As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“Antisemitism, hostility toward the Jewish people, is evil…. Antisemitism has various motives, including religious, social, political, ideological, and racial. Throughout history, it has been reflected in bigotry, blood libel, conspiracy theories, pogroms, confiscation of property, and even genocide.
“This Hanukkah and in the aftermath of the horrifying Australia attack, let us be worthy heirs to their inspiring legacy, and let us, like Clay, stand against the antisemites who dishonor them, their faith, and their country.” - Providence
“Only 80 years removed from a world that declared ‘never again,’ the ancient antisemitic hatred seems to be resurgent as evidenced by a nearly fourfold increase in incidents and attacks in the past two years, and by escalating rhetoric from voices on the left and the right targeting our Jewish neighbors.” - Providence
“It is antisemitic to use theology, even forms of Christian theology, as a foundation for calling for the destruction of the Jews or completely disregarding them as a people…. It is not antisemitic to criticize a government’s actions.” - P&D
“The Messiah Conference, the world’s largest annual gathering of Messianic Jews and Israel-supporting Christians, gets underway in the U.S. on Monday, June 29, as antisemitism surges across America and globally.” - RNS/MJAA
“For a story about an Austrian Catholic family, ‘The Sound of Music’ has something Jewish about it.” - RNS
There will be a great spiritual transformation of Israel before Christ’s final return.
Those before us in Dispensational Theology developed the scriptural conviction that the people of Israel will one day be saved as a nation in their Promised Land. Dispensationalists taught this boldly—as was the case when The Friends of Israel was born in 1938, even before the modern State of Israel existed.
But this clear, biblical teaching has fallen on hard times, and many are conflicted.
Read the series.
While Israel faces the increasing potential of an expanding war in the Middle East, the world is clearly careening into a new era of unreserved antisemitism.
How should we as Christians respond?
If we are convinced Biblically that God still has a future for the people, nation and land of Israel—that He will fulfill every promise He has ever given His chosen people, and every prophecy He has ever made about them—that will certainly determine the tenor of our reaction.
“The ‘new’ wave of antisemitism in the West clarifies to Israeli Jews too that they cannot escape their fate in Israel by relocating to Europe or America. They too cannot escape antisemitism by distancing themselves from Israel.” - Providence
Read the series.
What does it mean to stand with Israel? My wife Lynnette and I were challenged to think about that question in a completely new way on Friday, June 7, when we heard a firsthand account of the terrorist massacre that Hamas unleashed last October 7.
Discussion