Eurovision Song Contest, Progressive Fulfillment of Prophecy and Believers in Israel

“For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land” (Psalm 35:20).

While antisemitism has been historically documented for the last 2,000 years, we also know it existed before that time to a degree.

What is antisemitism? It is defined as “hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group,” according to Webster.

So, we are not dealing with something new but ancient. However, even after 7 October 2023, when the nation of Israel experienced an outburst of murderous hate—during which over 1,200 men, women, and children, young and old, had been cold-bloodedly executed by the Hamas terrorist organization headquartered in Gaza—antisemitism actually increased!

One would think this would cause sympathy for the Jewish people and outright, unreserved condemnation of the terrorists. Not so; the opposite occurred.

In the US, a joint report by the Antidefamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Federation of North America states: “Over half (55 percent) of Jewish Americans experienced at least one form of antisemitism in the past 12 months. 79% of all respondents are concerned about antisemitism.”

The Reuters news agency, headquartered in the UK and New York, updated its list of antisemitic attacks:

• 16 November 2023 – Japan: A 53-year-old man deliberately crashed his car near the entrance of the Israeli embassy.

• 1 May 2024 – Poland: A teenager was hit by a bottle containing a flammable substance in front of the historic synagogue.

• 17 May 2024 – France: A knife-wielding Algerian set fire to a synagogue.

• 21 January 2025 – Australia: A childcare center was set on fire with antisemitic graffiti sprayed on the walls.

• 2 October 2025 – Germany: Two hooded men threw Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in central Berlin.

The list goes on and on.

What seems very strange, rather mysterious, is the fact that these perpetrators have virtually no definite reason to be antisemitic.

Eurovision Song Contest

This event, now held since 1970, is by far the world’s largest such international music contest. It was estimated to attract over 160 million viewers for the 70th anniversary event held in Vienna, Austria.

Here again, with no legal or judicial basis, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain boycotted this event because of Israel’s participation amid their conflict in Gaza.

Do the leaders of these named countries really care about what the murderous terrorists Hamas in Gaza did to the civilians in Israel? Not at all. We may describe the reason with two words: unbridled hate.

How does Israel react? In a rather calm manner. World PopulationReview.com annually publishes the “Happiest Countries in the World,” which lists Israel in 8th place for 2026.

CNBC reported on 30 April 2026: “Israel’s economy will grow by 3.5% this year, compared to 2.3% for the US and 1.3% for the EU.”

One article asks, “What is Israel’s main source of money?” The answer: “Israel’s main source of income is its advanced high-technologies sector including software, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and defense electronics.” Here again, the World Happiness Report lists Israel near the top along with the Scandinavian nations. The closest to the top in the Arab world is the United Arab Emirates at 21.

Progressive Fulfillment of Prophecy

The seemingly contradictory results when comparing Israel to the rest of the world are, according to our understanding, the partial fulfillment of the prophet Ezekiel’s exclamation: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you” (Ezekiel 36:26a). Jews residing in the land of their fathers—Israel—cannot be compared with Jews in the Diaspora. Why? Because they have followed the repeated invitation of God to return to the Promised Land.

The State of Israel, just 78 years old, has already superseded most nations in the world. That, of course, Bible readers know is their calling—to be a light unto the Gentiles.

A Google search reveals: “Over 220 Jewish individuals and people of half- or three-quarters-Jewish ancestry have been awarded the Nobel Prize between 1901 and 2025, accounting for roughly 20-22% of all recipients worldwide, despite Jewish people comprising only about 0.2% of the global population.”

For Israel, there is more to come. Isaiah 42:6 proclaims: “I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.” In 43:7 we read: “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Verse 25 adds: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” That is the progressive fulfillment: from Israel receiving “a new heart” and “a new spirit,” to “I will put my spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:27a).

Believers in Israel

While we have repeatedly mentioned the miraculous growth of believers in Israel, we must state it again: Jesus—the great Son of Israel, their Messiah and the Savior of the world—continues to add believers to His Church.

It is significant that membership of the traditional churches is decreasing. For example, in Germany: “Between 2000 and 2024, at least 611 Catholic churches ceased their religious use, with a similar trend for the Protestants.”

Of what does that remind us? A prophetic shadow of the words Paul wrote in Romans 11:25-26a: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved.”

We are greatly privileged to help and assist new churches and groups in Israel, which quite often are desperate to find physical space for their meetings. Thank you for your continued prayer and financial support for Action for Israel.