Letter to MAGA

Letter to MAGA Republicans and Christians

I’ve been reading (and responding to) numerous posts in local social media channels from MAGA Christians and conservatives discussing Israel in light of the recent October 7th related war with Hamas. Many of these posts are decidedly negative toward Israel and Jewish people in general. But this isn’t just a South Carolina phenomenon—it’s a growing trend across the U.S., fueled by voices like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson.

This trend deeply concerns me because it appears to be growing, in numbers and extremism. Some even go so far as to claim that Charlie Kirk was assassinated by Israel, allegedly because of some issues with Jewish donors and Charlie’s possibly turning from his well known pro-Israel stance. Scripture tells us that Israel will eventually stand alone against a hostile world, but I never expected so many Christians to actively participate in that hostility. This has taken me by surprise.

Most of these anti-Israel posts are either false or half-truths: accusations of genocide in Gaza, claims that Israel deliberately shoots unarmed civilians, or global control by a Jewish cabal. When I’ve investigated these claims, they’ve often originated from sources like the UN, Al Jazeera, hard-left activists, Hamas, or anonymous QAnon accounts. These are all very dubious sources and provenance matters. Some even come from more mainstream figures like Carlson and Owens. What’s shocking is that people I consider critical thinkers—those who rejected the covid vaccines and saw January 6th as the Reichstag fire it was—suddenly accept, without question, any negative narrative, from whatever dubious source, when it’s about Israel.

Some people say, like Tucker Carlson, that no one is allowed to criticize Israel in this country. When has that been true? I don’t see any of these negative voices or opinions about Israel being silenced since I’m certainly able to read them. We do still have free speech in this country. What troubles me most, though, are the people that are almost gleeful as they post something really egregious from their latest anonymous qanon or UN source. It’s almost as if they want to believe that whatever bad thing they are posting about Israel is true and they are actually happy about it.

And these posts aren’t just coming from fringe voices. Many are from people I respect, people I would call comrades in arms in the MAGA movement. I know taking this stand will probably cost me, but I can’t stay silent. I must speak the truth in love because this is a poison infecting the MAGA movement, and it could be our downfall. It’s already dividing us (which I think is the point), with support for Israel becoming a litmus test for being “truly MAGA.” Worse, I believe it could remove God’s blessing from our movement: “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you…” (Genesis 12:3). God never retracted those words. As a matter of fact, He repeated them.

Many justify their stance with talking points like:

“The current state of Israel is not the Israel of the Bible.”
“The people who call themselves Jews aren’t really Jews.”
“The church has replaced Israel.”

I’ll address these statements in future posts.

There’s so much deception and Israel is at the center of it. Why is such a small country, with a small population, at the heart of this firestorm? Because this is a spiritual battle. I believe we are in the end times, and Israel is central to God’s end-times plan.

“The pronouncement of the word of the Lord concerning Israel:
The Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of a person within him, declares:
Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.
It will come about on that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will injure themselves severely. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.” —Zechariah 12:1–3

These days are beginning and we are all being forced into the valley of decision:

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” —Joel 3:14

This is about taking a stand for what is right and good and against what is evil. That includes our attitude toward Israel and the Jewish people.

Do you want to be in the unenviable position of drinking the cup of staggering and lifting that heavy stone and fighting against God? If I’m right, that’s exactly where the people who are standing against Israel will be.

If the Jewish people are truly descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and if the current state of Israel is an extension of biblical Israel (and I’ll be posting the evidence for this in the near future), then what is our biblical duty as Christians toward them?

We are to make them jealous — Romans 11:11
We are not to be arrogant toward them — Romans 11:18
We are to love them, recognizing they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers — Romans 11:28
We must acknowledge they are still the chosen people, because the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable — Romans 11:29
We must affirm that God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew — Romans 11:2

How are we doing with that, when we’re consumed by hostility, anger, and even hatred toward Israel and the Jewish people? I’d say we’re doing terribly. Given the antisemitic history of the church, this is what many Jews have come to expect from Christians. Read The Anguish of the Jews by Father Flannery—it will open your eyes to the church’s shameful history. Another powerful resource is Our Hands Are Stained with Blood by Dr. Michael Brown.

My eyes are open. I endeavor to see the Jewish people through God’s eyes. That doesn’t mean I ignore their faults. When some negative report is proven true, I acknowledge it as true. God sees their faults also. But no matter what, I won’t reject them, because God hasn’t. They are people like any other, and Israel is a nation like any other—but also different, set apart in covenant with God – a covenant based on God’s faithfulness alone and not their obedience (Abrahamic covenant, Davidic covenant).

I don’t hold Israel to a higher standard than other nations. It’s a secular state acting in its own interests, as all nations do. But it is unique—a nation born in a day (Isaiah 66:8), miraculously regathered from the ashes of the Holocaust. Scattered by God for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28) and regathered by His hand. Who but God can regather what He has scattered? It can’t be done by the will of man.

I believe biblical Israel has been regathered—first in unbelief—for such a time as this, in fulfillment of prophecy. And in the future, when Yeshua returns, Israel as a nation will return to Him (Zechariah 12:1–10).

Most important to me, though, and one of the guiding principles of my life, is the love I have for the Jewish people. I was led to the Lord by a Jewish believer who faithfully witnessed to her radical leftist friend. I owe a debt I can never repay. I’ve spent my life living and working with Jewish people. I’ve lived in Israel, not an easy place for a foreigner, but I love them, even when I’ve experienced rejection. I love them because God has given me a supernatural love. And love always hopes, always believes.

Love is what conquers. It is what wins. We have seen an example of that with Charlie and Erica Kirk. If we allow ourselves to be governed by the same suspicion and hostility that characterizes the left—and now, tragically, our own movement at least with regard to Israel, what will we become when we lead? We will become what we hate.

So I love them in the midst of their disobedience. I support Israel’s right to exist, to defend herself, and her God-given right to the land. I do this because I know I stand on solid biblical ground and I know how the story ends. I look forward to the day when Israel takes her rightful place in God’s future kingdom. It will be life from the dead, as Paul says, and I can’t wait to see it. What glory to God when He fulfills His promises to His ancient people! He is a faithful God.

So the question is, will you stumble over that stone? Will you drink that cup of staggering and find yourself fighting against God’s purposes? Or will you choose love—the same love God has for His disobedient people, working all things to bring them back to Himself?