“That” Day Has Come- Israel IS The Burdensome Stone
“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people. All who burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
Zechariah 12:3
It does not surprise me that the world has come against Israel. Prophecy foretold of this thousands of years ago.
What does surprise me is how people who call themselves Christians are now among the ever-growing group who stands against the nation of Israel and her people.
I just read a headline that broke my heart. It shouldn’t surprise me, but I must admit it does.
The headline reads, “United Methodist Board Features Anti-Israel Message in Newsletter”.
The United Methodist Church’s official website states:
“As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. To fulfill this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in our own time.”
If you read the various links on the website regarding The United Methodist faith and beliefs they speak strongly of taking a stand and being active in society, their response to God’s love and grace, a mission to make disciples, and other areas that seem to take a definite stand for doing what is right according to God’s Word.
If this Statement of Faith is held true by the religious organization of The United Methodist Church, they would come out strongly against this “advocacy wing” of the organization and denounce every ounce of this newsletter!
To quote Abraham Lincoln,
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.”
Members of The United Methodist Church, you must ask yourself where you stand. Do you support Israel? If you do, you must seriously question being a part of anything or anyone who stands on the wrong side of God! As the clichés go, “You are known by the company you keep.” There’s also the applicable quote, “Birds of a feather flock together.” I could spend a lot of time and space quoting common sayings that have relevance to this, but I believe you get the idea.
Our faith in Christ comes not from a specific religion, church building or leader. The ONLY Leader we must glean our Truth from is the One who IS The Way, The TRUTH and The Life- Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) If you disagree with The United Methodist Church “advocacy group” you MUST go to the top on this issue! The time for sitting silently by has long since passed. This is the reason we have the leadership we have today and the social issues we do today. The Church- The Body of Christ- became complacent. I speak for ALL religions that call themselves “Christian” in that statement. I cannot point fingers at anyone else without having 4 fingers pointing back at myself. We must stand strong, proud and resolved on this issue. Israel and her people- the Jews- are God’s chosen people. Genesis 12:3 makes it very clear where we must stand in regards to Israel-
“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
If you support the division of Jerusalem- the land of Israel- you are essentially supporting the division of the homeland of Messiah. Yeshua- or Jesus as we know Him- was born into this earthly world in Israel.Oh yes, there are those who contest this fact, but they are wrong, plain and simple. The Bible- God’s Holy Word- the ONLY resolute written Truth in existence- clearly documents the genealogy of this man Yeshua (Jesus).
If you are a Christian then your standard of belief should come only from The Holy Word of God Almighty. Either you believe that The Bible is complete Truth or you don’t.
Matthew 2: 2 says specifically that He was born, “King of the Jews”. If you stand against Israel, you stand against Yeshua- Jesus- The Christ- The Messiah.
If you stand with Israel, you stand with Yeshua- Jesus- The Christ- The Messiah.
When it comes down to the end, we are each, personally accountable before the throne of God Almighty. The Methodist Church cannot and will not speak for you. The Baptist Church cannot and will not speak for you. The Catholic Church cannot and will not speak for you. The Pentecostal Church cannot and will not speak for you. The choice is yours and yours alone. YOU will be PERSONALLY held accountable for where YOU stand!
We have come to the point in history that prophecy speaks of. Jerusalem has indeed become a burdensome stone for all the world. The time for playing church has come and gone. The time for choosing the label of “Christian” for your religious preference is over. The time has come to make some hard choices. You are not going to be alone, but there are far more people who stand against Israel than with her. Even those who call themselves her allies are coming together against her. Yes, you will be mocked for taking a stand for her. Your life may even be in danger at some point in time, but there is eternal life after this temporal life. The choice is now yours.
Choose you this day whom you will serve.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). As for me and my house, we will Stand With Israel- NOW AND FOREVER!
If you’re going to quote the Bible, then at least get it right. It does not say Israel is a burdensome stone, it says Jerusalem.
the quoted text in the post does say Jerusalem and I would imagine that most readers would get that the title is making a point, not a quotation.
The intent of the passage in Zachariah is to say that the defense of the Jewish homeland will be a burden that will bring harm to those that choose to bear it. I kind of thought it clever to broaden the passage and make it relevant.
I am not personally as religious as the author, but I get the intent of the article. What’s more important is understanding the societal risk of not supporting Israel.
Sure, we could decide to let Israel fall, because we aren’t Jewish – and then complain that no one comes, because they aren’t Christians, or Americans or whatever.
The line against Muslim extremism has to get drawn somewhere.
I refer to the COVENANT God made with Abraham, as to how much land belongs to Israel- without a doubt God PROMISED Abraham the land that INCLUDES Jerusalem- therefore, Jerusalem IS Israel.
https://www.zimbio.com/Christianity/articles/1260/How+Much+Land+God+Give+Israel+Abraham+Land
As for me and my house, I will serve The Lord. As for me and my house, I wll stand with Israel, Now and Forever.
Amen, Amen, Amen!
Atta girl! AMEN Sister!
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I am heart broken over Pres. Obama’s comments. We are Methodist and do not understand how our church has chosen not to stand with Israel. I will be questioning the church’s stand.
Mr./Ms. Pickett-
My heartfelt and humble prayers will be with you and your family, as well as all of the Methodist faith. Stay strong in your faith. I pray that the church’s stand will not waiver your personal faith. God is faithful and true to all who hold fast to Him. God bless you and your family!
Unfortunately, this entire article is mistaken. Jesus called us to help one another, to love our enemies. Has the Palestinian government committed atrocities? Yes. Has the Israeli government committed atrocities? Yes. Both are at fault. The political state of Israel today is not the same Israel spoken of in the Bible. Please, stop pulling random verses about Israel from the Old Testament and Revelation without researching the context of the scripture. In most cases, it is not referring to the end times.
In addition, do you realize that there are Christians in Palestine? Do you realize that they have been forced out of their homes in Palestine? Do you realize that there are Muslims in Israel? The debate over geographic lines and global support for peace has nothing to do with the religion? It’s POLITICAL! Do I believe that Jesus would be sitting with the abused people in both Israel and Palestine? YES!! He would!!!!!!
When did Jesus EVER say force people out of their homes, occupy their land, and take what should be yours? He said to sell all of your possessions to the poor.
In reference to the quote from Abraham Lincoln, I sadly recognize your knack for simply pulling quotes out of thin air? Abraham Lincoln also once said “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.” Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves for political gain. Out of patriotism for the United States, which also happens to occupy other nations in the name of “altruism.”
I know that many of you will be appalled at this statement, say that I need to read the Bible, that I’m not a real Christian for not supporting Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and you have the right to your own opinion. But this is my opinion, as a follower of Jesus Christ and what he came to this Earth to say. I beg you to take a long hard look in the mirror, think about WHY you feel the way you do, back it up with what JESUS said, and consider feeling an ounce of sympathy for others.
That was quite a quick response to the comments I just posted. I see that you are in favor of suppressing people’s opinions and rights. Wow…
As for me and my house, we will also serve the Lord and stand with Israel regardless of the misguidance of my fellow Methodist brothers. Palestinians have chosen to create problems by taking whatever they can force from Israel simply because they are anti-Semetic. Did you know that historically, the Palestinian people settled and lived largely in the vast lands of what is now Jordan, yet they have no argument with the Arab peoples of Jordan or logically ask for those lands back . . .
I am a 51 year old Methodist that left the church for 10 years to attend a non-denominational church. My heart longed for the tradition that I knew as a child. Now that I have returned, I am learning more and more about the liberal views within. I am sad about it, but must be real. Can any organization as large as the UMC truly be united in thought and attitude? Aren’t there going to be varying ideas about what “social justice” means, and how far it is supposed to extend? Certainly John Wesley believed in social justice, but the oppression of that day was much, much different than that of today. Where do we begin and end with our social activism? I personally believe that we are to stand with Israel, and that we should be united in our love of God and for each other.
The people of the UMC need to research their Bible and they will discover it never changes as God’s heart for His son never changes and His heart for His beloved people never changes. Israel is the apple of God’s eye and whoever rebukes the nation of Israel will be rebuked and judged just like all the other nations who tried to enslave the Hebrew nation: Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Persia and Asseria etc
If America withdraws her support from Israel God help this nation who is Christian in name only, who willl be judged severely. Every time we have forced Israel.to give up her land, we have been attacked in the forms of huricanes, tornadoes, floods, heat and fires! Wake up America and wake up churchs!
The people of the UMC need to research their Bible and they will discover it never changes as God’s heart for His son never changes and His heart for His beloved people never changes. Israel is the apple of God’s eye and whoever rebukes the nation of Israel will be rebuked and judged just like all the other nations who tried to enslave the Hebrew nation: Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Persia and Asseria etc
If America withdraws her support from Israel God help this nation who is Christian in name only, who willl be judged severely. Every time we have forced Israel.to give up her land, we have been attacked in the forms of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, heat and fires! Wake up America and wake up churchs!
As a Methodist no one in the church speaks for me.We seem to always have people in areas where they should not be.This is called the peter principle.This is more garbage coming from people that have too much time on their hands.