BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

Conflict is not new to this region. Abraham fought and rescued his nephew Lot, who had been abducted (Genesis 14:1-16). After they had returned from slavery in Egypt, led by Joshua, the twelve tribes of Israel fought with several local tribes like Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites, which no longer exist (Genesis 12:7). David fought Goliath, the Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:49,50). There were constant wars between them. Even the Ark of the Covenant was once taken by the Philistines, which brought bubonic plague and the humiliation of their god, Dagon. (1Samuel 5:1-6) 

Rebecca, the wife of Isaac, had a lot of pain as the two boys (Jacob and Esau) were fighting inside her belly and God told her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23). But God had promised Ishmael that this curse would be broken later. So now God has blessed the Sons of Ishmael with a super-abundance of black gold (petroleum). (Genesis 17:20)

Even if Israel were to be wiped out, the hatred against the Jews would continue as more than half of Jews live outside Israel. In any case, Islam’s ultimate goal is world domination through violence against the infidels, if necessary.  God had promised Abraham that he would give the land between the Euphrates in Iraq and the Nile Rivers in Egypt so Israel would keep expanding its kingdom by force, if necessary (Genesis 15:18). 

The Quran confirms this deal that Allah promised this land to Moses and his people, "O my people, remember the favour of Allah upon you when He appointed among you prophets and made you possessors and gave you that which He had not given anyone among the worlds. Oh, my people! Go into the holy land which Allah hath ordained for you. Turn not in flight, for surely ye turn back as losers.” (Quran 5:20,21). So, for Muslims to fight against Israel to wipe them off the map is going against the Quran.  

At the moment, the Jews have rejected Jesus as their Messiah, but during Tribulation, 144,000 Jews will come into the Kingdom who will bring multitudes with them (Genesis 7:1-10).

Similarly, there is a biblical prophecy about the Kedar and Nebaioth, the Sons of Ishmael, the Patriarch of Arab Muslims, “A host of camels of Midian and Ephah and from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you. They shall come up on My altar pleasing Me, and I will glorify the house of My glory.” (Isaiah 60:6,7)  

Many invaders came and fought against Israel and ruthlessly ruled over it. Romans renamed Israel to Palestine, which means “invaders”. Palestinians are not the original inhabitants of this region. They were migrants from Crete, an Island south of Greece in the 12th century BC. Formerly, everyone living in this region was called Palestinian. Golda Meyer, the ex-Prime minister of Israel, carried a Palestinian passport. 

Jerusalem and the Jews will remain the epicenter of wars until Armageddon, when the war to end all wars takes place at the end of the Great Tribulation. Then, a thousand-year righteous rule of Jesus will occur before the final judgement at the Great White Throne, and Jesus will dwell among his people and reign forever as King of kings and Lord of lords. 

So, while this may appear impossible now, this war, which started in the womb of Rebecca, will end only when both Jews and Muslims accept Jesus, the Prince of Peace, as their Lord and Saviour.