Call yourself a Christian? Then Stand with Israel!

I get up this morning and turn on the news, and WHAMO! All I see is Pro-Palestinian protests. On major interstates blocking traffic at rush hour, protests at significant universities nationwide, tarmacs being rushed, and even a sit-in at the US capital building. What's happening? Is this where America is headed? Why all the anti-Israel rage? Are we not aware of the verse in Genesis 12 that clearly states:

Genesis 12:3: "I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." NKJV

Israel is God’s chosen people. Sorry, guys, it’s not the Church. And when you touch the apple of His eye and attack His people, ABBA shows up and shows up for a fight. Sadly, it appears that America is no longer a God-fearing nation. Statistics from the 2021 Barna Research Survey show the following:

- 69% of Americans claim to be Christian.

- Of those 69% who claim to be Christian, 58% do not believe the Holy Spirit is real.

- Of those 69% who claim to be Christian, 57% believe in the concept of Karma.

- Of those 69% who claim to be Christian, only 6% possess a biblical worldview and demonstrate a consistent understanding and application of biblical principles.

- 91% of the 69% who claim to be Christian embrace many basic tenets of the faith, however at the same time they hold many views in conflict with traditional teachings (Basically they accept secular views on marriage, abortion, homosexuality etc.)

(Muncil, 2021) BARNA Research, CRC Survey

Based on the numbers above, I can see why America's resolve to stand with Israel is short-lived; only 6% have an understanding of Biblical principles. And 91% of those who call themselves Christian have the same views in many cases as the secular world. No wonder the Church is in dire need of repentance. We're no different than the world!

The Church has proven itself to be a quiet, non-vocal, timid, and weak institution. In contrast, those with passion, zeal, and a desire to make a difference seem to make the headlines. That's what's happening today. The headlines are filled with pro-Hamas and anti-Israel news. I'm sure social media is going in the same direction.

We must stand with Israel, No matter the cost.

Israel is one of our most distant, most problematic, and troublesome allies, and at times, it is at once, one of our closest and best loved. Many in this country, especially evangelical Christians, regard Israel as a sibling – a brother or sister with a mind of their own — short-fused at taking advice, seeking their way, a source of both trouble and great affection. Israel is not just an ally in the realist geopolitical array.

Israel is family.

So now we've seen our family being attacked in an inexcusable, immoral, and inexpressibly tragic way. Brutal murders of men, women, and even babies occurred at the hands of Hamas. But no one is protesting against this; instead, I see photo after photo of people holding signs that say FREE PALESTINE or Cease Fire. Of course, protests like this make good headlines for the mainstream media because they don't stand for Israel either. If they did, they would show a balanced perspective instead; I'm seeing more and more people begin to turn against Israel.

Born out of Hate.

Israel was founded in 1948 in the brutal wake of the attempted extinction of a people – a new home where safety might be sought, dreams realized, and a hopeful future. A new nation and a new culture, bringing together people from across the globe. They gathered in a miserable desert with few resources on a strip of land no one wanted. But they came with a dream of a land filled with milk and honey and turning a desert into a garden. This is what they have done.

Israel is simply a different country – it was born out of hate, maintained by an abiding love, and attacked from all sides. This October War is the 18th major conflict embroiling Israel in the modern era. This includes invasions, intifadas, interventions in civil war, and now, the invasion of the state by a non-state actor. This invasion was well planned, supported, and backed by Iran, who used money released to them by our president to equip and train the 1500 fighters who came across the border that day. This attack targeted over 30 places in the border wall with earth-moving equipment and drones. Some 40 or more villages were attacked, four major military bases – and the border wall was breached with ease. Israel's Intelligence agency was eluded. Some talking anti-Israeli pundits even tried to make it out to be an inside job. Not a chance. I don't believe it.

Even war has rules.

The taking of hostages, using innocent civilians as human shields, and the grim violation of the most vulnerable of non-combatants (children, the elderly – often those simply too ill to run away from their pursuers) is not war. It is, by definition, an act of terror. Attacking a crowd of unarmed kids dancing to music is unforgivable. No cause can justify it. None.

The sheer horror of this attack and the hatred it induces assures a cataclysmic response – it's hard to imagine the government of Israel settling for anything short of the complete dismemberment of Hamas and its allies in Gaza and on its borders. How can Israel not finish the job of utterly destroying Hamas's capability to wage terror against them in the future?

The attack was meticulously planned, so secret that this planning eluded one of the finest intelligence services in the world almost entirely. More than 1,500 fighters were organized, targeting over 30 places in the border wall with earth-moving equipment and drones. Some 40 or more villages were attacked, four major military bases – and the border wall was breached with ease. But the attack was doomed to failure. The superior firepower of the Israeli Defense Force would eventually – after mass death and destruction – overcome.

This invasion was suicidal, and the longer the hostages are held and the longer the war goes on, the worse the situation becomes.

God will intervene.

In closing, Israel will come out of this war victorious; The Psalm 83 prophecy says she will. A peace accord will be crafted and establish a fragile state of near peace, but following such an act, that peace could not be more distant right now.

We must stand for peace.

But now, at this moment, we must stand firmly with Israel.

Michael

Bibliography

Muncil, Dr. Tracy. (2021, August 31). American Worldview Inventory.

Retrieved from Arizona Christian Education Survey: https://www.arizonachristian.edu

Fox News, Digital Photograph - Anti Israel Protest, 3 November 2023.