First Thoughts On The Hamas Terrorist Attack Against Israel

Pro 18:13  He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. 

Over the weekend, a terrorist group named Hamas attacked Israel 9/11 style. (One person told ABC News reporter David Muir that this was Israel's 9/11). Once I found out what was going on, my head was spinning. What does this all mean? What's going to happen now? Now, mind you, I've seen lots of violent acts on TV. School shootings. Russia invading Ukraine. Black Lives Matter. However, this one event stuck out. At least a thousand Israelis, presumably Jews, dead. This hits biblically home.

I had a few ideas about “Why?” Firstly, the acknowledgment that this was still the hand of God at work, yes, even the unpleasant times:

Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. 

Ecc 7:14  In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 

One angle I considered when thinking about the terrorist attacks was that this was a form of God's judgment.  Yes, that sounds quite harsh, but we have to consider all options.  So, searching on that angle, I found a podcast from Jason Whitlock where he was reading the book of Judges when the terrorist attack happened. He found eery similarities, as in the book of Judges, Israel often sinned, and God would raise up evildoers to attack Israel. Now,  I'm not saying that Hamas is God's instrument of judgment against Israel. However, the concept is not impossible. I make no judgment concerning that, considering the first Scripture text I cited.

In fact, Mr. Whitlock's angle wasn't even about God and Israel.  It was about God and the United States, in particular, how we should be thoughtful of the sinfulness of the United States (in particular, the "diversity" of religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, etc. being tolerated in America), and that perhaps God would raise up evildoers to attack us, from the inside. This is very possible, seeing how violence on the inside has already been on full display these last few years. It would not surprise me if the United States suffered a great blow at the hands of pure evil, such evil raised up by God to punish us.

No matter what angle is correct, one thing is for certain: Hamas committed great acts of evil against Israel. That is not in doubt.

So, all I can say for certain is this:  We need to pray, and for all of us, we need to repent of our own moral filth:

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
(Luk 13:1-5)