Israel Controversy

Wow, did I have a clash with my son over the Israel / Gaza War. To clarify things from my perspective. I am a Christian who supports Israel. I believe that the restoration of the nation of Israel in 1948 was and, as it continues, is an act of Yahweh and the fulfillment of Bible Prophecy.

Now with this perspective comes some pitfalls. The Palestinian people are human beings too and the way that Israel retaliate against innocents is not palatable at all. Demolishing buildings and houses with air to surface missiles is just ridiculous and heavy handed in the extreme. So why do they do it?

Well, Israel believe they are God’s people and Israel, the country, or Canaan is the promised land. I believe that as well. So, in AD 70 the Jews were invaded by Rome and sent packing from the land. They dispersed to the four corners of the then known world but God had promised them that they would be regathered in the last days. This began after the holocaust at the end of WWII and culminated in the restoration of Israel in 1948.

There have been several skirmishes with the Arab nations around them such as the Six Day War in 1967 and Yom Kippur in 1973. Since the seventies Israel have held an uneasy truce with their neighbours and fought against a continuous guerilla war based in Gaza and on the West Bank. These have been pursued by the PLO and more recently by Hamas with the backing of Iran supplying missiles and other weapons.

Israel defend their people with an anti-missile system that they developed called Iron Dome. It is a war of attrition on both sides with a lot of bitterness and regret. I have often marveled the Israel haven’t annexed Gaza and the West Bank although their allies in the United States and their enemies in the United Nations have tended to perpetuate the situation rather than assist it to be resolved.

What most people don’t understand is that Israel are still the people of God. No one will ultimately prevail against them. However, many of their enemies have and will in the future be destroyed for attempting to destroy the nation of Israel.

Now, I don’t believe for a minute that God wants Israel to kill innocents as they are at the moment. The people of Israel need to repent and accept the Messiah, Jesus Christ. If they were prepared to do this God would hear their voice and heal the land. This scripture was written to the nation of Israel in II Chronicles 7:13 -14 “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” We need to pray that they will do this and that they will have continuous peace.