Are American Christians (and Jews) Cursing Israel?

The same Sarah Silverman, Jewish by descent, who taped the offensive pro-abortion “Jesus F-ing Christ” video earlier this year, is now drawing a swastika as she explores her shameful “Holocaust high.” Is this just one more sign that Christians—and now some Jewish people—are turning their backs on Israel?

“I doodled a bubble-lettered swastika. I shall call it ‘Holocaust High,’” wrote the controversial comedian, actress, producer and author on her social media channels so that her massive following would have an every opportunity to laugh at her latest offensive joke. That hateful line was followed by “Sorry” in parentheses.

The only problem was most people didn’t laugh. In fact, the bad joke met with plenty of backlash on Facebook.

Matthias Feldman wrote, “C’mon, Sarah…use that awesome funny brain of yours. Don’t resort to controversy for the sake if controversy. Any idiot comedian can push society’s buttons and claim it’s in the name of satire.”

Dorreta Mills chimed in, “I have taught my kids bullying is wrong—didn’t you learn that. I hope you enjoy your material possessions you have but do your possessions really make you happy? You do not seem to be very happy do you? I am not judging you because only God can do that. But I will let you in on a little secret—God is not dead and he loves you Ms. Silverman. Now make something funny out of that.”

Those were the more polite comments about Sarah’s swastika. I was glad to see that folks didn’t think it was funny, but the timing is ironic. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) earlier this month reported a 19 percent year-over-year decline in anti-Semitic incidents between 2012 and 2013.

“The falling number of incidents targeting Jews is another indication of just how far we have come in finding full acceptance in society, and it is a reflection of how much progress our country has made in shunning bigotry and hatred,” says Abraham Foxman, ADL’s national director.

Progress. Then comes Silverman’s sick comedy.

But there’s a related problem. David Brog, executive director of Christians United for Israel, recently wrote a piece in the Middle East quarter called “The End of Evangelical Support for Israel?”

In it, he points out that a decade ago Christian Zionism was seen as an emerging force in American politics. But that has quickly changed.

“The days of taking evangelical support for Israel for granted are over,” Brog writes. “As they are increasingly confronted with an evangelical-friendly, anti-Israel narrative, more and more of these Christians are turning against the Jewish state.”

So what’s the big deal? What does it matter if Silverman, of Jewish heritage, squeaks out a swastika or if anti-Semitism is up or down or if evangelicals offer wholesale support of Israel? What does it matter, as Brog puts it, if anti-Israel Christians are on a roll?

It matters because Scripture commands us to stand with Israel. Salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22). The Jewish people have given Christianity the Scriptures, the prophets, the patriarchs, the apostles and Jesus Himself. God commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6). Our Christians roots are in Judaism!

So, what would happen if America—if Christians—turned against Israel? In Genesis 12:3, God told Abraham, the first Hebrew, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.” History has shown that nations that have blessed the Jewish people have received God’s blessing and that nation’s that have cursed the Jewish people have met with trials and tribulation.

I am not an expert in this realm, but one thing I do know: I want to be on the right side of the Bible in the end times—and that means standing with Israel. Of course, standing with Israel does not mean sanctioning everything Israel does, but it does mean recognizing God’s hand in the restoration of His people to the land and showing solidarity with them whenever we can.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet. You can email Jennifer at [email protected] or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.