Fresh insight into the ongoing persecution of the Jewish people came to me during a retreat focused on the plight of Israel and the world.

One of the speakers, John Sutton-Smith, in outlining the suffering of Job, encouraged us to see that, through faith and perseverance, there is a glorious future for God’s people, as there was for Job. The Lord of glory saves the best wine till last.

“God is in the cockpit of human history,” he declared.

He does, however, point out that in comparing the suffering of Job with that of Israel, there is one notable difference – that the former was totally undeserved whereas the latter has often been self-inflicted in terms of disobedience and disregard of their covenant with God.

But I loved his five points, that suffering is not always the result of sin, that Satan only works within the permissive will of God, that our refusal to compromise with the devil is played out in front of an unseen watching world, that words are not always required when we empathise with those who are suffering, and that restoration takes place after we pray for our friends.

Held at historic Launde Abbey nestling in a beautiful Leicestershire valley, the gathering was organised by the Evangelical Sisters of Mary, who are dedicated to spreading the message of Jesus everywhere while also demonstrating his special love for the Jewish people.

The movement was birthed in the wake of the World War II bombing of Darmstadt in Germany on September 11, 1944, as the Allies began closing in on the Nazi forces. A revival broke out among girls meeting for Bible study who saw the destruction of their city as the judgment of God for touching the apple of God’s eye (Deuteronomy 32:10, Zechariah 2:8) through the brutal murder of six million Jews.

And with repentance for this great sin at the heart of their motivation, they have since spread the love of Jesus around the world.

Speaking on the experience of Job, John Sutton-Smith urged us to persevere as the Bible hero did and pray that God would help us to “end well” because, like Jesus at the wedding in Cana, “he keeps the best wine till last.”

A believer for the past 57 years, 86-year-old John said: “I’m more excited and expectant about this life than ever before.”

It wasn’t that it had become easier, he said – just richer, fuller and better. “We dare to believe that the rest of our life will be the best of our life.”

It certainly didn’t seem that way for Job when, as John put it, he was left “bankrupt, bereaved, bereft and bewildered,” but his response was one of sublime worship: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21)

In a similar way, Jesus looked beyond the secondary causes of his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane as he prayed: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

As for Job, even in a dark, deep tunnel, he had wonderful revelations of God, like: “If only there were someone to mediate between us…” (Job 9:33) foreseeing the redemptive ministry of Christ. And chapter 19:25: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand at the latter day upon the earth.”

And the glory of chapter 23:10: “…when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold;” the courage of 13:15: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;” and the conviction of 42:2 that “no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

And after Job prayed for his friends, his fortunes were restored to twice as much as he had before.

It all ended well, and he had indeed come forth as gold. Israel has been besieged these past ten months, and tens of thousands have been displaced from the north. But God has not deserted them. He will come to their rescue. The Messiah is on his way.

Charles Gardner is author of Israel the Chosen, available from Amazon; Peace in Jerusalem, available from olivepresspublisher.com; To the Jew First, A Nation Reborn, and King of the Jews, all available from Christian Publications International.