Day 350 Forgive Us

 

12/16/2012

"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."

Genesis 12:3

  

Over the past few days I have been horrified and deeply distressed over the news concerning the heartless murder of innocent people enjoying the first night of Hanukkah on the Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia by two men, a father and his son, who were allegedly trained prior to this tragedy in how to carry out this terrorist attack on Jewish citizens. A group of 1,000 were gathered for this celebration that thankfully more slaughter was avoided by the heroic efforts of a man who heard the noise and rushed to see what was happening. Last count there were 16 deaths, including a ten year old little girl, Matilda, with many still in critical condition in the hospital fighting for their lives. 

It is my understanding that a home in California was riddled with 20 rounds by a drive by shooter when Hanukkah lights and celebration were noticed in a neighborhood. 

Prior to that, again in our own country a man walks into a classroom at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, murdering a Jewish teacher in her class on Judaic studies. Two people were killed and nine injured in this antisemitic cruelty.

Each day a new tragedy seems to unfold in one area of our world or another. In our own streets violence has been ongoing for quite some time, thanks to open borders encouraging evil to be welcomed putting all lives in jeopardy. Voters have elected antisemitic and anti-Christian leaders into office, but this doesn't surprise me as there has been similar action over the years with the wholesale slaughter of unborn and new born children, who, if they survive the abortion attempt, are allowed to lie defenseless and unattended until the doctor and mother decide if they want to keep the child, or if they just want to murder the child outright in even colder blood. This is ironic in a culture that seems to care more about animal cruelty than the sanctity of human life. Plus, worse actions are being allowed in our One Nation Under God country. Tell me, where are the Bible teaching, Christ following believers? Where are the pastors who are educating their flock? 

While I care about all lives, at this time I want to address the rising hatred of antisemitism that is being allowed in our nation. More specifically I wonder what it will take for the church to wake up and stand up for Israel. The church has been silent about Israel period! The massacre on October 7, 2023, was mentioned but a brief period of time. I made efforts to connect certain churches in my area with my contacts in the American branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) to visit their churches to educate the pastors and congregations regarding the error of Replacement Theology (supersessionism) being taught in the church and theological seminaries. This teaching suggests that the Church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people, inheriting all its promises, suggesting that the New Covenant of Christ replaces the Old. This deception is clearly shown as false by reading Chapters 9 - 11 of Romans, written by Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, appointed by Jesus Himself. Sadly, the church did not respond.

Recently in our ICEJ prayer calls, discussing the rise of antisemitism and the root of the origin going back 1700 years to the First Council in Nicaea in 325 AD, the speaker stated: "If you are not supporting Israel, you do not know God." I wholehearted agree with this sentiment. I cannot understand how seemingly educated men and women of God can be so ignorant when it comes to our Hebraic roots as Christ-followers. The first thing I love to point out to the ignorant is that "Jesus Christ is the King of the Jews, because He is a Jew!" The entire Bible that we claim as our own was written by the Jewish prophets, apostles, and teachers. We owe the people of Israel a huge debt of gratitude, and we owe everything to God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ for allowing us - Gentile born again believers in Jesus Christ - to be grafted into the family of God where we are now permitted to be called sons and daughters of the most high God with privileges. I feel very grateful, humbled beyond any imagining, to be grafted into the vine of Christ who the Living Vine! The same Jesus who CHOSE to leave heaven and come to earth as a newborn baby in the worse of circumstances, just so He could grow up faced with every insult, injury, and horrible treatment so He could obey His Father and die the death of a despised criminal on a cross. I am appalled that the entire truth regarding Jesus is being conveniently removed by pastors and teachers. Does anyone ever think about the heartbreak we cause God when we deny His Son and HIS Chosen People? He never denied them, and all through the Old Testament God made that truth extremely clear. There has and there always will be a remnant, and that includes a remnant of truth-seeking Gentile believers. 

Am I angry - I'd say so, but more than that, I am disappointed and ashamed. Each day I repent for these sins, beginning with my own in not being able to educate and help people understand, and as I repent corporately for the Church, the collective Church, who say they follow Christ, but all the while are following their own beliefs. May God have mercy on our souls. In this season recognizing the birth of our Dear Savior, what will it take to awaken the Church? Will we continue to remain ignorant of what the Bible says? Will we continue to vote in leaders who are anti-Israel, anti-God, anti-anything that is pure and godly? How long will the Christians choose to not vote, or not speak out? I am so tired of friends telling me they admire what I am doing when they at least could make a phone call or sign a letter or dole out a dollar toward the support of American Jewish families whose husbands are fighting for Israel? I would like to think that American citizens living elsewhere with dual-citizenship would rush to this country's aid should an attack of that magnitude occur on American soil. And it could with the rise of Muslims taking over our cities, eventually with Sharia Law or with drug cartel fighting back. This is what certain lawmakers have been hoping to achieve through their unlawful acts in our cities. Is anyone listening? This is America, and many heroes have shed their blood to ensure we remain safe here in our country, our Sovereign nation, just like Israel.

So before anyone reading this comments or makes crude remarks, educate yourself. If you're a Christian, read the word, especially the book of Romans, chapters 9 - 11. And most important, get on your knees before God and repent and seek Him with your whole heart. Besides rallying support the best I know how, I am praying, including prayers of forgiveness, asking God to forgive those who are doing this harm, because as Jesus said from the cross, "...they know not what they do."