War will not work for Israel. They won the 2008 war, and more wars, but these wars are corrupting the Israeli soul. The problem for a nation founded by war is that a warring spirit somehow gets a hold on the people's hearts. This seems to have happened in Israel.

When the leaders of a nation time a war to help their election prospects, something is dreadfully wrong. Political leaders who claim to be morally superior while concentrating 1.5 million Palestinians behind barbed wire in Gaza and firing missiles into the prison when they cause trouble are on a slippery slope.

God's call on Israel has not been revoked. That gives privilege, but it also means that they cannot behave as other nations. If their government thumbs their nose at God's standards, they will all eventually reap the consequences. Unfortunately, they are not helped by confused Christians who think that supporting a secular-humanist, socialist, often corrupt, usually militaristic government is the same as blessing God's people.

The parable of the unmerciful servant is relevant.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed (Matt 18:23-34).

The parable shows that people do not always learn from their own experience in their treatment of others.

Those who are bullied often go on to bully others. Mercy does not always lead to mercy.

The Jewish people received terrible treatment under the Nazi regime in Germany. They were imprisoned and powerless in lands where they were unwanted.

Now the boot is on the other foot and Israel is the strongest military power in of the Middle East. The people of Gaza are imprisoned by Israel in the land where they were born, but are now powerless and unwanted. Given that the Israelis know what it is like to be unwanted and imprisoned, I would expect the people of God to behave differently.

I can understand how this happened. When the Jewish people escaped from Europe, they resolved to never again be in a position where they could be bullied. Unfortunately, to get that place, they have had to become bullies. They have escaped from tyranny, but they are now behaving like tyrants. They have morphed from victim to bully in two generations.

The current Israeli regime will continue to live by the sword, but they will not obtain peace, and will eventually die by the sword. The irony is that they will be invaded, not by the neighbours they fear, but by one of their friends, which eventually gets exasperated with supporting and financing their militaristic shenanigans.

For more see Whats Going On.

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