Why the Church Must Tell Israel: ‘Here Am I’
At the new Friends of Zion Museum in Israel, visitors complete their tour by watching a 3-D film featuring the heroic stories of Christians such as Corrie ten Boom, Oskar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg and others who helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews during World War II.
After watching the film, each visitor is challenged to make the biblical commitment of “Hineni”—a Hebrew word meaning “Here am I”—to defend God’s chosen people. At a time when Israel faces a host of serious threats—the push for a United Nations’ vote to create the Palestinian state, the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal and worsening anti-Semitism—it’s critical for the church to follow the biblical mandate to stand with Israel by declaring, “Here am I.”
Today, a spiritual hunger exists among the Jewish people, and many of them are increasingly open to the possibility that Yeshua, or Jesus, is the Messiah. A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed more than a third of American Jews are of the opinion that believing Yeshua is the Messiah is compatible with being Jewish.
At the same time, millions of Jews are returning to their ancient homeland and more than half now live in Israel. Many biblical scholars view this as a fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:24: “For I will take you among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” Today, many believe God is doing something extraordinary and new among the Jewish people. Sid Roth, host of It’s Supernatural!, believes the restoration of the Jewish people to their Messiah will be the catalyst to release the greatest Gentile revival in history. “When these Jewish people come to the Messiah, it will be the devil’s worst nightmare,” Roth says. “These Jewish people are going to turn the world upside down.” This is one of the reasons why America and the church need to stand with Israel. It’s time for the world to hear the voice of faith leaders, pastors and believers expressing their rock-solid support for Israel. Preach a sermon. Call your congressional representative. Write a letter to the editor. Israel is in crisis and needs our help.
Earlier this summer, President Obama raised the possibility that the United States would allow a U.N. vote on the creation of the Palestinian state if the Israelis and the Palestinians don’t make meaningful movement toward peace. Many faith leaders have expressed alarm, saying the proposal could bring “a curse on our country.” Liberty Counsel Founder Mat Staver noted that no nation that has opposed Israel or taken the land of the Jews has survived. “Babylon, Persia, Rome and Nazi Germany have all ceased, but Israel and the Jewish people remain,” Staver says.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the nuclear agreement with Iran as a “historic mistake” threatening Israel and the U.S. The danger is greater than many people realize. Iranian leaders believe the end of days has arrived and their messiah, the “Twelfth Imam,” is coming to reign over the world. They believe they need nuclear weapons to destroy not only Israel, which they call “the little Satan,” but also the U.S., the “great Satan.”
Despite America’s changing foreign policies, the good news is that U.S. evangelicals remain Israel’s strongest supporters. A LifeWay Research poll found 80 percent of senior pastors agree Christians should support Israel.
America exemplifies how God can bless a nation that stands by Israel. While the U.S. doesn’t have a perfect record, it helped defeat the Nazis in World War II and until recently has been Israel’s staunch ally. It would be foolish for the U.S. to turn its back on Israel, especially in light of God’s warning in Genesis 12:3: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse … .”
After 2,000 years of persecution—the Crusades, the Inquisition and the Holocaust—the shofar needs to be heard from every church and synagogue in the land, warning of the dangers facing the Jews.
Today, Christians have an opportunity to share the Good News. As Roth notes, the “spiritual blindness judgment” is ending and Jewish people are open to the gospel for the first time in nearly 2,000 years. “I see the greatest awakening in history on the horizon,” Roth says. “Will you put your faith on the line with my faith?”
We must do our part. Israel’s survival is at stake. Just as ten Boom, Schindler, Wallenberg and many others risked their lives and careers to protect the Jews during World War II, we must do the same now—declaring to the world: “Here am I.” {eoa}
Troy Anderson is the executive editor of Charisma. Follow him on Twitter @TroyMAnderson, Facebook (troyandersonwriter) or sign up for his “For Such a Time as This” column at charismamag.com/blogs/for-such-a-time-as-this.
