Podcast 10-19-18
Why The Scourge of Antisemitism ?
THIS UNENDING, EVIL PERSECUTION MUST BE DEMONIC
Many Jews and Christians have long believed that evil, spiritual forces are behind this hatred of Jews. This phenomenon of endless recycling of persecution of Jews seems to defy any other explanation. It is the world's oldest, continuing hatred by far. Just about every generation of Jewish people have had to face new threats. One wonders how the Jewish people have outlasted an endless parade of despots and hateful religious zealots from ancient Haman to modern day Hamas. Many have perceived that it must be Satanic forces. The devil is God's adversary, therefore the people of God having His sign, the Sabbaths and preserving His words the OT, would incur Satan's eternal wrath. It may seem that this hatred is like usual, carnal hatreds among nations, but it is much more than the normal animosity. This hatred and animosity has lasted for twenty seven centuries. Wow!
Ps 74:8 They said in their hearts, "Let us destroy them altogether." They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land. (NKJV)
Psalms 83:3-4 NKJV 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more."
During ancient times the pagan nations have tried to CUT OFF, or completely destroy the people who were clearly labeled as the people of God. Behind these sinister acts are the hand of ungodly spiritual forces.
Ephesians 6:11-12 NKJV 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Many explanations for the survival of the Jewish people include devotion to the Torah, the written laws of God, but if spiritual forces are against them, then only spiritual forces have saved and prospered them. If Israel is to be a light to the world, God will not let that light go out. Israel including Judah, must exist at the end of this age to fulfill many prophecies. Therefore God will not allow any schemes designed to cut them off, to succeed.
THE SAD BEGINNINGS OF CHRISTIAN ANTISEMITISM
Many early church fathers thought of the Jews as worthy of dire punishment saying that Jews were evil and cursed because they crucified our Savior Jesus Christ. We all know that Jesus died for the sins of ALL mankind. The first people to accept Christ were the Jews. Jesus came to his own people first. Needless to say, Jesus and the Apostle Paul loved the Jewish people, both were Jewish as were all the early Apostles.
John 4:22-23 NKJV 22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
Romans 9:1-4 NKJV 1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;
The majority of the Jews were not called to accept Jesus at that time but will in the future. Paul and Jesus loved their own people, the Jewish people. Most of the world is also not called now.
Romans 10:1-2 NKJV 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Probably giving in to pagan worldly pressure, members of the worldly apostate Christian church turned on the Jews and also the true Church of God which also kept all the Biblical Sabbaths and Holy Days. They dropped the Sabbath, the sign of God, to differentiate themselves from the Jews. Further, some leaders, for instance, John Chrysostom accused the Jews of housing the devil in their synagogues and practicing idolatry therein. He hated the Jews and thought that it was the duty of all Christians to also hate them. Centuries later, Martin Luther thought that their synagogues and homes should be destroyed and their religious books taken away and they not be allowed to travel. However if people felt that Jews had taken something from them, Jews could be driven out and people could confiscate the Jews' property and money. The apostatized church became a vehicle for Jewish hatred. Something that the Jewish Jesus and his Apostles would have abhorred.
1 Timothy 4:1-3 NKJV 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
The religion of these apostatized churches eventually became the official religion of the worldly Holy Roman Empire.
THE MIRACULOUS RETURN TO ZION BY JUDAH IN 1948
Clearly a partial fulfillment of Bible prophesies regarding the return to Jerusalem of the Kingdom of Judah occurred in recent history. In 1948, the Jewish people were still reeling from the tragedy of the Holocaust. That with nearly two-thirds of their people killed in Europe, and survivors destitute, with little support or weaponry, managed to create the Jewish state is unbelievable. It is God's will for them to be in Jerusalem at the end of the age. Note that prophesies about the third Temple would be void without Israel's existence in Zion. This could only have been achieved by Divine Intervention.
Little Israel then faced another threat immediately upon birth. All the surrounding Arab armies attacked in a coordinated effort to destroy the state. The Jewish state faced arms embargoes with only small Czechoslovakia daring to defy the world by shipping them arms. In some cases, Holocaust survivors arrived from refugee camps to immediately have to fight a life or death struggle. In 1949, the UN admitted Israel to full membership thanks to pressure from President Truman.
Jeremiah 30:16-17 NKJV 16 'Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey. 17 For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD, 'Because they called you an outcast saying: "This is Zion; No one seeks her."
America has been blessed for supporting Israel. Further blessings have come from our recognizing Jerusalem as Israel capital. The world as a whole is fairly antisemitic as seen by many UN votes to harm Israel interest which are usually blocked by America. It is just more proof that this is Satan's society.
Revelation 12:9 NKJV 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Isaiah 43:5-6 NKJV 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west; 6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth-
This regathering of Judah in Zion is only a partial fulfillment of Bible prophesy but a significant one. Today little Israel is still under tremendous pressure, but is still succeeding economically. We Americans have for the most part, treated Israel and the Jews better than any other country has, which is good because God says He will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, referring to Abraham's seed. (Gen. 12:3) Many Jews in the late 19th and 20th centuries, left Europe for a new home in America and have thrived.
Isaiah 11:12-13 NKJV 12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. 13 Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
Israel has rewritten the history of the Middle East with God's help. Upon the second coming of the Messiah the Jewish people will accept Him and lead the way for the nations in learning God's laws and ways.
Zechariah 8:22-23 NKJV 22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the LORD.' 23 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
The future is bright for Israel and they will lead the nations into a millennium of peace and prosperity. The Messiah will be in Jerusalem and from their the world will learn about God. Even today if the PLO were to work with Israel instead using most of its' resources to fight them they would be prosperous.
Genesis 12:2-3 NKJV 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
It is a wise policy to support little Israel. Antisemitism is like a canary in a mine when this hatred increases so does spiritual evil in the world, look at Europe in the 1930's as an example. Evil is again rising in the world beware!
