Will there be peace in Altneuland?1
EJD
"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" are the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in his "I have a dream" speech in 1963. Nearly 3500 years ago, during the crossing of the Red Sea similar words could've and maybe were uttered. The ancient people of Israel were freed from slavery in Egypt. A nation was born on that day. On May 15th, 1948, after the ravages of the Holocaust and of the war surrounding the emerging state, an old/new (altneu)1 country was born.
54 years later, the young nation is facing an altneu war. This war is new because of recent events that stretch back to the 60's with emergence of Fatah and the PLO. It is old because an ancient pattern is present with us. Ezekiel the Prophet described the pattern thus: Thus said the Lord GOD: Because the Philistines, in their ancient hatred, acted vengefully, and with utter scorn sought revenge and destruction (Ezekiel 25:15).2 In Ezekiel's day, the Philistines were still hating the Jews based on the centuries of conflict over the incomplete conquest of Canaan during the days of Joshua Ben Nun. Joshua failed to subdue the Philistines. The Philistines were "Sea Peoples" who invaded the land of Canaan prior to the conquest under Joshua.
Today, an argument used against the state of Israel is that Jews have stolen land that was Palestinian land from time immemorial. It is one thing to exhibit an ancient pattern of behavior, in this case hatred, and quite another to claim an uncorrupted genealogy or presence that extends back unbroken to ancient times. The latter claim has no basis in fact, but the continued hatred in our time is reminiscent of ancient days.
The words "Philistine/Palestinian" look similar (and are actually the same word in Hebrew), but it is a historical mistake to equate the two peoples as the same. Suppose a large community of Native Americans (Indians) were forcibly evicted from America and were transplanted in Pakistan. A newly formed Indian Liberation Organization in Pakistan would be based on a mistaken name association. Native Americans were misnamed Indians. There was a time when there were Indians in Pakistan, but the name-game won't hold up.
It is because of an unbroken connection back to ancient Israel by the Jewish people that politically inspired hatred abounds in the region. It is said that any Jew who can trace the lineage back to Maimonides (Rav Moshe Ben Maimon), who lived in the Mid-East during the Middle Ages, can also trace the same lineage back to King David. Can this claim be proven?
Perhaps it is like the relation of the Dead Sea Scrolls with the Hebrew Bible. The Qumran Scrolls were sectarian versions of what later came to be called the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible. There were minor differences between them in their shared ancient days. Their journey to our time was very different. The Hebrew Bible was preserved by a very stringent tradition of copying text. Meanwhile, the Dead Sea Scrolls slept in their clay jars for a two-thousand year burial. These two sets of Scriptures are cousins, a family resemblance can be observed with their present-day reunion. The land of Israel like the Dead Sea Scrolls slept for 2000 years without a significant Jewish presence. Meanwhile the people of Israel like the Hebrew Bible preserved their identity by a similar stringent tradition of community. A family resemblance can be observed between the land and the people today.
Hatred is the problem, but what it the solution? Simply, the answer is found in an ancient command and piece of wisdom: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper (Psalm 122:6 NLT). This advice requires submission to the God of Israel. This is the God who formed the basis for this Psalm and for the rest of Holy Scripture. If hatred were replaced by prayer for peace the world would be a better place. If Anti-Jewishism were replaced by Philo-Jewishism (philo = love of) the world would be so much better.
Such a scenario requires the conversion of the heart. For the human problem is one of a sinful heart condition. The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT). But God has the answer for this by the Prince of Peace: And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. (Ezekiel 36:26 NLT). Who is this Prince of Peace? None other than Yeshua Ha Mashiach: For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this! (Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT).
1 "Altneu" is German for old/new. "Altneuland" was the name of Theodor Hertzl's novel, which was his vision of a future home for Jewish people based on socialist principles.
2 Tanakh Jewish Publication Society © 1985: Philadelphia
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