How We Got Here — Tracing the Roots of a Spiritual War

Map of the Arab empire. Credit: G. Devilder

We live in a world torn by war, fear, and misinformation. If we want to make a difference, we must go deeper than headlines and hashtags. We must understand who is involved, why they fight, and what drives their worldview. I am wanting to expand your thoughts on these two critical points: the historical and spiritual identity of Iranian and Palestinian groups, and the inner divide within Islam that fuels its self-destruction and global manipulation.   (Please understand this is a very simple review and only to get you to understand there is such a bigger picture to what is actually happening today.)

To understand what’s happening in Israel, Gaza, Iran, and beyond, we must look at the whole story—from the Bible, through history, to the present day.

From the moment God chose Abraham (Genesis 12), there has been conflict between those who trust the promises of God and those who reject them. Abraham had two sons: Isaac, the child of promise, and Ishmael, born from human striving. The descendants of Ishmael, as God foretold, would live in tension with others:

“He shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
— Genesis 16:12 (ESV)

The Old Testament is filled with examples of enemies rising up against Israel—the Philistines in Gaza, the Edomites (descendants of Esau), and later Persia (modern-day Iran). Yet over and over, God remained faithful, rescuing His people—even when they had rebelled—because His covenant cannot be broken.

“I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.”
— Leviticus 26:42 (ESV)

As Israel is once again surrounded by enemies, and as false religions continue to gain ground across the world, Christians must be alert and anchored in truth.

God’s Word has already told us this would happen. The same God who parted the Red Sea, restored Israel after exile, and brought Jesus to redeem the world, will not abandon His people today.

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
— Habakkuk 3:18 (ESV)

We must speak the truth in love—without compromise.
We must pray for Muslims to know the real Jesus—without fear.
We must stand with Israel—not politically, but biblically—with eyes fixed on God’s eternal covenant.

There is a difference between offering compassion and being complicit.
There is a difference between peacemaking and pretending false religions are equal paths to God.

As this spiritual war unfolds, may we be like Habakkuk—honest in our questions, but unwavering in our trust.

“The LORD God is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.”
— Habakkuk 3:19 (ESV)

Who Are the Iranian and Palestinian Peoples Historically? Both groups trace their spiritual and ethnic roots back to the ancient Near East.

• Iranians descend from the ancient Persians. In the Old Testament, Persia was both a tool of judgment and a vessel of restoration. King Cyrus of Persia famously allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4).
• Palestinians are not directly descended from a specific biblical nation but were connected to the ancient Philistines. The term "Palestine" was a Roman designation to erase the Jewish identity of the land of Israel after the Bar Kokhba revolt (135 AD).

While the Iranians (modern-day Persians) had moments of cooperation with Israel in the Old Testament, today both Iran and Palestinian leaders have become among the most vocal enemies of Israel’s existence.

Many assume Islam is as old as Judaism or Christianity. It is not.

Islam began in the 7th century AD, about 600 years after Jesus. Muhammad, its founder, claimed to receive revelations from an angel (identified as Gabriel) and began preaching in Mecca. These messages formed the Quran. He later fled to Medina and gained power militarily. He died and was buried there—and to this day, his corpse is revered in contrast to the resurrected Christ, who lives.

Unlike the God of the Bible, who invites relationship, love, and grace, Islam teaches a system of works, obedience, and fear, with no guarantee of salvation. Its concept of God (Allah) is unknowable, distant, and arbitrary.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."
—John 5:24 (ESV)

Shortly after Muhammad’s death, Islam split into two major sects:

• Sunnis believed leadership should be selected by consensus (eventually choosing Abu Bakr).
• Shias believed leadership should remain in Muhammad’s family, beginning with his cousin/son-in-law Ali.

This divide has caused centuries of violence:

• Iran is Shia and funds Shia militias (like Hezbollah).
• Saudi Arabia is Sunni and funds Sunni groups.

They hate each other almost as much as they hate Israel. Bombings, assassinations, and holy wars between these two groups continue to this day. It is a war for control disguised as religious purity.

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."
—James 3:16 (ESV)

You don’t have to be a theologian to feel the impact of these ideologies.

• They influence college campuses, where pro-Hamas chants masquerade as justice.
• They shape news narratives, where Israel is the villain for defending its people.
• They affect legal systems, as radical Islamist groups push for Sharia-based laws in Western democracies.

The average person, especially those who are spiritually passive, becomes easily manipulated by half-truths and emotional arguments. Without knowledge of history and truth, we become blind pawns in a spiritual war.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."
—Hosea 4:6 (ESV)

Islam is not confined to the Middle East. Through immigration, media, oil money, and cultural pressure, it has:

• Expanded across Africa, aggressively converting and persecuting Christians.
• Gained ground in India, where tensions with Hindus escalate.
• Penetrated Europe and America, using freedom of speech and religion as tools to establish footholds.

While many Muslims live peacefully, radical elements are working strategically, generation by generation, to establish dominance.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
—Matthew 7:15 (ESV)

The god of Islam demands submission but offers no intimacy.

• There is no assurance of salvation.
• There is no Fatherhood of God.
• There is no Savior who bears your sins.

Islam replaces grace with striving, the cross with conquest, and love with law.

Christianity says: It is finished. Islam says: Do more, be more, or burn.

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
—Romans 5:8 (ESV)

What Can We Do?

• Pray for truth to be revealed and for Muslims to encounter Jesus through dreams, Scripture, and the testimony of believers.
• Study the Word. If we don’t know what we believe, we will be manipulated by what we don’t understand.
• Speak up when you see Israel slandered and lies spread.
• Support ministries and missions reaching Muslim-majority nations.
• Stay bold and clear about the gospel: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

A fractured religion is at war with itself and with the world, but its greatest threat is how it deceives and dulls the minds of those not rooted in Christ.

The war is not just overland. It’s over souls.

Let us not be passive. Let us be rooted in truth, vigilant in prayer, and bold in faith.

"If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
—Psalm 11:3 (ESV)

We stand on the unshakable foundation of Jesus Christ. That is our hope in every storm, our light in every darkness, and our truth in every age.