Amidst the potential for a full-blown civil war over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies to end the judicial wing of the government, and drawing ever closer to war with Iran, Israel is now dealing with even more controversy: a bill that would prohibit people talking about Jesus Christ and trying to witness to Christ-rejecting Jews.
The Times of Israel reports that the bill was submitted by United Torah Judaism’s Moshe Gafni, claiming that there have been an increasing number of “missionary groups, mainly Christians,” trying to witness to them and tell them about Jesus Christ. ‘The language of the bill would make soliciting an adult to change his faith punishable by one year in jail. The penalty would increase to two years if the individual being solicited was a minor,’ the Israeli outlet explains.
The outlet noted, however, it thus far seems to be destined to fail, and has only succeeded in frustrating missionaries and evangelists.
In response to the backlash, Netanyahu responded by saying:
We will not advance any law against the Christian community.
Juergan Buehler, president of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, thanked Netanyahu for his comment.
We appreciate the assurance from Prime Minister Netanyahu that the proposed anti-missionary bill will not go forward, and thank him for speedily putting this matter to rest.
He has done much over his long political career to strengthen and guard Israel’s relations with Christians worldwide, and our embrace of this nation is warmly returned.
He said
A spokesperson for Gafni said that him submitting the bill was a procedural formality for years, and that “it is not being advanced right now.” “Discussions about it now are not relevant,” the spokesperson added.
The Times of Israel wrote: ‘Attempts to convert Jews to Christianity touch a nerve in Israel. For centuries, hundreds of thousands of Jews in Europe were subject to forced conversions by the Catholic Church — and Orthodox churches to a lesser extent — on penalty of expulsion or death.’
‘Israel has flirted with anti-proselytizing legislation in the past. In 1998, Labor MK Nissim Zvili sponsored a bill criminalizing written proselytization material that Christians feared could be used to outlaw possession of the New Testament,’ the Israeli outlet added. ‘He withdrew the bill after dozens of evangelical groups publicly committed not to carry out missionary work in the country.’
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[2] They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. [3] And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. [4] But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. John 16:2-4
Obviously we are not there yet, but it is certainly moving in that direction. As The Times of Israel said, this bill does not look like it will pass, and neither do I think it will as well; and as the outlet noted, there have been previous attempts to do so but have failed.
Israel, spiritually speaking, is one of the darkest places in the world today; and their leaders are immensely corrupt, and as are many of the people, many of whom are not even truly legitimate Jews. Nevertheless, I mention this story because there are going to be a lot replacement theology heretics, Trad Cats, and Neo-Nazis – who are of the synagogue of Satan, those who say they are Jews and are not, as Jesus said twice (Revelation 2:6, 15) – who will use this as ammunition to blaspheme and curse the nation of Israel. BUT this is PRECISELY what the Lord said would happen when he brought them back into their land, in unbelief and in wickedness; but he will eventually save them at the end of the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30; Zechariah 12; Revelation 12, 19).
[1] Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. [2] So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: [3] And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. [4] For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: [5] Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. [25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. [26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: [27] For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. [28] As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. [29] For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Hosea 3:1-5; Romans 11:25-29
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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I say this to myself and everybody else:
Pack your bags because we are getting ready to take off!
The catching up is so close!!!
They’ve been deporting, refusing to renew visas etc of conservative evangelicals for some time now, let alone King James Bible believers, preachers & missionaries. I do have to say, though, that God is amazing, and even as our former Independent Fundamentalist Baptist was showing itself wavering on defense of the King James Bible, willing to compromise or lean into charismania ecumenism so long as it was ‘conservative’….and not long before covid & we left, maybe a year? A little over…
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We had some Russian speaking missionaries to Israel sent home from years of serving in Israel, moving to serve the Russian speaking Jews of NYC. I wasn’t too impressed with them, but could be wrong & sometimes it’s amazing what the Lord can do with severely chastened folks in trying circumstances. There were seasoned men there who served in hard fields, like the far north on three continents, good men & women, but these seemed like scholars guild types.
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Shortly after they reported & candidated, we had a young Jewish couple who were staunch King James & had been saved by the reading and comparing of Isaiah & the Psalms with the Gospel & New Testament… much like the testimony of how David Ben Lew had been saved, a testimony I watched on youtube some time later. (Hearing of him from Bryan Denlinger & following up.) How sobering to hear more uncensored & uncut testimony from that terrible terrible time. The man could never eat a full meal again….so much damage to his body, & suffering. Hiding in piles of dead bodies as soldiers bayoneted many ‘just to make sure’….surviving as the stench & freezing winter weather caused the soldiers to be less thorough in their ‘job’.
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I was struck by how alike the testimony was, so far as the Bible was concerned. Anyways, that young man’s father was a rabbi, and they both were put out of their families & synagogues, but still had that precious Jewish blood, & were not refused aliya, & emigrated to Israel. I’ve prayed for their safety & witness through the covid horrors there, & that they’re still in place to be witnesses & light in the gross darkness of Israel with its kabalist craft & Jesuit-controlled leadership, and vainglorious militaristic & scientific pride that even puts ‘MERica’ to shame at times.
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I’m sure they’re not the only ones, though hardly a sizeable number, & God’s people should pray for the peace of Jerusalem even now, & without winking at, or ignorant of, just what a mess both it and America are. Terrible times of judgment ahead that only the Lord & his word can prepare us for, or give us grace for the ultimate sacrifice. Please pray for the tiny remnant of believing Jews even in Israel seeking to turn souls to the Lord & blessed hope, even in these perilous times.
itsvthe same guy who keeps trying to push this anti jesus gospel for 30 years now. every few years he submits the same proposal to stop the spread of the gospel of the massiah Jesus.
ACTS 5:
38And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.