On the morning of October 7th, the terrorist organization, Hamas, staged a deadly surprise attack against Israel. They launched rockets into Israel and simultaneously infiltrated the border, murdering, raping, and kidnapping. Unimaginable horrors happened that day and have continued to happen in the terrorist tunnels under Gaza. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, succinctly described the situation the next day, saying, “We are at war.”
In the wake of such violent hatred, what should we Christians do?
When Israel faces dire straits such as these, there are three basic responses: enjoyment, indifference, and engagement.
Though it may seem unthinkable that I listed enjoyment as an option, scripture clearly reveals that at times of Israel’s distress, there are nations and people who actually enjoy seeing her writhe in pain. Psalm 137:7 says,
Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”
This verse describes “the day of Jerusalem” when she faced destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. As Jerusalem descended into this nightmare, the Edomites watched with smug enjoyment. The Babylonian attack satiated Edom’s longstanding animosity toward the Jews. They vocalized support for Jerusalem’s destruction, saying, “Utterly destroy the city to its very foundation!”
God didn’t ignore Edom’s response. Through the prophet Obadiah, He confronted them, saying,
But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother
In the day of his captivity;
Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah
In the day of their destruction;
Nor should you have spoken proudly
In the day of distress. (12)
God identified their error, and He held them accountable for it. Because they “rejoiced” and spoke “proudly” about Israel’s captivity, God dealt with Edom in the strictest terms. It is no small thing to take pleasure in Israel’s distress.
Again, it may seem unthinkable to us that this response is a viable option for people today. Surely, it’s just a curiosity from the pages of ancient, Biblical history, right? Unfortunately, no, it’s not. Today, there are people throughout the world supporting the violent actions of Hamas. In my city of Manchester, UK, there have been weekly rallies near city centre where people march in an anti-Israel demonstration. The temptation to stand with Israel’s enemies is as strong as ever.
For many Christians, though, they would never embrace enjoyment. They are too sensible for that. Not really sure what to do, they opt for indifference. Though I don’t agree with this position, I certainly understand it. It was my default posture for years. The political situation seemed too confusing. The history was too complex. Furthermore, my Israel theology was ambivalent, leaving me uncertain about how to think, pray, or act. Thus, indifference seemed like the safest response.
However, at some point, it’s no longer appropriate to plead ignorance and turn away from Israel’s suffering. In Zechariah, God deals with the indifference of the nations:
So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“I am zealous for Jerusalem
And for Zion with great zeal.
I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease . . . .”’” (1:14, 15)
Because God is not indifferent, He is not okay with our indifference. Because He is “zealous,” our general “ease” angers Him. For awhile, He may overlook our lack of interest, but as we grow in discipleship, He expects us to actually care about the Jewish people.
That leads to the third option: engagement. This is obviously the one I am promoting. If God confronts enjoyment and critiques indifference, then it leaves no other path than positive engagement with Israel. A well-known scripture, calling us to engagement is Psalm 122:6. It charges us, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” The Hebrew word “pray” in this scripture is not just a simple prayer request. It is Strong’s H7592, which is “inquire.” It has the connotation of attentiveness and investigation. It is a real interest backed up by additional actions. This is the mode in which God expects to find us on Israel’s behalf.
Many reading this may be wondering where to begin. You’re open to engagement, but you’re not sure how to get the process started. Furthermore, you’re concerned that standing with Israel means standing against the Palestinian people. Again, I understand that concern because I have felt that same thing before. A good place to start is the Watchmen on the Wall curriculum from Bishop Robert Stearns. I watched it before my first trip to Israel, and it gave me the introduction I needed to go from indifference to engagement.
Furthermore, if you’ll start by simply praying Psalm 122:6, it’s surprising how God will use your prayers to not only work through you, but also work in you according to His will.
