Okay, I will confess, I am terrible at blogging! I have had this site for years now, and if I go by the number of followers it has, it’s a complete washout. If I go by the number of comments made, it looks like I am living on a different planet. And if I measure it by the number of posts, well, enough said.

So why keep posting? Why keep writing? Because there are things that must be said. And what I want to say today is one of those points. I need to speak about the Israel-Hamas war. The war, which is now in its 290^th day (as of 7/19/24), seems to still not be comprehended by many. This war will change the landscape of the middle east forever, and yet common opinion, derived from politically motivated reasons, is miles, maybe even light years, away from its true significance.

The war began on October 7, 2023. But, the apparent motive, a response to the massacre of nearly 1,200 innocent, unprepared, and blissfully ignorant Jews, only points to a greater truth: Israel has been at war since 1967, defending its right to a homeland. The war also illustrates a turning point in the past 18 years of Hamas’ subversive plan, laid in secret, financed by foreign funds (the glaring fact of arms caches hidden under UNRWA schools in Gaza is damming!), and prepared with the utmost calm and patience. Islam is a religion of patience, after all. Look at how the Ottoman empire revived is sweeping into Western Europe! Islam will flood Europe. But this time, not with swords and spears, but rather, with a “peaceful overthrow.” Islam knows its enemies. Islam has defied democratic systems and will destroy any country that gets in its way. Israel is facing that right now.

But what is the underlying cause and how do I interpret this war? Let me share the following quote to introduce a historical perspective. Blaise Pascal is quoted as saying, “Muhammed established a religion by putting his enemies to death; Jesus Christ (established a religion) by commanding his followers to lay down their lives.” (Blaise Pascal, Isaac Taylor (1838). “Thoughts on Religion and Philosophy”, p.202)

Now that gives clarity to this war!

What to say about the country of Israel? One simple fact to bear in mind: Israel’s founding was a miracle. After more than 1800 years with no functioning state or political identity, Israel rose from the dust as a rest of the Balfour Accord in 1947. This stands in sharp contrast to the present-day Shiite regimen in Iran and Iraq and the Sunni state in countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Pakistan, Indonesia, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Said countries have remained intact since the following of the fall of the Ottoman Empire, but not as any sort of unified Muslim belief system.

Of course, it is critical to understand that the division between Shiite Islam and Sunni Islam stand oceans apart when it come to their views on western culture, democracy and especially, how to view the resurgence of Israel as a nation. The moderate Muslim view on Israel was enshrined in the Marrakesh Declaration in 2016, which condemned radical Islam’s treatment of religions other than Islam. An example of this treatment was seen in the public celebration of the Roman Catholic mass in Amman, Jordan in January 2016. Just eight years later, yet the pope has offered once again overtures to the Muslim states, when Pope Francis met with Muslim scholars at  the Catholic Centre for Studies and Media from Jordan, during their visit to the Vatican in September 2023. Note that this meeting took place only 9 days before the brutal attack on Israel, October 7.

While a rising tide of ecumenical spirit grows in the Roman Catholic circles, seeking to reach out to Muslim countries, the church’s faithful are often the target of attacks, of bombings, of persecution and of brutal treatment by Islam jihadists. There is no sign of peace soon. And any alert and informed believer in God’s Word should understand why.

More important concerning this present war, though, is the present mixed messages and cool indifference of these Muslim states since the “10/7” carnage in Israel. And that is why the western world, including Christians, are still scratching their heads about what to do with Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and in general. These proxies of the Islam Republic of Iran are 100% determined to erase Israel off the map. And some thought that the Middle East was finally getting along!

Pascal recognized a fundamental difference between Islam’s founding principles (in a single, well-worn word, “jihad”) and Christianity’s principles (in a word, the “Golden Rule” or better, in the words of Jesus Christ, “Blessed are the meek…Blessed are the peacemakers…” Matt. 6:5, 9).

Thus, we do well to remember that Mohammed used intimidation, forced submission and extermination to achieve his purposes. However, Israel operates on a different mindset, something rooted in God’s promises to bless those that bless Israel and curse those that curse Israel. Christianity grew from that promise, for the simple reason that the Savior of the world was a Jew. Jesus’ blessings and peacemaking were not achieved through the use of force. They were promoted through service and through humbly giving His life to rescue the sinner.

Sinners, after all, is what both Muslims and Jews and those who don’t fit in either category finally are (that would be all other nationalities, all other races, all other people groups). We are ALL SINNERS. And that determines how to proceed from day one.

In summary, The Israel – Hamas war reveals that Israel’s identity proceeds from a vastly different worldview of mankind in contrast to the beliefs of Islam. Second, the war also proves that showing friendly gestures to Sunni Muslims does little to defend Israel as a state or a people. And third, the war will continue to rain destruction down on God’s chosen people, until God Himself sends the coming King of Israel to set things in order. May believers in Christ’s commands speak of His coming, while there is still time! Let it ring out that Jesus Christ is King…of both Jews, Muslims and every other peoples on earth!

If we do not, then our willful resistance will only make that day of revelation more painful for this world.

David L. Rogers, M.A. Apologetics
Santiago, Chile