It is true—the headlines, photos, and videos coming out of the current Mideast conflict are not seeker-sensitive. They won’t make church attendees feel good. Talking about the sensitive situation won’t fit into any church-growth strategy. It won’t encourage anyone to become purpose-driven. It could even create divisiveness.

So, I should not have been so thrown when I began to get e-mails from across the country stating variations of the following:

Jan, I was very dismayed that the church we attended did not even make mention of what was going on in Israel on Sunday, October 8. Nor did the topic arise on Wednesday night—though there were several mentions of the Houston Astros game . . . . .

No One Can Say They Didn’t Know

Has there not been wall-to-wall coverage on all media outlets, day and night, for days? Can anybody claim they didn’t know? There were demonstrations demanding that we should “gas the Jews.” The scenario could expand to a Mideast war. Some are saying World War III is at hand. We have evil at a new level on display.

And yet the silence of some shepherds is deafening!

Evangelical Foolishness

I checked the website of the largest evangelical organization—the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Wouldn’t they have a banner headline calling on us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Actually, their banner was all about racial justice.

Scrolling down, they have a blurb in an article written that Israel should not act out of revenge and that they should support the dignity of all people affected. Note to the NAE: Terrorists have no dignity. They are evil. They are demonized.

Know What You Believe!

Are pastors, churches, and denominations silent because of their theology? Perhaps it doesn’t fit with the current scenario? Perhaps they believe the church is the new Israel (Replacement Theology). Perhaps they are Amillennial, and Israel is a bit inconvenient. This belief encompasses many Protestants and all Catholics.

Outfits like Bethel Church in Redding, CA, believe in Dominionism—that is, that the church will save the world and then they establish the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. The literal restoration of Jerusalem is not important. The church supersedes the calling of Israel to be a light to the nations!

Silence in the Face of Evil is Evil!

But there is still human disaster and suffering at play here! Bonhoeffer said, “silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”  How can you be silent?

If every church in North America were to meet for special prayer, could an unspeakable disaster be averted?

Can we set aside theology and pray—from the pulpit—for the salvation of the Jews and Muslims? Don’t these esteemed church leaders know that is the only path to true peace? Many Jews and Muslims are secular and, thus, are open to the gospel.

You’re Grafted In!

May I remind all pastors and evangelical leaders that because of the Jews, we have our Bible, the prophets, the apostles, and our Messiah. In fact, “salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) Gentiles are “grafted in” to the Jewish olive tree. (Romans 11:11-31)

This is an appeal to pastors to not keep silent. Help your flock understand that Christians are often the greatest friend Israel has. At the very least, instruct them on how to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:6). Do you know there is then promised a blessing: They shall prosper who love thee?

That sounds like church growth could happen as a blessing from God!

How odd of God to choose the Jews,
But not so odd as those who choose
The Jewish God, but spurn the Jews.

 Find information below about our new prayer wall.

On October 6, 1973, the unthinkable happened. On the watch of Prime Minister Golda Meier, Israel’s enemies gathered on her borders and planned to wipe out the very memory of her existence (Psalm 83). They nearly succeeded.

Meier appealed to President Richard Nixon—no friend of the Jews, to be sure. Could America step in and avert the utter destruction of the country? Nixon’s staffers were not in favor of this, but he had the voice of his mother in his ear, who had warned him about a day like this. And when he might encounter it, please come to Israel’s aid.

And so, he did. Big time. God and Nixon saved the beleaguered nation.

No one imagined that the scenario would repeat itself in 2023. Not the exact scenario, but very similar. That was 50 years ago and a different generation. But I have some vague recollection of the Yom Kippur War and am haunted that the ghost of Golda Meier is still around. Here are some thoughts—and questions:

> This is a warning to free Western nations to protect borders because some of humanity is barbaric, and we don’t wish to be invaded. Learn from this. We keep loved ones inside and those who would harm us outside. Good fences make good neighbors, said Robert Frost.

> American politicians—and certainly those on the Left—have more concern for Ukraine than for our number one Mideast ally! Voters should take note.

> The evil on display can only be dealt with through God’s justice, not humanity’s justice. How can many on the Left, starting with “the squad,” side with barbarians? What part of “depravity” do they not get? They are tolerant, but only on behalf of evil.

> How can one of the world’s most sophisticated and high-tech nations have had such a security and intelligence slip-up? Were there not sensors and cameras along the Gaza border? Was there not chatter among the Gaza terrorists in their many months of planning? Couldn’t Israel’s world-class technology have spied on these terrorists more effectively?

> Never underestimate the Iranians who planned it all. Hang-gliders, terror squads with thousands of jihadis, bulldozers, and other war-like weaponry, should have been obvious to Israelis who never let their guard down. Yet the killers had five hours to do their dirty work before Israel could even respond!

> When America lacks a leader, the whole world groans. Earth longs for a leader, a Pied Piper to follow, even if he leads them over a cliff. One is coming who will mesmerize the left-behind world.

> Israel’s enemies don’t want a dialogue! They want her annihilation. They want Psalm 83! When can we stop forcing her to have peace talks with ruthless Islamists?

> When an evil society cries “death to America” and “death to Israel,” believe them. They mean what they say! Iran means it. Iran financed the effort, in part, thanks to a $6 billion gift from Biden and his cronies. What part of “death to Israel” do you not get? Yet the Left has “appeasing Islam” in their veins. When do we bury the perverted slogan that Islam is a religion of peace?

> Many denominations and churches cannot comprehend all that is going on. Because of their theology, Israel is an inconvenience and a thorn. A good Mid-East ally but not special to them. They have made the church the “chosen people.” How many churches this past Sunday ignored this tragedy as they sloshed around in the puddle of Replacement Theology?

> Jews have not been hunted—and slaughtered—like this since the Holocaust. Not since the Holocaust have we seen so many Jews rounded up, beaten, and humiliated in public. And never before has it happened within the borders of modern Israel.

Finally, who can forget Golda Meier’s classic statement, “When peace comes, we will perhaps, in time, be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons. Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”

Amir Tsarfati wrote this on Sunday, “Pray for Israel. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones. Pray for the captives and the wounded. They will all have incredible trauma that they will have to process through in the months and years to come.

“Pray for wisdom for Prime Minister Netanyahu and the government as they mete out their response against Hamas and evaluate the steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Most of all, pray that God is glorified somehow through this.”

Am Yisrael Chai. The people of Israel live. But they need a Savior. Be sure to tell them. His Name is Yeshua. Some day soon, they will look upon him whom they pierced and mourn (Zechariah 12:10). Only then will there be the peace in Jerusalem we pray for.

(Go see the film “Golda.” It is a compelling true story of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It is totally family-friendly and a wonderful history lesson for children.)

FINAL THOUGHT: Catch Jan and Amir Tsarfati on this weekend’s radio starting Friday. We will rush the online program to Thursday.

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