Posted on 01/01/2007 4:25:08 PM PST by yochanan
Why do evangelicals support Israel so strongly? Is the American Jews' fear of fundamentalist Christianity based on constitutional principle, or social and cultural snobbery and political partisanship?
A Match Made in Heaven is a funny, readable, book. It is the most entertaining way to struggle with questions such as "Why do evangelicals support Israel so strongly? Is their philo-Semitism just a front for their true purpose to convert Jews? Do the evangelicals, as their opponents charge, really want to use the Jews as cannon fodder at the battle of Armageddon? Or are they simply responding to the biblical commandment to love Israel? Finally, is the American Jews' fear of fundamentalist Christianity based on constitutional principle, or social and cultural snobbery and political partisanship?"
We will discuss these questions this week, and readers, as usual, can send their questions to rosnersdomain@haaretz.co.il.
How do America's Orthodox Jews relate to Zionist Evangelicals?
Joe Feld
Paradoxically, Orthodox Jews have the fewest problems with a Jewish-Evangelical relationship.
For one thing, a lot of Orthodox Jews and Evangelicals share conservative social and political positions. Orthodox Jews, for example, are rarely troubled by church-state separation issues. They send their own kids to parochial schools; they're glad to get government money via faith based programs; many are opposed to abortion, and they tend not to be too concerned about the good opinion of the "international community" - ie, Europeans.
Most Orthodox Jews also have a stronger connection to, and concern about, Israel than the secular or liberal majority. Orthodox Jews are more likely to care about a candidates' position on Israel. As a Democratic activist told me, if Cynthia McKinney ran for President as a Democrat, she'd get fifty percent of the Jewish vote.
Some Orthodox Jews are opposed to any
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Whoops, you're both right.
Exactly. Better safe than sorry? LOL! I would think these post millenialists will be in for a horrible surprise, huh?
This is important because this is the reason the Jews are historically Democrats. THEY TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS WANT TO CONVERT THEM. It's as simple as that. I'm Jewish, and this is what my liberal friends (many of whom are not my friends anymore) tell me. And there's no amount of debate that can convince them otherwise.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
Point is, that there is a fundamental misunderstanding of Armageddon, on the part of liberals and others, who accuse Evangelicals of wishing for Armageddon (as in Shi'ites waiting for the return of the Mahdi).
Most Evangelical Christians believe they will have been raptured and in Heaven by the time of the Battle.
Actually, there is such misinformation and erroneous teaching that some churches actually advise pastors to NOT teach about it. (Assembly of God, for one.)
Not AOG, so I wouldn't know. I would have thought that they would be fairly conversant in pre-mil dispensationalism, and prophesy.
As an Evangelical, my God is the God of both the Old and New Testaments. There is a movement afoot that is called "Replacement Theology" that says in effect, that the Jews lost their Blessing at the Cross....which I believe to be a big lie. I will always support Israel even though the rest of the world will abandon them.
"Zechariah 12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."
Psalm 125:1-2 They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever!
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever!
I believe that should America ever cease support of Isreal that there will be consequences...
They once were, but they have lowered their standards and accepted the Rick Warren stuff. The organization is split now between traditionalists and new agers. That is where I grew up, but no longer attend there. You couldn't DRAG me into one now.
Most evangelicals believe in the pre-trib rapture?
I don't. I take the pre-wrath position....and many evangelicals are moving in that direction...at least the ones I know.
All the more reason to be prepared for the days to come.
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.
Densa Mensa?
Lost Tribe?
Zot Bait?
You have know understanding of God and his covenants. And you have know idea about Bible prophesy. And I'm not talking whether there is a rapture or not.
If you don't value the covenant that God made with the Jews, that must mean you have no value for Gods covenant with Christians. God made covenants with both. Which means that no matter what Christians or Jews do, God will not break his covenants with us.
To believe that God no longer honors HIS covenant with the Jews, but honors his covenant with Christians is the height of not only arrogance but hypocrisy. Either you haven't studied the Bible for yourself, and choose to follow biased teachings of others, or you are choosing to believe something because you choose it to be so. Either way its wrong and to continue with is heresy.
You need to do a in depth study of Gods covenants and what they entail.
When a person begins to understand covenants by God it is truely humbling, and awe inspiring into Gods character. It also gives Christians a greater view of their place under Christ.
It's not that complicated ... check out the reasoning of Paul (who suffered mightily at the hands of those Jews who opposed the message about Jesus) in the book of Romans - especially chapters 9, 10 and 11. Paul's point: even though they act as enemies of the gospel (individually) yet God's promises to Abraham et al. stand, being (by nature of a promise) irrevocable:
11:28 In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. 11:29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
I would say "most" Evangelicals still do, especially after the "Left Behind" books. I realize that lately there has been a swing away from the Pre-Trib stance.
Best book I've seen on the subject is "Three Views on the Rapture: Pre: Mid: or Post Tribulation?" by Gleason Archer, Paul Feinberg, Douglas Moo and Richard Reiter.
It was published by Zondervan in 1984, so I don't know if it's still available.
Interestingly enough, Archer, Feinberg and Moo were (are) all professors at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, and each takes a different position on the Rapture, makes his case, and the other professors rebut.
Most Evangelical Christians believe they will have been raptured and in Heaven by the time of the Battle.
This is what I had been taught. But when in history has God ever removed his people from trials and tribulation? Christians were impaled and burned as torches to light a main Roman road. Nearly all of the Disciples were martyred.
Christ himself faced not only crucifixion, the most gruesome death devised, but seperation from God the moment mans sins were placed upon him.
If Christ and the others weren't spared, why should we?
Once in Christ always in Christ. - The ultimate Semper Fi
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