Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, recently appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show, and what he had to say proves the vital role that a good Sunday school teacher can play — as well as the damage that can be caused by one who is misinformed. It also reveals the importance of actually verifying whether what you learned when you were 6 years old is correct, and asking yourself the question: “Was what I learned 50 years ago a faithful expression of what the Bible actually teaches?” And finally, it reminds us that if you’re going to base your geopolitical decisions on a Biblical doctrine, it would be most helpful for you to understand where, if anywhere, that doctrine is to be found in Scripture.
The two discussed the subject of Israel and specifically Cruz’s thoughts regarding current goings-on in the Middle East — the stakes of which are even higher after the United States’ weekend bombings of Iran’s nuclear sites. Carlson, as is his wont, was challenging Cruz and going where few journalists dare to go, seeking genuine, meaningful responses, and not being satisfied with empty talking points.
While discussing his apparently unqualified support of the modern-day nation-state of Israel, Cruz began to reminisce about what he had learned many years ago in Sunday school: “Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed.” This is not an unusual view; such sentiments are commonly expressed in American politics and by the various Christian organizations that lobby fervently in favor of Israel, describing that country as America’s “greatest ally” and declaring it an absolute must that she be supported in all her endeavors. In the American “Christians for Israel” world, it is exactly this guiding principle that stands front and center.
Carlson challenged Cruz. “Where is that [in the Bible]?” he asked. (Notice that Carlson himself knew where, citing Genesis amid his barrage of questions, which showed he was not asking out of ignorance.) “I’m a Christian. I want to know what you’re talking about.”
Cruz, however, was unable to say where in Scripture that phrase was found, and when Carlson asked whether that statement refers to the modern nation-state of Israel (a good question!), Cruz merely assumed such was the case.
Now, I like Cruz, and I appreciate a good deal of his politics. He seems to be a good man, he appears genuine and sincere (as politicians go), and I share many of his political opinions. But the often uncritical stance that many politicians, including Cruz, take regarding modern-day Israel is a serious problem in the American political arena and the rest of the West. For instance, similar sentiments are often expressed in Canada, where criticism of the modern nation of Israel is often labeled as “antisemitism.”
This stance has its roots in the theological structure of dispensationalism, a movement that began in the 19th century, when John Nelson Darby’s views were popularized, especially in the United States, by Charles Scofield and his Scofield Reference Bible.
Dispensationalism says God still has a special plan for Israel and holds a special place in His heart for that nation. In other words, there are two peoples of God: the church and Israel. There’s a lot more to it than that, but getting into all the details would require much more than I could include in a single post. And this is where the wrongly remembered Bible verse from Cruz’s Sunday school days comes into play. Because when the Lord made a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3, He said this:
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
We know the Israelites are the children of Abraham, say the dispensationalists. Therefore, we need to stand with Israel. If we don’t, we will be cursed. If we do, we can expect to be blessed by God. Think what you will of Benjamin Netanyahu and his politics. Think what you will of Israel’s, and now our, conflict with Iran. We must support Israel because they are Abraham’s children, and we cannot expect God’s blessing if we turn our backs on them. Oh yes, and there’s one additional benefit: Our support of Israel will bring about all of the things that are spoken about in Revelation, and our support for the modern nation-state known as Israel will usher in the speedy return of the Lord Jesus.
The problem is, the dispensationalists forget how the second part of Genesis 12:3 has been fulfilled in Christ (the Descendant of Abraham, through whom all the families of the Earth have been blessed), and they also neglect one important aspect of the New Covenant, a fact repeatedly emphasized by the Apostle Paul:
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring — not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all… (Romans 4:16)
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So them, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham the man of faith. (Galatians 3:8-9)
And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16)
Regarding that last verse, it’s important to note that the word “and,” before “upon the Israel of God,” can (and I believe should) be translated as “even,” and understood to mean “that is” — creating a parallel between “all who walk by this rule” and “the Israel of God.” These are one and the same group. These are “those who are of faith,” who are “blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”
The question of the moment is this: Who is it who must be blessed to receive God’s blessing? And who is it who must not be cursed, lest God’s curse fall upon the one doing the cursing? The answer, both under the Old Covenant and the New, is “God’s people.” Who were God’s people under the Old Covenant? The children of Abraham and those who were grafted into their family from outside, those who joined themselves to Israel and became covenant-keepers. And who are God’s people now? The children of Abraham, as defined by the Apostle Paul: “those who are of faith,” “the one who shares the faith of Abraham.”
Is that the modern nation-state of Israel? No, it is the church! Does God’s promise to Abraham still stand? Yes, it does! Does that promise have to do with a narrow strip of land bordering the Mediterranean, and does it apply only to people who belong to a specific ethnic group? No, it doesn’t! It applies to Jew and Greek, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free (Colossians 3:11).
The moral of the story is this: If you are going to let your vague memory of a Sunday school slogan guide your international policy decisions, make sure what you learned in Sunday school was correct. And if you’re teaching the Bible to children, realize that your teaching could have huge repercussions, not only for the children you’re teaching but for the world geopolitical order.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack and has been lightly edited.
