…and join with Gentiles in a traditional wedding dance!

Church leaders adopt anti-Semitic stance against those to whom they owe everything

Fred Wright challenges the view that the Church has replaced Israel.

Why are Christians so uncomfortable over the issue of Israel?

Christian love for Israel displayed on Welsh heights

Beautiful feet have once again ascended the mountains of Wales to announce good news for the people of Israel.

For the fourth year running, the North Wales-based Fathers House Sabbath Congregation has incorporated a strong message about Christian support for Israel with a great deal of fun, at the same time bringing extra meaning to the Prophet Isaiah’s statement: "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news…who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’" (Isa 52:7).

Wonderful Display of Advocacy

Christians from Holland joined believers from the Shotton, Deeside, congregation as they ran or walked 8km across the lovely Clwydian range carrying Israeli flags and dressed in Run for Israel t-shirts. The event was followed by a barbecue at a nearby mountain orchard.

Fathers House pastor Mike Fryer explained: “This mountain range draws over three quarters of a million walkers a year from all over the world and the wonderful display of Christian advocacy for Israel was seen by tourists who had come to visit.

“There was of course the odd anti-Semitic comment but the majority of tourists thanked the participants for such fun-loving and passionate support for Israel. Israeli flags and directional signs with Israeli insignia, displayed throughout the area, were left undamaged – re-enforcing the understanding among leaders of the event that anti-Semitism is a minority view in Wales for whom Israel is generally seen as a respected nation.”

Mike’s statement is borne out by a colleague of mine who tours churches around the UK teaching on God’s purposes for the Jews and finds the people of Wales particularly knowledgeable and responsive.

9^th Av

In another show of support for Israel, Christians are taking part this weekend in an initiative called the Nations’ 9^th Av – a date on the Hebrew calendar associated with many tragedies and thus used as a traditional day of Jewish mourning (falling in 2019 on this weekend, 11 August).

Followers of Jesus are using it as an opportunity to confess and pray through the atrocities committed against the Jewish people in the name of Christianity over the past 2,000 years.

Find out more at https://9-av.com/. 

Natural signs of a spiritual reality.

‘LEAVE NOW’ screamed the front page of the Daily Mirror yesterday. Did this signal a major political change in the Labour-supporting, strongly ‘Remain’ newspaper? Certainly not! It was referring to the imminent danger of a reservoir bursting in Derbyshire that could threaten the safety of many people in Whaley Bridge in the Peak District.

Strangely enough, Ruth George, the Labour MP for the High Peak district which includes Whaley Bridge, not only voted to remain in the 2016 referendum, but is an outstanding campaigner against leaving the EU. She is out of step with the rest of Derbyshire, which voted to leave the EU by approximately 60:40.

Time to Reflect

Ruth George MP

Mrs George is also out of step with the official position of the Labour Party, who are desperately trying to combat anti-Semitism among their MPs. She jumps onto any opportunity to criticise Israel, although she got her fingers burnt earlier this year when she criticised Luciana Berger, a Jewish MP, for leaving Labour.

Mrs George suggested that financial support for Labour Friends of Israel, which Ms Berger formerly directed, was coming from Israel. Mrs George later apologised saying that she was quite wrong to suggest that there was a conspiracy involving Israel.¹ 

Perhaps Mrs George should reflect upon the ‘coincidence’ of the floods that have swept through her constituency and the urgent command to all the residents of the town she represents to LEAVE NOW!

Watching Signs in Nature

The prophets of Israel always watched what was happening in nature as signs of what God might be saying to the nation. Amos 4 is a classic example, where the prophet details the droughts, floods and plagues that had hit the nation with the much-repeated phrase “‘Yet you have not returned to me’ declares the Lord”. Maybe the floods, which are not only affecting the residents of Derbyshire, should be taken as a sign to all residents of the UK.

What is God saying to us? Surely, we are a nation under judgment, but there is still time for repentance and turning. Is the Lord saying to the people of Britain, “LEAVE NOW and put your trust in me!”?

"Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22)

References

1 See Labour MP apologises for suggesting Israel funds Independent Group. The Guardian, 19 February 2019. Ruth George MP has also received criticism for failing to call out a Labour councillor in her constituency who posted anti-Semitic material online. Read more here and here.

Lifelong Labour supporter writes of anti-Semitism shame

As a lifelong supporter and one-time candidate of the Labour Party, Rev Alex Jacob is shocked and ashamed by its association with anti-Semitism.

The UK’s chief executive officer of the Church’s Mission among Jewish people (CMJ), an international Anglican society co-founded 210 years ago by William Wilberforce, Rev Jacob has written to party leader Jeremy Corbyn about the issue a number of times, but has yet to receive any reply or acknowledgement.

He has even offered to meet with Mr Corbyn and share his insight, warning that Corbyn’s leadership, along with the future success of the party, rest upon this issue, and that time is running out for decisive action to expose and uproot those individuals responsible for fanning the flames of anti-Semitism.

Conceding that he is clearly informed and shaped by his current position with CMJ, Jacob has assured Mr Corbyn that he is writing in a purely personal capacity and that his concern is not fuelled by any anti-Labour sentiment or wider political agenda.

Rev Alex Jacob. Photo courtesy of CMJ.He acknowledges that anti-Semitism has a variety of sources, including Christian circles which have “at times been seduced by misplaced theology and poor pastoral practice”.

Labour’s Worthy Track Record

Nevertheless, some of Jacob’s work colleagues and other contacts have expressed surprise at and even challenged his involvement with Labour, especially in light of its current problems. But he has rightly pointed out that Labour has traditionally been a great supporter of Israel:

Many of the early pioneering Zionists were strong socialists and, alongside this, the struggle for the full emancipation of the Jewish people was often linked to members of the emerging Labour and Trade Union movements, who saw this as a foundational issue of social justice.

He further writes that today’s party includes some outstandingly diligent Jewish MPs and councillors, that Labour has a strong and respected record of fighting fascism and is even committed to a just settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which Israel can flourish within secure borders.

But such points are often obscured by images of Labour supporters waving Palestinian flags and singing songs calling for the total annihilation of Israel.

CMJ CEO Alex Jacob has written to Corbyn on a number of occasions about the issue of anti-Semitism, but has yet to receive any reply or acknowledgement.

Jacob even commends Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry for her recent comment that “…there are sickening individuals on the fringe of our movement who use legitimate support for Palestine as a cloak and cover for their desperate hatred of Jewish people and their desire to see Israel destroyed.”

And he adds: “Clearly, I would argue that such individuals must be identified and, after due process, expelled from the Labour movement. This must be a priority for you; time is running out for you to act decisively and expose and uproot such anti-Semitic individuals. I am sure that your leadership and the future success of the Labour Party rest upon this issue!”

Anti-Semitism Exposed

Meanwhile, virtual civil war has broken out within the party as it comes under increasing pressure – even from its own deputy leader Tom Watson – over its failure to deal effectively with the problem.

A BBC investigation for its Panorama programme has thrown further shocking light on the subject with the help of whistle-blowers, who have in turn provoked fury from colleagues amidst accusations of BBC bias, while Labour officials are accused of displaying “Stalinist levels of paranoia”.¹

The documentary, broadcast last week, aired allegations of interference by Mr Corbyn’s closest aides into the party’s complaints procedure. One official said her party was no longer a safe space for Jews after she was told “Hitler did not go far enough”.²

Izzy Lenga, who is Jewish, said she had heard Labour members denying the Holocaust in party meetings. Others told the programme how they had been called a ‘dirty Zionist’, a ‘Nazi’ and a ‘Jewish pig’ by members.³

Seeing Prophecy Fulfilled

In the light of Rev Jacob’s contribution to the debate, it might be helpful to retrace our historical steps to the founding, in 1809, of the mission he now leads.

Evangelical leaders acted on the biblical call to preach the Gospel “to the Jew first” (Rom 1:16) with the arrival in London’s East End of Jewish refugees from the pogroms of Russia – including the ancestors of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who will be appearing on the popular BBC TV programme Who Do You Think You Are? on Monday night (22 July).

Also motivated by their debt to the Jewish people for the scriptures, and their Messiah, CMJ’s work expanded throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. And in focusing on Israel’s spiritual restoration repeatedly prophesied in the Bible (Jer 31:33; Ezek 36:26; Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26), they also helped prepare the way for the Jews’ return to the land from which they had been exiled for so long – this too in line with biblical prophecies.

Virtual civil war has broken out within the party as it comes under increasing pressure over its failure to deal effectively with the problem.

Because it is there – in the Promised Land – where Jesus will return as King of Kings and finally be recognised by those who pierced him. This is God’s great plan, and world events are rapidly heading towards its fulfilment. But the devil and his hordes will do everything to prevent that happening, which is why such a fierce battle is being fought over Jerusalem, and Israel, and why anti-Semitism is once more on the rise.

The psalmist predicted this some 3,000 years ago with these words: “See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.’ O God, do not keep silent…Let them know that…you alone are the Most High over all the earth” (Psa 83:2-4, 1, 18).

He won’t keep silent. He will wipe away every tear when he comes again, and there will be a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-4)!

References

1 Daily Mail, 15 July 2019.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

While Iran threatens to annihilate Israel with nuclear weapons, even Jews in the UK are no longer safe.

As Britain enters stormy waters with Iran (more of that later), a senior Iranian lawmaker has said the Jewish state wouldn’t last half-an-hour if the U.S. attacked his country.¹ And in east London, a knife-wielding man threatened to behead an Orthodox Jew as he walked down the street.² Jews are feeling increasingly trapped in what is virtually a déjà vu moment for God’s chosen people – except this time they do have a place of refuge. However, with Israel too under severe threat from all sides, they have the potential for being caught in a trap once again if we keep giving way to dictators who hate them.

A mass exodus of UK Jews is a real possibility in light of rising anti-Semitism and the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister. And yet the man who has signally failed to deal with Jew-hatred within his party has inadvertently also caused Jews to reconnect with and proudly embrace their heritage, as journalist and online columnist for The Daily Telegraph, Miranda Levy, has pointed out. Writing for the New York Post, she said: “…over the past few months, both my political sensibilities and my sense of cultural identity have radically changed.” She also quoted Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge as saying: “I remember my dad tried to make me Jewish and failed. The local rabbi tried to make me Jewish and failed. It took the leader of the Labour Party to do that.”³

A mass exodus of UK Jews is a real possibility in light of rising anti-Semitism and the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister.

The Purposes of God

The increasing unease in which the Jewish community finds itself reminds me of the mother eagle who, when teaching her young ones to fly, gradually removes the comforting straw of their nest. Not that Mr Corbyn has the best interests of Jews at heart, but the God of Israel surely does (Jer 31:3) and ultimately plans to bring them all back to the Promised Land. Nearly seven million are already there within just a couple of generations of its rebirth. Their return is in perfect fulfilment of many Old Testament prophecies. For example, Isaiah writes: “‘Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, “Give them up!” and to the south, “Do not hold them back.”’” (Isa 43:5-6a).

Such an exodus could inflict serious damage to our economy, possibly on a bigger scale than Brexit, but it’s a price we may have to pay for our silence on the issue of anti-Semitism on the one hand, and the fulfilment of God’s word on the other.

Bear in mind that it was God’s purpose for Jesus to die for our sins (Isa 53:10), but the man who betrayed him did not go unpunished (Matt 26:24). In the same way, it is God’s will that Jews scattered across the globe should be restored to the Holy Land before he reveals his face to them (Num 6:22-27; Ezek 39:27-29). Nevertheless, those who have mistreated them will come under a curse (Gen 12:3; Joel 3:2).

“‘Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, “Give them up!” and to the south, “Do not hold them back.”’” (Isaiah 43:5-6a)

The Iranian Crisis

Meanwhile Britain has now become a target for Iranian revenge after we seized an oil tanker believed to be headed for Syria in defiance of sanctions against that country. Iranian vessels subsequently attempted to capture a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, but were successfully warned off by a Royal Navy frigate which finally aimed its guns at them. An alarming development indeed!⁴

The crisis has revealed the ineptitude of Britain in being party to a deal that was never going to work, especially in light of evidence that Iran has exceeded the limit of enriched uranium to which it had agreed.⁵ And President Trump has been proved right for having pulled out of it last year. As the first line of defence from any fallout over the spat, Israel is right to question the commitment of nations, including Britain, to its welfare. “Iran has violated its solemn promise under the UN Security Council not to enrich uranium beyond a certain level,” said their Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking the signatories to the agreement: “Where are you?”⁶ Well, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said Britain would pull out if Iran breaks the deal⁷ – so watch this space.

But with our stubborn refusal to follow the US lead on this, as well as recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, we are allowing Iran to play off key allies against one another, thereby strengthening the position of the world’s leading sponsor of terror. I realise our appeasement of Iran is for economic reasons, but there comes a point when we need to do the right thing. And since we are not blessing Israel by kowtowing to Iran, but rather inviting judgment on ourselves, siding with America on this issue would obviously be the right move.

Britain’s Second Chance

Britain is privileged to have played a special role in Israel’s restoration, though tragically we have also betrayed them over the years – even now most of our churches ignore their well-being. But now we have another chance of coming to their rescue. As God once spoke through Isaiah of how he would use Cyrus, the Persian emperor, to rebuild his city and set his exiles free – “but not for a price or reward” (Isa 45:13) – we too must do the right thing by his people.

References

1. Jerenberg, B. Iran threatens: If US attacks, we'll wipe out Israel in half hour. World Israel News, 2 July 2019.
2. "I’m going to chop your head off’: Orthodox Jew chased down London street. World Israel News, 3 July 2019.
3. Levy, M. How Anti-Semitism in Britain’s Labour party made me feel Jewish again. New York Post, 6 July 2019.
4. Iran demands Britain release seized tanker, saying action will 'have consequences'. The Telegraph, 12 July 2019.
5. Iran Exceeds Permissible Limit For Enriched Uranium. Jerusalem News Network, 5 July 2019.
6. Netanyahu asks world leaders on Iran: 'Where are you?'. World Israel News, 7 July 2019.
7. UK's Hunt says if Iran breaks Nuclear Deal we are out as well. Jerusalem News Network, 5 July 2019 (scroll down the page).

Charles Gardner introduces a new book from Fred Wright on a little-known but vitally important topic.

The Church has remained silent on Israel for too long

As Jews the world over next week mark a feast they have celebrated annually for the past 2,500 years, it presents a perfect opportunity for the Church to step into the breach on behalf of God’s chosen people.

The feast of Purim recalls the time when a beautiful young orphan queen known as Esther saved her people from annihilation in ancient Persia.

Her identity as a Jew was a secret at the time of her accession to the throne, as the potential for anti-Semitism was so great that the Bible’s account of her heroics only mentions God in code.

But when her guardian, Mordecai, alerted her to Haman’s genocidal plot against all the Jews in an empire stretching from India to Egypt, he challenged her with these words: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Est 4:14).

Esther knew it would be dangerous to approach the king without being summoned but, just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risked the fiery furnace rather than compromise their faith, Esther too bit the bullet, defiantly declaring: “If I perish, I perish” (Est 4:16).

Modern Threats

Is it not time for the Church to stand up for the Jews as Esther did? The Church in Germany were, for the most part, silent as they watched Hitler’s anti-Semitic cancer spread.

Thankfully, para-church organisations like Christian Friends of Israel, representing thousands of individual Christians, have until now played the part of Mordecai in their attempt to alert the Church to the dangers.

One of them, Christians United for Israel, has actually launched a campaign called 'Operation Mordecai', warning of the danger posed by Iran (modern-day Persia) to Israel and the West, and is encouraging churches to nail their colours to the mast by showing corporate support for Israel rather than leaving it to individual believers.

Is it not time for the Church to stand up for the Jews just as Esther did?

Israel’s existence – and by extension that of the Jewish people – is threatened once again. First Pharaoh tried to obliterate them, then Haman, followed by Herod and Hitler. Now the likes of Hamas are inflicting their murder and mayhem on Israel’s southern borders while, in the north, Hezbollah have some 120,000 missiles hidden among Lebanon’s civilian population.

At the same time, a harrowing new wave of anti-Semitism is sweeping across Europe and America, while in Britain we are witnessing an unholy alliance between hard-left Labour and the far-right - including Islamists - viciously persecuting innocent Jews.

Time to Stand Up!

The Tory Government has made a start in repenting of past sins committed against the Jews. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has apologised for Britain’s blocking of those trying to escape the Nazi butchers and for its holding of others in detention camps like Atlit, near Haifa, during the 1940s. And Home Secretary Sajid Javid has finally pronounced a full ban on Hezbollah.

But the Church in Britain – as a whole – has badly neglected the Jews. We are not only responsible for the scourge of social engineering now blighting our beloved country, but also for the disgraceful scandal of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.

Where have the strong Christian voices of support for Israel been over the years? Do we really think God has reneged on his promise of everlasting love for the Jews (Jer 31:3)? Do we realise that such misguided belief gives carte blanche to the sort of unbridled hatred for Israel pronounced by many of those seeking to wrest power from the Conservatives?

Jeremy Corbyn and his close allies – like terror groups Hezbollah and Hamas – believe Israel has no right to exist. It’s time to make amends for our indifference by taking on the role of Esther – intervening on behalf of an endangered people, both in prayer and action.

The Tory Government has made a start in repenting of past sins committed by Britain against the Jews. But the British Church – as a whole – remains silent.

Cursing Turned Around

In modern Persia, the ayatollahs are determined to wipe Israel off the map, using nuclear weapons if necessary. But the tables were turned on the anti-Semites of ancient Persia. Haman literally made a rope on which to hang himself and the evil scheme he had devised came back on his own head. Those who dare to stand against the Jews or their Messiah will surely come to ruin!

Indeed, the tables were turned on Germany, and it all came back on their own heads as their cities were reduced to rubble – Darmstadt, for instance, had its own 9/11 when, on 11 September 1944, the city was destroyed, leaving 12,000 dead and many more homeless.

Similar devastation awaits those who touch the apple of God’s eye today (Zech 2:8).