Where was God on October 7, 2023, when the enemies of Israel poured across her southern borders to torture, rape and murder at will?
That’s a question that gets asked a lot recently, just as it did in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust.
But Rabbi Igal Cohen, a prominent Israeli spiritual leader, thinks it’s somewhat hypocritical, given that so few are ready to consider God’s presence or role in positive events, such as the miraculous reestablishment of Israel as a nation-state in 1948.
“Asking ‘Where was God?’ is a good question,” Rabbi Cohen told Channel 14 News. “Where was God when the State of Israel was reborn? We can’t say to God ‘Where were you?’ when something bad happens, but when something good happens we don’t care where He was.”
Those who want to question God’s apparent absence from the scene on that Black Shabbat, continued the rabbi, need to consider how He was present when Israel rose from the ashes in 1948, or when the armies of Israel routed superior enemy forces in 1967 and other wars.
“I can’t speak for God’s agenda,” stressed Rabbi Cohen. “I do know that He’s always there. Sometimes things are good, sometimes bad. Even the bad can serve to bring unity and sharpen us. But I don’t think anyone can point a finger and judge and say ‘this happened because of that.'”
Bottom line: “God has been with us for more than 3,000 years. He raised us up, He brought us victory. If you understand this and believe in the Creator, you know that you’re in good hands.”
We say the same to people who have gone through a tough time and say, where was God when I needed him, well have you ever invited His Son Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Saviour? And have you asked for His forgiveness??
According to Psalm 139 God is always here, “where can I flee from Your presence?” The relevant question is why does evil prosper? Ps 37:7 and Jer 12:1 both address this issue. In Isaiah 33:1 the scriptures seem to agree with the idiom that you can give a man enough rope to hang himself. God allows the plunderer and the treacherous to reveal their true intentions so that he can bring them to judgement. Israel regarded Palestinians as neighbours before Oct 7th but now they know that they’re not. Israel must responsibly discharge God’s judgement on Hamas and their ilk.
Maybe a Nuremberg style trial of the perpetrators of Oct 7th is in order to publicise the true heart of the Palestinians towards the Israelis.
I fully agree with the Rabbi !
According to Malachi, in chapter 3, the question is asked ‚why do we rob HaShem ?
Have we not robbed him by ignoring him, refusing to thank him for miracles (1948 and 1967 etc.) pretending he does not exist !
However HaShem in his mercy has so often still protected his chosen people !