Charlie Kirk One Year Later: A Solomonic Voice Silenced, But Never Forgotten
One year has passed since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a date that remains a living hell for those of us who knew him. As we approach September 10, we remember a man who stood as a giant in the defense of truth, Israel, and Western civilization. His voice reached over a billion people, and his legacy continues to guide us through these turbulent times.
Who Was Charlie Kirk?
Charlie Kirk was more than a political activist. He was a theologian, philosopher, and statesman who led the most influential conservative youth movement in America. I had the extraordinary privilege of watching him up close during his formative years, witnessing his transformation into what I came to see as a 'Solomonic' figure.
He was consumed by the deeper questions of theology and philosophy: What is truth? What is good? What is beautiful? These questions, fueled by his love of the Bible, both the Torah and the New Testament, shaped his journey from activist to global voice.
Why Did Charlie Kirk Stand With Israel?
Charlie understood that Israel stands on the front lines of a broader battle for Western values. In our last face-to-face conversation, just weeks before his murder, he spoke passionately about Israel's right to national self-determination in its ancestral homeland. He supported this right without reservation.
He saw the toxic lie spreading across the globe: that humanity's problems can be traced to one people, the Jews. He warned, 'There is a corner of the internet of people who want to point and blame the Jews for all their problems... this is demonic, and it's from the pit of hell, and it should not be tolerated, period.'
How Did Charlie Kirk Expose the Palestinian Liberation Movement?
On college campuses across Southern California, Charlie exposed what he called 'the scam of the century.' At UCLA, when 150 students chanted 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,' something awakened in him. With holy fire in his eyes, he yelled, 'The Nazis of our time, everybody!'
He understood our enemies' strategy: Cut Jews off. Cripple Israel. Turn Zionism into a crime. Charlie refused to let that happen, using his platform to expose the truth and defend the Jewish people.
What Did Charlie Kirk Believe About Truth and Resilience?
Charlie was like a heavyweight boxer in the ring, taking monstrous personal blows while the crowd cheered for his defeat. Knocked down again and again, he would get back up. He simply refused to quit.
Why? Because Charlie believed that if truth were given a fair hearing, it could heal not only an individual soul but a nation, and even the world. He was willing to take the blows in the name of truth, in the name of love, and in the name of hope.
How Did Charlie Kirk Confront Antisemitism?
New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas called Charlie Kirk 'the Bonhoeffer of our time.' Like Bonhoeffer, who boldly stood against Hitler and called the church to protect Jews, Charlie confronted the rising tide of antisemitism head-on.
Josh Hammer of Newsweek noted that Charlie was 'holding back some really nasty stuff' brewing in very young, far-right online circles, including increasingly open antisemitism. Charlie was doing more than anyone in the country to contain it. Now, Hammer worries about what that energy does in his absence.
What Was Charlie Kirk's Last Message?
In our final conversation, Charlie was full of joy, bright-eyed as he prepared to speak about the threats to Western civilization. He had just returned from Colorado, where he served on the US Air Force Academy Board of Visitors, appointed by President Donald Trump.
He was deeply concerned by the systematic advancement of values contrary to Western civilization, and he told me that exposing this threat was his next goal. During that half hour, Trump called him twice.
Remembering Nisan 14
Years ago, I drove Charlie to speak at my church in San Diego. We talked about how a Christian's identity is rooted in the unfolding story of Israel and the Messiah of Israel. I said to him, 'Charlie, remember Nisan 14. Never forget it.'
Five years later, just months before he went to heaven, I walked away from a conversation with him on a beach in Coronado. I heard his voice call out to me. I turned around. With a big Charlie Kirk smile, he said, 'Nisan 14!'
He remembered. And so will I. Until we meet again, Charlie, at Passover, fulfilled in the kingdom.
The writer is the pastor of Rise Church in San Marcos, California, and the founder of Pastors Alliance for Israel.