Having just returned from a fruitful trip to Israel to participate in the biennial Christians for Israel Forum 2019 and Post-Forum tour, I have been reflecting on the many ways in which there have been parallels in the development of our two nations.
Of course, Israel is immensely smaller in land size than Australia, being just one-third the size of Tasmania—but we know well that Israel is huge in the heart and purposes of God. The parallels I am referring to are noted in the introduction to a fascinating booklet, ‘Australia and Israel: A Pictorial History’, given to me several years ago by the then Australian Ambassador to Israel.
The respective national struggles of both peoples, one to establish a distinctive identity as an already sovereign nation, and the other to attain sovereignty as a people with a strong and deep sense of their historic identity, were played out in the cauldron of war.
The parallels are fascinating indeed, as stated in the booklet:
“Both peoples pursued their national goals with an irrepressible confidence, resourcefulness and optimism, and a knack for improvisation. The immigrant experience, the development of land in a harsh environment, and a pioneering spirit of adventure have continued to feature prominently in the history of both nations. More profoundly, the early Zionist pioneers and the Australian diggers of both world wars shared an ethos of social egalitarianism, and a healthy irreverence for authority.”
Australia’s extraordinary military contribution to the ending of Ottoman rule in Palestine in World War I in 1917 is an epic story that was remembered in a momentous way in 2017 during the 100th anniversary celebration of the Charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beer-Sheva, an event that I attended and which will ever be etched in my memory.
Australia’s diplomatic support 30 years later in 1947 for the UN plan to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states initiated strong political relations between the two countries which were formalised when Australia extended official recognition to the State of Israel in January 1949.
As the decades have unfolded, Australia’s vibrant Jewish community has contributed to a wide range of people-to-people contacts between Australians and Israelis. Trade relations between the two nations have also grown, especially in recent years as Australia seeks to benefit from Israel’s amazing advances in the field of scientific and medical research and technological innovations.
Back now to the theme of parallels, this time with regard to God’s relationship both to Israel and the Jewish people and to the Christian church. Indeed, we are both a blessed covenant people! You will be encouraged as like me you turn to the Bible and reflect on these similarities, and sense the importance of Aussie Christians reaffirming their support of Israel as never before.
Firstly, both Israel and the church have been called uniquely and sovereignly by God to be a blessing to the world.
To Abraham, and through him to his seed, God declared; “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
This calling finds expression in Isaiah 49:6—“I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles”.
In similar fashion, Jesus says to His followers, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
What a privileged calling!
Secondly, as covenant people called by God, we are both a humanly insignificant people.
In Deuteronomy 7:6 we read; “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples”. Similarly, Paul reminds his readers in Corinth that “not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Corinthians 1:26).
Rather, he has called the foolish, the weak, and those who are least, so that all glory may go to Him.
Thirdly, we are both at the receiving end of opposition, hate and even persecution.
Said Jesus to His disciples (John 15:18-19);
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
In Deuteronomy 28:65, Moses warns the Israelites that when scattered among the nations;
“you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul.”
In these days we are witnessing a global spike in anti-Semitism, and we need to take every opportunity of showing our Jewish friends that they are not alone.
And now an uplifting fourth parallel—God is with and is watching over His covenant people!
In John 6:33 Jesus said to His disciples;
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
To the Roman believers (in Romans 8:38) Paul declared that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Similarly in Psalm 121:4, the psalmist reminds His people that “He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”
May we be unwavering in standing faithfully with Israel and the Jewish people through our support, our prayers, and our giving.
0 Comments