A fresh take on the hot topic of Israel and the Church is most helpfully provided by a Messianic Jew living in Israel, Amir Tsarfati.

Loving Church and Jews

It is indeed refreshing to have such a sympathetic view of the Church in this context, though I appreciate that much of the criticism levelled at Christians over their stand (or lack of it) for the Jews is justified.

But for Amir, an ex-military man fronting Behold Israel, a YouTube ministry giving up-to-the-minute news of the Middle East from a biblical perspective, the Church is as much chosen by God as Israel is. It’s not an either/or situation – rather, each comes to the fore in different ways and times.

Whereas many authors on this subject, including myself perhaps, may appear to give the Church a hard time for its misunderstanding – and indeed even, persecution – of the Jews, Amir has an obvious love for the Church that has taken the Jewish gospel to the ends of the earth.

Amir has an obvious love for the Church that has taken the Jewish gospel to the ends of the earth.

Leading in evangelism

He conveys much helpful insight with his trademark sense of humour, but I didn’t always find him easy to follow. Though well-written, his arguments are at times a tad too complicated. (Or is it just that I am intellectually challenged?!)

That said, there’s no mistaking the author’s deep passion for the gospel of Jesus, and we should all be thrilled that (Messianic) Jews are beginning to rise up and lead the way in evangelism once more, as they did at the beginning.

Is this what is meant by Jesus’ reference to when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24)? Is Amir at the forefront of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists mentioned in Revelation? I, for one, am absolutely delighted and most grateful for the extra insight into the Scriptures often provided by our Messianic brethren.

Insights on Revelation

I particularly enjoyed Tsarfati’s studies on the Revelation to the churches. On the Ephesians losing their first love, he comments on how the fiery romance of newlyweds is unsustainable in the long-term, commending a deeper, more mature love “like the orange coals of a barbecue pit”, producing intense heat that is more enduring and productive.

And on the lukewarm Laodicean church that makes Jesus sick, he tells us that the city’s water came from two places – the hot springs of Hierapolis and an ice-cold mountain runoff via Colossae.

Amir does make some very bold claims, especially over the pre-tribulation rapture of which he is clearly convinced.

The antidote to such a vomit-inducing mixture will only come, he says, from spending time in the Bible and on our knees in prayer, helping us to “block out the worthless and focus on the priceless”.

Amir does make some very bold claims, especially over the pre-tribulation rapture of which he is clearly convinced. One of his key arguments for this view is that there is no mention of the Church from Revelation chapter 4 until near the end of the book’s 22 chapters. Yet he then seems to contradict himself by saying that the book is not necessarily chronological.

But he may be right. I am not making an issue of that. I just pray that many will be blessed with a new revelation of God’s wonderful plans for both Israel and the Church by reading this excellent book.

‘Israel and the Church’ (224 pp) is published by Harvest House Publishers, and is available from Eden Christian Books for £10.99 (inc p&p).