The current conflict in Israel is one that has rumbled on since 1948, when by United Nations resolution the statehood of Israel was reestablished. The politics of the issue for which news media is full, goes back and forth. There is an obvious repulsion concerning the terrorist acts performed by those who are of Hamas, a word which in Hebrew means voilence. What we saw was the level and depth of a insane, mind altered savagery we have not seen since the days when ISIS had publicised through social media their atrocities. It shows us two distinct levels of issues in the region, how a nation state as Israel treats their citizens, how they define their citizenship , and the atrocities to those who allege injustices. In this time when I am carefully trying to discern what may happen and what may develop into a regional conflict, because the central issue who belongs to the land has been a debate for many decades needs a solution. I suspect that a political solution will not sufficiently resolve an issue that is a faith issue.
The central issue all agree
The central issue is that the land was GIVEN and not taken. This has to be explained theologically as the central personality involved, Abraham, was GIVEN the land on a prophetic level. This means that Abraham was to settle in the land and know that God had given it to him. However, the giving of the land is generational in its outworking. In Genesis 15 God reiterates the way that the land would come to belong to the children of Abraham. The fact is all the major faiths agree that the land called Israel belongs to the Jews, or Israelites. I was listening to a scholar from Islam explaining the Islamic prophetic scriptures explaining that Israel belongs to the children of Isaac, Ishmael being a cousin, or half brother and ancestor of the Arabs. I was struck because on the basis of faith the Judaic faith, Christian, and Islamic faith all agree on this point. It must be this building block we need to go from. The Lord took me through the fact that if something has been given it cannot be taken away. The Scriptures talk of a great future possession of the land, and Zechariah 12 tells us that it is in Jerusalem and Judah that Jesus is revealed as He is, their wounded Messiah. For this revelation to occur Revelation 1:7 explains the return of the people of Israel to their land.
Where the disconnect comes in…
It seems a simple solution to find that common ground, its staring in everyone’s face each day when pilgrims visit the Holy Land. They come from the 3 main faiths. However, it seems modern society has rejected to live by these faiths, many are nominal and it is evident that the majority now live their faith in a secular conetext.Therefore as I see it, a vacuum exists, which politics has filled for the most part. Before 1948 there was very little value to the land we call Israel today, seemed to be a wilderness, and very little produced. When the Israelis began to irrigate the land many of the “political” causes began. These causes have some aspect of terrorism or political struggle, with several major wars with various nations around. Our secular world, that we have turned it, has originated this situation. The 3 major faiths must recognise that they bear responsibility for the secularization of man. This has led to the current situation which is right now a cauldron about to topple over pouring out venomous lava from Satan himself. What I cannot advocate for which many try, is amalgamate the 3 faiths, this would have to be a unity for which God gives. Unity and Love are part of the Lord Himself, and He must give to close the vacuum. For its part Islam recognises the Israelites as cousins, and for election sake the Church must recognise the Jews as beloved, for which we too have the crusades to answer for, and the replacement theology that still reigns in some sectors.
Gaining means losing and losing means gaining
We have to see that change is a collective decision to trust God to give us the attributes of His character. We must also recognise there will be always enemies of peace, who will fight us along the way. God must deal with them. However there will be no peace whilst we stay in propagate our activities, winning or losing theological arguments. We have to lose our arrogance in regard to our knowledge, and gain in our ability to emulate the character of Jesus. Love overcomes as Paul says, it always believes, always hopes. Paul puts 3 principles together which I am sure 3 faiths will agree, that there are 3 pillars which could hold a better common future, faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love. I am not saying that I am promoting in this message some kind of fusion of 3 faiths, the reason is that the true roots of them must be uncovered, but there is an undeniable starting point, Abraham. The father of ALL those who believe. If the enemy has entered into any faith camp we must be humble to repent of this. Suspicion and divisory perspective cannot be part of this process.
Radical without being radicalised
The radicalisation that is recognised today, and has been highlighted in this conflict, is the indoctrination of up and coming generations. The result of the vacuum that has been generated by over secularisation has brought in fear and hatred. In all sectors of our 3 faiths there is suspicions, rejections, and for some the Islamics are labelled terrorists, and Israelis oppressors to be exterminated. For Christians the prejudice against Jews for their rejection of Jesus, must be seen through the prism of Romans 9,10,11. It must be understood. We must decide to be radical about the things God is. This means that our renewed faith does not let rise up of arrogance, but seek to be peacemakers. The resolution to this problem is going to be resolved when Jesus comes FOR His people. Until then we need to trust that politics will NEVER solve this issue. If we see things this way, being real and asking God for change that brings peace, letting go of religious postures, we will start to see peoples learn to live together knowing their God based destiny. Until then as modern secular man tries political schemes, which alter not world views nor human nature, we shall forever return to old conflicts that have no end. May Jesus come TO us before He comes FOR US.
Maranatha!
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