World News Through the Third Lens: Israel's Solitary War

Israel is on its own in war against terrorism (Diana West, Washington Post, July 22, 2012)

Yes, the headline is nine days old, but the news has been around for decades. The very next day after being re-established as a nation in 1948 Israel was fighting vor her very survival, and 64 years later little has changed. The report in the Post article concerned the continuing omission of Israel from a U.S.-sponsored organization called the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF). U.S. undersecretary of state, Maria Otero, in a recent speech to the group titled "Victims of Terrorism" did not even mention Israel.

AMAZING! "At an international conference devoted to victims of terrorism, the world's leading victim or, better, leading target of terrorism - Israel - was nowhere in sight or mind. Welcome to the GCTF - U.S. counterterrorism's new normal. When this 30-member organization got its official start last September, Hilary Clinton, ensconced amid ministers from Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, et al, she said, "From London to Lahore, from Madrid to Mumbai, from Kabul to Kampala, it's innocent civilians who have been targeted....." What about Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon? Missing in action! And the GCTF? It's center will be in Abu Dhabi (whose national airlines just happens to be the named sponsor of the "U.S." Open series of tennis tournaments being played in the USA this summer), 11 of the member nations are Islamic and belong to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a bloc of 56 Islamic countries working to impose Shariah law on the world. 6 of those 11 also belong to the Arab League. Both groups define terrorism in such a way that Israeli victims are excluded and terrorists do not include groups dedicated to the destruction of Israel.

While the USA has been Israel's friend and supporter for decades, that support has had some pretty strange boundaries at times. In the Gulf War, President George H.W. Bush's "international coalition" was without Israel. Same was true of G/W/ Bush's "coalition of the willing" in Iraq. These omissions were in no way due to any unwillingness on Israel's part to join the war on terrorism. Agreeing with their Islamic "allies" both Bushes agreed that Israel just wasn't fit to fight on Islamic sand. Then, however, Israel was at least recognized for its consistent resistance to terrorist attacks. Now, she doesn't even rate mention as a victim. It appears that "Big Satan" is about to throw "Little Satan" to the sharks.

Through the Third Lens of Scripture:

Jesus said, "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" Matthew 18:7 (NKJV) If you'll allow, I'd like to stretch the application of this Scripture a bit, while tying it to some other Scriptures. The Bible makes it clear, as does history, that those who bless Israel will be blessed. It goes all the way back to God's promise to Abraham.
Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
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." Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)

The nation that sprung from Abraham's loins entered into covenant with Almighty God at Mount Sinai (Horeb) in the giving of the ten Commandments, and renewed some 39 years later on the Plains of Moab. At the heart of the covenant was the requirement of the people to keep the Law (covenant obligations). Perfect obedience was not expected, but a sincere and honest desire to obey. Provisions were contained in the covenant to remove the guilt of sin and to restore the people to God. Willful disobedience and apostasy were another matter.

When God had enough of that, the curse of the Law became their lot and the nation of Israel was virtually destroyed. With the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., Israel's national sovereignty was gone and was never fully recovered until 1948. Over the years, God had regathered His people from the four corners of the earth and brought them back to the land. Among the many Scriptures that prophesied this, several of them imply that Israel would first return in unbelief and at a later time they would turn to the Lord and He would give them a new heart and restore all blessings (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:10-12; Jeremiah 30:3; Ezekiel 36:22-28).

So here is Israel, in the land promised to them by Almighty God, and little by little it appears that they will ultimately stand there alone, until this Scripture comes to pass:
"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it." Zechariah 12:2-3 (NKJV)

It would not be wise to be among those nations who come against Israel and its capital - Jerusalem.
In that day," says the Lord, "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. Zechariah 12:4 (NKJV) It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:9 (NKJV)

Immediately following this great victory which God shall bring to pass, the remnant of Israel shall see the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." Zechariah 12:10 (NKJV) What a glorious day that will be. and woe to any nation that would seek to ignore God, much less attempt to thwart His plans.