‘Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn over her.
11 For you will feed and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.’

Many years ago I listened to a talk given by David Pawson, who was a high profile Bible teacher at the time. As I recall, it was entitled, ‘It is time for the Gentiles to repay their debt to the Jews.’ He highlighted how much the world owes to Israel, for all that she has contributed to the development and advancement of the human race, in so many fields.

But how much more does the church owe! In Romans 9:1-5 Paul writes:

 ”I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.”

Barry Webb writes that the church will ‘…always owe a debt to the mother who gave it birth. Zion’s children would always remember that they had been suckled at her breasts, and be thankful (10-11).’ In a footnote he adds: ‘There is a sense, of course, in which the church continues to draw nourishment from its Jewish heritage. The Old Testament is three-quarters of the Christian Bible! Cf. Paul’s image of the root and branches in Rom.11:11-24.’ ‘Isaiah’, p.248.