Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 3/7/2009

Question
WHY WERE THE JEWS HATED IN BIBICAL DAYS?

Answer
Actually, it depended a great deal on whether they were in the will of God or not.  When Solomon reigned righteously he had trade with many nations and even had people coming to him because of his wisdom. They had enemies but they were at peace.

When they were out of the will of God then God used their enemies to chasten them to bring them back to God's will.  

However, the children of faith have always been hated by the children of the flesh.  Abel sought to please God by a sacrifice which is how God covered the sins and nakedness of Adam and Eve.  It was the gift of God.  Cain wanted to please God his own way by the fruits of his labors rather than recognizing the gift of God and being grateful.  When his works were not accepted his anger led him to kill his brother.  And it has been that way ever since.

Darkness hates light and they are in perpetual combat. In the Old Testament, the Jews were God's chosen people and when He blessed them people hated them but were willing to partake of any carnal benefit they could, hence the trade. Yet, when the people sinned and God removed His blessing they would show their true heart and sought to destroy the Jews.  

Some of those people did convert to Judaism, which was an intent of God to use the Jews as a light to draw the rest of the nations to Him. The Jews did not always practice the evangelism they should have and that caused them problems as well as the other areas of disobedience.  Often instead of winning the pagans they adopted pieces or even the whole religion of the neighboring nations and that was spiritual adultery bring about God's judgment. Pride also hindered tat evangelism and surely sparked some of the animosity.

Abraham having a chldren by the rationale of the flesh brought forth a son but it was not the son God promised.  The animosity between those two tribes exists even until today.  Hence, our Mid-East issues are really a family feud between the son of the flesh and the son of the promise.  

Though God is now bringing people to Him via Christ and the Church, He is not done with the Jews and despite all that people may say or do Israel will one day be the dominant nation with Christ ruling from Jerusalem.  That day is probably closer than we think but no man knows the day or hour.

There are also Christians of the flesh and of the Spirit.  Some use the name but are not truly related to Christ and they mingle freely with the world and bring in some of their ungodliness into thier church. They also tend to hate the Jews. (Matt 7:21)  These also persecute or despise the true Christians who are seeking to be what Christ wanted them to be rather than what the World wants them to be.
It is the same battle between darkness and light.  

As the world hated the Jews then and now, they also hate the true Christians and many suffer and die for their faith.  May the Lord grant us the stength to stay as faithful during hard times as we are in the good.  

You did not mention your faith, but I assume you are a Christian so pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for their salvation both spiritual and earthly.  Pray for the conversion of all people as the less who go to Hell the better. We do not rejoice in the loss of souls but rather in their redemption!

Blessings to you, Maranatha!!