Giving thanks for the Jews’ most precious gift to us

Just as the modern state of Israel was born out of the ashes of the Holocaust in perfect fulfilment of Ezekiel’s prophecy of dry bones coming back to life, so too did a new love for the Jewish people emerge from the rubble of Germany.

Shocked and devastated by the destruction of their home city of Darmstadt through the RAF bombing of 11 September 1944, which saw 12,000 killed and many more made homeless, Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary founder Basilea Schlink saw it as judgment for her country’s mass murder of the Jews.

But it stirred her heart to repentance and sorrow, as a result of which the movement was dedicated to confessing the sin of her nation and to making restitution with God’s chosen people, chiefly by loving and serving them in whatever way they could.

Now an international organisation with branches all over the world, they continue to bless the Jewish people as, full of the joy of Jesus, they demonstrate unbounding gratitude for their gift of the scriptures and, most of all, of their Messiah.

Solidarity and Reconciliation

My wife Linda and I have just attended the golden anniversary of the UK branch, based in a Hertfordshire village near London, when they looked back with amazement at the reconciling power of the Cross modelled beautifully by the current residents – Sister Thekla from Germany and Sister Glory from England – representing the nations once at war with each other.

Just as the modern state of Israel was born out of the ashes of the Holocaust, so too did a new love for the Jewish people emerge from the rubble of Germany.

A measure of the impact they have made is apparent in the way they have been embraced by the local Jewish community, who have not only accepted invitations to their many events but have also in turn welcomed the sisters into their synagogues!

One of the sisters’ annual 'Israel Day' events included the testimony of the son of a Nazi now reaching out in love to the Jews as part of his role as a disciple of Jesus. Half the audience on that occasion were from the Jewish community, one of whom later wrote: “We were overwhelmed by the event.”

Sister Thekla explained that, in sharing their shame and sorrow for the guilt of the nations, Jewish groups are greatly moved. “The smallest sign that we recognise what they went through touches them deeply.”

Maranatha

Bearing in mind that the name of their UK home is Jesus’ Return, the weekend theme was, appropriately, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’” (Rev 22:17) – a reference to the Second Coming. And as their house name implies, their focus is very much on Jesus himself and his soon return.

Always welcoming, praying, believing and encouraging, their irrepressible joy is impossible to ignore, proving a magnetic draw to the One they adore.

Against the background of Christianity’s guilt towards the Jewish nation, guest speaker Sister Verita (currently based at their Jerusalem branch and originally from New York) challenged us from Romans 11:11: “That is the call of the Church – making the Jews jealous, causing them to ask what is the source of the faith, hope, love and joy that we have in the Messiah” (see Psalm 126).

Above all, the sisters point to Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). But we have lost our way as a nation, and need to rediscover our true destiny.

Always welcoming, praying, believing and encouraging, the sisters’ irrepressible joy is impossible to ignore, proving a magnetic draw to the One they adore.

Jesus is the Way

This was brought home to us when we temporarily got lost after losing our GPS signal en route to the event. Even the road sign we were looking for was covered in foliage, an increasingly common sight across the country, causing Linda to remark: “In a year’s time, no-one will know where to go.”

A prophetic statement indeed for where we are today – lost in a fog of pointless activity as we struggle through a maze of no-through-roads, disconnected from the true source of life and direction while blindly taking wrong turns.

We desperately need to rediscover how to find our way through life, plugged into the Maker’s instructions rather than unreliable Satnavs. Jesus is the way!

Walking in Ancient Paths

We took a lovely walk in the Cotswolds on our journey back, but again got lost temporarily where the once well-worn path was overgrown. We needed to retrace our steps and get back on track.

As Jeremiah wrote, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls’” (Jer 6:16).

Jesus fulfilled that promise when he said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt 11:28f).

The dreadful consequences of touching the apple of God’s eye

As we once again recall with horror the terrorist atrocity witnessed by the whole world when New York’s Twin Towers were reduced to rubble in 2001, few will be aware of an earlier 9/11 that destroyed an entire city.

It happened on the night of 11 September 1944, when the German city of Darmstadt suffered a devastating air raid by RAF pilots sent out from my home town of Doncaster, headquarters of Bomber Command.

12,000 residents were killed and many more made homeless amid ongoing controversy even in Britain as to whether it was really necessary as the war was almost won by then.

But as fire swept through the smouldering ruins, a devoted young German Christian wept bitterly over her nation’s terrible sin against the Jewish people – she clearly saw the bombing as the judgment of God.

Sister Thekla (sitting) and Sister Glory pictured at Jesus’ Return, their home near London.Basilea Schlink determined to do something about it and subsequently founded the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, dedicated to confessing the sin of her nation and making restitution with God’s chosen people, chiefly by loving and serving them in whatever way they could.

Touching the Apple of God’s Eye

More than 70 years later, the order is represented in nations across the globe, including Australia and the United States, and I have just spent a weekend at their UK base near London where a coffee-table book on their history recalls that fateful night in Darmstadt:

For years our mothers had prayed for revival in the girls’ Bible study groups they led; now their prayers were answered – far differently than they had ever expected. That night the girls encountered God in his holiness as Judge and Lord over life and death…

Following that night of terror, there was a move among those young girls to bring sin into the light and receive forgiveness…God’s moment had come. Out of the ashes emerged new life.¹

Have we still not learned that there are shocking consequences for those who touch the apple of God’s eye, which is how the Bible refers to Israel?

Not surprisingly, the British-based sisters are deeply grieved at the rise of anti-Semitism all over Europe so soon after this terrible disaster caused by the Nazis’ sickening murder of six million Jews in the death camps of Poland and Germany.

Have we still not learned that there are shocking consequences for those who touch the apple of God’s eye, which is how the Bible refers to Israel (see Zechariah 2:8)?

When and Where to Flee

According to Alex Brummer in a Daily Mail article,² all the talk among British Jews is now focused on which country to flee to if Jeremy Corbyn gets into No. 10 as he has failed miserably to deal with the rise of anti-Semitism in his party, which has traditionally had the support of the Jewish community (and it now appears there has been a cover-up over party members allegedly involved in anti-Semitic hate crimes3).

According to my sources, many have already fled traditionally Jewish suburbs like Golders Green in north London in order to set up home in safer areas following a series of anti-Semitic incidents.

And although British Jews have become accustomed to bias against Israel in recent decades, “never before has a major political party in Britain regarded the creation by the post-war so-called Great Powers (including Russia) of the state of Israel in 1948…as an act of colonialist occupation”, Brummer writes, referring to Mr Corbyn’s stated beliefs.

“But that this [fleeing the country] is even being discussed, just 70 years on from the horrors of Auschwitz; that British Jews should be feeling so insecure in the country they love, is deeply disturbing,” Brummer adds.

And he pointed out that Israel wasn’t necessarily their first choice of destination, because some see it as a move from the frying pan into the fire. But I disagree with that. I go along with a participant on BBC2’s We Are British Jews programme⁴ who said that “It’s the safest place in the world to be”.

All the talk among British Jews is now focused on which country to flee to if Jeremy Corbyn gets into No. 10.

God’s Purposes

Yes, the Jewish state is surrounded by implacable enemies with an insatiable desire to wipe them off the map and, yes, they are threatened once more with annihilation. But Israel’s security is very tight – and effective.

In any case, should physical safety be their only consideration? Isn’t the safest place of all in the loving arms of God – the God of Israel? And his purpose is that they should return to the Land of their forefathers, the Land promised to Abraham as a permanent possession (Gen 17:8). After all, the Tenach (Old Testament) prophets foretold of a great ingathering of Jews from every corner of the globe.

Picture: Charles GardnerAlmost half of world Jewry are now living in Israel and, according to the Bible, it would appear to be God’s will that they should all return (Ezek 39:28). But don’t misunderstand me. I do not wish to encourage persecution so that they feel forced to flee. Jewish contribution to European societies has been priceless – without the ongoing input of their high achievers we would all suffer. But woe to those whose intimidation does cause them to leave; for they will come under a curse (Gen 12:3).

Nevertheless, it is God’s purpose that his chosen people should be back in the Land before Messiah returns. Yes, there will be a battle over Jerusalem, and the nations will come against it, but the Lord will intervene and defeat the enemies of Israel, once and for all (see Zechariah 12-14).

Messiah’s Return

When Jesus ascended to heaven as his perplexed disciples watched in wonder, angels explained to them that he would one day return in the same way he had left – and this took place on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem (Acts 1:11).

The Prophet Zechariah confirms this – that Christ will indeed place his feet on the Mount of Olives and that the Jewish nation will have their eyes opened as they recognise Jesus as the One they had pierced (Zech 12:10).

Almost half of world Jewry are now living in Israel and, according to the Bible, it would appear to be God’s will that they should all return.

The Messiah for whom Jews have longed will appear on earth, and they will acknowledge that he has been here before – as the suffering servant (Isa 53). Although they will mourn over what they did to him (we all need to confess our sin in order to be cleansed), their hearts will be sprinkled clean – and “all Israel will be saved” (Ezek 36:25; Zech 13:1; Rom 11:26).

Jesus is coming again – and the establishing of the people of Israel in their Land is a major sign.

References

1 A Celebration of God’s Unfailing Love, published by the Evangelical Sisters of Mary.

2 Daily Mail, 30 August 2018. According to a Jewish Chronicle poll, almost 40% of UK Jews would ‘seriously consider’ leaving if Corbyn became PM (Times of Israel, 5 September 2018).

3 Daily Express, 5 September 2018.

4 A two-part series screened last week (on 4 and 5 September).