FK, God "...causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" [Mat 5:45]. God is impertial. It is the people, some who love God and others who don't. Those who come to Him are saved; those who don't are lost.
And yes, we also have missionaries in Israel
Here is a excerpt from a 1997 CNN article:
Seems to me they are not making a very good impression.
I'm not sure how many people "like" Israel for eschatological reasons. I've never thought of it like that. I like Israel because they are an anchor of democracy in a troubled part of the world and I also agree with them that they have a right to exist.
The Eangelicals don't even hide that they are interested in Israel for eschatological reasons. Other's speak of the Jews as "God's people." And the rest of humanity is what? God's refuse?
Israel is a democracy and that's good, but it has been anything but a stabilizing factor. While I certainly think Israel has a right to exist for humanitarian reasons, that state was proclaimed in violation of the UN Charter and international law. It was created by ethinic cleansing of Arab areas, sending hundreds of thousands of local Arabs into exile. Illegitimacy never becomes legitimate, especially not by illegitimate means.
You are talking about common grace, not salvational grace. They are different. Otherwise, then explain your verse here as against Jesus only praying for believers.
[Concerning missionary work in Israel] Here is a excerpt from a 1997 CNN article: ........... Seems to me they are not making a very good impression.
Oh, it is definitely not work for the faint of heart. We even had the ADL calling us all sorts of names as seen in this article: ADL condemns Southern Baptist affiliation with 'messianic' group. It isn't easy, but we are still trying. I had no trouble coming up with several anecdotal articles on specific mission trips to Israel.