, and no Solomonic throne in the State of Israel.  American treatment of First Nations and African-Americans is a betrayal of Jewish and Christian tradition.  Theology does not get more virulent than to seek to establish a modern movement as the true expression of God’s servant, preserving the ancient material and maintaining the noblest traditions.

Foolish and destructive jealousy

It is the jealousy of Gentiles, wanting to be Israel, that exposes the most virulent attitudes towards the Jewish people.    It is obvious from the ruins of Israel’s spiritual and material treasures that a massive failure has to be entered in the ledger. Israeli lurching to the right deserves a stiff protest, but the popular blessings and curses people associate with Gentile relationships with the State of Israel keeps people from speaking the truth.  Even so, no-one can replace Israel and Judah.  You may have heard of the theory that the UK and Britain are modern Israel, or you may have encountered any number of Christian groups advertising themselves as the true Israel, keeping God’s commandments and upholding the distinctive covenants.   There is no Israel 2.0, no church imitation of Israel or Judah, and the vineyard that was Israel and Jerusalem is not the same kind of entity as the Vine and the branches.

The greatest human entity

All things written in prediction of the One to whom all the prophets gave their most controversial and consequential witness have come to pass.  That One is perfectly at rest.   His day has come and gone.  He has done the Father’s will and there is nothing left for him to do but sit tight at God’s right hand until the time comes for “making Christ’s  enemies a footstool for his feet.” (Psalms 110:1, NASB). This eventual parting of sheep from goats is not some angry reaction to outrageous behaviours and thinking.  Let’s face facts.  The entity making the most noise about supporting Israel will turn out to be the next backstabber.  It cannot say “Yeshua is Lord” without invoking the passion narrative as a punitive act of God against the Jewish people.  It’s not done because it’s impossible.