Leading evangelical Christians are publicly urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scuttle legislation introduced by ultra-Orthodox members of his coalition that would punish Christian attempts to witness Jesus to the Jews with imprisonment.
As we said on the Podcast on Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu’s 5th term as prime minister of Israel got off to a rocky start, and so far has stayed there. Now comes the news that 2 members of his government are pushing a bill that would send Christians to jail for telling a Jew how to get saved. And just like that, we are back in the book of Acts. Why is this happening? Because the Church Age is coming to a close, and all the world is preparing itself to receive Antichrist and his coming 7-year kingdom.
“And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts 5:40-42 (KJB)
Benjamin Netanyahu has over the years formed a warm alliance with the American evangelical community, who for their part, have never been overly enthusiastic about telling lost Jews in Israel about salvation in Jesus Christ. I am remember the time that John Hagee, founder of Christians United For Israel (CUFI), when asked to speak at the dedication of the US Embassy in Jerusalem. He had the attention of all Israel and the entire world, and spoke not a word about ‘bringing back the King’. Hagee knows how the game is played, so this proposed bill won’t affect him and his crew at all. But to the Bible believing street preacher in Jerusalem, the warning bells of the coming persecution are tolling for thee.
New bill proposed in Israel will make it a crime to tell a Jew about salvation in Jesus Christ
FROM HAARETZ: The legislation – introduced by United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher – would apply to anyone who would attempt to persuade someone from changing their religious beliefs. The legislation, however, specifically notes that “the attempts of missionary groups, mainly Christians, to solicit conversion of religion have increased.”
The UTJ bill further outlaws sharing New Testament theology via online videos, online articles, social media, written literature and other forms of media. It further stipulates one year imprisonment for explaining faith in Jesus to an adult and two years imprisonment if discussing it with a minor.
The bill’s primary objective, therefore, appears to be making it illegal for followers of Jesus (“Yeshua” in Hebrew) to explain why they believe that Jesus is both Messiah and God with the hope that Israelis might consider following Him.
Netanyahu and his allies – namely former Israel Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer – have publicly and privately stressed the importance of evangelical support as U.S. Jews have grown increasingly critical of Israel’s rightward shift. This dynamic has largely fueled Israel becoming an increasingly partisan issue where Republicans have adopted increasingly pro-Israel sentiments – both within international geopolitics and local domestic politics.
The legislation, first reported by evangelical website All Israel News, has already provoked significant outcry from leading evangelical Christians — many of whom have been stalwart supporters of Netanyahu over the past several decades.
“The bill could also draw sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, in the executive branch, among U.S. governors and others who love Israel and have always stood with the Jewish state, but would fiercely oppose efforts to silence followers of Jesus in the Holy Land,” All Israel News’ Joel Rosenberg warned. READ MORE
Will New Israeli Bill outlaw the Gospel?!
Israel is in the middle of civil unrest and terror attacks. The new government is pushing controversial reforms to the court system, that could take power away from the courts to uphold basic laws that ensure human rights and religious freedom. Despite assurances that human rights will be preserved in these reforms a updated version of the “Anti-Missionary” bill has been brought to the Knesset once again, this updated bill in the light of the judicial reforms could make it illegal to share your faith in person or online in Israel!
Watch Listen As John Hagee Denies That Jesus Christ Came To Earth As The Messiah
When Hagee released this book a few years back, claims he made about Jesus were deemed so heretical that Hagee was forced to remove all of chapter 10 and rewrite it to correct his heresy. This clip is the one of the few surviving copies of the official television commercial Hagee made to promote his book. At the very least, John Hagee will not be able to deny he said these things.
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The post Outrage As A New Proposed Bill In The Knesset In Israel Would Send Christians To Jail For Witnessing To Jews About Salvation In Jesus Christ appeared first on Now The End Begins.