This week the big news has been about Pres. Trump meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Israel and the course forward in the Middle East. One of the main agendas of the meeting is to discuss how to handle the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians living there.
The meeting has already become controversial because of President Trump’s actions and personal agenda. Below are some of the actions that are already being met with resistance domestically and by other countries.
- The United States seizing control of the Gaza Strip.
- The displacement/relocation of Palestinians.
- Using force to conquer the settlement
My post for today isn’t to delve into the politics of this meaning, but to look at it from a biblical and spiritual perspective of what is happening or will happen. Personally, I think it is foolish to politicize the war in the Middle East.
The Middle East conflict has raged for much longer than the past few years. The conflict first escalated almost ¾ of a century ago when Israel was established as a sovereign nation, ever since there have been feuds off and on about who the region belongs to.
Even before the conflict began the ball prophesied and warned about tensions in the Middle East as it pertains to God’s promise to Israel to be established as a permanent nation (Genesis 12; 26:3.)
Now all of these years later the prophecy about the Middle East is being fulfilled in God’s time, all of these years later, God’s promise to Abraham and His will have been coming together at God’s appointed time.
What Is Time
Time is a concept most of us often struggle with. As fallen creatures we look at time from a human standpoint and our perspective is limited time is defined as, “The measured or measurable period during which in action, process, or condition continues; an appointed or fixed moment of occurrence.”
While our perspective is limited, God’s isn’t, the Bible tells us that God is both omnipresent and omnipotent, which means He isn’t limited by a moment or point in history.
In fact, Christianity teaches that God Himself is the Creator and author of time (Genesis 1:1-5.) The Bible has a lot to say about time and man’s limitations with it (John 5:28-29, Hebrews 9:27.)
Over and over we are taught that God’s timing and ways are not like ours (Job 38:4-5, Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 11:33-34.) God’s ways and timing aren’t the same as man’s because God has a bigger and fuller perspective of everything.
God’s timing is perfect and just (Luke 18:27, Acts 1:7, Romans 8:18-21, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Galatians 4:4; 6:9, Ephesians 1:10, 2 Peter 3:8-9.) The apostles remembered their Jewish education about time and how it works.
‘Ēṯ
Time is an ancient concept that has roots deep in Judaism. The Torah tells us only God was present in the beginning and He created the natural cycle of time (Genesis 1:1-3.) God looks at time from an eternal and heavenly perspective.
That’s why God’s timing isn’t like man’s finite concept of it. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for time is ʿēṯ and it can also mean, “Season, when, ways, continually, or tide, “depending on the context it is used in.
Judaism emphasizes the need to wait on God and His timing because God knows best (Genesis 18:14; 21:2; 49:18, Psalm 27:14; 31:5, Proverbs 15:23; 20:22, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Isaiah 8:17; 33:2, Zephaniah 3:8.) That is why patience is one of the most important Jewish virtues:
- Patience
- Justice
- Truth
- Peace
- Love
- Compassion
- Humility
- Charity
- Kindness
- Long-Suffering
Judaism also teaches God’s people to wait for the promised Messiah which is where salvation comes from (Psalm 25:4-5, Isaiah 30:18; 40:31; 64:4, Lamentations 3:25, Micah 7:7, Habakkuk 2:3.)
The Apostle Paul taught that the Messiah, Jesus, entered the world at the exact time God had appointed (Galatians 4:4.) Jesus often used seasons and nature to teach His followers about God’s ways and timing (Matthew 16: 3; 24: 32, Mark 13: 28-29, Luke 21: 29-31.)
Often it is through God’s creation that we see Him and how His perfect timing works. For the past two weeks, the southeast has experienced a false spring with unusually high temperatures.
No matter how much we want or try we cannot manipulate time to get what we want when we want it (Ephesians 5:15-16, Colossians 4:5.)
El Salvador
In other news this week, it was announced that El Salvador would accept illegal immigrants from the United States. First off it hasn’t been determined if this is a legal option for America and we are supposedly a country of law and order.
President Trump also said he would jail US citizens if necessary. However, President Trump has forgotten that in America are legal system citizens have the right to due process according to the law of our land, the Constitution.
When it comes to the law, timing is very important. Man’s timeline is finite due to our human nature.
- Aging
- Frailty
- Mortality
God has an infinite nature that gives him a much better understanding of time and creation. The Bible is clear only God was here in the beginning and only He knows how and when everything will end (Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13.) God will never die and He exists outside the boundaries of ʿēṯ!
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