AMAZING! IDF General Defends Messianic Jewish Cadet

(All the more reason for the world to hate Israel ... how fitting that Christians and Jews are moving into one unit. Absolutely amazing how God gets His job done! Put these soldiers on your prayer list. CMR)

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Friday, May 09, 2014 |  David Lazarus  

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Messianic Jews

A cadet in the IDF Officer's Training School has been thrown out of the program for refusing to participate in a lecture about Messianic Jews. 

The cadet was removed from the course after refusing to listen to a lecture from a fellow Messianic Jewish cadet on the New Testament and his faith in the Jewish Messiah. Cadets in the elite officer's training school learn to lecture on a topics of interest for their training officers and fellow cadets. One of the cadets, a Messianic Jewish believer, apparently chose to give a talk about the New Testament and Jewish faith in Yeshua. 

The bold decision taken by General Avi Gil Commander of the IDF Officer's Training School reflects a new chapter in respect for Messianic Jews and Messianic Jewish faith in Israel. 

Here is part of General Gil's communiqué with the rejected cadet:
"As a future officer you will be required to hold the line with all of your soldiers, no matter their religion or ethnicity, even when their beliefs may be in tension with your own. As an officer in the IDF you must insure a safe environment in which all your soldiers can serve. You must demonstrate a balanced approach in your decision making. Remember, you do not represent your own opinions, but rather the national consensus of the IDF approach to these matters."

In his summary statement from the cadet's trial, General Gil determined that "the cadet acted in a way that is in absolute opposition to the character and conventions of the IDF. There is no place in the IDF for officers holding extreme positions. A cadet cannot negate another's religious beliefs and refuse to listen to them."

At the military trail the cadet admitted, "I have a problem listening to a belief that is different that what I believe." General Gil concluded that "the cadet did not show that he even understood the problem with his position. Nor was he willing to receive any correction. Because of this," said the General, "the cadet was removed from the Officer's School."

In spite of all of this, General Gil recommended the soldier for service in other regular units the army. He was also given the opportunity to reapply for the next officers' training course if he "would be willing and able to go through a process of coming to grips with the issues he is struggling with," said the General.

In the past Messianic Jews were considered a security threat by the authorities and could not serve in sensitive units in the Israeli army. Today there are Messianic Jews serving as commanders and officers in every branch of the Israeli military including Intelligence which requires the highest level of security checks. Somewhere very high up in the ranks of the Israeli government and military a decision has been made that Messianic Jews are no longer considered a security risk but should be recognized as reliable and trustworthy citizens of Israel.

There are currently hundreds and perhaps even thousands of Messianic Jewish soldiers serving in the IDF. Many of them openly share their Messianic faith in Yeshua.

Messianic Jews in Israel are proud to serve their country. Many Messianic Israelis choose to serve in elite fighting units and most are exemplary soldiers who want to demonstrate that faith in Yeshua is not a betrayal of their Jewish heritage. In fact, faith in the Messiah gives them an even greater desire to serve the nation of Israel. "I feel like I am doing something really important," a Messianic Jewish soldier in the elite Iron Dome anti-missile unit told Israel Today. "This is something I have prepared to do for my people. I am glad that I can be here for such a time as this."

PHOTO: Front of the IDF officers' training school, emblazoned with Judges 7:17, in which Gideon tells his 300 warrior, "Watch me and follow my lead..."

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Christians need to add to our prayer lists, our brothers and sisters in the Messianic Jewish Churches around the world. These faithful who have recognized Jesus Christ as their Messiah have by far the best chances to lead other Jews to the Lord. This will no doubt be one of the most effective and important movements in the Christianity of the end times. CMR

Sunday, Feb 19, 2012

Published: Friday, Feb. 17, 2012
Updated: Friday, Feb. 17, 2012

Messianic Jewish Leaders Respond to "Christ at the Checkpoint"

Deep concerns about anti-Israel, unbiblical nature of conference in Bethlehem

Messianic Jewish Alliance of America

PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Messianic Jewish Alliance of America:

As representatives of the international Messianic Jewish community, we raise deep concerns about the anti-Israel and, indeed, unbiblical nature of the Christ at the Checkpoint conference soon to be held in Bethlehem.

The Messianic Jewish community has noted the growing opposition to Zionism and the state of Israel within some elements of the Evangelical Christian world. Such opposition ignores the profound and ancient connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and the modern history of the founding of the state of Israel. Equally troubling, this opposition is often linked to a resurgent supersessionism, the doctrine that the church replaces Israel as God's covenant partner. This theology, which has led historically to anti-Semitism and the tragic oppression of the Jewish people, appears to permeate this entire conference.

The conference is being promoted internationally and features speakers from around the world, including prominent American and European Christians, several of whom have a decidedly anti-Israel bias. We address the following to the conference organizers as evidence of our concerns:

• Your conference title, "Christ at the Checkpoint," places the Israeli border checkpoints as the central issue of Christian concern. You frame the entire story of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in terms of Israel's alleged oppression and abuses, with no historical or political context provided, and no allegations of oppression or abuse on the part of any Palestinians or other Arabs historically or currently.
• You state a desire for "hope in the midst of conflict," and for peace and reconciliation among followers of Jesus. Sadly, both the structure of your conference, with its one-sided focus on the Israeli "occupation," and the anti-Israel record of some of its key representatives, work against peace and reconciliation.
• Your website features speakers who repeatedly raise "the grim reality" of "the occupation" as virtually the only challenge that Palestinian Christians face.
• Your conference objectives discredit Zionism alone of any political movement, thereby undermining your own talk of peace and reconciliation, which would require seeing both perspectives.
• You claim to "stand resolutely against all forms of violence and racism, regardless of the perpetrators," but the only form that you mention is Zionism. There is no mention of the violence perpetrated against Jews by Palestinians, including Hamas, which regularly attacks Israeli civilians.

In the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict there are two claimants to justice, Jews and Arabs, and true reconciliation efforts must recognize this reality. We urge you, therefore, to be true to your own affirmations and disassociate from all anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish expressions during your upcoming conference. You have taken a stand against Zionism as "ethnocentric." We disagree with this characterization and challenge you instead to take a stand against anti-Semitism, against jihad, against fascism in the Arab world, and against the cult of child martyrdom, as promoted by many opponents of Israel, including several that have hosted visits by your organizers.

We urge you to state support for peace efforts between Israel and the Arab world that recognize the existence of Israel as a Jewish state, and its right to firm and secure borders, without any threat of terrorism.

We urge you to remember the terrible history of Christian supersessionism, which led to invalidating the Jewish people and their unique covenant with God, stripping away the Jewishness of the Biblical message of redemption for all through the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), and promulgating Biblical interpretation that demonized the Jewish people and inevitably resulted in centuries of Christian anti-Semitism and persecution of the Jewish people.

And, finally, we urge you to remember the words of that famous Rabbi, Paul of Tarsus, who wrote these words to Gentile Christians concerning their relationship with the early Messianic Jews and the Jewish people:
But if some of the branches are broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root that supports you. Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (Rom. 11:17-18)

Paul Liberman, President; Joel Chernoff, General Secretary Messianic Jewish Alliance of America;
Howard Silverman, President; Russell Resnik, Executive Director Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations;
Jeff Forman, Chairman International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues;
John Fischer, President;Joel Liberman, Executive DirectorInternational Messianic Jewish Alliance
CONTACT: Joel Chernoff, joelchernoff@mjaa.org, 610-304-2237Russ Resnik, rebrez@umjc.org, 505-440-2265www.MJAA.orgwww.UMJC.org


SOURCE Messianic Jewish Alliance of America

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