The Old Testament is the history of God’s Chosen people – the Israelites. In these 12 books we find how God led His people into the Promised Land, and then how His people slowly turned to their own ways by following other cultures that God had told them to not get involved with. Here we find the arrogance of the Jews who took on an evil turn as they allowed themselves to be influenced into idolatry and sin through the intermarrying of these other cultures, something God had explicitly forbidden them to do. Soon after, the Jews wanted a king to rule over them and not God, so God gave them what they wanted. Following this decree, the Promised Land fell into the corrupt hands of human rulers who could never rule as well and as rightfully as God could. Ultimately, most of these kings did not follow the directions or decrees of God and continually brought their people down into hardship, suffering, and even death at the hands of the cultures they had insinuated themselves in the first place. Soon, Israel was fully defeated and its people scattered throughout the known world. Its Temple was completely destroyed and the Jews became split into two factions – the Israel and Judah. Still, with all of this hardship, God’s Chosen people refused to repent and ask for His forgiveness. Throughout this history, the Jews kept their face from God and never knew peace again as they had when they gave Him control over their nation.
Today, Israel is still at war with its neighbors. Peace is something they long for, but it is something they refuse to look up to God for. The Temple is still un-rebuilt. The Jews are still scattered over the entire planet, though many have returned to their homeland as the Bible predicted they would in anticipation of the coming Messiah. Every nation surrounding Israel would like to see her demise and are actively or preparing to wipe her from the face of the Earth.
Thanks to the unrepentant hearts of the Jews, Jesus Christ was sent to the Earth to show the Father’s love to His Chosen people. Still, with all that Jesus had shown them, the nation still would not accept any help from God and had Jesus crucified to silence His words and deeds lest the wealthy of the age be dethroned. Even more thankful are the Gentiles who, because of Israel’s unrepentant hearts, God has grafted onto the Tree of Life where we can now enjoy peace with God and live and reign with Him in Heaven when His Kingdom comes fully into being on the New Earth and in the New Heaven. Someday, God will show us just what all this fighting was for. For at the fighting’s end there will be peace with God, peace with each other, and peace for all eternity.