We won’t up this morning to reports of a massive military attack by Israel on Iran. Israel’s declared intent is to neutralize a potential nuclear threat from Iran. How do we respond?
First of all, some Christians are tempted to support Israel “right or wrong” regarding the country as the fulfillment of God’s promises, God’s anointed and chosen people. We should be wary of this. God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus and God’s people are those who have faith, the heirs of the promise, Jews and Gentiles together. Further, human governments are fallible and can get decisions wrong. Christian leaders too get decisions wrong. So support for Israel, whatever our reason does not require us to agree with every decision
There may be questions about both the moral legitimacy of taking people out including military leaders and scientists through assassination. Additionally, we may have our doubts about the wisdom of the strikes and their timing given that the US were involved in negotiations with Iran towards a nuclear deal. Further, even Israeli defence advisors were reportedly wanting Netenyahu to delay attacks until commando operations were feasible. I think though that we also need to be careful about preferring the commentary of TV pundits on the timing and Iran’s nuclear capabilities over Israeli intelligence.
Linked to the tendency to see Israel as fulfillment of Scripture’s promises can be a related tendency to see events in the Middle East as ushering in the end times. Remember though that Biblically, the last days are all the days between Christ’s first coming and his second. We cannot set a date on Jesus’ return. We should continue to prepare for the long haul should he tarry for many years whilst being ready for him to come back today.
Secondly, some take to the opposite extreme. There are those inclined to see Israel as always in the wrong. Even if we are not in that extreme, we may also see what looks like a preemptive strike as morally wrong. So it is important to know the facts before racing to judgment. From an Israeli perspective this was not an out of the blue preemptive strike ending peace. Israel would regard Iran as effectively at war with her through terrorist proxies such as Hizbullah, complicity in the Hamas October 7th attacks and support for the Houtis. Remember too that Iran has supplied equipment to Russia and been linked to terrorist attacks in other places too.
In terms of international law, the precedent is in place through the Afghan war that military strikes on regimes is a legitimate response to attacks through their terrorist proxies.
Iran’s development of nuclear capabilities is seen not just as an attempt to create a nuclear deterrent but poses an existential threat to Israel’s very existence from a country that has frequently announced its genocidal intent to wipe Israel from the face of the earth.
Remember too that those threats are couched in antisemitic language. This also sadly reminds us that events in the Middle East often lead to increased levels of antisemitism here. Antisemitics readily seek to implicate Jews everywhere in their conspiracy theories about Israel.
So what should our response be? Well first we will want to pray and not just generically for peace. Many of us will have friends from Iran, we have been encouraged to see Iranians coming to faith in Christ in significant numbers. Many will have friends and relatives back in Iran. Pray for them. I personally have several friends in Israel. Pray for their peace and safety. We will also want to keep speaking up against antisemitism here in the UK.
Secondly, we should keep our trust in God’s sovereignty. We do not need to be afraid, especially when it comes to end time fears. Jesus is going to come back one day and that will be good news for those who trust in him. That day like all our days is in God’s hands.
Faithroots 