Evangelicals and Israel

I was listening this morning to NPR's Morning Edition on my way to work when I heard a story about Evangelicals who are in Israel this week to celebrate the Jewish Holiday of Sukkot.

In a sentence, I found it disturbing. Here's a snipit from the text of the article.

"That vision is one in which the Jews eventually disappear," he says. "If you say that at the end of days, in a perfect world there aren't going to be any Jews, what you're saying, right now, is that you don't accept the legitimacy of Judaism."

I can understand the Theology and Escatology to which these Evangelicals subscribe, needless to say I don't subscribe to it nor do I believe it's an appropriate approach. In fact I find that such dubious actions as giving overwhelming political and economic aide to a people in need and telling them it's out of love and support for them as a people and a particular people of faith; all the while believing that your charity - although using it in this context taints the true meaning of that word - will somehow overwhelm that people and convert them to your faith - and that being the ultimate and only reason you give them money and political heft - is somewhat, well wrong. (did you enjoy the incredibly long sentence?)

So I encourage the Jewish people of Israel if not convert then take note of what my Messiah did say about people and their "dirty money" and how people of faith should respond:

I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. (Luke 16:9)

So take their money, thank them, and go build a synagogue, an orphanage, a hospital and some schools of learning where you can study the richness of your heritage and become better Jews.

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