In the book of Ezekiel Chapter 35 verse 5 we read ‘Because you harboured an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax, ⁶ therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you”. In the book of Zechariah Chapter 1 we read in verse 5 “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, ¹⁵ and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’

Both these prophecies concern how the nations have dealt with Israel and how God has seen exactly what they have done. The ancient hostility referred to in the Ezekiel prophecy refers to Edom and we can see that there is hostility which is rooted in the past.

The Scriptures record the ancient hostility as follows;

The Nation of Israel is descended from Jacob, the Nation of Edom is descended from Esau GENESIS 25:23.

The Lord told Rebekah that there were two nations in her womb and that the two peoples will be separated GENESIS 25:19-26. One of Rebekah’s sons Esau sold his birthright and blessing to Jacob the other son. GENESIS 25:29-34. 

This was common practice in the time of Abraham as we can see from historic documents found near a place called Nuzi in the Chaldeans near to Abraham’s birth place which show us that one could sell his inheritance.  The Nuzi documents, as these ancient records, are called show us that one older brother sold his birthright to his younger brother for three goats.

Then we see Edom in scripture when he refused to allow Israel to pass through the land NUMBERS 20:14-22. After that point Israel’s Kings had constant conflict with Edom Saul - 1 Samuel 14:47 David has conflict with Edom - 2 Samuel 8:13, 14, and then Solomon- I Kings 11:14-22 and Jehoram - 2 Kings 8:20-22 and 2 Chronicles 21:8. This conflict continues today as the Arab nations founded by Edom attempt to destroy Israel by whatever means.

What then can we understand from the scripture in Zechariah? The point here is that when God scattered the Jewish people throughout the farthest corners of the earth the nations themselves added to that punishment by murdering, persecuting and abusing the Jewish people. God is angry with those nations and as we see in Mathew 25 verses 31 -33 Yeshua will return and Judge the Nations as sheep and goats for their abuse or kindness towards Israel. When Yeshua makes this proclamation He is quoting from Joel 3 v 2.

When we look at both Ezekiel’s and Zechariah’s scripture there are principles that can be identified within Christendom. Christendom has been hostile to the Jews since Marcion bon 85 AD an early church Gentile leader who refused to accept Old Testament scripture and the book of Mathew because he didn’t want to connect Yeshua to His Jewish family. From that time on Church leaders have vilified, Jews, Israel and Judaism. So great was this hatred that Christendom became the Jews greatest adversary murdering millions throughout the centuries, particularly during the Crusades and Inquisition and then finally fuelling the hatred which led to the Holocaust. All Holocaust historians, Christian, Jewish and secular agree that without Christendom the Holocaust could not have taken place.

The question has then to be asked does Christendom still carry this ancient hostility and does Christendom still persecute the Jewish people. To answer these questions fully you have to research the current trends and teachings within Christendom and examine the subject on an individual nation basis. For example in Holland there is a strong Christian support for Israel. In many states in America that is also the case. However there is a growing number of Christians in America and here in the UK who hold with the non-biblical and false Political view that Israel does not have rights to certain areas of the land and are an occupying force.

The Church of England, The Church of Scotland, The Methodists, Presbyterians, and Church in Wales have over recent years, called for boycotts of some description or another against Israel. Christian organisations such as Sabeel, The Amos Trust and Christ at the Check Point have distorted views of scripture and a clear hatred of the idea that Jews have Biblical and Political rights over the land of Israel. Many of the leaders of the Emerging Church movement speak in terms of social justice as a means to vilify Israel. The Emerging Church movement also carries with it an ancient hatred towards Israel and The Laws of God. The teaching within this movement is aligned more with theosophy rather than Scripture and their idea that Israel is a barrier to world peace is in line with the writings of the founder of theosophy Helena Blavatsky of the late eighteen hundreds rather than Christianity.

I wrote in my blog last week that at least two of the Christian summer camps in the UK will host teachers who refuse to accept the many scriptures promising the Jews the Land. Many refuse to accept the prophecies in the book of Daniel and Revelation both speaking about the end times. We can write to the leadership of these organisations, as I have done, and point out the wrong teaching but the leadership often display a very hard hearted position. The replies we receive appear to be couched in love and blessing towards ourselves as complainants but are in fact a denial of the truth of scripture and the facts on the ground. This of course is a continuation Christendom’s position over centuries.

The simple truth is that many within Christendom believe they are completely separated from any connection with Israel. They have disregarded the scriptures which tell of Yeshua shepherding Gentiles into the same fold as the Jews -John Chapter 10. Or the teaching of Paul that tells us we are grafted in Romans 11. They ignore the words of Paul that we are to uphold the Torah –Romans 3 v 31. They simply believe that God has finished with the Jewish people and the Torah and have raged against Israel and The Laws of God for two thousand years.

This ancient hostility is fuelling many within Christendom today but is in direct opposition to God is opposing God and in fact opposing many the Political agreements of the past. Christendom has aligned with the hostility of Edom and perpetuating that today.

In the scriptures of Ezekiel and Zechariah, as mentioned at the beginning of my blog, it is clear that God is watching everything that is done and said. These scriptures make it clear that there is without doubt a punishment attacked to our actions against Israel.

The last verses in Mathew 25 also make this very clear as when we read the least of these He is referring to the Jewish people;

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.^{43 “}Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

For twenty centuries many within Christendom have left the Jews hungry, thirsty, unclothed, sick and in prison and continues to do so today.

What then should we Bible believing Christians do? The non-Biblical and ill-informed Political positions of those who hate Israel often lie and deceive as an expression of that ancient hostility. This has gone on for centuries and continues today with some leaders using their position as Church leaders a mask for their antisemitic motives.

The first thing we have to do if we are part of a church movement or organisation which opposes Israel, or is even apathetic towards Israel and Gods Laws is to say sorry to God.  We have to repent of being a part of an organisation or Church which is opposed to the very words God spoke through the prophets. Repentance is the only way to be right with God. We also have to learn to speak out and to have the courage to join with those congregations who do support Israel. With God we cannot be a bystander and neither can we condone the actions of others by remaining silent because silence is often a confirmation to those leaders that you are their followers.

If you would like to join with Fathers House or Christians for Zion in our support of Israel and our goal of biblical education just send me an e-mail and we will welcome you.

Michael Fryer