Emergency Prayer for Israel and Palestine This Friday
10 October 2023 |
A message was published this week by the Adventist Muslim Relations (AMR) department within Multilingual Ministries of the North American Division (NAD) encouraging Adventists to see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a humanitarian and spiritual lens, rather than a political one. An NAD AMR Prayer Night has been scheduled for this Friday at 8:30pm ET in order to delve into the history of Arab-Jews relations and pray for the many victims involved in the war.
AMR’s message can be summarized as follows:
The recent war has further strained the prospects for peace in the region, fueled by the shift in Israeli politics and the radicalization of Hamas, backed by Iran and Qatar. The focus has largely been on assigning blame, sidelining the deep-seated spiritual implications of such conflicts. This narrow viewpoint is amplified by American Christians who, influenced more by the divisive state of American politics than the actual biblical narrative, impose skewed biblical interpretations onto the situation. The Bible, in its purest form, has been overshadowed by these interpretations, distancing many from its core messages of mercy, forgiveness, and justice — all essential for lasting peace.
Hope and faith are essential, yet many often misinterpret or selectively use biblical references to support particular agendas, such as Zionistic aspirations or interpreting the root of the crisis through the lens of Sarah and Hagar’s rivalry. Such readings overlook God’s broader blessings and visions, like the unity of Ishmael’s and Isaac’s descendants in worship, as seen in Isaiah 60. We must acknowledge our limited understanding and seek true knowledge and guidance. To bridge this gap in understanding, an upcoming event on Friday will delve into the history of Arab-Jews relations with Dr. Efrain Velazquez and feature Pastor Wisam from Nazareth’s insights on prayer directions. True peacemakers, amid all the chaos, will be recognized as God’s children, as described in Matthew 5:9.
View the full message here to see Zoom details and links for Friday’s prayer event.
