There has been another Israeli-Palestinian flare up. So what’s new? No one ought to be surprised. There were talks of peace during the Trump Administration. That didn’t last.
Predictable and Empowered
The most recent conflagration was inevitable. The US admin taking over from Donald Trump’s predictably re-empowered Iran. The American Democrats have been dancing with Iran since the Obama years. Iran has always used proxies to attack Israel. Hamas does not manufacture the rockets it fires into Israel. Connect the dots. It’s that simple.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict somewhat mirrors Critical Race Theory and the BLM issue. The Palestinians are the perpetual victims no matter the facts. Most frustrating to me is that emotional and pontificating armchair critics (who provide no viable solutions) ignore the facts. The conflict isn’t about so-called Israeli oppression or “land theft.” The inconvenient fact is that One Side simply wants to move the Other Side into the sea. Again, it’s that simple.
See the Jewish Virtual Library – Myths and Facts
The Church Problem
Aside from armchair critics, some Christian commentators frustrate me. As in the American BLM issue (blaming white racism and white privilege), they appear to identify Israel as the main source of the conflict. Some (like Stephen Sizer) have fomented Palestinian terrorism by excusing it and lying about Israel. See also this Church Society article on Sizer. Christians need to do much better than this.
As an aside, I’ve seen Christian depictions of Jesus as black. Yet in one article critical of Israel, the Jews were referred to as “white.” Well, putting it bluntly, Jesus was and still is a Jew. Furthermore, the church generally needs to rethink its Identity Theft. The predominantly Gentile church is not “spiritual” Israel.
I also find language used by Christians about modern Israel problematic; especially when peppered with statements such as “Christ-rejecting nation.” I suspect part of the issue is eschatological assumption. Some insist the “elect” in the Olivet Discourse must be the church.
Yet in Deut 7: 6-7 Israel is called a holy people chosen by Him for Himself out of all the peoples of the earth and loved by the Lord. They are called chosen (elect) in Isaiah 45:4 and 1 Chron 16:13. In 2 Sam 7:23-24 we see that Israel’s status as the elect nation will be forever. Israel is called chosen in the NT. Acts 3:12, 13-15, 25 and Rom 11:26-29 confirm Israel’s continuous standing as a chosen nation.
For more see The gathering of the Elect,
Israel in Prophecy
I found a 2015 CBTS article on Israel somewhat puzzling. It defended its right to exist, but also stated that,
…no aspect of biblical prophecy depends for its fulfillment upon the existence of the state of Israel. …If the Arabs were to succeed in pushing Israel into the Mediterranean, not one biblical prophecy would be altered.
How does that square with Zechariah 14 and Matthew 24? See also Hosea 5:15 and Matt 23:39. J. C. Ryle once wrote,
I might show you by scriptural evidence that the Jews will probably first be gathered in an unconverted state, though humbled, and will afterwards be taught to look to Him whom they have pierced [Zech 12:10-14, through much tribulation. ~ Future Israel (p 345, emphasis mine)
The conflict between Israel and the world will one day be resolved. This won’t happen until Christ returns to rule. Then all Israel will be saved.
Maranatha!
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