Pastor Greg Laurie urged Christians to speak up on behalf of the Jewish people, calling the amount of support for Hamas he’s seen following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel “shocking.” Laurie believes that “the rise of antisemitism is a real sign of the times.”
“The Bible tells us in the end times that Israel would be isolated and ultimately, she would be attacked from her neighbor to her north, identified as Magog,” Laurie told Billy Hallowell in a Feb. 14 interview on CBN News. “Many scholars believe Magog is modern-day Russia. I would tend to agree with that.”
“Magog” is a term that appears several times in the Bible, notably in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20. In February 2022, Laurie posted a video where he shared why he believes “Magog” represents modern-day Russia and what he sees as the “prophetic significance” of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
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Laurie told Hallowell that even if Russia isn’t Magog, “This large force will attack [Israel] and God says he’s going to intervene on her behalf. But I would say the rise of antisemitism is a real sign of the times. And I have to admit…even I have been shocked by the extreme antisemitism we’ve seen recently.”
Greg Laurie Appeals to Pastors
Greg Laurie is senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a church with multiple locations based in Riverside, California. His life was recently dramatized in the movie, “Jesus Revolution.”
“When Israel was attacked on Oct. 7 by this horrible terrorist organization, Hamas, it was a very coordinated attack that left 1,300 people dead, many taken hostage,” Laurie said. “And so that was shocking. But what has been as shocking perhaps is protests around the world, largely among young people in favor of Hamas.”
Laurie said he can’t believe that in 2024, people are chanting “phrases like ‘gas the Jews,’” an apparent reference to a chant that allegedly took place Oct. 9 in Sydney, Australia, at a pro-Palestinian protest. Reports that protesters chanted, “Gas the Jews,” have not been verified; however, deputy commissioner Mal Lanyon of the New South Wales police told media there is evidence of other offensive chants at the protest, including “f*** the Jews.”
“The Holocaust was not that long ago,” Laurie said. “There are still people alive today that remember the Holocaust.” And now we are seeing “the same kind of mentality, this hatred of Jewish people.”
