Is Israel a Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy?
Samuel Salim Munayer
Sabeel Ecumenical Palestinian Liberation Theology Center
Introduction
Theology
Importance
Relevancy
What are the justifications?
Christian Zionism
Theology of Empire
Literal Reading of the Bible Genesis 12:1-3
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation,� and I will bless you;�I will make your name great,� and you will be a blessing.� I will bless those who bless you,� and whoever curses you I will curse;�and all peoples on earth� will be blessed through you.”
Literal Reading of the Bible Genesis 15:18
18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates
Literal Reading of the Bible Ezekiel 36:24-28
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God
Two Covenant Theology
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.
Palestinian Christian Responses
Galatians 3:16
��So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.
Palestinian Christian Responses
Ephesians 2:11-15
Beyond Theology- Is this God’s Will?
Colonialism,
Occupation,
Supremacy,
Genocide
Theology of Empire- Manifest Destiny and Christian Zionism
Importance
CUFI- Christian United for Israel is one of the biggest and most powerful lobbies in the United States.
American Foreign Policy
Racist and Costly
Relevancy
Mission of being Salt & Light
1.We all must work together to be peacemakers
2. We affect each other's realities despite us being miles apart
3.The relevancy of the Church
4. Christian Zionism replaces Christ with Israel