The Jewish Question
SOME ARE ANGRY THAT American christians love and comfort the Jews. Some American christians hate the Jews. Church history has no shortage of bloody persecutions of the Jews carried out by those who called themselves christians. No doubt much of the world hates the Jews. And much of that hatred is done in IGNORANCE of God's unstoppable plan.
Who are the Jews that the world hates? And who are the Jews that "christians" hate? Who are the Jews that some christians love? Jews are the posterity of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jacob had a son named Judah. From the tribe of Judah came King David. From his line came Mary the virgin who bore the Messiah, the King of the Jews, the Lord of all and savior of all who believe.
(Don't comment about DNA Jewish and non-Jewish. If you in this world are fearless enough to identify as Jewish > DNA not required > you will be hated and may be killed.)
And yes, if you are a Jew who believes Yeshua to be the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, your own Lord and Savior, it may be that the religious Jews will hate you! and worse!
“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” (John 16:2-3)
And in like manner so called christians have excommunicated faithful believers and even murdered/martyred them. Read Foxes Book of Martyrs.
Those who complain bitterly that some in Christ's church love the Jewish people and comfort them should look up the meaning of comfort in Biblical Hebrew and Greek. This comfort is not about giving them billions of dollars and weapons. It is about bringing them the good news that Jesus is truly their own Messiah (anointed King)!!!
Where do we find Jesus instructing His followers to hate ANYONE?
“If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luk 14:26)
What? He does? Yes, this you must do in order to qualify as a disciple of the Lord. If you do not hate them you will follow them. Some have said that here "hate" means to "love less." How much less? Read Pilgrim's Progress by Bunyan.
Jesus' disciples are to follow Him above and before all others. If we do not love Jesus first with all our heart, soul, mind and strength we will love people who cannot love us, care for us, give to us and save us. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life, the power of an endless life. To love and honor and obey Jesus it is necessary to put Jesus in the highest place of our life, of our being. That will be far above all others and all things. And yet this will bring us close to our families and the church, close in The Spirit of God. God is Love!
Before you dare to hate the Jews, hate your "own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and [your] own life also."
Before we become Jesus disciples we do not know how to love as He loves. Jesus Kingdom of Love (God IS Love) has been called an "upside down Kingdom" because it operates in and with a Love we in the corrupted flesh cannot understand as anything but the opposite of our own carnal self referential love. God is to us as a foriegner speaking a language (Love) that we cannot understand until we are BORN AGAIN FROM ABOVE. We must abandon the carnality of our natural birth and life. we must receive from God above a spiritual birth of faith in God leading to a spiritual growth into Godly maturity.
A feature of Jesus' "upside down" way is that we are to love our enemies!
“Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same? Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mat 5:43-48)
“But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luk 6:35-36)
The "Jewish Question" has an answer. Love the Jews! I'm not saying to approve or condone their sins. But love them even if you see them as your enemy. IF YOU LOVE THE JEWS SOME OF THEM WILL SEE THE SAME LOVE THAT JESUS HAS FOR THEM. THE FAITH, LOVE AND SALVATION OF GENTILE BELIEVERS IS INTENDED TO PROVOKE THE JEWS TO JEALOUSY!
“I say then, Did they (THE JEWS) stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.” (Rom 11:11)
Few read the Bible with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If they did they would understand that God's plan is far different than their own understanding.
“For it is my desire, brothers, that this secret may be clear to you, so that you may not have pride in your knowledge, that Israel has been made hard in part, till all the Gentiles have come in; And so all Israel will get salvation: as it is said in the holy Writings, There will come out of Zion the One who makes free; by him wrongdoing will be taken away from Jacob: And this is my agreement with them, when I will take away their sins. As far as the good news is in question, they are cut off from God on account of you, but as far as the selection is in question, they are loved on account of the fathers. Because God's selection and his mercies may not be changed. For as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but now have got mercy through their turning away, So in the same way these have gone against the orders of God, so that by the mercy given to you they may now get mercy. For God has let them all go against his orders, so that he might have mercy on them all. O how deep is the wealth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! no one is able to make discovery of his decisions, and his ways may not be searched out. Who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord? or who has taken part in his purposes? Or who has first given to him, and it will be given back to him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. So be it.” (Rom 11:25-36)
