“As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.”
Zechariah 9:11-12
For the first time in 15 months, there is hope for the hostage families that they will soon be reunited with their loved ones who have been held so brutally in captivity in Gaza. There is uncertainty about how soon each hostage will come home, and in what state they will return.
We know from the last group of hostages released from Gaza, back in November 2023, that they knew nothing of their release until they entered the vehicles to be taken back to Israel. This means those precious hostages are still living in fear and torment, longing for freedom, some without much hope, not knowing that that day is just around the corner.
In Israel, on the other hand, the families have now been given the names of those being released. For the families of those 33 who are due to be released, they must hardly be able to contain their emotions. We cannot imagine the anticipation and anxiety they must be feeling at this time, just hoping this ceasefire holds long enough for their loved one to be released. For others, it is yet more heartbreak as their son or daughter is not on the list and they have the painstaking wait to see if they will be included on the next list, and if the ceasefire will hold until that time.
Then comes the aftermath. How many will return alive? How many will be able to overcome the trauma? Even after they have returned to Israel, how long will their minds still be trapped in Gaza? They have no doubt experienced deep physical and psychological torture. They will need our prayers long after their release.
The world has no idea about the depths of emotion Israel as a nation is feeling in this moment. The world cannot understand the deep wound October 7th cut into the Jewish people.
As Christians who love Israel, God has given us a desire to see Israel blessed. Our hearts yearn to see God’s people freed and the nation restored. We pray that God will hold His people in the palm of his hands and walk them through this challenging time.
As Pastor Hagee prayed this week:
“Let us stand together united in prayer. That all goes to plan, and specifically, that the Lord gives Israel’s leaders the wisdom of Solomon as they negotiate to liberate their sons and daughters from the forces of evil.”
“We pray that [our] leaders stand with Israel, shoulder to shoulder, as they fight for our shared values. We pray for the remaining hostages and their families, that the God of all hope bless them with the faith of Abraham, who the Bible says had no reason to hope, but yet he believed.”
We pray for the hostages and their families. That they will soon be reunited and secure in their own land. Bring them home, Lord.