Christ called His followers to be salt and light to the world. This means that because of God’s grace, we have something to offer our neighbors, especially in times of uncertainty and darkness. For instance, in I Chronicles 12, the nation of Israel was in a political crisis: it was transitioning from the kingdom of Saul to the kingdom of David, and many people did not know what the “right” thing to do was. Yet the Scriptures speak favorably of those people who could both interpret current events using a biblical lens and give wise counsel to those who were unsure. I Chronicles 12:23-40 describes to us those who gathered at Hebron to help King David. Verse 32 says:
From the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do …
Certainly, I am not equating myself with a son of Issachar, nor do I believe that I have a monopoly on either biblical understanding or wisdom. But in light of the recent atrocities in Israel and Gaza, I do have a few observations as I meditate on God’s Word and contemplate the times.
First Observation: Christ was, is and always will be of first importance. Therefore, don’t get distracted. There’s a difference between being concerned and getting consumed.
There is no doubt that evil is happening on the other side of the world. Murder is sinful, immoral and a barbaric manifestation of evil. And murder (and kidnapping, rape, etc.) will always be wrong everywhere and all the time, regardless of the reason(s) for it. Undoubtedly, there is an overflow of unwarranted suffering, and I in no way intend to minimize human pain. After all, I am writing about a war thousands of miles away from the comfort of my home in the United States. My point is that while what is going on in the Middle East right now is very important, it is not of first importance: Christ is.
The most saddening aspect of the current conflict is that Christ is woefully absent from the minds of many on both sides. That is, on one side you have a group that is overwhelmingly Muslim, and the other group is majority Jewish. There are people on both sides of the conflict who believe that their worldview is the one that is justified, and such a worldview can often be articulated in earthly terms. But what is the value of said worldviews if Christ is absent from them? If either side got exactly what they wanted, how would that benefit anyone if they remained unregenerate and idolatrous? As Jesus said in Mark 8:36:
For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
It is very tempting to allow political fervor to consume your mind so that you quickly begin majoring in minors. But for as long as we remain on this earth, there will always be some type of a crisis, and there will always be something going on that will try to reorganize our priorities. As C. S. Lewis said:
“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s ‘own,’ or ‘real’ life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life.”
Thus, we must not passively react but instead intentionally act based upon Christ, who is always of first importance. Hence, while recognizing important matters as such, don’t get distracted. Such crises are as much a test for them as they are for us, because trauma and suffering do not change anyone in any way: they merely expose what’s really in our hearts.
May we all pray for the people of Israel, the people of Gaza, the people of the West Bank, and the leaders of all groups so that peace will reign. My concern is especially for the people because, as is always the case, a minority of people can cause all the trouble for the majority, and a few select individuals can make decisions that affect an entire country. For many in a godless world, politics is the opiate of the masses because it gives them the power to remake the world in their own image. Yet in pursuit of their perverse fantasies, people suffer. As a husband and father, I think to myself that right now, there is a Palestinian husband and father who doesn’t want to bother anyone. He just wants to leave a peaceable life. I think there is an Israeli husband and father who doesn’t want to bother anyone. He just wants to live a peaceable life. Both men just want to go to work and love and provide for their families. Right now, they would rather just go back to the ways things were. My prayers are especially for both of these men, and for their wives, children and families.
For the Christian who has the benefit of being an external observer of this conflict, how are we responding to the war in the Middle East? If Christ were to come back right now, what would He see us doing? Hiding in a cave, afraid? Yelling at a person who has a different perspective than we do? Because Christ is of first importance, what the King ought to see are servants of the King doing things that are kingdom-minded.
Here is another quote from C. S. Lewis. It is a bit lengthy, and he is talking about the atomic bomb, but the principle remains true: that in times of crisis, there is a huge temptation to get distracted away from matters of first importance. Lewis says:
“In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways.
We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances… and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”
Second Observation: Weigh everything carefully. Therefore, think biblically and don’t allow the world to think for you.
In I Thessalonians 5, the apostle Paul is giving instructions on Christian conduct. As opposed to being consumed with something the people have no control over (Christ’s return), he gives a list of things we do have control over: our present conduct. The apostle is basically saying, “Tomorrow and what will be belong to God. You concern yourselves with you right now.” Hence, in I Thessalonians 5:21-22 he says:
[B]ut examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, abstain from every form of evil.
In Greek, “examine everything” uses a term from metallurgy, as a metalsmith would test all metals to look for impurities. The lesson for us is that we ought not to accept everything as true or reject everything as false; instead we are called to be discerning people that test all truth claims.
How does this relate to the topic at hand? Well, perhaps I am becoming more cynical with age, but I’ve noticed a pattern in how the world works. The formula goes something like this: First, a crisis happens. Next, the world offers an explanation for why the crisis is happening. Then, the world offers a solitary solution to how we can fix the crisis. Now here’s the problem with this formula: more often than not, the explanation for the crisis is either an outright lie, a half-truth or missing some crucial facts. Consequently, the “solution” ends up doing more harm than good. The most recent example of this diabolical formula is the COVID fiasco. Just think back to the spring of 2020 and everything that was then accepted as “truth” when emotions were high, people were in a heightened state of fear and all the facts had not been fully parsed out. What is clear now, in 2023, is that today’s truth was yesterday’s lies and conspiracy theories.
In the world’s formula to solve a crisis, the solution typically involves “good guys” and “bad guys.” The “good guys” are miraculously given a right to hyper-morality that goes something like this: “We’re the good guys, and so everything we do is right and good and moral. We are justified. They, on the other hand, are the bad guys. Everything they say and do is wrong, no matter what.” Beloved, we live in a fallen world corrupted by sin. Hence, we are all bad guys. Even if someone is in the right about one thing, they are in the wrong about many others.
So what’s the point? That because the crisis in the Middle East is fresh, we ought not to make quick assessments based on emotion and fervor that lead to decisions with lasting, irreversible consequences. Instead, let us be sober-minded and examine everything carefully. Especially when one considers that a relatively isolated action in the Middle East has the potential to spill over onto the global stage, we have to think clearly and count the cost. If, like the men of Issachar, we are developing a plan of what to do, we can’t start with where we are. We have to keep the end in mind: this means starting with a clear understanding of where we are going in order to discern present steps toward the goal.
The world wants you to choose one side and then expend your energy to fight against the “bad guys.” But who gave the world that right? In many instances when the formula is used, once you choose, you’ve already lost. So am I pro-Israel or pro-Palestine? I am pro-truth.
There is a reason why God says repeatedly in the Bible, “Vengeance is mine” (Deuteronomy 32:45; Romans 12:17-19). That is because there is one Judge in all the universe who has the knowledge to judge with all the facts and the character to do so with impartiality: that Judge is God Himself. Human vengeance is always tainted by ignorance and partiality. So, when discussing the Israeli-Gaza conflict, there are talking heads on both sides that call either for “vengeance” or—in an extreme form of retribution—for the extermination of the other side. The only way a person can logically make such an extreme assessment is if they ignore God and then look at themselves in the mirror and say, “Actually, vengeance is mine.” Human vengeance always causes more problems than it solves because violence only begets more violence: “those who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Violence inevitably creates more victims who feel as if they have a right to vengeance. And so, the cycle continues indefinitely. Forgiveness is the only solution to the problem, which brings me back to my first point that Christ is of first importance.
In the spirit of examining everything carefully, let us also keep on eye on God’s Word when considering the retributive actions of others. You see, in God’s Law we have the principle of proportionality when it comes to justice. This is what God means when He says, “An eye for an eye.” God is just, and by His standard, the punishment must fit the crime by the person who committed the crime. Nowhere in the Bible does God permit the punishment of groups, because it is only individuals who sin. For example, God never sends all Romans to hell, only the unregenerate who happen to be Romans. Accordingly, in Jeremiah 31:30 God says, “everyone will die for his own wrongdoing.” In Romans 2:6 Paul quotes Psalm 62:12, where it says that God “will render to each person according to his deeds.” If a person commits sin, then let that individual be punished.
On both sides of the Israeli-Gaza conflict, there are innocent elderly, women and children who have been injured or killed. But were they the ones who committed evil? No. Were they the ones who committed acts of terrorism? No. It is a violation of biblical principles to punish the many for the sins of the few. It is a violation of biblical principles to force punishment on a human being for another’s transgressions.
Third Observation: The kingdom of God is not of this world. Therefore, do not think about it in earthly terms.
There are some in the Church who believe that if you are Christian, you ought to side with Israel. Why? Because, in short, they make a connection between the ancient Israelites of the Bible and modern Israel. The reality is that the Israel of today and ancient Israel share the same name, but for the most part, that’s where the similarity ends. Now, I won’t get into a lengthy biblical discussion about eschatology, but allow me to pose a question: even if all the professing Jews in Israel right now were biological descendants of Jacob (Israel), would their entry into the kingdom of heaven be different from anyone else? Would they have a special way to salvation? Jesus says no to both questions.
In John 3, Christ talks about the new birth. He is approached by Nicodemus who—for lack of a better term—was “as Jewish as you can get” at the time. That is, he was both a Sanhedrin (a ruler of the Jews) and a Pharisee. He comes to Jesus by night because he is curious. John 3:1-3 says:
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
So what does Jesus tell this man who is a shining example of a Jew? That the only way a person enters into the kingdom of God is if he is born again. That speaks of a spiritual birth, not a natural one. After hearing this, Nicodemus is understandably confused and is still thinking naturally: he wonders how a man can go back into the womb. Jesus then says in verses 5-8:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”
Jesus was in essence telling this Jewish leader that his biological lineage did not matter because that which is born of the flesh is separate and distinct from that which is born of the Spirit. In the same way that no person plays a role in his or her natural birth, no one plays a role in his or her spiritual birth, which is brought about by the Holy Spirit as a function of the sovereign choice of God. The sovereign choice of God means that human choice or activity plays no role in being saved. Thus, according to God Himself, your entry into the kingdom of God has nothing to do with your Jewishness, citizenship or who your mother was. It has everything to do with God, for the “wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” The kingdom of God is not of this world; therefore, we cannot think about in earthly terms. There are no special groups, only fallen sinners. Hence, both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims have the same desperate need for the gospel. The are no side doors into the Ark or special entry passes. There is only one door, and He is Christ. Any Christian therefore is not bound to choose one side over the other (or to be limited by two options); they are at liberty to decide for themselves on all peripheral political matters after examining everything carefully.
Accordingly, the final thing I will say is that it truly saddens me to hear of preachers and teachers telling their congregations that the “Christian” thing to do is to side with one side over the other. Some have even gone so far as to say that the moral thing for Israel to do is to go on a holy war against the Palestinians. Here then is the question I have: since the incarnation of Christ, does the kingdom of God expand with violence or with the gospel? In the Great Commission, did Christ command His disciples to go out and make war with and conquer the world? If anything, what the New Testament makes clear is that Christ and His disciples are best known not for their violence against others but rather for violence done to them because of the world’s hostility to divine truth. Truly, Christ commands His disciples to go out into the world with the goal of peace, not violence, and with the means of persuasion, not overbearing power. This is what Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-20:
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Disciple-making never involves human strength from the outside. It involves deep-rooted heart transformation by the power of God on the inside. The kingdom of God does not grow through bloodshed; it grows through the Word, love and peace. The inevitable result is unity. The kingdom of Satan, on the other hand, grows through divisions, anger and violence. So, for those who are calling for a holy war in which many innocent people will die and the economic, social and political costs are incalculable, does that plan sound more like Christ’s design or the devil’s? It is a dangerous thing when the so-called Christian church and the world are in total agreement.
Those are all the observations I have for now, and I am sure there will be more to say as time moves forward. For those of you who want to hear more about what the Bible has to say about modern Israel and the Jewish people, I would direct everyone to three previous podcasts. The first is called “Why Modern Judaism is not Biblical Judaism” from April 14, 2021. The second is called “Hebrews, Jews and Israelites: What’s the Difference?” from November 26, 2018. The final one is called “Israel Is a People, Not a Place” from November 7, 2018.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal