Category: Opinion

No matter how good your explanation is of the gospel, and no matter how well you know the Bible, if your Jewish neighbor doesn’t trust you, your witness will fail. But what makes a person trustworthy?

In my 35 years of talking to my people about the Messiah, I’ve found that the first step in gaining someone’s trust is honesty. This is especially true between Christians and Jews.

All Jewish people know that during the Crusades and Spanish Inquisition vast numbers of Jews were killed “in the name of Christ.” Even more so, many Nazis gassed Jews and went to church on Sunday. Many Jewish people have negative feelings about Christians, because of 2,000 years of anti-Semitism from those who named the name of Jesus.

God makes it clear in His Word that He will bring into judgment any nation, America included, that forces the … Read More

In my book, You Bring the Bagels; I’ll Bring the Gospel: Sharing the Messiah with Your Jewish Neighbor, I used … Read More

The first time Yeshua (Jesus) came to earth, He gave Himself as a sacrifice for sin. When He returns, He … Read More

In recent weeks, the world seems to have finally awakened to the true nature of Iran’s Islamic regime. First, Iran’s … Read More

Even four weeks later, President Barak Obama’s Cairo speech is still reverberating in Washington, D.C. To his credit, the president used the speech to shatter an ugly myth when he confronted Holocaust denial.

But unfortunately, President Obama’s speech actually reinforced other dangerous myths about Israel’s history and the true obstacles to peace in the Middle East.

Last Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stepped up to set the record straight. And last week, two Democratic senators—Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada and Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey—added their voices to the chorus of correction. Taking on a popular president from your own party is never easy. It is therefore of great significance that these two Democrats felt the need to clarify that when it comes to the specifics of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the president does not speak for the party.

The Messianic Action Committee (MAC) led the fight against two proposed laws meant to make Messianic Judaism illegal in Israel, and both of these proposals failed to become law in the land. Now, the MAC (under the name Action Committee for Messianic Judaism in Hebrew) has been officially recognized as an Israeli not-for-profit organization. This means that the government of Israel now officially recognizes Messianic Judaism!

This is really incredible news! Now, because Messianic Jews have stood their ground, Israelis will be faced with a decision. Is whatever type of Judaism they practice (or don’t practice) more true than our form of Judaism—Messianic Judaism?

Recently, several books have been published describing Messianic Judaism in a rather positive light. A new book, written by a rabbi and yet to be published, describes Messianic Judaism as a branch of Judaism. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw a sketch of a seven-branch menorah that included our brand of Judaism along with Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist.

Tevye, the papa in the play/movie Fiddler on the Roof was surveying his sad situation—four unmarried daughters, a dry cow, a lame horse, Russian pogroms—he looked up to God and said,

“God it’s nice that you chose me to be one of your chosen people, but would you mind choosing someone else for a change?!”

Obviously, Tevye thought being chosen meant he wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. But God chose the Jews for something else. Through the Jewish people, he planned to teach the non-Jewish world about himself. Moses said to his people:

Look, I have taught you laws and rulings, just as Adonai my God ordered me …. Therefore, observe them … for then all peoples [nations/gentiles] will see you as having wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws, they will ask, “What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?” (Deut. 4:5-8, Complete Jewish Bible, CJB).

In the Old Testament book of Joel 3:2, the Word says: “I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, they have also divided up My land.”

God makes it clear that He will bring into judgment any nation, America included, that forces the division of the land of Israel. That also includes the division of Jerusalem.

Recently, the Washington Post published an editorial titled “Israel’s New Government.” It emphasized what the Israeli’s must concede to continue to have support from the U.S.

What was lacking in the article was what Israel’s neighbors must do before they have acceptance by Israel and the U.S. for a two-state solution. Pressure should not be put on Israel alone, as the editorial attempted to do.