How do we make sense of the Palestinian conflict?

We live in an age of constant war and rumours of war. Some conflicts dominate the headlines for a while and then disappear. One conflict that never seems to go away is the constant hostilities in the Middle East. In fact, for anyone under 75yrs old, unrest between Jews and Arabs has been ever-present since Israel was re-established as a homeland for the Jewish people in 1948.

Making sense of any conflict is difficult, but at least with this one, the bible gives us quite literally a divine perspective. It presents us with the ancestry of both Jews and Palestinians which go way back into the book of Genesis and the faithful man with whom God formed a unique relationship, Abraham. God rewarded his faith with promises which, among other things, included the land which remains at the very heart of this conflict.

Like many families, relationships fracture and disputes boil over about entitlements and inheritance, and this is the case with the ‘Israel–Palestinian’ conflict. The bible has much to say about this tiny piece of land and how it would be invaded, left desolate and become a continual place of unrest. The best efforts of world leaders to find a solution have always come to nothing with no end in sight.

The bible does however provide an insight which can help us make some sense of it. Without condoning, accusing or taking sides, it helps us appreciate the depth of hatred on show today; a pattern foretold by God’s prophets thousands of years ago. An insoluble problem for mankind, but one which offers evidence of bible accuracy and the need for God’s plan. And the solution? The return of Jesus, God’s son, to that very land!

Let the bible help you to make sense of not just this conflict, but why these plans God has in store for the