Let’s Stand With Israel
On my final night in Jerusalem, I ended up grabbing a burger in the downtown area about a mile from my hotel. On my way back I walked right into a large group of people marching with Israeli flags and pictures of their loved ones who were being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. I decided to join the procession and listen in.
I could not understand everything that was being said but occasionally I would ask someone next to me. The protest march set up near the Prime Ministers residence. They are unhappy that it has taken so long to bring the hostage's home and how Isreal has handled the operation to bring them home. They are asking them to do whatever it takes. I suspect that if I had a loved one still there being held captive by Hamas that I would be just as frustrated. While the rest of the world is telling the Israeli government to back off the families and citizens of Isreal want their loved one's home and they want justice.
It really is a sick and ill-informed world that we live in. So many people are clueless about world affairs and speak ignorantly. Hamas is still rapping hostages and hiding behind women and children. They are cowards and are evil to the core. We must stand on the side of good and not evil. Isreal is strong and resilient, and we must stand with them. So many Israelis have asked me, “why is your country not standing with us anymore?” I told them that many of us do still stand with them. I believe part of the reason God sent me here was to remind me how important it is to stand with Israel.
It is not a surprise that people are lying about them and are ill-informed. If you are one of those people and are determined to cling to your ideology of ignorance and wokeism, come to Isreal and talk to the real victims yourself. Your hatred and slogans will fall flat in the face of real evil perpetrated against the Jews. And by the way, Hamas is not tolerant. Try protesting for something like your rights on whatever you choose in any Muslim country and see how that goes for you.
History is destined to repeat itself if we are not informed. Two days ago, I visited the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. The parallels between the way that Hitler and the Nazi’s came into power are eerily similar to today. It is a popular position to be antisemitic. This my friends is scary. An ideology of hate will grow out of control if we are not careful. One of the most powerful moments I experienced at the museum was when I stepped into the room filled with the faces of 1.3 million children who had been murdered by the Nazi’s. This is the same kind of hate that Hamas and other Muslim terrorist organizations wish to perpetrate against the Jews and Christians now. We need to wake up!
As Christians we are called to stand for justice. We better make sure that our decision to stand where we stand is based in scripture and real justice. The church is going to play a role in end time events. We will either stand on truth or we will be sidelined in obscurity. Like Joshua, I know where I will stand. Joshua declares in Joshua 24:15, “…as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.”
We can make a difference through prayer and encouragement. Last night as I stood there with the people of Israel in the streets, and I asked the Lord to show me how we could do that. One of the people that I was visiting with last night was a young woman holding a picture of one of the hostages. I asked her if this was a friend or relative and she said, “this is just one of the hostages that I have adopted to pray for and support his family.” I thought that was a great idea. So why not do that as a church. Below is a picture of a teenage girl taken on October 7. I will place a picture of her in the prayer room so that we will remember to pray for her and her family until she is home safe. If there is a way to send letters to her family, we may be able to do that as well.
Daniela Gilboa, 19, sent messages saying that Kibbutz Nahal Oz, where she was staying, was under attack and asked her mother to pray for her. Her boyfriend, Roy Dadon, told the Economist 1843 magazine that he believes he saw a glimpse of her in a video showing three girls being driven away in the back of an SUV.
Let’s pray for a miracle. That God would bring her and the other hostages home quickly. Pray that they would have some amazing Jesus moments. That God would super naturally reveal himself to the hostages and their captors and bring a swift end to this carnage. Pray for strength for Daniela’s family and that through this they would experience the amazing love and peace of God.
