Thoughts.com Blogs - Peace or Piece(s) for the Nation of Israel

View Blog

Peace or Piece(s) for the Nation of Israel

We have all seen where past Presidents have tried unsuccessfully to bring about peace in the Middle East. Now we see President Bush over there attempting to do the same thing in his last year of presidency. Can today’s world leaders really bring lasting peace to the nation of Israel? Can they step in now and tell God how He could have peace in a land that He had given to the nation of Israel over three thousand years ago? Do they really think that their road map to peace will bring anything but a fractured peace – a piece of land for Israel and a piece of land for the Palestinian group in the West Bank and another piece of land for the Palestinian group in Gaza? Come on now, have all the world leaders gone mad? What does God say? Peace is never brought about by dividing things. For example, peace is never brought to a family by dividing it. True enough there might be a cessation of hostility, but there is no real peace.

The true road map to peace has always been reconciliation. God wanted peace with fallen humanity so He sent His Son as the Prince of Peace. His job was not to condemn but to bring about peace between sinful man and a Holy God. Only by Christ shedding His blood on the cross could man receive forgiveness for his sins. And only through His resurrection from the dead could man be born again into a new transformed life and capable of having a relationship with God. Our peace was not negotiated by given up a piece of who we are; our peace was obtained by giving up everything for the promise of a better future. Our road map to peace, the Gospel, has brought about reconciliation and ever lasting peace.

Now what if we were to apply this same principle to the land that God gave to the nation of Israel. If we assume that all the land in Palestine belongs to the nation of Israel, which it does, then Israel has the responsibility to look after all of its citizens. A responsibility to protect them from enemies both domestic and foreign. She has a responsibility to return all ownership of the land to those people who can show rightful deed of ownership. And if the land was sold to a new occupant who can now show rightful ownership for that piece of land then they should have every right to keep it under the protection of the one government – the nation of Israel.

All governmental decrees and laws for the nation of Israel should apply to all of her citizens regardless of heritage, nationality, creed or religion. If it’s mandatory that all serve in the armed services then all should serve. If it’s mandatory that all pay taxes then all should pay taxes. If it’s mandatory to register all weapons with the state or if it’s illegal to possess automatic weapons, missiles or explosives then this law should apply to everyone living within her boarders as a naturalized citizen of the nation of Israel.

But this is only the first step, because true peace must bring about reconciliation between all of her citizens. Debts must be forgiven. Past wrongs must be put right. Fences built to separate ethnic groups must be torn down. If land or property was taken illegally then it must be returned. All offenses must be addressed because all are now one people – and to hurt one would hurt the whole. Finally, if the nation of Israel really wants peace then she must return to the Prince of Peace her Messiah.

Like our reconciliation with God, if we refuse the terms for peace then we have no inheritance in the kingdom. In the same way, if any refuse this peace and want to hold out for their own state of Palestine then they should be denied entrance into any part of the land originally given to them by God. A land flowing with milk and honey – a holy land which is a blessing to all nations of the world. The very place where Christ will one day return in glory to defeat all of His enemies – enemies of the Cross and the gospel of reconciliation with the Father.