10.25.23
The Gaza War
For he that touches you touches the apple of His eye. (Zechariah 2:8b)
This is being written more than a week before it will be published. Hamas, a terrorist group from Gaza, has attacked Israel. Israel is preparing for a ground attack on Hamas, and our nation has sent a naval group into the area. Things are changing seemingly by the moment. Only the Lord knows what will be occurring when you read this.
To be clear, we need to have compassion for all afflicted people. Many Jews and Americans have been killed and some have been taken hostage. The Palestinian people are under the thumb of Hamas, a terrorist organization. Many of them have been killed. Our hearts go out to those suffering on both sides.
But to better understand the situation, we need to be reminded that God loves the world. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Beyond that, God has a special love for Israel. Our opening text is one of several declaring that Israel is the ‘apple of God’s eye.’ God, in His sovereignty, chose Israel to be the nation from which came the Messiah. He has a future reserved for Israel—the restored Kingdom of David. God has promised that though they face many enemies down through the ages, they will survive. God keeps His promises.
However, just because those things are true does not mean that Israel, as a nation, loves God. Israel has drifted far from the God of the Bible and has not nationally accepted Jesus as its true Messiah.
God loves the Arabs too. He gave specific promises of blessing to Ishmael and his progeny (Genesis 17:20). He has promised that in the last days some of the Arab world will turn to Jehovah. People from Egypt to Assyria will serve the true and living God (Isaiah 19:23).
As for the Palestinians, they are a displaced people. Historically they are Arabs that were not wanted in the other neighboring Arab nations: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, etc. Thus, others have taken advantage of them. Iran in particular, has ruled Gaza for many years through its proxy Hamas. Hamas cares little for the Palestinians, often using them as human shields.
The United Nations and many other organizations have taken up the Palestinian cause, to the neglect of Israel. They have failed to see that Israel, as a sovereign nation, has a legitimate right to defend itself. They fail to notice all of the compassionate acts that Israel displays to their Palestinian neighbors via their hospitals and other service agencies. Antisemitism never seems to goes away.
Those who know and love the Lord need to pray. Let us pray that the war will end soon without a greater amount of bloodshed; that the people in Gaza will be freed from the tyranny of Hamas; and that Israel and her neighbors would join in recognizing the true God who gave His only son to pay the price for the sins of the whole world.
For this is good in the sight of God our Savior, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Timohty 2:3, 4).