Jewish-Christian Alliance: Practical or Spiritual
Q: Is the relationship between the Jewish and Christian worlds a practical alliance or a spiritual connection?
Charlie Nauman, Willow Street PA
There is no question that Jews and Christians of the world face a formidable adversary bent on their destruction. “First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people” echoes throughout the Muslim world and Christians who have been so unfortunate to live under their auspices, if brave enough, will attest to their malicious intent.
Before the infamous Oslo Accords, under Israeli control, Bethlehem was a predominantly Christian city with only a fifth of the population of the Muslim faith. After the transfer of control to Arafat, what was one day a tranquil spiritual holy site for Christians around the world became a terrorist breeding ground hostile to all non-Muslims. Christians fled in fear leaving an 80% Muslim Bethlehem behind. Having endured religious persecution so consistently throughout our long history, the Israeli government has always vigilantly protected the religious rights and houses of worship of all religions, yet no Christian can forget the desecration and murder perpetrated by the Muslims of Bethlehem in the Church of the Nativity in 2002. Over forty Christian clergy and nuns were taken hostage while the Church was being used as a firing position by terrorists who knew full well that the IDF would not return fire due to their “weakness” and tolerance. Catholic priests described the take-over as a “regime of fear” explaining that as they were starved and beaten, the terrorists even used their Bibles as toilet paper.
Islam means “submission”. “Allahu Akbar” is often mistakenly translated as “God is great”, while in reality meaning “God is greater”. A fundamental tenet of Islam is that it is the greatest religion in the world with a god that is definitionally greater than all others. According to Muslim law, every other faith must live subjugated as “dhimmi”, paying tribute to Muslims and acknowledging their supremacy. Nearly every conflict in the world, while routinely adopting a political mask, is initiated by the Muslims in order to liberate land from infidel “occupation”. Was the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) founded in 1964 in order to liberate the “occupied territories” of 1967? Were the massacres of Jews in Hebron in 1929 incited by the Jewish State of 1948? From the Abu Sayaf in the Philippines to the Sipah-e-Sahaba in Pakistan to the Hamas in Gaza, the purpose is the same. While it may seem to the untrained eye that the wrath of the Muslim world has been kindled by Israel, it is clear that once the thorn of the “Zionist entity” is pulled from their side, the rest of the non-Muslim world is next on the to-do list.
In a world that so eagerly jumps to condemn and ostracize, Israel feels lucky to be able to count her allies on one finger. Most countries determine their foreign policy based merely on their best interests, and while Israel is undoubtedly a strategic and military asset, an argument can be made that the easier route would be to side with Europe and the Muslim world rather than supporting Israel, the exponentially smaller pariah. Many Jews in America delude themselves into believing that the US is pro-Israel because of Jewish influence such as the political lobby of AIPAC or the ADL. The reality is that America is the only country in the world that takes morality into account in their foreign policy, even when there is a significant price to pay. The primary influence pushing this alliance is the Christian right.
Having traveled to churches throughout America, we have met many different streams and denominations of Christianity, all who support Israel and the Jewish people. As opposed to the majority of Jews in America, many say that they vote for the candidate who will be best for Israel. Many cry and beg forgiveness for the persecution and atrocities that their ancestors perpetrated against the Jewish people explaining that they now know that G-d has not abandoned his beloved people, and His covenant with Abraham is everlasting and unconditional. As Christians who love G-d, they explain, they can not help but love the people that G-d loves, as the Psalmist called them, the “apple of His eye”.
The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:9 provides valuable insight into the alliance between our worlds. The Bible explains that after the flood G-d created to destroy humanity due to the comprehensive totality of their evil, mankind came together to build a tower that they could ascend to conquer G-d. Our rabbis tell us that their true intention was not to shoot arrows and fight G-d, but rather to undermine him. They were an evil generation that feared suffering the same consequences as their antediluvian predecessors and reasoned that by building a tower, they would have refuge when the next flood arrived. The beauty of this story is in G-d’s reaction. By confusing their tongues and mixing their languages, G-d exposes their “unity” as an empty facade. By simply confusing their speech, people began throwing stones and killing each other ending in the tower destroyed. When people unite through fear or pragmatism, the unity is false and destined to fail.
The unity of the Jewish and Christian worlds however, seems based on truth and love, and hence has the makings of a lasting bond. The prophet Zachariah states “Many nations will join themselves to God on that day, and will be My people, and I will dwell in your midst; and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.” There seems to be no truer way to prove allegiance to G-d and love of his people than to stand with Israel at these times when the whole world is united against. Throughout these turbulent times, many Christians of the world are standing alongside G-d chosen and could very well be fulfilling the words of the holy prophet Zachariah by attaching themselves to the house of Jacob.
Hi,
I’m a christian from Holland. In the last couple of years G-d placed a burning love for His chosen people in my heart. I really wasn’t looking for it, He just did it. I think in the end the only real friends the jewish people will have are christian. G-d is fulfilling the words of Zachariah as we speak! Don’t lose hope, G-d is the same today as in the past, he won’t leave the apple of His eye!
I do belong to this group of Israelfriends as well; same story as
above from “”renate”": the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jakob showed me everything about our Jewish roots, as well as all about the terrible antisemitsm of the official Christian Churches.
I feel a lot of pain about this history and I do ask every Jew to forgive me, that I have such a terrible past.
I was not part of it nor did I agree with it on any way, but it feels bad to have such a background.
So now I keep Tora with my family, I celebrate Shabbath and all the Feasts of the Lord, eat as kosher as the Bibles says.
I am an interdenominational pastor, but since this discoveries in the Jewish roots, I call myself a jewish-christian pastor, because I am with all my heart in Tora.
Together we have to stop the moslims from taking over everywhere and the best thing I can do is telling them about the real God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jakob.
And showing them how terrible this koran message is, so they know from that moment on, that allah is only some moongod/jihadgod and
all the moslims have to choose, whether they serve this allah or the only true God.
Shalom,
Ben(jamin Jacob) Kok
jewish-christian pastor
The Netherlands
I believe it is insightful of you to recognize the genuineness of the love of true Christians for the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. I am sure you have recognized the incredible schism that this is causing between “mainstream”, institutionalized churches (Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.), who criticize Israel and seek to “divest” themselves from Israel, and evangelical Zionist Christians who love Israel and recognize the insolubility of G-d’s covenant with the Jews. It is interesting to me that G-d would use the nation of Israel to judge the Christian church - using His chosen people to separate the sheep from the goats, as it were, by forcefully exposing the hypocrisy of so many, and the total disrespect for the unchanging word of the Lord, who does not lie and does not break His promises.
I think the Jewish-Christian alliance may be both practical and spiritual, but it could be more of a restored Israelite-Jewish alliance. Let me explain. I understand that burning love mentioned by “renate” that is in my heart for the G-d of Avraham, Yitshaq, and Ya’aqob, His people (the Jews), and the land of Israel. I have concluded that I am either part of the 10 lost tribes or a “goy” sojourner with the Children of Israel for whom there is one law. As I see it from the Tanach this makes me, by faith, an Israelite. I keep Shabbat and the rest of the moedim to the best of my understanding and ability. I eat according to Wayyiqra (Lev.) 23 and follow other commands as I learn of them and how to walk them out in my life. I am trying to learn Hebrew. I have no explanation for this except G-d has put it in my heart to do it. While I stand with Israel and the Jews, I also have a love for all of G-d’s children in the nations where they have been scattered. I hope one day to live in the land under the reign of Messiah and live for the day when all things will be restored. Shalom, Shalom, Sandee
In the lead-in to the article you stated that, “America is the only country in the world that takes morality into account in their foreign policy, even when there is a significant price to pay.” This could not be further from the truth. The U.S.’s relationship with Israel has always been political and nothing else. The support, backing, and aid was all for a U.S. “presence” in the Middle East. The U.S. used Israel as it’s intelligence gathering agency during the Cold War. The U.S. has been backing off its support due to demands from the Arabs and a U.S. physical presence there currently. The only reason it seemed that the U.S. did it to its harm was because the political benefits derived from Israel at the time outweighed any negative effects.
There is a small group of ‘Christians’ in the U.S. that support Israel, even in defiance of U.S. policy, but it is not the 50-70 million (depending upon source) that many declare. It is far from that. We who truly support Israel are willing to do so even if it is against U.S. interests, even to the detriment of the U.S. Am Yisrael chai! Keep up the good work!
I am an American and I do love and support the Jewish people. They are and will always be God’s chosen people. God never breaks his promises. There is no way that a true Christian can hate the Jewish people. Genesis 12:3 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.
the spirit of Truth that is within every person is also the guide that appoint every true believers of Yeshwah to pray for the nation of Ysrael.How ever, not all so called christians have the spirit of truth and this made confusions why they don’t agree with the will of the Creator for the nation of Ysrael.If the statutes of the Holy Creator will prevail and shine in this world,this will made uneasness for all the race and groups that join together to fight the nation of Jacob. (who actually has the unmatched promises from the True GOD.)I believe the words of faith emit certain power to neutralize the terroristic attacks of the terrorists, (an ancient Phil. lang.)e kamatoden ta katoweden ni Makedepat a Yeshwah inesopel e pesan a kamalotan ni kalaben ni Ysrael.eye a Makedepat.(the truth and justice of the Lord Yeshwah eliminate completely the evilworks of the enemies of Ysrael.Amen)