Gary Varvel: Just another peaceful protest

My response to readers about my antisemitism essay plus a new Humor Me cartoon contest and paid subscribers get a timely cartoon from my archives

Fiddling while downtown L.A. is burning, Gov. Gavin Newsom is blaming President Trump again for his failures. As you know by now, organized rioters, uh, I mean, ‘peaceful protesters,’ began gathering when ICE agents began rounding up illegals.

The local police admitted that they were overwhelmed. Democrats Newsom and L.A. mayor Karen Bass were AWOL. Plus the legacy news agencies were predictably sympathetic to the rioters. One ABC 7 reporter described the rioting as “just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn.” I’m not kidding.

So Trump sent in the National Guard.

Newsom responded on X writing, “Trump is sending 2,000 National Guard troops into LA County — not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis.”

“Manufacture a crisis?” Townhall’s Matt Vespa writes, “California Democrats have left Earth. That’s the only explanation for the numerous inane remarks and observations about the Los Angeles riots that are turning the city into a war zone.” Oh, and get this, “Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA), who had the gall to say what’s happening in LA right now is no different than when the Dodgers or the Rams win the World Series or the Super Bowl.”

Townhall’s Kurt Schlichter makes the case that the Democrats’ goal is to compel people to submit to the narrative that the riots are a “result of Donald Trump attempting to enforce federal law, so to stop the violence, Donald Trump must be compelled to cease enforcing federal law.”

Lastly, why are the protesters burning American flags and waving the flag from their home country, if they really want to be Americans? This is what invaders do.

The rioters have accomplished 2 things: 1. Proven Trump’s policy of mass deportation is right. 2. The riot videos will become campaign commercials for the Republicans in the next election.

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The recent firebombing attack by an illegal alien from Egypt against Jewish people in a park in Boulder, Colorado, plus the murder of a young Jewish couple, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, in Washington, D.C., are just the latest acts of violence against people based solely on their heritage.

On the 80th anniversary of World War II and the Holocaust, a recent study found that the number of antisemitic incidents increased by 227% in the U.S., 185% in France, 83% in Canada, 82% in the United Kingdom, 75% in Germany, 23% in Argentina, and 11% in Australia.

This hatred is demonic and it’s spreading worldwide. The devil wants to thwart God’s promises to the Jewish people and like a puppet master he is pulling the strings of senseless evil people.

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ANSWERING READERS

Why the Old Testament is indispensable

After my newsletter on Why antisemitism is spreading, a few people unsubscribed, and several others reached out with questions. One response stood out:
“Why should we pay any attention to the Old Testament? Didn’t Jesus fulfill God’s covenant?”

It’s a sincere question, and I want to give a thoughtful answer.

There’s a beautiful phrase that’s often quoted:
“The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”
In other words, the Old Testament is essential in understanding the New Testament—especially who Jesus is, why He came and God’s plan for the future. For example, the book of Revelation uses symbolism that would be impossible to understand without a knowledge how those symbols were used in the Old Testament,

Jesus didn’t come to erase Old Testament, but to fulfill it. For example, the sacrificial system points forward to Him. That’s why John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus, declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

Jesus fulfilled what those sacrifices symbolized.

Although most Jewish people today, do not yet believe in Jesus as their Messiah, Scripture assures us that God is not finished with Israel. His promises are still in motion.

The prophet Zechariah wrote about a future time when Israel will face great trial. In Zechariah 13:7–9, the Lord says:

In the whole land,” declares the Lord,
“two-thirds will be struck down and perish;
yet one-third will be left in it.
⁹ This third I will put into the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.
They will call on my name
and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
This remaining third—this faithful remnant of believers in Jesus—will be refined during the great tribulation described by Jesus in Matthew 24:21: "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall."
God will judge the godless people of the world and He will complete His discipline of the nation Israel (Daniel 9:24). Then they will ‘call on my (God’s) name’ and be brought into a saving relationship with Jesus.

Zechariah 12:10, reaffirms this remarkable prophecy:

“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child…”

This clearly points to Jesus. He is the One who was pierced on the cross, and one day, the eyes of His people will be opened and they will realize that Jesus is their Messiah.

The Apostle Paul echoes this truth in Romans 11:25–27. He explains that a partial hardening has come upon Israel, but only for a time—“until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Then, he writes:

“And in this way, all Israel will be saved… ‘The Deliverer (Jesus) will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’”

God’s covenant with His people (Jews) is still intact. His plan for redemption includes them accepting Jesus as their Messiah, and He will be faithful to complete it.

Jesus Himself grieved over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37–39, saying:

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing… You will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

That day is coming. When Jesus returns to establish His kingdom on earth, He will fulfill every promise made to Abraham and his descendants.

So yes, the Old Testament still matters. It points us to Jesus, shows us the heart of God, and reveals a future full of hope—for Israel, for the Church, and whosoever will believe.

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Contact me at: gary@garyvarvel.com

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HUMOR ME

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