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Jewish students warned to leave Columbia campus, Columbia University closes in-person classes seemingly fearing ‘Passover’ persecution


COGwriter

Regular readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware that I believe that the USA is no longer what it once was.

In addition to its promotion of immorality, warring tendencies, and censorship, many are no longer safe, even at college campuses.

There is a lot of anti-Semitism around the world, and this includes the USA which has long called itself, “The land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Notice the following:

Columbia Classes Go Virtual Before Passover Amid Protests

April 22, 2024
Anti-Israel demonstrations have forced Columbia University to announce that all classes Monday, the day Passover begins, will be virtual.

Columbia President Minouche Shafik said in a statement the decision was made to “deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps.”

On-campus demonstrations against Israel entered their sixth day Monday.

Passover, a major Jewish holiday, is set to begin Monday evening. Jewish student organizations increased security for their Passover events and services.

“Over the past days, there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on our campus,” Shafik said in her statement. “Antisemitic language, like any other language that is used to hurt and frighten people, is unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken. https://www.newsmax.com/us/columbia-university-palestinian/2024/04/22/id/1161913/

While Passover was last evening, many Jews observe it tonight, which is the 15th not 14th of Nisan/Abib, even though their scholars know Passover is the 14th.

Even the Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the Bible shows that Passover is on the 14th:

Lev. xxiii., however, seems to distinguish between Passover, which is set for the fourteenth day of the month, and the Festival of Unleavened Bread; ἑορτή τῶν ἀζύμων, Luke xxii. 1; Josephus, “B. J.” ii. 1, § 3), appointed for the fifteenth day. Passover. (Passover. Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906)

Yet, most ‘observant Jews’ keep the 15th as Passover. Sadly, most people-whether or not Jewish–observe traditions of men above what the word of God clearly says. For example, Greco-Roman Catholics and Protestants keep Passover the wrong day (a Sunday), the wrong time (in the morning, even though it is an evening event according to scripture) and for the wrong purpose (the New Testament says it is to be a remembrance of Jesus’ death, not resurrection. And yes, Greco-Roman Catholic and Protestant scholars all know that Easter is supposed to be Passover.

That said, notice also the following related to Jews at Columbia University:

Rabbi urges Jewish students to leave Colombia campus, warns that school, NYPD cannot guarantee safety

April 21, 2024

The Orthodox rabbi at Columbia University and Barnard College has sent a message recommending Jewish students leave campus and go home, as anti-Israel agitators have continued an “encampment” on campus, …

Participants were caught on camera espousing full-on support for terrorism and supporting violence toward Jewish students, according to Fox News.

Rabbi Elie Buechler, who leads the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at Columbia and Barnard, advised over 290 students in a WhatsApp message to return home until it is safe for them to be on campus again, the Forward reported.

“It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved,” Buechler wrote.

He noted: “It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at school.” …

Columbia’s turmoil, seen in ongoing demonstrations against the war in Gaza since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, has intensified in recent days.

Students and local activist groups gathered on and off the campus over the weekend to protest the administration’s authorization of a police crackdown on students who had pitched tents — they call it the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” — on Columbia’s lawn and the suspension of three students for their involvement in the protests.

More than 100 people were arrested on April 18, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of a Democratic House of Representatives Ilhan Omar, a Somali American, who is one of the first two Muslim women to serve in the U.S. Congress. https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/rabbi-urges-jewish-students-to-leave-colombia-campus-warns-that-school-nypd-cannot-guarantee-safety/61102.htm

Notice that even though government authorities know the dangers, it is not believed that they will successfully intervene. Speaking of government figures, I saw Ilhan Omar state that she was proud of her daughter protesting and getting arrested.

The Bible teaches

8 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)

But there are people who hold hateful grudges.

Jews have been subject to this for centuries.

Emperor Constantine as well as the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther were major antisemites. And many who followed them are, as well as many within the Islamic community (like Ilhan Omar).

Related to Christians and Passover, according to Eusebius’ Life of Constantine, Book III chapter 18, after the Roman Emperor Constantine supported the change of Passover from the biblical date to a Sunday, he said:

Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way.

Of course, Jesus did not indicate that Jews were detestable (He was a Jew) nor did He ever changed the date of Passover. But apparently Constantine felt otherwise. And the Sunday observance is now known as Easter (a related article of interest may be Did Early Christians Celebrate Easter?).

As far as Passover persecution for Christians goes, Emperor Theodosius (who was the one who forced the trinity on the Eastern Orthodox) decreed the death penalty for those who continued to keep Passover on the biblical date.

Apparently Columbia University is concerned about a different type of Passover persecution.

As far as other ‘persecutions’ go, notice the following report related to Hamas and Adolf Hitler:

April 8, 2024

While speaking in the General Assembly, Erdan held up a World War II-era photo of Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, speaking with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

Al-Husseini, whom Erdan described as “one of the founding fathers of Palestinian nationalism,” was an enthusiastic Nazi supporter whose anti-Semitism was well documented. The Grand Mufti had pleaded with Hitler for assistance in getting rid of the British Mandate and the Jewish immigrants coming to the Holy Land – requests that were ultimately turned down.

Erdan said the Palestinians’ goal of annihilating the Jews was clear long before the establishment of the U.N. or the State of Israel in the years following World War II.

“And from then until today, the root of this conflict has not changed. It is not a political conflict or about partitioning land,” Erdan said. “It is solely about the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews.”

Erdan accused the U.N. of committing itself to “reinforcing modern-day Nazi Jihadists [by] considering forcing the establishment of a Palestinian terror state.” …

The Palestinians’ fresh bid for U.N. membership comes as the war between Israel and Hamas that began on Oct. 7 nears its sixth month and the unresolved decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains in the spotlight after years on the back burner. https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-un-ambassador-meeting-palestinian-statehood-holds-up-picture-hitler-grand-mufti

Notice something from one of Hamas’ earlier official founding documents:

‘Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.’ ….

The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the wings of Moslem Brotherhood in Palestine. Moslem Brotherhood Movement is a universal organization which constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times. It is characterised by its deep understanding, accurate comprehension and its complete embrace of all Islamic concepts of all aspects of life, culture, creed, politics, economics, education, society, justice and judgement, the spreading of Islam, education, art, information, science of the occult and conversion to Islam. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp

So, clearly Hamas wants Israel to be destroyed and claims ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

It is not just physical, ethnic Jews that are at risk–spiritual ones are as well (cf. Romans 2:28-29; John 15:20; see also The Spanish Inquisition and Early Protestant Persecutions).

Notice also the following:

PA: “On Saturday, we murder the Jews; On Sunday, we murder the Christians”

December 15, 2023

Nadia Matar, the co-chair of the Sovereignty Movement (Ribonut.co.il), visited the Israel365 office this week with a shockingly uncharacteristic display; a Palestinian flag.

An outspoken advocate for Jewish sovereignty in the Biblical heartland, Matar rejects any attempts to establish an unprecedented “Palestinian state” in Judea and Samaria. When pressed, she explained the display:

“This was waived by the Palestinian Authority in the early 90s when the agreements were signed in Bethlehem,” Matar explained. “The PA was hosting a pastor from South Africa and they displayed this flag as he spoke. He obviously didn’t know Arabic, and didn’t know what was waving above his head.”

The flag was a Palestinian flag with Arabic writing. Matar read the Arabic writing:

“yawm alsabt niqtal alyahudu. fi ‘ayaam al’ahada. sawf niqtal almasihiiyn”

Matar then translated:

“On Saturdays, we will murder the Jews,” she said. “On Sundays, we will murder the Christians.”

Matar explained her understanding of the message in the context of the current war:

“People have to understand that the war here in Israel is not about Gaza,” she said. “It is not about the settlements. It is a war by the Islamo-fascists who have a clear plan. They want to first destroy and kill the ‘Saturday people’, the Jews, and then go on to kill the Sunday people, the Christians in Europe and America. The people in Europe and America need to understand that we are in this together. It is the Western Judeo-Christian world that is being attacked in stages.”

“They want a Palestinian state in order to destroy the entirety of Israel. But they also want a Palestinian state in order to continue on to Europe and America, to turn them into dhimmi; servants of a Mulsim caliphate.”

“So anyone who still wants a Palestinian state has to rethink what the Palestinians really want,” Matar said. “You have to be against the Palestinian state and in favor of Israeli sovereignty because that’s the only answer, the only hope of the Western world.” Matar coined a phrase that parodied the genocidal motto that is part of the Hamas charter: https://www.israel365news.com/380752/pa-on-saturday-we-murder-the-jews-on-sunday-we-murder-the-christians/

Yes, many want Jews gone and some of them also want Christians gone.

There was a poem many years ago by Martin Niemöller:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

It is not just Jews that are hated or will be in the future. Throughout history, true Christians have sometimes been called “Jews” and have been subject to persecution supposedly directed towards Jews. True Christians also had to suffer through the so-called Inquisition (see The Spanish Inquisition), which utilized torture against those that had Church of God beliefs–and more is expected in the future (see Persecutions by Church and State). Protestant leaders, including Martin Luther, have also promoted antisemitism and Church of God persecution (see The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong) as have various ones who were Eastern Orthodox (see John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople and Antisemite).

Real Christians have always been on the side of being persecuted and have never been on the side of the persecutors. And this will be true again in the future.

People should not be antisemitic. People should not hate others.

It is not just certain Muslims who hate Jews–many who claim Christ still hold anti-Semitic views, and some take direct anti-Semitic actions.

Sadly, we will see persecution greatly increase before Jesus returns (cf. Daniel 7:25; 11:30-35; see also Persecutions by Church and State)–this will affect Philadelphian Christians.

All the faithful will be subject to persecution and being betrayed by professing believers (Matthew 24:9-13, Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:16-18; Daniel 11:32-35).

The underlying antisemitism in Europe and throughout the world will allow for this, especially when the time comes when the Beast’s government mandates it (Revelation 13:15-17).

This will happen in Europe according to Revelation 13.

In the past, Christians were persecuted because they:

In the future, according to Catholic teachings, they will also be persecuted for:

Christians have been persecuted for holding doctrines that we in the Continuing Church of God hold and are clearly expected to be persecuted in the future for holding Continuing Church of God doctrines.

Persecution is a fact of history. It has happened before and we should be prepared for the fact that it will happen again.

Jesus said that His followers would sometimes have to flee:

23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes (Matthew 10:23).

Severe persecution is expected to occur against the Sabbath-keeping Philadelphian Christians just prior to the time the true Church is to flee (please see the article There is a Place of Protection for the Philadelphians):

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. (Matthew 24:9-20)

And then will come the Great Tribulation:

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand (Matthew 24:21-25).

It may well be that Philadelphian Christians in Europe, Latin America, and elsewhere may decide that they need to flee to the tiny nation of Israel prior to the start of the Great Tribulation. And that may be why Jesus made comments about fleeing Judea (watch also What is the Fate of Christians in Europe and Elsewhere?).

Jesus indicates that the end time persecution may be the biggest test of faith for believers. Notice:

7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:7-8)

The Bible and the facts of history have revealed persecutions for the people of God. While false Christians have also been persecuted, true Christians have never been the persecutors as true Christians “do not imitate what is evil” (3 John 11). Those who really want to know what happened to the true Church of God should begin with the The History of Early Christianity page.

The Bible shows that end time persecution will come (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:17).

The underlying anti-Semitism in Europe and throughout the world will allow for this, especially when the time comes when the Beast’s government mandates it (Revelation 13:15-17).

Some items of related interest may include:

God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does? Watch also Mystery of Race.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There are also two video sermons you can watch: Cancel Culture and Christian Persecution and The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
The Spanish Inquisition and Early Protestant Persecutions Was the Church of Rome really responsible for this? What happened? A video of related interest is titled: The Past and Future Inquisition.
John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople and Anti-Semite This late fourth/early fifth century Bishop of Constantinople is considered to be a ‘saint’ and ‘doctor’ by the Church of Rome, Church of England, and the Eastern Orthodox, but he did not teach Christ’s love.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example? Here is a related sermon video: Martin Luther and Herbert Armstrong: Reformers with Differences.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the Christians originally observed Passover on the 14th day of the first month on the biblical calendar (Numbers 9:5), some people observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct? A related sermon is titled Is Passover on the 14th or 15th for Christians?
Did the Apostles Keep Passover on Easter Sunday or Nisan 14 Some have claimed that the Apostles Peter and Paul institued Easter Sunday, whereas the Apostles John and Philip kept Passover on Nisan 14. Were the apostles divided? What does the historical and biblical evidence point to? Here is a link to a related video: Did Peter, Paul, & John keep Easter Sunday or Passover?
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? What about the 15th? A related animation is available and is titled: Night to Be Observed.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a link to this article in the French language: Les Chrétiens devraient-ils observer les Jours des Pains sans levain? Here are some YouTube videos intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread: Let’s Talk About the Days of Unleavened Bread, Unleavened Bread: No Tolerance for Sin, Leaven and Sin, and Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 22nd, 2024 at 7:00 am and is filed under Religious News.



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