Thursday, October 07, 2004

Christians gather around beleaguered Israel - Jerusalem Newswire

This is a new and important development in Christian Jewish relations. I am sure that there are many on both sides who view it with suspicion. I am not an official part of any such movement, but, truth be told, the more I read the Bible the more I am a Christian Zionist.

When you read the Bible you come to the conclusion that either this is true or it is a rather long and tortured fairy tale. If it is a fairy tale, well, it isn't worth all the work. If it is true then the Israel belongs to the Jews. Certainly there is ample archeological evidence that much of what is described in the Bible continues to exist to this day. Ancient temples, buildings artifacts abound in Israel. What we Christians have to acknowledge is that, first and foremost, Jesus was a Jew. He is Our Saviour because he is from God's chosen people. That is the message of the Bible. Why do Jews who do not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah still prosper and even thrive? I believe it is all part of God's plan. Jesus said he came to fulfill the law, not change the law. We Christians must be Jews in our hearts in order to be Christians. Judaism as a formal religion, keeps Christians honest and in touch with our roots. Unlike Muslims, we have not adopted a book that rewrites the Torah or what we Christians refer to as the Old Testament ( which is a lot more than the Torah). When Biblical scholars dispute certain passages and how they should be interpreted, Christians learn from Jews and the reverse also. We are talking about one and the same book. Islam was a late reinterpretation and rewriting. Many Christians were forcibly converted to Islam. Its in the Koran. Most leftists have no awareness that Judaism and Christianity were widely distributed throughout the Middle East before there was a Muslim religion. So, it is incumbent on us to remind them of that fact. So I am a Christian Zionist and like many Jews, I will leave it to the Messiah when he comes to announce if it is a return trip.

Christians gather around beleaguered Israel - Jerusalem Newswire: "Christians gather around beleaguered Israel


By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff


October 4th, 2004


JERUSALEM - Thousands of Christian Zionists gathered opposite the Knesset in Jerusalem Sunday to stand with the nation of Israel during these trying times, and let the Jewish people know their God is with them.

Top evangelical leaders and several Israeli government officials friendly with the Christian world attended the first annual International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

While the event brought a moral boost to many Israelis, and prompted an outburst of vocal Christian support for the Jewish state, it largely sidestepped the region’s current top flashpoint – the Gaza Strip and efforts to uproot the Jews living there.

A group of visitors traveling under the banner of the International Christian Zionist Center decided, however, to make physically standing with the Gaza’s Jews the grand finale and focal point of their trip."

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