Pastor Jack Graham says antisemitism evidence of 'spiritual warfare': 'Satan hates what God loves' (part 1)
Read part 2 of Pastor Jack Graham's interview with CP here
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jack Graham, the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, has warned that the hatred of Israel seen across the United States is evidence of “spiritual warfare,” as God loves the Jewish people — “and Satan hates everything and everyone that God loves.”
“The geopolitical system of the world hinges on the Middle East and the little nation of Israel,” the 73-year-old pastor told The Christian Post.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“Think about it, of all the peoples in the world, this small little country, about the size of New Jersey here in the United States, and yet such hatred. Why the hatred? I believe the hatred is because God loves the Jewish people. And Satan hates everything and everyone that God loves. Ultimately, this is spiritual warfare. We must continue to, therefore, battle with the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus and love our Jewish neighbors, not only over there, but here, because in America, there are many Jewish people who are frightened by this.”
In recent weeks, Columbia University and other elite campuses have launched a series of protests against the United States’ diplomatic and military support of Israel’s war against Hamas, prompted by the terrorist group’s Oct. 7 attacks in which an estimated 1,163 people were slaughtered, including at least 31 Americans. Hamas has praised the growing college campus protests, with one official quoted as stating, "Today's students are the leaders of the future."
The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry has claimed that more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel embarked on retaliatory strikes. However, those numbers have been disputed because Hamas doesn't distinguish between civilians and terrorist fighters and has been accused of faking its casualty numbers.
A poll released last week from Summit Ministries in partnership with RMG Research of 1,497 registered voters nationwide found that while the majority of Americans still support Israel, nearly half of Gen Z voters say the campaign against Hamas is “unjust.” Additionally, a third of Gen Zers believe Israel doesn't have the right to exist as a country.
But according to Graham, Christians have a duty to support Israel, rooted in both faith and moral conviction.
"For Christians, we do have a biblical obligation to love Israel," he said, pointing to the deep-rooted connection between Christianity and Judaism.
"God loves Israel," Graham emphasized. "He chose them according to His Word as His own particular people. He established them as a nation, gave them a land, a life and a legacy for generations. As Christians, we are forever grateful for the heritage that we have in the Old Testament and the Jewish people … our Messiah, our Bible, came from the Jewish people … so we have this tremendous connection with the Jewish people.”
Graham also clarified the distinction between spiritual and political support of Israel. "The Church, in my understanding of the Bible, does not supplant Israel," he noted, dispelling notions that the Church has replaced Israel in God's plan.
"God still has a plan and a purpose for Israel,” he said. “That’s where we start. If we love someone, we stand with them and support them. It doesn’t mean we support, as Christians, everything political Israel, the government, may do.”
“But [we support] the people and their right to exist. What you have now is this movement of genocide and antisemitism that's rising, not only in the Middle East, but in Europe and America. And so, we must stand against that hatred at our church.”
Recent events, such as the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, Graham said, have brought this struggle into sharp focus.
“We just had family members of some of the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, and we interviewed them,” he said. “I asked them … ‘What can we do, as American Christians, to support you?’ And, without hesitation, they said, ‘Don't forget about us. Don't forget about the hostages. For us, wherever you may stand on the political side of Arabs and Jews, everyone can stand against terrorism and this evil that has come. Should all be able to agree on that one.’”
“And then, not to forget. Because we move to the next thing and news, and everything's moving so quickly, and if we're not careful, we could just move on and forget about it. But we need to stay focused in prayer for the hostages till the last one comes home and then support them in their movement to eliminate terrorism.”
Graham warned that the threat is not limited to Israel; terrorists could target anyone who opposes them, even the U.S.
“Terrorists, once they get done with Israel, if they can, they're coming for us next. They're coming for anyone who opposes them. It doesn't end in Israel … the geopolitical system of the world hinges on the Middle East and the little nation of Israel.
"Many Jewish people here are frightened," he added, noting the fear instilled by recent events. "I've had conversations with Jewish neighbors and friends in Dallas who appreciate that Christians are standing with them."
Despite historical tensions between Christians and Jews, Graham said he's confident this support is helping to bridge divides. "Many people in Israel now know that their best friends in America are Evangelical Bible-believing Christians," he said.
In recent months, numerous Christian leaders have called on the American Church to stand with Israel amid growing antisemitism.
Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, believes Christians have a “moral and spiritual” obligation to support Israel — and those who fail to do so are on the “wrong side of God.”
“We have a moral and spiritual responsibility to support Israel,” the 68-year-old megachurch pastor told CP. “To be on the wrong side of Israel is not only to be on the wrong side of history, it's more importantly to be on the wrong side of God,” he warned.
Jeffress recalled leading the opening prayer at the dedication of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, an event that was symbolic of the Trump administration's robust support for Israel.
At the time, Jeffress invoked the words God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12: "I will bless those who bless you and your descendants, and I will curse those who curse you and your descendants."
He called the event a “momentous occasion in the life of your people and in the history of our world,” adding: “Four thousand years ago, you said to your servant Abraham that you would make him the father of a great nation, a nation through whom the whole world would be blessed.”
“Most of all, Israel has blessed this world by pointing us to you, the one true God, through the message of her prophets, the scriptures and the Messiah.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
