Hmm... Israel. I think this is a very loaded name... sigh.

One bro, whose father accepted Christ, shared with me that his father doesn't want to read the Bible, because he doesn't like Israel (the modern-day one)... and lo and behold, when he reads the Bible, he finds out it's about Israel... he doesn't want to read further.

Well, the bro is doing his best to help his dad read further... that God Himself disciplined the Israelites for the way they dishonour His name so many times.

And even today, gee... I feel embarrassed sometimes to say that the God we Christians worship is also the God of Israel...

So true what Romans 2:24 says:

As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

Israel jialat lah... But well, as I read further on, I realised that God keeps His faithfulness to the nation of Israel, not because of their righteous acts (which weren't very many...), but because of His promise to Abraham thousands of years ago.

And the church is now the new Israel, the spiritual one... that even the Gentiles can get to enjoy as well.

But even the church can be stubborn at times...

Wah. God's so ... faithful. He knew that the nation of Israel was a stiff-necked and disobedient people... yet He decided to stick with them... and even bring them back from captivity. But yeah, today's Israel is a visible sign to the world that God keeps His promises. Still...

Ah well. At least there is the new Israel, the spiritual one... with Christ as her King. Cool, right? :)