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About ronimechanic

Academic, Theological Commentator, Writer, Poet, Educator, Blogger, Artist, and Photographer

Why the Great Hatred?

Why is hatred towards the Jews so easily stirred? It is shocking to think that since the Isreal – Gaza war started, anti–Jewish’s hatred has increased by 500% in Great Britain. What motivates this negative destructive mentality?

There are several issues that triggers this among sections of the British population. The Far-Right; Far-Left; religious bigotry; Moslem antisemitism; a ayatollah coupled with anti-Israel nascent mentality; pro–Palestinian support; negative Christian Theology; ignorance; fake news; hatred of the God of Israel; and the God and Father of Yeshua the Messiah, plus, plus…

Far Right politics has been around a long time and saw its rise in the 1930’s coupled with the rise of Nazi antisemitic hatred in German. It spread like a cancer, crossing the channel into the UK under the leadership of Oswald Mosley and his Union of British Fascists. The Cable Street Fascist march though the East End of London, a densely populated Jewish part of London.

Far Left political antisemitism dates back to the 1920’s with the rise of communism, that falsely blamed Jews for economic woes and difficulties in the post WW1 era. Communism’s atheistic attitude included in its teaching a hatred of God.

The position of Islam as a global religion has far reaching influence upon people’s thinking. Moslem believers, similar to Judaism and Christianity there many different expressions of faith. Some are more tolerant, right through to the extremist side of Islam. The current conflict is driven by Hamas that is a radical form of Islam that is designated as a terrorist organisation that stands for the destruction of the Jewish State, the murder of Jews, and the ultimate establishment of a world-wide Moslem Caliphate. Their ideological centre originates from Iran and its ayatollahs who stand for the destruction of Israel, and the death of all Jews.

What happened on 7.10.2023 began beginning in Sterot in Southern Israel and the surrounding kibbutzim, plus the wonton murder of over 200 people at a music festival. 1,400 were murdered in the most deliberate and brutal way, plus 240 hostages were taken into Gaza. Wonton disregard for human life, not only killing their victims, but violating anything to do with the sanctity of the living and the dead. These types of acts have not been seen since the Nazis, during the Holocaust.

There are those who support the concept of the two-state solution to the Israel – Palestinian conflict, which was agreed in the Oslo Accords. Some have agued that this is all, but dead.

Then there are those who advocate the total annihilation of the State of Israel (75 years old), and replace it with a Palestinian state that will be ‘Juden-rein,’ – ‘Jew free.’

So, what are the options? Either, or – the first offers a possible option, while the second is totally unacceptable! “From the river to the sea!” In other words, Israel can’t exist. This deeply offensive, and antisemitic.

British Jews feel very troubled and insecure with the exponential rise of antisemitism in this country, and around the world.

Some are saying, just forgive…

It is nothing new to resort to blaming the victims for the terror inflicted upon them – “They had it coming to them!” In other words, they deserve what has happened to them. Arguments like, “Jews deserve what happens to them, I mean look…” This type of argument is so vile and morally unacceptable. It says much about those who level this kind of accusation.

“Where was God during the Holocaust? Jacob Jocz replied, “It is not about where God was when the six million died, rather it was the question, where was humankind when the six million died?”

The way forward?

So, what is the way forward? Do Israeli’s have the right to defend to defend themselves and peace loving Israeli Arabs, Beduins, Druze, and other non-Jewish citizens, and expatriate others? In the film, ‘The Light We Cannot See,’ There is a quotation – “The most important light of all is the light you cannot see!” There is an inner illumination that supersedes any physical light that may shine.

Matthew 5:13-16 NIV

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

A Marginal Jew, a marginal Moslem Not every Jew, nor every Moslem can be tarred with the same brush –– We are so quick to tar everyone from a particular ethnic or religious group with the same brush. Generalisations always prove to be unhelpful when dealing with outlooks of perceived attitudes. Winston Churchill said, “Men, never give up!”

The great man, Winston Churchill arose to speak: ‘Young men; never give up, never give up, never give up.’ The entire speech lasted only a few seconds. Then he sat down. 

Never Give In” “This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.

I say, “Jews never give in!”

I say, “Jews never give up!”

“We cannot either give in; nor can we ever give up!” We must not, nor can we contemplate giving in to those who hate us, despitefully use us, want to marginalise us, and ultimately kill us.

“If Hitler’s lot have their way, soon you (a rabbi) won’t have anyone to preach to!” (A rabbi to Karl Wiseman, Detective in the film Bodies)

“If Hamas lot have their way, soon there will be no more Jewish people left to pursue and kill, for they will all be dead!” (Roni in Why this Great Hatred?)

Am Yisrael Chai –– The People of Israel live! There may be a time to forgive, but now is the time to stand firm, and resolutely fight for our dignity, respect, and very existence in the face of those who want to kill us and blot our names off the face of the earth.

Stand firm and fight for our survival!

Psalm 25:16-22 NRSV


16 
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
    and bring me[a] out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life and deliver me;
    do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,
    out of all its troubles.

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Encountering This Jewish Jesus: Messianic Jewish Faith and Practice

Encountering This Jewish Jesus: Messianic Jewish Faith and Practice

Encountering This Jewish Jesus: Messianic Jewish Faith and Practice

by Roni Mechanic | 27 Aug 2023

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Don’t Eat That Hat: Rather Listen To The Truth: Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk!

Don’t Eat That Hat: Rather Listen To The Truth:

Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk!

In February 2023 I posted this programme – I have remastered and updated it -Please enjoy!

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MAXRON Discussions: Jews and Gentiles in the Modern Age

Jews and Gentiles as the Covenant People of God

Part 2

Honour and shame

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Part 2

When we speak about Jews, we mean those people that are descended from ancient Israel. While Gentiles simply means ‘the nations. The Hebrew/Yiddish word ‘Goyim or Goy,’ the people of the nations. 

The reason firstly why the two people were separated from each other was because God desired to create a ‘holy/separate people,’ who were called to be holy and walk in his ways. In contrast, the nations/goyim worship pagan gods, idols made of wood and stone. Israel was forbidden by the Lord to follow these strange pagan deities, due to the corrupting influence that they had upon their followers – God not only wanted a holy nation, but he also desired that his ‘chosen people,’ would serve him and be a light to the Gentiles, so that they too could become the children of God.  

Max and Roni take some what differing approaches when it comes to the question of the outworking of redemption and reconciliation that Yeshua made when he came and made peace between Jews and Gentiles through his saving power. 

Max gives a very articulate explanation of his interpretation to answering the question at hand of how Gentile believers may approach living according to the Torah in the light of their New Covenant faith.

Max, please explain to the listeners your stand on what Yeshua particularly accomplished at his first advent, and how this effects Gentile believer in particular? 

Roni, would you kindly give your response to what I have just said, and explain how your interpretation differs from that mine? 

“Let us agree to disagree!” On the essentials for us to work together there needs to be considerable accord, i.e., The divinity of Yeshua; his atoning sacrifice; the nature and person of God; the nature of humankind and our fallenness; and the universal need for redemption, through the once only atoning sacrifice of Yeshua on the cursed tree; that there is salvation only through Yeshua; etc. 

What can be done to create greater harmony and accord? What aids that? What hinders that? 

And let it unfold as we do it!

Roni found this article published by Jews for Jesus that expresses an approach to understanding the dynamic of Jewish and Gentile approaches to faith and practice. He substantially concurs with Stephanie Hamman’s interpretation of this weighty subject.

Should Gentile Christians Keep Torah?

When Gentiles started following Jesus, his earliest followers had a big question to discern.

by Stephanie Hamman | September 14, 2020

The God of All Peoples

When God created human beings, the original language tells us He made them as His image, male and female. Adam and Eve were the parents of all humanity—Jewish and Gentile. The book of Genesis tells us that God maintained an intimate relationship with them, but our first ancestors severed that connection by their sin. It was then that God promised He would send a Messiah through one of their descendants who would defeat the enemy and reconcile humanity with their Creator (Genesis 3:15; Numbers 24:7; Isaiah 11:10).

The first step in reconciling the nations to Himself was setting apart a people for His name—the Jewish nation. This was accomplished when He selected Abraham and gave him a special blessing, saying, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Out of this lineage, the Messiah was promised to come into the world. We believe and know that Yeshua (Jesus) is that Messiah.

The Jewish Messiah is for all people, and those who follow Him are united in one faith in the God of Israel.

The teachings of Jesus were so compelling that they quickly spread throughout the world. It didn’t take long before there were far more Gentile followers of Jesus than Jewish ones. This should have been anticipated, as the Hebrew Scriptures teach that when the Messiah comes, the Gentiles will seek Him, too. 

The Jewish Messiah is for all people, and those who follow Him are united in one faith in the God of Israel. Today, there continue to be more Gentile followers of Jesus than there are Jewish followers, which makes sense since the global Jewish population is only about 0.19% of the human race.1 But because of Jesus, people in remote corners of the world, as well as those in the highest halls of learning, know something about the Jewish people and our Scriptures.

Does the Bible Teach That All Christians Should Keep the Law of Moses?

Many Christians find value in understanding the Jewish context of their faith, and rightly so. The deeper they study, the more aware they become of how much Christianity has evolved. In an effort to reconcile this, many begin to wonder if they should be keeping the Torah (law of Moses). This is not just a recent issue; it’s one that came up even in the book of Acts.

Although the destiny for the inclusion of all nations in the worship of the God of Israel is written in the Hebrew Scriptures, it still took the Jewish believers like Peter, James, and Paul by surprise when so many Gentiles accepted Yeshua’s message. After all, “Christianity” at that time was fully Jewish. Within the first 20 years after Yeshua’s resurrection, they met together to discuss the phenomenon they were witnessing and to decide whether or not Gentile followers of the Jewish Messiah needed to become Jewish themselves.

The issue was that some Jewish believers were telling Gentile believers that they needed to convert to Judaism (i.e., get circumcised and keep the Torah) in order to truly be saved. Paul and Barnabas brought the issue to the elders and apostles in Jerusalem. After even more discussion, Peter spoke up. He, of course, had been the first to witness a Gentile coming to faith in the city of Yafo when he met Cornelius. During that encounter, God had taught him not to regard any other human being as “unclean” (Acts 10:28).

After Peter related his experience, James made the final call. He clearly delineated that the Torah was given to the Jewish people, and as of yet, no one had been able to follow it perfectly. Therefore, he decided they should not place the same burden on the Gentiles, but call them to the standard of morality laid out in the Torah (Acts 15:19–21). Subsequently, four main requirements were sent in a letter to Gentile believers across the known world: to abstain from (1) anything connected to idolatry, (2) sexual immorality, (3) eating an animal that had been strangled, and (4) blood (Acts 15:29). All ties to paganism were severed. If Gentile believers truly followed these rules, they could not participate in any pagan temple cults or rituals of that time. Such behavior would definitively set them apart.

The Jerusalem Council was concerned that Gentile Christians would observe God’s standard of morality.

Although this decision by the apostles was documented in the New Testament writings, some Gentiles still believe they must take on Jewish ritual obligations to follow Jesus. Others believe all of it is rendered obsolete and even Jewish people should abandon their holy calling. The apostles did not support either of these stances. 

The New Testament clearly teaches that Gentile Christians are under no obligation to observe Jewish ritual law. 

The Jerusalem Council was primarily concerned that Gentile Christians would observe God’s standards of morality; the only restrictions placed on Gentile Christians were likely intended to facilitate fellowship between Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus in meal settings. Gentiles should not try to take on the role or identity of Jewish people, and vice versa.  Jews and Gentiles remain distinct (1 Corinthians 7:18–20; Acts 15; Acts 21:25), but both peoples come into equal standing before God as we use our distinct roles to bring others into relationship with Him (2 Corinthians 5:18–20).

The Gentile Role

Even so, Paul encouraged the Gentile believers in Ephesus to take their connection to the Jewish people seriously.

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the  flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Messiah, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Messiah Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. (Ephesians 2:11–13) (bolding is author’s)

When you accept Jesus as your Saviour, you’re brought into the commonwealth of Israel, and it is through this inclusion that the nations have hope. God doesn’t require you to become Jewish to follow Him, and we cannot support any efforts by Gentile believers to convert to any type of Judaism. However, completely ignoring the Torah or not learning about the appointed times that God gave to Israel would be like relocating to another country, yet never taking the time to learn the language or the culture. If Christians want to voluntarily celebrate Jewish holidays and make room for Shabbat in their lives, there is much value to be found in that—in the world to come, all the nations will worship the God of Israel in Jerusalem and observe His feasts (Zechariah 14:16-19).

Jewish Gentile Couples

If a Gentile is married to a Jewish person, whether they follow Jesus or not, their calling as an individual may be different than their calling as a part of a Jewish family. Take Ruth for instance: although not Jewish herself, she was married to a Jewish man. Even after he died, she still recognized that her calling as part of his Jewish family was to support her mother-in-law. Ruth was always called a “Moabite,” but she has a very special place in Jewish history as the great-grandmother of King David.

Why the World Needs Gentiles

Your calling as a Gentile is every bit as vital and needed as the calling of a Jewish person. Paul writes that there is a special purpose in extending salvation to the Gentiles: “Through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!” (Romans 11:11–12).

Your calling as a Gentile is every bit as vital and needed as the calling of a Jewish person.

This is demonstrated so well when Jeremy Gimpel, a Jewish educator and podcaster, expressed his feelings over watching a Christian minister recite the Shema (the creed of the Jewish faith taken from Deuteronomy 6) at President Obama’s inauguration.

I am not usually jealous of anyone or anything, but this was too much. Israel as a country models itself after America in almost every way possible, every way except for one. Israel would never start off a national ceremony in prayer. That would be too Jewish. And now a Christian Pastor named Rick Warren is calling out to the world, “Hear O Israel….” The man was calling out to the Jewish people and I don’t think he even knew it.2

There are some people who discover their Jewish heritage later in life, and may feel that they need to reconsider how they should live out their identity in Messiah in light of that. If you know for certain that you have Jewish heritage, how you choose to embrace and practice that is between you and God. But, if you identify as a Jew when you are not, the role you’re called to as a Gentile is ineffective. Only when we come together in our distinct roles does the true miracle take place (Galatians 3:28–29). What was once separated has been linked in a beautiful unity, and our shared purpose is to reconcile the rest of humanity with our Creator.

Endnotes

1. “DellaPergola’s world core Jewish population estimate was 14,606,000 at the beginning of 2018….” 14,606,000 out of the global population of 7,800,000,000 is 0.187%, https://www.jewishdatabank.org/databank/search-results/study/1060.

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MAXRON Discussions: Jews–Gentile Relations Throughout History

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DON’T EAT THAT HAT: ENCOUNTERING THAT JEWISH JESUS –

ESTRANGEMENT AND RECONCILIATION BETWEEN

SYNAGOGUE AND CHURCH

PART 1

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