There is a joke that Israelis like to tell Christian Zionists, one first made popular by Prime Minister Menachem Begin in the late-1970s: There are many differences between Jews and Christians, but they must work together now where they can. When the Messiah comes, the first question to ask is if this is his first or second time here.
The joke works because it sidesteps the very real differences between Jews and Christians to affirm the shared messianic hope that animates many Jews and evangelical Christians. If the differences between Jews and Christians are all just a matter of timing, then both communities can get on with the business of defending Israel.
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