By Tom Brennan
As Christians our love and connection to Israel and Jerusalem is a part of us. But admittedly only a fortunate few have ever visited there. We read books, watch videos, use the internet to study and gain information. But what is daily life like there, and in the rest of Israel living with constant threats and actual “wars and rumors of wars”. Iron Dome has once again paid for itself many times over. The IDF and its minutemen and women of the Reserves once again mobilized again on a moment’s notice to protect Israel’s citizens, Jewish, Arab Christian, Druze, Christian visitors and Muslim from attack by masked terrorists. It will soon be back to normal, normal for Israel that is. How do they do it? How do Israelis live with a daily regimen of outside threats, lukewarm support from “allies”, constant criticism from an even more prejudiced world media, and a rising network of bloodthirsty terrorists. They’ve done it for over 3,500 years and they were never alone.
Admittedly there are many Jews who are observant to a certain degree in Israel. Israel is a secular state with a declared national faith, but it is not a theocracy. But at its core is the Bible and it is the “firewall” of the nation. Israel manages a delicate balance of freedom of religion for all its citizens and still adheres to its Covenant with the Almighty. Can we say that of our own nations or of ourselves. In computer terms the firewall is the virus and malware protection, it the tower in which we take refuge from attack, the rock wall to our back in battle with outside forces and it delivers a certain degree of protection so we can put our attention where it is needed.
Jesus was once asked, actually He was being maneuvered, by a group of Pharisees if it was lawful to pay taxes to the Romans. He said show me coin, a Denarius the “dollar a day” wage of their time. In the fashion of a teacher He answered a question with a question: whose image is on it? The Pharisees answered with the only possible answer “Caesar’s”. Jesus said “give Caesar what is Caesar’s and G-d what is G-d’s . Until the time when heavenly authority full replaces the secular this will be the status quo, but that time is coming, we seem to agree on that.
The inner strength of the Israelis, living on a day by day basis, never knowing fully when air raid sirens will start a run for life, or the Reserves will be called up or when “allies” will stand back and follow the dictates of mobs of anti-Semites in their capital streets and watch as Israel fights alone is legendary. Israel’s strength is its “firewall”, the Holy Bible.
In many nations, politicians raise their hands and take oaths before G-d, swear them with their hand on a Bible, or promise to faithfully execute all laws etc. But those same hands are used to steal, write lies or violate marriage vows. In the time of Jesus a person took any oath or vow seriously, we are told not to take the Name in vain. Let your word be your word. We don’t vote on truth as Christians. The average Israeli lives a life that could be ended at almost any time by a terrorist on a bus, a rocket fired from anywhere or a mindless act of violence. Yet they go on. Perhaps it’s because they see themselves within G-d and receive strength from it. Perhaps it’s time we Christians thought more about life that way. The assurance in knowing that there is an Authority, is a firewall that can help us fight any odds or enemy. Israel knows this, they do it daily. We have much still to learn, thank you Israel.
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