The Death of Sinwar on the First Day of Tabernacles

In light of the timing of the massacre (the last day of Sukkot 2023) and now the announcement of Sinwar’s killing (the first day of Sukkot 2024), and in light of the many deadly blows inflicted on terrorist leaders and their followers in recent months, how would biblical authors describe these events?

The Death of Sinwar on the First Day of Tabernacles | Articles | The Line of Fire

One year ago, on the last day of the celebratory Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), the unthinkable happened, and a living hell was unleashed on the people of Israel. 

That was October 7, 2023, a day that will live in infamy in the decades to come, a day that has still not ended for the hostages and the families of the victims. 

One year later, on the first day of Sukkot, Yahyah Sinwar, the mastermind of the massacre, was dead.

To add to the poetic justice of the moment, Sinwar, who had eluded the best efforts of combined Israeli and American intelligence for more than one full year, was “accidentally” killed when Israeli troops exchanged gunfire with three Hamas terrorists on Wednesday in Rafah.

One of those terrorists, wounded in his right hand during the gun battle, ran into an empty building, which was then destroyed by IDF tank fire.

It was only afterward, on Thursday, when soldiers investigated the scene and found the bodies of these Hamas fighters, that they made the shocking discovery. This terrorist looked exactly like Sinwar!

The first day of Sukkot began on sundown Wednesday, and as the next day unfolded, the shocking news was being announced worldwide: it was very likely that Sinwar was dead.

By mid-evening Thursday Israeli time, the news was confirmed: it was a DNA match. 

From everything I had read in the previous months, it was believed that Sinwar was living in the tunnels, surrounded by hostages, constantly changing his location to avoid detection.

More recently, reports indicated that he was either hoping for a regional war that could better his chances of survival or that he was resigned to his fate, knowing he would not make it out of Gaza alive. In that case, it was understood, many hostages would die with him.

There were also unconfirmed reports that he had sometimes dressed as a woman and walked the streets of Gaza, allegedly being sighted or even photographed, but none of that was confirmed.

The idea that he would be out in the open, engaging in a firefight together with other Hamas terrorists is almost unimaginable, yet that’s exactly what happened.

It reminded me immediately of the biblical account of the death of Ahab, a wicked Israelite king who went into battle without his royal robes, not wanting to draw attention to himself. “But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor” (1 Kings 22:34). Within hours, the king was dead.

The act was seemingly random, but since Ahab was destined to die under divine judgment, the arrow was actually guided by another hand. 

Of course, the death of this mass murderer does not bring back any of the Israelis killed on or since October 7 (including the hundreds of IDF soldiers). It does not assuage the pain of these agonizing, life-wrenching losses. Nor does it bring back any of the thousands who have died in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

But without a doubt, it brings a measure of retributive justice along with, hopefully, a crippling final blow to Hamas.

Not only so, but this is only the tip of the iceberg in Israel’s response to the massacre and the subsequent attacks from Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthis.

In recent weeks and months, Israel took out: 
1) Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, along with his replacement and his replacement’s replacement; 
2) Ismael Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, killed in what should have been the safety of his guest house in Tehran; 
3) a number of senior Iranian military leaders; 
4) thousands of Hezbollah operatives, either wounded or killed by the exploding pagers and walkie-talkies.

It is true that Israel was guilty of systemic security failures on October 7, opening the door to the massacre. 

It is true that Israel was a nation deeply divided, that some of its military and security leaders had become either proud or complacent, and that some of the most radical elements of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s rightwing government were contributing to unrest in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), further stretching Israel’s security forces.

A number of Israel’s senior leaders have apologized for some of these failings, as the nation as a whole remains in the throes of war and corporate PTSD.

Yet Sinwar’s death is a beacon of hope for the nation and a reminder to the watching world that you pay a dreadful price when you seek to inflict murderous harm on the people of Israel. (Even as I write these words, Iran is still wondering how Israel will strike back in retaliation for Iran’s recent missile bombardment.) The terrorists and their allies are on high alert.

As for biblical prophecy, there is nothing in the Scriptures that specifically predicted the events of October 7 or the death of Sinwar.

In light of the timing of the massacre (the last day of Sukkot 2023) and now the announcement of Sinwar’s killing (the first day of Sukkot 2024), and in light of the many deadly blows inflicted on terrorist leaders and their followers in recent months, how would biblical authors describe these events? Would they attribute them to natural forces alone?

In my opinion, while the biblical authors would deeply lament the massive losses of October 7, they would certainly recognize the hand of God backing Israel’s efforts since then.

I, for my part, would have a hard time differing with that assessment.

Our Hands Are Stained With Blood - The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People

Could Antisemitism Cost Kamala Harris the Presidency?

Given the potential importance of Pennsylvania in the elections, it is foolish not to consider concerns of an anti-Jewish, anti-Israel backlash as a main reason Shapiro was not chosen. This is hardly a matter of playing the antisemitism card. In this case, it could well be real...

Could Antisemitism Cost Kamala Harris the Presidency? | Articles | The Line of Fire

According to an October 9, 2024 article in the New York Times by Shane Goldmacher, 

“There may be seven main battlegrounds in the race for the White House in 2024, all of which could prove crucial. But Pennsylvania stands apart as the state that top strategists for both Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump have circled as the likeliest to tip the election.”

In light of this observation, which is hardly novel, the obvious question is: Why, then, wasn’t Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro chosen as Harris’s Vice Presidential candidate? Wouldn’t he do a better job of delivering Pennsylvania to the Democrats? And overall, wasn’t he a much better choice than Tim Waltz?

Now, I am neither a political pundit nor a pollster. And I am simply raising questions rather than making assertions, let alone dogmatic assertions.

But what if Trump wins the national election and taking Pennsylvania was a key to that victory? (Again, this is not a prediction; these are questions.) What if choosing Governor Shapiro for Vice President would have secured Pennsylvania for Harris? And what if he was not chosen because of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish sentiments?

I’m not the only one to ask such questions.

Writing August 6 for the Forward, a liberal Jewish publication (actually, America’s oldest), Jacob Kornbluh stated, “Some say Harris’ decision to go with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was influenced by an aggressive social media campaign led by pro-Palestinian activists and progressives aimed at keeping Shapiro off the ticket.

“The Harris campaign has denied this. A Harris aide, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, called the claim ‘absurd,’ and ‘absolutely ridiculous and offensive.’”

Two weeks earlier, also writing for the Forward, a headline to Benyamin Cohen’s article asked, “Will Josh Shapiro’s Jewishness hurt or help a Harris ticket?” Yes, we were told, “The Pennsylvania governor is on the shortlist for vice president,” but, “Will antisemitism derail the nomination?”

Writing for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on August 6, Ron Kampeas asked, 

“Is it weird that Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz to be her running mate instead of Josh Shapiro?

“On Tuesday, as soon as the vice president announced that the Minnesota governor would be her running mate, critics of the choice began suggesting that she sidelined Pennsylvania’s governor because he is Jewish.

“‘Did Harris reject Shapiro just because progressives don’t like that he was Jewish?’ tweeted Alan Dershowitz, the lawyer and gadfly who has said he is a Democrat but has frequently defended Donald Trump. 

“Maury Litwack, an Orthodox Union executive who focuses on education policy, tweeted, ‘Democrats: You can be excited about the Walz pick but also be sad that an outright antisemitic campaign was waged against Shapiro. Some soul searching is needed.’”

Nonetheless, Kampeas ended his article quoting Chuck Schumer, himself Jewish, dismissing the idea that “Jews were not welcome in their ranks.” Schumer responded to a post from conservative commentator Erick Erickson who had tweeted, “No Jews allowed at the top of the Democratic Party.”

Yet it is not only Jewish publications like the Forward and the JTA discussing these concerns.

An August 2 headline on CNN.com stated, “Some Jewish Democrats wonder if America is ready for a Jewish vice president.”

The article, written by Edward-Isaac Dovere, stated, 

“with Shapiro very much in contention in Kamala Harris’ rushed running mate search, the Democratic world – already divided over the politics of Israel in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack – is wondering whether the US would really be ready for a Jewish vice president — and the first Black and South Asian woman president, who happens to be married to a Jewish man.”

Also on August 2, and writing for USA Today, Riley Beggin noted that, 

“As Harris nears a decision, some Democratic voters and organizers are urging her not to choose Shapiro because of concerns about his Israel stance and how he has handled the fallout from the Israel-Hamas war in the United States.”

The headline read, “Josh Shapiro's vice presidential prospects spark debate over Israel policy, antisemitism”

Then, on August 7, 2024, also in USA Today, Joey Garrison and Rebecca Morin wrote, 

“Walz and his common-man persona got the nod over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 51, whose popularly in his home state made him a strong option to help deliver what is widely seen as the most important battleground state of the election.”

“Throughout the 16-day vice presidential selection process, Shapiro was seen as the betting favorite and the stage was literally set for a hometown pick, with Harris holding a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday night to debut her selection. But momentum for Walz built in recent days from the left while progressive activists raised concerns about Shapiro's stance on Israel. Shapiro's defenders argued he was unfairly singled out because he is Jewish.”

Obviously, Jews have played a prominent role in Democratic politics for years. And there have been more than a few Jewish Democratic presidential candidates, most prominently Bernie Sanders, Michael Bloomberg, and Joe Lieberman (vice presidential candidate in 2000 as a Democrat before becoming an Independent), Few would seriously argue that the main reason Hillary Clinton defeated Sanders in the primaries was because he is Jewish. (For the record, both Howard Phillips and Marianne Williamson are Jewish too.)

And then there was Barry Goldwater, the famously liberal Republican candidate for president in 1964, who was crushed in the elections by the Democratic incumbent Lyndon Baines Johnson – and not, primarily, because he was Jewish. (Arlen Specter, formerly a Democrat, ran for president in 1996, but as a Republican.)

What is different today, however, is Israel’s war in Gaza (and beyond) and the massive spike in anti-Israel sentiments throughout America, coupled with the Biden-Harris efforts not to alienate Arab American voters.

Given the potential importance of Pennsylvania in the elections, it is foolish not to consider concerns of an anti-Jewish, anti-Israel backlash as a main reason Shapiro was not chosen. This is hardly a matter of playing the antisemitism card. In this case, it could well be real.

One full year later, the pain remains great and the nation is suffering corporate PTSD, even as it remains deeply divided, adding to the trauma. Even in America, Jewish students on campuses in now feel unsafe.
Please pray for God’s mercy on His people Israel and that He would somehow bring beauty out of ashes and life out of death. Have mercy, Lord, and intervene!

One Year Later, Israel is Still in Agony | Articles | The Line of Fire

One full year after October 7, the nation of Israel is still traumatized and many of its people are still in great pain. 

One full year later, there are still scores of hostages languishing in Gaza, if not dead, and their families remain in daily agony. 

One full year later, the war with Hamas continues, but now there is also war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as possible war with Iran itself. 

One full year later, rather than sympathy for Israel growing it is hatred for Israel that is growing.

One year ago, the unthinkable happened on Israeli soil. A mass pogrom took place within the borders of this tiny state, the one place that was supposed to be safe for Jewish people. The nation’s vaunted security systems failed miserably and babies were slaughtered, women were raped, the elderly were executed, and whole families burned alive.

I remember waking up the morning of the 7th to the news that Hamas terrorists had flooded Israel and that as many as 100 Israelis had been killed. Impossible, I thought. Not today, in Israel. This cannot be. Then there were reports that several soldiers had been taken hostage. This, too, was unthinkable, with horrific potential consequences.

After all, IDF soldier Gilad Shalit had languished as a hostage in Gaza for five long years before his release, which required Israeli releasing 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his life – and one of those prisoners was Yahyah Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 massacre. 

What would Hamas do with several Israeli hostages?

But as that dreadful day unfolded, the news was far more devastating than anything we could have imagined. This is what I wrote one year ago as more reports came in: 

“Heartbreak. Shock. Agony. Devastation. Confusion. Rage. These are just a few of the emotions flooding the hearts of millions of Israelis in the midst of an unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas. This is a time to stop and pray for the merciful intervention of God.

“What makes this attack all the more insidious is that it comes almost 50 years to the day of the infamous Yom Kippur War in 1973. At that fateful time, Israel was attacked in the midst of 24 hours of prayer and fasting on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

“The current attack, on October 7, 2023 did not just come on Saturday, the Sabbath, but on what is called Simchat Torah, ‘the joy of the Torah,’ the greatest day of celebration on the Jewish calendar. This is the culmination of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a day of singing and dancing and rejoicing.

“But this day, instead of dancing there is wailing and mourning. Bloodshed has filled the land.

“First there were reports of a limited number of casualties. Then shocking news of as many as 40 Israelis killed and 700 wounded. Then reports of more than 100 dead and 900 wounded. And the battles still rage as I write, with reports of Israeli soldiers taken hostage by Hamas.”

Only later did we learn that 1,200 were murdered, 3,400 wounded, and almost 250 taken hostage. The mind reels at these numbers.

I had the sickening privilege of viewing the 47-minute film compiled by the IDF gathered from CCTV footage, the body cams of the terrorists, and cell phone videos, including many from the victims themselves shortly before their deaths. I also visited the site of the Nova Music Festival as well as a large lot filled with hundreds of burnt vehicles, many of them also riddled with bullets. 

Just being at these sites and seeing the IDF footage was overwhelmingly painful – and all I did was glimpse from a distance the unspeakable agony of a nation.

Since that fateful day, more than 700 Israeli soldiers have died in battle, and every night, Israelis watch the news with dread awaiting the news of the latest fatalities.

Then there is the burning salt that been poured into Israel’s corporate wounds over these months, such as when the IDF accidentally killed three of their own people in Gaza, young men who had managed to escape from their captors, only to be shot and killed when they were mistaken for terrorists.

Or the news that as many as 20 percent of IDF soldiers killed have been the victims of friendly fire, so difficult is the warfare in Gaza.

Or the news that 6 Israeli hostages, men and women who had endured almost one year of hell, including a young man who lost a hand on the 7th, were executed by their captors as the IDF drew near, shot in cold blood in the back of the head.

Or the appalling reality that, one full year later, Kfir Bibas is still in captivity – he was only 8 months old when he was kidnapped by the terrorists. Also in captivity with Kfir is his older brother. He was just four years old when abducted.

And all the while, a host from the left and the right deny that any women were raped on the 7th. Or that any babies were killed. Or that any children were burned alive.

And all the while, Israel is accused of committing genocide against the Palestinian people and engaging in terrorist acts against the Hezbollah militants.

One full year later, the pain remains great and the nation is suffering corporate PTSD, even as it remains deeply divided, adding to the trauma. 

Even in America, Jewish students on campuses in now feel unsafe – and for good reason.

Please pray for God’s mercy on His people Israel and that He would somehow bring beauty out of ashes and life out of death. And, as much as my focus has been on the Jewish nation in this article, let us pray for God’s mercy on the suffering Palestinians as well. They, too, are victims of militant, terrorist Islam.

This is What ‘Normal Life’ Looks Like in Israel

Over the decades, “normal life” in Israel has looked very different than normal life in most every other country in the rest of the world. That’s because Israel has been surrounded by mortal enemies who want nothing less than the nation’s destruction. Since Israel’s very existence is constantly being threatened, thus Israel must live in a state of constant vigilance . . .

This is What ‘Normal Life’ Looks Like in Israel | Articles | The Line of Fire

Over the decades, “normal life” in Israel has looked very different than normal life in most every other country in the rest of the world. 

That’s because Israel has been surrounded by mortal enemies who want nothing less than the nation’s destruction, because Israel’s very existence is constantly being threatened, because Israel must live in a state of constant vigilance. 

And what happens when the nation lets down its guard and its security systems fail? 

Some of the most revealing accounts from the massacre came from non-Israeli young people attending the Nova Music Festival. On the morning of October 7, as the sound of rocket blasts was heard, these non-Israelis were alarmed. “Are we under attack?”, they wondered. But their Israeli friends danced and partied on. Nothing to be worried about! We get bombed all the time. 

Little did any of them realize that this day would be different than the rest. 

But until the full reality hit, this was just another day in the life of an Israeli.

For more than a decade now, many Israelis install apps on their cell phones notifying them of missile attacks in their area, sounding red alerts. Can you imagine having an app like that on your phone?

A few years ago, while attending a conference in Pennsylvania, an Israeli friend casually showed me her cell phone as missile warnings came flooding in. No big deal!

Every home must have a safe room, designed to be more protective in the case of bombing, while every building has a built-in or nearby bomb shelter. And in some parts of the country, such as Sederot, near the Gaza border, residents can never be more than 15 seconds from a bomb shelter.

After high school, male Israelis are required to serve three years in the army while females serve for two years. This is mandatory for everyone, with the only exemptions being for ultra-Orthodox Jews, although that is currently being challenged. Many of these young people may find themselves on the front lines of hellish battles while still in their teens.

Life in Israel is quite sobering, to say the least.

And military service doesn’t end with the mandatory time after high school. Israeli men can still be called back to service until they are 40 (for non-commissioned soldiers) or even 45 (for officers). In fact, in the midst of the current war in Gaza, those numbers have been upped to 41 and 46, respectively.

Last June, when I was speaking at a conference in Jerusalem, a young Israeli man came into the meeting. He was dressed casually, in shorts and a t-shirt, but he was carrying his gun over his shoulder. As a soldier, he was required to have his weapon with him at all times, even though he had just returned from active service. This is a common sight throughout the country.

To give a random example from February 22, 2016, 

“Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot ordered that all off-duty IDF combat soldiers must carry their personal weapons in response to the recent violence, specifically following last week's terror attack at a West Bank supermarket.”

An off-duty Israeli soldier who had deposited his gun in the weapons armory, as per protocol, had tried to thwart a terrorist attack and was stabbed to death. From here on, said the IDF Chief of Staff, even off-duty soldiers – in this case one who was on vacation – must carry their personal weapons.

As for other aspects of “normal life” in Israel, if you walk into a shopping mall carrying a pocketbook, it could well be searched. And don’t think you’ll just go strolling in with a big knapsack on your back.

As for enjoying a meal at a nice outdoor restaurant in your favorite city, you can expect to see armed security present as well. Vigilance is always required.

During a wave of terrorist attacks some years ago, I heard from friends in Israel who were married with kids. Both parents would never be out without their kids lest they be killed and the children orphaned. One parent would stay home while the other shopped or worked. Who could even imagine thinking like that in a country like the United States?

As for El Al, the national airline, you have not discovered the meaning of “security check” until you fly El Al. I have personally been held up for well over an hour on more than occasion because my travel route seemed odd or something else flagged their attention. And should they have real cause for concern, security agents will actually cut open your luggage in search of explosives or dangerous devices.

This is what Israel must do to live in safety.

Israel lives with the reality of Hamas leaders vowing to repeat October 7 again and again until there is no more Israel. Of Iran calling for the extermination of Israel and now launching direct missile attacks on the Jewish state. Of the Houthis proclaiming, “Death to Israel.” And of Hezbollah armed with more than 150,000 missiles and rockets.

All the more reason should Christians pray for the protection of Israel and remind God of His promises in Psalm 121.

This is also why Israelis are so tough. They have no other choice.

Is the IDF Committing Terrorist Acts Against Hezbollah?

When it comes to the arch-terrorist Nasrallah, this was not a matter of someone coming to kill you; this was a matter of someone who was ALREADY responsible for thousands of deaths, both Israeli and Arab . . .

Is the IDF Committing Terrorist Acts Against Hezbollah? | Articles | The Line of Fire

There is a Talmudic dictum that states, “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first” (b. Sanhedrin 72a). 

This is part of a discussion of the laws of self-defense, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited it with reference to the targeted killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. 

Was this a right and fair application of this Talmudic principle? And did Israel rightfully follow this same principle in the pager attacks on thousands of Hezbollah operatives? Or is Israel engaging in acts of terror?

When it comes to Nasrallah, this was not a matter of someone coming to kill you. This was a matter of someone who was already responsible for thousands of deaths, both Israeli and Arab. 

As Netanyahu said in his speech in Hebrew after killing Nasrallah, 

“‘The one who rises to kill you—rise and kill him first.’ The State of Israel has eliminated the arch-terrorist Hassan Nasrallah. We have settled accounts with the man responsible for the murder of countless Israelis and many citizens of other nations, including hundreds of Americans. Nasrallah was not just another terrorist. He was the terrorist.”

Indeed, even Al Jazeera news noted that other Arab nations viewed Nasrallah as a terrorist, and after his death was confirmed, there was celebration in different parts of the Arab/Muslim world, including the countries of Lebanon, Syria, and even Iran. (Note that Nasrallah studied in Islamic seminaries in Iran and Hezbollah, like Iran, is Shiite, making celebrations there even more significant.)

“As a Lebanese, this is one of the happiest days in Lebanon’s history. As a Middle Easterner, this is one of the most transformative days for the Middle East. As a human being who holds peace before my eyes, this is the most important day for our region.”

And throughout the Middle East, videos were posted of dancing and singing in the streets, along with the traditional handing out of sweets and candies. 

Muslims were celebrating what Israel was able to do.

Even President Biden, who is trying not to alienate Arab American voters, referred to Nasrallah’s killing as “a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians,” noting that, “Nasrallah and Hezbollah ‘were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror.’”

“With the confirmed assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah . . . it is clear now that the entire senior command echelon of Lebanese Hezbollah is dead.

“That includes the Radwan commander, in charge of operations against Israel on the ground along the Blue Line, and his key subordinates. Also the top IRGC Quds Force people assigned to Lebanon. Add to this, thousands of Lebanese Hezbollah operatives who rated a company pager are out of action, blind, mutilated or dead.”

What, then, of Israel’s targeted pager and walkie-talkie attack on these Hezbollah operatives? Was this a justifiable act of self-defense, or was it a mass terrorist action?

Let’s remember that Hezbollah set up operations in northern Lebanon directly bordering Israel more than 40 years ago, with the goal of terrorizing Israeli citizens. They have done this for decades, now owning the largest arsenal of any non-state army in the world. At this very moment, more than 80,000 Israelis have had to evacuate their homes due to Hezbollah’s rocket and missile attacks. 

And remember that, on October 8, just one day after the Hamas massacre, when the nation of Israel was suffering devastating losses and deep corporate shock, Hezbollah began a fresh bombardment of its own from the north, one that has not ceased over the months.

Hezbollah and Nasrallah have also resisted Israeli attempts in the past to separate Hezbollah from Hamas with the goal of brokering a peaceful coexistence between Israel and Lebanon. Not only so, but they have brought terrible suffering on the Lebanese people, setting up their military operations in the midst of communities.

When it comes to those targeted in the pager, walkie-talkie attack, those owning them were Hezbollah operatives, all of whom had sworn themselves to the destruction of Israel. 

Had they been taken out in normal military operations by Israel, most commonly, through IDF air strikes, there would likely have been thousands of civilian casualties as well. In the case of the exploding devices, while there were, quite tragically, some civilian casualties, including the death of some children, the number of those casualties was massively lower than would have been the case through normal military operations. 

And surely, in the eyes of the Jewish nation under constant, deadly onslaught, this precise wounding and killing of terrorists was morally justifiable, fully and completely.

Contrast this with the effects of an errant Hezbollah rocket that landed in a Druze village in northern Israel, killing 12 children who were playing soccer.

This is the murderous recklessness of this dangerous terrorist organization, one whose powers have been massively curtailed by Israel in recent days. 

That’s why the overwhelming consensus of those responding to my poll on X – at a ratio of 20 to 1 – said that Israel was not guilty of terrorist activity when it exploded the pagers of Hezbollah members and assassinated Hezbollah leader Nasrallah.

Understanding the Anti-Israel Ideology of Hezbollah

The founders of Hezbollah looked to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini for their inspiration. This also helps to explain the intensity of their anti-Israel ideology, which is similar to the anti-Israel hatred of Hamas, which is both ideological and territorial.

Understanding the Anti-Israel Ideology of Hezbollah | Articles | The Line of Fire

In a recent article, I explained that the founders of Hezbollah looked to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini for their inspiration. This also helps to explain the intensity of their anti-Israel ideology, which is similar to the anti-Israel hatred of Hamas, which is both ideological and territorial.

There is a well-known Islamic tradition (Sahih Muslim Book 41, Hadith 6985) that states that, 

“The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.”

The fires of Hezbollah are fueled by radical rhetoric like this.

It is that ideology, coupled with territorial disputes, that fuels the fires of Hezbollah’s murderous hatred.

Christian Antisemitism - Confronting the Lies in Today’s Church

Our Hands Are Stained With Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People

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Understanding Israel’s Pager Attack on Hezbollah

For decades now, Israel has had to live with a murderous, terrorist army on part of its northern border that is regularly trying to slaughter Jewish people and that, right now, has caused many tens of thousands of Israelis to relocate further south. Finally, Israel said enough is enough, leading to the stunning, mass cyber-assault . . .

Understanding Israel’s Pager Attack on Hezbollah | Articles | The Line of Fire

Can you imagine the level of physical and psychological trauma throughout Lebanon and parts of Syria yesterday as thousands of Hezbollah pagers exploded, leaving many Islamic militants injured, hundreds of them critically, and several of them dead? 

It sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie more than real life, especially at the scale on which it occurred. 

In the midst of all the trauma and suffering, here’s what you need to know.

Hezbollah, which in Arabic means “The Party of God,” is a Shiite Muslim organization founded in 1982, inspired by the theocratic vision of Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini. 

From first to last, it has represented radical Islamic ideology and, in that regard, is no different than Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS, or Hamas. They share the same goals of an Islamic State, and they have a deep antipathy for America and Israel.

In the words of Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, the current leader of Hezbollah, which is a registered political party in Lebanon holding a fair amount of seats, “[Israel] is an aggressive, illegal and illegitimate entity, which has no future in our land. Its destination is manifested in our motto, ‘Death to Israel’.”

Funded by Iran, Hezbollah is primarily based in Lebanon, where it has launched thousands of rockets and missiles into northern Israel for decades, including hundreds in recent weeks alone. According to estimates, Hezbollah currently has between 130,000-200,000 missiles in its arsenal, a staggering amount of weaponry. And these deadly weapons are pointed right at Israel and can reach virtually any location in the Land.

Like Hamas, they have no interest in a two-state solution but rather desire the extermination of Israel. 

Also like Hamas, they embed themselves in civilian areas, making it more difficult for Israel to retaliate without inflicting civilian casualties. But their soldiers are said to be better-trained than Hamas soldiers and they are far more equipped militarily than Hamas.

All that to say that for decades now, Israel has had to live with a murderous, radical army on part of its northern border, a terrorist army that is regularly trying to slaughter Jewish people and that, right now, has caused many tens of thousands of Israelis to relocate further south.

If this were America rather than Israel and Hezbollah was encamped in Canada to the immediate north of many of our states, how long do you think we would allow these terrorists to continue bombing us and forcing our citizens to evacuate? 

Finally, Israel said enough is enough, leading to the stunning, mass cyber-assault on Tuesday.

From what we can understand, Israel was able to intercept a shipment of pagers from Taiwan (with pagers considered by Hezbollah to be harder to hack and safer to use than cell phones) and implant both explosives and a triggering device into the pagers. The pagers were then delivered as expected to the Hezbollah operatives, to be triggered by a message sent by Israel but appearing to be from Hezbollah headquarters. When the operative checked the message, his phone exploded, leading to ghastly results.

Some sources claim that Israel was waiting to use this during a time of major war but when one or two of the militants realized something was wrong with the pagers, they had to act. And act they did.

One online commenter described this as, “Absolutely epic operation that blended cyber + kinetic actions + information warfare against an enemy.” 

At the same time, as much as I despise the murderous goals of Hezbollah and stand with Israel’s right to defend itself against these terrorists, I also recognize that many human beings, created in God’s image, are suffering in agony right now in Lebanese hospitals. Some of them will be maimed for life, with missing hands or missing private parts or missing eyes or ears. Some will never resume normal lives. Many families will be affected. And, reportedly, there were some unintended civilian deaths, including two children.

“I grieve over the pain and suffering experienced by all the Hezbollah militants whose pagers exploded today. At the same time, I recognize that they are radical Islamists who chant ‘Death to Israel,’ that they were inspired by Ayatollah Khomeini and have been lobbing tens of thousands of rockets and bombs into Israel for decades. 

Not one of them would be dead or injured today if not for their incessant attacks on Israel, and as long as they are determined to wipe Israel off the map, they will suffer terrible casualties like today. 

May they recognize the bankruptcy of radical Islam, may they put down their weapons, and may they find mercy and new life in Jesus.”

Is Israel on the Verge of the Gog-Magog War?

By the time you read this article, that attack may have already been launched. Is Israel on the verge of the apocalyptic war prophesied in the Bible? In my view, the answer is...

Is Israel on the Verge of the Gog-Magog War? | Articles | The Line of Fire

There is no question that the nation of Israel could be facing an unprecedented attack coming from all sides –Iran from the east, Hezbollah from the north, the Houthis from the south, and Hamas (what is left of it) from the west. 

In fact, by the time you read this article, that attack may have already been launched. 

But is Israel on the verge of an apocalyptic war prophesied in the Bible? In my view, the answer is clearly no.

To be sure, there are some Bible teachers who believe that Ezekiel 38-39, containing the famous Gog and Magog prophecy and following the even more famous prophecy of the dry bones coming to life in Ezekiel 37, should be interpreted symbolically rather than literally. In other words, whatever the chapters meant in Ezekiel’s day, more than 2,500 years ago, has no bearing on the current situation in the Middle East; the correct interpretation today is spiritual only.

Other Bible teachers scour the Scriptures, looking for prophecies that tie in with today’s headlines or that help predict tomorrow’s headlines.

In my view, both of these fall short of the mark.

Those who read these chapters symbolically fail to realize that other prophecies in Ezekiel (and related prophetic books) graphically described the destruction of Jerusalem and the exiling of tens of thousands of Israelites into Babylon, along with their return from exile, things which took place literally. To claim that chapters such as 38-39 are purely spiritual (or, symbolic) in meaning is to make an arbitrary interpretive decision without scriptural justification. Why are these chapters spiritual and the others literal?

Those who read every prophecy in the Bible as if it applied to today fail to recognize the ancient, contextual meaning of many biblical prophecies. 

They also wrongly assume that we are the last generation, something that cannot be known with certainty at this point in time.

I would recommend that we use this simple principle of interpretation: if the Bible clearly promises certain things will happen on a grand, worldwide scale and those things have still not happened (in part or in full), then their fulfillment should be expected in the future.

I’m not referring here to a specific prophecy concerning an individual or nation that had an expiration date on it or had explicit conditions attached to it. 

I’m referring to events that are described with absolute certainty, as in something like, “In the coming days, thus and such will happen, the whole earth will know it, and God will be glorified through it.” If those events have not yet come to pass, we can be certain they still will. The Lord has decreed it.

As for the background to Ezekiel 38-39, it was written at a time when the Jewish people were in exile and Babylon, but Ezekiel had prophesied that they would return to their homeland, as had other prophets of the day like Jeremiah. This return is prophesied explicitly in chs. 36-37, with ch. 37 containing the “dry bones” prophecy mentioned above.

Yet some of the specific details in chs. 36-37 have still not come to pass. 

In other words, the exiles did return, but not in the expected numbers, not with the expected glory, and not in a way that led to national transformation. Quite the contrary.

That’s why many of us see the events of the last 100+ years as having great prophetic significance, as the Lord continues to bring the Jewish people back to their ancient homeland on a grander scale than the world has ever seen. 

And it is the reality of this physical return that gives us confidence that there will be a spiritual return as well.

Ezekiel 38-39 contain a prophecy in which Gog, ruler of the land of Magog, leads a coalition of nations to attack Israel, including Persia (modern day Iran), but God intervenes dramatically to defeat these forces and protect His people. The passage ends with God's promise to restore Israel and pour out His Spirit upon the Jewish people in the Land.

Has this final, cataclysmic war taken place yet, along with the promised end-time victory for Israel? Certainly not.

For a number of reasons, I believe the answer is no.

First, speaking to the invading nations, the text states, “In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety” (Ezekiel 38:8). Indeed, the attackers actually say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars” (Ezekiel 38:11).

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