Some prayerful thoughts after spending time interceding for the Palestinian and Israeli people

I can pray for the peace of Jerusalem and wholly reject a replacement theory, the idea that God has moved on from Israel to the Church, and yet simultaneously say that in this present conflict in the Middle East that Jesus wouldn’t differentiate a Palestinian from an Israeli. We see this already in Jesus himself in his dealings with Israel (Matt. 8:10-12; 21:42-44). Jesus would see the pain, suffering and injustice against the innocent casualties and victims on both sides the same.

In October, Hamas targeted innocent Israeli civilians, raping, torturing, and then slaughtering men, women and children. And then Israel responded with great force, justly targeting Hamas, but in the process, certainly unintentionally, killing thousands of innocent Palestinian men, women, and children. The innocent victims on both sides are equally maimed, traumatized, or dead, even though the motives of Hamas were evil and the Israeli response would be considered self-defense and just. But, I would say with certainty that Jesus wouldn’t see the innocence of the Israeli victims more worthy of prayer and protest than the innocent Palestinians, simply because Israel is God’s chosen people or the cause just.

From my reading of Scripture, God choosing and loving Israel wasn’t ever meant to be exclusive or exclusionary, but in order to reveal His nature, love and ultimate desire to reconcile the nations to Himself. Salt and light is the way Jesus described Israel’s purpose in the earth, certainly not bombs and bullets (more on this in a moment). The daily atrocities taking place against the people in Gaza is unfathomable. They have been pawns in the hands of the evil that is Hamas and now they are caught in the middle between the Israeli bombs and bullets and Hamas who are hiding under what’s left of their homes. If Jesus takes sides and he does, he sides with those innocent people who are being killed every day, whether it was in Israel in October, or now in Gaza. Jesus would say put down your swords and guns and cease with your bombs to either group. That part I believe is certain, based on my reading of Jesus’ belief about violence.

The real difficult thing for us all to fathom is how powerful, pervasive, and perpetuating a force violence really is, that it is a demonically energizing power and principality that doesn’t care if it is an Israeli or a Palestinian that they use for their evil purposes—no matter their motives. Violence isn’t benign, even if it said to be utilized for “good”. The point is that when violence is used it only begets greater violence. It’s like a virus or cancer that only spreads. And what even fewer folks grasp (me included to a very real degree) is how much more powerful non-violence or turning the other cheek or peacemaking is really. Non-violence neutralizes violence but not to the naked eye, and usually at great cost to those who opt for non-violence. MLK died because of his peacemaking approach, but in the end he triumphed over all kinds of evil.

I wrestle with the question, “Was Israel to do nothing in response to the devilish and demonic attack against their people?” Honestly, I want Israel to root out the evil of Hamas, but as I described above, violence is a perpetuating evil that flourishes and grows in the oxygen of violent acts against people, which I’m certain is why Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. Another question that I know the answer to is, “Would we Americans do any less in response to being attacked?” I’m certain we would do far more, because our history proves that we know how to respond to evil with massive, shock and awe kind of force and violence. But what I’m praying we at least begin to reckon with and acknowledge is that war and violence isn’t simply a “necessary” evil, it is actually the perpetuation of evil itself, even if we believe the cause is just. As we pray, a whole new generation of young people are being raised to believe that the only way to stop violence is through violence, that the only way to respond to hate is with lethal force. There is a very real fear now in Israel that the ideology of Hamas isn’t shrinking in numbers but exponentially growing with every violent taking of the life of an innocent Palestinian mother and child. So what’s the solution?

I don’t say much on socials about all of this because there is so much geo-political stuff going on over there in Israel that it is beyond difficult to make sense of anything. But I also resist the view that silence is complicity. In the face of all kinds of injustice Jesus instructed us to pray, to cry out day and night for justice (Luke 18), not just talk or post things, even though I’m sort of breaking my rule right now by talking and posting things. In truth, the best talking we can do is to the One who alone can bring justice, stop wars, and intervene on behalf of the innocent victims of violence and war. Pray with me for the fathers, mothers, and children in Gaza who are daily being bomb-barded, and who don’t have running water, or really any place to lay their heads. Pray with me for the Israeli commanders and soldiers who are being asked to do an impossible thing in trying to root out Hamas, while not incurring innocent casualties. Pray with me for the still grieving and traumatized families of those who were massacred in Israel. We pray Father for the peace of Jerusalem and the peace of the Palestinian peope in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”—Psalm 46:9-10