“If the Jewish element of those roots is upturned and Israel is lost, then we are lost too. (Jose Maria Aznur).
When John the Baptist walked the dusty roads of the wasteland of Judea he cried, “I am a voice crying in the wilderness…” He was declaring a message and articulated well his claim. A few years ago, a brave, fearless Hispanic statesman born in Madrid, Spain, spoke to the world on behalf of the Jewish state. Verbalizing truth is not a simple matter in the world at large but former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar understands what verbalizing truth is and put into words his principled view in a published article in the British newspaper, The Times, on 17 June 2010. The headlines were: “If Israel Goes Down, We All Go Down.” Standing for Israel may not be popular today but I applaud a man who has the backbone to state his convictions in a way that the world media cannot ignore. “Israel (as he said) is our first line of defense in a turbulent region and if something would ever happen to her, God forbid, it would affect the entire world!”
A Significant Day
On the morning of June 1 2010, the day CFI began its 25th anniversary celebration in Jerusalem, a flotilla (ship convoy) entered Israeli waters. Included in the flotilla was a ship with 663 anti-Zionist “humanitarians,” who in actuality were nothing but Turkish armed Islamic extremists. They were hiding on the ship. The ship had been warned by Israeli naval security that they were entering a blockaded area and that they were to change their course. When the ship commanders refused Israel’s orders, Israeli commandos who were carrying paint ball rifles, boarded the ship. The commandos were attacked by the armed Turkish Islamic extremists. After taking a beating by the extremists and being thrown overboard, one young commando almost lost his life. Nine Turkish “activists” were killed as a result of this violent exchange. Anti-Israeli propaganda was immediately sent out over the air waves through the world media and the world again condemned Israel, which was the goal. Key pro-Israel ministries including CFI, were called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office to hear the explanation of the situation and were asked for our help to get out the truth of this situation. We hope that this article will help to show why we, as Christian friends of the Jewish State must speak up for the truth, like a true friend of Israel!
By the time the conference opened in the morning sessions, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we were all concerned about a major naval confrontation. We listened while Danny Ayalon, Deputy Foreign Minister for the State of Israel and other Israeli dignitaries talked about the situation Israel found itself in. They attempted to piece together what happened and praised the support of Israel’s true friends in the nations.
Jose Maria Aznar, Spain’s former Prime Minister, boldly stated: “… no state… would have sponsored and organized a flotilla whose sole purpose was to create an impossible situation for Israel: making her choose between giving up its security policy and the naval blockade. Uniquely in the West, it is the only democracy whose very existence has been questioned since its inception… [when] she was attacked by its neighbors using the conventional weapons of war. Then she faced terrorism, culminating in wave after wave of suicide attacks. Now she faces a campaign of delegitimization through international law and diplomacy. It is easy to blame Israel for all the evils in the Middle East. Some even act and talk as if a new understanding with the Muslim world could be achieved, if only we were prepared to sacrifice the Jewish state on the altar. This would be folly. To abandon Israel to its fate, at this moment of all moments, would merely serve to illustrate how far we have sunk and how inexorable our decline now appears. Israel’s strength is our strength and Israel’s weakness is our weakness. What binds us, however, is our unyielding support for Israel’s right to exist and to defend herself. Israel is a fundamental part of the West. The West is what it is, thanks to its Judeo-Christian allegiance. Due to Turkey’s flotilla, defying Israel’s blockade, “Israel faces a campaign of delegitimization through international law and diplomacy.” Conflicts in every direction. Neighboring countries are at war with Israel.
If the Jewish element of our roots is upturned and Israel is lost, then we are lost too. Whether we like it or not, our fate is inextricably intertwined.” (full text available online) http://209.157.64.200/focus/fnews/1095782/posts.
Israel is in All of Us
Another voice for Israel is the Dutch Member of Parliament, Geert Wilders, who states very clearly the truth in regard to the Jewish State. He has said, “…all is not well in the world. We might be in the final stages of the Islamization of Europe, a threat to America and the sheer survival of the West. In every European city there are plans to build super-mosques that will dwarf every church in the region.”
Clearly, the signal is: “We rule.” This young Dutch member of Parliament also stated in 2008, in Jerusalem: “Perhaps a few of you may be new to Jerusalem, yet Jerusalem is not new to any of you. We all carry Jerusalem in our blood, in our genes. We all live and breathe Jerusalem. We talk Jerusalem, we even dream Jerusalem. Simply, because the values of ancient Israel have become the values of the West. We are all Israel, and Israel is in all of us.” Geert Wilders also stated, “Thanks to Israeli parents who send their children to the army and lay awake at night, parents in Europe and America can sleep well and dream, unaware of the dangers looming.” We have to admit both men are statesmen (Aznar and Wilders) and not “religious” voices being raised. My question is, “Where are the Christian voices?”
I asked that question a few years ago concerning what the Church allowed to happen during WWII to the Jewish people. Yes, there were the rescuers but their numbers were too few. Our voices were not raised in a chorus of protest. Today Jewish people are fleeing France in record numbers and coming to Israel. Europe is in the worst wave of anti-Semitism since WWII. The world has accepted the lies of Islam and sees Israel as an aggressor. There are not enough voices to oppose the powerful and virulent pronouncements being made about the “Zionist enemy.” a political/religious system intent on swallowing the entire Middle East and then the world. Their eventual goal for world domination, basically stated, is if they can defeat Israel, they can defeat anyone. Israel is simply a bone in the throat of Islam.
The Inevitable Coming War
The blunt truth about what Israel faces is that the tiny nation is virtually surrounded by well-armed Iranian proxies: Hizbullah and Syria in the north, the Iranian proxy Hamas in the South, the Palestinian Authority militia in the west, the possibility of a Turkish military offensive against Israel and a 1.3 million pro-Iran Israeli Arab Community. If all of these forces were ordered by Iran to unite against Israel, Israel would be forced to resort to firepower it’s always hoped NOT to have to use.
The nations are now in a confrontation with God Almighty (Chuck Cohen, July 2010 Special Prayer Alert). God has promised to restore Israel and He is doing it for His Glory (Ezekiel 36:22) Hear the words of the Lord: “…I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul” (Jeremiah 32:41) The nations are poking God in the eye by being contentious and striking the “apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10) The Church is boasting against the branches by separating from Israel, by condemning, judging and by divesting. The coming war(s) will require much inquiring of the Lord by Christians who call upon His Name on behalf of the Jewish people. We must be found “without ax in hand,” but instead, as loving Watchmen, caretakers of God’s Olive tree.
Where Are the Christian Voices?
Israel’s right to exist should be a part of our sermons. Prayer for Israel should be a normal part of our activities. What Israel goes through we should be also passing through in the spirit of prayer. Along with the anti-Israel reactions and condemnation and also riots, rallies, and anti-Semitic attacks (like the one in Germany where young Israeli dancers were attacked during a performance), the Church has raised its voice also. However, it is to their shame, as headlines immediately popped up on my computer screen such as: Presbyterians End US Aid to Israel; Methodists Vote to Boycott Israel; Calls for Obama to Cut All Aid to Israel; Boycott Divestment and Sanctions from Australian Churches: Church Relief Network Condemns Flotilla Attack; Christians and Muslims Condemn Israel Ship Attack, etc. Things seem not to have changed in Christian history.
As a Christian who loves and stands with the Jewish nation, it is extremely embarrassing—to say the least. Most Gentile believers are fed a steady diet of Replacement Theology from the pulpit. We must remember that we are wild olive branches who have been grafted into a rich and natural root. Television and internet are of course the most successful mediums of manipulation ever known. Its news bulletins can put a spin on stories to suit those who are anti-Israel. Control of mass media has led to a lot of misinformation and lies. Deliberate propaganda against the Jewish state has been going on to alter people’s opinions about the Jews. People have blindly believed what they were told and now nations hang in the balance because of the stand they have taken against Israel.
A film was produced entitled some years back entitled, “With God on Our Side.” It is a film with a biased point of view against Israel, looking at the theology of Christian Zionism, which teaches that because the Jews are God’s Chosen People, they have a Divine right to a homeland in Israel. The film offers ordinary Christians an alternative to promoting “peace and reconciliation” for Jews and Palestinians. It states that Christians who love Israel disregard human rights and give unilateral support to a secular state and elevates Israel, while using the Bible as justification. It is a provocative film which twists the truth. Be on the lookout if it comes across your path.
We need to fall on our faces before the throne of Ha Shem (The Name); rend our hearts and not our garments. We need to do all within our power to take the message to the Gentile Church, not to boast against the trunk or root (and natural branches). Let us speak of the faithful Covenant Keeping God we serve, that He will not break His Covenant with Israel nor with the Church because if the tree could fall then God’s Covenant could be broken with Israel. We, the Church, then would have nothing to attach ourselves to as branches and we would also fall. Thank God He is an Unchanging and Faithful God … the keeper of His Olive Tree.
-Sharon Sanders-