Love and forgive our enemies?

Love and forgive our enemies - Who is our enemy?

And what does it really mean for us today?

This question began to stir in me on 9th October 2023 two days after the worst genocidal attack on the Jews since the Holocaust had happened. I was with some Christians, and one said, “But of course we have to love and forgive our enemy.” I felt very very uncomfortable on hearing this and it stayed with me.

Then it was triggered again recently when, from the mouth of believers I heard a report, which they obviously thought was wonderful. While attending the funeral of a young Jewish man, who had been brutally gunned down with his fiancee in Washington DC by a crazed Islamic terrorist, “in the name of Allah”, one of his brothers said, he forgave this man, and would like to go and hug him.

It seemed that both these examples were responses to the words of the Son of God, Yeshua, who said: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you”. He said this after he had once again decried the way that the Pharisees behaved, and how they prayed, calling them hypocrites, and then gave us the amazing “perfect prayer” “Our Father in Heaven…” etc. which as you know includes, “Father forgive us our sins AS WE forgive those who sin against us.” This is huge, we really need to know exactly what this means. Especially as Yeshua did not actually say “forgive” them.

It is very important to me, as a believer, that I am able to forgive those who “sin against me”, though of course what that means to each individual is very different, and we need to constantly be searching our hearts if we are nursing anger, resentment, or hurt against our neighbour, friend, family member, acquaintance or work colleague…so I really need to know who my enemy really is.

My late husband, Michael, and I had many times in our life together, especially during the years of ministry, when people (believers) betrayed us, told lies about us, and disappointed us. I am sure most people have, like us, experienced similar things, also within the family, at work, and much more. We have been disappointed, hurt, misunderstood, let down, lied to, lied about, the list can be very long. However, our decision was always to forgive, whenever possible to their faces, knowing this was the only true way to be released from the hurt and disappointment, and also to bring healing to ourselves.

When we arrived in Israel in 1999 we then lived through the 2nd Intifada which began in September 2000, with bus and cafe/restaurant suicide bombings, cars ramming into innocents standing at bus stops, car shootings of innocents driving on the road, then later constant rockets coming over from Gaza, fire kites coming over and causing huge fires, random shootings at civilians in the street etc.

All these horrendous acts being done by “the enemy” of Israel. In fact the enemy of The only God, The God of Israel, and in the name of Allah (a false god).

Then, as I said earlier, we had the worst attack against the Jews since the Holocaust on 7th October 2023 which alarmingly pressed a button for the worst rise in anti-semitism world-wide.

So once again I was thinking, who really is our enemy today, and when Yeshua referred to “our enemy” was it really the same “sort of enemy” that persisted throughout the Tanach, who tried to exterminate the Children of Israel through all their generations? Was this a simple question with a simple answer or was there more?

I thought I would cover all bases, so I decided to look into who, not only our enemy is, but who our neighbour and persecutors are, BUT only in the eyes of the only One True God, the God of Israel. My only source, The Word of God.

Neighbour: This was an easy one, as we all know what the first and greatest commandment is, and it has not changed:

“To love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your strength and all your soul, and love your neighbour as yourself.” This was confirmed by Yeshua, and he actually added ‘mind', which I appreciate, because I believe that gives me permission to think for myself when I get others telling me what they think God’s word means, and it does not sit comfortably with what I understood what God’s says!

Also to add, we have recorded in Luke 10.25, when Yeshua was asked by an expert in Torah: “ Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?”

Yeshua asked him, “What is written in the Torah?

He replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength and love your neighbour as yourself.” “Correct” answered Yeshua, “do this and you will have life.”

Anyway back to our neighbour. Thankfully Yeshua tells us very, very clearly who our neighbour is, when he was asked this question by someone. (Story of Good Samaritan) Certainly not the Hamans, the Hitlers, or crazed Islamists who want to annihilate you, but referring to close at hand people who have an obvious need, whatever their ethnic background.

But this all goes back thousands of years. It was nothing new. Yeshua himself said he did NOT come to abolish The Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them. (Matthew 5:18) During his life on earth The Torah was still very much at the heart of The Way of Life of the descendants of The Children of Israel. Unfortunately, as had happened throughout every generation, there were those who had added, and taken away from God’s Word. Sadly men in leadership with great influence, were leading people astray. (And Yeshua had some pretty stern words for them Matthew 18: 6-7). So let’s go back to when Moshe was hearing very clearly from our Heavenly Father about what, and what not to do:

Lev: 19:17 “Do not hate your brother in your heart, BUT rebuke your neighbour frankly so that you will not carry sin because of him. Do not take vengeance on, or bear a grudge against any of your people, rather love your neighbour as yourself.”

As we know this was alongside very clear laws for what should happen if a “neighbour/brother” did steal anything, murder, or act in any way NOT according to God’s commandments.

There were consequences laid down, and I have to say I would think it is much easier to forgive and love when that Law was in place and being adhered to. But again, this is all very clear and “do-able”.

This is also repeated by Yeshua: “Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Also, if seven times in one day he sings, against you, and seven times he comes to you and says. I repent, you are to forgive him.” Luke 17: 3 - 4

Persecutors:

Interesting when looking in my Strong’s there are absolutely no references given to how to respond to those who persecute you in the Tanach. Just cries to God to rescue us from our persecutors, take vengeance on them, and that they will all fall.

In the N.T. it’s a mixed message with the words of Yeshua: “Blessed are you if you are persecuted for following me” Matthew 5:11 Then we are told to “pray for them” no forgiveness, no hugging!

Then in Matthew 10.21, Yeshua says “we must flee from our persecutors”. Luke 21:12 Asking God to equip us to “deal” with our persecutors Again, certainly nothing about forgiving or loving them.

So now the big one: OUR ENEMIES:

First looking at references in the Tanach, which tells us in so many places:

• God will deliver them into our hands.

• That God will be an enemy to your enemy a foe to your foe.

• Your enemy will fall before you.

• The Lord your God is going with you to fight on your behalf against your enemies and give you victory.

• You will eat the spoil of your enemy.

• God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hated and persecuted you.

• The Lord handed all their enemies over to them.

• The Lord said I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation great.

• Last example: He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, “Destroy him!” (Deut. 33:27)

Absolutely nothing about forgiving them.

So an enemy here is someone obviously against God and us, and they are dealt with severely. They were in no way believing or following the God of Israel, but worshipped many pagan gods. Maybe we forgive them after they are killed?

So lets jump to the time of the life of God’s Son, Yeshua. Who was his enemy?

The Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, chief priests, and elders. All Jews! (Not people following pagan gods - not people wanting to destroy all Jews) but people who were leading people away from the Way of God, His Torah, and hated being challenged by The Truth.

Remember Yeshua called the Torah teachers and P’rushim snakes and sons of snakes Matt 22:33

Who was Yeshua talking to: Well Jews. Yeshua clearly said he was “sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

So for me, there is a strong indication that the enemies of the people Yeshua was talking to were also The Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, chief priests, and elders because they were leading people away from the Truth of God’s Word.

Of course during the life of Yeshua the ruling power were the Romans, Pontius Pilate being the Roman Governor of Judea, alongside the Jewish Leaders. So maybe the Romans could also have been seen as “their enemy”.

They certainly worshipped a pantheon of false gods. However, we know that Yeshua clearly said: “Give to The Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and give to God what belongs to God.”

It also has to be said that there was no evidence of widespread organised pogroms against the Jews during the life of Yeshua. Yes, there were instances of antisemitism, but the concept of pogroms as organised large scale massacres of Jewish communities did not emerge again until much later.

So we get back to who the people Yeshua was teaching would have seen as “their enemy”. It seems very clear to me that these were NOT people who slaughtered, raped, killed, burnt alive innocents, took hostages, or screamed their desire to annihilate all Jews.

Most believers would agree God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. His word stands for ever. He clearly detests those who hate Him and His people, His enemy our enemy, and as far as I can see there is no indication that we are called to forgive them. He deals with them.

So maybe our enemy is the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, chief priests, and elders OF OUR DAY. Maybe when Yeshua was teaching and using the word “enemy” it had a different meaning to the enemy of Israel that is referred to in the Tanach. It meant people leading us away from God’s Word, away from His Truth, BUT these were people who were purporting to believe in the only God, The God of Israel, they were not believing or worshipping pagan gods.

Sadly in the ultra orthodox sects of Judaism today many Rabbis are continuing to do just that. They have added and taken away from God’s Word over many centuries, and in fact not many of them even read The Tanach, only the Mishnah and Talmud, being much more interested in what the Rabbis and sages of old had to say, not that they seem to agree much on that either!

If you want proof of this I would recommend reading: “Careful Beauties Ahead” by Tuvia Tenenbom. It was one of the saddest books I have read in a long time. Tuvia spent five months in the ultra orthodox areas of Jerusalem really getting to know what goes on there. It is chilling, and reveals that most of what these people do and believe has very little to do with The Word of God, just the word of their individual Rabbis. Sadly, this includes what they wear, size of hat, fur on it, no fur, length of pants, and also, many of these sects actually hate each other.

As we know there have been many examples in the history of Christianity of this happening too. Constantine is a great example. Supposedly being led by the Holy Spirit he led the 1st Council of Nicaea to agree to wrench the date of their Jewish Messiah away from the Hebrew/God Given calendar, to a made-up date and calling it Easter, so it would not coincide with Passover and First Fruits.

In fact the two main Christian Festivals are both ‘made man dates’, first the 25th December to celebrate Yeshua’s birth, and as I said the pagan holiday of Easter (named after Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre or Ēostre).

This sin of adding and taking away from God’s word continued, even though it is so very clear that Yeshua never came to start a new religion. Over the centuries is produced crazy theology and many different sects, then church splits, new churches declaring they were the ONLY TRUE CHURCH. All of this possible when people are just wanting to hear and believe what their itching ears want to hear and believe.

Declaring Sunday as Shabbat is a huge one for me. In Genesis we read how God created the heavens and earth, and all that is in them, and clearly states, on the 7th day God rested. There were no Jews in the Garden of Eden, this last day of the week, (what is now called Saturday). This day of rest, was a gift to all mankind. It is the 4th Commandment. It seems Christians are happy to accept most of the 10 Commandments, BUT NOT THE 4th.

When I think how the goalposts of Anglicanism have moved just in the last 40 years, it is chilling. Ordaining divorcees and practising homosexuals, marrying divorcees, and people of the same sex. In some cases advocating abortion.

Then within the Roman Catholic Church, which sees itself as the only true church worldwide, under the leadership of the pope, declaring Mary the mother of Yeshua as “Queen of Heaven” and believing the dogma of her own immaculate conception. Actually praying to Mary, and saints, and much more.

However, to come to some sort of conclusion about all this, we have a huge conundrum. When Yeshua was on the cross he said: “FATHER, forgive them, they know not what they do.” He was either speaking of the Romans, who actually nailed him to the cross, or the Chief Priests and elders, who plotted and planned a way to rid themselves of him. Probably both, BUT Yeshua asked His Father to forgive them. PLEASE NOTE: Yeshua did not say, their sins were forgiven, or that he forgave them.

This was also similar in the story of Stephen. I love re-reading the amazing address he gave after false accusations had been made about him. Addressing the Sanhedrin he went through the incredible story of how God chose the descendants of Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya’acov. How Moshe was chosen to lead them, how they lusted after other gods when things did not go the way they wanted, how all generations rejected the prophets God sent, and accusing the Sanhedrin of being stiff-necked, with uncircumcised hearts and ears, and continuing to lead people astray. Then while he was being stoned to death he also said: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Again he did not say he forgave them. Both these examples just throw everything up in the air for me!

So where has all this led me? For sure, I am continually praying for discernment and wisdom to check out everything I have ever believed, or continue to believe as truth: that it sits with God’s Word, and not to think that just because someone is an appointed leader, or has thousands following them, that everything they speak is actually The Word of God. To be courageous enough to not continue in things which are obviously “man made” and “man decided”, but to forgive those who have taught me wrongly over the years, to pray for them while I am still alive. But at the end of the day only God can forgive them.

I certainly do not feel obliged to forgive or hug an enemy whose fanatical aim is to kill and annihilate me, my family, or the Nation of Israel, or take over the world and form a world-wide Caliphate, longing for greatness, and political dominance with Islam accepted and adhered to by all in the name of a false god, declaring a non-muslim is an infidel, and if they do not convert they can be killed. All in the name of Allah, a false god.

I do, of course, pray for them to be released from this evil, and assume that loving them would mean if ever I actually interacted with any of them face to face I could somehow find a way to introduce them to the only true God, knowing there are many stories of fundamentalist Muslims actually having encounters through dreams and visions, which did reveal this truth to them.

For me my enemy today continues to be those who are leading people away from the Word of God. People who profess to be believers in Yeshua. I have been under the teaching of some in my life, and happily forgive them and love them, and fervently pray for them.

I finish with this:

A WARNING TO ALL THE ENEMIES OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL:

To remind anybody who has ears to hear what The God of Israel declared thousands of years ago: “I will bless those who bless you,

BUT I curse anyone who curses you…”

Genesis 12:3

A very well known quote, but I like to remind people what my late husband used to teach about this: The word for “bless” is the same in Hebrew both times ברך - barach:

I will barach those who barach you.

BUT the Hebrew word for curse is not the same.

Anyone who curses - קלל kallal (to make light of, mock, despise) you

I will curse - ארר- arar - (meaning execrate, declare to be evil or detestable).

And we know how God ultimately deals with evil. Not a happy end for sure.