David Hocking on the Importance of Israel

Part 1

Dr. Reagan: Greetings in the name of Jesus, our Blessed Hope, and welcome to Christ in Prophecy. We hold an annual Bible conference each year in July, and this past year the theme of our conference was “The Great Debates of Bible Prophecy.” Our keynote speaker was Dr. David Hocking who has a nationally broadcast radio program called “Hope for Today.” Dr. Hocking is widely recognized as one of Christendom’s greatest experts on what the Bible has to say about the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. Dr. Hocking spoke at our conference on whether or not Israel has been replaced by the Church. And in the process he emphasized why the Church and our nation should be supportive of the modern day state of Israel. Here now is Dr. Hocking.

David Hocking Presentation

David Hocking: I want to talk to you about a serious question that now is being challenged in church, after church, after church. It used to be that liberal thinkers were the guys that were trying to boycott Israel. No longer. It is now fundamentalists and evangelicals who are backing off of the support of Israel. And I’m here not to mess around with your brain. And if you think this is just a political talk you need to think again. I believe this with all my heart.

I’ve spent my entire life telling people about the importance of Israel. So why should we support Israel? I get that question all the time. In Psalm 105, that is a great text by the way and Isaiah 41. People say, “Well that was in the book of Genesis that has nothing to do with today.” Correction in Psalm 105 it was the time of King David. It said, “O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the LORD our God: His judgments are all in the earth. He hath remembered His covenant forever.” Let me repeat it again, “He remembered His covenant,” how long? Forever. “The word which He commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant He made with Abraham, His oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same unto, Yaaqob, Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, ‘Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan.'” They don’t even have it all today, “The lot of your inheritance.”

My head is not in the sand. I know that every person who claims to be a Christian is not comfortable with the support of Israel, or appreciative of the so called support of some Christians. Many Jewish people know this better than we do unfortunately. Many Jewish people remember all too well the so-called support of Christians in Europe and the tragedies of the Holocaust under Adolf Hitler. It is difficult for them to forget the horrors of the Inquisition and the terrible atrocities of the so-called Christian Crusaders of the Middle Ages. There is a great deal of confusion among Jewish people today over the differences among Christian even. There are Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Traditional Protestant Denominations, Evangelicals, and Fundamentalists, and now many thank God Messianic Jewish Congregations as well.

But there are people who believe the terrible satanic teaching about Replacement Theology. And I found it interesting as I looked at those arguments by some well-known Bible teachers by the way who are still on the radio and television. And their people don’t know what they believe because they never tell them. My friends there are several of them who are well respected Bible teachers on the radio and TV. And Jewish people are very suspicious of the so-called Christian support. I want to give you briefly twelve reasons, you can write them down if you want. They are crucial to the argument and the belief that Bible believing Christians all over this world should support the nation of Israel. It’s time to stand up for Israel. I’ve seen the opposition. I’ve heard the opposition. I’ve had protests at my meeting. But you see I learned long ago if I lose my teeth I am going to gum it to death. I’m not stopping. It’s the most crucial issue of our time. And in my opinion it is the most crucial issue of American politics right now.

So, let’s take a look at what we’re talking about. One, the most obvious one should be because Israel is the most frequently mentioned subject in the Bible next to the Lord Himself; 2,566 times and we are going to go over every passage tonight. Well we can’t do that with the time allotted. But it should be obvious to all of us if God mentions Israel that many times, not even counting what He said then maybe we should take another look.

As a matter of fact God has promised to bless everyone who supports Israel. “I’ll bless those,” God said, “Who bless Thee, and curse Him that curses Thee.” By the way those who believe in Replacement Theology I notice that they want the blessings for themselves but they don’t want the curses. Psalm 122:6 says, “Pray for the peace of Yerusalem, Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” This is not a side issue. The Lord tells us to love them. May God open our eyes.

Here’s the third one: Why should I support Israel? Because God has chosen her out of all nations of the world. You may not like this fact but make sure you understand it from the Bible before you criticize it. Deuteronomy 7:6 says clearly, “Thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” I was speaking in China a few years ago and I told the audience, “You know there is something in me that says, God loves the Chinese more than anybody else.” They all looked around at one another and said, “Why is that?” Because He made so many of them. Regardless of the numbers of nations and people on earth Israel is the number one nation because God choose her to be. Isaiah 41:8, “Thou, Israel, art My,” by the way feel free to say amen or hallelujah, or praise the Lord, or something. I don’t want you to have a wreck on the way home. I shouldn’t say that, but somebody is liable to have a wreck and then blame me for saying it. But the truth is God wants us to let it rip. He doesn’t say praise the Lord when you’re quietly sitting in your pew. We are to shout. We are to make a joyful sound. And when we mention Israel it should be at the top of our lungs.

Four, did you ever think about this: Why should I support Israel? Because God has identified Himself with her, even in the issue of the Mashiah the Messiah. He is called the Holy one of Israel, 31 times. The Lord refers to the Lord God of Israel 108 times. The God of Israel 203 times. Don’t you understand He doesn’t say that about any other nation? He never says that about the United States, and I love this country. I don’t like what’s happening to it. And I’m praying we’re going to get back to the way we used to be. That the Bible is now the number one book in the country. And our commitment to Israel is the number one commitment of all nations on earth. For the United States without that we are finished people. And the Lord has some powerful things to say. In Isaiah 43:1, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, He that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name;” I love this, “Thou art Mine.” Imagine that. It is the only country God ever said that about. “Thou art Mine.” And much to the shock of many Christian people God calls them My people when they’re not following Him, when they’re disobedient to Him. And He is still calling them My people. Wow. God identified Himself with her over and over again.

Five, one that I don’t see mentioned in a lot of lists about why support Israel, is because God told us not to harm them. Do you know how many times Jerusalem has been attacked? I didn’t know I had to look it up; 158 times. No wonder the Jewish people say, “Why does the Lord allow this?” In Zechariah 2 He said He’d be a wall of fire to protect us from all the nations of the world. But we know that those nations don’t always support what the Lord says at all. And they hate Israel. Psalm 83 says, “Let’s cut them off from being a nation forever.” By the way so you’re not scared it’s not going to happen. God’s very clear about that.

Six, I love this. You know why you should support Israel? Cause God has a special love for her. He said, “I’ve loved thee with an everlasting love, and with loving kindness will I draw you.” Loving-kindness the beautiful Hebrew word hesed rooted in covenant and promise. God loves them.

Seven, why should I support Israel? Because God has given her land that He calls His own. With all the political arguments about the land of Israel it is often ignored, forgotten, or purposely denied that the Lord God of Israel has given to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob a special land. He even gave us the dimensions of it, a land that God calls it His own in Leviticus 25. Genesis 17 says the gift of that land is an everlasting covenant. And you can count on this the Bible promises all the original land of Canaan which is far bigger than they have now. It goes to the River Euphrates all the way down to the Nile. And all of it will be given by the Messiah of Israel, our Lord Yeshua, He is going to give it to them, every last bit of it. Wow.

Well what about Jordan, or Lebanon, or Syria? These are important questions. Look. I don’t care what the news is talking about in any of those countries. Read your Bible it’s a lot better than the news programs of Fox News. Read your Bible. It’s the Bible. The whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible. And Israel is going to get all that land, and by the way the ones trying to divide it are going to be destroyed by Yeshua Hamashia. May God help us. Zechariah said, “He is going to destroy all the nations who try to attack and hurt Israel.” Every last one of them. Here’s one I’ll never forget, my father used to say it over, and over again, “We should support Israel because God will never forsake her. Never.” The nations of the world may turn their back away from Israel, but the Lord God of Israel has promised that He will never forsake them no matter what they do. The clear promise of God is not dependent upon their performance as being taught now on Christian radio. It’s not based on the performance of the Jewish people. It’s based clearly on the immutability, the unchangeableness of His premise. He will be faithful to them even though they are unfaithful to Him. God help us. Isaiah 41:17, “I, the God of Israel will not forsake them.” Isaiah 54:7-8 a very tender passage God says, “For a small moment I might have forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid My face from you; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, saith the LORD your Redeemer.” Thank you Lord.

And nine, I’ve already hinted at it, if there was ever a reason why the nations of the world should support Israel this is it: Isaiah 41:11-12, “Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing.” Help us Lord to understand. You try to hurt Israel and God is going to deal with you in His judgment. Zechariah 12:9, “It will come to pass in that day that I’ll seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” And Zechariah 14:3, “Then shall the LORD go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the days of battle.” The Battle of Armageddon, the final battle of human history as we now know it, will bring the Messiah of Israel to destroy all the nations of the world that have gathered to attack Israel. My Dad used to say, “You and Israel make a majority.” The Lord is never going to forsake them.

And, ten, we should support Israel because God is going to restore Israel to her promised Land.

I did happen to see in the news that Netanyahu has invited all the French Jews to come home again. We are waiting for you. We will protect you. After that terrible, terrible, attack at Nice, Nice, France they’re celebrating their independence day Bastille Day. I understand close to 88 people are now dead, there are still about 60 that any day they could die. And what did Netanyahu do? He called the French President and said, “Please tell the French Jews to come on home. We are waiting for them. And we’ll do our best to comfort them in this hour of need.”

I could wish the President of the United States said that. Yes, God’s going to restore them to their Promise Land. God’s not done with Israel.

Deuteronomy 30 is great on that text if you haven’t read it lately. And Isaiah 35:10 says, “The ransomed of the LORD will return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 43, “Fear not I’m with you; I will bring thy seed from the east, gather thee from the west; I’ll say to the north, ‘Give up’; and to the south, ‘Keep not back’: bring My sons from far, My daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory; I have formed him; yea, I have made him.'” Jeremiah 32, “I’ll gather them out of all countries, I’ll bring them again to Jerusalem. I’ll cause them to dwell safely: They shall be My people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 36:24, “I’ll take you from among the heathen, I’ll gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” Amos 9:15, “I’ll plant them upon their land, they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” The Jewish people will return to the land in the end times and become a nation in one day. They will retake the Old City of Jerusalem. They will experience according to the Bible spectacular agricultural development and will send it all over the world. They will be hated and pressured by all nations of the world. God is not fooling around with us. He’s fulfilling His Word and nothing we say or do will ever stop it.

But what I am going to tell you now is the whole issue. You see why should we support Israel? Because God will bring salvation to the whole world through the Messiah of Israel our Lord Yeshua. In Isaiah 11:10, “In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign, or a banner of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and His rest will be glorious.” Isaiah 42:1, “Behold My servant, Whom I uphold; Mine elect, in Whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” In verse 6, “I the LORD have called Thee in righteousness,” talking to the Messiah, “I will hold Thine hand, I will keep Thee, I’ll give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.” In Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, said the Messiah, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins.” In Isaiah 44:21, “Remember this, O Jacob and Israel; thou art My servant; said the Messiah, I formed thee; thou art My servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.” In chapter 45 the Messiah thunders forth and says, “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear or confess.” In Isaiah 52, “The LORD hath bared His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” In Isaiah 62:11, “The LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, say ye to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with
Him, and His work before Him.” Listen our Lord Yeshua said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” Christian faith and belief my dear friends is rooted in the promises of God given to the nation of Israel.

Christianity is not a pagan religion, nor did its original ideas come from idolatrous beliefs of past empires, as so many people are arguing today. Christianity is based on Jewish roots. On the promises of God to Israel that’s the way God wanted it. And I give Him all the praise and all the glory. And I thank God that He reached down and saved my father before he died.

Closing

Dr. Reagan: I would like to say a hearty, “AMEN!” to Dr. Hocking’s presentation. Wasn’t that powerful? And you have heard only about half of it. The rest is on the video album that contains all the presentations that were made at our conference and in a moment, I’ll tell you how you can get a copy of that album. Well, folks, that’s our program for this week. I hope it has been a blessing to you, and I hope, the Lord willing, that you will be back with us this next week when we will share another of our conference presentations with you. Until then, this is Dave Reagan speaking for Lamb & Lion Ministries, saying, “Look up, be watchful, for our Redemption is drawing near.”

End of Program