Wednesday, May 20, 2020

A False Narrative | Arrows from Zion 5/120/2020


For the second week in a row I am throwing the cover story to Ron Cantor
because that is just how important this controversy is to the believers in Israel,
and in reality to the whole world. Please make it your #1 prayer priority for Israel
and PLEASE also do all you can to help us overcome the overwhelming false narrative
being presented to Israel-supporting Christians. Help tell the facts:
The new Hebrew-speaking Messianic channel in Israel is not Christians cramming Jesus down the throats of Israelis. Shelanu-TV is content of the congregations and ministries of Israel
and represents 20-30,000 Messianic Jews of Israel.

(There is an overflow from ministry letters I could not get in this week)

A False Narrative: We love the Jews just as long as they don’t believe in Jesus!

by Ron Cantor

The sentiment in the headline is what is coming from HaYovel, a highly visible Christian Zionist group that serves Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Two friends of mine posted yesterday here and here some of the comments from Zac Waller, the executive director. I was speechless when I read Zac’s comments … And anyone who knows me, knows that is rare!

A deadly doctrine; A fatal theology | Now, before I share the alarming quote, let me explain for those who don’t know, what replacement theology is. It is the belief that the Bible teaches that the Church has replaced Israel, that Israel is rejected by God, that all of the powerful promises of restoration to the Jewish people or now to the Church and the best part is, that all the curses remain with the Jewish people. Oh joy!

It is a demonic doctrine that has contributed to countless Jewish deaths. We can see the beginnings of it in the early Roman church. It is one of the reasons that Paul wrote so strongly to them about God’s heart for Israel, when he said he would exchange his own salvation for the salvation of the Jewish people (Romans 9:1-5). He goes on to emphatically declare that God has not rejected Israel (11:1, 11) and that the calling on the nation is irrevocable. (11:29)

A very sad lie! | Now, for the alarming quote from Zac Waller. Regarding the fact that Shelanu TV is a local Israeli/Hebrew expression from Jewish believers he said:

“…the new channel is supposed to be in Hebrew and run by local Messianic believers. Unfortunately, and ironically, many of them have been influenced by replacement theology! Not all, but many, on various levels, have joined mainstream Christianity in replacing the Jewish people with Christians, Jerusalem with Rome and the Torah with Christian traditions.”

Each time I read that it is like getting punched in the stomach. And once again, I find myself speechless. How can somebody who calls themselves Christian, who claims to love the Jewish people, spread malicious falsehoods against fellow believers?

(For the record, the overwhelming majority of Messianic Jews do not embrace the term “Christian”, continue to live as Jews, celebrate both the Biblical Jewish holidays and national Israeli ones, have zero connection with Rome or the Catholic Church, are Zionists [meaning they believe that modern Israel is fulfillment of Biblical prophecy] and abhor the idea that God has replaced “Jewish people with Christians”.]

I understand some of the initial outcry, when it was thought that Shelanu was an import of western evangelical television with Hebrew subtitles, but I assumed our dear friends in the Christian Zionist movement, people that we support, love and champion as they reach out with Yeshua’s love to the Jewish people, once they found out that this was a local Messianic ministry, they would support us, or at least not attack us.

A reporter asked me the other day if I thought that Shelanu would lead to a rift between the Messianic movement and the Christian Zionist movement. I told him, “Of course not,” once they see that this is a local ministry with the participation of hundreds of Messianic Israelis, they will support us. Boy was I wrong—at least with HaYovel.

Zach Waller, writing from the HaYovel website goes so far as to encourage Israel, a democratic country with freedom of speech and expression, to take pages from the Iranian playbook and silence the voices of Israelis, Jews who want to tell their stories. These same Israelis serve in the Israeli Defense Forces that HaYovel supports, risking their lives, but the Wallers message to them is clear: You can die for your country, but don’t you dare speak to your country! Chilling.

“we disapprove of GOD TV’s damaging actions and endorse the removal of the new ‘Shelanu’ channel from Israeli Television networks.”

I imagine that Zac appreciates his first amendment rights in America; why does he want to remove ours in Israel? Of all people to target, he chooses his own spiritual family! Shelanu has a license from the Israeli equivalent of the FCC to broadcast in Hebrew to Israelis. Contrary to reports, it says “1.2
הערוץ מיועד לקהל הצופים בישרא,” the channel is intended for the audience of Israeli viewers — not Christian viewers. No deceit, no deception! But once a nation seeks to silence a minority, it affects the grace of God on that country. It limits God blessing and favor. But I am hopeful that Israel will not follow Zac’s draconian advice.

Selective anti-Semitism | I reached out to HaYovel, but they have not responded. One of their friends did respond, who leads a similar ministry encouraging people to purchase goods from Israel. There is no need to mention him by name, but he talked about how GOD TV’s initial video was a serious offense to the Jewish people.

This reveals that they do not see us, Messianic Jews, as part of “the Jewish people.” I reminded him that I am “the Jewish people”. And that the entire team at Shelanu is “the Jewish people”. Our board is 80% “the Jewish people”. Most of our content providers are “the Jewish people”. I was trying to make the point that if you love “the Jewish people”, and you want to stand with “the Jewish people”, you can’t forget “the Jewish people” who have found the Messiah. Unless you are saying that we are no longer Jewish, in which case you are the ones embracing replacement theology!

Their love for the Jewish people has led them to become somewhat anti-Semitic. What they’re saying is that they will stand with Israel as long as they don’t believe in Jesus. It is an utterly warped position for Christians.

Zac, how would you handle it, if one of your Orthodox Jewish friends found the Messiah and began to share that message with others in his community?
  • Would you ostracize him the way you are the messianic community?
  • Would you tell him he’s mistaken and should just go back to being lost?
  • Would you accuse of embracing replacement theology?
  • Would you seek to have Israel silence him, as you are with us?
Understand, this is a very real scenario that you will soon face, as God opens up the eyes of more and more of his ancient, chosen people.

Zac then lectures us: “Christian’s should put an end to the vicious cycle of arrogance and disrespect towards the Jews [by sharing Yeshua with them].” This coming from a man who issued one of the most arrogant, disrespectful statements, and can I add false, against Jewish people that believe in the Messiah. And Secondly, 
we are not Christians in the traditional sense of the word; we are Messianic Jewish Hebrew-speaking citizens of the Jewish nation, whom Zac and his family are persecuting. What if one of us winds up in a hospital, or worse, because a young Orthodox Jew, encouraged by your words, does something reckless. Will you still call us “arrogant” and “disrespectful”?

Stockholm Syndrome | HaYovel has some sort of Stockholm Syndrome. No, they have not been kidnapped by settlers, but they have taken up their offense against Jewish believers—to the point of fighting against Yeshua’s own ministry here. It happens. God gives you a love for a certain people, but you start to love them so much, that you compromise the very faith that led you to love them in the first place. Zac shares why he is against Messianic Jews.

It’s important for us to understand that Orthodox Jews see this as Christianity ripping away these Jewish people’s identities – the identities that protected them from assimilation and preserved them through 2000 years of exile. Because of this, they no longer see Messianics as Jews but as Christians. Again, in order to have a relationship with Orthodox Jews, we need to understand why they feel and react the way they do. We need to have a sensitive, respectful relationship with them!

It is one thing to “understand why they feel” the way they do. It is another thing to agree with them. Instead of explaining that Messianic Jews are still Jews, he has taken up their offense against us–his brothers. Understand, we are also Jews with a history of anti-Semitism from Christians and somehow, despite that we found Yeshua. But you no longer see us as Jews! Do you know that it was our ancestors too, whose “Jewish … identities – protected them from assimilation and preserved them through 2000 years of exile.”

Your ideology is messed up my friend. You love Israel because you are a Christian, but don’t recognize Jews who have found the Messiah. The end result, and I have seen before, could be a complete rejection of Jesus and conversion to Orthodox Judaism. Time will tell.


Today our lawyers from Shelanu TV, our Hebrew cable channel, were to be summoned to answer questions before the communications council. However, they have granted us another week to prepare. This is great. In addition, we finally were able to see our broadcast license which clearly says that we are free to broadcast to all of Israel—not just Christians, as was claimed. Your prayers are essential! - Ron Cantor, 5 20 2020

  

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com

Joel Jelski writes with good news of how live is about to change for his family ministering in northern Israel with ongoing work with Eitan Shishkoff in Fields of Wheat, the Katzir Youth Camps and the Discipleship program. One major change will be the family relocating to settle in with a couple of other Messianic families in the Golan Heights. (Cody & Liat Archer, who have been on sabbatical seeking from God what was next for them, are one of those families.) It is going to cost about $2000 to make the move if you are able to give a special gift to help them.

From the Tikkun Global monthly magazine Israel's Restoration, download the PDF for these articles and more:
The Way of the Burning Heart | by Eitan Shishkoff | (An excerpt from Eitan Shishkoff’s forthcoming book:  With All Your Heart) | Accessible to All? | by Guy Cohen | and Corona, Comfort & Compassion | by Asher Intrater

The Maoz Israel Report May 2020 is about Helping Israelis During the Lockdown and in the Weekly Prayer Points for Israel, Concerning Freedom of Speech | As we mentioned several weeks ago, God TV received permission from the Israeli government to broadcast Messianic Jewish channel in Israel on cable TV. The birth of the channel apparently went unnoticed by some of the powers that be, and it has whipped up a firestorm. Interestingly, the issue has unbelieving Jews who support the “freedom of speech” and Christian leaders who oppose the “targeting of Jews” but has now brought out a surprising level of opposition from Christians. The relevance of the New Covenant and the Jewish people is an important topic for discussion and is something that has festered under the surface for decades. Therefore, we will be writing about it at length in the July Maoz Israel Report. It is a topic that needs to be discussed because a whole nation is at stake.

From Kehila News more coverage of the intense controversy surrounding Shelanu TV, by Tuvia Pollack Christian criticism, Messianic support for Israeli channel run by believers and by Aaron Hecht Who Exactly ARE the Israeli Messianic Jews?

Revive Israel goes live again Thursday, 5/21 with Praise, Prophecy, Prayer and Preaching on Revive Israel's Facebook Page (check there for times zones). Other live online events (that you can also replay from the Revive Facebook page are The Unveiling Gathering and the upcoming on 5/28 The Outpouring |Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.  Read Dan Juster's The Center of our Knowing. Revive is still engaged in bringing relief to Israelis suffering lack from the Corona virus shutdowns. You cn help them with their Covid-18 "Bringing Life" humanitarian aid. They also brought scripture study via Zoom to the Nesher (Eagle) project they share with the Shavei Tzion (Return to Zion) congregation. This is a ministry for young adults.

Tony and Orna Sperandeo of the Hamaayan congregation in Kfar Saba commit their ministry letters to their online blog. You can read the latest in full here.  In some of the highlights they speak about the biblical nature of confinement during plagues, and how when certain types to hardship are visited on nations, God is looking for His people to seek Him in humility with prayer and repentance. They also relate how they have kept the congregation  connected by taking a "crash course" in learning and using Zoom and shopping for the elderly who were under the strictest of quarantine rules.  And they are happy and surprised to report that Aliyah to Israel continues with 1300 Jews immigrating in the last 2 months.

Avi and Chaya Mizrachi write about how between Passover and Pentecost, their Tel Aviv distribution center was busy providing resources to Israelis in serious need - until they ran out of supplies. "
It breaks my heart to see such needs in Israel, but we work every day to provide groceries and encouragement to as many of these precious people as possible," Avi wrote. Now they are preparing for the Shavuot (Pentecost) holiday and ask it you would "prayerfully consider giving a gift to help us reach the people of Israel with food, love, and the gospel of Yeshua? As our way to thank you for your generous gift that will help us bring the message of Yeshua to the people of Israel, we would like to also give you a little gift — a vial of anointing oil from Israel. In the Bible, oil like this represents the presence of the Holy Spirit and is used to anoint and bless. Often anointing oil of this kind is also used to minister physical healing....It is our gift to you for your donation of any amount this month."

Howard Bass makes several important points about the Shelanu controversy and other controversies that impact the believers in Israel, as well as believers everywhere in reality: " The Arabs, including many evangelical Arabs, marked Israel's Independence Day on the May 14th date with their Nakba (catastrophe) remembrance." Despite the hardships he knows they have suffered, "when believers continue to see it only from their own perspective and personal narratives, and refuse to see these great and terrible things from God's perspective, then we cannot enjoy the redemptive healing, we cannot be set free by the truth, we continue -- like the Jewish people collectively regarding the Holocaust -- to never forgive and to never forget, and take matters into our own hands to try to see to it that it will never happen again. If our hope is in this world only, then we are the most miserable of people."  

He continues, "Shelanu was set up to be a Hebrew-speaking channel operated by primarily local Israeli Jewish, Arab, and other believers to present Messianic/Christian content. It was the first time that Hebrew was going to be allowed for such programming within Israel. There was probably some enthusiastic naivety when we first heard about this.... BUT, when non-Israeli Israel-supporting leading evangelical figures speak up against the channel for daring to speak about Jesus to the Jewish people in a way that provokes them to actually believe in Him, then that is not naive, but wrong. ... the in-house family discussion is bringing to light some of the internal conflicts within the Body of Messiah that need to be dealt with, just as much as the nakba."

Rachel and Gilad Netanel in Ein Karim write, Rachel first with great joy at the recovery of her brother who was in great danger of losing his life, but is now returned from death's doorstep and is undergoing physical therapy. He is still paralyzed on the right side of his body but sends profuse thanks for the prayers that were made for his life. He had strayed from the Lord, so keep prayers that he will see he was granted a second chance. The Netanel's host many people for dinner and fellowship in their home, so the Corona virus has shut all that activity down. Rachel says the telephone became her way to minister to people. They spent three days in the desert home in Zukim where there was not one case of the virus and no one wore makes or took any precautions. After the super restrictions in Jerusalem it was a relief for them to enjoy before recently returning to Ein Kerem. Rachel writes, "This winter has been a record year for rainfall and the garden is so green and luscious.  Flowers are growing and the lemons on our tree are as big as melons.  In all of this sadness, we have found joy and blessing in what the Lord is doing. We do pray that you are also overcoming during this difficult season. “You, dear children are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world… He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus the Messiah.” I John 4:4

Lastly, the report of Eric Benson of the House of Victory in Haifa, a rehab ministry connected to the HaCarmel congregation. Eric sends a most beautiful music video from Karen Davis in tribute to David, her husband and the founder of the congregation who passed into glory 3 years ago. She writes, " One day many years ago, as I was playing my keyboard in our living room, the Spirit of the Lord drew David to come out of his prayer room study. As soon as he entered the living room, he immediately starting singing this new melody with the powerful words of John 11:25 over the chords I was playing! He had never done that before! This is that music - and it is BEAUTIFUL.

Eric also writes about the way they have been kept the fellowship going at the congregation and also for the men in the rehab. He was able to share his heart for a midweek congregational meeting Watch message and the men have been able to join in the Zoom of the daily 6am prayer meetings. Eric had good reports on two of their men, one coming to the end of his 1-year program with them but was able to become an apprentice/assistance learning video production for the congregation. A blessing to his ongoing spiritual life, and also to the congregation because of his strong interest in video production. Eric closes by writing, The Scriptures tell us that “all things work together for good” (Rom. 8:28). May the Lord bless you all and may His hand of protection keep you. Thank you for continuing to stand with House of Victory in this critical time in world history.  


Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs
URGENT PRAYER NEED A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed recently with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in her own words, as she has been prepared for chemotherapy which will begin next Monday. | Ronit Bender whose cardiologist told her that her irregular heartbeat is SEVERE, and is suggesting further tests. Please intercede for Ronit: No weapon formed against her shall prosper! | Olga Bikas severe back pain has kept her in "quarantine" for the past 4 years or so! Please pray for God to do a miracle of healing for Olga. | Please pray for Rachel Netanel's brother who is in dire health | Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva  | Continue please to pray for Ruth Nessim Critical prayer need she is losing sight! Prayers for a miracle for Ruth.| Pray for Rania Sayegh who asks for prayer of restoration of strength, energy, and complete healing.


Donna Diorio  donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
THANK YOU to those who support this ministry with donations.
Donations appreciated | on PayPal donna@israelprayer.com
Or by postal mail make donations payable to the order of Donna Diorio
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006  |  I do not have tax exempt status. 








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