How should Christians approach Israel and Gaza?

So far we have discussed how Christians are “for” Israel in the sense we desire all Jews to come to repentance.

And how Jesus showed mercy even to the worst enemies of his time. 

So what does this all mean practically? 

When someone asks you, So what do you think about Israel and Gaza, how do you respond?

I don’t have a clear answer for you, but based on what we have discussed and the person of Jesus Christ, I will attempt to give some general thoughts on how I think a Christians can approach the topic:

1. Christians are “for” the Jewish people, and desire that they come to know Jesus, but that does not mean we inherently support the physical state of Israel and all its decisions.

2. Christ showed that to be Christ like is to have love for your enemies. This means showing mercy. This applies to whether your natural inclination is to support Israel or Palestine. God asks you to have mercy for the other side.

3. Jesus moved us from being only “for” the Jewish people to being “for” His entire Church, which is worldwide and in all nations and tongues.

These three ideas I think give a good basis for approaching the topic.

War is complicated

But still, the truth is – war is complicated. 

One side attacks, provoked by years of subtle oppression, the other feels forced to respond, then takes the opportunity to go on the offensive to rid itself of its enemies.

How can Hamas not stand up for its people after being pushed out for years on end? 

How can the government of Israel not respond when rockets are fired at it? 

Luckily, in recent days, we see that the war is slowly coming to an end. Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire and are working towards a solution.

Let us pray therefore for true peace in the region.

And that God would show his mercy to Jews and Palestinians alike.

Until next time,

Be Blessed

Aaron,

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