Touch Israel and you burn your fingers

ISRAELI PRIME Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will always respond to the continued threats of annihilation of Israel by the enemies of the Jewish state by reminding them of the biblical story of Haman.

Haman obtained an irreversible decree to kill all the Jews in Persia and confiscate their properties. But, before the date of execution, God intervened and Haman, his sons and the enemies of the Jews were killed instead. You know the story very well. We will come back to it later.

Yes, I so much admire the dedication, love and courage of Bibi (as Netanyahu is fondly called) to the cause of Israel. He is always ready to do everything necessary to protect and advance the interests of the Jewish state, especially the policy of never allowing the people to go through the threats and victimisation of the past. I see Benjamin Netanyahu in the mould of Moses, Joshua, Gideon and Samson. And thanks to his family that gave Israel three indefatigable brothers – Yonatan, Benjamin and Iddo – that served in the elite IDF Special Forces, sacrificing their comfort and life. They left the comfort as the children of an American professor and training in Ivy League colleges, migrated and joined the Israeli forces in the 1960s, and have played exceptional roles in defending the Jewish nation and its people.

Though this piece is not about the Netanyahus, we will forever remember the sacrifice of the indomitable Yonatan ‘Yoni’ Netanyahu; that young Israeli Special Forces commander that successfully led the rescue of about 100 Jewish hostages from Entebe Airport, Uganda in 1976. That operation remains a reference in the study of rescue missions and special operations. Just go back and read the accounts again and watch the films. You will be amazed by the professionalism, patriotism and courage exhibited by the planners and executors of that mission and what those guys could do as far back as the 1970s.

Ironically, only Yoni lost his life in that most-daring operation, but that was after terminating the terrorists, rescuing the hostages and sending them home. He and his men were retreating to board the plane and leave the place when he was cowardly shot by a Ugandan soldier hiding on the airport towers. The Jewish commandoes went back and cleared the place immediately and also inflicted an irreparable damage to the Ugandan Air Force by blowing up most of the fighter jets and equipment on ground.

Because of my love for the boldness and sacrifice of Yonatan, I dedicated my book/audiobook Power of Sacrifice to him. And it is now in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Finish, Swedish, French, Dutch, Chinese, Italian, German, Afrikaans, Indonesian, Greek, Russian, etc. Yes, there is no better time than now to remind the enemies of the Jews of God’s covenant of protection with his people.

MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE

As you already know, the Festival of Purim is an annual event to commemorate that spectacular, miraculous deliverance of the Jews from annihilation during the reign of King Ahasuerus of the Persian Empire in 5 BC. Haman, a Jew-hater, was appointed a prime minister of the empire. When Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow to him, the proud Haman got the king to sign an irrevocable decree to kill all the Jews – young and old, infants and women, and confiscate their properties in a day.

But God miraculously intervened when Esther and Mordecai mobilised all the Jews throughout the empire to fast and seek divine intervention. Their enemy, Haman, was hanged; Mordecai (a Jew) was appointed in his place; and another decree was promulgated that countered the first, empowering the Jews to defend and kill their enemies. God delivered his people from certain destruction.

Since then, the Jews have been celebrating this dramatic deliverance and display of divine power. Yes, Bibi was right to remind the enemies of Israel that the God of Purim is still alive to protect his people, and also that there is still today, unwavering, committed, determined, patriotic and fearless Jews like Esther and Mordecai to sacrifice everything, including their lives, to see that nobody, no nation, no interest or gang-up will ever be given that chance to humiliate or threaten the existence of Israel again. This has always been sufficiently demonstrated since the establishment of the modern Jewish State. And that policy remains unchanged. Touch Israel and you burn your fingers.

But Haman is not the only example to be given to the enemies of Israel. Pharaoh messed with Israel and he, his commanders and horsemen perished in the Red Sea after the angels of destruction and death devastated his land. At that night of Passover, man and beast mourned and wept throughout Egypt. Sennacherib boasted and tried it. He even queried the ability of the God of Israel to deliver; comparing him with the gods of other nations that he had destroyed.

I love the way God responded to this, “Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel ... . Because you rage against me and your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.” You already know how he ended.

Then, three nations came against Jehoshaphat and Judah. God took over the battle and the enemies, in confusion, slaughtered themselves. Not one person survived. What of the mighty and proud Goliath? After boasting, harassing and humiliating the Israelites for days, his head was cut off and his people defeated. And I can go on and on.

Now, every enemy harassing you or the people of God will be displaced and cut off today in the mighty name of Jesus! May God bless Israel! He has already told us that those that bless Israel (us) shall be blessed and those that curse them shall also be cursed. And I pray that there will also be love and permanent peace in Palestine.

Rev Gabriel Agbo is an author. Email: gabrielagbo@yahoo.com Website www.authorsden.com/pastorgabrielnagbo Twitter: pastorgabagbo. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com