THOU SHALL LOVE THE JEWS, THE LEBANESE AND THE TERRORISTS

Josimar Salum
July 25, 2006

In view of the facts of this cruel war that is unfolding in the Middle East, I found these words that directly relate to its events:

“Behold, their heroes cry in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly. The highways lie waste; the traveler ceases. Covenants are broken; cities are despised; there is no regard for man. The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is confounded and withers away; Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves. “Now I will arise," says the LORD, "now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted.” (Isaiah 33:7-10)

The valiant cry out in anguished appeals muffled by tears pouring down before the atrocities and the unending agonies of the little ones, victims of the hatred, rancor and revenge.

The peace-ambassadors are weeping bitterly because all diplomatic avenues are closed by the interests of great powers camouflaged as agents of the peace.

The roads are full of destruction, desolate and empty – no ones hears any more children playing or the sounds of families out walking, nor the horns and running engines - the workmen are blocked from supporting their houses.

Pacts have been breached, even the minor agreements despised, witnesses mutually ignored and, my God! There is no regard for man... Ouch, what cutting pain to the soul! There is no regard for man... So this is why the Lebanon is ashamed and withers and the shriveled leaves fall because of the vapor of fire of the war weapons.

“There is no regard for man" is also the moan of the Lord while He contemplates from heaven the war of the men in these territories, Israeli and Lebanese.

However He Who "He makes wars cease to the end of the earth… breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two… burns cars in the fire." (Ps. 46:9) did not lose control of the universe nor his sovereignty over the doings of men. He will raise Himself and He will be exalted in everything. He who knows all and knows all about everything has a plan that He is setting in order to bring to the Earth His permanent peace. We cannot perceive, much less understand how, but in the end He will have "new heavens and new earth where he Justice dwells."

I see many around me in (my evangelical milieu) that are promoting the love of Jews in detriment of other peoples, especially of the Arabs. Shalom is the greeting of peace that always sounds spiritual and appropriate, but Jesus declares Himself Peace, just as well by saying Salaam as by Shalom! Let us love the Jews: it is the commandment of the Lord - the people whom He chose among the peoples of the earth to bless the nations. But equally by orders of the Lord let us love the Lebanese and all the Arabs. Let us love all the members of Hamas and the Hezbollah, since He also has commanded us to love our enemies.

I have worked and promoted prayer movements for the Peace of Jerusalem because I love Israel. This year once again, on the first Sunday of October we will observe The International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem in favor of all its inhabitants 

But I do not love Israel more than I love other peoples and nations. God did not teach this to me in the Bible, I mean, that I should love Jews more than I love other nations. Rather, in our evangelical community, I see many defending the ungodly acts of Israel as though justifiable in fulfillment of prophecies and soliciting prayers for Israel only, when we are called by God to pray and to intercede for all peoples, for He has sheep that are not of this fold in every corner of the earth.

The Bible that I have in hand categorically affirms that God loves all, without exception, the Arabs too.

This current war in the region of the Lebanon, Israel and Palestine is a horror.

I understand the Israeli position. I understand that nations have the right of self-defense against fortuitous aggression as just before the Lord, but I see no reasonable justification for all of Israel’s acts of war. Our community seems to excuse everything Israel does as acceptable and this is not righteous before God. God does not approve unrighteous actions.

I abhor the terrorist position of Hezbollah, even while loving them as they too, are lives in need of the knowledge of the Love of God.

I place myself in solidarity with the impotence of the Lebanese - they can do nothing in the face of it all but wait, in fright, until it is all over. They are held down beneath a double cross-fire: first the fire of the influence that Hezbollah won with its social benefits to the needy Lebanese people and now under the fire of the Israeli airplanes and tanks.

'HEZBOLLAH YOUTH SCOUTS' TRAIN IN TERRORISM

Israel too is suffering the deaths of civilians targeted by the missiles of radical terrorists that indiscriminately launch their rockets at Israel not caring who is hit, since the Hezbollah’s main mission to exterminate all Jews from the map. This is a devilish, ungodly and inhuman purpose, and completely abominable.

"Behold the darkness is covering the earth and the gross darkness the peoples... The earth is in anguish and darkness..." 

The Light of the Prince of the Peace, Jesus, the Messiah is necessary to intervene in the region. And we need to pray for all, indiscriminately; and to love Jews, Lebanese, Arabs and terrorists equally.

Josimar Salum (Lebanese and Jewish descendant) is a minister of the Gospel.