Are Israelis God’s People—Why Are They Involved in So Much Brutality Today?

Posted November 15, 2025 | End Times Watch | River Wilde

Having observed the conflict in the Middle East, many Christians are asking hard questions:
If Israel is God’s chosen nation, why is the world witnessing such severe brutality in the war with the Palestinians? What does Scripture actually say about Israel’s role in the last days?

A closer look at the Bible reveals a picture far more complex—and far more prophetic—than political headlines alone can explain.

The Land of Israel: A Covenant That Still Stands

From the earliest pages of Scripture, the land of Israel is identified as a territory belonging to God Himself.

In the Book of Joel, God refers to it directly as “my land,” and the prophet Ezekiel declares God will bring His people back into “their own land.” Scholars note that the modern return of Jews to Israel mirrors the prophetic regathering described in Ezekiel 36–37, a key sign pointing toward the last days.

Whether people support or oppose Israel politically, the biblical claim is clear:
the land is tied to God’s covenant with Abraham. Let’s learn more about this.

Are Today’s Israelis “God’s People”? The Biblical Distinction

The Bible presents two categories of “God’s people,” a detail often missing in political commentary.

1. Covenant Israel

Ethnic Jews are still called God’s people because of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Apostle Paul states they are “beloved for the fathers’ sakes,” a covenant status that has not been revoked.

2. Spiritual Israel

Scripture also teaches that not all biological Israelites are spiritually aligned with God.
“They are not all Israel, which are of Israel,” Paul writes, indicating that spiritual obedience—specifically faith in the Messiah—is what defines true spiritual Israel.

This means the modern State of Israel, while fulfilling prophecy by existing, is not a spiritually redeemed nation. It is a secular government and operates politically and militarily, not as a theocracy.

Why Then the Brutality? Scripture Provides an Uncomfortable Answer

Observers worldwide have expressed shock at the intensity of violence and civilian suffering in the ongoing conflict. But biblical history offers insight: being God’s chosen nation never meant Israel always acted righteously.

The Old Testament records numerous moments when Israel:

• shed innocent blood,
• oppressed the vulnerable,
• and engaged in violent rebellion against God.

Prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel openly condemned the nation for “bloody crimes,” warning them of divine judgment.

Today’s conflict, experts say, reflects a similar reality:
A covenant identity does not guarantee moral behavior in wartime.
Israel, like any modern state, can act unjustly—even brutally—when driven by trauma, fear, and political objectives.

What About Palestinians?

While much debate centers on Israel’s actions, faith leaders emphasize that God sees the suffering of both peoples.

The Bible teaches that God upholds justice and hates the shedding of innocent blood—regardless of nationality. The Palestinian people, many of whom have no voice in the actions of militants, are enduring unimaginable hardship. Likewise, Israeli civilians have faced their own trauma, loss, and fear.

The conflict is not a holy war.
It is a tragic clash of nations in a fallen world, where civilians on both sides pay the highest price.

A Prophetic Pattern: Violence in the Last Days

Many believers see today’s brutality as part of a much larger prophetic picture.

Jesus foretold that the end times would be marked by:

• war and rumors of war,
• nation rising against nation,
• hatred multiplied,
• and love growing cold.

The Apostle Paul warned that perilous times would come. Old Testament prophets described a future in which Israel would return to the land physically—but turn to God spiritually only after immense crisis. Current events, while tragic, align closely with these biblical patterns.

The Final Outcome: God Will Judge All Violence

Regardless of political alliances, one truth emerges from Scripture:
God will judge every nation—including Israel.

The Bible does not allow favoritism. Every act of brutality, injustice, and bloodshed will be brought under God’s scrutiny.

Prophecy assures that Israel will one day recognize Jesus as the Messiah, a future moment described in Zechariah 12:10. Until then, the Bible portrays Israel as regathered but not yet redeemed, a nation caught between prophecy and human frailty.

A Story Still Unfolding

The brutality seen today should not surprise students of Scripture. While Israel remains God’s covenant nation, its modern government is not operating under divine righteousness—but under political force, national trauma, and wartime survival instincts.

As conflict continues, believers are urged not to choose political sides but to stand with truth, compassion, and biblical discernment, recognizing that both Israelis and Palestinians are precious in God’s eyes.

In the end, the Bible offers a hope beyond the headlines: A future when war ceases, Israel finds its Redeemer, and the Prince of Peace reigns over all nations.

As followers of Christ, we are called to show compassion and extend love to all of God’s people. Many are trapped in violence and upheaval through no fault of their own, carrying burdens they never chose. Rather than standing in judgment, let us lift them in prayer and intercede for all who suffer amid the turmoil of war.

There are many complex issues that lead countries to war, yet the solution to all of these conflicts can be obtained with one consistent answer…There is Peace in Christ!