Israel's Big Disconnect

Disengagement means disconnection. In the case of Gaza, Samaria, Judea, and all other parts of the Land of Israel--which God ordained for the Jewish people--disengagement represents a disconnection from the will of God and from Jewish destiny. For this and other reasons, disengagement is wrong spiritually, morally, and from the viewpoint of security.

While Israel may judge itself in these respects, we must ask whether America is acting righteously in supporting such actions. Our righteous conduct as a nation must include blessing (Genesis12: 3) and comforting (Isaiah 40:1) Israel. If we help Israel thwart the will of God, however, it will not serve to bless or comfort Israel--or us--ultimately.

Scripture makes clear that God has given the Land of Israel to the Jewish people--and the Bible defines the boundaries of that land (Numbers 34: 1-15) to include Gaza and what we call today the West Bank. The deed to that land is a promise from God that the land belongs to Israel, the Jewish people, and them alone. But, in II Corinthians 1:20, we are told, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God

," meaning that the promises of God are not automatic. We must appropriate them to ourselves. In this case, the "us" refers to the people of the Land of Israel. The Jewish people of the Land of Israel must obtain, possess, and occupy their promised inheritance.

Elsewhere in scripture, Proverbs 29:18 conveys the profound truth that "without a vision, the people perish." A large proportion of the Jewish leaders whom we encounter do not have a vision for Israel. For some reason, they cannot see themselves in the will of God, entitled to the land biblically, historically, and legally.

Some 15 years ago, we asked Ariel Sharon, a man whom we believed was committed deeply to possessing the land of Israel and settling it fully: "What makes you different from other Israeli leaders?" He responded, "I have never allowed myself to

." Today Prime Minister Sharon appears to have disconnected, as evidenced by the evacuation of Gaza and part of Samaria. But let's consider the spiritual side of this political decision: May one grant oneself permission to disconnect from the will of God? The answer, of course, is no, for if we do, we will not fare well.

On the other hand, we believe that an exciting parallel for Israel, despite its apparent lack of a clear vision, is found in the Book of Job, where Satan misjudges and underestimates Job. Similarly, regarding Israel today, we may ask whether Satan also is wrongly judging the Jewish people. In the Book of Job, Satan was certain that Job would acquiesce, capitulate, curse, and turn away from God--but Satan was mistaken. Although Job suffered the loss of family, home, and children, as well as terrible bodily affliction, he never lost faith in God or cursed God. In the end God restored to Job four times what he had in the beginning.

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