Greetings in the peace that only Yeshua/Jesus can give,
Even though we are busy with things concerning the consequences of the ongoing war, I think it also important to make some time to keep you informed as I can in order that your prayers will also be more informed, I pray. I know that there are many voices saying basically what I have just written, so it is up to each of you to discern yourselves with the help of the Holy Spirit what is in within the Spirit of Truth and in the right direction. War is not “good”, but sometimes it is necessary. There is a time for peace, and a time for war.
Today, Oct 17, is the 11th day of the “Swords of Iron” War that Hamas started against Israel on Oct 7 with their infiltration into Israeli territory and towns and villages, slaughtering innocent civilians on not only a Sabbath, but also the closing day of a festive holiday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), intelligence services, and government leaders have recovered from their initial unpreparedness, and are now poised for a strong ground attack at some point, as things stand now. Hezbollah from Lebanon is also actually committing acts of war firing rockets and entering into Israeli territory; and any normal country would consider it so. Citizens and other residents from the northern border have needed to be evacuated. Whether Israel will have to actually fight an all-out war there also remains to be seen.
The President of the US, Joe Biden, is visiting tomorrow; plus there are two huge US aircraft carriers in the waters not far from Israel as a show of support. There are those glad for the show of force and support, but my concern is that in welcoming US support too much, and giving them too active a role in the decisions and fighting of the war, we can become like what happened when the Maccabees invited the Romans to come in and take a part in bringing order to Israel not long after the Israelis at that time had defeated the Greeks and Antiochus Epiphanes. We know what that led to, and the New Testament testifies to that. Israel and the Jewish people continue to trust in Gentile powers to be their help, rather than genuinely calling on the God of Israel. It will, very grievously, take Jacob’s Trouble/ Great Tribulation to bring that repentance and cry for deliverance from the only One who can and will.
Augustine believed that the Jews should be allowed to live and to survive. But he did not think that the Jews should thrive. This is what we keep witnessing regarding many Christians’ attitude today towards Israel: you can survive, but you cannot thrive. You can defend yourselves, but you cannot go on the offensive. You can have ceasefires and a semblance of quiet for a while until the next round, but you cannot defeat your avowed enemy. You can “tie”, but you cannot win. This approach has been entrenched ever since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and what the US and the other “world powers” continue to enforce, and what Israel continues to act upon. Will this time actually be different?
The nation is still traumatized from the horrific intelligence and political failures that enabled the atrocities by the Hamas terrorists that have also galvanized the country around the need to defeat an openly avowed enemy. It has generally united the nation after 10 months of acrimony, but the failures at the war’s beginning, and questions about how the war is prosecuted, and the fate of the more than 200 hostages, will themselves stir up division, if not held in check. A decisive defeat would also give Israel some leverage in whatever agreements and concessions are made. Given the prophetic Scriptures, a very deceptive worldly peace will precede the worst period ever in the history of the world. The peace that Yeshua gives to the believer already now is not the peace that the world gives. And the peace that He will bring when He establishes the righteous Kingdom of God on Earth is also not the peace that sinful nations can produce. The devil is not interested at all in YHVH God’s peace, or in His plan for achieving it. Well, the truth is that Satan is very much interested in ruining it!
I have yet to hear from the official church leaders of the major historic traditional churches, and the “heads” of large influential more free and independent churches, a vocal, public, clear denunciation of the Hamas government as a terrorist entity, and a clear stand with Israel (for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ) to defeat their “Philistine” enemy; and to stand with the Jewish people around the world against the antisemitism that is strengthening “all over the place”, and to call out the antisemites. Revelation Ch 12 makes it clear that Satan is against not only the Jews, but also the disciples of Jesus. Are Christians willing to suffer along with the Jews, since the same God has called us both to be for our Father’s glory?
Institutional churches seem too entrenched with their skewed replacement theology to take a clear public stand. If Jesus is finished with the Jews as a people, and with Israel as a nation dwelling in the promised land, then Israel and the Jewish people are just bad reminders of what the devil and unredeemed human nature prefer: YHVH is GOD, and He is the righteous JUDGE! It reminds me of when Yeshua was crying out to “My God, my God”, and they thought that He was calling out to Elijah. So they said, “let’s see if Elijah will come and help Him”. Or when they said: “He trusted in God; let’s see if God will help Him now”. So too, now, with Israel and the Jewish people: they say “they are the chosen people and nation; let’s see if their God will save them. Of course, they must deserve whatever bad happens to them”!
Not every Jewish person needs to be physically living in Israel now, but their hearts ought to be (Ps 137). It is clear that Israel is not a “safe place” for the Jews in the sense that we have made it seem, nor is any place safe from an enemy who hates all humankind, since we have been created in the image of the Creator God, and He has chosen humans to rule and reign with Him when He returns to establish His kingdom on this Earth for 1000 years. We will even be judging angels! (I have no idea what that will look like.) The antichrist’s reign of terror will not be limited to Israel, but the heart of the battle will be here. The best place to be safe is wherever the LORD wants us to be. At least for Jews, there is a homeland: would be rather be dependent on those who have historically let us know that we are to blame for their problems; or would we rather be “home” and fight for the purpose and destiny that YHVH has determined for the Jewish people? As I say for myself: God, in His mercy, has brought me back home on this Earth, and with the sure promise and hope that Jesus is bringing me back home to my Father in Heaven, which is far better than any hope in this world only!
Thank God for Yeshua/Jesus, who is our Commander-in-Chief (8-star General)! Whatever the outcome of this present war, we know that also our heavenly Father wants more Jews and Arabs to be saved as He carries out His perfect plan of redemption. May that be so, when testimonies are eventually heard how this war affected people, including from believers who drew closer to the Lord during this time and were strengthened in their inner man that only the return of Jesus can put away evil and war.
