God Only Knows
Here we go again.
It looks as though Benjamin Netanyahu has been toppled, after 12 years in power in Israel. He is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history. Much like the coup against Donald Trump, Netanyahu found himself wedged between political enemies on the right and left. One-time heir apparent Naftali Bennett has joined forces with Yair Lapid to form a “unity government.” Bennett will take the first rotation in the top spot.
The palace intrigue is interesting, sort of. But in reality, it’s garden-variety politics cobbled together by power-hungry, mediocre people.
However, what really concerns me is the reaction, once again, from Christian Zionists wringing their hands. From Mike Evans’ bizarre, unhinged rant in the Times of Israel, to Facebook posts, I wonder if there will be an end to predictions of Israel’s demise.
And this from self-professed, Bible-believing individuals.
Here is a clear thought: according to the Bible, Israel will not be destroyed in the last days.
End of that story.
Why then do we freak out whenever an election doesn’t go our way?
I think Netanyahu is head-and-shoulders above his rivals, in every way. From his combat experience to the political wars he’s fought, he has kept Israel safe and prosperous.
But we live in a flawed world. We all know this. Things unraveled in the Garden, when Adam and Eve made bad choices.
And in the immediate future, there’s no guarantee at all that the weird Bennett/Lapid coalition will hold together. Again, Netanyahu is unmatched as a politician; even he fought continuously against the coalition model Israel uses. It is fraught with flaws. It works like this: in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, the prime minister must pull together at least 61 seats, from a fractured community. Imagine Shas (the ultra-Orthodox wing) sitting in a government with Ra’am, the new (Islamist!) kingmaker in Israeli politics.
I do wish Israel had direct elections of prime ministers. Netanyahu would no doubt be king for life. He nearly was.
But I go back to our fretting over Israel. Look, I too pray for the country’s safety. I too recognize the country is, in human terms, faced with peril. From rocket stockpiles on their southern and northern borders, to the hostile coup-leader in the White House, Israel faces daunting challenges.
Enough though with the crazy prediction that Israel will fall. I am convinced of this, because of God’s Word: Iran will not destroy the Jewish State. Hezbollah’s rocket stockpiles will not destroy Israel.
Not even the coalition army outlined in Zechariah will destroy Israel.
And that’s the point. Read those passages. God Himself is preparing to intervene. We have the best house seats in all of history to watch this unfold.
Stop worrying. It might do you good to reflect on past history, when it looked like the Jews would disappear from history. But they didn’t disappear from history. Their enemies did.
We are coming up on the anniversaries of the Six-Day War and the strike on Iraq’s nuclear reactor at Osirik. Read about that and rejoice that you worship the one true God.
He has promised that Israel is eternal. That’s good enough for me.