WHY CARE ABOUT ISRAEL

Why do we care about Israel in God’s redemptive plan for all nations?

We primarily care about Israel because Jesus is bringing His kingdom to the earth and will restore everything to what He wanted from the Garden of Eden.

On Earth As in Heaven

In Matthew 6, Jesus taught us to pray “Let Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” What is being done in heaven that is not being done on earth? Revelation 4 & 5 tells us that there is unceasing ministry to God happening from every person and creature. Revelation 7 speaks of a great multitude in the heavenly throne room of people from every nation, tribe, and language praising and worshiping Jesus.

As OneEleven, we are believing for a movement of worship from every tribe, tongue, and nation – that it would be on earth as it is in heaven. This is our unique global mandate as OneEleven.

Songs From the Ends of the Earth

Isaiah speaks of singing watchmen from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 24, 42, 52, 62), who will prepare the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40). These prophetic intercessors, songbirds, and messengers will agree with the unsilent heart of God for Jerusalem – until it is made a praise in the earth. Jerusalem will not be a praise in the earth until Jesus returns to the earth and is King of all the nations from His throne in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 62 is a millennial passage speaking of the coming glory of Jerusalem when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom on the earth. There will not be permanent peace in Jerusalem until Jesus returns and sets up his kingdom on the earth. Therefore God will raise up watchmen who will give him no rest day or night until Jerusalem is a praise in the earth – then there will be peace – not only for Jerusalem, but for the whole earth! 

In fact, Malachi 1:11 is ultimately a millennial passage. The fulness of this promise will be expressed in the coming kingdom when Jesus rules on the earth over every other nation from Jerusalem. All kings will sing to Him and the governments of the earth will offer pure incense night and day.

This gives great purpose to our mission even now in this age, to prepare the way of the Lord and build towards this epic future.

Redemption For All Nations

We do not pray for Israel as something unto itself; we pray for Israel in the context of God's missional intent for all nations. God wants to redeem all nations through His purposes for this one nation, and for this one nation to be redeemed by the fullness of the gospel going to all nations (Romans 9-11). The scriptures tell us that all of Israel cannot be saved until the fullness of the Gentiles comes about. This, in turn, will lead to all of Israel’s salvation as the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and as the Deliver returns to Zion.

Jesus has a beautiful plan for Jew and Gentile together in His one storyline and one family. There is one body (one church) of which Jesus is the head. We, Jew and Gentile both, find our hope in Jesus alone.

A Return to the Garden & Global Restoration

Isaiah 66 speaks of a new heavens and earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3). The whole earth will be filled with God’s glory as the waters cover the sea. Revelation 21 speaks of the New Jerusalem descending down to earth. Psalm 132 tells us that God will make His eternal dwelling place in Zion. Thus, we find a critical connection here between Jerusalem and the house of prayer for all nations.

Isaiah 56 tells us that God will draw all nations to His holy mountain. His house will be a house of prayer for all nations. The Gentiles will stream to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem year after year (Isaiah 2, Micah 4, Zechariah 14). The Lord Jesus will be King over all the earth, and there will be an enduring time of peace when the nations will learn war no more.

This is all ultimately about a return to the Garden and God’s dwelling place on the earth. We cannot overlook the Biblical connections between the Garden of Eden, the house of prayer for all nations, the resting place of God, the mountain of God, the city of Jerusalem, and the coming kingdom. We ultimately desire one thing – to see the beauty and glory of Jesus on the earth, reigning in and over His cosmic temple (Psalm 27:4, Isaiah 6, Zechariah 6:13, Ezekiel 40-48).

God wants to dwell with people on the earth. Therefore Israel is important in this grand narrative because we need the redemption of the land and of the people for the fullness to come about.


We don’t exalt Israel unto itself. We exalt Jesus, while recognizing that His covenants with Israel and His promises for the city of Jerusalem are central to the Biblical narrative. We care deeply about Israel because we care about Jesus.


Summary of Why We Care About Israel:

  • Because we care about Jesus and His mission

  • Because we love the word of God and all His promises

  • Because of the coming kingdom – heaven on earth and the return to the garden

  • Because we care about ministry to the Lord  – believers living as a kingdom of priests and a house of prayer for all nations

  • Because we care about the fullness of the Gentiles. We care about all nations, unreached people groups, and languages. 


OneEleven’s God-Given Assignment:

  • Proclaim and live out our core messages of:

    • Intimacy with Jesus

    • The Coming Kingdom

    • Night and Day Worship from All Nations

  • Build missional communities of worship and prayer everywhere

  • Believe for the church to be moved into her identity as a house of prayer for all nations

  • Labor for night & day worship and prayer in every tribe and tongue

  • Pray for a great harvest of souls and the salvation of Israel 


And so we give ourselves to enjoyable worship with prayer for the global harvest and the redemption of Israel until the return of the King!

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Find out more by reading “King of Zion” by Blake Schulze

OneEleven Global