Romans 11:16-20
"If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid."
Today, we are enjoying God's salvation because of His grace, and there's nothing we can boast about. Especially as we face the Jews, we must not look down or despise them. Even though they don't believe in Jesus, disobeyed against God and even distanced themselves from God's grace, God has never forsaken them. Never forget that salvation from out from the Jews; they are still God's chosen people and God will remember them in His eternal plan. On the one hand, we already have true freedom in Christ and we don't need to, like back in the Old Testament time, first become Jews in order to enjoy God's grace; but on the other hand, we cannot neglect the needs of the Jews. Paul said that in the Gospel we are indebted to the Jews, and therefore we need to remember them in the Lord.
The Bible also taught us to bless the Israelites for the following reasons: First, God's revelation came through them; second, Jesus Christ was born through this race, and third, the end-time prophecies will be fulfilled through them. It doesn't mean that they are more spiritual or closer to God than us. They are just vessels in God's hands; God chose them in order to accomplish His plan of eternal salvation on earth. Therefore, the history of the Israelites is like a signal of God's work that we must pay close attention to.
So how do we bless the Israelites? First, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Psalm 122:6 tells us to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure." Second, ask God to open doors for sharing the gospel with the Jews. Israel has been considering a law that would make any form of sharing the gospel with Jews by missionaries illegal, and the offenders will be imprisoned. May the Lord block any of such legislation! Also, ask God to bless the Israelites, because those who bless the Israelites will be blessed by God.
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