Dr. Robert Jeffress, Jr., the pastor of First Baptist Dallas, was recently honored with a "Friend of Zion" award from Jerusalem's Friends of Zion Museum.
"Well, I'm very concerned at the diminishing support for Israel I'm sensing, especially among younger Christians – and quite frankly, it's the fault of the church for that. The church is not preaching what the Bible teaches about Israel," Jeffress told CBN News in an interview at the ceremony.
"Most people are completely unaware of that unconditional covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 12," he added.
"There is something mystical that happens when you're in Israel," he continued. "You realize that this is the place where Jesus walked. It's the place where the prophets came. It's the place where the scriptures were written. And I've been here 10 or 12 times and it's the same feeling every time I come. It never gets old."
In the past, the award has been given to world leaders such as former President Donald Trump.
"This is one of the highlights of my ministry. I was in the Oval Office when President Trump received his Friends of Zion award, and he was thrilled about it. I believe that the Bible teaches us that whoever is on the right side of Israel is on the right side of God," he said.
Since 2015, The Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem has been showcasing the special relationship between the United States and Israel. For instance, its state-of-the-art exhibits recount how the Jews returned to their homeland and the non-Jews who helped on the way.
During the special ceremony, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Captain Asaf Shahar discussed the connection between both countries.
"It's something special that expresses that deep bridge between us and you," Shahar said. "And I'm telling you, it's not just tanks. It's not just airplanes. It's not just missiles. It's to continue in making this bridge that will be big and strong...of cooperation between Israeli nationality and you."
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Tom Pennington/Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
