Israel is on trial. The enemies of Israel are trying to defame Israel’s name through slander and libel by going to the world’s highest international court. They are seeking to pass a judgment of condemnation against the Jewish state. Their motives are antisemitic. And their case is completely flawed. To add to insult, Israel is in the middle of fighting to guarantee its future existence and the safety of its people following the worst massacre against Jews since the Holocaust. Only antisemites would believe South Africa’s claims to be true…and sadly they exist. Israel is not committing genocide. Hamas, which started this war, certainly did. Praise the Lord that the United Kingdom has strongly condemned South Africa’s action against Israel. Germany has made a similar announcement on Friday. Pray that more countries will join in supporting Israel and that the court case will collapse.
This is what the Bible says about nations turning against Israel:
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” Zechariah 12:2-3
This ‘cup of drunkeness’ – the irrational obsession with Israel’s existence – has also been seen by those who have defended the Houthis this week. Iran, Hamas, Turkey – they have all condemned the UK-US joint military strike against the Houthis in Yemen and cited Israel in their statements. The Houthis are an antisemitic, genocidal terror group whose motto includes ‘death to Israel’ and ‘curse the Jews’. Britain and America’s actions are not only protecting the Red Sea to assure international trade, it is also fighting the same Iranian-backed terror that Israel is facing. Pray for our Armed Forces in the Middle East. Pray for their protection and successful operation. Pray that the threat from the Houthis to civilian vessels in the Red Sea, to our military presence and that of our allies, and to Israel specifically will be brought to an end.
We should not be surprised about ‘wars and rumours of wars’. But we must pray that we will remain watchful at this time, especially when we consider that these developments relate to Israel so directly, and involve the ‘Tarshish’ nations – a description often associated with a coalition of nations that will be brought into the Middle East to protect the trade routes and defend Israel.
Thank you for praying with us today.