"Duped and Duplicitous"

17 Tishrei 5780
2nd Day Chol HaMoed Sukkot
Moadim l'Simchah

The following comes from the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) website:

If you ever stopped one of these Christian invaders to our Holy City during the week of Sukkot while they are here grandstanding and parading around like the owners of the House, and asked them why they do it; why they spend the time and money to make this trip, some of them every single year, no doubt the answer would be short and to the point - to fulfill prophecy!

Their entire false religion is built upon "fulfillment of prophecy;" therefore, they are obsessed with it.  Their J-god's (supposed) past fulfillment of prophecy together with their own (supposed) current fulfillment of prophecy gives them the assurance that their future prophetic expectations will be fulfilled as well.  And they are depending on that!

The trouble (for them) is that there is NO fulfillment of prophecy in any case one might want to imagine it.  It's all a sham, a con, and they are living one big lie. 

Take, for just one pertinent example, the photo above which comes from the ICEJ's advertising for its "Feast of Tabernacles" week-long celebration where Christians come to Jerusalem from all over the world to be part of the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy as quoted.

In typical Christian style, some very important words have been left out, and I don't even see the use of ellipses to indicate that unfortunate fact.  Here is the proper rendering of Zechariah 14.16:

And it will come to pass that everyone left of the nations who came up against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to prostrate himself to the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to celebrate the festival of Tabernacles.

The red-letter words were purposely left out.  Anyone can see why.  The way it is worded in their advertisement, they can claim to be fulfilling this prophecy right here and now, but how dishonest and manipulative is that?  Yes, that is how false religions get started and how they survive for 2,000 years.

When read within the greater context and with the deleted words put back in, it is abundantly clear that this cannot have happened yet because it is talking about the righteous gentiles who have survived the war of Gog and Magog, and they are from those countries who came and waged war against Jerusalem.  How many of the Christians here this week would be willing to admit that their nation is currently waging a war against Jerusalem and is destined to be destroyed by God because of that?  Furthermore, it is NOT the King Messiah to whom they are to prostrate themselves, but to the King of kings, HKB"H!  

The ICEJ website tells us everything we need to know about why they come and do what they do. It's everything about their misunderstanding and misrepresentation of our Holy Writings and Prophets.

Zechariah foretold of a time when all nations will ascend to Jerusalem each year to "worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (14:16).

Thus we also keep Sukkot now because of this future prophetic purpose.

Throughout the Messianic Age, the entire world will celebrate this feast because it will mark the return of Jesus to the earth. But for now, Christians flocking to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles is a powerful statement of faith demonstrating that we believe the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus is coming.

For the past 39 years, Christians from all over the world have come to Jerusalem each fall to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, sponsored by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. They come to take part in a dynamic worship experience and to taste of the joy of the Lord in the age to come.

Long-time missionary-in-residence Mike Evans wrote the following in a JPost article...

...Today, the Feast of Tabernacles’ celebrations in Jerusalem has become a magnet for tens of thousands of Evangelical Friends of Zion from every continent. These pilgrims travel great distances to express their love for, and solidarity with, the Jewish people. During their visit to the Holy Land, these devoted Christians come to pray for peace in Jerusalem and extend their blessings to the State and People of Israel. It is truly a beautiful sight to see so many people from China, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Austria, Brazil, the United States, and other countries gathering in unity and happiness.

True to his theological roots, he carries on the time-honored Christian tradition of twisting scripture and pulling it out of context in order to claim prophecies fulfilled by the J-god and/or his duped and duplicitous followers.  Zechariah gives the reason for the nations to come up to Jerusalem at Sukkot and it's not to express "love" or "solidarity" with the Jewish people, to" pray for Jerusalem" or to "bless" Israel.  They are actually commanded to appear and prostrate themselves before their Creator in acknowledgement of His sovereignty since they were part of nations who rebelled against God and tried to take Jerusalem from His children.  Furthermore, they are to celebrate Sukkot in thanks for their survival and in anticipation of the rains that God will provide for them in the year to come.  [See Rashi on that.]  This is why their failure to appear will result in the withholding of their rain.

No Jew who knows his Tanakh would ever be taken in by the false claims of Christianity, but unfortunately, very few Jews in this generation are very conversant in the Prophets and the Writings. Instead of relying on the very source and bedrock of truth, they rely instead on their gut feelings formed and shaped oftentimes by Western standards and values absorbed in the long exile.  Too many have been brainwashed to think these are one and the same with Torah values.  THEY ARE NOT.