March 3, 2013 · 3:49 PM

Are We Arming the Enemies of Israel for Armageddon?

I usually try to stay away from directly addressing political issues – even those involving the relationship between the United States and Israel – as the focus of Chosen People Ministries is bringing the Gospel to Jewish people and to help Christians become more effective in telling their Jewish friends about the Lord. This is our priority.

Yet the modern state of Israel is also a deep concern for us at Chosen People Ministries…as I am sure it is for you. And since our president, Barack Obama, is travelling to Israel this month, I think it is important for us to pray for some of the issues that might come to the surface during his trip.

Additionally, hostilities between Israelis and Palestinians have intensified over the last few weeks because a Palestinian prisoner recently died in an Israeli jail. The circumstances of his death are currently under investigation. Palestinian authorities claim that he was tortured, and the Israelis dispute this claim. Nevertheless, the controversy over his death has sparked protests by Palestinians that are heating up, leading to protests in the West Bank and Bethlehem, and it will probably be a critical issue during Obama’s visit.

The protests and responses have been so strong that some leaders on both sides fear that another intifada might take place, and are doing what they can to keep matters calm.

Washington Post reporter Joel Greenburg reports the incident as follows:

A Palestinian prisoner who died in an Israeli jail was given a hero’s burial with military honors in the West Bank on Monday amid signs that Palestinian and Israeli leaders were working to prevent days of street clashes from triggering a wider eruption of unrest.

The surge of protests, which had stoked Israeli fears of a third Palestinian uprising, was sparked by an extended hunger strike by four Palestinian prisoners and fueled by Saturday’s death of another detainee, Arafat Jaradat, who was under interrogation by Israel’s Shin Bet security agency. (Washington Post, Feb. 25, 2013)

The New York Times adds the following,

Adnan Damiri, the spokesman of the Palestinian security apparatus, said Palestinian officials were committed to prevent fighting, saying that his forces had recently detained members of the militant Hamas group who were planning “violent confrontations.”

“The only one(s) seeking violence in West Bank is Netanyahu and Hamas, but we will not be dragged to that,” said Damiri. “Our struggle will always be peaceful.”

The clashes come weeks before Obama is scheduled to arrive in Israel and the West Bank, his first presidential visit to the region. U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the U.S. has asked Israeli and Palestinian officials to exercise “maximum restraint” at this time of high tension in the West Bank. (Feb. 26, 2013; New York Times)

Clearly, the visit of the American president to Israel will focus Americans and the rest of the world on the rising tensions in the Holy Land. And as believers in Jesus, we need to remind one another to pray even more intensively for the “peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6)

Additionally, as believers in Jesus we must learn how to think carefully about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and not believe everything we read!

For example, the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas is leveraging the current conflict and blaming Hamas for escalating violence. Of course, they are blaming Israel for her role in the conflict as well. This is clear from the following statements reported in the Jerusalem Post – note how Abbas turns the conversation towards his agenda to return Israel to the pre-1967 borders and to return Jerusalem to Palestinian control.

Referring to the current violence in the West Bank, Abbas accused the IDF of using live ammunition to kill Palestinian children. He also said that he would not allow Palestinians to remain in Israeli prisons for the rest of their lives “for no crimes they had committed.” The PA president reiterated his call for a “just and comprehensive peace” that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state on the pre- 1967 lines with Jerusalem as its capital. “Without Jerusalem, there will be no peace or state,” he stressed. (Jerusalem Post, Feb. 25, 2013)

I view the political agendas of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas as much the same although their strategies and tactics might seemingly differ. The PA continues to use the media to advance its cause yet have done little to de-escalate the violence of the situation. They seem to create an environment that urges conflict, and when the conflict erupts, they blame it on Hamas.

Hamas certainly deserves much of the blame for whipping up the average Palestinians into violent protest and to act in ways that lead to their arrest and detainment.

No one, including me, is claiming that Israel never makes a mistake. War never brings out the best in people! But most of what is protested could be stopped if Hamas and the PA sought a more peaceful process at this time. Israel continues to do whatever she can to protect the security of its citizens.

In the midst of all that is happening, another missile was fired from Gaza, falling in the town of Ashkelon. According to the Jerusalem Post,

Palestinian terrorists broke a three month ceasefire on Tuesday and fired a rocket from Gaza into southern Israel. The rocket fell on a road south of Ashkelon causing some damage to a road, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigades took responsibility for the attack, Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported. The terrorists fired a Grad rocket in response to the “liquidation” of the prisoner Jaradat, Ma’an reported. The IDF Spokesperson said there were no injuries in the incident.

This is unfortunate, as it was the firing of missiles into Israel (and the city of Ashkelon is quite a bit north of Gaza) that caused the Israeli Defense Force to mobilize a few months ago.

We are sad whenever an Israeli or Palestinian dies in the midst of this conflict – whether they are young or old, in prison or out of prison, in an army uniform or dressed as a civilian.

The Messiah of Israel loves His chosen people – the Jewish people – and the Palestinians whom He also created. He died an atoning death for both… and for the whole world!

There are no winners in this conflict – only losers. There’s no difference between the tears shed by a Jewish mother or Palestinian mother.

I do pray and hope that the conflict will end. Yet, as those who love the Bible, we need to allow Scripture to inform our analysis and guide our thinking and the ways on which we pray for peace in the Middle East. The Bible does tell us that we can only hope for temporary solutions to this conflict today, as it will continue in one way or another until the end of the age when the Messiah returns and establishes His throne of Shalom in Jerusalem as prophesied in Isaiah 2:4,

And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.

We need to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem as a day without conflict or death is a good day, and worthy of our fervent prayers.

We should also pray for the U.S. president’s visit to Israel. I am concerned about some of the policy decisions made by our own country recently, especially our supplying the Egyptian Air Force – the fourth largest in the world – with F-16 fighter planes.[1]

As Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East subcommittee, recently stated,

“Recent violent outbreaks and the volatile situation in Egypt should give the US reason to pause when considering continuing to provide foreign assistance to the government of Egypt,”

She continues,

Even more disconcerting are Morsi’s views toward our closest friend and ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel.”She said that his statements “clearly reveal a man who holds Jews and Israel in such contempt that it would not be out of the realm of possibility to believe he is capable of turning his aggression toward Israel.” Ros-Lehtinen was referring to video footage from 2010 in which Morsi referred to Jews as “the descendants of apes and pigs” and urged Egyptians to “nurse our children and grandchildren on hatred” of Jews and Zionists. (Jerusalem Post, Feb.3, 2013)

This is an anti-Jewish statement in the Koran that has been often quoted by Arab leaders, but not by an Egyptian leader in recent days. His statement is just one further indication of the Muslim Brotherhood’s position and exposes the shift in Egyptian policy against Israel.

As a student of the Bible, I believe a day is coming when the nations of the world will turn against Jerusalem and against Israel (Zech. 12:1-12) and I fear that at this moment in time, we might be arming the enemies of Israel for Armageddon.

I hope and pray that this not true. I want our country to stand by the nation of Israel, as God promised the land to the Jewish people and blessings to those who bless the Jewish people (Gen. 12:1-3). I also want our country to be an instrument of peace – even if the peace is only temporary.

As our Messiah Jesus also said,

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Let’s hope and pray that peace will increase as a result of these discussions.

This brings me back to where I started. We are called by God to preach a message of peace, and it is our goal to bring the Prince of Peace to the Jew first and also to the Gentile; whether they be part of Hamas, the Palestinian Authority or another group that is hostile to God’s purposes in the world. We cannot and should not lose our focus – yet we are still commanded to pray for peace, and I hope you now have a better idea as to how to pray.

Thanks for your prayers on behalf of Israel. Please ask God to give our president wisdom from above as he meets with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Shalom!

PS. Speaking of bringing the Good News to people… we are offering our book Isaiah 53 Explained, which I wrote, for free to any follower of Jesus who will read the book and pass it along to a Jewish friend. The best way to get the book is to go to our website www.Isaiah53.com and request a copy.

I hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity and encourage others to do the same. If you would like us to send a book directly to your Jewish friend – just let us know and we will take care of it.

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December 18, 2012 · 7:02 AM

What Do You Say in the Midst of Unspeakable Tragedy?

Many have written on the disturbing events of the last few days, and I suppose I couldn’t help but add my voice to those who have already spoken. Of course, what I really wish I could do is hug some of the family members who lost children and even more so – to introduce them to the one who 41 years ago wrapped His powerful arms around me and gave me peace and comfort that I did not even know existed.

There are so many thoughts swirling in my heart and mind. For a couple of years, my family and I lived about a mile from the school where these innocent children and brave adults were killed, so I suppose I feel closer ties to the events of the past week. I have good friends who live in the area who are in the thick of the grief counseling, trying to bring comfort to grieving families.

Of course, everyone wants to know why this happened and the answer is as elusive to me as anyone else. One of my closest friends, who is not a believer in Jesus, asked me, as a “person of faith,” how I made sense out of the tragedy. I would like to tell you what I said to my friend, but I’d like to preface this by saying that anything said would sound terribly hollow if I were speaking to the parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters or friends of those who lost their lives.

After all, what can you really say at a time like this? I do not think it is even possible to use words to bring comfort to the mourning at this moment, although so many are sincerely and wholeheartedly trying. Intuitively, most people understand how to behave at this time and thankfully there has been quite a bit of silence as opposed to trying to explain what happened. Most people are sitting with the living victims of the tragedy; holding their hand, listening to them weep, crying with them, offering a hug and a listening ear and just simply being there for them. This is about all you can do right now to provide comfort.

I told my friend that my soul was deeply disturbed by the events of the week and that my faith was rocked and challenged as well. I do not have an answer as to why God allows suffering, any more than what the Bible teaches about our living in a world broken by sin, and that for some reason God has not yet chosen to remove suffering from the palate of human existence.

I quickly added that God’s side is only part of the equation, and that we as humans need to take responsibility for continually doing things that we hope God would prevent. The tragedy in Newtown has again brought us face-to-face with pure, unmitigated evil. This is not a time to blame the poor mother who also lost her life and perhaps taught her son to shoot the weapons and even made these weapons accessible to the perpetrator. It is also sad to find out that the young man who committed these crimes had some type of mental illness that for some reason could not be controlled by his parents, mental health professionals, his friends nor himself. It’s not a time to take political advantage of this terrible moment and promote new efforts towards gun control, though this will surely be considered carefully in the days ahead.

Without ignoring the complexity of human factors, responsibilities and whatever will be concluded at the end of a thorough investigation, there remains no doubt that we have witnessed evil – overwhelming, terrible evil – and our lives will never be the same. We now have a new generation who have lost their innocence and will grow up pointing to the events of this past week as the day they recognized that evil exists. The recognition of evil cannot bring comfort to a mourning parent, nor does it provide an adequate explanation for the tragic events of this past week, but it is a sober reminder of the character of the world in which we live.

We have also been reminded of the goodness of others. We witnessed the outpouring of love towards these families, and there is much to commend in our fellow man. This has also been the case in recent tragedy along the Eastern seaboard when thousands of volunteers helped flood victims recover from the destruction of their homes. Sometimes I find that believers in Jesus focus far too much on evil and man’s sin rather than on the goodness of humanity, which is also part of being created in the image of God.

Yet as much as we might try to focus on the goodness of man in the midst of this tragedy, when the dust settles, most will look back on the horror of the moment as a reminder that evil does exist and that we need to find a way to fight evil.
Many people will also be quoting from the book by Rabbi Harold Kushner, Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People. The question he articulates weighs heavily on all of our hearts at this moment.

The truth is – we don’t know why bad things happen to good people. We only understand that evil exists and that we do not want to live in its dark shadow, but rather to live in hope not fear – and to find a way to believe in innocence and purity without ignoring the harsh realities of the world which we live. This tragedy makes the underlying dichotomy of life all the more difficult to handle. Evil is usually easier to ignore!

For those of us who do not live in Newtown and might live hundreds and thousands of miles away – our hearts have been broken by these events. For some reason, probably because most of the victims were innocent children and brave teachers, we have felt this corporate pain more deeply and have joined in the sorrow of people we have never met and felt part of a community we might never visit. For the parents, friends and relatives of the victims – there is only a hunger for comfort at this time – not for finding meaning in the midst of the tragedy. But for those who are somewhat removed, we have the luxury of being able to try our best to draw some meaning and understanding of what has happened. We simply need to find some way of processing the deaths of so many innocents.

My only answer is Jesus. Consider with me for a moment.

God sent His only Son – whom He loved as much as any mother or father loved any of the children who were tragically lost this past week – to experience the joy and pain of being human. Furthermore, because of the depth of His love, He allowed His Son to suffer the unthinkable as for one moment the Son of God experienced separation from His heavenly Father, enduring judgment as He removed the sin of mankind in one self-sacrificial act.

I am thankful that, by His grace, I came to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that He bore judgment for my sin in order to destroy evil. I am thankful that Jesus found me and enabled me to recognize that although evil exists and our world is broken, this is not God’s ultimate design and one day Jesus will return, lift the curse of sin and make everything right.

I’m so glad that Jesus found me, as I now know that a day of ultimate justice will come, when evil will no longer exist. A kingdom is coming that will be characterized by love, joy, purity and goodness. This gives me hope and allows me to live in peace in what at times is a very dark and difficult world. During this season of the year – I hope you will experience the same peace. Let’s pray that those who mourn will be comforted by the sweetness of His presence and His promise to one day restore everything that was broken by evil, sin and death. One day He will return and wipe every tear from our eyes.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

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November 21, 2012 · 11:33 AM

Today’s Bus Bombing in Tel Aviv

Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving!

In the midst of a season of great joy and family gatherings, our eyes are also glued to the news as we watch hostilities between Israel and Gaza escalate. Our hearts break for both sides; for Jewish and Palestinian families who perish as innocent victims.

The Psalmist urges us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and to be blessed for doing so:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.” (Psalm 122:6-7)

Please remember to pray specifically for the protection of the Chosen People Ministries staff – almost all of whom are Israelis, and a few of whom have been called up to army service.

Please also pray for the leaders of both the Palestinian governments, Hamas and Fatah, and for the leaders of Israel, especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. These leaders will need wisdom that can only come from God Himself, and we need to pray that each turns to the One true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for counsel. Even more so, we pray that they will seek Him with such desperation that they might be open to the truth of He who is called the Prince of Peace and who is the only solution to bring peace to the Middle East (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Let me introduce you to Rachel, a staff member of Chosen People Ministries in Israel. She writes from the vantage point of a wife, mother and follower of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah.

Ten years ago during the Intifada, suicide bombers were blowing up public buses. The sound of a massive explosions sent people running. You never knew where or if it would be your bus next, and in Israel public transportation is crucial.

Today, this is all happening again. It feels like we have stepped back in time. For the past few days, rockets have landed in various neighborhoods of Tel Aviv. This is so frightening! You hear the sirens and have a minute to get yourself and your loved ones to a safe place. It is traumatizing… especially when you have a little child!

Now, every whirring motor makes me think the blast of a siren will come next. I cannot imagine what it is like for those living in southern Israel, who are dealing with hundreds of missiles being fired upon them each day. Normal life is over; you live between your home and the nearest bomb shelter.

What do we do? Do we cower and hide in fear; stop going to congregations and Bible studies… or visiting friends and having play dates? We simply cannot! We will trust the Lord and continue to live in His strength!

Robynne, another one of our other staff members who lived through similar events years ago in Israel, describes how she felt about the bus bombings:

Bus bombs flash me back to the 90s when I lived in Jerusalem. You’d hear or feel the boom, and then the panicked phone calls start, asking friends and family if they were ok… exhaling sighs of relief when they answered, or feeling sheer panic if you got their voice mail. I had to ride the bus from one side of the city to the other (Ramat Eshkol to Ein Kerem), and I’d look at small kids on the bus and think, “Get off… Don’t take the bus; it’s not safe.” On the bus I’d see kids, elderly people, university students, Jews and Arabs… I’d also think about the driver’s wife, knowing her husband was on a bus in Jerusalem 8 hours a day. A public bus… not carrying soldiers, but instead packed with mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children and friends. The intentional targeting of civilians… I just don’t have words for what we went through (and what you all are currently suffering).

Rachel adds,

Should we allow ourselves to be terrorized by the terrorists? Do we stay away from the parks, pull our kids out of school, walk home, cancel a party, stay at home, hide? No, I tell myself… I cannot. We Israelis are resilient. Our greatest defense is to live normally, yet being ever vigilant and aware. We cannot let the terrorists win.

But tell that to the 28 dear people who are being treated in the hospital after sustaining major wounds from the bus bomb blast. They do not feel like winners right now; they are scared and their lives devastated. Their only offence was that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

They need our prayers and heartfelt sympathy. They need to know that believers in Jesus the Messiah throughout the world are standing with them and that we believe terrorism is always wrong, evil and inhumane!

I agree with Rachel! Should we stop our evangelism? Should we postpone the meals we offer each week to needy and elderly Israelis? Should we cancel the services of our Israeli congregations? We cannot! If we do, then we are giving in to terrorism.

It is the very same reason I opened our offices on September 12th, 2001! Our most noble protest to the actions of those who despise human life and who are only concerned and consumed by their cause is to live as normally as possible!

You can send a note to our Chosen People Ministries Israel staff and tell our workers you are praying for them by clicking here.

Your continued prayers and support during this trying time are always appreciated!

In Yeshua, the Prince of Peace,

Mitch

P.S. Click here to read a statement about Chosen People Ministries’ position on the current Middle East crisis.

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October 1, 2012 · 6:48 AM

What is Truth… in the Middle East Nuclear Crisis?

Last week, both President Ahmadinejad of Iran and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel addressed the United Nations General Assembly – as did the President of United States.

One of the most critical issues under discussion was whether or not Iran is developing nuclear weapons, how soon they will be developed and ready for use, and when and how the world community – especially United States and Israel – might respond. The discussion focused on whether Israel would perform a “first strike” or wait for sanctions and other behind-the-scenes strategies countering the potential nuclear threat in Iran to have an effect.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, in his speech, used a picture of a bomb and drew a red line showing the point of no return regarding Iran’s progress in producing a nuclear bomb. He argued that once Iran passed this line, any military response from the Israel or any other Western power would be ineffective. Therefore, he argued, time is running out for a more decisive solution to the threat of a nuclear Iran. President Ahmadinejad, on the other hand, again assured the United Nations that their goal was not to develop nuclear weapons but to use nuclear energy in a peaceful way.

It really comes down to this – do you trust the president of Iran, and you believe he is telling the truth when he says Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons?

This seems to be the question everyone is asking, and of course, most of us do believe the Iranians have every intention of developing nuclear weapons. But even if Iran did not have nuclear technology, the threat it poses to Israel and the United States cannot be minimized!

Iran, under its current administration, is a threat to Israel, the West and to the church today. It will be an even greater threat, especially to Israel, when it develops the capacity to utilize nuclear weaponry.

I believe there are even more fundamental issues that need to be considered. What is the real attitude of Iran’s government towards Israel and towards United States and western nations? The Iranian president revealed his attitudes in his recent speech at the UN. He believes the West is corrupt, and that unless a nation faithfully lives an Islamic way of life – according to his view of Islam – then that nation is doomed for judgment. He has made this abundantly clear.

What are his attitudes towards Israel? Once again, he has made his position evident by calling for Israel’s destruction and the removal of the Jewish nation from the Middle East. He does not believe in the God of the Bible and therefore in God’s promises to the Jewish people. He also denies the Holocaust, and he has made all of these positions known through his speeches at the UN and in other public venues.

President Ahmadinejad has made his view of end-times doctrine very clear as well. He believes in a 12th Imam who will become the world’s greatest leader and will fulfill in the role that most Jews and Christians believe is reserved for the promised Messiah. He believes that chaos will rain until the coming of the 12th Imam, and that humankind can and should have a role in fueling this chaos so that the Imam will appear and take his rightful role as the “one world leader.”

For followers of Jesus the Messiah and those who believe the Bible, as I do, the parallels between the 12th Imam and the predicted Antichrist are all too striking. Scripture tells us that the coming Antichrist will hate God, the family of God, and the Jewish people.

One important question is whose voice do we listen to in order to understand what is at the heart of this ideology? Who really speaks for Iran? Is it President Ahmadinejad or someone else? Many do not realize that President Ahmadinejad is actually a spokesman for the true leader of Iran – and it is only when we hear what this leader has to say that we can fully appreciate the grave threat Iran represents to Israel and United States, and can understand why Israel feels so strongly compelled to act.

Ever since the revolution in Iran, the true leader of the country has been known as the Supreme Leader – currently Ayatollah Khamenei. The critical question for us – especially as believers and those who love the nation of Israel – is to try to understand what he really believes, and then decide whether or not we believe what he says.

This is the crucial question that we all should answer in order to know how to respond and even how to pray for the Middle East crisis!

Three following is a small portion from Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech in which he calls upon the United States to abandon Israel:

Now I would like to give a benevolent piece of advice to American politicians who always stood up to defend and support the Zionist regime. So far, this regime has created countless problems for you. It has presented a hateful image of you to the regional peoples, and it has made you look like an accomplice in the crimes of the usurping Zionists. The material and moral costs borne by the American government and people on account of this are staggering, and if this continues, the costs might become even heavier in the future. Think about the Islamic Republic’s proposal of a referendum and with a courageous decision, rescue yourselves from the current impossible situation. Undoubtedly, the people of the region and all free-thinkers across the world will welcome this measure.

It is a revealing speech that was made at the inauguration of the Summit of Non Aligned Powers meeting held in August 2012, and found on the website of the permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations.[1]

I believe the threat posed by Iran towards Israel is very real and very dangerous. Not only because of their development of nuclear weapons, but because of their values. In fact, their values, as so clearly expressed in the speech of Ayatollah Khamenei, are the values of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Bath party in Syria and of so many of the nations surrounding Israel at this critical moment in history. Once we understand the depth of hatred that these leaders and their followers have towards Israel, United States and even Christianity, we better understand why it’s so important to support and pray for Israel and to preach the Gospel more intensively than ever in the Middle East.

This is what Chosen People Ministries is doing in Israel at this very moment. We are building staff, facilities and the capability to proclaim the Good News to a new generation of Israelis as well as speaking the Gospel in love to as many non-Jews in the Middle East as possible. We are also making preparations to care for many who might be affected by war in the event that hostilities intensify in Israel, as we are already feeding hundreds – if not thousands – of Israelis every month at our Centers in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Sderot, Netanya and other cities around Israel.

We believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and the ultimate answer to the crisis in the Middle East!

Israelis are more open to the message of Messiah than ever before, because they understand that the answers to life, hope, safety and a peaceful future are in God’s hands and not man’s. So we need to do more right now to bring the love of Jesus the Messiah to our Jewish people – especially in Israel!

What Can You Do Today?

1. Please take a stand for Israel and the Jewish people and let President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton know that followers of Jesus believe in a secure homeland for the Jewish people… that God promised the Land to the Jewish people and as a nation we want to experience God’s blessing (Genesis 12:1-3) by standing with Israel.

2. Send a gift immediately to Chosen People Ministries for the work of the Gospel in Israel – now is the time that Israelis are more open than ever before!

3. Pray intensely for the peace of Jerusalem – for the Prince of Peace to reign in the hearts of Jews and Arabs, including leaders like Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Ahmadinejad, and Ayatollah Khamenei. It is only when Jesus rules in the hearts of men and women that they know the truth, the truth sets them free, and living at peace with our enemies is possible.

Thank you for reading this note – and for taking a moment to post it on Facebook and to get the word out that followers of Jesus the Messiah must support Israel and intensify efforts to reach Jews and Arabs with the Gospel!

Yours for the peace of Jerusalem,

Mitch

Transcripts of the speeches at the U.N.:

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September 13, 2012 · 8:58 AM

Rosh Hashanah

We are about to observe the Jewish New Year, which is called Rosh Hashanah, literally meaning “the head of the year.” Rosh Hashanah is the first of the three Fall Feasts; it is followed by Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). It is celebrated on the first day of the month of Tishrei in the Jewish calendar.

Rosh Hashanah is one of the seven great festivals appointed by God, all of which are listed in Leviticus chapter 23 and mentioned in a number of other passages in the Scriptures. There is also a vast amount of Rabbinic teaching describing the festivals and their observance.

Each of these holy days was established by God and revealed to the children of Israel through Moses, who received the calendar as part of the Sinai revelation. These holidays are supremely important to the Jewish people, and both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are observed each year by the majority of Jewish people, whether secular or religious. Rosh Hashanah is also an important family holiday, and many Jewish families around the world will have special dinners and spend time together, as well as attending Synagogue.

In the Bible, this festival is called Yom Teruah, which is Hebrew for “the day of the blowing of the trumpet.” In this sense, it functions as a call to attention for the Jewish people, preparing us for the Day of Atonement coming ten days later.

The blasts of the shofar (ram’s horn) sounded on Rosh Hashanah also remind us of the obedience of Abraham, who was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice in obedience to God, though God stopped Abraham before he went through with it! The shofar reminds us that God demands full and unquestioning obedience.

The great theme of Rosh Hashanah is repentance. In fact, the first day of Rosh Hashanah begins a season of ten days of repentance, which are often called the Ten Days of Awe by the Jewish people. The observance of the Day of Atonement concludes these ten days. Most Jewish people believe that repentance is the path that leads to the forgiveness of sin, which is secured in the closing moments of Yom Kippur.

Though it is difficult to explain the difference, forgiveness is stressed in the Jewish community far more than personal salvation, especially as understood by most Christians. Jewish people are not as apt to think about personal salvation, a secured future beyond the grave and the power of God infused into our everyday existence by the presence of the Holy Spirit. All too often, Christians read concepts that are commonly understood by born again believers into Judaism. However, Jewish people do think about forgiveness during this time of year and are usually eager to repent before God and reconcile with anyone they may have offended.

However, in this view, forgiveness is seen as temporal, needing annual renewal and received on the basis of both God’s grace and mercy as well as one’s repentance and willingness to obey His Law found in the five books of Moses – at least this is the traditional Jewish teaching on the subject.

So why is Rosh Hashanah important to me as a Jewish follower of Jesus the Messiah?

Allow me to give a few reasons why I personally observe Rosh Hashanah as well as what it means to me.

Observing Rosh Hashanah is a wonderful way of identifying with my Jewish people on a more spiritual level, rather than focusing on Israel or on social, cultural or political concerns that might be important to Jewish community life.

This festival causes me to reflect and take stock of my life and especially my relationship with God. Seasons of spiritual reflection are wonderfully enriching and necessary in the midst of our busyness – even if we are busy doing the Lord’s work. Rosh Hashanah reminds me of my own need to repent regularly of my sins and to be faithful and obedient to God’s Word.

It also provides a wonderful time with my family, as well as being a fruitful season of witness in which I am able to invite Jewish friends and neighbors to our services and Bible studies around the globe. It is one thing to tell a Jewish person they can be Jewish and believe in Jesus… and it’s quite another to sit next to them at a Messianic Jewish Rosh Hashanah service, listening to the blowing of the shofar and the chanting of familiar prayers, and hearing the message of Messiah. In some ways, this is much more powerful. As believers, we know and proclaim that repentance from sin is only one part of the path to forgiveness and personal salvation… as it is only when we receive Yeshua as our Messiah that we are able to enjoy eternal forgiveness, freedom from condemnation, and the power to live transformed lives!

The shofarreminds us of what lies ahead, as the blast of trumpets will announce Messiah’s return on the day when those who believe will be raised to new and everlasting life.

As Rabbi Saul – the Apostle Paul writes,

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17)

There is much more to say about this festival – so I highly recommend that you visit the Chosen People Ministries website for Rosh Hashanah resources!

I would be interested in knowing what Rosh Hashanah means to you, and in whether or not you find spiritual value in setting aside time for deeper reflection and for repentance.

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June 27, 2012 · 11:48 AM

Predicting the Future was God’s Idea!

Israel is the focal point of God’s plan for the Last Days, and I believe the Bible is clear about Israel’s future role. It is simply incredible to visit Israel and realize that the nation and Land that God promised to Abraham, and of which the prophets spoke, exists today. Modern Israel is a signpost of God’s faithfulness and a reminder that the Word of God is true—and that His coming is near!

But how close are we? According to the Hebrew prophet Zechariah, there are a number of puzzle pieces that need to be in place before the Lord’s second coming. God’s chosen people must be back in the Land, Jerusalem must be in Jewish hands, and her enemies must surround her. (Zechariah 12:9-10 ff)

These pieces are in place today in ways that have never been true before. We live at a unique moment in human history, as the table is set for the return of Messiah!

If we are closer to this glorious day than most people think (which I wholeheartedly believe), then how should our lives be different? We cannot live while ignoring the signs of His soon appearing. As Jesus said,

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (Matt. 24:42)

Of course, we should not set dates for His return; the Lord Himself warns us against doing this (Matthew 24:36). Throughout the ages there have been many attempts to predict the day and hour of His coming, and the results have often been disastrous and harmful for the proclamation of the Gospel. Because of these negative experiences, many say we should not allow ourselves to become fixated on the Second Coming.

I could not disagree more!

Sometimes I think we have internalized the idea that talking about the world as we know it coming to an end makes us naïve fanatics. But if Jesus is coming soon—and I am sure He is—then we should certainly live today in light of His coming, and encourage others to do the same. We need an army of “fanatics” who believe this and preach it

The entire Bible—particularly the prophets—warns non-believers of the judgment to come and comforts the hearts of believers with this great hope! Jesus does not want us to try to set dates, yet He does tell us to be prepared, because the hour is coming.

Understanding that we have little time left motivates me to preach the Good News with a greater sense of urgency! I do not want to sound critical, but it seems that many Christians believe in the second coming… yet the belief does not make a real difference in the way we LIVE and WITNESS.

There are a growing number of believers and churches who do not think that Israel has any role at all in the last days… and often it is these same churches that downplay the second coming. Practically and theologically speaking, there are fewer things to think about if the promises of God to the Jewish people about a future kingdom are simply fulfilled spiritually in the Church.

However, for my brothers and sisters who take this vantage point on the second coming, the return of Jesus is cloaked with vagaries and veiled in ambiguity. After all, how might a wolf lie down with a lamb at a Sunday morning service? Must we believe that the words of the prophets should be regarded as mere symbols of a future reality that has little connection to the words of Scripture?

What about the realignment of national loyalties predicted in Isaiah 19—how would this be spiritually fulfilled in today’s church? Passages like these simply beg for literal fulfillment, and if you do not have some sort of restored physical kingdom with Israel at the center, then how can these prophecies possibly make sense?

The urgency of Jewish evangelism in light of Jesus’ return is easily lost when the Old Testament is not taken literally and Israel becomes just one nation amongst all the others. In fact, reducing the more literal language of Scripture about the future of Israel and spiritualizing the inspired text ultimately causes Jewish evangelism to be downplayed. It requires the words of Paul commanding the church to bring the Gospel to the Jew first (Romans 1:16) to be viewed as having been completed in the first century, without any further prophetic purpose! There is a connection between believing in Israel’s importance in the End Times and believing in the importance of Jewish evangelism today.

The link between the second coming of Christ and the salvation of the Jewish people is unavoidable. Paul writes,

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written… (Rom. 11:25-26)

In the meantime, we will continue to pull out the stops in reaching Jewish people for Jesus, as the state of Israel and alignment of nations in the Middle East are indicators that we are getting closer to His coming. Reaching Jewish people for Jesus takes on a new and prophetic urgency in light of this day and hour.

Keep looking up!

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May 13, 2012 · 11:39 AM

Shalom from Germany!

I had a wonderful worship experience today in four languages: German, Russian, English, and Hebrew! I spoke at congregation Beit Sar Shalom, which is affiliated with Chosen People Ministries in Germany, led by Vladimir Pikman.

The congregation and ministry began as tens of thousands of Russian-speaking Jewish people were immigrating to Germany in the mid 1990s. Vladimir and his wife Inna left Kiev to live in Germany, following the Lord’s callto share the Good News with their Russian and Ukrainian Jewish friends, family and neighbors. This young couple was able to lead many Jewish people to Jesus. They started a congregation called Beit Sar Shalom, and over the last ten years have planted an additional half-dozen Messianic congregations – primarily for Russian Jews – all over Germany.

The congregation in Berlin meets at the Beit Sar Shalom Center, which the ministry purchased about seven years ago. I spoke on the Abrahamic Covenant and my message was translated into German and Russian.

I would like to share a clip of the congregation’s worship – it is a common Messianic song sung in German! You can visit the Beit Sar Shalom website to hear the message… and learn a few new languages all at the same time!

Blessings in Yeshua,

Mitch

P.S. I’m on my way to Israel for the next few weeks… stay tuned for more blogs and videos.

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April 17, 2012 · 9:33 AM

Letter to the editor of TIME Magazine: Response to “Heaven Can’t Wait”

I found the article “Heaven Can’t Wait” in the April 16, 2012 edition of TIME Magazine to be both enlightening and disturbing. I am a Messianic Jew (a Jew who believes Jesus is the Messiah) and a 60-year-old male who lives in New York City. I reflect both the Jewish and Christian communities’ views on Heaven, as well as those of my generation.

I also lead Chosen People Ministries, an organization founded in 1894, which has been reaching out to the Jewish and Christian communities with the message of a Jewish Gospel for more than a century. This gives me a unique perspective on heaven and hell, the nature of the Gospel, the balance between good works and good deeds, and the Christian and Jewish hope for the future kingdom.

I appreciated Jon Meacham’s insights (perhaps more for their cultural rather than theological value) but was shocked by his misunderstandings about the early Christians – all of whom were Jewish, up to a point.

He writes, “The story of Jesus as interpreted by Paul and as told in the Gospels created a unique understanding of salvation and life after death. No one in first-century Judaism had been looking for a human atoning sacrifice.” (p. 33). Unfortunately, Meacham makes a mountain out of this theological molehill and builds his misunderstanding of the Christian hope upon his under-researched and inaccurate idea.

Inter-Testamental literature and early Rabbinic writings indicate that a substantial group within first-century Judaism believed in the coming of a suffering and even atoning Messiah.

A key passage demonstrating this is Isaiah chapters 52 through 53, which is alluded to by Jesus, quoted in the book of Acts in the early sermons of Peter, and affirmed by Paul in his classic statement on the Gospel found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-3, which Meacham quotes at the end of his article.

Isaiah chapter 53 describes a suffering individual, identified by the prophet as the Servant whose “mission” in life was to die in the place of sinful Israel and the Gentile nations (Isaiah 53:4-6). The prophet clearly describes the atoning death of this individual in verse 8, “He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due.”

The author of “Heaven Can’t Wait” appears to downplay the issue of personal salvation and presents a view of salvation focusing on “heaven coming to earth,” bringing a more corporate version of redemption focused on righting the wrongs and evils of our present day. This implies that the work of Christians today should focus on changing society as a means of preparing for the age to come.

The view of heaven Meacham espouses ignores the hope for a suffering Messiah that is the bedrock of faith for Messianic Jews and all types of Christians. He ignores tomes of scholarship, including the new book entitled The Gospel According to Isaiah 53 (available here), recently published by Kregel Publications and edited by myself and Dr. Darrell Bock, who teaches New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary – one of the world’s foremost evangelical seminaries. I also teach at the Talbot School of Theology, a part of Biola University, and Meacham quotes form Dr. Erik Thoennes of the same institution.

The Gospel According to Isaiah 53 highlights the views of leading evangelical scholars who believe that Jesus, from His own words in the Gospels to those of other New Testament writers, is clearly understood as the fulfillment of Isaiah 53. Jesus is the Suffering Servant who died a substitutionary atoning death for our sins.

The Apostle Paul, also a Messianic Jew, summarizes the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-3, claiming that Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead, according to the Old Testament Scriptures. Unless one believes that the words of Paul and even the words of Jesus were penned centuries later (which is another discussion), then clearly many first-century Jews did believe that a human atoning sacrifice was expected… especially by those Jews who believed in Jesus and wrote the New Testament!

Meacham quotes the end of 1 Corinthians 15, but should consider that the hope of heaven and admonition to remain “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” would be impossible without the foundational truth of Messiah’s death and resurrection, providing personal salvation for both Jews and Gentiles and ultimately the redemption of a world cursed by sin.

I am glad the author and TIME Magazine tackled such an important topic. However, I believe that the article should have taken a much broader look at the variety of views on heaven. Meacham’s work reads far more like an editorial than a well-researched article, which is how it seems to have been presented.

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April 10, 2012 · 2:56 PM

Living Unleavened Lives: Eating Matzah as a Spiritual Discipline

Matzah

Matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten during Passover

We are midway into the Passover week (actually eight days) and I find myself thinking about the many ways I am going to make matzah palatable today. Maybe I’ll make my father’s recipe for matzah brei. Here is my recipe, in case you want to try it!

Step 1: Carefully break a piece of matzah into small pieces and put into a bowl of hot water.

Step 2: Crack 3 medium eggs, stir, and begin making an omelet (use only egg whites to make it healthier!)

Step 3: Dry the soaking matzah in a paper towel, before it gets too mushy and still has a little bit of crunch to it, and add to the omelet.

Step 4: Matzah brei can be made either salty (adding salt, pepper, garlic and fried onions to the mix) or sweet (keeping the matzah omelet plain and simple and then applying large amounts of marmalade, strawberry jelly or leftover charoset from the previous night’s Seder).

Please try one of these versions of this traditional Jewish breakfast dish and let me know what you think!

Even before breakfast, I’ll need to think about lunch – perhaps a matzah sandwich with tuna fish or turkey, or maybe even some leftover brisket. I also have to decide what kind of matzah I’m going to eat with my sandwich; regular matzah, egg matzah, egg and onion matzah.

Passover menu planning does not stop there – there are also unleavened snacks! I’m glad I live in Brooklyn, where I can easily get most of my usual cakes, ice cream sandwiches and other types of desserts made without leaven.
I like bread, and during a normal week, I usually eat some bagels, rolls and a few slices of bread–but during Passover, I spend 8 days trying to figure out new ways to enjoy matzah!

Why do I do this? This is a question I ask myself with every crunchy bite of the striped, pierced and quite frankly tasteless (unless you’re eating chocolate matzah) “bread substitute.” Sometimes I think that the manna in the wilderness that came down from heaven to feed the children of Israel was made of matzah, which is why my ancestors cried out for a change of menu.

I do not eat matzah because I believe God will judge me for not doing so during Passover. I believe that keeping the Jewish holidays to be voluntary for followers of Jesus. Yet I do keep most of the festivals and try to be especially strict in avoiding leaven during Passover.

I observe the Jewish holidays because keeping them helps me identify with my Jewish people. I view myself as part of the Jewish community, though my faith is not often understood by the majority. I also believe that the holidays point to Jesus, and by understanding and observing them my relationship with Messiah is deepened. After all, He kept the festivals too!

But mostly, I munch on matzah for 8 days because of the spiritual value in doing so. I was reading a blog the other day by a pastor who was suggesting a variety of spiritual disciplines designed especially for holy week. He included fasting as one of these disciplines, as well as reading the passion narrative and a few other excellent ideas. However, I thought to myself, he is missing a wonderful spiritual discipline that predates so many of these other suggestions – one that is so very biblical (Exodus 12:15, 19,13:7, Leviticus 23:6) and would certainly make holy week more meaningful – eating matzah!

I believe that refraining from eating leavened bread products is a rigorous spiritual exercise that helps followers of Yeshua focus on purity and personal holiness, as well as the original intent and deeper values undergirding the holiday. And if you view the Feasts of Israel as prophetic (which I do) then the perfect fulfillment of the feast of unleavened bread is Jesus the Messiah.

In Jewish tradition, leaven symbolizes moral degeneration, and the more you avoid leaven, the more you are reminded of the purity of life that pleases God. Jesus mentions leaven in this way when He takes issue with the teaching of Jewish leaders that cause the purity of Torah to be compromised by additional teachings that could lead a person to misinterpret God’s original intent. (Matthew 16:6,11-12)

I am sure this is what Rabbi Saul – the Apostle Paul – meant when he wrote,

Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Cor. 5:6-8)

So why don’t you try it? There are still a few days left in Passover. If you get your whole family involved in eating matzah for the remainder of the week, it would provide a memorable family experience, and you could talk to your children about the importance of living an “unleavened” lifestyle – not just during Passover, but throughout the year. I think you would find this to be a valuable spiritual discipline both personally and as a family. We have!

Here are some further reading from some of our very religious Jewish friends with some interesting information about matzah to help make your “leaven avoidance” more meaningful.

Matzah is a symbol, but Jesus is our example – and by His Spirit He provides the power we need to live godly lives.  He is the epitome of sinless perfection!

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March 28, 2012 · 7:40 AM

Conference Summary: Israel, the Church and the Middle East Crisis

More than two thousand people, including hundreds of students, attended the “Israel, the Church and the Middle East Crisis” conference, showing the deep interest that believers in Jesus have in knowing more about the End Times and the role of Israel and her neighbors in the plan of God.

As you know, this conference was co-sponsored by Chosen People Ministries, Biola University, the Talbot School of Theology (part of Biola) and the ministries of Joel C. Rosenberg, the award-winning author and Middle East expert, who was also a main speaker at the event.

The event took place on the campus of Biola University in La Mirada, California on Friday evening March 23rd and continued all day Saturday before concluding with a celebration of Israel, the Jewish people and God’s plan of redemption for the world on Saturday evening.

The other main speakers included Dr. Walter Kaiser, our foremost Evangelical Old Testament scholar and Dr. Mitch Glaser, President of Chosen People Ministries, a 118- year-old mission to the Jewish people.  Musicians included Messianic minstrel Marty Goetz, as well as Steve Wiggins, who serves on the staff of Harvest Fellowship in Redlands, California.

The conference highlighted the testimonies of Michael Zinn, a Russian Jewish believer and leader of Chosen People Ministries’ work in Israel, as well as Hormoz Shariat, an Iranian evangelist and former Muslim.  A variety of workshops and panel discussions were held on the topic of the Middle East Crisis and the plan and purposes of God for the Jewish people.

Seminars were held on how to witness to both Jewish people and Muslims and difficult issues such as the impact of anti-Semitism on Jewish evangelism, the impact that the Middle East Crisis has had on relationships between Jewish and Arab believers in Israel, as well as how the conflict impacts the work of the Gospel in Israel in Israel today.

On Friday night at the beginning of the conference, I outlined the goals and unique viewpoint of the conference, detailing some of the reasons why I believe that understanding the Middle East crisis is important for everyone, but especially for those who believe the Bible to be the Word of God and that biblical prophecy must be taken seriously.

In my talk, I suggested the following:

  • The Middle East and Israel in particular is the focal point of biblical prophecy and will become the “nexus” for End Times events preceding the Second Coming of Jesus.
  • Prophecies of End Times events must be viewed through the lens of Scripture, so that believers today do not join those who have been enthusiastic about the Second Coming, but have wrongly made the Church look foolish by setting dates and identifying the last days key players and events. The serious study of End Times prophecy must be done with humility, care in interpretation and, above all, must be true to Scripture and not speculation.
  • Understanding the Middle East crisis through the lens of Scripture will enable believers to become a more relevant witness for the Lord as friends and neighbors today are confused and frightened by world events. Those seeking comfort and peace of soul will never find it in USA Today, CNN or Fox News.  Followers of Jesus should be ready to let help loved ones know what the Bible says about today and about tomorrow.
  • Understanding the Middle East crisis, through the lens of Scripture, will give us hope and help us to point others to the Prince of Peace, who is the one and only true hope for the world.
  • By understanding the Middle East crisis, believers will gain new biblical insights into End Times prophecy–and knowing the urgency of the hour, will become more fervent to proclaim the Good News to those who do not yet believe in Jesus the Messiah; both Jews and non-Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Buddhists and the mass of those who are unaffiliated.  Knowing more about the End Times will motivate us to fulfill the Great Commission; “to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles” (Romans 1:16).
  • Understanding the complexities of the current Middle East crisis and what the Bible says about His promised future for Israel and her neighbors will move us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem; more effectively, more intelligently and with greater passion.

The event was recorded and podcasts of the messages and testimonies will be available within a month!

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