Ask the Pastor

By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship, Shambaugh, IA

Clarinda Herald Journal Publication Date : 03/12/2008

Anti-Semitism
 

Why do you think that historically the Jews have so often been hated?

Wikipedia defines Anti-Semitism as "prejudice and hostility toward Jews as a religious, racial, or ethnic group." Anti-Semitism occurs in many forms, from personal prejudices, national policies, organized violent attacks, to wide scale genocide.

The Jews were banished from Rome in the first century, from England in 1290, from Spain in 1492, and from Portugal in 1497.

Concerted attempts to exterminate the Jews have been made throughout history. Pharaoh sought to drown all newborn males in the Nile (Exodus 1:22). The Persian Empire decreed death to all Jews (Esther 3:9). German peasant crusaders sought their destruction in 1096. The most famous example, however, comes from relatively recent times, when 6 million European Jews were killed in Hitler's Nazi Holocaust. Today, a number of Islamic nations are committed to Jewish Israel’s annihilation.

This is just a short list of some of the more conspicuous examples of anti-Semitism through the centuries. Sad to say, even the Christian church has in times past persecuted and oppressed the Jews. God forgive us!

It is estimated that, were it not for violence committed against Jews, there would be nearly 200 million Jews in the world today, instead of around 13 million (James Carroll). There is little doubt that no other ethnic group has been hated and oppressed as much as the Jews are.

Many reasons have been cited for opposition to the Jews: their non-assimilation into foreign cultures, their successful business practices, and their refusal to embrace the religions of their conquerors.

However, one must look beyond external factors to see the real underlying cause for the hatred of the Jews—the devil. Though open to debate, the book of Revelation, in part, presents an 'end times' picture of revived Messianic Jews (Rev 7:4), pursued with violent ferocity by a devil intent upon their destruction (Rev 12). I believe THE reason the Jews are hated is that the devil knows their potential for the Kingdom of God (Rom 11:11-32). The devil is, so to speak, "pulling out all the stops" in a futile attempt to alter future history.

The Jews are hated because the devil stirs up opposition and offense against them. It is the place of the Christian and the Church, to support, protect, and to bless all Jews. To do so does not mean to agree with every Israeli policy, or to blindly agree with everything Israel or particular Jews may do. It does mean in principle that we are "for" them, and are against anything that plays into the devils schemes. To "bless Israel" is to resist the devil's work in history, and to invite God's favor upon the bless-ee and the bless-er (Psa 122:6; Gen 12:11).

--Pastor Scott (www.askpastorscott.com)