There are currently
a vast number of wars ("international conflicts") being waged in
the world today. The number varies according to the source and its
definition of "war" and "conflict". The type of "conflicts" range
from terrorist organizations fighting against sovereign
governments to nations warring against nations to spiritual
battles being waged around the globe. The curious aspect in all of
this is that the war in Israel seems to be the one event that
causes most of the world to feel threatened.
Because of many different beliefs and attitudes regarding,
among other things, peace and freedom, the situation in Israel
tends to become quite convoluted. Misunderstandings regarding the
reasons for the fighting abound, even among followers of the G-d
of Israel. Also involved are the agendas, hidden and otherwise, of
many of the key players involved.
In its simplest terms, the "conflict" in Israel is being waged
by those who are fighting (whether intentionally or not) against
the G-d of Israel, the Creator of the universe. It is a battle,
for the most part, between those of faith who believe the promises
G-d made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and those who, for whatever
reasons, would prefer that Israel (i.e., the Jews) did not live on
the land bordered by the Nile and Euphrates Rivers and the
Mediterranean Sea and the wilderness of Jordan. The faithful in
Israel are obeying a direct commandment from G-d ("inhabit the
land"). Those, on the other hand, who are fighting against G-d
(whether intentionally or not) are trying to remove the Jewish
people from the land given to them by G-d, especially Judea and
Samaria - the very heart of Israel.
The basic reason for wanting Jews out of the land of Israel is
quite simple when looked at from a spiritual viewpoint. The
existence of the Jewish people in the land of Israel, after 2,000
years of dispersion, proves beyond a doubt that the G-d of Israel
does exist and that man will one day have to give an account of
his deeds before Him; that man's autonomous reign on this earth is
soon coming to an end.
We could look at the historical aspect of the situation and try
to determine whether Israel actually has a right to live in the
land or if it really does belong to the 'Palestinians'. However,
this is exactly what is happening now and the facts become very
easily distorted when mingled with bold lies. The question many
people ask is "Whose history do we believe, the Israelis or the
'Palestinians'?"
Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels' statement, "If you tell a
lie big enough and keep repeating it, then people will eventually
come to believe it," has certainly come to life in the current
situation. Then whose statements do we believe?
For those who worship the G-d of Israel, there is only one
truth: the word of G-d itself. But what exactly did G-d say
regarding Israel? Does it still hold true today, even after
Israel's dispersion from the land 2,000 years ago? Does G-d want
to divide the land of Israel and give a portion of it to the
'Palestinians' - or anybody else - besides the Jewish people? The
answers, fortunately, are found in the Scriptures - G-d's written
word.
G-d's Eternal Covenant with Israel
Approximately 4,000 years ago, G-d made a covenant with Abraham
to give him and his descendants the land of Canaan, located "from
the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river
Euphrates." (Genesis 15:18) This covenant was later restated to
Isaac (Genesis 26.2-5) and to Jacob (Genesis 28.13; 35.12).
Eventually, G-d would make this same covenant with the entire
house of Israel, as a nation:
"For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land
of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the
Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them....
And I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the
Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I
will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you
will drive them out before you." (Exodus 23.23,31).
G-d also declared that Israel would be His "own possession
among all the peoples." The requirements of Israel for this
covenant is to "obey My [G-d's] voice and keep My covenant."
(Exodus 19:5) Because of this, many people mistakenly believe
that, because Israel disobeyed G-d, He removed them from the land
permanently. They say that Israel no longer has a valid claim to
the land, according to G-d's word. Some even go so far as to say
that G-d has cast off His people permanently. However, Scripture
does not bear this out. In fact, it states just the opposite.
G-d was very specific regarding what would happen to Israel if
they obeyed Him and the resulting punishment if they failed to
obey Him ("the blessings and the curses"). The details are given
in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. The ultimate penalty for
continuing to disobey G-d was removal from the land of promise
(Leviticus 26.33). Yet, there was always the promise of
restoration: "Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of
their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as
to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the L-rd
their G-d." (Leviticus 26:44; see also Jeremiah 31.35-37;
Lamentations 4.22; Micah 7.18-20) G-d never declared that He would
utterly abandon the Jewish people: "'Yet even in those days',
declares the L-rd, 'I will not make you a complete destruction.'"
(Jeremiah 5:18; see also Amos 9.8) G-d, instead, promised that a
remnant of Israel would return to the land that He promised to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Isaiah 11.11-14; 43.5-6; Zephaniah
3.14-20). Notice that G-d is speaking of Israel - the Jewish
people - returning to the land, not some other vessel.
Dividing the Land of Israel
So we come back to one of our original questions: Does G-d want
to divide the land of Israel and give a portion of it to the
'Palestinians' - or anybody else - besides the Jewish people?
Aside from the Scriptures listed above, there are many more
detailing G-d's promise of the restoration of the Jewish people to
the land of Israel. Is it possible, then, that G-d would want to
share the land with other nations? G-d is very concerned about His
land, especially Judea and Samaria. He is also concerned for His
holy city Jerusalem. G-d spoke of the judgment of the nations for
doing this very thing: "I will gather all the nations, and bring
them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into
judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My
inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations;
and they have divided up My land." (Joel 3:2)
Many individuals and organizations approve of the idea of the
creation of a 'Palestinian' state, as long as it is not headed by
a terrorist organization. Their claim is that the 'Palestinian
people' need a place to live also. While we could argue the actual
existence of a 'Palestinian people', we need to look back at the
Scriptures for the correct Biblical position. G-d commanded Israel
3,500 years ago to remove the pagan nations from the land of
Israel and dwell in it. G-d has never changed nor lifted this
command. Many in Israel are asking that the 'Palestinians' leave
peacefully. There are plenty of places for them to go. Whatever
they do, it is not Israel's responsibility to provide a place for
them to live. Israel's command from G-d is to remove the enemy
from their midst and dwell in the land.
The issue then of whether to divide Israel or not becomes
clear. The land bordered by the Nile and Euphrates Rivers and the
Mediterranean Sea and the wilderness of Jordan belongs to G-d,
Who, in turn, gave it to the Jewish people for an eternal
possession. It cannot be shared nor given away. G-d gave Israel a
clear command regarding making covenants with their enemies: "and
when the L-rd your G-d shall deliver them before you, and you
shall defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall
make no covenant with them and show no favor to them."
(Deuteronomy 7:2)
The basic answer to Israel's problem with the 'Palestinians' -
and the nations of the world - is to trust G-d, not man.
Many Christians are asking what they can do to help Israel. As
Christians, it is our job to encourage Israel to believe the
promises G-d made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We must encourage
them to return to Israel and build up the land. We must pray and
intercede for them to be strong and withstand the pressures of the
nations. It is G-d alone they must fear, not man: "In G-d I have
put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
(Psalm 56:11) We are the watchmen of Israel. Let us take our job
seriously.
"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's
sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth
like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is
burning.... On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;
all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind
the L-rd, take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until
He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." (Isaiah
62:1,6-7)
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