When Christians Learn to Hate Their Enemies

As I read the news each day, I am deeply troubled by the violence and hatred spreading throughout the world. Russia, Poland, Great Britain, Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Syria, and much of the Middle East are living under the shadow of conflict, fear, and war.

Every day brings new reports of destruction. Political leaders accuse one another. Nations threaten retaliation. Commentators speak of war as though it were a sporting event, and ordinary people are encouraged to choose a side and hate everyone on the other side.

However, many people have never taken the time to learn who their supposed enemies really are.

The Enemy Is a Person

The people we have been taught to hate are not as different from us as we may imagine. They have the same problems of life. They struggle to provide for their families, worry about their children, care for aging parents, and grieve when someone they love is suffering.

They experience sickness, disappointment, loneliness, and fear. They laugh at family gatherings and weep beside hospital beds and graves. They want their children to have a future.

If we sat down with some of them and shared a meal, we might discover that we have much in common. Under different circumstances, we might even become friends.

The problem is that hatred prevents us from seeing the person behind the label.

We do not see a father, mother, son, or daughter. We see only a Russian, Ukrainian, Iranian, Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, Jew, conservative, liberal, immigrant, or foreigner. Once a human being has been reduced to a label, it becomes easier to ignore his suffering and justify his destruction.

That is how dehumanization works. First, people are given a label. Then they are blamed collectively for the actions of governments, armies, or extremist groups. Finally, their suffering is treated as though it does not matter.

What Troubles Me About the Church

What disturbs me most is the number of professing Christians who fail to see an enemy as a soul who needs the LORD.

Some Christians speak eagerly about bombing nations, destroying cities, and killing those they have been taught to fear. They may never have met anyone from those countries. They know nothing about their lives, beliefs, or struggles. Nevertheless, they speak as though millions of people are unworthy of compassion.

Have we forgotten the words of Jesus?

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
— Matthew 5:43–44, KJV

Jesus did not say that we must approve of evil. He did not command us to ignore injustice or pretend that violence is acceptable. He commanded us to love our enemies.

That love is not sentimental weakness. It is the strength to oppose evil without allowing evil to take possession of our hearts.

Is Hatred the Spirit of Murder?

Jesus taught that sin begins in the heart before it appears through our actions. Murder does not begin when the weapon is raised. It begins when anger is cultivated, contempt is accepted, and another person’s life is treated as worthless.

The apostle John wrote:

“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”
— 1 John 3:15, KJV

This does not mean that every angry statement is legally equal to taking someone’s life. However, it does mean that hatred and murder come from the same spiritual soil.

Hatred wishes harm upon another person. It celebrates suffering, excuses cruelty, and sometimes rejoices in death. If hatred is allowed to grow, it can eventually produce violence.

Jesus warned us about what comes out of our mouths because our words reveal the condition of our hearts:

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
— Matthew 12:34, KJV

When a Christian speaks words of cruelty, violence, and hatred, we must ask what has been permitted to grow within that heart. The tongue may reveal that political anger has become stronger than Christian love.

How Did We Get Here?

We arrived at this place because fear replaced faith.

Political leaders, media personalities, and even religious voices continually tell us whom we should fear. Fear becomes suspicion. Suspicion becomes anger. Anger becomes hatred, and hatred makes violence appear reasonable.

We arrived here because we accepted collective guilt.

We began blaming entire populations for the decisions of political leaders and military organizations. We forgot that ordinary citizens often have little control over what their governments do. Children cannot be guilty of the decisions made by presidents, prime ministers, generals, or armed groups.

We arrived here because politics began discipling the Church.

Many Christians now interpret the Bible through their political loyalties instead of judging those loyalties by the Word of God. They excuse conduct committed by their preferred nation or party that they would condemn immediately if the opposing side committed it.

We arrived here because nationalism began replacing the Kingdom of God.

A Christian may love his country, but no earthly nation should receive the allegiance that belongs to Jesus Christ. The cross must stand above every flag. The gospel must take priority over every political platform.

We arrived here because we confused loving our enemies with approving their actions.

We can condemn terrorism, invasion, oppression, and the killing of innocent people without hating an entire population. We can demand justice without demanding revenge. We can oppose evil without becoming controlled by the same spirit of hatred we claim to oppose.

Finally, we arrived here because the Church forgot its mission.

The Mission of the Church

Jesus did not commission the Church to decide which nations were worthy of destruction. He commanded us to preach the gospel to every creature.

The person whom the world calls our enemy is still someone for whom Christ died. He is still a soul who needs salvation. She is still someone who can experience the transforming grace of God.

How can we pray for missionaries to reach a nation on Sunday and then call for that nation’s destruction on Monday?

How can we say that God loves the world while speaking as though certain people are beyond His mercy?

How can we celebrate the death of those whom we claim we want to see saved?

The apostle Paul reminds us:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
— Ephesians 6:12, KJV

Our ultimate enemy is not the ordinary person living in another country. There is a spiritual power working through deception, fear, pride, greed, and hatred. Satan is pleased when human beings destroy one another, and he is especially pleased when Christians provide religious justification for doing it.

Look at the Cross

When Jesus was hanging upon the cross, He did not call for the destruction of those who crucified Him. He prayed:

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
— Luke 23:34, KJV

Those words leave no room for a Christianity built upon hatred.

If Jesus could pray for those driving nails into His hands, how can we refuse to pray for people we have never met? If Christ died for His enemies, how can His followers rejoice in the death of theirs?

The cross exposes the hatred in every human heart. It also shows us another way—the way of forgiveness, mercy, reconciliation, and sacrificial love.

We Must Examine Our Hearts

The Church must ask some difficult questions:

Do my words sound like Jesus, or do they sound like the angry spirit of this world?

When I hear that people have been killed, do I grieve over lost lives, or do I celebrate because they belonged to the “wrong” side?

Do I want my enemies to be saved, or do I want them to be destroyed?

Have political loyalties caused me to forget the commandments of Christ?

We must speak against injustice. We must defend the innocent. We must confront evil and tell the truth. But we must never surrender our hearts to hatred.

The enemy is still a human being. The enemy has a family. The enemy knows sorrow and fear. The enemy bears the image of God. Most importantly, the enemy is still a soul who needs the LORD.

We reached this terrible place by forgetting that truth.

The way back begins when Christians remember the words of Jesus:

“Love your enemies.”

That command does not become optional during wartime. It is especially necessary during wartime. When the entire world demands that we hate, followers of Jesus Christ must demonstrate that there is another way.

We must not allow the hatred of this world to take possession of our hearts. The Church must be a light in the darkness, a voice for peace amid calls for destruction, and a witness to the saving mercy of Jesus Christ.

Our enemies do not need our hatred. They need the gospel.

Why Is Israel Ignoring Her Own Prophets?

 The prophets of Israel warned that a day would come when the nations would gather against Jerusalem. These warnings were not spoken by foreign prophets or enemies of Israel. They came through Israel’s own prophets and were preserved in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Yet the modern government of Israel appears to conduct its affairs as though military superiority, nuclear weapons, intelligence operations, and American support will always guarantee its security. Israeli leaders recognize the military dangers around them, but they apparently do not recognize—or do not accept—the prophetic meaning that some Christians see in these developments.

In my opinion, Turkey and Egypt will eventually become involved in a major conflict with Israel. That conflict could unite several countries against Israel and help bring about the gathering of nations foretold by the prophets.

I am not setting a timetable. I am not saying every present event is the final fulfillment of prophecy. I am saying that current events appear to be preparing the political, military, and spiritual conditions for what the prophets warned would come.

The Nations Will Gather Against Jerusalem

The prophet Zechariah wrote:

“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
—Zechariah 12:3, KJV

Zechariah later declared:

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle.”
—Zechariah 14:2, KJV

Joel also spoke of a gathering of the nations:

“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat.”
—Joel 3:2, KJV

These passages tell us that a great gathering will occur. They do not give us a modern calendar or name every government that will participate. Therefore, we must be careful not to claim more than Scripture says.

Nevertheless, prophecy gives us a pattern, and current events show that the nations surrounding Israel are moving into new relationships. Countries that have disagreed with one another may eventually discover that hostility toward Israel gives them a common cause.

Turkey Is Becoming a Regional Power

For years, I have believed Turkey will play an important role in the events leading to a great Middle Eastern conflict. Turkey possesses one of the largest and most capable militaries in the region. It is a member of NATO, has an expanding defense industry, and occupies a strategic position between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Turkey’s influence in Syria is growing. The new Syrian government increasingly looks toward Ankara for military assistance, security cooperation, reconstruction, trade, and political support.

Israel clearly sees this growing Turkish presence as a danger. Israel’s attack upon the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria was reportedly intended to prevent Turkey from establishing a military presence or placing air-defense systems there. Turkey denied having personnel at the base, but the reason Israel gave for the attack is significant.

Israel was not merely responding to an Iranian or Hezbollah presence. It was acting because of what Turkey might do.

This demonstrates that Turkey has become part of Israel’s security calculations. Syria may now become the ground upon which Turkish and Israeli interests collide.

Turkey claims that it is cooperating with the Syrian government by invitation. Israel continues to strike Syrian territory in the name of its own security. These opposing positions cannot continue indefinitely without creating the danger of a direct confrontation.

The greatest danger may not be that Turkey or Israel deliberately decides to begin a major war. The danger is that an Israeli strike could kill Turkish military personnel. Turkey might then retaliate to protect its national honor and regional credibility. Israel could answer that retaliation, and the conflict could grow beyond the control of either government.

Wars often begin through escalation and miscalculation rather than through a carefully announced decision to start one.

Egypt Must Not Be Overlooked

Egypt presently has a peace treaty with Israel. It also receives American assistance and has serious economic problems. These considerations restrain Egypt from entering a military confrontation.

However, treaties do not guarantee permanent peace.

Egypt cannot remain untouched by what is happening in Gaza. It is deeply concerned about the possibility that Palestinians might be forced into the Sinai Peninsula. Such displacement would create an enormous humanitarian, political, and security crisis for Egypt.

If Israeli military operations threatened Egyptian territory, pushed large numbers of Palestinians toward Sinai, or produced a confrontation along the border, the Egyptian government could face overwhelming public pressure to take a stronger position.

Egypt might not begin as the leader of a coalition against Israel. It could be drawn into one by events.

We should remember that national relationships can change quickly. Countries that appear restrained today may act differently after a border incident, a change of government, an economic collapse, or a regional war.

A Coalition Could Form Around a Common Enemy

Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Syria, and Iran do not agree on everything. They have different governments, religious interests, alliances, and national ambitions. At present, they are not one united military coalition against Israel.

However, alliances are not always formed because nations trust one another. Sometimes they are formed because those nations fear or oppose the same enemy.

Israel’s continuing military operations throughout Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and other areas may defeat immediate targets, but they also increase anger throughout the Muslim world. Every new attack may encourage countries with different interests to cooperate against Israel.

Israel believes aggressive military action will preserve its security. In the long term, those same actions may help create the coalition Israel fears.

This is the great danger. Israel may win battle after battle while gradually losing the wider political struggle. Military victories can weaken an enemy temporarily while producing greater hostility for the future.

Why Does Israel Not See What Her Own Prophets Foresaw?

That is the question troubling me: Why does Israel not recognize the danger described by her own prophets?

The first answer is that modern Israel is largely governed as a secular state. Israel identifies itself as a Jewish nation, but its leaders generally make decisions based upon intelligence reports, military strength, national interest, political survival, and foreign alliances.

Many Israeli leaders may honor the Hebrew Scriptures as part of their history without submitting their policies to the spiritual warnings of those Scriptures. Possessing the writings of the prophets is not the same as believing and obeying them.

Ancient Israel did the same thing.

“But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets.”
—2 Chronicles 36:16, KJV

Israel had the prophets, but the people frequently refused to hear them. They accepted promises of blessing while rejecting warnings of judgment. They wanted prophets who would approve their policies rather than call them to repentance.

Human nature has not changed.

Different Interpretations of Prophecy

Jewish religious leaders do not necessarily interpret Ezekiel, Joel, Daniel, and Zechariah in the same way that Christians do. Some understand these passages as referring to ancient enemies. Others see them as symbolic descriptions of suffering and deliverance. Still others place them in a distant Messianic age that cannot yet be connected with present events.

Most importantly, Judaism rejects the Christian confession that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. Therefore, the Jewish prophetic framework is fundamentally different from a Christian interpretation centered upon Christ.

Israel may see Turkey, Iran, Syria, and other countries as military threats without believing that they are part of a prophetic gathering. Its leaders believe those dangers can be managed through airstrikes, intelligence operations, deterrence, nuclear weapons, and American support.

They see a security problem where some Christians see the possible preparation for prophetic fulfillment.

Trusting in Chariots

Modern Israel possesses a powerful military, advanced technology, sophisticated intelligence services, air-defense systems, and nuclear capability. It also receives extensive military and political support from the United States.

These advantages can create a dangerous sense of security. Israel may believe that no coalition can defeat it because its weapons are superior and America will never abandon it.

The Psalmist warned:

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
—Psalm 20:7, KJV

Military strength cannot replace obedience to God. Political alliances cannot cancel prophecy. Nuclear weapons cannot save a nation from a crisis that the Lord has allowed.

Israel’s final deliverance will not come because its military is stronger than the combined forces of its enemies. According to Zechariah, the Lord Himself will intervene:

“Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.”
—Zechariah 14:3, KJV

The Prophets Also Called for Justice

The prophets did more than predict the movements of nations. They warned Israel about pride, injustice, oppression, violence, and misplaced confidence in military alliances.

It is possible to claim the promises of the prophets while ignoring their calls to repentance. It is possible to rejoice in promises of national deliverance while refusing to hear God’s condemnation of injustice.

The prophet Isaiah declared:

“Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
—Isaiah 1:17, KJV

The prophets did not teach that national identity excused wrongdoing. They taught that greater spiritual privilege brought greater accountability.

If the modern government of Israel reads only the promises and ignores the warnings, it is repeating the mistake of ancient Israel. But Christians must also be careful. We cannot point at Israel’s blindness while refusing to examine our own.

American Christians may trust in military power, political leaders, and national alliances just as easily. We may study prophecy to identify the sins of other nations while refusing to repent of hatred, partiality, and indifference in our own hearts.

This Is an Observation, Not a Timetable

Let me state my position carefully.

I am not claiming that the present conflict is the final gathering of the nations. I am not setting a date for the fulfillment of Zechariah, Joel, or Ezekiel. I am not saying that every current leader understands the part he may be playing.

I believe we are witnessing a change in regional power that may prepare the way for later prophetic fulfillment.

Turkey is increasing its influence in Syria. Egypt is under growing pressure because of Gaza and the possibility of Palestinian displacement. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are developing closer relationships with Turkey. Israel is becoming increasingly isolated while continuing military operations throughout the region.

These developments do not prove that the final gathering has arrived, but they show how such a gathering could eventually become possible.

Conditions are changing. Old alliances are weakening. New partnerships are forming. Hatred is increasing. Military confrontations are expanding. Nations that once appeared divided are finding reasons to cooperate.

The pieces are moving, even if we cannot yet see the completed picture.

Israel’s Final Hope

My concern for Israel does not come from hatred of the Jewish people. I do not desire Israel’s destruction, nor do I rejoice in the suffering of Jews, Muslims, Palestinians, or anyone else.

Every human life is precious. Every Jew and every Muslim is a soul for whom Christ died. Christians must never rejoice when civilians are killed, homes are destroyed, or children suffer.

My warning is that Israel cannot bomb its way into permanent peace. It cannot depend forever upon American weapons and political protection. It cannot create security by producing greater hostility in every surrounding country.

If Turkey and Egypt eventually become involved in a great regional conflict, other nations may join them. What begins as a dispute over Gaza or Syria could become the coalition foretold by the prophets.

Israel’s own prophets warned that such a day would come. Yet Israel appears to trust the strength of its army more than the words of those prophets.

The final answer will not be found in Washington, NATO, nuclear weapons, or military superiority. Israel’s hope—like the hope of the Muslim and the Gentile—is found in turning to God.

The present events may not be the final fulfillment, but they are a warning. The road Israel and the surrounding nations are traveling is filled with hatred, pride, retaliation, and bloodshed. Unless there is repentance and a change of direction, that road will lead to a conflict no human government can control.

The prophets foresaw the gathering of the nations. We may now be watching the early development of the conditions that will someday make that gathering possible.

Therefore, the Church must remain watchful, prayerful, and faithful. We must proclaim Christ rather than celebrate war. We must pray for Jews, Muslims, Palestinians, Turks, Egyptians, and all the people of the Middle East.

The signs should not make us hateful. They should make us ready.

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”
—Matthew 24:42, KJV

A STORY ABOUT PRIDE

  While living in Wyoming, I had several exciting adventures. Some of them were planned, while others came about because I opened my mouth before giving my brain enough time to consider what I was saying. The Bible warns us:

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
—Proverbs 21:23, KJV

On this particular occasion, I failed to keep either one—and trouble was already standing in a corral waiting for me.

John Preston operated a guide business and owned several horses and pack mules. Most of the animals were well-broken and dependable, but there was one mule that had never been properly broken to ride. That mule had apparently made up his mind that no human being was ever going to sit comfortably upon his back.

One Sunday night after church, John, Ray, Mike, and I were sitting around talking. Somehow, the conversation turned to breaking horses and mules. I had grown up around horses and ponies, so I possessed just enough experience to be confident and just enough pride to be foolish.

Without giving the matter much thought, I announced, “I believe I could ride that mule without getting thrown.”

It was late on a Sunday night, and I never dreamed anyone would expect me to prove it. I thought my boast was safe. After all, surely no one would saddle an unbroken mule after dark merely to see whether a preacher could stay on its back.

I had forgotten an important truth:

“A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
—Proverbs 18:7, KJV

Ray quietly slipped out of the room. About fifteen minutes later, he returned with a grin on his face and announced, “The mule is saddled and ready.”

That was not what I had expected to hear.

To tell the truth, I had not planned to ride that mule that night—or any other night. I had simply been talking. But Mike, who had never ridden a horse, much less an unbroken mule, immediately began challenging me.

“All right, Truitt,” he said. “Let’s see you ride that mule.”

I was not ready, but I was not about to give Mike the satisfaction of watching me back down. Pride will cause a man to climb into some mighty dangerous saddles.

The Bible says:

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
—Proverbs 16:18, KJV

That verse was about to become more than theology. It was about to become a practical demonstration.

We walked out to the corral. There stood the mule, saddled and waiting. There was no bit in his mouth—only a rope tied to his halter. As I walked closer, that mule seemed to grow larger with every step. From a distance, he had looked like an ordinary mule. Standing beside him, he looked about seventeen hands tall and nearly as wide as a barn.

I reached for the saddle horn, and the mule began to tremble. I do not know whether he was more frightened of me than I was of him, but I can tell you that both of us had serious concerns about what was about to happen.

I took my time. I spoke softly to him and rubbed his neck. Finally, I placed my foot in the stirrup and eased myself into the saddle.

I knew that if I could keep his head up, he would have difficulty bucking. I pulled the rope tight enough to prevent him from lowering his head. Then I wrapped the rope around the saddle horn and told Ray to untie him.

The mule turned around and began trotting away as calmly as if we were going out for an evening stroll. For a few seconds, I thought I had been right. Perhaps I really could ride him. Maybe all the warnings had been unnecessary.

That moment of confidence was my second mistake.

Because the mule seemed calm, I relaxed my grip and allowed a little slack into the rope. The moment I did, he dropped his head and exploded.

We went straight up into the air. Then we came down on all four stiff legs with enough force to shake my teeth. Before I could catch my breath, we were back in the air again. The mule was bucking, twisting, and doing everything within his power to separate me from the saddle.

I knew I was in trouble.

As we came down again, the mule turned his head to one side. I recognized what he was about to do. He was not merely trying to throw me—he intended to lie down and roll over on top of me.

I quickly kicked my feet out of the stirrups. Sure enough, he dropped one leg and began falling sideways. As his neck came close to the ground, I swung my leg over his head and stepped away from the saddle before he could roll over and crush me.

I walked away as calmly as I could, pretending that this was exactly how a man was supposed to dismount from a bucking mule.

The mule rolled on the ground, scrambled back to his feet, and took off running across the corral. I brushed myself off and walked back toward the others, trying to preserve what little dignity I had left.

Mike immediately declared, “You cheated! You didn’t ride the mule.”

“I certainly did ride him,” I answered.

John and Ray agreed with me. I had climbed into the saddle, stayed on while the mule bucked, and dismounted without being thrown. It might not have been a long ride, but it was a ride.

That should have been the end of the story.

It was not.

For the next two weeks, Mike became obsessed with riding that mule. He talked about it continually. I repeatedly warned him that the mule was dangerous and that I had been fortunate not to be seriously injured.

Mike would not listen.

The Bible says:

“The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.”
—Proverbs 14:15, KJV

Mike was determined to do more than look at where he was going. He intended to go there riding a mule.

Finally, we made another trip to John’s place. Ray was there helping John prepare for an upcoming guide trip. When they learned that Mike had come to ride the mule, both of them warned him that he could be seriously hurt.

Mike insisted.

He had not come merely to see the mule. He had come prepared to ride.

And when I say prepared, I mean that he had found a pair of English riding pants at the mission. He had also acquired a Daniel Boone-style coonskin cap, complete with a tail hanging down the back.

I do not know whether Mike believed the riding pants would make him an experienced horseman or whether the coonskin cap would give him the courage of a frontier hero. I can only say that he looked like Daniel Boone had joined the British cavalry.

The sight of him standing beside that mule was worth the trip.

Ray saddled the mule and tied the rope to the halter. Before Mike climbed aboard, I gave him the benefit of my limited experience.

“Wrap that rope around the saddle horn,” I told him, “and whatever you do, don’t let it slip. Keep the mule’s head up.”

Mike climbed into the saddle, pulled the rope tight, wrapped it around the saddle horn, and called out confidently, “Let him go!”

Ray released the mule.

Instead of bucking, the mule turned his hindquarters, squatted low, kicked up a cloud of dust, and took off like a shot out of a cannon.

Mike was holding on for dear life. His English riding pants were not helping him, and the tail on his coonskin cap was flying straight out behind him.

An irrigation ditch ran through the property. It was about twenty feet across and four feet deep, and it was filled with cold water. This happened during the winter. There was no snow on the ground, but the air was bitterly cold.

The mule headed directly toward that ditch.

For a moment, it appeared that he intended to jump it. Mike had no control over the animal and no way to change his direction. John, Ray, and I could do nothing but watch.

Just as the mule reached the edge of the ditch, it seemed as though all four of his feet came together at once. He planted them firmly, stopped suddenly, and turned sharply to one side.

The mule stopped.

Mike did not.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Mike flew out of the saddle, over the mule’s head, through the cold winter air, and landed directly in the middle of that irrigation ditch.

Water shot into the air like a fountain.

The proper Christian response would have been to make sure Mike was not injured. However, John, Ray, and I were laughing so hard that none of us could move.

The Bible says:

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”
—Proverbs 17:22, KJV

We received a great deal of medicine that day.

A few moments later, Mike climbed out of the ditch. He was soaking wet, nearly blue from the cold, and shaking all over. He came walking toward us while the three of us were still laughing. His riding pants were drenched, his coonskin cap was dripping water, and that proud tail was hanging limp down his back.

To say that Mike was unhappy would be putting it mildly.

Most men would have admitted defeat, changed into dry clothes, and gone home. Not Mike. He insisted that he was going to ride the mule again.

Ray caught the mule and brought him back. We tried to talk Mike out of it, but there was no changing his mind. He climbed back into the saddle for a second attempt.

I would like to say that his second ride was more successful.

It was not.

Apparently, the mule had learned exactly what to do. He gave a repeat performance. Once again, he ran toward the irrigation ditch, stopped suddenly, and sent Mike sailing through the air and into the cold water.

By that time, all three of us were laughing so hard that if Mike had actually been drowning, I am not sure we could have reached him.

Looking back, I must give Mike credit. He rode that mule longer than I did, and he certainly gave a better performance. I dismounted before the mule could roll over on me. Mike flew through the air and landed in an irrigation ditch—twice.

More than fifty years have passed, but I can still see him wearing those English riding pants and that coonskin cap, holding on while the mule raced toward the water. Every time I remember it, I smile.

Yet there was a lesson in that experience. Pride caused me to boast that I could ride the mule. Pride caused Mike to insist that he could ride it better. Neither one of us had enough wisdom to leave that animal alone.

The Lord protected both of us from serious injury, even though we had placed ourselves in danger. Sometimes God protects us from circumstances beyond our control. At other times, He graciously protects us from our own foolishness.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
—Psalm 37:23–24, KJV

I have learned that the Lord can use almost anything to teach us—even an unbroken Wyoming pack mule. He taught me to be careful about boasting, to respect danger, and to think before allowing pride to place me in a saddle I had no business occupying.

Solomon gave some mighty good advice:

“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.”
—Proverbs 27:2, KJV

If I had followed that advice on that Sunday night, I would never have climbed aboard that mule. But then again, Mike would not have landed in the irrigation ditch wearing English riding pants and a coonskin cap—and I would not have this wonderful story to tell.

When the Church No Longer Weeps for the Lost

 Satan’s Work of Blinding Hearts to the Light of Christ

There is a burden upon my heart that I cannot easily lay aside. I have written about it many times, yet the indifference appears to grow worse. I am concerned about the number of professing Christians who can hear about the suffering and death of innocent people without showing compassion.

People are being killed, wounded, displaced and deprived of the necessities of life. Children who had nothing to do with the decisions of political leaders are suffering. Mothers are grieving over their sons and daughters. Families are searching through ruins for their loved ones. Yet some Christians speak as though the suffering does not matter because those people have been labeled our enemies.

The Palestinian is called a terrorist. The Iranian is called a threat. The Muslim is called an enemy. Once the label has been attached, some Christians no longer see a soul. They no longer see a man, woman or child created in the image of God. They see only a member of a group they have been taught to fear or hate.

This is how dehumanization begins. Before violence against a people can be accepted, those people must first be stripped of their humanity. They must be described as though they possess no rights, no innocence and no value. Once that happens, their destruction can be presented as necessary, righteous or even pleasing to God.

Recently, Israel’s Sephardi chief rabbi, David Yosef, reportedly declared that the Palestinians are not a people, have never been a people and “have no rights here.” He also spoke of Gaza’s destruction and Jewish return to the land.

As a Christian minister, I cannot remain silent about such words. This is not an attack upon all Jewish people. One rabbi does not speak for every Jewish person. Neither should Jewish people throughout the world be blamed for his statement. Nevertheless, he occupies a prominent religious office, and his words must be confronted.

I am also troubled by the silence of religious institutions that would immediately condemn comparable words if they were spoken against Jewish people. If a Muslim leader said that Jewish people had no rights and called for Jewish cities to be destroyed, Christians would rightly condemn it. We must apply the same moral standard when Palestinians are the objects of such rhetoric.

The silence of Christian leaders is especially disturbing. Have we become so politically committed to the modern State of Israel that we can no longer recognize statements contrary to the doctrine of Christ? Have political alliances become more important than the teachings of Jesus?

Christ Came to Save Lives

When a Samaritan village refused to receive Jesus, James and John asked whether they should call fire down from heaven and consume its inhabitants. They believed they were defending the honor of Christ. Jesus told them that they did not understand what spirit was influencing them:

“But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
— Luke 9:55–56, KJV

Those words should cause the Church to tremble.

Some Christians appear eager for the fire to fall. They speak approvingly of bombs, destruction and death. They rejoice when people regarded as enemies are killed. But Jesus said that He did not come to destroy men’s lives. He came to save them.

Our enemies are lost souls who need salvation. I have been questioned by Christians for saying this, but I do not know how anyone reading the New Testament can deny it.

Jesus said:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
— Matthew 5:44, KJV

Jesus did not say that we must approve of our enemies’ conduct. He did not say that governments have no responsibility to restrain violence or protect innocent people. But He plainly commanded His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them.

Why would we pray for an enemy? Because that enemy has a soul. Christ died to make salvation available to that person. The man we want destroyed may be a man whom Jesus wants to redeem.

Saul of Tarsus persecuted Christians. He consented to the death of Stephen and made havoc of the Church. Had the believers prayed only for his destruction, they would have been praying against the man whom God intended to make the Apostle Paul.

We do not know whom God may save. That Palestinian child may become a preacher of the gospel. That Iranian soldier may someday bow before Jesus Christ. That Muslim mother may discover that Christ loves her and gave His life for her. How can Christians celebrate the destruction of people whom Christ desires to save?

The God of This World Has Blinded Their Minds

The indifference we are witnessing is more than a political problem. It is evidence of a spiritual battle.

Paul wrote:

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
— II Corinthians 4:3–4, KJV

Satan does not want people to see the light of Christ. He blinds minds, hardens hearts and teaches people to love darkness rather than light.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
— John 3:19, KJV

Satan blinds the lost so they will not receive the gospel, but he also seeks to deceive, distract and harden professing Christians. He wants the Church to exchange the Great Commission for political warfare. He wants us to view millions of people as enemies to be destroyed rather than souls to be reached.

If Satan can persuade Christians to hate the very people they were commanded to evangelize, he has weakened the witness of the Church. If he can make us rejoice in their destruction, he has replaced the missionary spirit with a spirit Jesus rebuked.

There was a time when Christians prayed for missionaries to carry the gospel into Muslim lands. Men and women left their homes, learned difficult languages and risked their lives because they believed Muslims were souls for whom Christ died. Today, some Christians appear more willing to finance bombs than missionaries.

What has happened to us?

Not Every Member of a Group Is Guilty

The principle of individual responsibility is found throughout Scripture:

“The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son.”
— Ezekiel 18:20, KJV

A Palestinian child is not guilty of the crimes of Hamas. An Israeli child is not guilty of the policies of the Israeli government. A Muslim family is not guilty because terrorists claim to act in the name of Islam. A Jewish family must not be blamed for the words of a chief rabbi.

Not every Palestinian is Hamas. Not every Muslim is a terrorist. Not every Jew supports the Israeli government, and not every Christian supports the wars carried out in the name of national security.

We must condemn terrorism, hostage-taking and the murder of Israeli civilians. We must also condemn collective punishment, forced displacement, deprivation and the killing of Palestinian civilians. One crime does not make another crime righteous.

Christians cannot have one moral standard for their friends and another for their enemies.

“But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin.”
— James 2:9, KJV

Partiality is sin—even when it is dressed in patriotism, politics or prophetic interpretation.

Silence Has Consequences

Silence does not always prove personal agreement, but institutional silence allows evil ideas to become respectable. When a prominent religious leader declares that another people have no rights and no one within his religious or political circle corrects him, the public naturally interprets that silence as tolerance.

The same is true of the Church. When Christians hear innocent people being dehumanized and say nothing, our silence becomes part of our testimony.

Scripture commands us:

“Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.”
— Proverbs 31:8, KJV

“Deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain.”
— Proverbs 24:11, KJV

The Church must speak for those whose humanity has been erased by propaganda. We must speak for the Israeli child murdered by terrorists. We must speak for the Palestinian child buried beneath the ruins. We must speak for every innocent person whose suffering has been dismissed because of race, religion or nationality.

Rejoice Not When Thine Enemy Falleth

The Bible gives us no permission to celebrate the death of an enemy:

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.”
— Proverbs 24:17, KJV

If our hearts are filled with excitement when bombs fall upon a city, something has gone terribly wrong. If we can look upon dead children without compassion because they belonged to the “wrong” people, we need to examine whether the spirit controlling our emotions is the Spirit of Christ.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem even though He knew that Jerusalem would reject Him. He looked upon the multitudes with compassion because they were scattered as sheep having no shepherd. At Calvary, He prayed for those crucifying Him:

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
— Luke 23:34, KJV

That is the spirit of Christ.

The Church Must Recover Its Mission

The Church was not commissioned to destroy the nations. It was commissioned to preach the gospel to them.

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
— Mark 16:15, KJV

“Every creature” includes Palestinians, Israelis, Iranians, Arabs, Jews and Muslims. There is no nation beyond the reach of God’s mercy and no people whom the Church has permission to hate.

We must ask ourselves a serious question: If Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us and preach the gospel to every creature, how can Christians support the destruction of people whom Christ came to save?

Christian Zionism, nationalism and party politics must all bow before Jesus Christ. No interpretation of prophecy can cancel the Sermon on the Mount. No political alliance can overrule the command to love our neighbor. No government can require us to silence our conscience.

I will continue to say that our enemies are lost souls in need of salvation. I will continue to oppose the killing of innocent people, whether they are Jewish or Palestinian, Christian or Muslim. I will continue to warn the Church that indifference toward suffering is not the spirit of Christ.

The world may call compassion weakness. Political Christians may call it disloyalty. But Jesus said:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9, KJV

The greatest danger facing the Church may not be persecution from the world. It may be the gradual hardening of our own hearts. Satan has blinded the minds of those who refuse the light of Christ. Let us make certain that we have not become so accustomed to darkness that we can no longer recognize the light.

When the Church no longer weeps for the lost, it has forgotten why Jesus came.

The Balance of Power Is Shifting: Are These the Beginnings of Sorrows?

 There are moments in history when the balance of power begins to change. Most people do not recognize the change when it first starts. They continue working, buying, selling, marrying, building and planning as though tomorrow will be just like yesterday. Yet beneath the surface, nations are moving, alliances are changing, and the stage is being prepared for events that will affect the entire world.

I am not saying that every headline is the final fulfillment of Bible prophecy. I am not setting dates, naming the day of the Lord’s return or declaring that a particular war is the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus warned us against being deceived by premature claims.

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”
—Matthew 24:4, KJV

However, refusing to sensationalize current events does not mean we should ignore them. Jesus commanded His disciples to watch. There is a difference between setting dates and observing the direction in which the world is moving.

“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
—Mark 13:37, KJV

I believe we are witnessing the beginning of a major change in the balance of power throughout the Middle East. This may not be the final fulfillment of prophecy, but it could be part of the preparation for what the prophets said would eventually come.

Turkey’s Growing Influence

For many years, students of Bible prophecy focused mainly upon Russia, Iran, Europe and Israel. Turkey was often treated as a secondary nation. That may have been a serious oversight.

Turkey controls most of ancient Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor. It occupies one of the most strategic locations on earth. It sits between Europe and Asia, Russia and the Middle East, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It borders Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Greece and Bulgaria.

Turkey also controls the Turkish Straits, through which Russian ships must pass when traveling between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It possesses one of NATO’s largest armed forces and has developed an increasingly capable defense industry, including drones, missiles and electronic-warfare systems.

Now Turkey is expanding its influence in Syria.

The present Syrian government has requested Turkish assistance in rebuilding and training its armed forces. Turkey and Syria have entered into military-cooperation agreements involving training, consultation, weapons, equipment and logistical assistance.

That point is important. Turkey is not merely forcing its way into Syria. The Syrian government has invited Turkey to help rebuild its national defenses.

Israel, however, considers an expanding Turkish military presence in Syria to be a possible threat. Israel recently attacked a Syrian airbase because it claimed Turkish forces might eventually use that facility. Turkey and Syria disputed Israel’s explanation, and Turkey strongly condemned the attack as a violation of Syrian sovereignty.

This creates a dangerous situation. Israel has repeatedly bombed Syria while claiming that such attacks are necessary for its security. However, if Israel attacks Turkish territory or deliberately kills Turkish troops, it risks a direct confrontation with a powerful NATO member.

Israel may have grown accustomed to striking weakened countries without facing an equal military response. Turkey is different. It has a large army, an advanced defense industry and a formal alliance with the United States and the other NATO countries.

The entrance of Turkey into Syria changes the calculation.

A Coalition From the North

Ezekiel described a future coalition of nations coming against the land of Israel:

“Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.”
—Ezekiel 38:5–6, KJV

The prophecy does not describe one country acting alone. It describes numerous peoples gathered into a coalition. The expression “many people with thee” shows that several nations will eventually unite around a common purpose.

Turkey occupies territory historically connected by many interpreters with Gomer, Tubal, Meshech and the house of Togarmah. We must be careful about drawing precise lines between ancient peoples and modern countries. Nevertheless, it would be foolish to dismiss Turkey’s geographical importance.

Ezekiel further declared:

“And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee.”
—Ezekiel 38:15, KJV

Daniel also spoke of a northern power becoming active during the time of the end:

“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind.”
—Daniel 11:40, KJV

I am not claiming that these verses are being completely fulfilled by today’s events. I am saying that we may be watching the early development of a regional arrangement that could eventually help bring several nations together against Israel.

Syria has been weakened. Iran remains involved throughout the region. Turkey is expanding its military, political and economic influence. Israel is fighting or conducting military operations in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Every additional attack creates more anger, fear and opposition.

Nations that disagree on many subjects may eventually unite when they believe they face a common enemy. Israel’s policy of striking countries to prevent possible future threats could produce the very coalition Israel fears.

The Beginnings of Sorrows

Jesus warned that the last days would be marked by conflict, instability and distress:

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
—Matthew 24:6, KJV

Notice carefully what Jesus said: “the end is not yet.” Wars and rumors of wars do not automatically mean that the final moment has arrived. They are warnings that the world is moving toward a time of greater trouble.

Jesus continued:

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”
—Matthew 24:7, KJV

Then He said:

“All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
—Matthew 24:8, KJV

The Lord compared these events to birth pains. A woman’s first labor pain does not mean the child has already been born, but it tells her that a process has begun. The pains may be separated at first, but they become stronger and closer together as the time approaches.

I believe the beginnings of sorrows have started. The world is entering a period of increasing conflict, economic uncertainty, political division and spiritual deception. The balance of power is shifting, and arrangements that once seemed permanent are beginning to break apart.

Our response must not be panic. Our response must be spiritual preparation.

Preparing Spiritually for What Is Coming

Some Christians hear about prophecy and immediately begin storing food, water, fuel and supplies. There is nothing wrong with reasonable physical preparation. Proverbs teaches prudence:

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”
—Proverbs 22:3, KJV

However, a basement filled with supplies cannot save an unprepared soul. A person may possess food for several years and still be spiritually starving. He may have weapons to protect his house while having no faith to protect his heart from fear.

The greatest preparation is repentance.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
—Acts 3:19, KJV

We must make certain that our relationship with Jesus Christ is real. This is not the hour for a careless, indifferent or halfhearted Christianity. We cannot live for the world six days a week and expect a few minutes in church to prepare us for tribulation.

We need the Word of God.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
—Psalm 119:11, KJV

We need prayer—not merely hurried words spoken before meals, but earnest prayer that brings us into the presence of God.

“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
—Luke 21:36, KJV

We need the power of the Holy Spirit. Human determination will not carry us through times of persecution, deception and fear. We need the Spirit to give us wisdom, courage and holiness.

We must also refuse hatred. Prophecy does not give Christians permission to hate Jews, Muslims, Turks, Iranians, Arabs or anyone else. Every soldier and civilian is a soul for whom Christ died. We should never rejoice over the destruction of those who are not prepared to meet God.

“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.”
—Ezekiel 33:11, KJV

Watch Without Fear

The world is changing. Turkey’s growing influence in Syria may be one part of a larger regional transformation. Alliances are shifting, old powers are weakening, and new centers of influence are emerging. These developments may eventually contribute to the coalition described by the prophets.

We must watch, but we must not be afraid.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed.”
—Psalm 46:1–2, KJV

The purpose of prophecy is not to satisfy our curiosity. It is to call us to faithfulness. God did not reveal these things so we could argue over maps while neglecting our souls. He gave us warning so that we would be ready.

The beginnings of sorrows are not a call to hide in fear. They are a call to awaken from spiritual sleep, repent of sin, return to prayer, study the Scriptures and faithfully proclaim the gospel.

Jesus is still Lord. Nations may rise and fall, alliances may form and wars may spread, but God has not surrendered His throne.

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
—Luke 21:28, KJV

Church, it is time to wake up. It is time to trim our lamps, strengthen our faith and prepare our hearts. We may not know exactly how quickly these events will develop, but we know what Jesus told us to do:

Watch. Pray. Be faithful. And be ready.

When Christians Become Partakers in Evil Our Loyalty Must Be to Christ Above Every Nation

 Recently, I read an article on Ron Unz’s website, “How ‘Israelism’ Has Replaced Christianity as the American Civic Religion.” The article argues that many American Christians have allowed devotion to the modern State of Israel to replace their devotion to Jesus Christ.

Unz sometimes speaks too generally about Jewish people. We must distinguish between the Israeli government, Israeli citizens, Jewish settlers, religious extremists, Jewish supporters of the war, and Jewish people who courageously oppose injustice. No entire race or religious people should bear collective guilt for the actions of particular leaders.

Nevertheless, the article raises a question that Christians cannot avoid:

What happens when professing Christians knowingly defend, finance, bless, or excuse evil because it is committed by the government of Israel?

Words That Should Trouble Every Christian

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently called for Israel to kill “30 to 40” people in Gaza every night. He spoke about people who were not presenting an immediate threat and declared that some were “not worthy of life.”

These were not the careless words of an unknown person. Ben-Gvir is Israel’s national security minister. He sits in a position of governmental authority and helps shape national policy.

His words were dehumanizing, dangerous, and evil.

Every human being—Jew, Palestinian, Muslim, Christian, Arab, or Gentile—is made in the image of God. No political leader has the moral authority to declare an entire class of people unworthy of life.

The Bible says:

“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”
— 1 John 3:15, KJV

Ben-Gvir’s words do not represent every Israeli or every Jewish person. His political party does not command the support of a majority of Israel’s population. There are Jews in Israel and throughout the world who oppose the war, condemn the killing of civilians, defend Palestinian rights, and plead for peace.

We must recognize those distinctions.

At the same time, Ben-Gvir is not entirely separated from the political system that has placed him in power. He leads an elected party and remains part of the governing coalition. Responsibility therefore extends beyond one man. It includes those who knowingly support his program, the officials who keep him in office, the leaders who excuse his language, and anyone who carries out unlawful commands.

This does not justify blaming every Jew. It does justify asking what has happened to a society when such language is tolerated in the highest levels of government.

The Danger of Generalization

I understand why people begin speaking in general terms. We commonly say “the Americans,” “the Russians,” “the Muslims,” “the Republicans,” or “the Jews.” Human nature tends to place people into broad categories, especially during war.

When a country identifies itself as the Jewish state, when its leaders claim to speak for Jewish people, and when those leaders are elected by Israeli voters, it becomes difficult for many observers to separate the government from the people.

Nevertheless, Christians must try to make that separation.

The guilt of a political leader must not automatically be transferred to every member of his race or religion. Jewish people who resist injustice should not be charged with the deeds they opposed. Jews living in America and other countries did not elect Israel’s government. Even within Israel, many people voted against the governing coalition or now oppose its conduct.

The prophet Ezekiel wrote:

“The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
— Ezekiel 18:20, KJV

We should therefore identify wrongdoing as precisely as possible. We can speak of the Israeli government, particular military commanders, extremist settlers, religious-nationalist parties, and the citizens who knowingly support their actions.

That is not weakening our condemnation. It strengthens it by placing responsibility upon those who truly bear it.

My Greatest Concern Is the Church

My deepest concern, however, is not simply what Ben-Gvir says. My concern is what professing Christians say in response.

Some Christians appear willing to defend almost anything committed by Israel. They excuse the killing of civilians, the destruction of homes, the displacement of families, and language that treats Palestinians as less than human.

If the same words were spoken by a Muslim leader, these Christians would immediately condemn them. When an Israeli official speaks them, however, they search for some biblical prophecy with which to justify them.

This is a dangerous spiritual deception.

The apostle John warned:

“For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
— 2 John 11, KJV

In its immediate context, John was warning the Church about receiving and endorsing false teachers who did not abide in the doctrine of Christ. We should not pretend that John was speaking specifically about the modern State of Israel.

The moral principle, however, remains: knowingly endorsing and assisting evil makes us participants in it.

There is a difference between ignorance and deliberate approval. A Christian who has received false information may be deceived. A Christian who learns the truth and condemns wrongdoing is not responsible for it. But a Christian who knowingly celebrates civilian suffering, excuses murderous language, or teaches that God approves of injustice becomes a moral partaker in that evil.

Christian leaders who use the Bible to persuade their congregations that Israel can do no wrong bear an especially serious responsibility.

Israel Has No Moral Immunity

Some Christians believe that because Israel is “God’s chosen people,” the modern Israeli government must be defended regardless of its conduct. That teaching cannot survive an honest reading of the Old Testament.

God repeatedly sent prophets to condemn Israel’s rulers for oppression, violence, idolatry, corruption, and the shedding of innocent blood. Israel’s calling never gave its leaders immunity from judgment. In fact, their calling increased their accountability.

The Lord declared through Amos:

“You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
— Amos 3:2, KJV

Being chosen did not mean that evil became good whenever Israel committed it.

The same is true today. The modern State of Israel must be judged by the same moral standards applied to Iran, Russia, Palestine, China, or America.

Supporting the right of Jewish people to live in safety does not require supporting every action of the Israeli government. Condemning the crimes of Hamas does not require treating every Palestinian as a terrorist. Mourning Jewish victims does not require ignoring Palestinian victims.

Every innocent life has value before God.

Christianity Without Christ

“Israelism” becomes idolatry when loyalty to Israel takes precedence over the teachings of Jesus. It becomes a substitute religion when support for a foreign government becomes the test of Christian faithfulness.

Jesus did not say:

“Blessed are the warmakers.”

He said:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9, KJV

Jesus did not tell us to declare our enemies unworthy of life. He said:

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
— Matthew 5:44, KJV

These commandments apply even during war. They apply to Jews, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, Israelis, Iranians, and Americans.

Our loyalty is not to Benjamin Netanyahu, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Donald Trump, an Israeli political party, or an American political movement. Our loyalty belongs to Jesus Christ.

Judgment Must Begin With Us

It is easy to condemn an Israeli minister. It is more painful to examine the American Church that gives political, financial, and theological support to such policies.

Peter wrote:

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.”
— 1 Peter 4:17, KJV

The first question for Christians is not simply, “What is Israel doing?”

We must also ask:

Why are Christians calling evil good?

Why do we excuse conduct from Israel that we would condemn from another country?

Why do some Christians show more loyalty to a modern government than to the words of Jesus?

Why are Palestinian Christians treated as though their suffering does not matter?

Why are Jewish voices for peace ignored?

Why has opposition to war become a greater offense in some churches than hatred, vengeance, and the shedding of innocent blood?

We Cannot Bless What Christ Condemns

I reject antisemitism and the collective condemnation of Jewish people. I also reject the teaching that the Israeli government possesses divine permission to commit injustice.

Those positions are not contradictory. They are both required by Christian truth.

We must condemn Hamas when it murders innocent people. We must condemn Israeli officials when they call for indiscriminate killing. We must condemn settlers who terrorize Palestinian families. We must condemn antisemitism wherever it appears. We must also condemn Christian leaders who bless evil because it serves their political theology.

Every person must answer for what he does, supports, excuses, or celebrates.

Christians cannot bless what Jesus condemns. We cannot call hatred righteousness. We cannot treat Palestinian lives as worthless. We cannot use prophecy to excuse cruelty. We cannot bid evil “God speed” without becoming partakers in its deeds.

Our allegiance belongs to Christ alone.

When a nation demands that we ignore His commandments, we must obey Christ.

When political leaders tell us that some people are not worthy of life, we must answer that every person bears the image of God.

And when Christians are tempted to defend evil because of the flag under which it is committed, we must remember the words of the apostles:

“We ought to obey God rather than men.”
— Acts 5:29, KJV

What Happened to the Missionary Spirit of the Church? Iran Is a Mission Field, Not Merely a Military Target

 In 1955, my parents gave their hearts and lives to the Lord. That decision changed the direction of our home and family. The Bible became important in our household, prayer became a part of our lives, and my mother began reading missionary stories to us.

As a young boy, I loved hearing about those men and women who heard the call of God and answered it with their lives. They left familiar homes, crossed oceans, learned unfamiliar languages, entered dangerous places, and endured loneliness, disease, persecution, and sometimes death. They went because they believed people in distant lands possessed souls for whom Jesus Christ died.

Those missionary stories helped shape my understanding of Christian service. Missionaries did not look across the world and see people who needed to be destroyed. They saw people who needed to hear the gospel.

Jesus said:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” — Mark 16:15, KJV

Every creature includes the people our government calls enemies.

Every creature includes Iranians.

Every creature includes Palestinians.

Every creature includes Arabs, Persians, Jews, and Muslims.

Every creature includes those who oppose us, misunderstand us, and may even hate us. The Great Commission contains no exception for people living in nations that our government considers hostile.

They Answered the Call

From the late nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth century, thousands of Christian men and women answered the missionary call. Some went into areas dominated by Islam, carrying Bibles, medicine, education, and the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Samuel Zwemer, sometimes called the “Apostle to Islam,” spent much of his life in Arabia and Egypt. He studied Islam, learned the language, distributed Christian literature, preached Christ, and called other Christians to recognize the spiritual needs of the Muslim world.

James Cantine joined Zwemer in establishing the Arabian Mission. They entered a region where there were few Christian workers and where conversion could bring persecution, rejection, and death.

Lilias Trotter left a promising life in England and went to Algeria. She spent nearly forty years serving among Muslims in North Africa. She learned Arabic, entered Muslim homes, taught women and children, and presented the love of Christ through both her words and her life.

Mary Bird went to Persia, now called Iran, as a medical missionary. She treated sick women and children while sharing the gospel. In a society where male physicians often could not treat women, her medical ministry opened doors that might otherwise have remained closed.

Temple Gairdner and Douglas Thornton served in Egypt. They learned Arabic and used preaching, personal conversation, literature, music, and education to communicate the gospel to Muslims.

Dr. Paul Harrison served for decades as a medical missionary in Arabia. Eleanor Calverley began serving as a physician among the women of Kuwait in 1912. Their medical service demonstrated Christian compassion in places where many people had little access to modern medical treatment.

These missionaries did not ask, “How many Muslims can be destroyed?”

They asked, “How can Muslims be reached with the gospel?”

They did not ask how many bombs could be dropped upon Muslim cities. They asked how many Bibles could be distributed, how many sick people could be treated, how many children could be educated, and how many souls could be introduced to Jesus Christ.

They understood the words of Paul:

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” — Romans 10:13–14, KJV

What Has Happened to Us?

What happened to that missionary spirit?

Today, some conservative evangelical Christians appear more willing to finance bombs than missionaries. They become excited when military strikes are announced. They celebrate reports of people being killed in Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, or some other part of the Middle East.

They speak of Muslims, Iranians, and Palestinians as though these people were a faceless mass without families, fears, hopes, or souls. They appear to forget that every person killed enters eternity.

What happened to the burden for the lost?

What happened to weeping over souls?

What happened to praying that God would open doors for the gospel?

What happened to believing that our enemies can be saved?

The Bible says:

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.” — Proverbs 24:17, KJV

That command is plain enough. Christians are not to rejoice when an enemy falls. Yet rejoicing over the death of people labeled our enemies has become common in certain sections of American Christianity.

God told Ezekiel:

“As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” — Ezekiel 33:11, KJV

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is that sinners repent and live. If God does not rejoice in their deaths, why should His people?

Christ Came to Save, Not Destroy

When a Samaritan village refused to receive Jesus, James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven. They asked:

“Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” — Luke 9:54, KJV

That sounds remarkably similar to the spirit heard among some Christians today. They are ready to call down fire upon entire countries and populations.

But Jesus rebuked His disciples:

“Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” — Luke 9:55–56, KJV

Perhaps that rebuke needs to be heard again in the American Church.

The spirit that rejoices when fire falls upon cities is not the missionary Spirit of Christ. Jesus did not come to destroy men’s lives. He came to save them.

That does not mean Christians must approve Islam. Islam denies foundational truths about Jesus Christ, including His divine Sonship, crucifixion, and saving work. We cannot surrender the truth of the gospel in the name of religious unity.

But opposing false doctrine does not give us permission to hate the people deceived by it. The Muslim is not beyond redemption. He is a soul who needs Christ.

We were also sinners when Christ reached us:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8, KJV

Something Is Happening in Iran

Many Christians are unaware that a significant number of Iranians appear to be turning to Jesus Christ.

The exact number cannot be known because many Iranian Christians worship secretly in underground house churches. Public conversion from Islam can bring surveillance, arrest, imprisonment, loss of employment, family rejection, or other forms of persecution.

Nevertheless, credible evidence indicates that a substantial and growing movement of Iranian converts to Christianity exists. It is largely a Persian-speaking, house-church movement operating under serious persecution.

A large anonymous survey conducted in 2020 by the secular research organization GAMAAN received responses from more than 50,000 Iranians. Approximately 1.5 percent identified as Christians. Applied to the population, that could represent hundreds of thousands of believers—possibly approaching one million. The exact figure remains uncertain because underground Christians cannot be counted safely.

Whether we call this a revival is ultimately a spiritual judgment. Numbers alone cannot measure a work of God. But the evidence of growing interest in Jesus Christ among Iranians is real.

Christian satellite television, internet ministries, Persian-language Bibles, personal testimonies, and secret house churches have carried the gospel into places traditional missionaries could not easily enter. Iranian authorities continue to arrest converts and house-church leaders, demonstrating that the government considers this Christian movement significant enough to suppress.

The Lord is apparently working behind doors that dictators cannot completely close.

Jesus said:

“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few.” — Luke 10:2, KJV

Iran is part of that harvest field.

The Person Beneath the Bomb

When Christians celebrate bombs falling upon Iran, they have no idea who may be beneath those bombs.

The person beneath the bomb may be an Iranian Christian worshipping secretly in a house church.

He may be a young man reading a Persian New Testament for the first time.

She may be a mother who watches Christian satellite programs after her family has gone to sleep.

They may be a group of believers quietly singing hymns and praying in the name of Jesus.

Or the person beneath the bomb may be someone who has not yet heard the gospel but is searching for truth.

That person may have been one conversation, one Bible, one Christian broadcast, or one missionary encounter away from coming to Christ.

How can we pray for revival in Iran while supporting the destruction of Iranian people? How can we send missionaries with one hand while financing bombs with the other? How can we claim to love souls while rejoicing when those souls are killed?

Iran’s Government Is Not the Iranian People

The government of Iran should not be confused with the people of Iran.

One can oppose the actions of the Iranian government without hating Iranians. We can condemn religious persecution, political oppression, terrorism, and threats of violence without treating every Iranian as guilty.

Likewise, opposing the conduct of Israel’s government does not mean hating Jewish people. Condemning terrorism does not mean hating Palestinians. Governments, military organizations, religious systems, and ordinary people must not be treated as though they are all the same.

Every person must be recognized as an individual created in the image of God.

The Church must not allow governments and media outlets to determine whose lives possess value. Our allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ, and Christ commanded:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” — Matthew 5:44, KJV

Jesus did not tell us to love only the enemies who live far away from military targets. He commanded us to love our enemies even when loving them is difficult and unpopular.

Rediscovering the Missionary Spirit

The Church must recover the missionary spirit that once moved Christians to cross oceans with Bibles rather than cheer missiles crossing borders.

We need missionaries who will learn Persian and Arabic.

We need Christians who will support Persian-language Bible translation and broadcasting.

We need churches willing to pray for underground Iranian believers.

We need people who will minister to Iranian refugees and international students.

We need believers who will ask how the gospel can enter the Middle East rather than how another war can begin there.

Most of all, we need the compassion of Jesus:

“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” — Matthew 9:36, KJV

Jesus looked upon confused and scattered people with compassion. He did not regard them as disposable. He saw a harvest:

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.” — Matthew 9:37, KJV

The need in Iran is not for more hatred. The need is for more laborers.

The need is not for Christians to rejoice over Iranian deaths. The need is for Christians to pray for Iranian salvation.

Souls for Whom Christ Died

The missionary stories my mother read to us taught me that distance, language, culture, and danger should never prevent Christians from carrying the gospel to those who need Christ.

Those missionaries were not perfect. They were human beings with weaknesses, limitations, and sometimes cultural misunderstandings. But at their best, they possessed something the modern Church desperately needs: they believed the souls of people in foreign lands were worth the cost of reaching.

Iran should not be regarded merely as an enemy to bomb. Iran is a mission field filled with souls whom Christ desires to redeem.

Palestinians are souls for whom Christ died.

Iranians are souls for whom Christ died.

Muslims are souls for whom Christ died.

Jewish people are souls for whom Christ died.

Our calling is not to rejoice in death. Our calling is to proclaim life through Jesus Christ.

Let the Church put down the spirit of hatred and recover the missionary spirit. Let us stop asking how our enemies can be destroyed and begin asking how they can be saved.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” — Luke 19:10, KJV