Although Jesus said:
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:43-45)
Most take a different view.
There is a lot of antisemitism around the world, and this includes the United Kingdom.
Notice the following article at ZeroHedge related to an upcoming soccer match:
Outrage As Israeli Fans Banned From Attending Football Match In The UK
October 17, 2025
The decision to bar Israeli fans from attending Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League match against Aston Villa on Nov. 6 has sparked a political firestorm in Britain, with critics warning it sends a “shameful message” about antisemitism and public order in the country.
Aston Villa confirmed on Thursday that no away fans will be allowed into Villa Park, Birmingham, for the fixture following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which issues safety certificates for all matches at the stadium. The club said the decision followed concerns from West Midlands Police about “public safety outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.”
“The club is in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision,” Aston Villa said.
The ruling follows weeks of campaigning by local Independent MP Ayoub Khan, who represents Birmingham Perry Barr. Khan, who had called Maccabi fans “violent” and argued the club should “not even be participating in European competition,” welcomed the SAG decision.
“From the moment the match was announced, it was clear that there were latent safety risks that even our capable security and police authorities would not be able to fully manage,” he said. “With so much hostility and uncertainty around the match, it was only right to take drastic measures.” https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/outrage-israeli-fans-banned-attending-football-match-uk
The “drastic measures” should have been to strive to make it safe for the Jews to attend and have sufficient punishment against those who would be violent towards them.
The ZeroHedge article also had the following:
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch called the development a “national disgrace.” “How have things come to this?” she asked. “Starmer pledged that Jews are welcome and safe in Britain, that he stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community, and will use the full force of his government to prove it. Will he back those words with action and guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country? If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.”
The controversy was further inflamed by a widely shared video of Birmingham Imam Asrar Rashid calling for attacks on visiting Maccabi fans. “We will show no mercy toward Maccabi Tel Aviv fans who will arrive in several weeks for the match against Aston Villa,” he said in a recent address to Muslims.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the decision “takes racial discrimination to a whole new level.” https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/outrage-israeli-fans-banned-attending-football-match-uk
Instead of focusing on protecting Israeli fans, they are prohibited from attending. It is terrorists, not their potential victims, that should be punished here.
Sadly, there is a lot of antisemitism around the world.
At the Feast of Tabernacles, I was asked about the following prophecy (watch CCOG Questions and Answers):
21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh;
Together they shall be against Judah. (Isaiah 9:21)
And while the prohibition by the UK (Ephraim) to stop Israeli fans (Judah) is not the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:21, the prohibition did bring that to mind.
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 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).
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.
Many who claim Christ hold anti-Semitic views as well as many Muslims, 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).
Jews are persecuted because of being in the land of Israel, keeping the Sabbath, not keeping various pagan-derived holidays, for being successful, for being educated, for being separatists, and for not eating biblical unclean meats.
In the past, real Christians were persecuted because they:
Claimed Christianity
Kept Passover on the 14th
Refused to eat unclean meat
Would work on Sunday
Had false accusations railed against them
Were binitarian
Kept the Sabbath
Kept the Fall Holy Days
Were not trinitarian
Taught that the pope was an Antichrist and precursor of the final Antichrist
Having and teaching from the Bible
Rejected papal authority
Did not accept idols
Had different teachings than the Church of Rome
Had writings Rome did not like
Rejected Roman sacraments
Objected to the dress of the Roman ministry
Considered Rome to be the prophesied Babylon
Taught that in the time of the final Antichrist that some would fall away
Had practices that Rome considered Jewish
Refused to baptize infants
Did not participate in carnal warfare
Teaching the millennium
Taught the Kingdom of God
Baptized adults
In the future, according to Greco-Roman Catholic teachings, they will also be persecuted for:
Not accepting non-biblical teachings about Mary
Not accepting the Great Monarch (Beast, King of the North)
Teaching that the Kingdom of God will come soon
Not wearing crosses as a mark (cf. Revelation 13:16-17; see also Mark of the Beast)
Being separate from the coming Beast faith (Revelation 13:7-10, 15-18).
Keeping the biblical Sabbath in accordance with the commandments
Possessing/advocating writings that disagree with the Church of Rome
Teaching after the Great Tribulation begins that Jesus will return within a few years
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:
21 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. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 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 persecutions that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied persecutions 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.
LATEST AUDIO NEWS REPORTS
