No. 385B
THE JEWS
“Jews Laud Pope’s Remarks On Homeland, Holocaust: The Pope sat on an upholstered armchair next to Mordecai Waxman, the spokesman for the Jewish leadership. ‘After the tragic extermination of Shoah [Holocaust], the Jewish people began a new period of history,’ John Paul said. ‘They have a right to a homeland, as does any civil nation, according to international law.’
“‘What has been said about a right to a homeland, also applies to the Palestinian people,’ he continued. ‘While all concerned must honestly reflect on the past – Muslims no less than the Jew and Christians – it is time to forge these solutions which will lead to a just, complete and lasting peace in that area.”‘ (Orlando Sentinel, September 12, 1987)
Yes, the Jews have a right to a homeland ‑ the homeland that God gave to them, and not to just any homeland. Any ‘civil nation, according to international law’ if able to give other nations and peoples a homeland, we are sure it will be agreeable to all concerned. God’s promise to the Jews is stronger than what any nation can give to any other peoples or nations ‘according to international law.’ They have an unbreakable claim to their homeland. When any one says that other nations have equal rights with the Jews to the homeland that God gave to them, they are doing despite to God’s Word, whether knowingly and willfully, or ignorantly.
God’s promises to the Jews are unconditional: “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean [a proof that the Jews will be regathered into their homeland in an unclean condition]: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will put my spirit within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezek. 36:24‑28)
Self‑evidently, the Pope is not a racist. When God selected the Jews from all the heathen nations around them to be their God and bless them, was God a racist? “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2) God’s punishment of 1845 years to the Jewish nation is over. He has pardoned all their sins and iniquities of the past. The Jews’ difficulties – whatever they may be – are nothing more than what is common to all nations in this time of the “great tribulation.” (Matt. 24:21) They are still imperfect the same as all mankind. Isa. 63:4 describes this situation: “The day of vengeance is in mine heart.”
God is faithful that promised.(Heb. 10:23) “I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.” (Jer. 24:6)
The Pope suggests that ‘all concerned must honestly reflect on the past,’ so we will reflect a little on Papacy’s past: During the reign of the Papal system, when the Popes claimed to be the vicar of Jesus even as they continue to teach, the Jews were hunted, hated, tortured and murdered. The Papacy tried to eliminate the Jews altogether, but God would not permit them to do that. The Bible, too, was burned, but its Author preserved it. The Bible is still the world’s best seller. Not only were the Jews tortured and murdered, but faithful Christian who were called heretics, were also persecuted, some being burned at the stake while others were banished. The Dark Ages under the Papal dominion was indeed a bloody and disgraceful history.
The Inquisition first established by Pope Innocent III, in 1204, was only a part of the bloody history of the Papacy. Torquemada gloats over their success as he records, “Men and women burnt alive, 10,220; burnt in effigy, 6,840.” Diego Desa, Cardinal Jimminez de Cisneros and Adrian de Florencia, adds to Torquemada’s list which brings the number to 347,704.
The New Covenant (Jer. 31:31) will be made with the Jews who will bless all the families of the earth. Christians who become Jews at the beginning of the Kingdom will join the natural Jews in their missionary work to the world. Christ’s Kingdom will be Israelitish. As our Lord said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) When the real Kingdom is established: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters that cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isa. 60:1,3)
“And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3)
“Vatican Recognition Of Israel – Missed Opportunity In Miami: The rabbis smiled and the pope smiled, but they were thinking different thoughts.
“For a while it looked as though the Jewish delegation might boycott Friday’s meeting with Pope John Paul II in Miami. Jews were hurt and angry because the pope had received Kurt Waldheim, Austria’s president who stands accused of Nazi activities during World War II, with full ceremony at the Vatican. ...
“Was anybody satisfied in Miami? Would John Paul choose this occasion to announce that Vatican City state, which has diplomatic relations with 51 countries, finally had decided to recognize the state of Israel?
“The answer was a crushing disappointment to Jews and to Christians who do not understand the intricacies of Vatican diplomacy. ...
“But instead of granting diplomatic recognition, which has been anxiously sought moments earlier in an address to the pope by Rabbi Mordecai Waxman, chairman of the International Jewish Committee, John Paul II repeated a longstanding observation that both Palestinians and Jews need a homeland.
“This came after Rabbi Waxman had said candidly that the Waldheim disagreements had not been ‘totally resolved.’ He said that ‘hatred of Jews and Judaism is on the rise in some part of the world,’ but he did not speak of the hostility of the Arab countries with which the Vatican does exchange ambassadors. They include Iran and Syria.
“The Miami confrontation, friendly in the face of disagreement, was more than a public‑relations exercise. But it points up some of the difficulty of interfaith dialogue. ...
“The Roman Catholic Church is first a religion, but not much like religious denominations familiar to non‑Catholics. It is a church and state. Most churches do not issue passports, operate a postal system, exchange ambassadors with other states, engage in international banking and enter directly in diplomatic negotiations, as in Central America.
“Anti‑Semitism now is officially and convincingly denounced by the Catholic Church, but that has not always been so. ...
“It is why‑many Christians are embarrassed and befuddled by the reasons, still unknown, for a popular pope to pass up an opportunity for reconciliation that existed for a hopeful hour in Miami.” (A.E.P. Wall, Orlando Sentinel, September 16, 1987)
“Cardinal’s Anti‑Jewish Utterances Jeopardized Repeal Of UN Anti‑Israel Draft: While the Zionism‑racism’ or ‘hate‑the Jew’ resolution is still on the books here at the UN and efforts are made by some Member States to have it erased, some delegations influenced by rigid Catholic doctrine in the spirit of the anti‑Jewish remarks which the Vatican’s Joseph Cardinal Ratainger recently made are likely to withhold their support for such a move.
“The Cardinal, known as having a great deal of influence on Pope John Paul II, is quoted as having declared that, in dialogue with the Jews, Christians should pursue the ‘theological line’ that Judaism finds its fulfillment in Christianity and, for Jews to be ‘saved,’ they have to accept the cross.
“No wonder Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum of the American Jewish Committee reacted in anger by stating that the Cardinal had failed to acknowledge ‘the vitality and autonomy of Judaism. He simply provides no place for Judaism and hence no space for dialogue.’ Tullia Zavi, president of the Union of Italian Jewish communities in Italy, reacted in a similar vein. ‘The Cardinal’s remarks,’ she declared, ‘appeared to be an invitation to conversation’ rather than dialogue.
“Jewish leaders, no doubt, are embarrassed by this new manifestation of the leopard never changing his spots and the Pope’s continued propagation of the Faith, i.e., his own contempt for everyone else’s. While only the overly optimistic and unduly submissive of our leaders will be surprised by this reaffirmation of the obvious, it is more important to analyze if this new outbreak of anti‑Jewish directives by the Vatican will also manifest itself here at the UN and elsewhere on the international scene.
“To counteract this ‘evil empire’s’ influence, Christian theologians who are friendly toward Israel and the Jewish people should be mobilized.
“In this context, it is important to note that on the very day that the news of the Cardinal’s provocative statement was reported in the press, your correspondent received a communication from a noted Christian scholar, Kenneth W. Rawson, who heads the Bible Students Congregation of New Brunswick, New Jersey. This communication, touches upon a statement he made at Sukkot at a unique ceremony held in a North New Jersey Sukkah ... Representing the voice of a true Christian, its contents are worth noting, especially in the light of the current negative Vatican message. ‘I have a sense of shame,’ Bible Student Rawson stated, ‘that in the name of Christianity your people were persecuted for centuries. I can only say that this was not true Christianity, but churchianity. I have come to you in the Bible Student tradition of Pastor Charles Taze Russell, whose early Zionist work has been documented in David Horowitz’ book, ‘AN EARLY AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ZIONIST.’ Until his death in 1916, he was held in high esteem by the leaders of American Jewry. The tradition continued as the clouds of the Holocaust began to gather in the late 1930s.
“‘In this era of mass assimilation, I have a dream. Through the audio‑visual media, I want to say to my Jewish friends: don’t convert to Christian denominations, don’t assimilate; rather cherish the Torah, cherish your heritage and support Israel. By Divine Providence, the Star of David is rising in the Middle East. ... Shalom.”‘
“In an effort to clarify the controversial statement he (the Cardinal) had made and which brought sharp reactions from Jewish leaders around the world, the Cardinal via his office released several points of explanation the next day. Among these were: ‘A Christian should acknowledge his heritage from the Old Testament (mazal tof) and know that, according to the Christian faith, ‘the Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ ...When Jews become Christians, they should not forget their Jewish heritage.’ (A missionary appeal!)
“For information about scholar Rawson’s audio‑visual projection, ‘Israel – Appointment With Destiny,’ and his 32‑page pamphlet, ‘The Time to Favor Zion is Come,’ write to Kenneth W. Rawson, 60 Jersey Avenue, Edison, N. J. 08820.” (Behind The Scene At The United Nations, by David Horowitz – 3 December 1987)
Messianic Age Birth Pangs –‘Spark’: During our recent 7‑months’ residency in Jerusalem (marking an aggregate 8‑years residencies) we received a letter from a friend in the U.S. telling us of a CBS TV news special ‘informing’ the public of the situation inside Israel. The producers, no doubt believing themselves to be authorities in such matters, undertook to give a report on the struggle between the secularists and ‘the religious’ within Israel. In so doing they likened the religious revival in Israel to ‘Khomeinism’ in Iran. By such comparison, this CBS news team has revealed their dapple understanding of the people and State of Israel. To make such an assertion explodes a self‑inflicting bomb that to say the least, destroys much of their media credibility.
“NO OTHER people have contributed so much in true knowledge of (and from) Creation, Redemption and the World to come. As Jesus declared, ‘Salvation [deliverance of all types] is of the Jews.’ (John 4:22)
“There is only one authoritative Word and that is the Word of the Almighty. One has to be totally lacking in understanding, or blinded by prejudice, to read the Hebrew Scriptures in the light of today’s happenings and not realize that ‘God has returned to Zion and is uttering His voice from Jerusalem’ (Joel 3). ...
“‘Desire‑to‑be‑like‑the Gentiles’ mentally is engrained in many, especially among the secularists, many of whom are lacking in knowledge of their God‑given heritage. They fear their identity as a Jewish State will be termed ‘racist’ by the rest of the world, and bring on another holocaust from which few might survive.
“BUT THE God‑fearing, Torah (Law)‑observing Jew recognizes God has preserved His people through the ages for such a time as this. There is a great return (repentance) movement on foot whose ranks are swelling to the extent the Yeshivot (Jewish Bible Schools and Seminaries) are bursting their seams. There is a great desire for holiness and to be pleasing in God’s sight (not mere man’s). ...
“Now In The Light of these undeniable truths, for Dan Rather of CBS to compare the religious revival in Israel to Khomeinism, reveals a terrible lack of knowledge, not only of the true situation in Israel, but of the international scene as a whole. Iran has a one‑man, despotic dictatorship. Israel is ruled by law through her parliament, the Knesset. The inner conflict in Israel is the God‑fearing, Bible‑believing versus some rebellious secularists who seek to disregard the order of rule by God’s law for Israel. This can in no way be compared to Iran under Khomeini’s iron fist.
“NOT ONCE in all the Scriptures, including the New Testament, did God ever commission a Gentile to call Jews to repentance. Their own prophets are doing that. This is an internal event, privately conducted by the Lord Himself with His own people, Israel – and no ‘outsiders’ should seek to interfere, or even interpret the events until ‘all facts are in.’
“AS WE APPROACH the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom Age, we will hear more and more clearly the Lord saying, ‘Hands off.’ For ‘all that burden themselves with it [i.e., take upon themselves to judge and call Israel to account] shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it’ (Zechariah 12.3).” (Bible Light Star, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 2,31)
“THE ANSWER TO MARK TWAIN’S QUESTION: Mark Twain made no claim to godliness or biblical expertise. Nevertheless, the Jewish people fascinated him like none other. More than that, they left him mind‑boggled. In 1899, Mark Twain wrote an essay called: ‘Concerning the Jews.’ What he wrote is all the more remarkable considering the fact that there would be no Balfour Declaration for nearly twenty years nor an Israel for almost fifty years. Twain said:
“‘If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one per cent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also way out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused of it.
“‘The Egyptian, the Babylonian and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendour, then faded to dream‑stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in the twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?
“Mark Twain was right. All pass into history except the Jew, who lives on. Jewish contributions continue to enrich the world. Israel survives and even thrives. And new enemies of the Jews still arise to buck the odds. My hope is their numbers will decrease as more Christians like me remind the haters of Mark Twain’s riddle and the biblical answers that a baffled Twain never found!
“But the answer to Mark Twain’s question is simple – emblazoned across the pages of Scripture. The God who gave birth to Israel through its progenitor, Abraham, also guaranteed its preservation and destiny. Prior to Abraham, there was no promised land or chosen people – just self‑destructing pagans whose collective heart was ‘only evil continually.’(Gen. 6:5)” (The Shalom Letter, October, 1987)
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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST
Dear Sister Hoefle,
I received the book, “The Time Is At Hand” about one week ago, and I have finished reading it. I wondered what the Anti‑Christ was, and now I know. I don’t remember whether I told you I want to be put on your mailing list, but I do want to be placed on it.
Also, the book about PASTOR CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL was an eye‑opener [she is a former JW]. I have read it about twice now. I am sending $‑‑ to help with the literature you sent me. Maybe I will be able to send more later on.
Does your organization have a church name or should I send a check to Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n? Thank you so much for the literature. It’s the only thing that has helped me to be able to cope with my daughter’s death.
Sincerely, ------- (MICHIGAN)
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Dear Mr. Horowitz: Greetings in the precious name of Jesus!
Christian Research Institute is an evangelical Christian ministry with branch offices in Canada and Brazil. We publish a magazine three times a year called Christian Research Journal.
Recently we learned about your book, CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL ‑ An Early American Christian Zionist. We would very much be interested in receiving a review copy for review in our journal.
If you are able to supply us with a review copy, please send it to my attention. We will send you a copy of the review when it is published.
Thank you very much, and may God bless you.
Sincerely in Christ, ----------------- (CALIFORNIA)
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My dear Friend David:
Thank you heartily for the latest news in Behind the Scenes at the UN. I have read with much interest your book on Pastor Russell. Many years ago when Mr. Russell was alive he said someone would set him up before the world, and I do believe the Lord made you as that instrument, to have his purpose accomplished, and well written.
I do, with much interest, enjoy your news. Till we both rejoice to see Jerusalem the Capital of Israel, I remain your dear friend. Yours, -------------- ....
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Dear Mr. Horowitz:
I have heard about your book, PASTOR CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL, and am interested in receiving it if possible. I understand the hard cover edition is $15.95, plus $1.50 shipping cost. So I am sending you a check for $17.45.
Thank you very much! Yours sincerely, ---------- (MINNESOTA)
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Dear Friends in Christ:
I have received the literature which you sent me, and I got a lot out of it. I would like to know more about your relationship to other Bible Student groups.
If possible, please send me one of each copy of the last piece of literature that you have. I will be more than happy to reimburse the postage.
Yours in Christ, ------- (LOUISIANA)
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Dear Friends: Greetings!
I am writing to request some information about your organization. First, it would be much appreciated if you could send along some material about your origin and statement of faith.
Also I would be interested in obtaining a catalogue of any tracts, pamphlets, periodicals, books, tape, etc., that you may produce or distribute. Should there be a cost to these catalogues, etc., do feel free to bill me for them.
I would be very grateful for any help you could give me concerning this request.
I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, ------- (CANADA)
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We want to express our thanks and appreciation for the many beautiful Christmas cards – especially the assurance of their love and prayers. We wish all our readers a blessed New Year! “The Lord preserveth all them that love Him.” (Psa. 145:20)
THE PROPER DATE for the Memorial for 1988 is March 30, after 6 p.m.
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