Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2021
Deuteronomy 16:19 says, “You shall not . . . take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” Therefore, it is written, “You shall follow what is altogether just” (v. 20).
There are 56 Muslim countries in the United Nations, and they are always against Israel. Where is justice? We see what is going on, what our enemies call justice, which is not justice at all. Yet the entire world supports our enemies. First Kings 21:19 asks, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” Psalm 94:3 asks, “How long will the wicked triumph?”
How little a nation we are among such big locusts! But the Lord told His Chosen People in Isaiah 41:9–10, “I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you.”
We see the truth of His Holy Word come to life every day because we are here in Israel, proclaiming to the nations what the Lord has done. And though we have enemies, some of them say what is written in Zechariah 8:23: “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
We go to those who want to cast us into the sea and bring God’s Word to them. God said in Deuteronomy 7:18, “You shall not be afraid of them.” Even though they outnumber us, we have compassion on them because they do not know the Lord, and they live by the sword. Our obligation before God is to bring them the Good News. The Lord did not come only for the people of Israel. As John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Not everyone knows this truth. Where I live there are many Arab villages. We have a good relationship with many of our neighbors, so we speak to them about God from time to time even though they are extremely fanatical.
We must be careful. But our home is always open. When our children were young many years ago, the Arab children played with them; and we have had many good conversations about faith. Most Arabs are very sure of themselves because there are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world and only 13 million Jews.
One day I was talking to some of my Arab neighbors. “How can you possibly be victorious over such mighty nations like us?” one asked.
“When I was in the army of Israel in 1948,” I replied, “there were only half a million people here. Most were like me, ravaged from the Holocaust. And you came against us, 250 million people from eight Arab countries. You were like the locusts in Egypt against this little worm, Israel. And what did you do? Did you defeat us? No! You were defeated.
“This is not a made-up story. I am telling you what I have seen with my own eyes. After four more wars, what do you think? We are still here. Were we fighting all those wars alone? No! As the Lord said in Isaiah 49, ‘I will contend with him who contends with you’” (v. 25).
Six Arab men were standing around me, and they wanted to know all about what happened in those wars. I told them everything. With such people you need much patience and nerves of iron, and I have both. I served in the Israeli army over five wars, and my job was in the minefields, detecting mines. You had to work slowly and carefully and could not make a single mistake, or you would detonate the mines. Without patience, where would I be now?
It is not often I have the chance to have a friendly conversation with our Muslim neighbors, especially about my faith in Christ. Our conversation was very interesting. I am sure they will go to their sheikhs and report what they heard.
Some want to speak with me again but are afraid their neighbors will kill them. We endure much hatred. But as Zechariah 4:6 says, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” I pray those who heard my long testimony will open their hearts to the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ.
