9“This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, The Life Application Bible)
Today marks the seventh day of carnage in the Gaza Strip. Israel is undoubtedly preparing for a ground invasion, which would spare the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians that has occurred since Hamas launched their brutal, barbaric attack against Israel. I continue to pray for peace, but there can be no peace if Hamas continues to exist. The true evil of their attack on innocent civilians displays the extent they will go to erase Israel from existence. War crimes have been committed on each side, and everyday the news continues to report Israel’s miscalculated missile strikes, and the urgency for Israel to allow aid into Gaza. We have reached a dark time in modern warfare and the history of the Middle East.
I am currently reading the Book of Joshua, the original mass genocide recorded in Israel’s history. According to the Holy Bible, God ordered the nation of Israel into the “Promised Land” to eradicate the sinful people living in that land. Joshua 10:40 states “(Joshua) completely destroyed everyone in the land, leaving no survivors, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.” The Book of Deuteronomy had stated that God was using the Nation of Israel to eradicate the wickedness of those living in the land of Canaan, not because the people of Israel were good and righteous, but because of the evil in the practices of the Canaanites and other ethnicities in that area (Deuteronomy 9). The Canaanites worshipped demons, practiced incest, and sacrificed children to their gods.
Fast forward to last Saturday when Hamas broke through Israel’s “Iron Wall” and murdered children, raped and mutilated women, and beheaded Israeli soldiers. The anger of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has been awakened, and is reverberating through the bones of every Israeli soldier ready for war.
Where do we stand as Christians? Do you know that answer before I go on? I struggle with this myself, because I support the destruction of Hamas, which I know is against what Jesus taught. Murder is murder is murder. I stand behind Israel’s right to self-defense, but the indiscriminate bombing of the Gaza Strip is inexcusable. As I stated last post, Jesus drew the line in the sand long ago against violence against any and all people. This war is horrible. The fact that this is playing out in real time on social media outlets is disgusting and making the extinction of life a source of entertainment is disturbing. So if you are posting “Pray for Israel” I do hope you are also praying for Palestine, or just do as I am and pray for Jesus to hurry up and come back because there can be no peace until He returns.
The Holy Post opened their show up with a good discussion of these issues in this week’s podcast. Give it a listen to hear some great insight from brilliant minds.
I started this post earlier in the day and already, more news is pouring out. Hamas claims that Israeli shelling has struck a convoy of fleeing Palestinians, killing 70, mostly women and children. An international journalist has been killed by Israeli shelling. Mass protests unfolded across Muslim nations in support of Palestine. The world is at a precarious point. The tinder of world war is at it’s strongest point in years. North Korea is funneling weapons and munitions to Russia, demonstrating where Russia stands on the side of evil regimes. There is so much damage in the world right now.
God can turn that damage to good if we humans can get our act together and work for peace and love. If all this negative news is bringing you down, then click on the image below and here Pastor Michael Todd speak a wonderful word when he visited Elevation Church last weekend, and learn “What Can God Do With Damage”.
And finally, here is a beautiful new worship song from Planetshakers that reminds us more than ever, we need the “Supernatural Love” of Jesus Christ in this world like never before.
Common Sense Reborn 