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There is no question that today’s conflict has significant repercussions geopolitically, but also biblically. While Israel may be down, Christians would do well to remember that the God of Scripture has not counted the Jewish people out. There is still Gospel work to do.
On Saturday evening, Iran, along with their terrorist proxies in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, launched over 300 missiles and drones at Israel for the first time in history, signaling a new boldness that has not yet been seen in the Islamic Republic since the revolution of 1979. According to the Israel Defense Force, some 99 percent of the drones and missiles were destroyed. There was a report that a girl as young as seven years old died by shrapnel from one of the downed missiles.
The U.S. and U.K. air forces were both directly involved in shooting down the aerial bombardments. The Jordanian air force also stepped in to aid Israel by allowing both Israeli and U.S. jets into their airspace and by shooting down drones that entered Jordanian airspace. It is also noted that in addition to Jordan, Saudi Arabia played an indirect support role in Israel’s defense by hosting air defense systems, surveillance, and refueling aircraft on the ground.
So, why did Iran attack? Why now? This was all in response to an Israeli air strike in Syria on April 1, which killed two Iranian generals and five officers. Let’s not forget that the Islamic regime in Tehran has vowed to wipe Israel off the map for decades. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signaled that he did not want to escalate matters any further, that Iran’s action was concluded and any further retaliatory response from Israel would be regretful.
The White House was quick to scramble and released a statement on Saturday night. In it, President Biden said that he directed the U.S. military to take down incoming drones and missiles. He spoke directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu on Saturday to “reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel,” also saying, “Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat and unprecedented attacks — sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.”
It was also reported by a senior White House official to Axios that President Joe Biden pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during that same call on Saturday evening not to counterattack Iran. As a result, Netanyahu called off an immediate retaliatory response.
On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the White House’s posture to avoid a war with Iran, saying, “Strength and wisdom need to be different sides of the same coin… We don’t seek escalation but will continue to support the defense of Israel and protect our personnel in the region.”
And to this point, you might be asking, Why? Why is the Biden Administration calling for Israel to not retaliate, when Israel was so brazenly and openly attacked by Iran? Is America looking out for the interest of Israel, or for its own interest?
While America certainly does not need to be drawn into yet another global conflict — no one wants a war, especially not a new global conflict that draws out Russia and China in greater escalation — American leadership is required at this moment, especially in the defense of Israel.
It is clear to anyone paying attention that in the last several weeks, there has been a greater effort on the part of the White House to restrain Israel than any real effort to hold Israel’s enemies accountable — whether those enemies are in Gaza or in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
There is no question that the Biden Administration is not only weighing the diplomatic solutions today, but also the impact that these actions will have on the pending Presidential election in November. Arab-Americans in Michigan, as well as Palestinian sympathizers in Congress, are putting considerable pressure on President Biden to stay out of Israel’s current conflict.
As expected, Israel has already vowed to “exact a price” over Saturday’s attack. The Israeli War Cabinet said that the Iranian missiles “will be met with a response.” At this moment the entire world is watching and waiting for exactly what the response will mean.
But how should Christians think Iran’s attack on Israel?
There is no question that today’s conflict has significant repercussions geopolitically, but also biblically. The modern state of Israel was attacked by an Islamic regime that has promised to harm them for over 40 years. And just as we have witnessed the rise of antisemitism on America’s top college campuses, and even heard the slogan “from the river to the sea” shouted by a Democratic member of Congress, we cannot be indifferent to the conflict that Israel is embroiled in today.
Antisemitism is not only manifest in direct hatred towards the Jewish people and modern Israelis, it is also manifestly expressed in attitudes of apathy and indifference. We see that everywhere in America, including the Church. Christians would do well to remember that the God of Scripture has not counted the Jewish people out (Romans 11:23-36). Jesus Christ is our Messiah, and He is the only hope for real and lasting peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).
The same God who reconciled Abraham to Himself by grace through faith is the same God who reconciles believing Gentiles today by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:13-25; Galatians 3:1-14). Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation and the only name under Heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). While Israel might be down, they are by no means counted out. There is still Gospel work to do. We are looking forward to the day when our Jewish neighbors and friends will also be called brothers and sisters because of what Jesus Christ has done. We as Americans, and especially as Christians, must stand with Israel.
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