10. More Misused Terms in Popular Prophecy: Anti-Semitism.

 

I.  What do we mean by ‘Anti-Semitic’?

           A. We must first answer “What is Semitic?” See Chart: “The Semites”. 

          Note that all descendants of Abraham are Semitic. 

Read: Genesis 8:18; 9:1, 18-19; 10:1, 21, 31-32.  This shows the Semitic racial genealogy from Shem, Noah’s son.  ‘Eber’, a descendant of Shem, (10:21), is believed to be the earlier form of the word ‘Hebrew’.  Genesis 11:10-26 shows Abraham’s genealogy from Shem.  Eber, (the Hebrew), is mentioned in verse 14.  Abraham was a Hebrew, therefore a Semite.

           B. Why ask?  What difference does it make?

                    The U.S. State Department’s new “Department of Global Anti-Semitism” now defines most New Testament references to the Jews and the Pharisees as anti-Semitic, and therefore a hate crime.  Under the “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007”, it is a federal crime, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.[1]

           Is the New Testament hate?

           C. We must distinguish between race and religion:

 (1) A person’s race is determined by his parentage over which he had no control.

 (2) A person’s religion becomes a matter of choice for which he is accountable when he comes to maturity.

Opposition to the Semitic race is ‘Anti-Semitism’, that is racism.  Opposition to the “Jew’s religion,” Pharisaism, is not anti-Semitism, but rather should be called anti-Judaism. 

           The term ‘anti-Semitism’ is being misused today to refer to any opposition, or criticism, to those who call themselves ‘Jews’, their religion, and their claim to Palestine.  We must not allow ourselves to be labeled ‘anti-Semitic’ because of our opposition to the religions of Judaism and/or Islam.  Judaism is based on the Talmud; Islam is based on the Koran.  Neither religion has remained true to the Old Testament.

          D. The “Jew’s religion,” Judaism, is Pharisaism: Read: Galatians 1:13-14.  Paul’s former religion was Pharisaism: Read: Acts 26:4-18.  His race was Israelite: Read: Romans 11:1-7. 

           Pharisaism is hypocrisy*: Read: Luke 12:1.  Read: Matthew 16:6, 12.  Read: Titus 1:10-14.  The “Jewish fables and commandments of men” were later written in the Talmud.  Modern Judaism is founded upon the Talmud. [*Hypocrisy: play-acting, pretense, a false face.]

           E. What became of the ‘Jewish Race? 

           Its official racial identity ended in 70 AD with the destruction of the nation, its capital city Jerusalem, the death and diaspora of the remainder of the people in fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy (9:24-27).  The official genealogical records were burned and the surviving people were racially assimilated into the nations.  Multitudes of them became Christians and ceased to identify themselves by their race.  Any Christian may possibly be descended genetically from the original Jewish Christians.

          Furthermore, Judaism proselytized and many Gentile converts came into Judaism, notably the Khazars.

          [See The Myth of the Jewish Race by Raphael Patai and Jennifer Wing.  Also History of the Yiddish Language by Max Weinreich.]]

 [Continued in Lesson 11: Isaac and Ishmael and Israel, the nation.]