{"id":38024,"date":"2024-08-29T17:05:12","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T00:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=38024"},"modified":"2024-08-29T17:05:12","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T00:05:12","slug":"only-god-can-untie-the-gordian-knot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/only-god-can-untie-the-gordian-knot\/","title":{"rendered":"Only God can untie the Gordian knot"},"content":{"rendered":"

What did I know before?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Israel has been an oft-addressed topic in my family and church community for as long as I can remember. It was and remains the focus of many eschatological discussions. My father, a pastor, usually has stacks of Zion\u2019s Fire<\/em> magazines and Chosen People Ministries\u2019 <\/em>updates scattered throughout his office. In addition, the church I grew up in had several End Times enthusiasts, and each occurrence in Israel was often viewed as prophetic fulfillment that could usher in the Second Coming of Jesus. Although, as a young person, I could not fully grasp the End Times enthusiasts\u2019 discussions, I knew the State of Israel was significant.<\/p>\n

When I was a teenager, my aunt took an interest in Messianic Judaism, and I regularly accompanied her to Shul on Shabbat. There, I met Holocaust survivors, enjoyed bagels and shmear, gained a bit of Yiddish vocabulary (Oy vey!), and memorized the Shema and Shabbat prayers in Hebrew. I was also introduced to Aliyah<\/em>, the immigrating of Jews to Israel, which was celebrated. At the end of each Passover Seder, participants sing, \u201cNext year in Jerusalem,\u201d denoting the hope of return. As a non-Jewish person, I was intrigued by this community, its unique traditions and culture, and its love for the land of Israel. However, I was na\u00efve about the conflict that had plagued the country and unaware of its complex and tumultuous history.<\/p>\n

I became keenly aware of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during Israel\u2019s Disengagement from Gaza and North Samaria in 2005. This event sparked my interest in studying Israel’s history further. I found Martin Gilbert\u2019s Israel: A History <\/em>a beneficial and comprehensive read and was privileged to visit Israel in 2014. Tension in Jerusalem was palpable. The high separation walls were a constant reminder of the reality faced by both Israelis and Palestinians. My tour group was carefully escorted through the Muslim quarter in the Old City and briefed on what not to do at the Temple Mount. My trip to the Promised Land catered to Western evangelicals, but a perpetual sense of unrest permeated the land.<\/p>\n

Why didn\u2019t I think of that?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before reading Bunton\u2019s The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict<\/em>, I knew Palestine was once under Britain\u2019s rule. However, I did not consider nor connect British Imperialism and its colonial framework to which Palestine was subjected from 1917 to 1948. \u00a0As someone living in a previously French-colonized African country, I have dedicated time to studying the impact of colonialism in Africa. However, I overlooked British colonial rule in Palestine. Bunton\u2019s perspective is new but profoundly resonates. William Easterly, professor of economics at New York University, writes concerning Western colonialism in The White Man\u2019s Burden<\/em>, \u201cThe political crises that make the headlines today, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict\u2026have some roots in past Western treatment of peoples as \u2018pawns in a game.\u2019 Look behind a modern-day headline, and often you will find the machinations of some long-forgotten colonial planner.\u201d [1] Westerly\u2019s words share similarities with Bunton\u2019s description of British rule in Palestine and the treatment of both Jews and Arabs as \u201cpawns in a game.\u201d Sadly, it is a game that continues today. Bunton and Westerly discuss colonialism and the negative impact of the West\u2019s decision-making concerning boundaries. Essentially, the West chose which people got their own nations and which did not. Bunton highlights in a recent interview that the [Palestinian-Israeli] conflict did not originate in [Palestine] but started in Europe. [2] This reality is often overlooked in the complex Gordian knot of the present-day conflict.<\/p>\n

So, what now?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since October 7th, I have lived cautiously. On Saturday, October 7th, 2023, I enjoyed an afternoon at the beach with friends and, upon returning home, saw the atrocities of Hamas\u2019 attack on Israel. As an expatriate in a Muslim country, my first thought was, \u201cI might have to leave.\u201d I considered arranging my cat\u2019s papers with a veterinarian for a quick departure. Demonstrations began throughout the city, specifically in front of the American, French, and German embassies. When I went outside, my local colleagues encouraged me not to look American (e.g., be covered entirely and wear sunglasses). All Westerners were told to keep a low profile and not to go near mosques on Friday, the day of assembly for Muslims.<\/p>\n

The hardest part of the October 7th aftermath was the feeling of isolation. I felt unable to discuss the events with local friends. I shuddered at the WhatsApp profiles that posted celebratory scenes of Hamas entering Israel.<\/p>\n

I believe the Jewish people and the State of Israel have a significant role in God\u2019s plan, and so do the Palestinians. As an overseas worker, I frequently write letters to update friends and family in the United States. On Tuesday, October 31st, 2023, I wrote,<\/p>\n

I must admit the past few weeks, I have been navigating feelings that come with deeply loving the Jewish people and my Muslim friends. This has not been easy to watch. Along with your prayers for Israel, I would ask that you also pray fervently for the Muslim world. [3]<\/em><\/p>\n

This is where I still find myself, profoundly loving the Jewish people and my Muslim friends. Ultimately, I believe God is the only one who can untie the Gordian knot of this conflict. I am often reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Eph. 2:16-18 (AMP),\u00a0 “And [that He] might reconcile them both [Jew and Gentile, united] in one body to God through the cross, thereby putting to death the hostility. And He came and preached the good news of peace to you [Gentiles] who were far away, and peace to those [Jews] who were near. For it is through Him that we both have a [direct] way of approach in one Spirit to the Father.” This message of peace and hope is for Jews and Muslims, Israelis and Palestinians. Thus, even after October 7th, I continue with hope.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1] Martin Bunton, “Book: The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict,” 2024, Book Caf\u00e9 Podcast, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SvcNdbO-mlk.<\/p>\n

[2] William Easterly, “The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good,” (Westminster, London: England, Penguin Publishing Group, 2006). Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n

[3] Elysse Burns, “Let Oxford Be Oxford,” 2023.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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