Never Again
We thought the world had learned its lesson. We thought humanity had grasped the gravity of antisemitism. We thought we had friends who stood with us. We held onto the hope we would never again witness this amount of senseless brutality. But on October 7, 2023, Hamas’ savage attack on innocent Jewish people shattered those illusions. The subsequent upswell of antisemitic rhetoric has been hard to believe and even more hurtful to experience.
“Never Again”—the Jewish community’s determined vow against another genocide after the horrors of the Holocaust—now feels like a hollow echo. It is natural to feel helpless in the face of enormous evil and shattered dreams. It is normal to wonder how something like this could happen again, despite all the Jewish community’s efforts to build a safe haven for ourselves. But in a world with shattered hopes, we now wonder if there is any lasting hope left to grasp.
Never Alone
However, even as our hopes seem shattered, there is an unbroken promise—a promise enduring the test of time—which has seen Jewish people through the darkest moments of history and can carry us through despite the growing intensity of attacks on Israel and global antisemitism.
This promise is not given by man but by the God of Israel. In the Torah, He made an eternal covenant with our ancestors, a covenant binding Him to us and to the land of Israel forever (Genesis 15). This covenant is not based on the worthiness of Jewish people but founded on God’s love and faithfulness for His chosen people.
As Moses, our lawgiver, wrote,
The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)
According to Moses, God promised to be our God and called upon us to be His people. He vowed to dwell among us, guide us, protect us, and defend us, and despite our failures and shortcomings, He has remained faithful to His promises.
Throughout history, God has proven Himself to be a shield of protection around Jewish people. Whether our persecutors were Haman, Hitler, or Hamas, He has intervened on our behalf countless times—often in miraculous ways—to deliver us from harm and danger. Even when Jewish people felt abandoned or forgotten, He was always present, working behind the scenes to bring about redemption and restoration.
He is still deeply engaged today, even amid the interminable suffering Jewish people have endured over the last year, especially Israelis who lost loved ones on October 7 and during its aftermath.
Unexpected Friends
We are not alone in another sense as well. There are countless followers of Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah, who believe the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, and they also believe Jewish people still play a significant role in God’s plan for the ages. In a world where Jewish people seem to be losing friends and are feeling increasingly isolated, we might remember how Christians also used to be viewed as enemies and persecutors. However, times have changed, and today’s sincere, Bible-believing Christians are now some of our greatest supporters.
As one Anglican Christian said recently, “If antisemites want to harm the Jewish people, then they have to get through us first!” How powerful! What an expression of love and support. This amazing show of support and backing by Christians may open us up as Jewish people to take a new look at the claims of Yeshua to be the Jewish Messiah.
Yet, the support we as Jewish people receive today from the Christian community can sometimes be confusing because of an uncomfortable history of “Christian” persecution. The Crusades, pogroms, and even the Holocaust are often believed to be the cumulative result of a long history of Christian antisemitism.
This is why it is so critical for Christians and Jewish people to understand there are many beliefs tying us together. One of them is a mutual understanding of how God made a covenant with Jewish people, which He will never repeal. Consider this biblical promise:
Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36)
The continued existence of the sun, moon, and stars—and even the waves hitting the Tel Aviv seashore—is evidence of God’s continued preservation of the people of Israel. Many followers of Jesus recognize this fact, passionately insisting anyone who is opposed to the Jewish state and people is opposed to God Himself.
A Deeper Reason
However, there is an even deeper significance behind the advocacy of Christians on behalf of Israel. Christians often view the modern State of Israel as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy and believe God will fulfill His remaining promises of bringing a lasting peace to Israel when Yeshua returns.
The Christian commitment to Israel and Jewish people stems from a profound understanding of Yeshua’s identity as the Jewish Messiah. Yeshua identified as a Jewish person; He was one of us. He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). He came to Jewish people first, and only later did His message have an impact on Gentiles all over the world.
Followers of Yeshua see Him as the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, as central to the redemption narrative throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, and the embodiment of God’s love for His people. Yeshua also came to bring unity between Jewish people and Gentiles and to reconcile humanity to God. As Messianic Jews, we believe Yeshua came to offer forgiveness of sin to all who put their trust in Him: to our Jewish people and to Gentiles alike. The Jewish prophet Isaiah foretold the Messiah’s atoning death for our sins:
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:3b–6)
By forgiving our sins, Yeshua provides us with a true and lasting hope nobody can ever take away or destroy. He said,
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28–30)
Yeshua gives us a peace transcending the troubles and horrific terrorist acts of this world. When all else fails, including our calls for “Never Again,” our Messiah remains faithful and true. We are never alone when we trust in Him. We know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be faithful to keep His promises to His chosen people—forever!