Love for Israel

Doesn't that sound fantastic? Every believer should have a passion for the condition of Israel. Our hearts should join the cry of Paul that ALL men should be saved! Jews and Gentiles alike drawn toward the loving embrace of our Creator G-d.

We are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and to look upon the fulfilled prophecies regarding Israel and her people as they guide us in the timing of the return of Yeshua, our Messiah, The Christ.

So, what happens when someone takes that sincere belief, twists it to their own ends, adds heretical doctrine and paints it all under the guise of "loving Israel".

You end up here at the "Love For Israel" conference and it's nothing like what it appears to be.

Here are some of the fundamentals behind "Heritage House Ministries".

When you become a believer your DNA changes and you become, through a spiritual and physical transformation, a legitimate member of the nation of Israel, a member of one of the 10 "lost" tribes and a full-blood Jew with the right of return as well as a right to actual LAND in Israel.

Reality has no bearing on this belief and simply because you believe it to be so, you must be correct.

This conference features speakers who may have "jewish names" but in reality hold no heritage of their own outside of the words they speak. They are a group of self-proclaimed experts on subjects where they have little, if any, credibility.

And the sincere, naive believer who truly has a heart to know more of the hebraic roots of our Christian faith walks in to see something "messianic" that is neither recognized nor supported by the Messianic movement world-wide.

So... Why do I care so much? Why am I putting this very inflammatory and negative information up on my blog?

Well, let me explain.

When one chooses to believe Israel has been "replaced" by something "new" that person is walking on very dangerous ground theologically. How do I continue to believe in a G-d who never changes if He has indeed changed! How can I believe He will never leave me or forsake me when I am being encouraged to believe that He has done exactly that to the nation HE raised up, nurtured? How can I believe Him when He states He still has a divine and specific plan for her? A plan which leads far into the future, even eternity, and whereby the nations will continue to be blessed.

If I don't believe He is consistent and devoted to the truth and commitment of His OWN WORD I am at a loss and am not serving much of a divine deity.

What's that old saying, "Let G-d be true and every man a liar"?

Another significant issue I have with this messanic flavored replacement theology is the simple progression of both thought and action that results when an individual chooses to believe Israel has been replaced by none other than themselves.

First, Israel, the true and present Israel, is forgotten. Why should we remember some dusty place in the Middle East and all their problems when I can be Israel in my own back yard! Secondly, why should I evangelize those stubborn Jews! They've denied Messiah! They reject Yeshua! I am Israel, I am a Jew and they have to live with the consequences of their own actions. This "Love for Israel" becomes nothing more than a hyped up, over-spiritualized nonsense and boils down to an encouragement toward feeling really good about myself and my new identity and ceasing to seek G-d about His plan for my life.

Secondly, and this is even more disturbing to me, the role of the Gentile in the Body of Christ is completely rejected. The work G-d has intended from the beginning for both Jew and Gentile, the beautiful harmony of His body working together, each in the specific roles set out for them is completely denied.

John 3:17 "G-d sent His son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Nowhere can I find where the Word states the need to become a Jew to be saved, validated or useful in the Kingdom of G-d. In fact, through the book of Acts and all through the B'rit Hadashah or New Testament we see that belief being repudiated, renounced, strongly denied and even blatantly addressed as SIN!

One can not love Israel by pretending to replace her anymore than I can say I love my husband and then run around saying I have become him.

It's this kind of psuedo-spiritual kookiness which leeches our faith of it's credibility. It's this kind of doctrinal and theological deception which distances the seeking Jew that much further from us.

A Jew is given their identity from G-d just as a Gentile is also given their identity from G-d. None of us are able to choose our parentage or heritage. All we can do is recognize His Plan, His Purpose and His Call upon us in the unique and specific ways He speaks.

To do otherwise is making a god in our own image. A god who changes, "rectifies" mistakes and denies an enormous part of humanity which He created and has stated clearly He loves enough to die for, live for and lead.

What is the greatest love? To lay down one's life? Not to take on an identity which was not yours, is not yours and was never intended to be yours. How does love show itself? By supporting, encouraging, living sacrificially for and believing the best about.

Not replacing. We have our own identities, even if we haven't taken the time to pursue the Lord and find out what He may have planned for us as individuals.

That, my friends, is a mill-stone. That my friends is modern day Judaizing.

That is the crux of the "Love for Israel" conference.

But what kind of "love" is that?