The hatred of Israel’s neighbors toward her is evident when you see the enormous amount of money given to Hamas to construct tunnels underneath the Gaza Strip.
Here are some of the latest findings that give evidence for that kind of expenditure.
Senior Israeli defense officials now assess that Hamas’s Gaza tunnel network is between 350 and 450 miles long. There are roughly 5,700 separate shafts leading down to the tunnels.
Considering the Gaza Strip is only about 140 square miles in total size, this enormous construction project costs hundreds of millions of dollars.
One can only wonder what would have happened if those millions of dollars were invested in improving the lives of Palestinians, rather than constructing a project aimed at undermining Israel’s ability to survive in the world.
Israel is no stranger to having enemies. Eight centuries before the time of Jesus, Micah wrote these words.
But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.
Do not rejoice over me, my enemies;
when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me. Micah 5.7-8
In the face of enemies who sought the fall of Israel, the faithful look to the Lord and wait for the God of their salvation.
“Wait” is a keyword in this passage. It means that they wait on God’s activity. God is their number one plan, and they don’t have a substitute plan if He doesn’t act on their behalf.
It is very hard to wait on God when pressed by incredibly difficult circumstances. However, we do well to train ourselves to learn how to wait on Him.
By trusting God in small matters, we prepare ourselves to trust Him in the larger, more significant events of our lives. It’s important to learn how to cultivate this trust.
Where is Your God?
In the ancient world, it was commonly believed that winning a war also meant a victory for the nation’s gods. When the Israelites faced defeat, their enemies often taunted them by asking, “Where is your God?”
The Israelites believed that defeats were a result of their sins and interpreted these losses as a sign of God’s judgment.
However, they also held the conviction that God was still with them and that He would eventually bring vindication in the future.
I must bear the indignation of the Lord
because I have sinned against him,
until he takes my side
and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
I shall see his vindication.
Then my enemies will see,
and shame will cover those who said to me,
“Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will see their downfall;
now they will be trodden down
like the mire of the streets. Micah 5.9-10
The problems of pain, suffering, oppression, and defeat are all very real issues. The person who goes through those may wonder, “Where is the God that I serve?” The answer is to wait, to trust God, and to see what He is doing.
If sin is the root cause, then repentance is necessary. If sin is not the issue, the key is simply to keep on trusting and following God.
A Prayer of Trust
The relationship between the people of God and Him is very real and personal. Our life with God is vividly illustrated by Jesus when He tells us, “You are my friends.”
We are not merely followers of God; we are His friends.
With this in mind, we can confidently ask God to guide us as our Shepherd, leading us to prosperity, victory, and His well-being.
Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock that belongs to you,
which lives alone in a forest
in the midst of a garden land;
let them feed in Bashan and Gilead
as in the days of old.
As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
show us marvelous things. Micah 5.14-15
One of the best ways to engage with a scripture passage is to transform it into a prayer. In doing so, we can express our trust in God and acknowledge that His plan is the number one priority in our lives.
We can also include world leaders in our prayers, asking they will embrace God’s plan as their primary guide.
Moreover, we should seek God’s guidance in identifying areas in our lives that require repentance. In challenging situations, it’s crucial to ask, “Lord, show me how to change.”
Ultimately, we can state our confidence in God by saying, “Lord, be my Shepherd.” Let’s also pray that others around the world may come to know Him as their Shepherd too.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 