Question: What’s at the heart of anti-Semitism?
Answer: Spiritual Warfare.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
All forms of anti-Semitism have Satan as their source. Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve, Satan has attempted to destroy the Messianic line that would ultimately defeat him (Genesis 3:15). Bible scholar, Arnold Fruchtenbaum rightly observes,
“[A]ll anti-Semitic campaigns throughout Jewish history have been instigated by Satan. . . . Satan works on the principle that whomsoever the Lord loves, he will hate. God, throughout the Prophets and the New Testament, spelled out His eternal love for the people of Israel; therefore, Satan has had a perpetual war against the Jews, seeking to destroy them at every possible opportunity” (Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah, third edition, Ariel Ministries. Kindle, loc. 8852).
Prior to the first advent of Jesus Christ, Satan tried to rid creation of Israel through repeated attacks. For example, Satan attempted to exterminate the Jews through Pharoah’s order to kill all male infants born to Hebrew families (Exodus 1:15-16; 22). Later, Satan sought to end the Hebrew people through Haman’s nefarious plot against the Jews as recorded in Esther 3. Satan also tempted Jesus Christ in order to disqualify Him from being our Savior (Matthew 4:1-11). But on the cross at Calvary, Jesus Christ not only sealed our victory over sin and death, He sealed Satan’s fate forever. The Apostle Paul triumphantly declared, “When He disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him” (Colossians 2:15).
Though Satan’s future is sealed, he has not given up the fight. He wants to destroy Israel to prevent the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. Through anti-Semitic warfare, Satan seeks to remove Israel from the face of the earth so that there will not be a remnant from Israel for Christ to rule over. But again, Satan’s future is sealed. Jesus Christ will return as the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16). And after the thousand-year reign of Christ, Revelation 20:10 states, “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
As Christians, it is important for us to understand what is behind all forms of anti-Semitism. The truth is, we are in a real battle. This is spiritual warfare. The Apostle Paul recognized there is a real war and that Satan is trying to eternally destroy those whom God loves. In his last letter to Timothy, Paul did not say, “I have danced the good dance.” Paul said, “I have fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7).
We must rise up and do likewise. We must rise up and pray for Israel. We must also rise up and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is only through Jesus Christ that Israel and her people will be truly blessed.
By Dr. Matthew Dodd
May 10, 2023