Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
-John 18:36
In recent years, the phrase “I stand with Israel” has become a trendy theme and social media bandwagon for many Christians. For some, it seems rooted in a desire to support the nation that played such a vital role in biblical history. For others, it seems rooted in Genesis 12:3, and the idea of identifying with Abraham to elicit God’s favor. Whatever the underlying motivation, as faithful followers of Jesus Christ, the one true Savior and Redeemer, we must ask ourselves if this stance is truly rooted in Scripture—or if it risks becoming a false gospel or form of idolatry.
The Bible calls the saints to stand with Christ alone, as our allegiance is to Him, not to any earthly nation, religious group, or political movement. Jesus Himself taught that His kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36). While we can and should pray for the people of Israel, even for the repentance of the nation as a whole, we must be careful not to elevate our support for Israel into something Scripture neither requires nor endorses.
Objectively speaking, Israel, as a nation, continues to reject Jesus as the Messiah. This reality should prompt our prayers rather than unqualified allegiance or affiliation. To “stand with Israel” in a way that rivals or compromises our loyalty to Christ risks attaching ourselves to an earthly cause that God neither condones nor commands. We should support Israel’s people in prayer, but ultimately, our call is to stand with Christ and Christ alone.
The Bible offers several poignant examples where well-intentioned detours from God's mission and ill-advised partnerships resulted in devastating consequences. Here are a few key instances:
1 Kings 13:11–32
This tragic account involves a man of God who was sent to Bethel to deliver a prophetic word against King Jeroboam’s idolatry. God gave the prophet explicit instructions not to eat or drink in that place and to return by a different route. However, after delivering the prophecy, another prophet deceived him, claiming that God had given him a different message. The man of God disobeyed God’s original command and followed the false prophet, eating and drinking in the land. As a result, on his journey home, he was attacked and killed by a lion. This event serves as a stark warning about the fatal consequences of diverting from God’s clear commands, even when well-meaning or seemingly righteous people lead us astray.
Joshua 9:1–27
After Israel’s successful conquest of Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites, fearing for their survival, devised a scheme to trick Joshua and the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them. They pretended to be from a distant land, and without seeking God’s counsel, Joshua and the leaders of Israel made a covenant with them. When the truth was uncovered—that the Gibeonites were actually neighbors—Israel was bound by their oath. This unwise partnership led to unintended long-term complications, including Israel being drawn into unnecessary battles to defend the Gibeonites. The story highlights the importance of seeking God’s guidance before entering any alliances, even ones that appear harmless, kind, or beneficial on the surface.
2 Chronicles 16:1–10
When King Asa of Judah was threatened by King Baasha of Israel, instead of relying on God, Asa turned to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, for help, offering him silver and gold from the temple treasures. Though the alliance initially worked in Asa’s favor, God rebuked Asa through the prophet Hanani, declaring that by relying on human alliances instead of God, Asa had missed an opportunity for a greater victory. Asa’s failure to trust God led to further strife, and he experienced ongoing wars and eventually an illness from which he died.
2 Kings 16:5–9
When King Ahaz of Judah was threatened by the kings of Israel and Aram, he sought help from the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser, offering temple treasures as tribute. While the Assyrians helped Judah temporarily, this partnership brought idolatry and pagan practices into Judah. Rather than seeking the Lord’s help, Ahaz’s reliance on a pagan nation led to spiritual decline and further entanglement with foreign powers.
These examples are merely a sparse sampling of the biblical testimony. They expose the disastrous outcomes of forming partnerships with worldly entities rather than trusting God. Each narrative serves as a powerful reminder that God alone is our protector and guide and that deviating from His mission, even to the slightest degree, can lead to ruin. Consider that even a minor miscalculation of trajectory invariably results in a spaceship either skipping off the earth's atmosphere into the void of deep space or being completely consumed upon reentry.
The nation of Israel perpetually failed in its commission as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:6). The collective rebellion and idolatry led the nation into exile and their subsequent rejection of Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. Replacement Theology suggests the Church has replaced Israel. While Replacement theology is certainly imperfect, that doesn't prove Israel hasn't been replaced. It has. Scripture is explicit and clear, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, rather than the Church has replaced Israel's role and ministry by fulfilling and commissioning it to His Body & Bride (the Church).
The biblical support for Jesus, rather than the Church, replacing Israel, is substantial: Jesus was called out of Egypt (Hos 11:1; Matt 2:15). Jesus passed every test & temptation from every outside force (including Satan!) and stayed on mission (Matt 4:1-11). The good fruit of Jesus' life and ministry is infinite, while Israel tragically failed (Isa 5:1-7; John 15:1-8). God's promise to Eve and Abraham both point to one “seed” rather than multiple “seeds” (Gen 3:15; Gal 3:16). Where Israel selfishly and continually perverted its designation as God’s “chosen people,” King Jesus understood it (Isa 49:3-6) and gave His life to accomplish it (1 John 2:2). King Jesus not only perfectly fulfilled the role of Israel through His incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, He also perfectly fulfilled God's mission and ministry of The Law, The Prophets, the temple, the sacrificial system, the priesthood, and the role of Adam as humanity's victorious Bridegroom and dauntless Champion.
As the Apostle Paul revealed in 2 Corinthians 13:5, we must examine and test ourselves based on the objective standard of Scripture to ensure we are truly in Christ and not like the Pharisees as hypocritical counterfeits. When our support of or devotion to any cause—even one as historically significant as Israel—competes with or eclipses our loyalty to the Lord, we are compelled to prayerfully reconsider based not on subjective feelings, or proof texts, but the full testimony of Scripture (Acts 17:11), and repent. Our faith cannot rest in human institutions or earthly nations, but solely in the Redeemer of all humanity, Jesus Christ, the King of kings and LORD of lords.
We absolutely should pray fervently and diligently for the nation of Israel and for all its people to come to repentance through faith in Christ Jesus through the power and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Let us obey Christ’s command to “disciple all nations,” and stand unwaveringly with “Yahweh Nissi” (Ex 17:15) as the exclusive banner over our lives, our families, our communities, and our churches. Let us be found truly standing In Christ Alone as we eagerly await His return (Heb 9:8). Rather than standing with Israel by signing petitions, wearing pins, or swapping our social media profile frames for the “cause du jour,” let our faithfulness to Christ be evidenced in our radical devotion to the mission of God through the ministry of the GOSPEL to the ends of the earth.
Blessings & love,
-Kevin M. Kelley
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