It happened again, just recently.  A supposedly mature, evangelical Christian spewed an anti-Semitic remark during a conversation.  The comment was something to the effect that Jews are despicable because they are in positions of control and wealth in the world today.  I was deeply grieved.  Yet, given the history of the Jews, I was not shocked.  Once again, God’s sentence upon this special people more than 2500 years ago found a willing participant amongst the Christian Gentiles.

And many anti-Semitic Christian Gentiles there still remain.  In fact, in one form or another — anti-Zionism being just one — there is a surge of anti-Semitism today.  Sadly this is also true among supposed Christians, both individually and institutionally.

It is a topic to take very seriously.  Why?  Because the Bible clearly indicates some serious consequences.  For this and a number of others reasons, it is timely to investigate further.  Also intersecting this topic, as we will see, is the fate of America.

As we tackle this topic, however, a word of warning to Gentiles. It must be approached with great humility.  For He is the Judge, the one who says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” (Deuteronomy 32:35)  For all will fall under judgment, Jew, Gentile and Christian.

Why the Jews? According to Scripture

To ensure that we launch our investigation on a firm foundation, let’s begin with what Scriptures have to say.  After all, it is a document written exclusively by the Jews. We must first remember who it was that made a covenant with Abraham and issued the pronouncements upon all of his children and heirs. It was, He, Jehovah, that very early in the written prophecies of the Hebrew prophets, inspired them to write His taunt that no false god or idol would ever dare wager.

He stared down all doubters to his Glory with the unhedged claim, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.”  (Isaiah 46:10)  Therefore, it is the subject of fact and required belief that all Spirit-inspired prophecy will come to be fulfilled.

The prophecies applying to the Hebrews — almost all of them very plain and clear — are also true no matter what modern theologians may think or what preferential positions or vested interests some denominations may like to appropriate for themselves. The prophets clearly outlined the result of Israel’s and Judah’s disobedience, demonstrating God’s foreknowledge of their choice, as well as their yet-coming Millennial role.

Seemingly countless times — in fact, many tens of times — warnings were given to the Israelites that they would be scattered to the four corners and all nations of the world.  Not only that, but much worse: “I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. (Jeremiah 29:18-19)  Judah would be scattered, its people facing conditions of scorn and persecution during that time of dispersion.

But, crucially, something else was also prophesied: That the Jews would be restored. 

But not just restoration to Old Testament primacy, but being placed at the head of the nations … in other words, the entire world.  The Jews will yet rule the world and reign from Zion.  The conditional blessings set down by Moses would finally be righted.

But for Gentiles that have oppressed the Israelites there is one more prophecy to acknowledge:  “May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them.  (Psalm 149:6-9)  Just as played out in the Book of Esther, the Jews themselves will be used as the instruments of God’s vengeance. 

These developments – all of them to yet to fully unfold in the future — holds some great admonitions for all people, Christians, Jews and Gentiles alike.

Why the Chosen People

Why did God choose the Hebrews as His people?  This topic is a stumbling block for many.  Why did He make one people superior … superior in the sense that they might be “super humans?  To begin with, this question reveals an incorrect perspective.

God did not choose the Hebrews for their greatness or superiority in any sense.  Said Moses, “The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.”  (Deuteronomy 7:7)

To believe that God needs superior numbers, or peoples or armies, contradicts Scripture.  Said Paul: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”  (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

Most Christians who have received undeserved grace would identify with the “lowly things of this world,” having no reason to boast.  The same applies to the Hebrew.  Therefore, the question of selection may never be answered or understood.  For the Lord says, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Exodus 3:19)

A point to recognize in the case of the Hebrews, is made by Michael Medved, a high-profile talk-show host and author who is a Jew. “According to Scripture, the Jews have been chosen for distinct responsibilities, not for unique privileges: we accept special obligations, rather than claiming special power.”[i]  The Hebrews were not chosen to have special privileges or might to take over the world, but rather were given a task. “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)

The Hebrews were made servants of God.  “But you Israel, are My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend.” (Isaiah 41:8, KJV)  By contrast, believers in Christ (whether Gentile or Jew) become God’s spiritual children.  “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13, NIV) According to Scripture, therefore, it will be the Jews that finally spread the Gospel to the four corners of the world, after the Church is gone.

The Blessings of the Jews

The Bible clearly says that the Jew will be a blessing to the world in many ways, this also being the case during the Diaspora.  “As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing.” (Zechariah 8:13)

Possibly without major exception, every nation that gave harbor to the Jews eventually prospered and rose in prominence.  For example, during the Golden age of Poland of the mid-1800s, approximately 30% of all Jews were estimated to be living in that country at that time.  Later, the Jews were severely persecuted.  It has been a long time since Poland has been a prominent country.  The same applies to Spain after the 1400s.  Before that time, Jews were a large reason for the prosperity and progress of Spain.  To no surprise, Spain rapidly declined after 1492, the year the Jews were expelled.

Indeed, the Jew has brought great blessings to the world in many ways.  Just as the Bible said: “The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.” (Micah 5:7)

Other examples could be cited, including Russia and even the Ottoman Empire, a Muslim empire that during one time allowed a great deal of freedom to the Jews (however, not at other times, nor hardly so in Turkey today). But how does this observation reflect upon the world today? Frankly it begs the question of the role of the Jew in America today in which live approximately 60% of the Diaspora Jews.  Consider that the period since the 1950s has been dubbed by some as the Golden Age of the America Jew.  We will consider the implications of this situation in Part II.

The Great Dysfunctional Blessing

The Jew’s state of separateness combined with cycles of oppression and their fervent belief that they have a future, contributed to the crucible out which were forged great achievements.  This incredible state that God has cast upon them — in a sense, ensuring their survival and the fulfillment of the prophecies — brings to mind Johnny Cash’s famous song, “A Boy Named Sue.”

Not at all attempting to belittle this topic, consider the song’s central message. The story is told of a father who would not be around to raise his son, so he named him “Sue.”  Because of the ridicule and trouble that this name would bring the boy, the Father was sure that he would survive.

In this sense, God has also marked the Jew.  After He divorced and abandoned them to the Diaspora and they continued to stay separate and practice the Sabbath, the factors contributing to their persecution has pressurized them to excel and survive.  Albert Einstein was to have said, “It may be thanks to anti-Semitism that we are able to preserve our existence as a race; that at any rate is my belief.”

So we see that a repetitive and chronically depressing cycle has played out over the millennia.  Wherever and whenever Jews were allowed an environment to do so, out of the crucible of their oppression, they prospered.  The nations in which they resided also prospered.  Then, usually, after a period, jealousy or some other type of loathing set in and they were expelled, suppressed or murdered.  Why? While there are many reasons, one factor certainly always played a role.

Money and the Jew

The world is thankful for the many achievements of the Jewish people, the many Jewish Nobel prize laureates—about one-fifth have been Jewish—the great inventions and arts.  We see that the Jew has excelled in almost every faculty with the possible exception of sports.  Gentiles laud Jews for these achievements.  Few would feel jealous that many of the greatest violin soloists were Jewish or that an outsized number of the Boston Symphonic Orchestra may be Jewish.

Yet, there is one area that has almost always unleashed a renewed hatred of the Jew—“the love of money.”  It seems that the Jew is connected with the topic of money. Is this reputation deserved?  To no surprise, the Koran (written in the 7^th century) makes this claim about the Jews: "They delight in twisting words and distort even the word of God. They break their contracts and are treacherous. They hound the people for money. They boast of special privileges in the life to come, yet cling tenaciously to life on this earth." 

But now we tread on a charged topic.  Therefore, before considering this issue any further, a review of history and facts is first necessary to ensure that we present a balanced answer.

To begin with, that money should be such an effective instrument to incite the persecution of the Jew should be no surprise.  It is important to understand the dynamics at play here so as not to fall prey to this satanic scheme.  Crucial to remember is that the love of money strikes to the very core of mankind’s susceptibly corrupt nature.  According to Apostle Paul, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” (I Timothy 6:10)  An improper attitude to money, whether jealousy or obsession, is an extremely potent lure to destruction for both Jew and Gentile.

The second point to realize is that there is no mystery to the basic task of accumulating capital.  Simply viewed, it takes time, disciplined saving and only a little bit of extra effort.  Were you to save only 2% more of your earnings than your neighbor every year, and work only 2% harder (everything else being equal) it would take only 25 to 35 years for you to be twice as wealthy.  And, this is a conservative scenario.  It is not unusual to see immigrants work harder.  Why?  They feel a more urgent need to establish themselves.  Imagine how much more disciplined and striving would be a people that throughout history has been persecuted.  It is no surprise that such people do generally become wealthier, if allowed the opportunity.

Lastly, though Jews in America have become wealthier than the general population in the past half-century, this is usually taken far out of context.  To begin with, many immigrant groups have risen to prominence or above-average achievement in one sense or another.  This is true for Asians, Chinese and others.  It is also true for Muslims.  They have higher incomes as a group and a much greater concentration in professional job categories such as medicine and academia.  So why pick on the Jews?

While many today believe that various Jewish lobby groups have a significant influence upon the American government, their impact is certainly debatable.  It could just as easily be said and proven that Arabs have even an even greater influence upon America.  There is no contesting the fact that America, for example, has a very special relationship with Saudi Arabia or even Kuwait.  America has sent a number of armies into the Middle East to protect the interests of these countries.  However, for some reason, this influence does not elicit as many howls of protest.

We come back to this main point: Whenever the Jew has been allowed to prosper, eventually money has played a role in a following persecution.  Invariably, the Gentile took great pleasure in stripping the Jews of their homes and wealth.  Even governments and kings would participate in these confiscations.  For example, the king of France, Philip Augustus, during the expelling of the News in 1198 AD and King Ferdinand during the expulsion of the Jews (1492) who required that 20% of all debt repudiation to Jews accrue to him.

Thoughts to Ponder

We want to come back to the role of the Gentile throughout history in relation to the Hebrews.  It would be at their hands that the Jew would suffer.  The history books are full of unspeakable atrocities and injustices.  A Gentile can only utter graven silence at the specter of this gargantuan evil.

Jesus Christ says of himself through the prophet Zechariah, “After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye—I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.  (Zechariah 2:8-9)

We are alerted to understand that just because God has decreed a disciplining or punishment upon His people, it does not absolve Gentile people and nations whom He might use as His instruments to do so.  The example of Babylon’s role in the Old Testament in this regard illustrates this point clearly.  While the prophets far in advance identified Babylon as the tool that God would use to bring His judgment against Judah, it was still counted as evil that this nation would touch Jacob.  "But when the seventy years [ of captivity] are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,"  (Jeremiah 25:12)

It was the same of the Edomites, the descendants of Esau.  Though Esau was the brother of Jacob, his progeny was punished for their adversity and plundering of the Jews.  (See Joel 3:19 and Amos 1:6 to 2:1)  If this was the case, we can be sure that members of the Church, part of the Olive Tree, will surely be accountable for their deeds and thoughts against them.

While God has been the author of the Jew’s sentence into the Diaspora, both the Gentile and Jew have been complicit it is carrying out and completion.  However, a Christian need not — must not — be part of these injustices though God may have allowed the Gentile role in this manner.

Though God decreed this time upon our brother, the Jew, we still individually have a choice in the matter.  We dare not be part of this sin, for it indeed is something that will be severely punished.  For the Bible says, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3)

In the final part of this topic series, we review the role of the false church and America in the prophesied time-line of the Jew.

October 2007 – Wilfred J. Hahn

 

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About the Author:  Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist.  Formerly a top-ranked global analyst and chairman of the country’s largest global investment operation his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization.  He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages.  His most recent book is The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free.

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[i] Michael Medved, Why the world hates the Jews, August 9, 2006. Accessed August 26, http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/2006/08/09/why_the_world_hates_the_jews