Israel at War – The Hidden Reason

On October 7th, 2023, the Jews in Israel suffered the most deadly, wicked, evil attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. Perversely proud to be responsible for the massacre: the terrorist group Hamas who killed Jewish families in their homes, burning some of them alive, raped women, beheaded babies, and kidnapped people of all ages – from babies to grandmothers – to hold as hostages. As of this writing the count of the number of dead stands at 1,500 and the number of hostages is over two hundred.

Hamas supporters all over the world celebrated and continue to celebrate the evil event, and call for more, shouting “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free.” By which they mean from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean sea, Israel’s homeland will be free of both the state of Israel and the Jewish people. In other words, they want to wipe both Jews and the Jewish state off the face of the earth.

Shortly after I started this blog in 2014, Hamas began a new campaign firing missiles at Israel. I wondered about the lack of outrage in the article “Bombs, Design and Spiritual Blindness.” At that writing, the number of missiles Hamas had sent to Israel in an attempt to destroy it was in the thousands. But Israel, no doubt under pressure and counseled not to retaliate and instead told they should rely on the “Iron Dome” to protect her citizens, reacted much more calmly than the U.S. did when terrorists struck at America in the 9/11 attacks. But in response to this latest iteration of Hamas trying to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, to protect the Jewish people, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu justifiably declared that Israel was at war with Hamas, and that “every Hamas operative will die.“

With this as a brief background, let us look at the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Israel-hating Arab nations that surround her. Many scholars and pundits have offered reasons for the conflict though all have failed to see or at least reveal the true reason for the conflict. Jewish commentators like Dennis Prager and Ben Shapiro get very close to the root of the conflict but even they stop short and have not revealed the root of the conflict.

The reason for the conflict is easy to see for anyone with eyes to see and “ears to hear.” This is of course a phrase from Jesus (Mark 4.9 et. al.) who is referencing the prophet Ezekiel (Eze 12.2), and is his way of saying that some truths can only be seen by spiritual eyes and understood by those with spiritual discernment. Nevertheless I’m going to reveal the root cause of the conflict, though undoubtedly many will not see and will not believe. That did not stop Jesus from revealing hard truths, so neither will I let it stop me.

Since, at its root, the problem is a spiritual one requiring spiritual discernment, the spiritually blind will not be able to see it. The haters will deny and mock it (and me) and the spiritual cowards will refuse to acknowledge it nor will they stand up for the truth. During the holocaust the German church was largely silent as was the Pope but this is not a time to be silent. After the holocaust the Jews and all who supported them proclaimed “Never again!” Now is the time to reiterate that commitment and stand against an evil that seeks to wipe out the entire nation of Israel and kill every last Jew. Now is the time to find out what you would have done during the holocaust. Will you be like the many churches and people who remained silent and did nothing as the atrocities progressed (First they came for…) or will you be like Dietrich Bonheoffer and speak against it and do what you can now to stand against it? Now is the time. Never again is now. If you’ve said those words and meant it, now is the time to show it.

Red Herrings and other Misses

Many have pointed out facets and symptoms of the problem which, while true, miss getting at the root of the issue.

Dennis Prager in his PragerU video “The Middle East Problem” points out the result of the problem: “One side [Arabs and Islamists] wants the other side [Jews] dead.” With the death of the Jews would come the elimination of the nation of Israel. But that is a result or a symptom of the problem, not the root of the problem.

Many consider the root of the problem to be the fight over the control of the strip of land that has always been Israel’s homeland, both in Biblical times as well as in modern times, with many suggesting a two state solution to resolve the problem. Though the land legitimately belongs to Israel both by virtue of the fact that God, the creator (Gen 1.1) who owns everything (Ps 24.1), gave it to the Jews in perpetuity (Gen 12.7, 13.15, 15.7, 15.18, 17.8, Eze 37.25, et. al.) and also by fact that Israel won two wars[1] confirming both their right to the land and to exist as a nation. (In passing, the right to exist is a God-given right and doesn’t need to be “won” but for those who think it does, Israel won the wars. Like elections, wars have consequences.) Nevertheless, though they have all rights to the land, in order to obtain peace, Israel has gone along with offers to split up the land.

Others point to the false claim that Israel is “occupying” Palestinian Land. That’s another red herring. In the first place, countries don’t illegitimately occupy land that is legitimately theirs. The land is legitimately Israel’s as pointed out above. Secondly, as Dennis Prager points out at the end of his “The Middle East Problem“, the Palestinians do not now have, nor have they ever had, their own land. They have nothing upon which to base their claim, just as if I were to walk over to your car, sit on the hood and claim it as mine does does not actually make it mine, no matter how loudly I yell and scream or threaten to kill (or actually kill). I would have no legitimate claim on your car and those who think I do would be just as deceived and wrong as I would be.

Pretexts for War

But the land is merely a pretext for the killing of Jews. Likewise for the false claim of Israel “occupying” the land. Both are mere pretexts. Hamas and the Palestinians don’t merely want part of the land. We know because they’ve rejected five offers to split up the land [2] with the only condition being they will accept Israel’s right to exist and maintain peace. But they don’t want part of the land, they want all of it and, more importantly, they want Israel and all Jews dead.[3]

If not the land and not the so called “occupation”, if both are pretexts, then what is the issue? Why this hatred of Jews that has resulted in many attempts to annihilate them? (Haman, Hitler, Hamas among others.) Let’s get to it then

The Ultimate Proxy War

With the U.S. engaged in war with Russia by proxy via Ukraine we’ve all become familiar with the concept of a proxy war. I define it and list current ones in my article “Proxy Wars.” Now with Hamas’ terrorist attack on innocent Jews in their homes, while at a concert or as they go about their daily lives, this is the most graphic illustration of the proxy war whose root is a spiritual one.

At the root of the satanic hatred and desire for the destruction of the Jews is the satanic hatred and desire for the destruction of God but satan cannot harm God. Nor can he overthrow God and take God’s throne. He tried and failed miserably, for which God cast him out of heaven. (Is 14.12-15) Since satan cannot harm the being of the eternal, omnipotent God in any way, he has resorted to harming and attempting to destroy that which God loves best: the pinnacle of God’s creation – humans.

To really spite God and demonstrate his contempt for God, satan targets the people most identified with God: the Jews. God’s covenant with the Jewish people, identified by what theologians call the “covenant formula” is repeated throughout the old testament and identifies God with the Jews and Jews with God. In that “formula”, God says:

“I will be your God, and you will be my people.” (Jer 7.23 – also Ex 6.7, Jer 11.4, 30.22, Eze 36.28, 37.23, et. al.)

God made it clear that he is as identified with the Jews as Christ is identified with Christians. (Acts 9.4) So, while satan cannot harm God, he can harm those with whom God is identified. As is clearly apparent with Hamas’ attack on Israel, not only does satan want to kill Jews, he wants to torture, humiliate and degrade them. All the things satan wants to do to God but cannot, he directs instead to the Jews. This is the hidden reason for the war: the satanic hatred of God which is expressed as hatred towards the Jews.

The hatred has been there since the Garden of Eden (Gen 3.15), was renewed at the birth of the Messiah (Rev 12.13) and satan’s proxy war against God will be waged against both Jews and those obedient to God (Rev 12.17) until Messiah comes and destroys both the Anti-Christ (2 Thess 2.8) first, and much later Satan himself (Rev 20.10). Until satan is thrown in the lake a fire, he is free to prosecute his proxy war against God via attacks on God’s people. (Except for the thousand-year reign of Messiah on earth during which satan is locked up by God – Rev 20.1-3)

What to Expect

Given satan’s ongoing proxy war against God via the Jews, what can we expect concerning the ongoing conflict?

1. There will be no peace between the followers of satan (Islam, Hamas, etc.) and Israel. This is true both because it is satanically inspired and also because satan has hardened the hearts of those he’s deceived to not even consider peace which is reflected in the famous three “Nos” issued by the Arab states surrounding Israel after the 1967 Arab League conference (after they had lost in humiliating fashion the Six Day war) in which they declared:

No peace with Israel
No Recognition of Israel
No Negotiations with Israel [4]
 

2. Even if Israel achieves her military objective and kills every Hamas operator, that will not bring peace because Israel is surround by Arab nations with a satan-inspired hatred of Israel. Satan will continue to inspire hatred of the Jews to prosecute his proxy war against God until God locks him up for the millennial rule of Christ (Rev 20.2-3, and then ultimately casts satan into the lake of fire. (Zec 14.4, Rev 20.10)
3. Don’t expect the hatred to remain directed only at Israel. Israel’s war is not just Israel’s, it’s satan’s proxy war against God. Therefore anyone identified with God is a target of this war. That includes you, Christian; and you, America which despite current lies told about her, was founded as a Christian nation.[5] Islamists know this even if some Americans deny it. America and her Christians may not have been hit yet in this latest iteration but with Biden’s open border and millions of illegal aliens pouring across (in the illegal attempt to have eternal stolen elections), among the millions of illegals are no doubt Hamas combatants and other haters of God. It is merely a matter of time before similar attacks appear in America.
4. Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 foretell a massive war against Israel led by an enemy to the north with all the nations surrounding her (that would be the Arab nations that hate her) and no one to help her. At that time God himself, the God who identifies with Israel, will deliver Israel, destroying Israel’s enemies. (Rev 19.19-20.10) God tells the enemies of Israel – those pursuing the proxy war against him via Israel:

4 On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals.

…

7 “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel.
8 It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD. This is the day I have spoken of.
(Eze 39. 4, 7-8)

What You should Do 

1. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

Scripture exhorts us: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.”
(Psa 122:6)

2. Stand for the rights of Israel both to live and to live in the land God gave them. Correct those telling lies about “occupation.”
3. For those who have cheered the murderous Hamas terrorists: repent, confess and turn to the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. If you do not, I give you the same advice Gamaliel gave to the Sanhedrin when they were persecuting the apostles of the Messiah. Merely substitute “Israel” for “these men”:

38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave [these men] alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Acts 5.38-39

Speaking to the haters of Israel, if it isn’t apparent to you yet, you have not been able to, and you will not be able to, destroy the nation of Israel. These should be signs to you: the reestablishment of the Jewish nation after 2,000 years in fulfillment of the prophecy of Ezekiel 37 and the miraculous victories in the wars Israel fought in 1947 and 1967. All were made possible because the God who is identified with Israel, against whom you are fighting, made them happen. All are acts of God. If you do not cease your fight against Israel, you will find you have been fighting in a proxy war against God. For unbelievers doing so, as the writer of the book of Hebrews says:

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
(Heb 10:31)

But you can prevent that. Turn to Messiah Yeshua, Jesus the Christ, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Duane Caldwell | October 30, 2023 | Printer Friendly Version
Follow @rational_faith_

Recommended Resources

Why Isn’t There a Palestinian State?, PragerU, David Brog, Mar 27, 2017
https://www.prageru.com/video/why-isnt-there-a-palestinian-state

The Middle East Problem, PragerU, Dennis Prager, Apr 28, 2014,
https://www.prageru.com/video/the-middle-east-problem

Israel at War: Truth Behind the Headlines, Logos Research Associates – Dr Randall Price hosted by Dr John Sanford, Oct 25, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MQ0Pbs1GBg

The 3 Big Lies About Israel And Hamas,  The Ben Shapiro Show, Episode 1835, Oct 24, 2023
https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1835-the-3-big-lies-about-israel-and-hamas3

Notes

1. Two wars won: in 1947 the war that proceeded the founding of the modern state of Israel, and the “Six Day War” in 1967.

For an overview of modern Israeli history showing how Israel is the legitimate “owner” (in quotes since it is God who owns everything) of the land Israel and the above referenced wars, see the PragerU video, “Why Is There No Palestinian State”, David Brog, 2017, https://www.prageru.com/video/why-isnt-there-a-palestinian-state
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2. Five offers rejected by Hamas to split up the land:

• Offer Number One — 1937. The Peel Partition Plan. The British offered to divide Palestine into a Jewish State (20 percent) and an Arab State (70 percent) with 10 percent or so to be retained by Britain. The Zionists approved partition but asked for a larger percentage. The Arabs of Palestine and beyond completely rejected the idea of partition.
• Offer Number Two — 1947. The United Nations Partition Plan. The UN offered to divide Palestine 50/50 into a Jewish State and an Arab State. The Jews said yes. The Arabs rejected partition and launched a war to destroy the Jewish state.
• Offer Number Three — 1967. Israel won the Six-Day War and conquered the “West Bank” (Judea and Samaria). Shortly thereafter, the Israeli cabinet split between those who wanted to return the “West Bank” to Jordan and those who wanted to give it to the Palestinians. In September, the Arab League issued its three no’s: “No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with it.” That ended the debate over the West Bank.
• Offer Number Four — 2000. At Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Yasser Arafat all of Gaza, Arab East Jerusalem and approximately 94 percent of the West Bank with some land swaps from Israel. Arafat said no. Shortly thereafter, the bloody second intifada was launched and over a thousand Israelis were killed in terror attacks.
• Offer Number Five — 2008. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered Mahmoud Abbas all of Arab East Jerusalem and approximately 96 percent of the West Bank with land swaps from Israel proper equal to the remaining 4 percent. Gaza had already been given to the Palestinians in 2005. Abbas asked for time to think about the offer. He never got back to Olmert.

Jim Garlow, “Understanding Israel’s War, Part 7: Why Not Just Split the Land?” The Stream, May 22, 2021, https://stream.org/understanding-israels-war-part-7-why-not-just-split-the-land/

On rejecting 5 offers, see also the PragerU video “Why is there No Palestinian State https://www.prageru.com/video/why-isnt-there-a-palestinian-state
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3. “The Palestinian Authority does not want some land. They want all the land. With the Jews gone. You cannot negotiate with people who want you dead.”
Garlow – Understanding Israel’s War, Part 7
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4. Overview of the 3 No’s:
PragerU video “Why is there No Palestinian State”, David Brog, PragerU.com, Mar 27, 2017 https://www.prageru.com/video/why-isnt-there-a-palestinian-state at 3:15
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5. America was founded as a Christian nation. For evidence see:
David Barton, The Myth of Separation, Aledo, Texas: Wallbuilder Press, 1991
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