Anti-semitism hits the Church

The Bible is explicit that anti-semitism (rabid hatred of the Jews) would be in vogue towards the end of times. Spikes of these were seen during the Hitler years when six million human beings were sent to the gas chambers simply for being Jews. It is instructive that anti-semitism is on the rise again, and worst of all, even the Church is now playing an active part in the sordid phenomenon.

A group of churches, spearheaded by the World Council of Churches, are calling for economic boycott of Israel. They justify this by twisting the historic and political events between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, coupled with the so-called replacement theology. Under this viewpoint, Israel had ceased to be God’s people, and all God’s promises for Israel are now to be fulfilled through the Church. This is clearly fallacious as well clarified in several Scriptures. For example Rom 11, makes it clear that God has programme for both the Church and Israel. Israel’s programme (Daniel 9) is currently frozen in this “gap period” (Luke 21:24) where God, by grace divine, is bringing both Jews and Gentiles into the one Body, the Church (Eph 2:14), but after the Rapture, Israel would continue to provide a witness for God on this planet before the final consummation of all things. For this, adequate plan has been made by the Lord. See Rev. 12:6 Indeed, “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew” Romans 11:2.

Spearheading the socio-political and economic moves against Israel are church-groups like the Methodist in the UK (http://seismic-shock.com/2010/06/19/dr-stephen-leah-the-anti-israel-methodists/), Presbyterians (http://community.comcast.net/t5/In-The-News/Presbyterian-Network-calls-for-boycott-of-Israeli-products/td-p/6400164), and individuals such as the Anglican Vicar, Stephen Sizer.

Thank God for another segment of the church that is taking the great efforts required to stand by Israel in this time of beginning of her troubles yet to come. We are particularly grateful to God that Nigeria’s Pastor Enoch Adeboye is playing a major role in this respect. Check out details of his meetings with both the Israeli’s President and the PM at www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/147219#.ToY2dWHowsY. Pastor Adeboye’s advocacy for a “culture of peace” is essentially a demand that Israel’s sworn enemies must first agree to the right of Israel to exist as a first condition to peace. That is reasonable enough and it is amazing that so-called men of God will demand that Israel continue to make concessions to people whose charter continues to be that Israel has no right to exist! Speaking in Samaria, Pastor Adeboye consoled Israel with the profound, now famous statement: "When you are special in the eyes of God, automatically people will dislike you." That sounds like Joseph in Genesis 46:34 “….for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians”

All this is merely the Church playing its role as salt and light of the world while we are around. The Bible is clear that, perhaps coinciding with the Rapture, a false peace will first be ushered in by the false Christ (the antichrist), lasting only three and half years (Daniel 9:27). Later on, everlasting peace (such as Isaiah writes about, Chapters 11 and 65) will be ushered in by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is also a certainty, and for this we prepare.