My heart was breaking this time last week over the plight of hostage’s mum Ditza Or desperately holding on to hope for the release of her son Avinatan. I rejoice with her today.
For our Scripture Union set readings, we are this week studying Ezra, with the long list of exiles returning from Babylon after 70 years of captivity. It could not have been more appropriate in view of the return of the remaining Israeli hostages after 738 terrifying days or torture.
A similar geo-political scenario lay behind both these momentous events. In the former case, the God of Israel moved the hand of Persia’s King Cyrus to open the doors for a new era. And now the same God has moved the heart of President Donald Trump of the United States. It was heartwarming to see the popular Daily Mail newspaper’s banner headline, Blessed is the peacemaker, quoting the very words of our Lord and Messiah.
I wrote some months ago how the weakening of Iran and her terrorist proxies was creating the stage for peace, at least for a temporary period. And I recognised that while global warmongering bore many of the hallmarks of a build-up to Armageddon, that great battle was not about to happen because Israel was not living in safety (see Ezekiel 38:8f). But a time of peace would precede it.
As I’ve said before, the US President is not Israel’s trump card, though he surely deserves much praise. No, the God of Israel has the last word. And to this end the prayers of the saints have undoubtedly played a crucial role.
I think especially of the awakening of believers in Iran, said to number some two million, many of whom meet ‘underground’ out of sight of the religious police. Endued with a new love for Israel, from whence their Saviour came, they have been praying fervently for reconciliation between their nations.
God has surely heard their prayers along with those of Christians worldwide. And today’s Israelis are emulating the joy of their returning ancestors who praised the Lord, singing:
“He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” (Ezra 3:11)
It was Yeshua who said faith could move mountains and there are clearly many who truly believe that including friends of ours who are about to embark on a short-term mission to Israel – in a mountainous region no less.
Despite the recent turmoil with the war still raging, they went ahead and booked their trip, vowing to let nothing stop them except sickness or closure of Ben Gurion Airport. The latter did indeed occur during the Iran war at which point they perhaps wondered if they had heard from God correctly.
But the Lord has rewarded their faith. And we pray that the post-war peace will prevail and for a rebuilding of the Temple that is perfectly embodied in Messiah Yeshua.
In the words of Isaiah 61, which Jesus claimed as his own mandate: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
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.
