Wagging the Dog: Why Israel plays an outsized role in the world - a modern Christian perspective

Israel is constantly in the news. Some people are very annoyed by this, others are dismissive, and others are hyperpartisan about it. While it feels like current events, Israel has actually had an outsized role for thousands. Israel has vexed some of the largest and most important empires throughout history. The Babylonians, Egyptians, Romans, the Catholic Church, Spaniards, Europeans and now Americans have all had a puzzling relationship with Israel and Judaism. And it continues. Today, our relationship with Israel is dividing the American left and causing the current administration to wage an ill-advised war against Iran. In this episode, I provide a personal perspective on Israel and its defense industry. I compare my conflicted feelings about modern Israel with Paul's feelings expressed in Romans 9.

9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever.[a] Amen.

30 What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith, 31 but Israel, who did strive for the law of righteousness, did not attain that law. 32 Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall,
    and whoever trusts in him[c] will not be put to shame.”