Gaza Massacre (3) Land

Israel’s claim to the land of Palestine is based on the promise that God made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. However, this promise has always been conditional on obedience to the Torah. Failure to comply with the Torah led to exile in Babylon in Jeremiah’s time. The nation of Israel has abrogated its right to the land in the current season by its continued failure to comply with the Torah. The following are just examples

• Trust in military power for security. F16s and tanks are the modern equivalents of chariots and horses.

• Dependence on a security alliance with another nation (the US) rather than trusting in God.

• Different laws/justice for Jews and resident aliens.

• Imprisoning people without a fair legal process.

• Punishing children for the sins of their fathers.

• Destroying houses.

• Killing women and children in battle.

• Moving ancient boundary lines.

God gave the land of Canaan to Israel, but the gift was conditional on obedience to God. It is not an absolute right. Modern Israel is breaking the Torah requirements in many different ways, so it has abrogated the right it has to the land. Unless something happens to change this situation, the consequences could be nasty.

An associated problem is that Israel has no protection from the spiritual powers of evil that are attacking it (the Torah only provides limited spiritual protection). When I visited Israel for two weeks in 2010, I used public transport and stayed in the Arab quarter to get a clear sense of the spiritual climate (most Christian visitors spend their time on religious tours or stay in Christian enclaves so they don’t get a true sense of the situation). I was shocked by the prevalence of spirits of anger and hatred wherever we went, mostly amongst the Jewish people we encountered (The Arab people (mostly carried a spirit of fear or despair). The statements of Israeli leaders and the actions of the IDF indicate that these spirits have grown increasingly powerful since then. Control by spirits of anger and hatred, along with a spirit of pride, is causing the Israeli government to make serious mistakes.

By opening their nation up to the spiritual power of evil, the Israeli people seem to be filling up the cup of wrath that they will have to drink. They will experience the consequences of their choices, so I fear for them. This is what happens in a nation that rejects and shuts out the Holy Spirit.