Christians should understand the Israeli-Arab conflict from a Bible-based perspective. Here is how

Better one day in Your courts than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather stand at the threshold of Hashem's house than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalms

84:

11

(the israel bible)

January 31, 2023

4 min read

Confronting any conflict is difficult, but understanding the Middle East or the Israeli-Arab conflict involves many twists and turns politically, morally, and, most importantly, spiritually. In this article, I will focus on the spiritual element of this conflict. However, I have discovered that separating the spiritual from political and moral issues surrounding Israel is impossible. 

I am thankful for the opportunity Israel365 News has given me to share my perspective as my family and I approach twenty years of serving the Jewish people here on the prophetic mountains of Israel. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a series of articles, each identifying the proper understanding and response to the conflict from a Bible-based Christian perspective. 

God’s unalterable Word 

Not long after we began the work of HaYovel, I was confronted by an Orthodox Jew who asked if Christians believed God created the universe in six days. My answer, of course, was “yes, for the most part.” “So,” he said, “Why?” I said, “Because God spoke it, and it happened. Most Christians believe God’s Word is unchangeable.” 

The question was a set-up for his next question, “If Christians believe God spoke a physical universe into existence, why don’t they believe God spoke a future Israel into existence through a covenant (promise)? In Genesis 12, God says to Abraham, ‘This is the (physical) land I will give your descendants.'”

The conflict between Jews and Christians begins here. The revelation of the identity of Israel and who it belongs to has become apparent. At least, it should be apparent. Christianity’s foundation began with the hope of Israel’s physical Kingdom restoration (Luke 1:33; 1:55, 1:68-73; 2:25; 2:38; Acts 1:6; Eph 2:11-13). Every Jewish writer of the Christian Bible expressed this hope. Once Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed, Christianity assimilated into the nations and lost its Jewish influence – completely. With the Jewish people went the hope of Israel and the Covenant which God had spoken through His prophets. 

Every Christian must receive the reproof Jesus gave to the woman at the well, “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.” The unprecedented return of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel is evidence of the irrefutable unchanging Word of God. 

The Nations Response and Consequence

Once we understand the importance of not blurring the line between Israel and the nation’s identity, we can better understand the prophetic story unfolding in this generation. The prophet Jeremiah declares in chapter 23, verses 7-8, “Days are coming when we will no longer recognize the greatness of the LORD for bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, but we will recognize the greatness of the LORD for leading the children of Israel from every nation where they were scattered to dwell in their own Land (Israel),” (my paraphrase for clarity).

Almost every prophet speaks about this future exodus from the nations to the land of Israel. I ask every pastor I meet this question: “Are we seeing the greater exodus the prophets spoke about right now?” Their answer is always “Yes.” 

If the answer is yes, then what is the appropriate response from the church? Is there a blessing or curse given as a result of our response? 

Bread and Water

A few months ago, I read this passage in Deuteronomy 23:3,4, “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD forever, because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.”

As I unpacked these verses, I understood there was an expectation of God for the nations when Israel began its move toward its Promised Land. The punishment given to Ammonites and Moabites was that they were not allowed to enter the “Assembly of the LORD.” Christians may find it difficult to read this from our denominational/replacement position. When we think of the Assembly of the LORD or Assembly of God, we think about the building we worship in every week. The Assembly of the LORD in the Bible was the gathering place for all the children of Israel or all the children of the God of Israel. The Assembly of the LORD is what many of the Psalmists wrote about. For example, “One day in your courts (the Assembly of the LORD) is better than a thousand outside.” (Psalms 84:10)

But why were they punished? Because they did not give bread and water or sustenance when the children of Israel were on the journey to the Promised Land. Wait, didn’t God provide bread and water to the Israelites in the desert? Why would God ask the nations to provide something He is already providing? The question should be, which would have been the bigger miracle, provision coming from the nations or complete provision by the hand of God? I submit that provision to Israel from the nations is the greater miracle. 

The last part of verse 4 mentions the curse of Balaam. The curse Balaam advised to practice against Israel was to lure them into assimilation by sexually seducing the Israelite men. Today Christians still attempt to lure Jewish people away from their God-given identity through proselytizing or assimilation. They work to convince them that if they accept Jesus as Messiah it is no longer necessary to hold onto their Jewish identity given by God through the Law of Moses.  

Tommy Waller is the Founder of HaYovel (www.ServeIsrael.com). He is happy to receive inputs or questions about this articles.

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