Israel Faces War on Seven Fronts!

In September 2023, Israel had already made peace with several Arab neighbors and was poised to sign a peace deal with Saudi Arabia. Then, October 7 happened, and the current Israel-Hamas war erupted, which has now dragged on for three months and embroiled more of the world in proxy wars. And there are signs the conflict is spreading.

In recent comments to the Knesset, Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, declared Israel is fighting a “multi-front war” (The Guardian, December 26, 2023). He further noted Israel is “coming under attack from seven theatres: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria [an Israeli term for the West Bank], Iraq, Yemen and Iran.” Some analysts believe “Israel’s retaliatory war on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip has already become one of the most destructive conflicts of the 21st century, with estimates suggesting more than 20,600 people have been killed, 55,000 injured, and 85% of the Palestinian territory’s 2.3 million people forced to flee their homes.”

The history of Israel is replete with war and fighting. Ancient Israel fought to take possession of the Promised Land. God promised that Israel would prevail over their enemies if they obeyed His instructions, but, if they disobeyed, they would be defeated and be a source of trouble among the nations (Deuteronomy 28:1–2, 7, 15, 25). The Bible also foretold that Jerusalem would be “a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples” (Zechariah 12:2), and “a very heavy stone for all peoples” (v. 3). Peace in Jerusalem appears to be impossible until Jesus Christ returns and makes it His capital city! King David’s admonition written thousands of years ago remains painfully relevant today: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). To learn more about Israel’s real future, read “A Cup of Trembling.”