Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2019
In Ezekiel 33:11 it is written, “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’”
Here in Israel, it feels like we are living on a ticking time bomb. Tensions are high, and our sons are often called into the army reserves. We are surrounded by chaos. To make matters worse, an Israeli countermissionary group continues to create division among our Jewish people, going from house to house warning them about Jewish Christians like me who believe in the Lord according to the Holy Bible.
Their workers go through Israel placing leaflets in many places, with warnings in red letters accusing us of being dangerous. Some leaflets read, “Messianism! Catastrophe!”
They are afraid of the truth and continue to teach what is not right. But Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” It is our obligation before the Lord to go even to the countermissionaries and warn them of the consequences of their ways.
I went to them recently and asked, “How do you feel about the fact you are creating hatred among our people at a time when so many of us are being called into the army?”
“Who are you that you want to teach us about the faith?” one asked.
“It is written in Leviticus 19:18, ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.’ Do you keep this law, or are you looking for revenge?” I asked.
“Why are you against us when we’re fighting against Satan?” one demanded.
Then I read to them Exodus 20:16: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” and asked them, “And what are you doing? Have a good look at your many brochures written by your rabbis. I have the Holy Bible. Which is more important—the Bible, or those many brochures filled with false testimonies with which you try to make people blind?”
Now they were not so happy. “And what are you doing?” one asked.
“I try to open people’s eyes to the full truth of the Lord. As it is written in Isaiah 60:1, ‘Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.’ We sing such songs in our congregation meetings. Do you forbid people from singing this verse like you forbid them from hearing Isaiah 53?” I asked.
As soon as I mentioned Isaiah 53, they grew very angry and began to speak more loudly because they knew in whom I have believed and about whom I spoke. “If you believe according to the Bible, how can you believe in This Man?” one challenged. Orthodox Jewish people refer to Jesus as “This Man.”
“I believe all of what the Bible says. You find a chapter you do not like—Isaiah 53—and boycott it. And those poor, blind pupils of yours believe what you have written. They are dancing around a golden calf. So it is my duty as one who believes in the Lord to bring you the truth,” I answered.
“How can you come here speaking such things and be unafraid?” one demanded.
“In the New Testament, Luke 10:3 says, ‘Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves,’” I said.
As soon as I mentioned the New Testament, they became even angrier and started jumping around. “How can you come here and speak about those Christian books, especially the New Covenant?” one yelled.
So I read for them the prophet Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning the New Covenant: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Jer. 31:31).
They did not want to hear that verse, and our conversation came to a close. “We will never speak with you again without our rabbi,” one said. Please pray the Lord opens their eyes to the truth.
The Friends of Israel Archives,
June 2001
He was a very precious brother; I feel privileged to have known him and his dear wife.