Essay about Israel and Yom-Kippur War

Would the collapse of Israel in the Yom-Kippur War really have led to another genocide of the Jewish people?

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the one to be ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2, New King James Version). According to the Bible, Israel is not a new country created by the United Nations. It has been in existence since the beginning of time, and the 1948 “creation of the State of Israel,” was simply the fulfilment of biblical prophecy. This argument has been debated since 1948, and it continues to this day. However, one cannot discuss this issue without looking at it from a biblical standpoint. Would the collapse of Israel during the Yom Kippur have led to genocide of the Jewish people?

On October 6th 1973 Egypt and Syria commenced a joint, unsuspecting attack on Israel. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of fasting and prayer on the Jewish calendar. The Arabians hoped that the Israeli military would be participating in religious celebrations as they advanced onto their territory. Despite being outnumbered, 150 Israeli tanks against 1,400 Syrian tanks, and 500 soldiers against 80,000 Egyptian soldiers, the Arabians were defeated and the war came to a halt on 25th October 1973.

The Arab Israeli political conflict predates the popularized 1947 inception. In the book of Genesis chronicled in the bible, Yahweh (the name of the Jewish God) promised that the seed of Abraham would become a great nation (Israel). His wife Sarah was barren, and so to assist Yahweh in his promise, Sarah gave Abraham permission to sleep with their Egyptian maid Hagar who gave birth to Ishmael. Sarah later gave birth to Isaac as had been affirmed and a bitter feud between the two sons arose. Ishmael’s descendants became the Arabians and every generation thereafter have inherited the disdain. There is much controversy regarding this theory; however, science has concluded through DNA evidence that the Jews and Arabs are in fact related.

As a result of Israel’s disobedience to their Creator, they were exiled from the land, and remained wanderers on foreign territory. In every country, you will find a Jewish community; this was a fulfilment of biblical prophecy. “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd” (Jeremiah 31:10, New King James Version).

Continuous persecution at the hands of their enemies was also prophesied, the Holocaust is the most prevalent fulfilment of this prophecy. “And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the Lord will drive you” (Deuteronomy 28:37, New King James Version). Despite the fact that they were expelled from the land, Yahweh also promised to bring them back, this prophecy was fulfilled on May 14th 1948 when Israel was recreated and millions of Jews worldwide began to return to their ancestral homeland. “Thus speaks the Lord God of Israel, saying: “Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. For behold the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,” says the Lord. “And I will cause them to return to the land which I gave to their fathers and they shall possess it” (Jeremiah 30:2-3, New King James Version).

Three prophecies have been described, and each one of them has come to pass. Since Israel became the world’s focus, the nation has had over 13 wars and has never lost a battle. In fact, many of their victories have been described as miraculous. One such example was the “Taking back Mount Zion Independence War.” With Israeli soldiers outnumbered by the Jordanians and only 25 bullets remaining, it appeared that their end was at hand. When it seemed that there was no way out, the Jordanian soldiers dropped their weapons and began to run, screaming “Abraham!” A former Jordanian soldier, who fought in the war, stated that they saw a vision of Abraham in the sky fighting on behalf of the Jews. “……and will watch over His flock like a shepherd” (Jeremiah 31:10, New King James Version).

In Grant Jeffery’s book, “Prince of Darkness,” he chronicles 38 biblical prophecies that have been concluded in our generation. He goes on to state that the probability of a mere six being fulfilled in one generation is 1 in 15.6 billion! For all 38 to have been satisfied is beyond human comprehension.

The hand of Yahweh is upon Israel, and contrary to popular belief, the Jewish people will one day inhabit the entire land, as promised in the bible. Israel will never collapse; a total annihilation of the Jews is impassable because nothing is capable of standing against the will of the God of Israel.

Works Cited

Jeffrey, G.R. (1994) Prince of Darkness: Antichrist and the New World Order. Colorado Springs, Colorado Waterbrook Press.
Korn, E. (2008) The Jewish Connection to Israel, the Promised Land: A brief Introduction for Christians. Woodstock, VT. Jewish Lights Publishing.
Siniver, A. (2013) Yom Kippur War: Politics, Legacy, Diplomacy. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.