SENTINEL WATCH October 5, 2009 Issue

WAR ISN'T INEVITABLE

WALTER RODGERS

Israel's defense minister, Ehud Baraq, recently said, "All options are on the table." He was referring to a potential military showdown with Iran over Tehran's nuclear program. Few familiar with the region doubted Baraq was talking about an Israeli preemptive strike against Iran. Senior Israeli leaders claim Iran is close to building a nuclear weapon. That eventuality has spawned widespread fear among many Israelis that if Iran builds a nuclear weapon, it might use it to eliminate the Jewish state.

But in suggesting that all options are on the table, the Israeli minister unwittingly made room for the choice of prayer, which could spare Israelis and Iranians a military confrontation that might touch off brush-fire wars in neighboring countries. There are several spiritual alternatives that could point to solutions that would bless everyone.

Think, for example, of the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, which assures those who turn to God in prayer that "He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth" (Ps. 46:9); and, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Prov. 16:7). That's not an implausible scenario. Although the world is awash in reports of regions in conflict, too often we overlook how many disputes are resolved peacefully through negotiation.