Was there a deeper, more evil spirit behind the Mississippi synagogue burning than we thought?
According to Fox News, the suspect of the Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Stephen Pittman, 19, was turned in by his father after he confessed to the incident.
However, something darker and quite sinister may have been going on in the background.
In the FBI affidavit, Pittman reportedly confessed to being the arsonist behind the act, calling the building the “synagogue of Satan.” As Fox reported, Pittman’s father alerted the FBI after seeing burn marks on his hands, face and ankles.
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The FBI stated that “Pittman laughed as he told his father what he did and said he finally got them.” The suspect then made a virtual court appearance on Monday from the hospital where his hands were bandaged. When asked about his rights, Pittman said, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Pittman also reportedly texted his dad an image of the synagogue before starting the fire, writing, “There’s a furnace in the back.” While his father pleaded with him to come home, Pittman said he was “due for a homerun” and “I did my research.”
This bizarre and disturbing episode is not occurring in a vacuum. We are living in a moment when antisemitism is erupting across college campuses, in the streets of major Western cities and in governments around the world. What we are seeing is not merely political, cultural or social—it is spiritual.
Yet even in the midst of this rising darkness, there is a decisive truth the enemy cannot erase: Jesus is still the King of the Jews. He has not abandoned Israel nor forgotten the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. While the nations rage and antisemitism intensifies, God’s purposes for His chosen people will prevail. As we approach the final chapters of history, believers must stand with the Jewish people and pray for their protection.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
