US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who is an evangelical Christian, agreed this week that God could be using President Trump to protect Israel from the threat of Iran, just as God used Esther to save the Jewish people in Biblical times.
The news comes following Mike Pompeo’s recent visit to Israel where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and it was announced by President Trump that the US would be recognising the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
The announcement was music to the ears of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“He did it again. First, he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the embassy here. Then he pulled out of the disastrous Iran treaty and reimposed sanctions. But now he did something of equal historic importance: he recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights,” Netanyahu told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
Netanyahu called it a “Purim miracle,” as Jews around the world celebrate how God saved them, through Esther from the evil Haman and the Persians. With modern-day Persians in Iran threatening them now and with President Trump boldly making moves in support of Israel, it begged for an obvious question.
So, CBN’s Chris Mitchell asked in an interview with Pompeo: “Could it be that President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace?”
“As a Christian, I certainly believe that’s possible,” Pompeo replied. “It was remarkable – so we were down in the tunnels where we could see 3,000 years ago, and 2,000 years ago – if I have the history just right – to see the remarkable history of the faith in this place and the work that our administration’s done to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state remains. I am confident that the Lord is at work here.”
Pompeo also spoke of his time at the Western Wall, being the first foreign diplomat to visit the site with the Israeli Prime Minister in recent years.
“So, I’ve been there before, but this was incredibly special. To be there with the Israeli prime minister and ambassador from the United States to Israel was really an important moment. It was special for me as a Christian. It was special I think to show the commitment the United States has to this democracy, this Jewish nation of Israel,” said Pompeo.
The proposed peace plan
Talking about the proposed peace plan from the Trump administration, Pompeo tried to reassure Christians who are sceptical of such deals.
“I’ve seen the details of the plan as it stands now. I’m sure there’ll be things moved just a bit as time goes on, but evangelicals of the world should know that this is a vision for what might ultimately lead to this resolution of this conflict,” he explained.
“I think this plan presents a vision for that but doesn’t sacrifice any of these core principles, frankly, of any of the faiths.”
Defeating ISIS
“When we think about Syria in the Trump administration, we think about the entire region, right, extending from Iraq all the way to the Mediterranean,” Pompeo explained. “We were just talking about Lebanon. The challenges in Syria remain. The United States intends to remain. We are close to the destruction of the caliphate. It will be completed very, very soon. But the threat from radical Islamic terrorism continues. And so there will be a required continued effort from the United States to push back against ISIS in the region.”
Anti-Semitism in politics
On anti-Semitism, Pompeo noted the rise of anti-Semitism in both Europe and the USA. Like with the anti-Semitism of the Labour party, the Democrat party in America has also seen anti-Semitic comments from politicians in recent months.
“To see this from a member of Congress like Congresswoman Omar is – I talked about this being dark. The rise of anti-Semitism in the United States and in Europe and in, frankly, all across the world is something that is deeply troubling, and to see someone – a duly elected congressman – behave in that way, to speak about anti-Semitism in that way, is of great concern. It’s a great concern to me. This administration speaks the truth, and anti-Semitism is unacceptable in any form from anyone, but to see it come from one of America’s leaders is just abhorrent,” said Pompeo.
Pompeo’s Christian roots and how it influences him
“The task that I have is informed by my understanding of my faith, my belief in Jesus Christ as the saviour,” the secretary of state said. “It doesn’t drive answers and outcomes every day; we all as Christians are searching. But it does inform how I try to treat every human being with dignity and respect in ways that Christians ought to. I don’t always live up to that standard, but it does inform the way I think about the world. I think that makes a real difference, and so I want people to know. It’s why I talk about it from to time. I want folks to know the perspective that I am bringing to the challenges in the job that I face, and it also requires me to try to hold myself to the standards that Christians hold themselves out for.”
Watch the full interview below:
