Something Spiritual

There is something, I believe, deeply spiritual, that is occurring regarding the nation of Israel and its current conflict with Iran, a nation bent on destroying the Jewish state - the Jewish people were chosen by God and they were promised a place: physically and spiritually. In Genesis 12, we find that God said to Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham:
(1) ..."Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.

2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Joel Rosenberg, a Christian author, commentator, and Editor-in-Chief of All Israel News, has been a trusted and informed voice regarding the nation of Israel in general and the current conflict with Iran.  Maayan Hoffman wrote this recently on the website:

The intertwining of faith and security led to last night's historic strike by the United States on three of Iran's nuclear sites – including the destruction of Fordow, Iran's largest and most deeply buried underground facility, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth.

But U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to attack Iran was not merely a military move in defense of Israel or America. For many, it was a spiritual act – part of a larger battle between good and evil and a quest for peace in the Middle East, Israel, and the world.

This All Israel News piece continued:

On Saturday night, as he addressed the United States, he closed his speech with these words: "I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel, and God bless America."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that spiritual tone in his address, thanking the U.S. and declaring, "With the help of God, we will win."

Someone who has framed this as a spiritual conflict is U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.  The All Israel News article notes:

Trump's decision to attack was foreshadowed by a text message sent to him last week by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The message, which Trump chose to share on Truth Social and through official White House social media channels, reflected the Evangelical Christian perspective Huckabee brings to his counsel. In it, he urged the president to "listen to the heavens" and let divine guidance shape his decisions regarding Israel's war with Iran.

"God saved you in Butler, Pennsylvania, to be the most consequential president in a century – and perhaps ever," Huckabee wrote. "There has never been a president in my lifetime like you. Not since Truman in 1945."

He continued: "You have many voices speaking to you, sir, but there is only ONE voice that matters. HIS voice," referring to God. "I believe you will hear from heaven, and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else's."

Hoffman writes:

For Evangelicals, the call to peace is deeply rooted in scripture. They cherish the biblical instruction to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and the Apostle Paul reminded believers, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

Millions of Evangelical Christians worldwide pray daily for peace in Jerusalem. So, for the faithful, the strike on Iran was not an act of war – it was a step toward the answering of that prayer.

So...in light of the current conflict, we can continue to follow the Scriptural admonition to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God has a plan for Israel, and ultimately, He desires for all - Jew, Gentile, and people of all backgrounds, to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the demonstration of the hand of God in protecting Israel will be a witness to the Jewish people, so that they may come to know the Messiah.  And, we can pray for the people of Iran, where a distinct spiritual awakening is occurring, that God might bring rescue to that nation, resulting in even more people coming into salvation.

We can also pray for our leaders, including President Trump, Ambassador Huckabee, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and the host of military leaders who are strategizing and executing those strategies. The defense of Israel and the perpetuation of freedom are noble causes, and we can look to Almighty God to strengthen those who serve in our military. 

This conflict can remind us of the spiritual foundations of the nation of Israel.  Even though Israel is a secular state, its foundations are Biblical.  So, as we've seen since October 2023, we have a fresh reminder of God's sustenance of this land, upon which He has not taken His hand off, and we can collectively trust God for His protection.  We can also be reminded to see beyond the physical to look through spiritual eyes regarding the conflicts and challenges we face.