On this day 70 years ago, the Concentration camp Auschwitz was liberated! January 27th 1945 is one of those defining moments in history that opened up a Pandora's box of Truth!For most, however, that Truth has been watered down and even lost over the past 7 decades, Especially among the American Christian Church. So as a refresher course, I'd like to open that Pandora's box, and share with my brothers and sisters in Messiah some Truth, especially to those who have espoused indifference or worse yet, demoralization of the Jewish people and Israel through denominational divestment's and boycotts.
Just the FACTS Ma'am ...
Antisemitism Defined:
Hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious group or “race.” Including but not limited to Anti-Israel bias.
The Facts of History (from the Concise Encyclopedia)
"In antiquity, hostility to the Jews emerged because of religious differences, a situation worsened as a result of the competition with Christianity. By the 4th century, Christians tended to see Jews as an alien people whose repudiation of Christ had condemned them to perpetual migration. Jews were denied citizenship and its rights in much of Europe in the Middle Ages (though some societies were more tolerant) or were forced to wear distinctive clothing, and there were forced expulsions of Jews from several regions in that period. Developed during the Middle Ages were many of the stereotypes of Jews (e.g., the blood libel, alleged greed, conspiracy against humankind) that have persisted into the modern era. The Enlightenment and the French Revolution brought a new religious freedom to Europe in the 18th century but did not reduce anti-Semitism, because Jews continued to be regarded as outsiders. In the 19th century violent discrimination intensified (see pogrom), and so-called “scientific racism” emerged, which based hostility to the Jews on their supposed biological characteristics and replaced religion as the primary basis for anti-Semitism. In the 20th century the economic and political dislocations caused by World War I intensified anti-Semitism, and racist anti-Semitism flourished in Nazi Germany. Nazi persecution of the Jews led to the Holocaust, in which an estimated six million Jews were exterminated. Despite the defeat of the Nazis in World War II, anti-Semitism remained a problem in many parts of the world into the 21st century."
Anti-Semitism in The Church...
In our modern American Church, we see Anti-Semitism alive and well on several Levels. Impossible you say? Let me explain;
Antisemitism within the Church disguises itself as doctrines, theologies and dogma's, the most notable being Replacement theology also known as "Supersessionism".
- Replacement Theology:
- Blatant Replacement Theology - this theological menace concludes that since the Jews rejected Jesus, God is done with them and now the Church is the New Israel.
- There is just one major problem with this unsound doctrine; besides the lack of logical deduction, it simply cannot coexist with God's promises to Israel & the Jewish people in a Scriptural context ...
- Ezekiel 36:20-29 TLV Wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy Name, since it was said about them, ‘These are the people of Adonai, yet they had to leave His land.’ (21) But I had concern for My holy Name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. (22) “Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘I do not do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for My holy Name, which you profaned among the nations wherever you went. (23) I will sanctify My great Name, which has been profaned among the nations—which you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am Adonai’”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“‘when I am sanctified in you before their eyes.’” (24) “‘For I will take you from the nations, gather you out of all the countries and bring you back to your own land. (25) Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. (26) Moreover I will give you a new heart. I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the stony heart from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) I will put My Ruach within you. Then I will cause you to walk in My laws, so you will keep My rulings and do them. (28) Then you will live in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be My people and I will be your God. (29) So I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful. I will not bring a famine upon you.
- Logical Deduction - If God forsakes Israel and the Jewish people, something HE promised HE would never do by HIS Word for HIS Namesake, what makes the Christian think that God will keep HIS promises to them?
- It is only by God keeping HIS promises to Israel, that believers have confidence that God will indeed keep His promises to them also!
- Subtle Replacement Theology - found primarily more in Evangelical circles tends to lean toward the rationalization that minimizes the importance of Israel and the Jewish people. For example:
- Its ONLY about a personal relationship with Jesus ... everything outside of that is null and void, not realizing that all believers should have the heart of One New Man (Ephesians 2) like the Love of Ruth towards Naomi.
- Ruth 1:16-17 TLV Ruth replied, “Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from following you. For where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. (17) Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Adonai deal with me, and worse, if anything but death comes between me and you!”
- Oftentimes, when the importance of Israel and the Jewish people are mentioned among mainstream Christians, there is a stoniness of heart or even jealousy, and the plight of our Jewish brothers and sisters are minimized to the suffering of others. Make no mistake, Israel is not Better, but they are first...like a first born son (Exodus 4:22).
- There is a tendency to believe that when the Jewish people come to faith in Jesus, that they must be conformed to the Church and relinquish their Jewish Heritage to serve their Jewish Messiah. Doesn't seem to make much sense, does it? In the New Testament, there are but two people groups... Jews and Non-Jews. And it is not Jews who must conform to the Ekklesia (the Greek term used for Church, meaning Assembly), but it is the Non-Jews or the Wild Olive Branch that is Grafted into Spiritual Israel. The Jewish people are the Natural Olive Branch of Spiritual Israel...meaning that a remnant of Jewish believers have always been attached...
- Romans 11:1-16 TLV I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (2) God has not rejected His people whom He knew beforehand. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? (3) “Adonai, they have killed your prophets, they have destroyed your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” (4) But what is the divine response to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” (5) So in the same way also at this present time there has come to be a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. (6) But if it is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (7) What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained; but the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened— (8) just as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes not to see and ears not to hear, until this very day.” (9) And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. (10) Let their eyes be darkened so they do not see, and bend their back continually.” (11) I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their false step salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke Israel to jealousy. (12) Now if their transgression leads to riches for the world, and their loss riches for the Gentiles, then how much more their fullness! (13) But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Insofar as I am a emissary to the Gentiles, I spotlight my ministry (14) if somehow I might provoke to jealousy my own flesh and blood and save some of them. (15) For if their rejection leads to the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (16) If the firstfruit is holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
- Certain Eschatological (End times) teachings present Salvation to the Jewish as a Post-Rapture event. which may lead to not seeing Israel and the Jewish people as THE integral or Key to God's plan for End times and HIS Kingdom.
So what does all the above have to do with the 70th anniversary of Auschwitz? I am so glad you asked...
By commemorating the Liberation of Auschwitz, it gives us opportunity to once again bring to light the horrors of the Holocaust so that we can Educate the next generation, in hopes of Never Again having to suffer this same cruelty.
And from a spiritual perspective, it also gives us an opportunity to see the Jewish people and Israel for who they were always intended to be... The very Key that will bring forth the Final Harvest and the ultimate Return of our Messiah. And it is with this understanding that we can see the Spiritual Battle with the enemy of our soul is raging against those people, the Chosen people of the God of Israel to keep this from happening.
At the end of the day, Its not about the rise of Islam, or even the dramatic spike in Anti-semetic attacks on innocent Jews around the World... it is about HaSatan waging war against Yeshua himself by attacking the very people who will usher in our Messisah's return.
Luke 13:34-35 TLV “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. (35) Look, your house is left to you desolate! For I tell you, you will never see Me until you say,
‘Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
For the enemy knows when Yeshua returns, that his demise is imminent!
