Evangelical Christians urged to vote as US-Israel alliance debate grows

Israelis turned out in extraordinary numbers in their most recent election, with turnout reaching 77.7 percent. The author describes this as a historic high by Israeli standards and a figure that would be almost unimaginable by recent American standards.

As Americans prepare to vote in the midterm elections, the author addresses fellow Evangelical Christians with a direct question: whether they will show up at the polls. The author argues that the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance is being debated in ways that would have been difficult to imagine only a few years earlier.

The author writes that political voices openly hostile to Israel are growing louder, and that some are calling for Washington to reduce or end its support for the Jewish state. For Christians who take the Bible seriously, the author says, this matters. The author points to Genesis 12 as teaching that God takes seriously how nations treat Israel and the Jewish people. The author says that Christian attitudes toward Israel should be rooted in love, blessing, and a recognition of God’s enduring purposes for the Jewish people.

The author also notes that questions involving the sanctity of human life, marriage and family, religious freedom, sexuality, parental rights, economic freedom, and the proper role of government are being debated throughout American society. The author acknowledges that Christians will not agree on every policy or candidate, and says that no politician is perfect, adding, “I have never met one who is.”

The author describes traveling back to the United States with his wife, Lynn, where as American citizens they cast their ballots in Virginia. The author calls voting a tremendous privilege and notes that throughout most of human history, ordinary people have lacked the freedom to choose their leaders or peacefully influence the direction of their country. Citing Daniel 2, the author states that God is sovereign and raises up kings and removes them (Daniel 2).

The author says he is not telling readers whom to vote for. Instead, he asks them to prayerfully examine the candidates, understand what they actually believe, compare those positions with their own biblical convictions, and vote according to their conscience. He writes that the future of America’s relationship with Israel matters, and so do the many moral and cultural questions confronting the country. He concludes his column by urging Christians to pray for America, for Israel, for those seeking public office, and for wisdom.

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