This weekend brings further tragedy and mourning in Israel as the bodies of 6 hostages have been recovered from Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. The bodies were discovered in a tunnel by the IDF on Sunday morning.

They had lived in Hamas captivity since October 7th but were only murdered a few days ago! As the IDF intensified searches in the area and battled terrorists above ground, the guards of the hostages brutally murdered their captives and then fled the scene before the IDF located the bodies. It is now believed that 97 of the 259 hostages abducted by Hamas now remain in Gaza, including 33 that have already been confirmed dead by the IDF. 8 hostages have also been rescued alive and the bodies of 37 have been recovered. Following the conformation of the identities of the hostages who had been murdered, President Herzog said earlier this morning, “the heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces”. This also comes after Israel’s operation in the West Bank began on Wednesday and still continues currently. This major raid is focused on ‘dismantling the terrorism that comes from the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria. So far, 26 gunmen have been killed along with 30 wanted Palestinians. The situation escalated on Friday night when two car bombs exploded in the Jewish Gush Etzion area south of Jerusalem, leaving 3 Israelis hurt.

The Apple of God’s Eye

Amid the ongoing pain and tragedy taking place in the land of Israel today, we recall the words of Zechariah, as he expresses the way that the God of Israel feels for his people. “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye” (Zech 2:8). This statement is equally as true today as when Zechariah first penned it. God cares for his people. The word for “apple” in the Hebrew is misleading since it is really the word for “pupil”. Those who touch Israel to harm them are poking God in the eye. Those who brutally murder Jews in tunnels are poking God in the eye. This is something that should have an impact on all who love the things of Zion. Isaiah 66:10 says, “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice with joy for her, all ye that mourn for her”. Those who rejoice with Jerusalem in the kingdom age are the same as those who mourned for her in times gone by. We cannot rejoice with Zion, unless we first mourn with her in our days.

God is Working With His People

Why does God bring such tragedy upon his people? As president Herzog remarked this morning, “the heart of the nation is shattered”. This has been true on so many different occasions throughout the history of the Jewish people. Is all of this suffering meaningless? Does it have a purpose?  Is God working with his people today? Isaiah 43:1-2 says “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

The surrounding context determines that this prophecy is a reassurance given to Israel for their time of exile which would be long. Passing through the fire implies a refining process. Throughout the time of exile, God was refining his people. He has been working with them throughout their history – even since the destruction of the temple and their scattering. Israel’s experiences and suffering in the land today are part of this refining and preparation for the kingdom age.
Another example of the same thought process is the story of Joseph and his brothers. The account of the re-uniting of Joseph with his brethren is a type of Jesus re-uniting with the Jewish people, his brothers, in the kingdom age. Joseph tests them to determine whether they had changed. We read about what happened to Judah particularly in the time after they sold Joseph into Egypt and before their re-unification with Joseph. The brothers have changed even before they meet Joseph. They change during the time when Joseph is absent. The same is true for the Jewish people.

How do they become the righteous nation of the Kingdom Age? It is due to the change brought about by the invasion of Gog and mission of Elijah prior to Christ’s return and their interaction with Jesus. However, we also cannot discount the fact that God is working with his people to prepare them even today.
For example, Brother Graham Pearce writes: “How 4000 years under the hand of God shapes a nation is something outside of our experience. For the nation of Israel, there is a vast divine experience inbuilt throughout the generations. And this vast experience has been put on record for succeeding generations of Israel to study and appreciate. Perhaps the nation may be thought of as a living body. A body made up of many cells. Individual cells die but are continually renewed, so that the body its own distinctive life. So it is with the nation of Israel. Individuals die but the nation carries on, and in some way, the experience of the nation is carried forward shaping its character. The great humiliation that is soon to be endured by the nation when all of their present efforts are cast down to the ground, and they are brought to a state of hopelessness, will be a fitting final dramatic experience to turn their hearts into the fear of God and a grateful dependance on him. And at this time there will be injected into the nation, a host of faithful Jews of various generations, brought from the dead, and able to influence the nation for good”.
The things we read on the news and see happening in the land of Israel today are part of God’s vast shaping process that has been taking place for millennia. There is a meaning and purpose behind it and we should recognise this. We mourn with the nation in their time of suffering and long for the return of Christ to re-establish the kingdom of Israel and turn his people into a righteous nation.
Join us next week for another edition of Bible in the News. This has been Daniel Blackburn joining you.