What's It All About?

Pastor Bill Farrow

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[Ps 83:1] Do not keep silent, O God!

Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! [2] For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. [3] They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. [4] They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” [5] For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You: [6] The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; [7] Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; [8] Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot.

Selah

[9] Deal with them as with Midian, As with Sisera, As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon, [10] Who perished at En Dor, Who became as refuse on the earth. [11] Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, [12] Who said, “Let us take for ourselves The pastures of God for a possession.” [13] O my God, make them like the whirling dust, Like the chaff before the wind! [14] As the fire burns the woods, And as the flame sets the mountains on fire, [15] So pursue them with Your tempest, And frighten them with Your storm. [16] Fill their faces with shame, That they may seek Your name, O LORD. [17] Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; Yes, let them be put to shame and perish, [18] That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth.

All we have heard over the past weeks is the question asked again and again "What is the conflict in the Middle East really about? "Most believe it to be about land or about oppression or about injustice inhumanity. Those things are all real things that certainly have an important bearing on the situation. We dare not understate the importance of these things as they are the human aspects of the conflict. One cannot and should not minimize the tragedy and the tremendous terror that is a part of both sides of this conflict. Nor can or should one dismiss the real issues present on both sides of the conflict.

However, we, as believers, must also be careful to remember that none of those things are really at the root of the troubles in that area either. What is at the root of it all?

Psalm 83 is one of a number of passages that speak to what the real root of the problems are. The root is two-fold. Both of the parties involved have the same root problem. They are both in rebellion against God. On the part of the enemies of God - it is hatred, ultimately against the God of heaven, but manifest against the historical, earthly people of God. On the part of the peope of God, the Jews, the fact that they find themselves in such a position is a result of their own persistent rebellion against that same God.

The root problem in that area and at the foundation of the conflict there is rebellion, and the false religion that uses up in the place of the real spirituality that they have cast aside. Both sides have cast aside the genuine relationship with God that God offered historically (not to mention repeatedly) to both sides. To be sure, God chose the Jews and dealt with them specially throughout the ages. Through the New Testament age there was no nation on earth more privileged than the Jews. For all of history, it is safe to say that there has been no nation or earth more protected or more chastened than the Jews.

By the same token, God has been more than merciful and patient with the children of Esau as well. There is great grace in the face of great provocation on both sides. It must be said, however, that on Israel's side, the side of the greater blessing, is the greater provocation. In the long run; the Arab world is just being unsaved, doing what comes naturally. Really, sadly, it can be said truly that Israel is only doing the same!