[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during March 2026]
It displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
Nehemiah 2 v10 [ESVUK]
That observation comes from the account of the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem in 444BC but the same words could easily describe the opinion of many people throughout the centuries since the nation of Israel evolved from the families who sought refuge in Egypt around 1875BC.
Asaph was a Levite who was appointed by king David to be one of the leaders of the worship group in Jerusalem.[1] In that role he also wrote some of the Psalms, many of which contained elements of prophecy. Sometime around 979BC he wrote:
For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
Psalm 83 v2-4 [ESVUK]
The Old Testament book of Ezra records the events surrounding the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem in around 520BC, a period when Jerusalem was part of the Persian empire. The rebuilding was opposed by the regional authorities and they wanted the work stopped. They wrote to Darius the king, implying that the rebuilding was an act of insurrection; his response was not what they expected:
Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River.
Ezra 6 v8 [ESVUK]
Sennacherib was the king of Assyria from 705-681BC; he was successful both in terms of expanding his empire and building an advanced society.[2] In 701BC his chain of conquest brought him to the gates of Jerusalem.
He also wrote letters mocking the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying against Him: “Just as the gods of the nations did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”
2 Chronicles 32 v17 [ESVUK]
The Bible records that Sennacherib did not conquer Jerusalem; his army of 185,000 troops was destroyed by divine intervention and a humiliated Sennacherib retreated. He was later assassinated by his own son.
Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did.
Isaiah 10 v24 [ESVUK]
Moving forward to our own times, in 2015 Ali Khamenei, then Supreme Leader of Iran, declared “Israel won’t exist in 25 years”. More recently, in 2023 Ebrahim Raisi, the eighth president of Iran, claimed that the fall of Israel will happen sooner than 25 years.[3] Neither of these men has survived even half of that period.
So what can we take away from this combination of history and current affairs? Our modern sensibilities rebel against the scale of the loss of life in a chain of events that shows no sign of being interrupted. As Christians we can see events in a different light but how should we respond?
And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
2 Chronicles 20 v29 [ESVUK]
For thus said the Lord of hosts, … he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.
Zechariah 2 v8 [ESVUK]
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Psalm 122 v6 [ESVUK]
References:
[1] 1 Chronicles 25:1
[2] “Sennacherib”, Eben De Jager, 2025
[3] “Israel won’t exist in 25 years”, Wikipedia, 2015
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys