It’s been just over a year since the unforgettable atrocities of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, when Hamas terrorists slaughtered babies, committed unspeakable sexual violence, burned families alive, murdered more than 1,200 Israelis and took 240 civilians (including 12 American citizens) hostage. Today, more than 100 of these captives (including 7 Americans) are still being held and terrorized in Gaza.
In the face of increasing regional hostilities and attacks by Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, the nation of Israel continues fight for its survival and the liberation of the captives. Amid ongoing attacks from every side, Israel’s Iron Dome and other missile defense systems have been riotously employed in the last year, intercepting as many as 9,500 missiles and bombs in a single month. On October 1, 2024, it was reported by the U.S. Department of Defense that Iran sent at least 200 ballistic missiles into Israel in a single day, all of which were aimed at civilian targets.1 Over the weekend, Israel responded with defensive air strikes over Iran, targeting military assets only in an attempt to mitigate future attacks. However, these defensive maneuvers and counter-missile systems rely on munitions that Israel can only purchase from the United States. It has been reported on numerous occasions that the White House has threatened to withhold and “may be slow-rolling a new Israeli request to refill its arms and munitions stockpiles.”[1]
In this critical moment as Israel literally fights for survival, our US Government continues to send mixed messages of de-escalation to appease Iran. Publicly threatening to withhold or delay defensive munitions emboldens Iran and other enemies of Israel. Thankfully today, as Iran asks the UN Security Council to intervene, the Pentagon has strongly urged Iran refrain from responding to Israel’s defensive strike. However, in the same press release, the Pentagon also calls on Israel to “see this as an off-ramp” and “dial down tensions”, even as defensive action and attempts to liberate the hostages remain ongoing. At the same time, American citizens increasingly demonstrate Antisemitism in the public square.
American Christians need to know the clear teachings of the Word of God concerning Israel.
The people of Israel are God’s chosen people, and God made a covenant promise to them to give them the land they call home. In Genesis 12:3, God said concerning his people that, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” As new covenant believers, Galatians 3 and Romans 11 are clear that we are grafted into Israel and heirs to the promise. As Christians, we should care deeply about what happens to God’s people in Israel. We should obey scripture like Psalms 122:6 that call us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and as James 2 teaches, we should turn that faith into action. At the very least, we should obey God’s Word, pray for peace, and petition our government to stand with Israel, so that our nation will be blessed, not cursed.
[1] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-delays-israeli-request-replenish-munitions-and-missile-interceptors
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