Home » Posts tagged 'antisemitism'

Tag Archives: antisemitism

Messianic Israel / Jew Evangelistic T-Shirt: Shema & Isa 53

God loves Israel! He loves Israel far more than did the Apostle Paul, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. … 1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Romans 9:1-5; 3:1-2)

What does God say to those who harm Israel?  “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8). As with the rest of mankind, Jews who do not believe the gospel will be eternally lost (Romans 11:28a), but nonetheless “as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:28b-11:29).

 

What is the greatest blessing Jehovah has ever given Israel? The Messiah, the Savior of the world, God blessed for ever, Jesus!  To that end, we have designed the T-shirts pictured below, which have been added to the collection of evangelistic T-shirts and other materials I posted about some time ago. Both sides of the T-shirt reference the evangelistic pamphlet Truth From the Torah, Nevi’im, and Kethuvim (the Law, Prophets, and Writings) for Jews who Reverence the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, which is online at https://faithsaves.net/Messiah/.  The front has this evangelistic website as well as the text of the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4:

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָֹה אֶחָד׃

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Israeli flag Shema Deuteronomy 6:4 Messiah Jesus T Shirt

While the back has the evangelistic website and Isaiah 53:8b: “For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

along with, on both sides, the flag of Israel.  (We did not see a way to design the shirt so that the vowels and accents could be included, although we recognize the Biblical and historical case for their inspiration and preservation.)

We believe that these shirts can be blessed by the God of Israel for Jews to embrace their crucified and risen Messiah, Jesus, as well as to help Gentiles come to repentance and faith in Him.  If you get to evangelize Muslims because of this shirt, Isaiah 53 is good for them also, since Muslims deny the Lord Jesus died on the cross, claiming the Gospel accounts are fabrications. But Isaiah 53, which clearly predicts His death by crucifixion and resurrection, and which we have physical, pre-Christian evidence for in the Dead Sea Scrolls, cannot be so explained away by Muslims.  This T-shirt can also help you explain the powerful evidence for the Bible from prophecy for agnostics and atheists and the powerful impact of Isaiah 53 to both Jews and Muslims. Furthermore, God promises to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel (Genesis 12:1-3). Do you want to be blessed by the living God? Bless Israel!

The immediate motivation for our making these shirts was a pro-Hamas, anti-Jewish rally we saw in Los Angeles.  Jew haters there held signs such as “Resistance is not terrorism,” glorifying the murder of 1,200 Jews on October 7, 2023, the largest single-day slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust:

resistance is not terrorism pro Hamas anti Israel Jewish Semitic A. N. S. W. E. R. coalition

They also promoted “from the river to the sea,” advocating the destruction of the Jewish state and the murder of the Jews:

from the river to the sea Hamas terrorism kill Jews

The protesters were part of the anti-Israel hate group, the A. N. S. W. E. R. coalition, who argue that to say “Hamas is a terrorist organization” is a “lie.” (By the way, if you need more reasons to stop using Google as a search engine, note the pro-terrorism, anti-Israel search results that come up first if you search for “answercoalition.org Hamas terrorism”; compare those results with what you get on Duck Duck Go, where the top result [as of the time I am writing this] is the Anti-Defamation League explaining why Hamas is a bloodthirsty terrorist organization that calls for the eradication of Israel.)  The protestors also reproduced lies pumped out by Hamas about civilian deaths in Gaza, while saying nothing about the fact that Hamas wants civilians in Gaza to die and Israel does not. Of course, Islam allows Muslims to lie–after all, Allah is the best of deceivers.

They were blocking the street so that we could not keep going on the bus we were on in Los Angeles.  Our destination was not far away–a museum in LA.  We decided to get off the bus and walk there.  A few blocks away we saw an orthodox Jewish man walking in the direction of the advocates of terrorism.  We told him about the protest; he thanked us, and re-routed.  After we got home from the museum we designed the T-shirts. It is right to stand against terrorism and for the Jewish people.  It is especially right to stand for the greatest Jew of all, the resurrected Lord, Jesus.

We saw posters like the following a few blocks away.  The anti-Jewish, pro-Hamas protestors did not say anything about these people.

Jewish babies kidnapped by Hamas poster

Jewish youth kidnapped by Hamas hostage

Jewish grandmother hostage kidnapped by Hamas

They also said nothing about United States citizens killed by or held hostage by Hamas. They are also not important, it seems. (Let me add that the large majority of inhabitants in Gaza and the West Bank support Hamas’ murder of Jewish civilians–the large majority “extremely support” terrorism, while in a recent survey only 7.3% of survey participants were “extremely against” such terrorism, combined with 5.4% who are “somewhat against” it, for a total of only 12.7% of the population who are against terrorism; it is certainly possible survey results reflect some bias, but the overall picture is likely to be accurate.)

What about here in the USA? When asked if they support Israel or Hamas, 95% of those over 65 support Israel.  The percentages get progressively lower the younger people are.  Among 18-24 year olds, only 55% support Israel, while 45% support Hamas.  This is a terrible trend, and awful evidence of the anti-God garbage taught in the public school and university systems.  Maybe consider getting some of these T-shirts for yourself or as presents for others.  Perhaps you are afraid of Muslim violence or anti-Jewish violence if you wear one, since true Islam in America–like all true Islam–is violent and bloodthirsty, not peaceful.  Perhaps if you are living in Saudi Arabia or Iran it would be unwise to wear one of these shirts; but if you live in the United States of America, and you will allow threats of Muslim violence to curtail your free speech, something is very wrong.  Obviously Christians have liberty to wear or not wear a T-shirt like this, and it is perfectly fine not to wear one, but our decisions must be made out of Biblical principle and for the glory of God, not out of fear.  If you say you would have protected Jews in the Holocaust, but are afraid to stand for them and against their murderers now, why should we believe you would have stood were you in Hitler’s Germany? There are Biblical principles here.  God’s love for Israel is not saying God loves everything the modern state of Israel does–but God still loves Israel, and Scripture still says to bless Israel.  (By the way, if you are born again, God loves you with an infinite and special love, but He still does not love everything you do–He does not love your sin, nor does He love Israel’s sin.)  Be salt and light: stand up for righteousness. Do not let the wicked pro-terrorist people be the only ones who are making their voices known.  Stand for the God of Israel, for the Messiah of Israel, and for the nation of Israel.

Postscriptum:

As FLAME: Facts and Logic About the Middle East points out concerning anti-Israel, pro-Hamas bias in media reports about Gaza civilian casualties:

[T]he media insist on treating Hamas’s notoriously unreliable information feed as fact. Conversely, they refuse to give precedence to proven, reliable sources of information, such as the Israeli or U.S. governments, the latter of which confirmed Al-Shifa’s use as a Hamas headquarters. Israel presents photographs of Hamas blocking exit highways, so Gazans cannot leave the war zone . . . but Hamas denies it, says NPR. Such is the inane, “he-said, she said” pablum we are fed by the media.

The media also steadfastly refuse to ask the questions demanded by the story—and by any curious reader, listener, or viewer. When reporters interview Palestinians on the street or doctors in hospitals, the viewer cries to know: “Do you ever see any Hamas guys around here? Have you seen any tunnels?” But never does the reporter ask this, let alone questions like, “Do you support Hamas? Do you think there should be a Palestine next to Israel? What do you think about the October 7th attack on Israel?” These are obvious queries that responsible, curious, fact-hungry journalists would and should normally ask their sources. But they never do. Why?

The short answer is that if they asked these questions, the stories they tell wouldn’t fit the narrative they are trying to sell—the narrative in which the Palestinians are an oppressed people, Israel is an evil, colonial aggressor, and Hamas is a product of legitimate Palestinian resistance.

To sell their perverse narrative, international media swallow the wildly inflated death-toll numbers cranked out by the Gaza Health Ministry. For this reason, the media simply repeat the daily growing casualty figures Hamas gives them.

Reuters reports, for example, that as of November 22nd, Gaza’s Hamas-run government says at least 13,300 Palestinians have been confirmed killed, including at least 5,600 children. But Luke Baker, a former Reuters bureau chief who led the organization’s coverage of Israel and the disputed territories from 2014 to 2017, said on X (formerly Twitter), “Hamas has a clear propaganda incentive to inflate civilian casualties as much as possible.”

Moreover, the media almost never give a breakdown of the casualties. They don’t say how many were Hamas terrorists or how many were human shields, killed in residences schools or hospitals where Hamas were hiding. They never tell how many were killed—not by Israeli forces, but by Hamas and other terrorist groups—because of misfired rockets, or by Hamas shooting at Palestinian civilians heeding Israeli orders to evacuate.

In addition, it’s probable that a significant number of the “children” reported killed or wounded by Hamas are youths aged 13 to 18, who were located in Hamas facilities or even took an active part in the fighting.

If you are not aware of the connection between Soviet communist propaganda and modern anti-Zionist lies about Israel as a colonialist oppressor, please read the article here.

Why Do Jews Get Special Favor from True Christians?

Based on what’s committed against the United States and people’s talk about Islamophobia, one might think Moslems would receive more crimes against them for their religion.  They don’t.  The FBI reports 227 Moslem victims in its last report in 2019 and 1,032 Jewish victims.  Jews themselves also know that antisemitism grows rapidly.

For most of my life (born 1962), evangelical Christians were a very reliable ally of Jewish people and especially Israel.  Yet, by far I hear and read among evangelicals more anti-Jewish language and writing than I’ve ever heard.  I did not grow up around Jewish people and don’t ever remember even meeting a Jew until I was in college, but I still heard on a very regular basis, “The Jews are God’s chosen people.”  I thought that too.

As I read more broadly, I came to understand that American Jews voted for people and issues I opposed.  I still said, “The Jews are God’s chosen people.”  I continue to think that God blesses a nation that supports the Jewish people.  This comes from understanding of the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12:1-3.  This kind of support seems to match no other support for any other people.
When I arrived in California to start a church in the San Francisco Bay Area, I met many, many Jewish people, including in door-to-door evangelism.  I would approach a door and see the mezuza on the doorpost.  I always called it the shema.  I assumed it was a Jewish home.  After numbers of conversations, the mezuza became a kind of warning:  this conversation would not go well.  As friendly as I was, and however much I told the Jewish people I loved them, ninety-plus percent of the instances Jewish people treated me poorly at their doors.  I reacted to that by still thinking, “The Jews are God’s chosen people.”
Over time, I added some Jewish friends through involvement in orchestra and other providential events.  Every year a Jewish professor and I exchange correspondence after having met as bus mates on a trip we shared from Missouri to Oklahoma.  I wrote a script on how Baptists rescued Jews during World War 2 in Europe.  It was the story of Ivan Jaciuk, that I first read in The Righteous by the late Sir Martin Gilbert.  Israel planted a tree for Jaciuk along the Avenue of the Righteous in Jerusalem.  I talked by phone with the son of David Prital, the latter whom Jaciuk saved during the holocaust.
Why do the Jews get such special favor from true Christians?  The support of the Jews is an acknowledgement or recognition of God’s unfinished plans for a chosen people.  It is affirming God’s promises.  God is true in His nature.  Paul reflected Old Testament teaching when he wrote (Roman 11:26):  “all Israel shall be saved.”  He wrote what Isaiah did (45:17):  “Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation.”  We know Israel will be saved.  We know how and when Israel will be saved.
God will save Israel because He promised He would to Abraham.  He promised He would to Isaac, Jacob, and King David.  He continued to promise that He would through His prophets.
Much of the antisemitism I see comes from those who spiritualize to the church the Old Testament promises to Israel, like Roman Catholics and Lutherans have and do.  Today it’s spread to evangelicalism for many reasons.  The church to them is a spiritual Israel in, through, and by which God will fulfill His promises.  In so doing, God replaces Israel.  Israel then becomes an enemy to the true plan of God on earth.
The promises God made to Israel at least apply to Israel.  They also apply to everyone else based upon the Abrahamic covenant, because through Abraham’s seed all the families of the earth will be blessed.  It’s true that God will only save believing Israel, but Israel will believe.  The Old Testament provides that testimony in Isaiah 52-53 and Zechariah 14 among other places.  The Apostle Paul reiterates it in Romans 11 and John in his book of Revelation.
God loves Israel.  Like God told Hosea to love Gomer, God loves Israel (Hosea 3:1).  New Testament believers love Israel like God loves Israel.
God commanded to preach the gospel first to the Jews (Romans 1:16).  The Jews are a priority for the gospel.  They might not listen, but true evangelical believers go to Jews anyway (Matthew 13:13-15, Isaiah 6:9-10).
The message of Obadiah was that God will restore His people (vv. 16-18), and despite Israel’s sin, He will punish those who oppress Israel (vv. 1-15).  God judged Edom for mistreating Israel.
We know God will save Israel.  We should treat Jews like we know God will save tens of thousands of Jews (Revelation 7 and 14).  As evil as many Jews are and live, Israel is one of the greatest friends of the United States.
Some anti-Semites today might say, those Jews control Hollywood and spew out that filth.  You don’t have to watch it though.  You don’t need to support Hollywood to support the Jews.  In general, Hollywood presents Christianity in a negative way.  That’s influenced by a strong Jewish influence.  It’s sad, but they’re still God’s chosen people.
Jews spread their antichrist materials.  More than not they support abortion and immoral causes.  U. S. Jews are far less religious and far more atheist than average.  None of the negative activity of the Jews means God won’t save them.  We know He will.
God’s future plan still revolves around the Jews.  God doesn’t lie.  We know God’s plan does include the Jews.  As it relates to Jews, we should act like we know it.

AUTHORS OF THE BLOG

  • Kent Brandenburg
  • Thomas Ross

Archives