Holocaust Remembrance Day, Hamas, and Ongoing Evil

As we read the shocking stories of what Hamas is doing to the Jewish people, our hearts should be broken (it’s really eye-opening to see that many people’s hearts aren’t broken by this!), and many of us cry out to God, wondering why he allows such evil to flourish. I’m sure many Christians during the Holocaust asked God the same question with tears and groaning. It reminds me of the cry of the prophet Habakkuk:

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
    and you will not save?
Why do you make me see iniquity,
    and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    strife and contention arise.
So the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
    so justice goes forth perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2–4)

But while we cry out to God, we should be reminded of God’s answer to Habakkuk. He revealed to his prophet that, yes, God would judge his people (who were sinning greatly against him) by a horrifying invasion from the Babylonians but that God would also judge the Babylonians when their time came—they did not get away with any of their sin! They too were eventually judged. And Habakkuk ends with a message of great hope:

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer’s;
    he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:17–19)

God’s Word is so relevant to our day and should comfort our hearts, even in the midst of horror and pain.

Yes, God’s Word is so relevant to our day and should comfort our hearts, even in the midst of horror and pain. God is just, and every sin will be punished. But mercy is offered to everyone, even the most hardened member of Hamas, because of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.

During the Christmas season, AiG speaker Bryan Osborne recorded an insightful video on Hamas, what is going on, and how the truth of God’s Word applies to this shocking situation. As you think through everything happening right now as the war in Israel rages on, I encourage you to watch this video.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.