Israel's Report Card

A review of Deuteronomy 28 will help us to arrive at the only scorecard that really matters: God’s report card for Israel

Is Israel Blessed or Cursed…Let the Facts Speak!

“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country” (Deut. 28:3)

Visit any of Israel’s cities or towns, and the first thing you will notice is the skyline dotted with construction cranes, an ever present sign of perpetual growth. Despite the constant expansion, these towns and cities remain highly livable: clean, well-organized, with inviting public spaces and, importantly, are safe to navigate. Israel’s public transportation systems are efficient and constantly improving. The high-speed rail link between Ben Gurion International Airport and Jerusalem reduced a tedious 1–2-hour journey to 26 minutes. Light rail train systems are transforming Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa.   

Perhaps the most powerful proof of “blessed” country living in Israel is found in the Negev Desert region. Comprising 60% of Israel’s landmass, it is home to 13% (1.1 million) of Israel’s population—despite its harsh desert climate. A wide range of farming activities, specifically adapted to the desert-like conditions, have turned this part of Israel into a productive and pleasant environment to raise families. These communities echo the words of Psalm 102:14 “Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones and feel pity for her dust.”   

"Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock” (Deut. 28:4) 

It is a precious sight to see an Orthodox Jewish father walking down the street with five or morechildren in tow, staggered in height like the pipes of a wind organ.While large families are a well-known feature of Orthodox Jewish life, what is lesser-known is  that a love of children permeates Jewish society. Statistics support this. Over the past 30 years, the Jewish fertility rate in Israel has risenand is now at three births per woman. In comparison, the average fertility rate across the 38-member Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED) is 1.5 children per woman. Israel is bucking international fertility trends.  

This vitality extends beyond its people to the land itself. Israel meets a high percentage of its own fresh food requirements, and a visit to any Israeli fresh produce market will attest to both the abundance and quality of the harvest. Limited arable land, water scarcity and a growing population have driven Israel’s agricultural innovation. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Negev Desert, which yields an astonishing array of produce, from vegetables to flowers to ornamental and edible fish.  

Given its small size, Israel is not suitable for ranching, but still boasts a highly successful dairy farming industry. Based on the Israeli Holstein cow, the national herd achieves the highest average yield per cow in the world. At 12,075 kilograms (26,621 lb.) per year, this exceeds the output of second-placed USA by 20%. Through a comprehensive national strategy, Israel has become a global authority on all aspects of dairy farming.  

“Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl” (Deut. 28:5) 

A blessed basket is one filled with the essentials needed to raise a healthy family. While Israeli supermarkets today are well stocked, and food is generally available, the cost of living in Israel is among the highest in the developed world. In 2022, prices were 38% above the OECD average, making it a real challenge for families living in poverty to afford basic necessities. Unlike the founding years of the state, when food rationing was needed, today it is the economic reality—not scarcity—that keeps some families from having enough.

This contrasts with Israel’s neighboring countries, which, despite similar natural resources, have not matched Israel’s economic growth. Israel’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, which measures economic output per citizen stands at US $54,300 while Jordan, with a GDP of US $4,600, was second highest.

The kneading bowl, or bread, symbolizes social cohesion within a society. In Israel, the inclusive nature of life events—circumcisions, bar and bat mitzvahs, annual feasts and more—along with mandatory army service and a shared sense of vulnerability to common threats, fosters strong social bonds where hospitality is a hallmark of everyday life. This is particularly evident on the evenings before and after the Sabbath, when streets and gathering places come alive with people enjoying each other’s company.

This strong social cohesion was powerfully visible in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks: an estimated 60% of Jewish Israelis volunteered in a myriad of ways to help the country manage the impact of the attack and the mass mobilization of the IDF reserves. It was also reflected in the massive turnouts at funerals, as the nation mourned and honored those who had fallen.  

“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out” (Deut. 28:6)

“Coming in” refers to the home. The Bible emphasizes genealogies, and within the Jewish world, families remain central. In Israel, this is especially evident on Friday evenings, when multiple generations often gather around the table for the traditional Sabbath meal, pausing other activities to honor the Sabbath and to enjoy one another’s company.

In contrast,  “going out” reflects an individual’s engagement and relevance in the economy and national life. Israel boasts an exceptionally low unemployment rate of 3.1%, indicating that those seeking work can generally find it. The Jewish emphasis on education further fuels an innovative workplace, fostering opportunities for entrepreneurs.

“The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deut. 28:12)

Surveys during the British Mandate period suggested that, due to limited water resources, no more than two million people could live in Israel. The British concluded that God’s call for the Jewish people to return to the land of their promise was simply not feasible. Today, nearly 10 million people live and thrive in the land. Through innovation, Israelis have transformed this precious resource—water received from heaven—by optimizing its use and supplementing it by desalinating seawater.

Despite its small size, Israel is a world leader and a recognized innovator in numerous fields, producing technologies that impact people worldwide. The country develops and manufactures Intel® processors and hosts research centers for many of the world’s most innovative international companies. Israel’s supportive environment and infrastructure have earned it the nickname “Start Up Nation.” Remarkably, with only 10 million citizens, Israel ranks third in the number of companies registered on the New York Stock Exchange.

Israel’s national debt, expressed as a percentage of its GDP, stands at 69%, compared with 124% for the United States and 81% for the European Union. While Israel remains a net borrower, the discovery of significant gas and oil resources promises to strengthen the economy and reduce the need for external borrowing. However, the protracted war that began in 2023 has slowed progress.

“The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways” The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways” (Deut. 28:7) 

At first glance, this “blessing” might seem like a curse. Yet it reflects a deeper reality. Because God’s hand of blessing on Israel is evident, conflict is often inevitable. Much of humanity denies the existence of the one true God. Moreover, elements within Christianity and Islam see their religions as both being superior and having superseded Judaism. Israel’s success—being blessed—challenges these assumptions and thus provokes hostility. Yet Israel’s ability to counter threats, such as Iran’s multi-directional assaults, demonstrates that the Jewish state’s success is indeed a sign of God’s favor.

So What’s the Score?

Despite the negative reports in the media, the UN and elsewhere, there is clear evidence that, even amid regional chaos, Israel remains a blessed nation. This does not imply that every Israeli is perfectly obedient, but it may suggest that God’s perspective on Israel is very different from that of the world. After all, Israel is described as “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year” (Deut. 11:12 emphasis added). 

When considering Israel, we cannot lose sight of God’s love and eagerness to bless His people. “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God” (Deut. 28:2 emphasis added). The Hebrew word translated as “overtake,” nasag, conveys powerful imagery: God Almighty in pursuit, laden with blessings, anxious to bestow them on those who are obedient.

Deuteronomy 28:9–10 makes the point unmistakable: God’s blessing on Israel sets the nation apart as His holy people. “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you” (emphasis added).

This divine distinction explains why Israel often provokes such intense and disproportionate responses from the world. In societies determined to deny the existence of one sovereign God, Israel’s very success, survival and presence stand as undeniable evidence that God is real—and that He acts on behalf of His people. In a sense, Israel is both a blessing and a challenge, a living testimony that confronts the prevailing secular worldview.