Even more disturbingly is how much of these end times scenarios purport to be pro-Israel and pro-Jewish, but require massive war to break out against Israel. Just last Sunday I heard a pastor go on about how the destruction of the temple and in 70AD will be a walk in the park compared to what’s coming to the Jews during the Great Tribulation. I walked away from that theology years ago, so listening to it again for the first time in years really made me think about how weird this all sounds, especially in light of the Holocaust.
This is an important conversation that needs more attention, because it really is driving so much of the Trump/MAGA support. I like how you phrased it: "supporting Trump is moving us closer to the Second Coming...viewing the Jews as an end times domino." I see many of those who digested the Jenkins/Lahaye "Left Behind" series now also digesting the Jonathan Cahn "Harbinger" series. The church in America is becoming two different religions largely because of this topic. It's not just pentecostal evangelicals though either, I believe.
Yes. A healthy interest in Judaism can help us understand the New Testament more fully.
However, this obsession with Isreal and the signs of the end times is unhealthy. I come from evangelical, charismatic and Pentecostal circles and have met many people who for them, this sign seeking in Isreal and pro-Isreal rhetoric has become a religion in itself.
Christian or Jewish nationalism is NOT the gospel - it is a clever deception. It is NOT the Kingdom of Heaven and never will be. The whole point of Jesus’ message was to create a new creation, a new nation in him - in Christ there is now no longer Jews, gentiles - our allegiance is now to king Jesus, in a different type of Kingdom - it does t look like the USA, or Isreal or the uk. It crosses borders in the same way Jesus crossed over to Samaria to meet the woman at the well, to tell her she could drink from the living water too.
Jesus is neither pro isreal nor pro Gaza, nor pro trump, nor pro Biden.
Jesus hates war. He taught us there would be wars and rumours of wars, but alarmingly, he also taught us not to fight wars, or live by our swords. Sermon in the mount? A tough teaching for a leader of a country to truly follow…
Laying down our swords. Where does that leave us? What does that really look like in the day to day, or on the world stage at a macro level? for Gods kingdom to truly come, it leaves us in a position of surrender to political powers, along with surrender in Christ. I think taking up our crosses and following Jesus is very hard… the path to life is very narrow
Emma, you are absolutely correct! Plus, let us not forget Jesus' teaching that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We are citizens of a Kingdom that is not of this world. In it, but not of it. I personally cannot wait to see Jesus coming on the clouds, but no one, NO ONE, can know when, except the Father, and certainly no human or earthly actor(s) can influence the time line.
The pendulum of geopolitical influence and interference has swung far to the Right in recent years due to an ability to extend American versions of Dispensational Theology well beyond US borders through a dishonest and politically bent media which fosters an insatiable hunger for the apocalyptic. Nearly a 1000 years ago this feverish mindset pushed into motion The Crusades bringing suffering and death to hundreds of thousands - Death, always more Death! It is a necrophilic power-over theology that is antithetical to the freedom and compassion found in the Living Christ. Neither certain men, nor the satanic malefactors which embody some, will never bring about Christ’s physical return. The fulfillment of prophecy starts at the center point within our own hearts and moves outwardly, not the other way around. In reality, astrological configurations are millions, if not billions of miles apart, and by drawing theological inferences from current geopolitical conditions and events, is akin to ignoring the science and embracing the surface with a speculative fear. Maybe “Armageddon” comes personally to your life, your home or your local community? Maybe it occurs cyclically during one’s life many times over - it’s as microcosmic as it is macro. Eschatological obsessions are distraction tactic to avoid dealing with your own personal angst, and those issues with loving others unconditionally and your ability to forgive.
Even more disturbingly is how much of these end times scenarios purport to be pro-Israel and pro-Jewish, but require massive war to break out against Israel. Just last Sunday I heard a pastor go on about how the destruction of the temple and in 70AD will be a walk in the park compared to what’s coming to the Jews during the Great Tribulation. I walked away from that theology years ago, so listening to it again for the first time in years really made me think about how weird this all sounds, especially in light of the Holocaust.
This is an important conversation that needs more attention, because it really is driving so much of the Trump/MAGA support. I like how you phrased it: "supporting Trump is moving us closer to the Second Coming...viewing the Jews as an end times domino." I see many of those who digested the Jenkins/Lahaye "Left Behind" series now also digesting the Jonathan Cahn "Harbinger" series. The church in America is becoming two different religions largely because of this topic. It's not just pentecostal evangelicals though either, I believe.
Yes. A healthy interest in Judaism can help us understand the New Testament more fully.
However, this obsession with Isreal and the signs of the end times is unhealthy. I come from evangelical, charismatic and Pentecostal circles and have met many people who for them, this sign seeking in Isreal and pro-Isreal rhetoric has become a religion in itself.
Christian or Jewish nationalism is NOT the gospel - it is a clever deception. It is NOT the Kingdom of Heaven and never will be. The whole point of Jesus’ message was to create a new creation, a new nation in him - in Christ there is now no longer Jews, gentiles - our allegiance is now to king Jesus, in a different type of Kingdom - it does t look like the USA, or Isreal or the uk. It crosses borders in the same way Jesus crossed over to Samaria to meet the woman at the well, to tell her she could drink from the living water too.
Jesus is neither pro isreal nor pro Gaza, nor pro trump, nor pro Biden.
Jesus hates war. He taught us there would be wars and rumours of wars, but alarmingly, he also taught us not to fight wars, or live by our swords. Sermon in the mount? A tough teaching for a leader of a country to truly follow…
Laying down our swords. Where does that leave us? What does that really look like in the day to day, or on the world stage at a macro level? for Gods kingdom to truly come, it leaves us in a position of surrender to political powers, along with surrender in Christ. I think taking up our crosses and following Jesus is very hard… the path to life is very narrow
Emma, you are absolutely correct! Plus, let us not forget Jesus' teaching that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We are citizens of a Kingdom that is not of this world. In it, but not of it. I personally cannot wait to see Jesus coming on the clouds, but no one, NO ONE, can know when, except the Father, and certainly no human or earthly actor(s) can influence the time line.
The pendulum of geopolitical influence and interference has swung far to the Right in recent years due to an ability to extend American versions of Dispensational Theology well beyond US borders through a dishonest and politically bent media which fosters an insatiable hunger for the apocalyptic. Nearly a 1000 years ago this feverish mindset pushed into motion The Crusades bringing suffering and death to hundreds of thousands - Death, always more Death! It is a necrophilic power-over theology that is antithetical to the freedom and compassion found in the Living Christ. Neither certain men, nor the satanic malefactors which embody some, will never bring about Christ’s physical return. The fulfillment of prophecy starts at the center point within our own hearts and moves outwardly, not the other way around. In reality, astrological configurations are millions, if not billions of miles apart, and by drawing theological inferences from current geopolitical conditions and events, is akin to ignoring the science and embracing the surface with a speculative fear. Maybe “Armageddon” comes personally to your life, your home or your local community? Maybe it occurs cyclically during one’s life many times over - it’s as microcosmic as it is macro. Eschatological obsessions are distraction tactic to avoid dealing with your own personal angst, and those issues with loving others unconditionally and your ability to forgive.