Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 3/17/2008

Question
Hi Pastor,

This is Joshua.  I conversed with you some time ago.  I think it was many months ago in fact.  I have a new question to ask.  I get regular emails from a Palestinian group and they send me shocking information on what goes on in Israel.  Stuff that you would have a hard time believing and if only you knew what went on you would not like Israel because of what they do to innocent Palestinians, many of which are Christians.  

What is your view on Israel?  Is the State of Israel the fulfillment of prophecy, or should we wait for another fulfillment?  Israel seems to be too violent and cruel to innocent civilians to be God's creation.  It was actually created by Socialist and Atheist Jews in the 1940s, who disregarded the civil rights of the Arabs who live there.  

I've heard a couple Baptist Pastors say that the Palestinians have to leave the land.  That's easy to say when you don't live there.  These people live in the most dire poverty and have no where to go.  No country will take them in.  What are they to do?  They are between a rock and a hard piece and no one really cares about them.  They have few choices and are called criminals just because they live on the land which their ancestors have lived on for over 1,000 years.  Just like the American Indians were called criminals because they lived in America before the white man came.  

When the Palestinians lash out in anger, which is only human nature, they are accused of being terrorists.  But if you look at how Israel was created its army was originally three different Jewish terrorist groups, which united during the War of Independence and created the Israeli Defense Forces.  It was okay when they were terrorists, but it's not okay for Palestinians.  

Because they are Arabs and mostly Muslims the American Christian right thinks that they are non-entities and not even human.  Men like John Hagee have gotten rich preaching hatred against Palestinians, all in the name of God.  He makes over 1 million dollars per year preaching his hatred.  

What do you teach your congregants when it comes to issues about Israel and Palestine?

Answer
Hi Joshua

Thank you for this very interesting question.  I believe that Israel coming into the land of Palestine is a partial fulfilment of prophecy.  They are not yet restored spiritually.  Obviously the people of Israel have done bad things, but they are still God's people.  There will be a complete spiritual restoration of Israel and they will embrace the Messiah some time in the future.

I believe that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.

It does not matter if these lost folks are Jews, Arabs, or Americans.  Jesus died for them all.  I do believe however, that God promised the land to Israel, and if America wants continued blessing, they will continue to support God's people Israel, even if they do not seem to deserve it from time to time.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don