How Then Should We Pray?
Why Is This Hostage Deal So Bad and So Good Simultaneously?
Dear friend,
Shalom in the wonderful name of our Messiah, Jesus! May I share some of my recent experiences in Israel? These days are dark and difficult for Israelis, and they need your prayers.
I spent some days on the ground recently and still remember standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Israelis in Hostage Square, listening to ambassadors, military leaders, and the parents of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. The event was deeply painful. I recall one mother who began speaking calmly about her beautiful daughter held captive by Hamas terrorists. As she spoke to the crowd, her grief and rage overtook her, and she began screaming, leading the crowd in a desperate chant: “Bring them home . . . bring them home . . . bring them home NOW!”
I tried to grasp their suffering, imagining how I would feel if my own children were taken by a group of violent, cruel, and apocalyptic murderers with no respect for human life, who abuse, torture, and use the hostages as pawns. My dear Christian friend, the thought alone is unbearable. Many of those taken hostage were so young, barely in their twenties, and all they did was attend a music festival or visit their parents at one of the Gaza border towns. When I think about the hostage deal, I think about these parents and the young people who did not deserve to be treated with such agonizing cruelty.
The singular redeeming feature of this hostage deal is that some families have been or will be reunited with their loved ones. But the cost is staggering. The ratio of convicted mass murderers and criminals released from Israeli prisons to the few Israeli hostages freed is grossly unbalanced. In a sense, Israel was forced to mortgage her future for the sake of the present. Now, the future looks even darker as convicted terrorists will once again roam free and be able to strike again someday. How can we possibly weigh the life of a freed hostage against the lives that may be lost in the future at the hands of those released?
The consequences of these impossible decisions will be felt for years to come. Every Israeli remembers that Yahya Sinwar was once just another prisoner like those who were released in this deal. Years ago, he was freed in a similar exchange—one that secured the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza. No one at the time could have foreseen that Sinwar would go on to mastermind the atrocities of October 7, 2023. Was the deal worth it? There is no consensus. For Shalit’s parents and family, the answer is clear—he came home. But if Israel had known then what it knows now, would its government have made the same decision? These are impossible choices.
A Moral Dilemma Rooted in Jewish Values
This hostage deal, in many ways, reflects deep Jewish values. There is nothing more precious to a Jewish person than the life of a family member. Their safety and well-being are paramount. But it is impossible to fully judge the morality of these choices. We know our enemies are seizing control of the narrative and manipulating these events for their own purposes. Every Israeli now lives with an even more uncertain and dangerous future. Whether this deal was worth it will ultimately be determined by those who welcomed their sons and daughters home—and by those who, in the days to come, may lose their loved ones to future violence. Fairness and justice will remain elusive until the One True Judge rules among His chosen people.
Praying for Israel and the Jewish People
Very few Israelis are turning to Jesus—the One who sees their suffering, who knows their pain more intimately than anyone. Jesus is not a stranger to betrayal, injustice, and grief. He weeps with His people. Let us pray that both secular and religious Israelis recognize the One who says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Pray especially for the families who live with the daily agony of loss. Pray for the children who have been scarred by what they have seen, for the soldiers who risk their lives every day, and for the leaders who make impossible decisions. Above all, pray that they come to know the One who gives life, who restores the brokenhearted, and who alone can bring the kind of peace that the world cannot offer. The world searches for political, military, and diplomatic solutions, but true peace is found only in the Messiah of Israel (Isaiah 9:6–7).
We must stand in the gap, interceding on their behalf so that, in their pain and searching, they may encounter the only One who can bring healing, comfort, and eternal hope.
Let us also remember those released from captivity in recent months. The first ones freed after being held by Hamas for more than 470 days were four young Israeli female soldiers. Now reunited with their families, they face the long journey of healing from the physical and psychological scars of their ordeal. We must also keep in our hearts and prayers any who remain in captivity by the time you receive this newsletter.
As we lift these precious individuals and their families in prayer, we must ask the Lord to comfort those mourning the loss of loved ones and provide strength for those awaiting the return of their family members. May they come to know the One who offers true peace and rest for their souls.
Take Action against Antisemitism
Besides praying for those Israelis suffering such pain and loss, we must also mobilize to oppose antisemitism. We cannot simply stand by. Let us take action. We will continue to hold rallies, speak to our government officials, and raise the banner of concern about antisemitism.
Our new division of Chosen People Ministries, the Coalition Against Antisemitism (opposeantisemitism.com), is directly addressing the growth of global antisemitism by producing teachings, videos, and various resources you can use to better understand and counter antisemitism when you witness it, which is a Christian duty as I see it. After all, God said to Abram, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
The apostle Paul, himself a Jewish believer in Jesus, wrote to the Roman Christians expressing God’s heart of concern for His chosen people:
For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. (Romans 15:26–27; emphasis added)
What could be more critical today than caring for the physical, material, and spiritual well-being of the Jewish people? Your Mission to the Jewish People is doing all these things to serve the Jewish people worldwide, especially in Israel.
Our New Outreach Center
We are also opening our new Tel Aviv center this month in time for the celebration of Passover when we will honor the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. I am thankful for the generosity of our prayer partners and supporters, who enabled us to move into the new Center without any debt. Praise be to God for His provision.
We are excited and believe the Lord will use this larger space powerfully for our outreach events. We are teaching Bible studies, holding concerts, comforting the grieving, and doing everything we can to bring the love of Jesus to Israel.
Thank you for your prayers, your support, and for standing with us as we bring the message of Jesus the Messiah—the Prince of Peace—to Israelis and Jewish people around the globe.
Passover Campaign
Our Passover campaign to reach Jewish people in Israel, the United States, and worldwide during this Passover/Easter season is now in full swing. We plan to spend $125,000 for online ads, producing new gospel videos, and hosting special Passover events where we can help Jewish people see the gospel in the Passover! We lift up the glorious Lamb of God in new and creative ways so that He will draw men and women, Jewish and Gentile, to Himself.
Your generous prayers and financial support today will enable us to increase our evangelistic outreach tomorrow!
Thank you for caring. May the Lord bless you for your love and support.
Yours in our Messiah,
Mitch Glaser
P.S. For your gift of $118 (the number 18 uses the Hebrew characters that spell out “life”) or more, we will send you our book, The Gospel in the Passover, one of our key evangelism tools we are using as part of this Passover campaign. You can read it and pass it along to a Jewish friend.