Prayer
for Peace in the Holy Land
Paradox is a Christian Ministry which seeks:
• to further balanced understanding of and prayer about the Israeli-Palestinian situation
• to further reconciliation which requires justice for the Palestinians as well as the Israelis
in the context of taking seriously the purposes of God for Israel in the End Times (see below).
You will find many websites that are
either strongly pro-Palestinian and
somewhat anti-Israel or alternatively
decidedly Christian Zionist and rather
anti-Palestinian. It is my belief that
God loves both the Israelis and the
Palestinians equally, and wants the best
for both people groups. See our
Theological Basis for further
information.
When my wife and I
lived in Jerusalem, we became weary of
this Christian polarization on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I decided
to start producing my
Paradox
Newsletter which seeks to take the
needs, pain and fears of both
Palestinians and Israelis seriously.
I have been a Church of England
clergyman for 40 years. For several
years we lived and worked in the Old
City of Jerusalem at the interface of
the Jewish and Arab communities. Being
the General Director of the Church of
England’s official ministry among Jewish
people, I was called to stand with the
Jewish people, after almost two
millennia of shameful Christian
anti-Semitism, which has created
enormous barriers between Jewish people
and the Church.
However, I could not do this in a way
which ignored the needs, fears and pain
of our Palestinian and Israeli Arab
neighbours and colleagues. Half of my
local staff in Jerusalem were Jewish and
half Arab. Living in the land, amidst
the two people groups, had a profound
effect. I started from a position which
largely ignored the needs of the
Palestinians, and focused only on the
terrorists among them. Eventually I
could no longer do that. I was deeply
and extensively involved with Jewish
Believers in Jesus (Messianic Jews) but
many of our immediate neighbours were Arab, both Christian and
Muslim, whom I also came to love.
I
have been for some time on the advisory board of a wider ministry of
reconciliation and relief in the Middle East, FRRME, which includes
diplomats and politicians.It is involved in encouraging and
facilitating high level negotiations between very senior politicians
and religious leaders in the Middle East, including in Israel and the
Palestinian areas. Its aim is to achieve reduction of violence and
ultimately peace with justice (it is not about theological dialogue).
The
pictures above are of a Palestinian
Refugee Camp in Bethlehem and of
Auschwitz, depicting tragedy in the
history of both peoples
The biblical context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
We need to take seriously the purposes of God for Israel in the End Times. The following points are vitally important.
Scripture foretells that:
• The Jewish people would regain control of
Jerusalem, i.e. they would return to the land (Luke 21:24) – this has
happened but they have returned in unbelief. (See footnote for further
comment. )
• God has not given up on the Jewish people and they
will eventually turn to Christ in massive numbers (Rom 11) – more and
more Jewish people are doing so. (See footnote for further comment.
)
• Jewish people would rebuild the Temple - there is a
strong movement towards this, based on Ezekiel 40-46, which is linked
to the growing trouble on Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The rebuilding of
the Temple is not God’s will because it is contradictory to the Gospel
but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. (See the footnote for further
comment. ) God can use events which are not according to Gospel
principles as a factor in his purposes for the world.
• The world would turn against the Jewish people
(Zech 12-4; Rev 16:12-16) – this is happening partly because of
anti-Semitism and anti-Israel attitudes but also because of Israel’s
intransigence over a just settlement for the Palestinians, unjust
treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and rejecting of world
opinion in these and other matters. On another level, growing Islamic
extremism is bent on the destruction of Israel (Hamas, Iran, ISIS and
Hezbollah, in particular). (It is worth saying that Jewish people have
sometimes gained the impression that Christians are rather looking
forward to the attacks on Israel because it is an indication of the
approach of the Return of Christ. Such an attitude would, of course, be
quite wrong. We should lament such attacks). (See the footnote for
further comment. )
Current events give a clear indication that we are living in the End
Times and witnessing the fulfilment of prophecy. We do not, of course,
know the timescale, but what is happening in the world today underlines
the credibility of the biblical prophecies.
We Christians should be praying:
• For Jewish people to turn to Christ
• For Israel to obey Scripture and so to treat the Palestinians justly, seeking peace.
• For the protection of
the Jewish people and Israel from anti-Semitic attitudes and actions,
including Islamic extremism.
• For the fulfilment of
God’s End Time purposes, which includes a major impact on the world for
the cause of the Gospel caused by Israel coming to recognise Jesus as
their Messiah.
Christians who, like me, believe God has brought the Jewish people back
to Israel, differ over the issue of a just solution for the
Palestinians. Some believe that the West Bank (with some territorial
adjustments) and Gaza should become the State of Palestine – the two
state solution (See my article “Is it right to divide the Promised
Land?” ) Others believe that the Palestinians should be incorporated
into the nation of Israel – the single state solution. The two state
solution involves dangers. A Palestinian state on Israel’s borders
could become a real threat to Israel’s security. The single state
solution also has serious difficulties. It would be unjust for the
Palestinians to become second-class citizens of Israel but the Arab
birth rate is such that over a period of years there would be a
majority of Arab citizens in the democracy of Israel and the Jewish
citizens would become a minority.
All of this should be a strong motive for praying earnestly for Israel and the Palestinians.
Paradox
Ministries is a UK Charity (No.
1125582), headed
by The Rev Tony Higton
Paradox
Newsletter
� 2008
Paradox Ministries, a UK Charity: 1125582