By Debra Rae – November 3, 2013
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel!” Jeremiah 31:3-4
“On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Zechariah 12:3
In pondering the Jewish question, I recall
Fiddler on the
Roof in which
Tevye poses a revealing, though tongue-in-cheek question: I
know, I know, he concedes. We are Your chosen people. But,
once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?
His is
the story of life in a small Russian shtetl,
still under the Romanov dynasty. At the time, anti-Jewish
propaganda in Western Russia often led to one pogrom after
another; in the end, violence claimed the lives of no less than
1,500 Jewish citizens.[1]Radical Muslims and
rightwing, Christian fundamentalists qualify among the worlds
most hated; but Jews emerge as
the most enduring, universally hatred group in history.[2]
How ironic that many hate God Himself, who by His very nature
loves so much.[3]
A provocative Masterpiece movie, God on Trial (2008),
addresses Tevyes quandarythis time, without a hint of
humor. While awaiting inevitable death at the Third Reich’s most
notorious death camp, Auschwitz, a group of Jews form a
rabbinical court and put God on trial. In a universe presumably
ruled by a benevolent, omnipotent God, they question how the
Holocaust could possibly happen unless God is responsible for
their suffering and therefore guilty of violating His holy
covenant.[4]
Gods Continuing Plan for IsraelThe statesman Daniel knew better. His
hope-filled, namesake book showcases Gods faithfulness, past,
present, and future. Through it, Daniel references a complete
history of Israel from Daniels time to that of the Messiah.
Moreover, he discloses Israels miraculous restoration as a
nation within a period of seventy weeks of seven years each (a
total of 490 years), starting with the commandment to restore
Jerusalem.[5]Notably, Gods promise to Abraham came
with no expiration date. That the last half of the seventieth
week has yet to happen confirms Gods continuing plan for
Israel.[6]
God faithfully made of Abraham a great
nation through which all families worldwide would be blessed.[7] For Christians, that blessing came as
a babe in the manger. Others benefit through the significant
number of Jews whose extraordinary contributions in literature,
economics, physics, and medicine have won Nobel prizes.[8]
Left-Leaning Friends Beget
Left-Leaning JewsAlthough viewed with suspicion by many
Jews, todays Christian Right befriends and defends Israel as
few others have. Why, then, are so many Jews left-leaning?
Author Norman Podhoretz attempts to answer this perplexing
question.[9] For one, he suggests, Karl Marx
mesmerized Jews. Das Kapital became a new kind of Torah, representing secular Jewish Messiah-ism. The Marxist
Labor Movement promised to overturn capitalism, procure higher
wages, and improve work conditions for the vast majority of Jews
in America who, among others, were poor and powerless.Next, when French artillery officer
Alfred Dreyfus, a Jew, was charged with treason for having
yielded military secrets to the Germans, fellow Jews believed
their only friends were on the Left. From its inception in 1894
until its resolution in 1906, the Dreyfus affair divided France.
Allegedly based on forged evidence, the Captains conviction
ranks among preeminent political dramas of modern French and
European history.Historically, Americas Left has
befriended Israel. Jews embraced Americas 32nd
President, popularly known as FDR, as a sort of Moses and her 33rd
President Harry S. Truman as Father of the Jewish State.
Although JFK was considered cool toward Israel, Jews liked 36th
President Lyndon B. Johnson for completing Roosevelts New Deal.
Our 39th President Jimmy Carter negotiated peace
talks and a treaty between Israel and Egypt, but later became
openly and virulently hostile to Israel. Recoiling from Carter,
Jews looked, albeit reluctantly, to our 40th
President Ronald Reagan. Despite Jews widespread fear of the
Religious Right, the President sympathized with Begin in
implementing many bold economic and foreign policies.
Gods
Answer to Convenient HatredIsrael means to prevail with God or
prince with God.
Israel designates the son of Isaac
(Jacob) or his descendants, the twelve tribes of the Hebrews. It
references the nations ten northern tribes, as opposed to
Judah.
Over time, the term Jew came to represent the entire Hebrew
race worldwide.[10]To this day, many disdain all Jews as
international world controllers who, in practice, are not
notably religious. Theorists hold that Jews unite universally in
a manned and moneyed, exclusive and clandestine cabal ruthlessly
devoted to world dominion. The long debunked, decidedly
anti-Semitic Protocols portray the Jew as a Republican
as against the monarchy, a Socialist as against the republic,
and a Bolshevist as against Socialism.[11]An emerging, one-world system
engineered and propelled by the ruling elite is evident.
Certainly, Jews serve shadow government, but so do Gentile
counterparts. Be clear: The entire Hebrew race is not culpable.
Of purest Jewish blood, Paul explained: Not all who descended
from Israel are truly Israel.[12]
Biblical Christians embrace Abraham as the father of all who
believeJews first; then, Gentiles. Therefore, among those
called and chosen of God stand New Covenant, Spirit-led
Christiansi.e., spiritual Israel.[13]
Set apart unto God, these (the collective faithful) touch not
the unclean thing.[14]
Down, but not OutIn the presence of, and for the benefit of, Abraham and his
progeny, God made a solemn, sacred blood covenantwith Himself.[15]
While Abraham literally slept, God alone traversed the
blood-covered trail between slaughtered animal sacrifices,
thereby swearing to Himself (sole, authoritative witness) to
uphold His promises.[16]
No conditions whatsoever were imposed upon Abraham. Whatever
Abraham did, or failed to do, God swore (1) to multiply
Abrahams seed as the stars of heaven and (2) to grant the land
from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river
Euphrates.
Simply put, Gods plan involves and
even features Israel, distinguished in Scripture as center of
the Earth. Israel was foreordained to blossom as a rose[17]
to
lend, not borrow; to reign, not be reigned over.[18]
Ezekiel described national Israel as living securely after
returning from many nations.[19]
Yes, death intervened before Gods promises to Abram were
fulfilled but, by faith, he saw them afar off; Abram firmly
believed God would make good His promises, even those not
fulfilled in Old Testament times.[20]
Shaken, but SparedThe Maccabean revolt, which crushed the Seleucids and Hellenism
during the 400-year silent period between Old- and New-
Testaments, marked the last establishment of a unified Jewish.
“He [God]
who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd
does his flock.” Jeremiah 31:10
1.
http://fordcenter.blogspot.com/2010/10/history-in-fiddler-on-roof.html.
2. Isaiah 44:28; 45:1, 13; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra
1:1-4.3. John 3:16.
4.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/godontrial
/.
5. Seventy Weeks of Daniel prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27).
6.
Romans 11:29.
7.
Genesis 12:1-3.8.
The global Jewish population represents approximately
0.02% of the world’s population, yet they have received
129 Nobel prizes. In contrast, the global Islamic
population represents 20% of the world’s population, but
only seven have received Nobel prizes.9.
Norman Podhoretz. Why Are Jews Liberal? (New
York: Vintage Books, 2009). 118-198.10.
Genesis 3:28.11. Victor E. Marsden (Translator from the Russian Text).
The [24] Protocols of the Meetings of the Learned Elders
of Zion with Preface and Explanatory Notes (1934).
11, 13, 15, 22-24.12.
Even before the physical act of circumcision, Abraham
was deemed righteous by his faithfaith that secular
Jews refuse. Paul understood that circumcision is more a
matter of spirit than anatomy (Romans 9:6-13).13. Romans 4:11,16.
14. 2 Corinthians 6:17.
15. Genesis, Chapter 15.
16.
Genesis 15:12; 31:50; 1 Samuel 20:8.17.
Isaiah 35: 1.18.
Deuteronomy 15:6.19. Ezekiel 38:8.
20.
http://www.bibleed.com/bibleteachings/jesusandthepromises/promisestoabraham.asp.