By Mark W Swarbrick

We might ask the question: Why us? Why should America defend Israel? Why do we have to be the world’s policeman? Why does this have to be our fight? Can’t we just hunker down and let the world go by? Why do we have to support Israel? Maybe if we stay out of it and not pick sides, maybe then the terrorists would leave us alone. We can not, we must not, do this.

The reasons are manifold. First, with great power comes great responsibility. God has blessed us. We are the most powerful nation and the wealthiest country in the world. With that blessing comes the responsibility to exercise our power for good. To not do so would be evil. A review of Biblical history shows that countries that failed to exercise their power for good find themselves as Nebuchadnezzar did. He saw the handwriting on the wall. His kingdom was weighed in God’s balances, found wanting, and it was taken from him.

Secondly, Christianity is Jewish in origin. Our nation was founded with Judeo-Christian morals. There are more Christians in America than any other nation. America is related to Israel as Esther was related to Mordecai. We are very much in the place Esther was. Turn our back on Israel from whence has come our salvation? The words which Mordecai spoke to Esther, should be taken to heart:

Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?

We in America are in the “King’s palace.” If we turn our back on Israel and let the terrorists destroy them, we should not think that we should escape terrorism any more than all the Jews! Remember, the terrorists hate Christians and Americans almost as much as the Jews! Forsake Israel? Relief and support would appear for Israel from another place, but woe unto America! We must stand with God’s people. Who knows but that God has placed America in her royal and supreme position for such a time as this?

A third reason is the promise given by God to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people:

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2-3)

History bears this out. Name a country that has persecuted the Jews. What happened to them? Egypt — Plagues, rivers turning to blood, death of all their first-born. Nazi Germany — Utter destruction in World War II. Need I go on? Show me on the globe — where do the Amalekites live? Where is the land of the Philistines?  Where are the Canaanites, the Edomites, the Moabites, or the Ammonites?  All of these nations persecuted Israel, and all of them are no more. God’s word stands: Whoever curses Israel is cursed by God and whoever blesses Israel is blessed by God. America owes much of her bounty to the fact that we have stood with Israel. God has blessed America as we have blessed Israel.

Why America? Because of who we are. As a little boy growing up I loved watching Zorro on television. It was a bit of pleasant nostalgia for me to watch the two Zorro movies that came out in the last few years. The last Zorro movie has an interesting story line. Zorro disputes with his wife over being “Zorro.” She wants him to stop fighting tyranny and injustice and live a safe and normal life for the sake of safety for themselves and their young son.  In the final scene of the movie the town’s bell rings, signaling that Zorro is needed. His wife smiles and nods her approval for him to respond to the call. In answer to his look of surprise, she smiles and says, “It’s who we are.”

Please read again the words of President Kennedy that explain why we do what we must: It’s who we are.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty…. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.  Now the trumpet summons us again—not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are—but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation”—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself… let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.

The Significance of Current Events

The terrorists are firing missiles into Israel by the thousands at every opportunity. Israel is locked in a war with the Muslim murderers. These are the same breed of Muslim murderers that attacked us on 9/11. The root cause is Satan’s desire to destroy Israel. In one sense, what we are seeing is nothing new. It is what Satan has always done. On the other hand, we must realize that Israel being gathered again as a nation after 2000 years of exile is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

 What should we do? Now that we understand that the real war is a spiritual war between good and evil, we must pray for Israel. We must pray for our President. Pray that God will give him the wisdom from on high to know how best to proceed. Furthermore, take a stand for the truth. When you hear anti-Semitism in any form, stand up against it. God will bless you for it.