When God called Abraham to move to the land of Israel, He said, 

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3

The word “great” in this case means “premier” or “above all others.” The Bible calls Jerusalem “the city of the great king,” and when Jesus returns He will reign over the earth from Jerusalem. Because Israel is God’s chosen nation, He promises to bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse Israel. 

Israel was reestablished as a nation in 1948 following World War ll, and Jewish people from many nations returned to their homeland. Never before has a nation been scattered around the world and brought back together in their homeland. God promised in Ezekiel 36:24, “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” 

In the days of judgment, God will judge nations – not individuals – on how they have treated Israel. Today, there is a lot of anti-semitism rising in our culture. But it will grow and worsen. As the church, we need to pray for our nation, our leaders, and our culture that we may turn our hearts toward Israel and bless them as God’s people.