Panic waves rippled across parts of Israel on September 21 at the news that Prime Minister Yair Lapid was going to use his address to the UN General Assembly the following day to commit Israel to the Two State Solution (2SS).
The consternation reached to the uttermost ends of the earth, bewildering Christian supporters as far way as Australia. How could an Israeli leader bind his country to a 30-year-old, wholly immoral scheme which has been repeatedly proven unworkable; which entails ceding the national cradle of the Jewish people, Israel’s Biblical heartland and the country’s strategic high ground to people openly hell-bent on destroying what would be left of the Jewish state?
Simply by showing a willingness to give consideration to the 2SS would irreparably harm any future claim by the Jews’ that the land in question is theirs!
No way—Christians said. Israel will relinquish all of this? Let it go? Give it up forever? Surely the Almighty—Who the Bible states is irreversibly committed to the restoration of the Land to its People, and the People to their Land—would never permit this?
But He did. God allowed it. Lapid delivered his speech. I will not reproduce it here, but you can find it at this link: www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-of-lapids-2022-speech-to-the-un-general-assembly
There were those who found it quite powerful; moving even. Others said brilliant. Lapid was defended on the grounds that some of his predecessors, specifically Bibi Netanyahu, had likewise inferred in that forum the ultimate acceptance of a Palestinian state. Cynics said he was just electioneering—hoping to win a few more votes in the upcoming November 1 elections.
The speech contained numerous falsehoods: That the UNGA had decided upon the creation of a Jewish state. That the Jews had chosen to forget their painful past. That they had returned and reclaimed the land in their own strength. That Jerusalem is holy to three religions.
And this fantastic fiction, or outright deception: that “today a large majority of Israelis support the vision of this Two State Solution.” Just a few hours after his speech, Israel’s Channel 12 published a survey showing that, in fact, only 28% of citizens are in favour of it.
God always initiates, never reacts, is never taken by surprise, and does not lose control for even
a moment
Those protesting the speech rolled out one last desperate hope: That, as a caretaker prime minister, Lapid has no democratic credentials; no mandate from the nation of Israel to agree to the 2SS. Meaning that his words at the UN were the insignificant views of an individual; that Israel is not bound by them.
Some analysts believe that Lapid’s very resuscitating of the Two State Solution would backfire on him and help bring a solidly right-wing government into office on November 1.
In that event, it might be possible for a new prime minister with a solid mandate to simply unsay what Lapid has obligated Israel to.
We shall see. But while I understand, and have shared, the concerns, there is something I believe we should remember as we pray into, and act to support Israel’s restoration. It is this:
God does not think the way we do (and, it seems, we often do not think the way He does). He always initiates, never reacts, is never taken by surprise, and does not lose control for even a moment.
When we hear of a development like this—Lapid’s speech—we should not be thrown and we should not fear; certainly not on Israel’s behalf. Our calling is to watch and pray, and to act as the Lord directs, not according to our own understanding. We, too, need not be reactionary.
Mostly we need to trust Him. His eyes are always on this Land. This nation is His dearly beloved. And He is continually watching over His Word to see that what He has said will come to pass.
A number of events recorded in the Bible can set a precedent for our thinking.
When the Kingdom of Israel was torn in two after Solomon, and 10 tribes abandoned the House of David to follow Jeroboam (whose peculiar sin would plague all the northern kingdom and lead to its ultimate destruction), Rehoboam readied for war to prevent the schism. But God messaged him: “You shall not go up nor fight against your bethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” (1 Kings 12:24)
When Jehoshaphat, having allied himself with Ahab in the war against Ramoth Gilead, inquired after “a word from the LORD” we learn something shocking: Because it was God’s purpose that Ahab be killed and Israel scattered (in consequence for their national sin), He instructed a lying spirit to enter the mouths of prophets and so deceive the kings: And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead? (1 Kings 22:22)
When Samson, seeing a daughter of the Philistines, instructs his parents to “get her for me as a wife” the couple— who had raised Samson as a Nazarite — were horrified. Had their son lost his mind? They tried reasoning. “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But he could not be dissuaded. Then, what do we read? ‘His father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, because He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel’. (All above verse segments from Judges 14:1-4):
It was “of the LORD” that Samson should flout God’s own instruction and marry outside of the faith (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).
When we consider how to pray for Israel as we witness how our nations treat her; and also, as we weigh our responses to the actions of Israeli leaders, we should, yes, pray in line with Scripture concerning the reestablishment of this nation. But let us not forget that how the LORD chooses to fulfll His purposes may well be quite different from the “Christian way” we often expect or wish Him to.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
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