A Plea to US Christians - Stop Iran & Save Israel and the West!!

The clock is ticking, yet no one wishes to hear it. The countdown to a nuclear Iran has begun, and with each passing day the nightmare scenario draws ever closer to becoming a reality.

In just a few months' time, if all goes according to plan, the tyrant of Teheran will preside over a celebration of terrifying, and history-altering, significance.

His goal, as he has stated repeatedly in recent weeks, is to complete the installation of thousands of centrifuges, the devices used to enrich uranium, by the end of March 2007.

This will give the ayatollahs the ability to start producing nuclear weapons, and to spread nuclear terror far and wide, threatening the existence not only of Israel, but of Western civilization itself.

The would-be Hitler of Persia has already made it abundantly clear that he plans to wipe Israel and its millions of Jews off the map. And last week he told Western leaders that their turn would soon be next: "If you do not respond to the divine call," he warned, "you will die soon and vanish from the face of the earth."

Three months. That's all we've got. That's all that stands right now between the world as we know it, and one in which the Persian executioner will be able to put his finger on the nuclear button.

This can not be allowed to happen. The danger is too great, the peril is too real.

Now is the time for all those who love Israel to stand up and be counted. Now is the time for pro-Israel Christians everywhere, and especially in the US, to rise up and cry out on behalf of God's people.

Storm the heavens with your prayers, and the White House with your pleas. Speak out now and urge US President George W. Bush to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat once and for all.

BY NOW it should be clear: Nothing less than US military action is going to deter Teheran from pursuing its nuclear goals. Threats of sanctions and finger-wagging have failed to do the job.

Europe is hopelessly weak and conciliatory, and the United Nations is completely inept. There is one man, and one man alone, whom God has put in a position to stop Iran, and that man's name is George W. Bush.

But the president is under attack, as the media and his critics do their utmost to tear him down. They hate him and everything he stands for, and will stop at nothing to spoil his remaining time in office.

The president is a good man, and a man of faith. He knows what needs to be done; but like any leader, he also needs to hear from those who put him in office.

And that, dear Christians, is where you come in to play.

With your size and your influence, and yes, with your faith, it is you who can make a difference at this critical juncture for Israel and the West.

Many of my fellow Jews in the US are largely silent, afraid to be seen as leading the charge. It is as if they learned nothing from the Jewish people's horrific experience in Europe over six decades ago, when silence in America made possible extermination across the sea.

But you know better than that, and you are not afraid.

On issues that you care about, you have demonstrated an impressive ability to affect US policy, mustering the passion and power necessary to shape debate. Now, more than ever, is the time to do so again, for the threat to us all is very, very real.

Flood the White House and Congress with your concerns. Let them know that you fear for Israel and its safety. Urge your elected officials to hit Iran hard, and soon. Not merely with criticism, but with bombs as well.

Because unless the US Air Force goes into action, the mullahs of Teheran will jeopardize everything we hold dear.

Israel, as you know, is the "apple of His eye" (see Deut. 32:10 and Zech. 2:12). And G-d has made clear in His Scripture what He expects from people of faith at times such as these, when Israel is in danger.

"You who make mention of the L-rd," says the prophet Isaiah (Chap. 62: 6-7), "do not keep silent, and give Him no rest until He establishes and until He makes Jerusalem unto a praise in the earth."

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem," says the Psalmist, in Psalm 122. "They that love thee shall prosper."

These aren't just guidelines or recommendations from books of old. They are a command to each and every one of us, Jew and Christian alike, to stand up and speak out when Israel is under threat.

I have no doubt, not one iota of disbelief, that G-d will save His people Israel. Deliverance comes from Him, and Him alone. But each of us must do our part to help bring it about.

And you, dear Christians, now have the power, and the opportunity, to do so. To move the president's heart, and to save Israel and the West from a truly diabolical fate.

So please, don't tarry - we dare not delay. The clock is winding down, the alarm bells are ringing. Raise your voices in prayer and supplication. The time to do something is now, and there is not a moment to waste.

--- from my column in the December 13 Jerusalem Post

Comments

[Debbie]

Michael, you are being a "Yaakov" and not a "Yisrael"! I think you know what I mean. (Hint: Last week's parsha.)

Prayers in the name of Jay-zuz are not efficacious for Am Yisrael and anyway we WANT the West to go down!! Western Xianity and Eastern Islam are at two polar extremes and BOTH are false religions which lead men astray from the Truth which Yisrael ALONE holds in the center which bridges between the two. When Am Yisrael is finally made to understand that we have NO FRIEND in all the world but our Father in Heaven, then HE will save us and not before.

Az gam zu l'tov.

[Rench]

Certenely i can not stop Iran.All the governments of interest with regard to the Iranian problems most be clear with Iran, nukes are not exceptable for your nation.Simply put Iran is to irrasponsable.Yet Iran countinues ahead,with presumably a nuke weapons interest.Now my prayers are usauly cautious yet sure.We all could wish the current situation was somthing other than what it appears to be.So simply put 1. either Iran is not and has NO interest in these appacaliptic weapons,or 2. Iran does and is pursuing these weapons progressevly.If the first is the case then the picture is a tade less grimm.But needless to say if the 2nd is the case then most outcomes i can think of are omenous ineed.So my recamendation of prayer is and would be,Lord have mercy.Also i have the sense the west if you will,is way behind the perverbial eightball in the battle ageinst the Islamic radicalism faced incresinly.Remember the Iranian revaloution was all abot the AlQueda ideals as well as the ex Arafat ideals and any number of the mirade of other "Terro" groups.This trend in Islam goes way back.Iran just reinvigerated it in modern days.I hesatate to say this, but the Die may be cast.And the best any of us can do on a indavidual leval or a State leveal is be clear and prepare for a recongning.

[M. D'Souza]

What we are witnessing in the world today is a spiritual battle between good and evil. This spiritual battle can be won only through prayers. When G-D of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob becomes the General and Commander-in-Chief of this battle, victory will be won against all these evil forces that want to destroy Israel and Western civilization.

What Israel needs during this time of Hanukkah, is a Mattathias (or Mittityahu); his five sons - the true worshippers of G-D of Israel from the five continents; and Jewish volunteers who are the true followers of G-D. There are many US Christians who follow the G-D of Israel, follow His commandments and learn what He has told us regarding the 'latter days', through His prophets.

To the Jews who have an opposition to this plea to Christians, one needs to ask: What were the members of Naturei Karta (Orthodox Jews United Against Zionism) doing at Iran's Holocaust Denial Conference? There was Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, NY, proudly displaying a Palestinian flag on his coat pocket and was seen hugging the Tyrant of Tehran. It's your own Jews (Orthodox Rabbis - Rabbi Dovid Feldman, Rabbi Yeshaye Rosenberg) who are delegitimizing Israel. Does Israel require worse enemies than these 'religious' Jews?

All over the world, there are many people - Christians, Hindus and others, who have suffered from Islamic invasions and massacres. They know what is at stake for Israel and are sympathetic to Israel's plight, especially when they hear the tirades emanating from Iran. G-D sees the heart of the worshipper who worships Him in spirit and in truth. He does not care for traditional worship or a big show of prostrating 5 times a day, when the heart is filled with hatred and evil intentions.

If we wish to live in peace in this world, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. By doing so we will not only thwart the evil intentions of the enemy, but also be blessed for praying for the Jews and praying for Israel. We in turn will send our petitions to Pres.Bush as well as our congressmen to deal with Iran and its nuclear ambitions.

Yesterday (Dec.12), in a speech Kofi Annan was praising the actions taken by the former US Pres.Harry Truman during World War II. One should not forget, that it was Truman who authorized the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Was Kofi Annan, with all his diatribe against Pres.George Bush, actually implying that Bush bomb Iran and Syria???

[Albert Cheng]

Here is an interesting article on the Kaifeng Jewish descendants of China that you might want to put on your Shavei Israel website Michael:

http://www.sino-judaic.org/pointseast/israelivisitskaifeng.html

[Luigi Frascati]

Good evening Mr. Freund,

As you can see from some of the foregoing comments, not all Christians are sympathetic to the Jewish or otherwise Israeli cause – particularly if to capture their attention one spreads around declarations the likes of “ … [George W. Bush] is a good man …” or even more “He knows what needs to be done;”. Heck, the man can’t even pronounce the word ‘nuclear’ … Besides, as much as Christians are famous for storming just about anything in sight – and have so amply demonstrated in the past, I wasn’t aware that they could also “Storm the heavens with [their] prayers”. I thought that after two millennia of continuous warfare, Christians weren’t even allowed or admitted into Heaven – let alone praying there. But I digress.

I do in fact praise your idyllic views of Christians. Your views somehow soothe the fifty percent of myself, which belongs to Christianity. I also praise your post and think it is one of the best you have ever authored, albeit certainly one of the least political. It is a post that you have written from the bottom of your heart, and for that you certainly deserve to be commended. However, the fifty percent of me that belongs to Judaism somehow tells me that it contains a few inaccuracies that need to be rectified.

For instance, you give the erroneous impression that come April 1, 2007 (Fools Day!!) Iran will possess a nuclear device ready to be detonated right into the city centre of Tel Aviv. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Iran has seemingly chosen what it is referred to as ‘dual technology’ in the preparation of nuclear fuels. The 3000 or so centrifuges that Iran has imported or plans to import and set up in operation are used to enrich uranium yellowcake to a grade of 4.8 percent (U-238) for use both in the fabrication of radioactive rods used to generate nuclear power, as well as to be employed in the construction of nuclear explosive devices (weapons grade).

Because of the use of dual technology, Iran can produce only atomic weapons but not thermonuclear weapons, which employ an entirely different process (using deuterium, as opposed to uranium) and which are a thousand times more powerful then regular atomic bombs. It is estimated that it would take Iran about one year to assemble one fully functional atomic weapon once the necessary U-238 has been enriched. And after Iran accomplishes that, the Mullahs face the deliverance problem.

Iran can strike Israel today using the Shahab 3D guided missile prototype, which could be modified to carry a nuclear weapon, but this missile is slow and easily detectable. Likewise, deliverance could be done using conventional aircraft, but that too would be too slow and easily detectable. Or it could be done at a later date using the Zelzal 3 ballistic missile, presently under construction. However, the greatest threat to Israel would probably be posed by what it is known as ‘weapons miniaturization’, that is the production of small, powerful nuclear weapons that could be smuggled – say – into Lebanon and exploded right there, thus killing a great number of Lebanese and, consequentially, a great number of the surrounding populations as well through radioactive fallout, including Israelis, Syrians, Jordanians and possibly Cypriots, Turks and even Egyptians. Weapons miniaturization, however, requires an advanced weaponry design and engineering knowledge that not even Pakistan and India possess, let alone Iran.

The main political international controversy surrounding Iran’s nuclear capability revolves not around the nuclear capability itself but, rather, around the notorious unreliability of the Islamic regime. This means that the main worries of the West are not focused on Iran striking Israel, or anyone else for that matter. Any such action would immediately invite a retaliatory strike that would pulverize Iran as we know it. What worries specifically ’good’ President Bush and just about everybody else is the fact that Iran could sell this newly-acquired technology piecemeal to organizations the likes of Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, Al-Fatah and, for that matter, also to other terror organizations as well, such as the Chechen militia (whose bases are located in Iran), the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka, the Janjaweed in the Sudan and all sorts of neo-nazist organizations from the likes of the Aryan Nations in the U.S. to the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda.

All this would make tracking nuclear proliferation next to impossible, and thereby entirely defeating the purpose for the existence of the International Atomic Energy Agency (with URL at http://www.iaea.org for yours as well as your readers information).

[Luigi Frascati]

Incidentally, Mr. Freund, if you or your readers take Google Earth and punch in "Dimona, Israel" you can see where Israel's nukes used to be produced. If you punch in "HaDarom, Israel" you can see where a good number of your 200 nukes used to be stored.

Although it is unknown whether Israel still keeps them there - I guess to find out if they are still there, we need another slip of the tongue of PM Olmert .... ooops.

[Al Strap]

1. We -- Jews and Christians -- should pray to G-d, not to each other.
2. Speaking of the Jerusalem Post (where this article was previously published): They have taken your earlier front-page coverage of two misguided, insane Jews (dressed like rabbis) greeting the Iranian Hitler and carried it to an embarrassing extreme. Their "coverage" of the Iranian Holocaust-denial conference highlighted these inconsequential, insane Jews dressed like rabbis -- and "ordained" as "rabbis" by the Post-- and made it seem to Israelis and to the entire world (after the AP and others picked up the story) that there are real "rabbis" who hate other Jews! Shame on you and the JP! You both had better pray to G-d and hope he forgives you for this major Chilul HaShem (desecration of His Name)!

[dad]

let israel start the battle . GOD IS BEHIND HER.

[Lee]

Michael,

As a 'Christian' I pray for Israel each day, and what I say I say with love. You need to understand that Israel must not trust in the nations. You are looking for the U.S. to deliver you, they can't do it. They are but mere men. Look to your God, look to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the only one that will deliver you, not some pagan nation. The U.S. government only does those things that are good for it. It seems now that Bush and his cronies, after slaughtering 100's of thousands of Iraqi's don't have the firepower nor the guts to go after Iran. They would now rather make peace with them, even if that means turning you over to them.

Your history has proven, when you are walking in His ways and you cry out to God, He delivers you. Do it now and He will deliver you, and what an awesome delivery it will be! The U.S. can't even deliver itself, much less some other nation. Look at the Maccabees. They would not bow to the nations and, with God on their side, they defeated the world power. You can also! Why are you asking others to seek out God? You can do it yourself.

Calling the White House and all the other dirty politicians won't do any good. All of the rallies and phone calls and petitions didn't stop the Israeli government from throwing 10,000 people out of their houses. It won't work now.

I will continue to pray for Israel and to do the work that I do to support Israel. I will do all that I can. But you must look to God, He alone is your deliverer. There is no man -- be he Bush, Netanyahu, or any other one --that can deliver you. Only God can do that. Am Yisrael Chai!

[Victor Passenheim]

To Debbie,

God is able to cause any people to repent and thereby listen to their prayer of repentance - take Nineveh for example. Furthermore, God's purposes for His people do NOT exclude the nations of the world.

I think it may be a little humbling to take these things into account, so, by all means, do.

To David Matthews and DB:

Neither of you are Christians since you clearly cannot distinguish the difference between right and wrong.

Likewise, you're not very smart since you fail to realize that the incredible freedoms, wealth, and quality of living you enjoy today are due to the overwhelming positive influence of Jews and the Jewish heritage in your society today. And the best you can do is spit back in the face. Shame! Except your arrogant to be ashamed.

Furthermore, Mark Twain was a great supporter of the Jewish people - so that's another thing you've perverted, DB.

Your legacy will be remembered - NOT!

To Juan and other false accusers,

For the real story behind Jewish bolshevism read the following link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Bolshevism

and here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Russia_and_Soviet_Union

Finally,

To everyone, what Mr. Freund is trying to do with this article is appeal to the reason of people of faith.

Apparently, a lot of people have taken this as yet another signal for them to bitch and whine and to give umpteen lame excuses for how they are NOT going to help out.

What a shame.

[Linda Rivera]

U.S. IMMORAL NON-RESPONSE to Iran's Declarations to DESTROY BOTH Israel and the U.S.
The US, threatened with nuclear destruction has abdicated its responsibility to protect the US and Israel. There are US politicians who for PR purposes, and to garner votes, proclaim they are Christians. In reality, these politicians hate G-D, Judaism & Christianity - this hate motivates their decisions. The US EU plan for a Global Islamic Terror State reducing tiny Israel at mid-section to 9 miles wide INDEFENSIBLE borders EMPOWERS a second Holocaust of Jews. It is left to Israel alone to prevent a nuclear holocaust and a Global Islamic Terror State in Israel.

[Izzy]

We could and should support all Iranian dissidents and dissident groups.
The present revolutionary(maniacal) government in Iran must be overthrown.

Maybe someone will assassinate Ahjminajad. Then the world can breathe a litttle easier

[Joan Lopez]

I am appalled at the responses that I've just read. Please know that this evangelical Christian does love Israel and prays for her daily.
I also support Israel with my money, my time and by writing letters to newspaper editors in support of Israel.

And, know this too, there are a great many us that support Israel.

Joan Lopez, USA

[Lisa]

I am NOT a christian. I pray for YisraEL daily. Man will do what man will do and YHWH will do what HE wants to do. Until everyone on earth understands there is only one true Elohim and they obey HIS commands and right-rulings, things will continue to be this way.
May the Shalom of YisraEL come soon!
Baruch Hashem YHWH

[Deacon Moran McMahon]

I don't believe that Israel should rely or depend upon the US to save it from Iran's terrorist regime. Israel will have to strike first and strongly. Israel cannot afford another holocaust.

[John]

I too am appalled! What is the matter with you Christians out there!? I am proud to be a member of CUFI, Christians United for Israel and fully support, through my prayers and finances The work of Israel. Don't be deceived! G_d's promises are just as real for Irael as they were thousands of years ago. God said very plainly that if you bless Israel you will be blessed. Curse Israel and you will be cursed. Whats the hard part here?! I stand with you Mr. Freund as a christian and an American. God will not let you down and those who have promised to themselves Israels destruction will instead find the wrath of G_d's judgement on their soon to be non-existant nations. The goats have spoken through their ignorance and they will pay the price!
Look at the signs of the times my people! the Jews are comming home as was prophecied! Are we not to watch the fig tree? I emplore you to get back to the word and be a blessing to Irseal! Pray! Repent! Praise Elohim for his grace and tender mercies!
Shalom Shalom....

[Kim Segar]

Everything G-d told us through the Prophets is happening an will continue to. Prayer is so powerful and we need to be doing it nite and day with out ceasing..G-d let us know that no one will ever move His Chosen off the Holy Hill. Does America and the rest of the world think that is only Jews G-d's disipline ?? The apostasy He said had to come , just before He returns..where Truth is thrown out..It is world wide. Israel will win this last war too as it is written and only those who love her and bless her and refuse to believe the lies will rejoice with her and Her King forever. Man never saved anyone and when they get thru destroying much, G-d will set His eyes on Israel and destroy all Her enemies..Same on the churches who follow men, the wolves and the false ones that have not the G-d of Israel.They can put the word church in where it should read as it is written..JEWS and ISRAEL but that won't change G-d's word or fulfillment of what HE has spoken. I will stand with Israel forever...and I will rejoice with them in that day..gen 12:3 is forever and ever and ever !! G-d bless the Jewish people, G-d's first born He said He would never forget. One day soon they will call on HIM and many more becasue of the calling or the hate mongers in all the nations ,,they will go home. They are my heart

[Rev. Kevin S. Johnson]

I have been an American Evangelical Christian leader of an apologetics organization and a talk show guest/host for the last 22 years. I have led or co-led 4 tours to Israel. My paternal grandmother from Sweden was Jewish for which Hitler would have put me in Auschwitz . However, my true connection to Israel is through Yeshua of Nazareth.

We are very pro-Israel on our radio program at contender.org. It is true the prophecies of the Scriptures are coming true in front of our eyes with most Jews and Christians snoring away. I would urge everyone to make yourself familiar with Joel Rosenberg's best-selling books. He too has a Jewish father and a gentile mother and is an Evangelical. The council of Yavneh 80-110 AD continues to do its dubious work supposedly keeping Israel intact as a people while ignoring much of Moses and certainly Yeshua.

The need for Christians in Ameica to beseech their government to help Israel is a real one. Israeli author Avi Lipkin is a very personal friend of mine and I love him very much though he is NOT a messianic believer. One of his last books was entitled: "Christian Revival For Israel's Survival." He makes the same case as this article above, Christians are honor bound through love of YHWH Lord of Avraham, Yitzach and Yacov/Yisrael to love His people in spite of their faults perceived or real.

I would urge the same things as those urged in the article! Even nominal Christians and atheistic Americans should see the logic of standing against the insanity that is currently manifested in Iran (The "Persia" of Ezekiel 38 and 39)! I hope that true Jews can see the friends they have in true Christians and that they, like my friend Avi, can see that non-replacement theology Christians consider themselves grafted into Israel and stand staunchly with the Jewish people and their biblical right to the land.

[Rev. Kevin S. Johnson]

I have been an American Evangelical Christian leader of an apologetics organization and a talk show guest/host for the last 22 years. I have led or co-led 4 tours to Israel. My paternal grandmother from Sweden was Jewish for which Hitler would have put me in Auschwitz . However, my true connection to Israel is through Yeshua of Nazareth.

We are very pro-Israel on our radio program at contender.org. It is true the prophecies of the Scriptures are coming true in front of our eyes with most Jews and Christians snoring away. I would urge everyone to make yourself familiar with Joel Rosenberg's best-selling books. He too has a Jewish father and a gentile mother and is an Evangelical. The council of Yavneh 80-110 AD continues to do its dubious work supposedly keeping Israel intact as a people while ignoring much of Moses and certainly Yeshua.

The need for Christians in Ameica to beseech their government to help Israel is a real one. Israeli author Avi Lipkin is a very personal friend of mine and I love him very much though he is NOT a messianic believer. One of his last books was entitled: "Christian Revival For Israel's Survival." He makes the same case as this article above, Christians are honor bound through love of YHWH Lord of Avraham, Yitzach and Yacov/Yisrael to love His people in spite of their faults perceived or real.

I would urge the same things as those urged in the article! Even nominal Christians and atheistic Americans should see the logic of standing against the insanity that is currently manifested in Iran (The "Persia" of Ezekiel 38 and 39)! I hope that true Jews can see the friends they have in true Christians and that they, like my friend Avi, can see that non-replacement theology Christians consider themselves grafted into Israel and stand staunchly with the Jewish people and their biblical right to the land.

[Hersh Finklestein]

This is the worst thing we can do - it is exactly WHAT THE CHRISTIANS WANT! You seem totally unaware of every believing Christian's agenda -mwhich is conversion of theJews, their destruction and take their place as the true inheritors of the Land of Israel. They have already make great strides in entering and even controlling our impportant institutions and you seem blissfully aware of their activities in Yesha - all designed to 1] change the demographic state of this country making it Jew-free and 2]prepare the ground for their saviour's second coming. It is the ignorance of the many here and the misguided and devious policy statements of others-including you -that can bring the catastrophe God forbid on our country and its people.
Just for the record, there is no such animal as the "Christian Zionist' or the "Christian Lover of Israel". This is really a cover-up. What is meant is "lovers of the country of Israel -but intense hatred the Jews!"
You seem completely unaware of the plans of those whom you wish to approach on behalf of Israel; you are either naive or panic-stricken with little faith . Not only is this plea of yours a betrayal of Jewish Tradition it the betrayal of thousands of years of Jewish martyrdom.
You should reconsider and realise the shame you have caused and thereafter issue a retraction.
We'll come through without the goyim - as we have always done.....please God!

Yours etc.

Dr Hersh Finklestein

Dr Hersh Finklestein

[florance]

I agree with Mr. Freund that we should (all) dare to speak out and stand up for Israel-- and, may I also add, especially while we all still have the freedom of speech to do that. I believe the time will come sooner than we think that we will no longer have that freedom-- especially if we continue to be apathetic, as we all have been for the most part. And, even when our freedom speech is taken away, we should still speak out anyway for what we (know) is right, even if it costs us our lives.

To me it unfortunately seems that many people in America seem to have the attitude, "I don't care what happens to Iraq or Israel, or my neighbor in general, as long as I'm okay, nice and comfy." But, if we as a nation do not continue to defend Iraq and Israel, and our neighbor, and if we defiantly refuse to be our brother's keeper- which is exactly what the enemy wants us to do- than our enemy will come over here to our country-the United States of America- and finish the job they started on 911. They are looking for every opportunity to do that anyway. How can we be so ignorant and uncaring of that-- until (after) it happens, and than it is too late?!!!

We as individuals and as a nation have a G-d given responsibility to defend and be our brother's keeper in the behalf of Iraq, Israel, etc. The war in Iraq- including Israel- kind of reminds me of all the complaining that went on after Moses sent out 12 men to spy out the land of Canaan, and only two men came back, Joshua and Caleb and said, "Let's go get em boys, because G-d is able to give us the Victory. Charge!!!"

The other ten men murmured and complained and discouraged the hearts of all the rest of the people about how they were like grasshoppers among giants, and they could never win, which showed they weren't Trusting The L-rd for their Victory. And, as a result they all greatly suffered for that and many died.

Aren't we kind of like that too as a nation when the majority say, "This is a war we can never win?" But, we for sure won't win, if we give up like a whipped pup tucking its tail in between its legs and run the other direction in retreat, cowardness and defeat. That's exactly what our enemy is waiting for and wants us as a nation to do, so they can pursue us and finish the job they started on 911.

Why are we all so willing to make it so easy for them? The enemy does (not) respect us al all for being like that. They see us as a mealy mouthed, pushover nation- a nation of whimps. Isn't it better to be a nation of fighters of freedom, than a nation of whimps and coward to the enemy?

Our enemy is presently foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog waiting and watching for the perfect time to strike and destroy us. And, they mean business in destroying both the USA and Israel, even if it means dying themselves to accomplish their mission in the name of their so-called god- what's his name?- Doesn't The L-rd in the book of Ezekiel tell Ezekiel to tell his people (not) to make mention of the name of other gods-- except The L-rd (only)?

We (all) are our brother's keeper-- referring to the Book of Genesis after Cain killed his brother Able, and G-d asked him,--"Where is your brother, Able, for his blood cries out to me from the ground." I can only kind of imagine G-d asking the USA- and/or you and me individually (IF) the President of Iran got his wish, which he (WON'T), because he's not above The L-rd, and because of G-d's future Devine intervention in the behalf of Israel, and because G-d is going to be True and Faithful to all of H-s Promises to Israel and H-s chosen people. "Where is your brother, Israel, whom you refused to defend?" How would we feel as a nation and as individuals to stand before H-m with innocent blood on our hands?

But, Praise The L-rd, in the end, He (alone) will be their Salvation, Defender, and all in all, (if) they choose to Trust H-m (alone) and call on H-s Holy Name. Romans 10: 13 Call on the L-rd, and you shall be Saved, which is also a direct quotation from the book of Joel commanding the children of Israel to call on The L-rd and they shall be delivered........."

We as a nation and Christian people -(if) we really are that (?)- should be like Ezekiel and be willing to stand in the gap for his people, to PRAY for Israel and the Jewish people, to sound the alarm, to warn, to help and support and defend as much as possible- as we Trust G-d as our helper to do that- and PRAY for our President- perfect or imperfect, and remembering that we are (not) perfect either, that's why He sent Someone very Speical to die for my sins and yours-and PRAY that our President will (not) waver in his support and defense of ISRAEL- even when it's unpopular, which it certainly is now and will become more and more unpopular as time goes on.

And, even though we or our nation does (not) have the power to Save Israel or even ourselves-- (only) The L-rd does-- we should (all) still at least be willing to do our part big or small, because someday when we (all) stand before H-m, He will hold us (all) accountable for that.

The ball's in our court now.

[Henry Anderson]

As one who worships the God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob(Israel)I know that He is also the God of Judah (Jews). They have strayed from His laws and commandments as also have the nominal Christians.

Those Jews who have established a state in Palistine are only one tribe of Israel, Judah by name. They call it Israel, but the lost ten tribes which together with Judah comprise Israel have not been resettled in the promised land yet, but will be shortly in the future.

We should pray for Judah, that God will save them from their and our enemies. Judah, America, England, New Zealand and Australia will be subjected to terrible trials in order to bring them to trust in God instead of their own power, before He delivers them from their enemies and bring them back together in what is called "The Holy Land".

[Kevin Johnson]

Dear Dr. Finklestein,
With all due respect I believe you are very wrong in your understanding of what Pre-Millenial Christianity believes. We believe that we have NO right to occupy or live in the Land of Israel until Yeshua returns and then it will be primarily the natural seed of Avraham, along with those who come to trust in the Jewish Messiah (the righteous goyim), that will inhabit the land. I am against the Vatican owning things on Mt. Zion (like the tomb of David and the Upper Room) as they are replacement theology people (i.e. the Christian Church gets all blessings and replaces Israel in the plan of God for the ages) and they are NOT true allies of Israel. We DO believe that the Jewish Mashiach will establish the Jews as the head of all the nations when He reigns on Zion. We believe there will be a Jewish temple built on Moriah that will remain for at least a thousand years! Our Saviour is Jewish, speaks Hebrew and will sit on the throne of His father David where He will rule the nations of the world from Jerusalem! His father David will be co-regent with Him over Israel as per the prophecies of Ezekiel.

It is blindness and stinging bigotry to clump all Christians together and assume they hate Jews! Such presumptuosness!! Zechariah mentions that Israel will mourn for their Messiah as for an only child. Some Jews have done that already and found true shalom in Him.

I once had lunch with a Jewish man who believes Yeshua is the Messiah. He hosted a radio talk show entitled "We Can't All Be Right". He was raised orthodox and I told him it was a truly wonderful heritage that he had as a Jew. He said he wasn't Jewish anymore since he believed in Jesus and the Apostle Paul had said in Messiah there is neither Jew nor Gentile. I said that same passage of scripture says that there is also neither male nor female in Messiah. I asked him if anything had changed in that department? He laughed and said, "No!" I said that all that is intended by that passage is that there is equality of worth in Messiah. He agreed at which point I said, "Well we can't all be right." We both had a good laugh.

All we wish is for Israel to prosper and come to know the truth about Yeshua, which we consider true prosperity. Hashem will take care of that without the need for ANY Christians now needing or wanting to own or control Eretz Yisrael. I have to remind you that disagreement is not direspect and this is a disagreement that has been going on for two thousand years. There is no reason for you to malign my motives or my genuine love for Israel. You need to overcome your own prejudice and fears. Our people are philo-semitic NOT anti-semitic!

I also must remind you in no uncertain terms that the Jewish people would not "have come through" the Nazi plague without the help of men like my Uncle Claire who stormed the Omaha beach of Normandy and who consequently recieved three purple hearts and a bronze star for bravery under fire, or my Dad who had the second highest IQ test at the naval boot camp in Faragut, Idaho and consequently served at Jacksonville Air Base where he was a professor of Aviation Electronics in WWII!

Avi says we should have the Minister of Tourism go up on the Mount of Olives when the Messiah arrives there and ask Him if this is His first or second trip to Israel? I believe He would say it was His second and you His first.

Don't be like Abba Eban said about the Arabs "that they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity" when it comes to recognizing your true friends!

[Luigi Frascati]

TO Rev. Kevin S. Johnson:

Not that I am an expert on this, but I believe what Dr. Finkelstein is referring to is the concept of the “Rapture” within current Evangelical eschatology. Under this line of belief, all born-again Christians will be taken to Heaven by Christ. The side effect of all this is that Jews who do not convert to Christianity in time will perish.

All of which leaves those Jews who do not intend to convert somehow … short-changed, so to speak. Because of the Rapture, therefore, and the imposition this cast on non-convert Jews, the definition of Dr. Finkelstein that Christian Zionists or Christian Lovers of Israel means "lovers of the country of Israel -but intense hatred the Jews!" would seem to be correct. The Rapture certainly gives the impression that the love of Evangelical Christians for Israel is one-sided but, as you know, it usually takes two to make love.

Would you care to comment on this?

Many thanks.

[Kevin Johnson]

I was enjoying a Hanukkah celebration at the Israeli Consul General's home in Chicago on Lake Shore Drive and the Consul General asked us to sit with him in front of the fireplace as we watched the children play on the floor. At that moment a Hasidic Rabbi walked in sat down and asked if my friend and I were Evangelicals? I answered in the affirmative at which point he said, "I'm not sure I like what your people have planned for our people." I responded incredulously, "What are you talking about?" At which point he said, "A little thing called the "Tribulation period?" I said, 'Oh you mean the time of "Jacob's trouble" spoken of by the prophets of Israel!" He said, "Fair enough! Fair enough!"

The idea that we believe the Jews are ALL killed or perish after the rapture of the believers is a false understanding of what Evangelicals believe. After the rapture of the church or "true believers" (both Jews and Gentiles) "those "left behind" (of both Jews and Gentiles) will realize that what we have said all along is true. We hold that a believing remnant of Jews (the remnant mentioned by Zechariah) will survive the rise of a world ruler who persecutes the Jews and future gentile believers who truly trust in God and who will reject this beast's rule. We believe that the turmoil this evil person causes will be answered by the Messiah King of Israel returning and putting a stop to his reign of terror.

This future calamity of "Jacob's Trouble" is not predicated on Christian thology or speculation about the rapture, it is based on the words of the prophets of Israel. We Evangelical Christians believe the Associate of the Lord or Mashiach (Messiah) mentioned by these prophets is Yeshua of Nazareth, who was "cut off" (as Daniel predicted) BEFORE the destruction of the Temple. Daniel 9:26 says: "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary." Yeshua is the only one who fits this description.

Israeli Prophet Jeremiah in chapter 30 tells it like this:
5 "For thus says the LORD, 'I have heard a sound of terror, Of dread, and there is no peace.
6 'Ask now, and see If a male can give birth. Why do I see every man With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale?
7 'Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he will be saved from it.
8 'It shall come about on that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves.
9 'But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

Israeli Prophet Zechariah in chapters 13 and 14 says it this way:
Chapter 13
7 "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate," Declares the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones.
8 "It will come about in all the land," Declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it.
9 "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

Chapter 14 continues:
1 Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you.
2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.
3 Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.

Look, without getting into too many fine points of theology, if Yeshua is NOT the Maschiach Nagid of Israel then there will be no rapture and there will be no thousand year reign by Him from Jerusalem. There will still be the "time of Jacob's trouble." We Christians believe only Yeshua's return will bring His reign about and until that happens our marching orders are to support and love the people of Israel. We believe that it is God's will to bring Israel back to the land in unbelief from all over the world (ala Ezekiel 36 and 37) in a partial return as we see today. Then, when Messiah comes, ALL Israel will return form the four corners of the world in a second worldwide regathering. At this point they will be in strong belief in their God! If our understanding of future things is right or wrong we are still called to be supporters and lovers of Israel.

As far as the idea that it takes two to love. This is obviously a false notion as shown in the many stories of unrequited love that exist in Western literature starting in the Bible with the love God has for His wayward creation i.e. mankind.