Trusting the Eternal Sovereign Against the Philistines-Only the Dates Have Changed
Reader comment on item: That NIE Makes War against Iran More Likely
in response to reader comment: what do you think of Obadiah Shoher

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Dec 17, 2007 at 13:49

There is obviously a great deal of opinion for and against Mr. Shohar's point of view on the posture Israel should take against all comers to the Israeli national question. The final question shall be the Israelis to answer, but we'll come back to that later.

In the brief overview this reader made of the postulations presented in Mr. Shohar, it is apparent that making an allusion to Sampson is to regard the strength of that historical person as he faced the Philistines (‘Palestinians') as the possibly the only means by which Israel may confront her enemies (which are legend in the Biblical sense). Maybe it is something missed in this reader's too-quick reading of the material, but adopting a Sampson approach to Israel's situation will only make sense when one acknowledges the true power behind Sampson's strength, devotion to the Eternal Sovereign that overshadowed him during those times.

Israel definitely faces those same type obstacles today that they did when the Philistines pressed their case against Israel. The terrorism used to oppress the Jewish of that time comes from the same type mentality of hatred for the Jews, albeit now it comes under the color of black headdress of the Islamic jihadists determined to overrun Israel and push her into the sea. Does Israel enjoy the same defiant attitude to expel such raiders today? One could barely think so when one views the willingness to exchange land for peace when Gaza was let go.

Will a terrorist mentality against the Islamic torrent of hatred gain Israel a more stable place in the Middle East, a tit for tat posture against any attacks? Not really so either, for today Israel does not merely face the Philistines (‘Palestinians'), but a whole world bent on diminishing Israel, if not completely eliminating her. Besides, there does not seem to be a modern day Sampson that is in a position to exact a judge's vengeance against Israel's enemies, only a defense force that seems to be hamstrung (pardon the non-kosher reference) by the reigning political influences.

Israel finds herself in a position that if she does not yield to the world pressure on the ‘Palestinian issue' and surrender Jewish lands to secure some semblance of a world-permitted national identity, then she will find herself against the entire world. Then we will see the truth behind the strength of Sampson, that only in trusting in her Anointed as designated by her Eternal Sovereign will Israel gain the fulfillment of her promise, the very thing Sampson could not see until his final day of being a judge. Then the world, just like the Philistines, will see whose god is Almighty God.

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