Stand With Israel

The speaker emphasizes the importance of standing with Israel in the face of ongoing threats and rising anti-Semitism. They highlight the history of anti-Semitism and the need for both the church and Jewish people to honor their origins and roots. The speaker also shares horrific details of recent terrorist attacks against Israel and the lack of media coverage and support for Israel's defense. They argue that the land belongs to Israel based on biblical records and refute the existence of a state of Palestine. The speaker calls for action, urging Gaza civilians to rise up against Hamas and for individuals to pray, stay informed, and support Israel and Jewish organizations. They also ask for support for their own ministry to the Jewish people. Despite the challenging circumstances, the speaker finds hope in the God of Israel. Shalom and welcome back to the podcast. The importance of standing with Israel for the long term is so very critically important, especially in our time. We hear the daily chants of death to Israel and from the mountains to the sea, referring to eliminating the Jewish people and the Jewish state. These are not mere cries of liberation or the cry of a subjected people longing to be free. These are the hate filled and demonically fueled murderous rants. These are the diatribes of dark leaders wanting to lead the masses to new levels of vitriol against a people of a particular faith and ethnicity. This ugly venom is spread against a people whose history has seen the rise of anti semitism in all too frequent cycles. In fact, the repetition is so frequent that even the most casual historians make note of its peculiarly dark revitalization from age to age. The church and the Jewish people have both a command to love and to honor the roots and foundations of its origins, while not neglecting the love for all humanity. In Romans chapters nine to 11, Paul reminds the believers that Jews are the first fruits, even the first people of Abraham, to realize a covenant with God for land and spiritual inheritance. In fact, it is God's loyalty to that covenant that assures all believers today that his covenant with us is immutable or otherwise said, unchanging. Even as I speak to you now, we have reports and evidence that of the horrendous attacks of October 7th, 2023, the acts of barbarism that were committed against the Israeli people, the civilian population, are so horrendous as to be unbelievable. We have seen and observed surveillance video, video documentation, and pictures of the aftermath. The crimes have been documented of terrible atrocities. I've waited for some time even to confirm some of these reports as they seem too horrendous. I've waited to make sure that they were verified. Now we have seen evidence, and multiple pieces of evidence, from multiple sources of little children being beheaded, including infants and toddlers tortured, some being put in ovens as the parents have been forced to watch, and then those parents were assassinated. Horrendous and terrible things being done to women, including a baby being cut from the womb of a pregnant woman. This week, with evidence of all these atrocities, the United Nations gathered to condemn Israel for its response in defending itself. The majority of the delegates to the United Nations called for Israel to cease fire. Only 13 nations stood up and said no. This rise in anti-semitism presently is verified by reports that Jewish homes in Argentina and France and Russia are being marked. By the latest count, over 3,000 invading terrorists assaulted Israel, and yet there seems to be some ambiguity with regards to the world media as to how terrible this terrorist attack actually was. And they want Israel to cease in its efforts to disarm those who are bent on their destruction. Also with those 3,000 invaders were civilians who had the audacity and incomprehensible drive to loot houses after the inhabitants were murdered. During this terrorist attack, some 1,400 were murdered or injured, and over 240 men, women, and children were taken hostage in Degasa. Many of the terror victims were burned alive. Yemen declared war on Israel, firing missiles over a thousand miles in an attempt to attack this small Jewish nation. Hezbollah, Iran, and Yemen have all issued ultimatums to Israel to complete their operations and attack into Gaza by Friday, November 2nd. Yet every day, hundreds of rockets are aimed at civilian targets inside Israel. So few in the media are actually speaking up against these murderous assaults. Bolivia has cut diplomatic ties with Israel as a form of protest. Colombia and Chile have recalled their ambassadors from Israel. Protests around the world are targeting Jews with hate-filled proclamations. Accusations of war crimes are being made against Israel on the world stage, only to find when the investigation is complete that these war crimes were indeed committed or staged by Hamas. Nevertheless, media outlets will continue to run false and unverified stories reported by the Hamas propaganda bureaus. As believers in Messiah, as believers of the scripture, we know who owns the land. We have the historical record in Genesis, even in chapter 13, that the land was given to the descendants of Abraham. We know that the land belongs to Israel. We have this promise as it's recorded in Genesis chapter 13, 15, and 49, and many more passages, that God gave the land to Israel. I understand that some will make the argument that more than just Israel are descendants of Abraham, and that many Arabs claim a descent from Abraham. But I would remind you that as we read Genesis, it is very clear that this is the land of Israel. Yet you find such disagreement even among people who were in the church. Let us take it from this place right here. We know that God has declared, and he has given this as an inheritance to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is no question for us that this is Israel. This is their land, and we have record of it dating back over 2,700 years, far longer than many nations of the world. Now there is a question. Is there a state of Palestine? The answer to that is simply no. There has never been a state of Palestine. Palestine, for those who know your history, is actually named for Philistia or the Philistines. Rome named the area for the people of the Philistines as a way of renaming the territory to mock the Jews, or to give claim to their enemy somehow, that their enemy somehow deserved the right to have this land named after them. We know that the Palestinians are not the descendants of the longtime enemies of Israel. Let me be clear. The descendants of those who are claiming the land today are not of the lineage of the Philistines. Further, Philistia, from where the Philistines get their name, has a very specific meaning. The moniker indicates that people who come from the sea, more specifically, invaders from the sea. My friends, this is the time that we must stand for what is right, and we must stand for what is good and just. Certainly we care about the people in Gaza. We care about them, and I pray that their hearts are turned from evil. However, we also know that so many Gaza civilians have not only participated in this terrorist attack upon Israel, but they celebrated this evil act. Today, civilians in Gaza intentionally help hide leaders and partakers of that murderous terrorist attack. These very terrorists are being hidden by the civilians of Gaza. There's a very difficult action that can be taken to stop the war. Gaza should rise up against Hamas. They should right now deliver the hostages safely to Israel and turn over the murderers, the Hamas terrorists, to Israel. The citizens of Gaza need to take action now. Arrest these murderers and anybody who participated in that attack, civilians and terrorists alike. The conflict could be stopped by the citizens of Gaza, but there seems to be no effort or will to stop it and to bring justice to the land. Let's remember that it is the Gaza civilians who elected Hamas to lead their government, and until the support for the evil ideology no longer remains, then yes, the Gaza civilians are at risk. Yet I know that the IDF is doing all they can with reasonable means to prevent harm to Gaza civilians. Today is the day, my friends. We must stand as we look at the rise of anti-Semitism around the world. I encourage you to stand with the Jewish people and with Israel. Begin by praying for Israel. We know prayer avails much. Next, keep informed. Don't buy into the lies and demonic deceptions of the adversary's propaganda. And finally, I encourage you to give to groups that support Israel and the Jewish people. You can also contact Messianic Jewish Ministries within Israel and ask how you can support them at this time. And finally, let me humbly ask you to prayerfully consider supporting our ministry to the Jewish people here in the U.S. and Israel. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries at shalombridgecongregation at gmail.com. Let me say that again. Our email is shalombridgecongregation, one word, shalombridgecongregation at gmail.com. It can seem overwhelming as we look at the forces arrayed against us, but for the God of Israel, we would despair. Indeed, it is the God of Israel who is our salvation and our hope.