I want to talk to Christians who love Israel, want to see Jews enter the faith of Yeshua and are especially concerned by all the violence and chaos erupting to threaten Israel at this time. Please stay with me here if that describes you.
Those who study the history of war and military will tell you we have entered a whole new level of warfare with terrorism. The same thing they see from the perspective of military/war strategy, we need to understand that spiritual warfare has likewise gone to another level.
IN ISRAEL Yes, there are terror attacks increasing and nations surrounding Israel in the most brutal of Islam-on-Islam wars. Everybody knows that the only thing that unites these brutal sects of Islam is hatred of the Jewish state, so there is good reason for concern and heightened, strategic prayer.
But I want to also caution some Christians who feel the time is now to pack your boxes full of Bibles and head off to evangelize the Jews in Israel. Please stop right there and understand this could be the most counterproductive idea you could possibly have!
I can hear the indignation from here. How could that be counterproductive? Because you apparently do not appreciate what goes on in the Jewish mind about Christians trying to convert them!
When a terrorist strikes setting off a bomb that kills many in a crowded area, first responders have learned from the past that a great danger exists for them as they rush in to help people due to a secondary explosion that is set precisely for the purpose of taking out the first responders and others who rush to help.
Now you might think that I'm telling you that you should not pack your Bibles and go on a mission trip to Israel because of the 'secondary explosion' but that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that if you carry out your plans you ARE the secondary explosion!
God has been raising up the Body of Messiah in Israel - now reaching upwards of 20,000 Jewish believers in Jesus in over 160 congregations in Israel and many more in smaller home fellowships - which are congregations in the making!
GOD HAS A SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR RAISING UP THOSE ISRAELI BELIEVERS: because they know the baggage Jews carry about Christians and what has been done to the Jews in the name of Jesus. They know as Jews what a hurdle it is for Jews to receive Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel.
Did you know that when Martin Luther started out after nailing the 95 theses on the church door that he was very pro-Jew, but when the Jews did not respond to his break from Christian anti-semitism and get saved, he became extremely bitter toward the Jewish people. In the latter part of his life Martin Luther was vehemently anti-semitic.
We have seen this happen to other Christians who felt they were called to the evangelize the Jews, but when the Jews did not respond by getting saved, the zeal turned to aggravation and bitterness toward the hardness of Israelis and Jews.
My friends, that is the satanic "secondary explosions" that are dangerous to Israel right now. In order to be a true Ruth in this hour to Israel as far as God's purposes for salvation, you MUST allow the Body of Messiah to take their God-mandated lead in ministering to their own countrymen.
For such a time as this God raised them up. You were raised up for such a time as this to come to their aid - in prayer and practical support, not to step into their God-mandated role. Selah.
I certainly don't want to discourage Christians from understanding that the day of salvation for Israelis is now - just that there is a protocol involved: Israeli believing Jews are the ones harvesting the fields in Israelis and Christians from the nations are only working the "corners" of the fields.
We must come to grips with the understanding that our acts of kindness toward Israel are wonderful, but the ministry of the gospel to the Jews in Israel is mandated by God through the Body of Messiah in Israel. We are called alongside them as an aid to the labors, not thru presumption disregard God's raising them up in Israel with the anointing to carry the gospel to Israelis.
I certainly don't want to discourage Christians from understanding that the day of salvation for Israelis is now - just that there is a protocol involved: Israeli believing Jews are the ones harvesting the fields in Israelis and Christians from the nations are only working the "corners" of the fields.
We must come to grips with the understanding that our acts of kindness toward Israel are wonderful, but the ministry of the gospel to the Jews in Israel is mandated by God through the Body of Messiah in Israel. We are called alongside them as an aid to the labors, not thru presumption disregard God's raising them up in Israel with the anointing to carry the gospel to Israelis.
- Donna Diorio, October 16, 2015
UPDATE Oct 21 2015: So I got an elicited response from an Israeli leader that I deeply respect that I was "a little harsh" on this commentary, but also that it is a "complex" issue.
UPDATE Oct 21 2015: So I got an elicited response from an Israeli leader that I deeply respect that I was "a little harsh" on this commentary, but also that it is a "complex" issue.
I want to hear more on this from him, but I thought it was good just to add a new disclaimer on what I've written. When I learn more of the issues involved, I will update here.
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