Ex-gangster’s amazing story screened in Israeli cinemas

The spiritual restoration of the Jewish people, for which evangelical Christians have been praying for centuries, has taken a decisive step forward, in my view.

And the timing could not have been more apt – with Israel’s imminent 70^th anniversary, now to be accompanied by the US Embassy move to Jerusalem along with the visit of Prince William, marking a watershed in their physical restoration.

As we learn from anecdotal evidence, and from a recent survey which found that 20% of Jewish millennials believe Jesus is the Son of God,¹ it is quite clear that the new generation of Jews are taking Jesus seriously and are open as never before to claims of his being their Messiah.

They are now responding in droves to hi-tech evangelistic efforts from within their own state, with an organization called One for Israel (among others) reportedly making huge strides in reaching their people. Their website is filled with testimonies of Jews who are now following Yeshua, and their various videos have attracted a staggering 55 million views, 15 million of them from Israelis!²

A New Spirit

Indeed, Jesus is even now the focus of an award-winning Israeli movie! Sadly, I understand it met with failure at the box office and was pulled from theatres after just two weeks. It nevertheless represents a major shift as, for the first time in the history of modern Israel, a faith-based film on Yeshua the Messiah has been produced and premiered in the land.

A New Spirit was first shown in December 2017 at the famous Tel Aviv Cinematheque to an audience of hundreds of enthusiastic moviegoers. Billboards and posters advertising the film were also plastered on the streets of Jerusalem and surrounding cities.

The new generation of Jews are taking Jesus seriously.

It tells the story of former gangster Yacov Damkani, who fled to America where he was introduced to Yeshua as his Messiah and discipled in singer Keith Green’s community. His life was turned completely upside down and, three years ago, his testimony came to the attention of acclaimed film-maker Doron Eran while producing a documentary on the Messianic community. Doron felt it had the makings of a Hollywood movie, as he shared with Shira Sorko-Ram (as featured in February’s Maoz Israel Report).

He did not, however, anticipate the controversial nature of his subject – he has since been accused of being a missionary and betraying his people. He does admit to being a “student” (of the New Testament) and the actors have clearly also been impacted.

Imri Biton, who plays the lead, responds to criticism by saying: “Look what Yeshua did for Yacov. He was a gangster. When he believed in Yeshua, he became a new person. These Messianic Jews are telling their own truth. As a professional actor, I can join them.”

Misinformation and Fear

Doron believes the Government has unwisely allowed the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) to take control of the nation’s soul. “It is a religious dictatorship”, he says. “They are brainwashing our nation.”

He knew nothing of Yeshua before he met Yacov. “I didn’t know that he lived as a Jew and died as a Jew. I was told he was a Christian…”

Yes, it is tragic that both religious Jews and their Christian counterparts (who believe more in form than faith) have conspired to spread such misinformation.

The inspiration for the movie, Yacov’s book Why Me?, has been distributed free of charge to young Israeli tourists in New Zealand for the past 16 years as part of a programme called HIT (Hosting Israeli Travellers) which encourages Christians to host young Jewish tourists at little or no cost. HIT has now been extended to Australia and several other countries.

For the first time in the history of modern Israel, a faith-based film on Yeshua the Messiah has been produced and premiered in the land.

Commenting on the poor box office take-up, a Jewish friend explained:

I am not surprised Israelis didn’t venture into theatres showing a movie that would have been anathema to their parents and society in general. The audience for this movie would have been largely young people who would have been greatly influenced by comments from parents and other relatives the pre-advertising would have provoked. I believe it will have a greater market audience outside of Israel, even with subtitles, and many Israelis might later watch it in private.

I know Israel is the only place where I have experienced feeling intimidated. And as soon as my friends knew I believed in Jesus, I was no longer welcome in their homes, nor would they speak to me. It is okay to be a Gentile believer, but a Jewish believer is looked upon as a traitor. For the movie, I believe that if they will put it up for free on YouTube, asking for donations only to cover production costs, it might still make an impact!

Great Awakening to Come

Many Old Testament prophecies speak of a two-fold return of God’s chosen race – first to the land and then to their Lord. The first stage, though far from complete, has been witnessed before the eyes of the world as exiled Jews from every corner of the globe have resettled in Israel, especially since the re-birth of the modern state 70 years ago.

The second stage began, significantly, around the time of the re-unification of Jerusalem during the Six Day War of 1967 as so-called Messianics recognised that Yeshua was indeed their Messiah and started meeting together in congregations all over the country. The movement has since grown substantially and they have made an impact on the nation out of all proportion to their still relatively low numbers.

Even some Arabs are recognising what is happening. Saleem Shalash, an Arab pastor in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, is reported as saying: “The Bible says God will bring the tribes of Israel back together in this place, and suddenly revival will spring from here.”³

Indeed, the small spring in the desert that bubbled up around 50 years ago is threatening to turn into a fast-flowing stream. The prophet Zechariah, quoting the Lord and speaking of things to come with respect to the Messiah’s reign, wrote: “I will remove the sin of this land in a single day” (Zech 3:9). This suggests a sudden large-scale awakening.

Surely we are not far from that blessed day when they look upon the One they have pierced (Zech 12:10) and welcome him back in the name of the Lord (Matt 23:39). Certainly, it seems that many will have already looked upon the transforming Spirit of Yeshua depicted on screen (whether online or at the movies) – perhaps a foretaste of greater things to come!

Watch the trailer for 'A New Spirit' by clicking here.

References

1 A Jews for Jesus survey featured in the Jerusalem Post, 1 November 2017. The study surveyed 599 Jews born between 1984 and 1999.

2 This figure includes only Facebook and YouTube views, not TV etc (source: One for Israel).

 3 Israel Today magazine, December 2017.

As of old, Israelis face flak for following Jesus

It is an undisputed fact that the early followers of Jesus – who were mostly Jewish – came under fiery persecution, often from their own people.

Jesus himself was crucified and many of his disciples suffered similar fates, though more generally at the hands of the Romans.

However, the great Apostle Paul was a leading Jewish rabbi who saw it as his duty to persecute the new movement, presiding over the stoning of St Stephen in the process…until his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus.

In some respects, things have come full circle since then. Jewish people are once more recognising Jesus as Messiah in significant numbers, and many are experiencing discrimination from their fellow Jews, especially in Israel.¹

Years of Harassment

Among them is Zev Sigulim, from Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee, who has witnessed seven years of harassment from Orthodox Jews and been forced to fly to Cyprus to get married because traditional rabbis refuse to recognise Messianic Jews! Some even refused to circumcise his sons.

This is an ongoing issue for many believers, and a campaign is underway to draw the Government’s attention to this gross injustice. Being Messianic is also a potential hindrance to Jews from the diaspora making Aliyah (immigrating to Israel). And yet this does not apply to Jews who follow Buddhism or some New Age religion.

A campaign is underway to draw the Israeli Government’s attention to injustice against Messianic Jews.

But the likeable young Zev is not himself caught up with any campaign for justice. He accepts that being a disciple of Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) has always been costly, and delights in a way of life totally informed by his faith.

Zev Sigulim – no longer ashamed. Photo: Charles GardnerPraying for Boldness

From an Ultra-Orthodox background, Zev has five children and attends a congregation at Netanya on the Mediterranean coast – a one-hour drive away, quite a distance to travel each Sabbath.

A Polish Jew with blond hair and blue eyes, many of his ancestors perished in the Holocaust but his grandmother survived Auschwitz and the family moved to Israel. However, they subsequently emigrated to Toronto in Canada, where his father married a Gentile convert to Judaism and then made Aliyah to Israel, working for a Christian hi-tech company in Tiberias and becoming a secret Messianic Jew.

Tragically, he died soon afterwards in a car accident, but Zev’s mum had in the meantime noticed the change in his life and became sympathetic with this new movement in spite of opposition from the rest of the family – grandfather Jack disowned them.²

Zev’s widowed mother – pregnant with her third child at the time of her husband’s death – was impressed by the compassion and witness of the Messianic Jews of Arad in the Negev desert and also became a believer. It was at Arad that Zev witnessed the constant harassment of Orthodox Jews protesting at their presence in the city.

“There were pickets outside our house for seven years,” he said, adding:

My two brothers and I are all believers in Yeshua. But I grew up ashamed of my faith. Worried about being spat at and barred from certain activities, I kept it to myself. Then, when I was at the Naval Academy, a friend saw me reading the Bible (which is actually very unusual for Jews) and scolded me for not telling him earlier of my faith, saying: ‘Think of all the conversations we could have had.’

It hit me that I had wasted my time and I prayed that God would give me boldness and opportunities to speak of Yeshua. Inevitably, my faith grew.

95% of Messianics come to faith through non-Jews.

Pointing out that 95% of Messianics have come to faith through non-Jews, Zev encourages Gentiles to share the Gospel with Jews, but worries that most Christians don’t know enough about the Old Testament, which is essential for such witness.

Notes

1 It must be said, however, that this does not usually amount to the sort of vicious persecution Christians are currently suffering in the Muslim Middle East.

2 Many Jews see Christianity as their chief persecutor over the centuries, especially in view of the Holocaust carried out in ‘Christian’ Europe.

Israel warned that horses and chariots cannot be trusted

With all the threats Israel is now facing, it is perfectly understandable that they should be sharpening their swords as they prepare for the worst the enemy can throw at them.

A strong defence force is certainly necessary. But an even more serious danger is that they should rely on the power of their weapons, or indeed on their own strength of will and character, along with their growing expertise in military innovations.

It is dangerous because it demonstrates that they are relying on what the Bible refers to as “horses and chariots” rather than on the Lord who called them, as his chosen people, to be a light to the Gentiles.

For it is only when we trust the Lord with all our hearts and do not lean on our own understanding that God will give us the guidance we need in order to tread the path for which he has destined us (see Proverbs 3:5f).

Hope for a Turning

As one who loves Israel, I am not blind to the fact that many of its citizens lead a sinful lifestyle. This is no reason to withdraw support for the beleaguered nation, but they do need to repent of their waywardness and godlessness.

As they have done so many times in their long history, they have absorbed the ways of the world around them – and so we witness political correctness here as elsewhere, most starkly seen in a defiance of sexual morality.

But they are the people of the Book, who gave the world the Bible, the Ten Commandments and Jesus himself. God is saying: do not wait until you are overrun by enemies before you turn back to the Lord, who called you out of slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand. He urges you to trust him now!

It is only when we trust the Lord with all our hearts and do not lean on our own understanding that God will give us the guidance we need.

That said, thousands of Jews gathered to pray for rain at Jerusalem’s Western Wall on 28 December in response to the call of Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel – and God has clearly answered with an abundant outpouring, coming with such force that it has caused flooding in places.

I very much hope that we are seeing the beginnings of a turning to God in Israel, and the fact that a Government minister has initiated a call to prayer is quite amazing, and hugely encouraging.¹

Self-Reliance the Worst of Sins

I can’t recall why, but my wife and I were discussing Israel’s sin, and whether God’s judgment was inevitable, before turning to our daily reading which is our habit every morning. We use the ‘Every Day with Jesus’ notes of the late Selwyn Hughes which focus on a theme over a two-month period drawn together by a variety of different Scripture passages. So we opened the little book and found that the text for the day was Hosea 14:1-3: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall” (v1). It goes on: “Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses…” (v3) (for Assyria, perhaps we should read America!).

The Lord was clearly in on our discussion and had a ready answer! Bear in mind that the Prophet was concluding his book which pictures Israel as an adulterous wife who repeatedly runs after other men, breaking the first commandment that we should have no other gods in our lives.

Self-reliance is thus the worst of sins because we put ourselves in God’s place and we are saying we can live without him; that he is redundant. This is gross idolatry, and we must repent of it.

DAVID COUNTRY: Yad HaShmona, in the Judean hills, not far from the Valley of Elah where David defeated Goliath.Notice, however, that in spite of their serial adultery, God has not forsaken Israel; he has not divorced the one he loves. He loves her with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3). He has entered into a covenant relationship which cannot be broken. But we should not abuse his great faithfulness.

In the Name of the Lord Almighty

The recent archaeological find near Tel Aviv, suggesting human activity in the area half-a-million years ago, did not exactly excite me. Far more edifying was the August 2015 find in Gath, a city once occupied by Philistines who plotted against the Israelites, their sworn enemies, and the home of the infamous Goliath!

The huge gates uncovered by archaeologists² were thought to be indestructible. But in an extraordinary battle in the Valley of Elah, a young man who trusted in the Lord brought down their giant leader with a single stone, proving indeed that the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1 Cor 1:25).

I very much hope that we are seeing the beginnings of a turning to God in Israel.

Goliath defied the armies of Israel, but David responded: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17:26). And he taunted the giant: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Sam 17:45).

Like other nations, Israel needs to seek forgiveness from God for succumbing to the ways of the world as well as for their outright disobedience to his commandments. We need to move from independence – the great sin of the age – to reliance upon God.

Isn’t it time we heard Israel’s leaders say, with great clarity and in defiance of political correctness, that we do not trust in sword or spear or javelin, nor even on our allies, but in the name of the Lord Almighty?

References

1 David Soakell of Christian Friends of Israel in his Watching Over Zion newsletter, 11 January 2018.

2 Archaeologists unearth the gate to Goliath’s hometown. Times of Israel, 5 August 2015.

Apocalyptic battle will be over the status of Jerusalem

In the wake of the worldwide denunciation of President Trump’s earth-shaking decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, nations are now queueing up to follow his lead.

And yet even while archaeological finds further confirm Jewish connection to the City over thousands of years, the UK and other major European powers stubbornly refuse to face reality.

In joining the predictable chorus of disapproval at the UN, the British people are in ever-increasing danger of being numbered among the goats of Judgment Day referred to by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-46).

This passage is widely interpreted to relate to how the peoples of the world have treated God’s chosen race – the “brothers and sisters” (in the flesh) of our Saviour, who was born the King of Israel (Matt 2:2) and is coming back as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5).

Isaiah writes: “For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined” (60:12; see also Mic 5:15).

Sheep and Goats

On my latest tour of Israel, I learnt a fascinating lesson that I believe relates to this important passage (Matt 25) – that sheep keep the grass neatly cut with their grazing while goats pull it out by the roots.

In the same way, true disciples of Jesus, the Great Shepherd, should follow him closely and feed on the rich pasture he has provided, that is nourished by the Law of Moses along with the patriarchs and prophets of Judaism. The goats, on the other hand, cut themselves off from the roots of their faith, as a result of which their pasture withers and dies (see Rom 11:17f).

Goats cut themselves off from the roots of their faith, as a result of which their pasture withers and dies.

Actually, the US Congress voted to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital 22 years ago, but successive Presidents have simply put off implementing the decision until now. And Czech President Milos Zeman has accused EU states opposing this stance as “cowards”.¹

Arab Realism

Even Arab commentators are encouraging their people to accept reality. A Saudi academic, for example, has called on Arabs to recognise Jerusalem’s sanctity to Jews. Abdulhameed Hakeem, head of the Middle East Centre for Strategic and Legal Studies in Jedda, told US-based Alhurra Television that Trump’s move constitutes a “positive shock” to the peace process, adding: “We must recognise and realise that Jerusalem is a religious symbol to Jews and sacred to them, as Mecca and Medina is to Muslims.”²

And in an article last year, he stressed that Israel and Saudi Arabia faced a common Nazi-like threat in Iran,³ which has reportedly pledged every assistance to terror group Hamas in “the battle for the defence of Jerusalem”.⁴

With its efforts to make good on a long-promised boast to wipe Israel off the map, Iran continues to be a serious threat (despite encouraging protests from within the rogue regime), establishing a military base in Syria while at the same time supplying terror group Hezbollah with a huge stash of weapons on Israel’s northern border.

Choose Whom You Will Serve

So, with the nations as a whole setting their face against Israel, and denying their right both to the Land and their capital, the stage is being set for the battle of the ages. According to the Bible, it will take place at Armageddon (or the plain of Jezreel) in northern Israel (Rev 16:16), but the trigger will be Jerusalem.

Although physical in nature, it will in reality be more of a spiritual conflict determining who is ultimately in charge of the ways of men and the world.

The stage is being set for the battle of the ages, which will determine who is in charge of the ways of men and the world.

Elijah of old was engaged in a great battle with 400 false prophets in this same region, and he won hands down with only God on his side – which is all he needed, of course (see 1 Kings 18). Frustrated at the idolatry of his people, the Prophet famously laid down the rules for the contest: The God who answered by fire would be the victor. And sure enough, the fire of the Lord burnt up the sacrifice and the people changed their mind about their allegiance.

BATTLEFIELD VIEW: A stunning scene of the plain of Jezreel, otherwise known as Armageddon, from the traditional site of Elijah’s battle with the false prophets on Mt Carmel. Picture: Linda GardnerThat bloody contest – all the false prophets were subsequently slaughtered – took place on Mt Carmel which, as it happens, overlooks Armageddon where the final great battle will be enacted, quite possibly in the very near future especially since, as the prophets have foretold, it will be over the status of Jerusalem (see Zech 12:2f).

It may come as a surprise to some that Jerusalem is God’s very own City – he effectively owns it; it bears his name (see Dan 9:18f; Neh 1:9). But false deities, with the connivance of numerous world powers, refuse to acknowledge this. They are setting a trap into which they will fall!

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem because of their rejection of him, but at the same time prophesied their ultimate acceptance of his rule (Matt 23:39). He has not finished with Jerusalem; he will come back just as he left (Acts 1:11).

Confirmation Upon Confirmation

Further confirmation of Israel’s claim to the Land has come from recent archaeological finds.

A replica of a first-century coin, dated 67 AD and containing the inscription ‘Jerusalem the Holy’, was held up at a session of the United Nations Security Council by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.⁵ And a seal owned by Jerusalem’s governor some 2,700 years ago has been unearthed near the Western Wall. It contains an inscription in ancient Hebrew and supports the biblical rendering of the existence of a governor in the City at the time.⁶

Speaking of the find, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said: “Jerusalem is one of the most ancient capitals in the world, continually populated by the Jewish people for more than 3,000 years.”⁷ Another recent find – 1,300-year-old coins from the Islamic Umayyad Dynasty imprinted with an image of the menorah from the Jewish Temple – shows that early Muslims acknowledged the City’s Jewish identity. According to Assaf Avraham of Bar-Ilan University, they adopted the Jewish narrative and symbols for their own.⁸

Jesus has not finished with Jerusalem, which will ultimately accept his rule.

History Already Made

At the end of the day, Jews from all over the world are returning to their roots in fulfilment of many ancient Scriptures. The much-acclaimed film Lion tells the moving story of a five-year-old Indian boy, Saroo (‘Lion’), who got lost after becoming separated from his older brother, and was eventually adopted and brought up by loving ‘parents’ in Australia. But it didn’t stop the grown-up Saroo going to extraordinary lengths to trace his roots and find his beloved mother.

Yet, despite all the evidence supporting Israel’s claim, Palestinian leaders simply refuse to accept the truth. In the year 2000, Yasser Arafat turned down the chance of a comprehensive peace deal because he refused to recognise Jewish historical ties to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. “The Jews never had a Temple at the site,” he said at the time.⁹ The entire Palestinian narrative is based on a lie that would be recognised by children at kindergarten. And yet world leaders don’t get it!

But they must get used to the idea. The God of Israel is the history-maker and has chosen the Jews to inherit the Land he has promised them. That there would be an almighty battle over the territory was always part of the script. The prophets warned that this would happen, but that Elohim (God) would be the ultimate victor, “watching over his word to perform it” (Jer 1:12).

The Messiah is waiting for that day – and I pray it will come soon – when his ancient people greet him once more with gladness, saying: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matt 23:39; Ps 118:26).

Notes

1 Czech leader slams EU ‘cowards’ on Jerusalem stance. Times of Israel, 10 December 2017.

2 Lynfield, B. Saudi academic calls on Arabs to recognize Jewish connection to Jerusalem. Jerusalem Post, 18 December 2017.

3 Ibid.

4 Lieber, D. Iran pledging all its might to Hamas for Jerusalem battle, terror group says. Times of Israel, 25 December 2017.

5 JNN, 11 December 2017, quoting Arutz-7.

6 Rare First Temple-Era Hebrew seal found at Western Wall. World Israel News, 1 January 2018.

7 Ibid.

8 Berkowitz, AE. Archaeologists Discover Muslim Artifacts Proving Jerusalem’s Jewish Identity. Breakingisraelnews, 8 December 2017.

9 Christian Friends of Israel’s Watching Over Zion newsletter, 30 November 2017.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Zionion’ by Steve Maltz (Saffron Planet, 2017).

This is a small book on a big theme: anti-Semitism in all its various forms. Its quirky title (pronounced ‘Zi-onion’) should not detract from the seriousness of its subject matter, nor should its size belittle the importance of its topic, which has been described as ‘the longest hatred’. As Maltz explains, he wrote this book “to expose the layers of hatred, as if peeling an onion, to shed light on the variety of aspects, scenarios and environments that this hatred has infiltrated” (p7).

So, now we know the reason for the title - the unusual conflation of Zion and onion - but what about the peeling process? How does Maltz go about exposing these layers?

The Multi-Headed Hydra

The answer lies in 16 short chapters, each of which outlines one particular area in which anti-Semitism is apparent, and which collectively build up the case that here we have something of major significance - something that is worldwide and endemic - an engineered hatred powered by generations of conditioning.

Maltz starts with the British Government and its post-Balfour failings, then moves on to the Palestinians, and the United Nations with its plethora of resolutions that condemn Israel (many more than those which condemn the rest of the world combined). Maltz concludes that either “Israel is the most evil rogue nation state in the World or there is a conspiracy of nations ‘out to get them’!” (p23).

In 16 short chapters, Maltz builds up the case that anti-Semitism is of major significance – a worldwide, engineered hatred that is endemic.

Later chapters include an examination of anti-Semitic attitudes found in the media, in academia and amongst activists and boycotters. Maltz demolishes the argument that Israel is an ‘apartheid state’ by demonstrating how Arabs have it better in Israel than they would elsewhere, something that a majority of Arabs admit to when surveyed. He also memorably coins the word ‘academonising’ to describe how those with impressive strings of qualifications often unite in their mutual hatred for the Jewish state.

Jihadists and neo-Nazis inevitably each get a chapter, but Maltz also illustrates that some Jews oppose the existence of Israel - usually for theological reasons - and that many Christians also still foster anti-Semitic sentiments, perhaps also for their own faulty theological reasons.

The overall conclusion is that “this multi-headed hydra of hatred against the Jews” (p77) is capable of emerging in many contexts. It is an ancient hostility that will not die. Jews remain hated and feared simply because they are Jews.

As Maltz admits, his book “has only skimmed the surface of the seas of animosity…[but the] objective has simply been to alert people to a massive injustice without laying it on too thickly” (p77).

Web Referencing

One interesting feature of the book is that the endnotes to each chapter consist largely of references to websites and webpages, most of which are independent news sources used to back up the points he makes. By following up each reference, the reader can expand his knowledge and understanding at each point. The book can thus be described as Tardis-like - much bigger on the inside that its outer size suggests.

It may seem tedious to have to keep going to the web to access this extra reading but all the links are also listed together on Maltz’s own website, Saltshakers, making clicking through much easier (though it must be said that some links no longer work).

The quirky title should not detract from the seriousness of the subject matter.

A Note on the Title

By the end, Maltz declares that “Our onion has been well and truly peeled” (p77). However, the onion analogy is not necessary to gain an appreciation of the book and the work Maltz has done in compiling it. It may have been inspirational and helpful for the author and his creative processes, but there is no sense that each layer (chapter) is getting smaller or heading towards a ‘centre’. The book stands on its own terms, and the reader will not be aware of any peeling process, though he may well be led to shed tears at each stage.

At first sight, the title is rather obscure and its pronunciation awkward to work out. Making up a new word for the title of a book can run into difficulty, but the subtitle (‘Why does the world obsess over Israel?’) is helpful in getting us past the cover – which as we know is never the best way to assess a book!

Excellent Value

Overall this slim volume is excellent value and easy to read. It could also be passed on to others whose views need challenging or whose understanding needs stretching. Maltz is an expert in providing assistance in both cases.

In some ways this is a slight diversion from the main themes of the author’s previous books (‘Hebraic Church’, ‘Livin’ The Life’) but these will be picked up again in his next book, Into the Lion’s Den, due out March 2018.

Zionion (80pp) is available from the publisher for £5.

But much of the West is silent as believers are brutally tortured.

500 years ago this coming week, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.

500 years ago this coming week (31 October 1517), Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. In those days, this was the traditional way to initiate a public debate on a given theme.

This time the theme was a 95-fold challenge to the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church of the day, that was bent on fundraising at the expense of the poor by selling so-called ‘indulgences’, whereby the unsuspecting were persuaded that they could purchase forgiveness of sins.

The 95 items¹ were headed with the words:

Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Luther summarised his overall purpose under three headings:

1. Selling indulgences to finance the building of St Peter's is wrong.
   
2. The pope has no power over Purgatory.
   
3. Buying indulgences gives people a false sense of security and endangers their salvation.
   

Thus broke out what became the Protestant Reformation, with the rallying cry of Habbakuk 2:4:

Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.

Luther did not succeed in reforming the Catholic Church of his day but became cut off from this community, instead propelling into existence the Lutheran wing of the Protestant Church, which has spread its influence widely over these 500 years.

Luther did not succeed in reforming the Catholic Church of his day, but propelled into existence the Lutheran wing of the Protestant Church.

Luther’s Blind Spot

This week, we should celebrate this astounding move which brought freedom to millions who were no longer to be chained by the religious orders of the historic Roman Catholic Church, but free to explore the life of faith which pleases God. The later reforms of the Roman Catholic Church surely also owe something to this early proclamation of Luther.

The church door in Wittenberg, Germany, where Luther pinned his 95 theses for all to see. See Photo Credits.

Yet, great though the Protestant Reformation has been, we would also be wise to perceive an unfinished work. Luther had one tremendous blind spot. When he failed to impact the Jewish community with his proclamation of the Gospel, he turned against them. In his publication of 1543 ‘On the Jews and their Lies’, he described Jews as a "base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth." He wrote that they are "full of the devil's faeces...which they wallow in like swine," describing the synagogue is an "incorrigible whore and an evil slut".²

He proposed the following seven actions:

1. To burn down Jewish synagogues and schools and warn people against them;
   
2. To refuse to let Jews own houses among Christians;
   
3. For Jewish religious writings to be taken away;
   
4. For rabbis to be forbidden to preach;
   
5. To offer no protection to Jews on highways;
   
6. For usury to be prohibited and for all silver and gold to be removed, put aside for safekeeping, and given back to Jews who truly convert;
   
7. To give young, strong Jews flail, axe, spade, and spindle, and let them earn their bread by the sweat of their brow.
   

Luther could not have foreseen that this unfortunate after-thought in his later life, following many years of powerful and fruitful ministry, would be taken up literally by Hitler’s Nazis as an impetus to the terrible ‘final solution’, culminating in the horror of the Holocaust.

Let us thank God for the good fruits of Luther’s ministry, but now take responsibility for the completion of the Reformation.

The True Life of Faith

Luther was fluent in Hebrew yet he failed to fully understand Hebraic thought. He saw the Epistle of James as a “perfect straw-epistle” because he did not understand James’ teaching that faith without works is dead (James 2:26).³

No doubt his mind was already so much against those from a Jewish background (like James, whose name was actually Jacob) to consider them as having a doctrine of salvation by works, like the Roman Catholics of his day.

He did not consider the Hebrew emunah sufficiently to observe that it means both ‘faith’ and ‘faithfulness’, so that Hebrews 11:1 can be translated equally “faith is the substance of things hoped for” and “faithfulness is the substance of things hoped for”, which completely validates James’ teaching that the faith which pleases God involves the fruitful outworking of our lives.

Luther was fluent in Hebrew yet he failed to fully understand Hebraic thought.

A Careful Eye on Prophecy

Of course Luther did not live in our day when we see the miracle of Israel’s re-birth as a nation. Nor did he witness the increasing numbers of Messianic Jews declaring faith in Yeshua HaMashiach. Would he have been ashamed if he knew of his own contribution to fanning the flames of Replacement Theology still rampant in the Christian Church?

Had he lived today perhaps he would not have been so foolish as to speak against the Jews as he did and may well have written a 96^th thesis. He may have had a more careful eye on the outworking of prophecy. In his day, just as he discarded the Epistle of James and also that of Jude, he discarded the Book of Revelation. Perhaps he had not the prompting to consider end time prophecy as we have, with signs all around us.

What would this 96^th thesis be? Let me suggest it:

96 For discussion: We live in the sure expectancy that God is drawing together both Jews and Gentiles into the one community of faith which Paul calls the ‘one new man’ (Ephesians 2:14-15). It is now time to rediscover the original roots of our faith together. God, in His wisdom, is enabling a fresh interaction between Messianic Jews and believing Gentiles as never before to firmly establish the common faith. Surely this will be the means of strengthening for the days ahead, for washing away all doctrinal and denominational division when we are united in Spirit and Truth through Faith in the One True God and His Son Yeshua the Messiah. This is to be the goal of all who believe in Him, whether from Catholic or Protestant backgrounds. Surely this will complete the Reformation begun so sacrificially 500 years ago, but now to be completed as we wait for the return of our Saviour.

References

1 Click here for a translation of the entire 95 theses.

2 Anti-Semitism: Martin Luther - "The Jews & Their Lies" (1543). Jewish Virtual Library.

3 Martin Luther and the Book of James. Biblestudy.org.

Labour’s revival deserves close attention.

The re-emergence of the British Labour Party as a serious contender for power – following a period when they seemed unelectable under a new leader from the hard Left – is extremely worrying.

Although I recognise a clear resurrection of Marxism here, it is also worryingly comparable to the nightmare scenario of the rise of Nazism in the early 1930s when Hitler was swept to power by an electorate desperate for a restoration of pride and plenty. With the rise of socialist agendas in Britain and in other countries, the subtle agenda of anti-Semitism is once more being carried along by an increasingly angry undercurrent for change.

I am not suggesting Jeremy Corbyn is a new Hitler, but it is difficult not to be reminded of the Nazi era. After all, swathes of young people came out in support of Corbyn – the no-hoper turned celebrity almost overnight – in spite of much negative press coverage, including his evident anti-Semitic sympathies. But as someone has said, “the lesson we learn from history is that we never learn the lesson from history!”

Failure to Tackle Anti-Semitism

The latest victim of the menacing – some would say thuggish – behaviour of those surrounding Mr Corbyn is one of his own MPs, Luciana Berger, a 36-year-old Jewish mum representing a Liverpool constituency.

According to the Daily Mail,¹ she faces the threat of de-selection from party activists unless she apologises for previously criticising her leader. A former member of the Shadow Cabinet who quit her post in protest at Mr Corbyn’s stance, Miss Berger has received vile anti-Semitic abuse including 2,500 hate-filled messages in just three days from internet trolls. These included threats to rape or kill her, while some featured the yellow star used by the Nazis to identify Jews.

Corbyn is a no-hoper turned celebrity almost overnight - despite his evident anti-Semitic sympathies.

Mr Corbyn has faced repeated criticism that he has failed to tackle anti-Semitism in his party. He has personally referred to terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah as ‘friends’ and, in October 2014, travelled to Tunisia to visit the grave of a PLO terrorist linked with the massacre of Jewish athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.²

But none of this seems to move the rising mass of ‘Corbynistas’, who instead turn out to cheer their man as if he were some kind of pop star. Meanwhile, Labour takes an eight-point lead over the Conservatives – 46 per cent to 38 – according to a YouGov poll for The Times.³

Red Line for Jews

Grassroots group Momentum, evidently responsible for Mr Corbyn’s meteoric rise to prominence, has clearly recruited a sea of red political soldiers waving flags of intolerance at anyone daring to oppose their ideologies.

Isi Leibler, a highly respected Jewish leader and commentator, advises Britain’s Jews to cross this ‘Red Sea’ by packing their bags for Israel. The threat to their well-being and safety may be worse than at any time since 1656, when Jews were invited back to Britain under Cromwell following their expulsion in 1290.

“It is a horrifying prospect that a man who publicly praises Hamas and Hezbollah as his ‘friends’, who attended a ceremony in Tunis commemorating the murderer of Israeli Olympic athletes, was employed by the state-controlled Iranian TV to present programs, and tolerated the proliferation of overt anti-Semitism in his party was so close to being elected Prime Minister,” he wrote.⁴

Jewish leader Isi Leibler is advising British Jews to pack their bags for Israel.

Such huge support “for a primitive Trotskyite whose friends include terrorists…is simply mind-boggling”.

The ‘red line’ has now been crossed for British Jews who are considered pariahs by a substantial proportion of the nation, he added. Anti-Israel rhetoric has reached unprecedented levels both in street demonstrations and at universities, while armed guards are now required at schools, synagogues and other Jewish centres.

By contrast to the 1930s, he said, today’s Jews have a state willing to embrace them where they can enjoy the fruits of the Jewish national renaissance and leave behind the humiliation of anti-Semitism.

Anything Goes

1930s Germany might seem a world away from 21^st Century Britain, but what makes us think we are insured against totalitarianism, dictatorship, chaos and confusion, riots in the streets and even civil war?

We can insure our houses against a variety of risks, but there is no such insurance policy for our nation at this time. We have turned our backs on the Lord of glory – and he has left us to our own devices and dilemmas. We are now paying heavily for not taking out (everlasting) life insurance as we reap the consequences of worshipping the hedonistic idols of atheism, with society breaking down, terror stalking our streets and what we used to regard as ‘sin’ being celebrated and promoted.

In 1930s Germany, few dreamed that this apparently charismatic figure who talked of restoring German pride and was gaining in popularity by the day would, within a dozen years, have sent 50 million people to their deaths in a war that would see the destruction of the nation’s economy along with many of its great cities, and the most appalling crime in history – the murder of six million Jews.

Many believe the Holocaust could never happen again – and some actually believe it never took place at all – because it was wicked beyond belief. But in Britain’s brave new world where anything goes, a party whose leader has obvious anti-Semitic sympathies is now more popular than the newly re-elected Conservative Government of Theresa May, which has had to agree to work with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party to carry out legislation.

1930s Germany might seem a world away from 21^st Century Britain, but what makes us think we are insured against totalitarianism?

Temporary Troubles

It’s worth recalling that homosexuals were also sent to Nazi death camps. But now, perversely, their lifestyle is held up as something for which we must all be proud – and those who disagree are, like the Jews, also pariahs. Of course both these scenarios are horribly wrong. God loves gay people as much as any of us, but not their lifestyle.

An estimated one million people joined the ‘Gay Pride’ march through London, seen by the BBC as something to lift our spirits in these difficult times blighted by terror and confusion. But the ‘happy’ scene is in fact a tragedy, underscored for me as I watched the TV cameras pan across the parade down Regent Street with the distinctive features of All Souls, Langham Place, in the background.

For many across the world, this church is seen as the very heart and soul of Christian evangelicalism – representing those who believe the Bible is the unchanging word of God for all time; and that it means what it says, and says what it means. But the contrast picked up by the cameras also reminds us that the current state of the union is only temporary, whereas our God is eternal. Comparing people to grass, the Prophet Isaiah wrote: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isa 40:8).

And remember: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:13).

Notes

1 Ferguson, K. Labour MP is threatened with deselection by hard-left activists. Daily Mail, 6 July 2017.

2 Jerusalem News Network, 2 June 2017, quoting Jerusalem Post.

3 Joseph, A. Labour take shock poll lead over Conservatives. Daily Mail, 6 July 2017.

4 British Jews: A wake-up call. Jerusalem Post, 13 June 2017.

Christine Burden reviews ‘Rose-Tinted Memory: Holocaust Truths that Can’t Be Erased’ by Michael S Fryer (Perissos Group, 2016).

Michael Fryer draws on his experience as a police officer in the National Crime Squad, as a pastor of Father’s House Sabbath Congregation, in North Wales and as a graduate of Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Memorial in Israel), to investigate the Church’s involvement and complicity in the Holocaust.

For those who believe that the Gentile Church and the general public in Nazi- occupied Europe were all rescuers of Jewish people, this book will be a startling revelation. For sure, there were 25,685 aptly named ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ that are recognised by Yad Vashem and the author does not ignore this fact. However, the thrust of the book is to examine to what extent Christendom was aware of what happened to the Jewish people in Europe during World War II and what its response was.

How the Church Paved the Way

Fryer documents how Christendom in Germany and Europe helped to create the climate of hate which allowed Hitler and his accomplices to introduce their terrible programme of genocide.

“95% of Germans had church affiliation” (p19). The author asks: why did these people allow God’s chosen people to die in their towns and villages?

Fryer documents how Christendom in Europe helped to create the climate of hate that allowed Hitler to introduce genocide.

Even before the rise of Nazism in Germany, the teaching that came from the pulpits began the process of “de-humanising” the Jewish people. Consequently, it was not long before members of the public seemed to have no problem in “voluntarily shooting Jews- men, women and children - at point-blank range” (p50).

On the Protestant side there was the German Christian Movement (GCM). The aim of this group was to integrate the Protestant Church with nationalistic fervour for German culture and ethnicity. “By the mid-thirties this movement had more than 500,000 members who fully endorsed the Nazi ideology” (p49).

Chapter 11, entitled ‘German Christians’, gives numerous examples of anti-Semitic teachings circulated at this time. For me this is one of the most important chapters in the book. Examples include, “removing any idea that Christianity was in any way connected to Judaism” (p51). Hymn books and Scripture were revised to erase all ‘Jewishness’.

Practical Complicity of the Church

The author describes the national census in Germany, in which Christendom played a major role. Churches provided baptismal and marriage certificates plus other documents to establish whether a person was a Jew or Aryan. This information was used to provide lists of Jews, which then enabled officers to round up the Jewish population.

It is also well-documented that the Vatican knew of the existence of the concentration camps and did nothing to help the Jews. Without guidance from the Pope, the clergy did not know what to say, and often remained silent. Even today, the Vatican has papers concerning the Holocaust, which it refuses to release.

German Hymn books and Scripture were revised to erase all ‘Jewishness’.

The Involvement of the Public in the Genocide

Another powerful chapter poses the question, ‘Just a few Nazis?’ Again, our thinking is challenged as to how many people were complicit in Jewish persecution.

“German perpetrators numbered well in excess of 100,000. There were 10,005 camps which included satellite camps situated on the edges of towns and villages” (p43). In addition to this there were other staff and members of the general public who would have known what was happening.

“In Poland, local people were used to exterminate 3 million people. Local people then buried the dead” (p56). Many people, including professing Christians, must have been aware of the atrocities.

Justice and Accountability After the War

The author highlights some startling facts - some of which are well-known, others less so. For instance, there were 13 Nuremburg Trials held between 1945 and 1949, but they did not call many people to account.

Hitler and others committed suicide and therefore escaped earthly justice. Only 24 senior Nazi officers appeared in court and not everyone was found guilty. Meanwhile, many escaped down so-called ‘rat lines’, often with the help of the Church. Before 1949, 10,000 ex-SS officers were allowed into the UK, while only 2,000 displaced Jews were allowed entry into Britain.

Many ordinary people who had committed racially-motivated murders in their communities, or who had been involved with the camps, were never called to account. People returned home and kept quiet or remained in denial.

Modern-Day Considerations

In the concluding chapter, the author shares his concerns about Christendom allowing the Jewish people to be harmed today. He questions whether this will come in a different guise, that of Anti-Zionism, where teaching “that Israel is an occupying force is promulgated by large sections of Christendom” (p73).

Many ordinary people who had committed racially-motivated murders were never called to account.

Before and during the Holocaust, Christian leaders preached messages of hate. Sadly there are many examples of church leaders saying hateful things against Israel today. In the city of Liverpool, Hope University, the only ecumenical Christian university in Europe, staged an exhibition vilifying Israel. A Jewish lady wrote to Mr Fryer sharing her deep concern about the university, and expressing the fear that she feels at times, living as a Jew in Liverpool.

Conclusion

This book serves as a warning to all believers and hopefully will provoke us to study the biblical plans God has for the Jewish people. It documents uncomfortable truths, but truths that I strongly believe every Bible-believing Christian needs to be informed about.

I have no hesitation in highly recommending this well-documented book. Let us thank God for watchmen like Mr Fryer who attempt to highlight the lesser-known realities of the Shoah.

‘Rose-Tinted Memory’ (95 pages) is available from Amazon for £2.12.

Israeli backpacker finds Yeshua in far-off New Zealand.

An Israeli backpacker had to travel to the other side of the world before finding the Jewish Messiah no-one had told him about at home.

Born and raised in a secular kibbutz (and knowing almost nothing about Jesus), Omri Jaakobovich was taken aback when the Dutch-born host of his hostel in Paihia, Bay of Islands, New Zealand, kept referring to him as one of God’s ‘chosen people’.

Like most Israelis, he had been horrified by the relatively recent assassination of then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an Orthodox Jew in the name of God.

So he challenged his host: “What’s so chosen or so much better about us Jews?” adding that for the first time in history a Jew had killed the chosen leader of the Jewish nation.

But he was shocked by her reply: “It’s not the first time that the Jews have killed the chosen leader of the Jewish nation.”

“What are you talking about?” he wondered.

“This is what you did to Yeshua,” was her response.

Realising that Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) was a Jew like himself, Omri’s interest was piqued: “Were they trying to hide something from me?” he pondered. “How come they told me absolutely nothing about him in Israel?”

Having wrestled since he was a child with the question, ‘Why was I born if one day I have to die?’ it now seemed logical to him that, ‘if Yeshua has been raised from the dead, maybe I too can be resurrected.’

The Veil Lifted

A chance meeting with another Israeli backpacker who had a Tanach (what Christians call an Old Testament) among his belongings led Omri to start reading its prophecies.

And seeing Yeshua in every one of them, he became convinced beyond any doubt that Yeshua was indeed the promised Messiah – though at this stage he thought he was the only Jewish believer in Jesus as he didn’t know of any others!

A Christian Omri met then read 2 Corinthians 3:14 to him, which says that only when Jews turn to Christ will the veil (of understanding) be lifted from their eyes.

There was no voice from heaven, he recalls, but he realised right then and there that he needed to start telling his people about it. So he began sharing his faith with every Israeli who came to the hostel. And within just four months, the man who gave him the Bible also came to faith.

HIT’s Impact

Omri subsequently founded a unique travel programme aimed at offering cheap accommodation for young Israeli backpackers and at the same time giving an opportunity for Christians to express their indebtedness to Israel for the Bible, salvation and, above all, their Saviour.

Host Israeli Travellers (HIT) has since provided inexpensive rooms in a friendly home environment to more than 15,000 youngsters touring the world after their demanding stints in the Israeli Defence Forces.

Beginning in New Zealand, which has become a favourite destination for young Israelis, it has now also spread to Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong and the UK.

HIT membership cards are available for a nominal fee and most hosts make only a small charge of up to £5 a night to cover overheads, though many still prefer to offer rooms free.

“One of the most significant developments over the years has been the ever-increasing openness of these young people to spiritual matters,” a spokeswoman said.

And Omri is now encouraging the Church to take up its calling to provoke the Jews to jealousy by sharing the Gospel with them (Rom 11:11, 14; also Rom 10:14).

To learn more, or to sign up, visit www.hitinternational.net.