King David & Solomon made peace with Lebanon – can Trump & Netanyahu after 8,000 Hezbollah rockets, missiles and mortars?

KFAR GILADI, ISRAEL — Huge explosions are occurring all around me.

Shaking the ground.

Rattling my entire frame. 

And my nerves. 

The Iron Dome is intercepting incoming Hezbollah rockets and missiles. 

Thank God. 

Already this morning, Hezbollah has fired 45 rockets at northern Israel.

At least five rockets have been fired this morning at the village in which I’m now standing.

Since the resumption of war on February 28th, Hezbollah has fired more than 8,000 rockets, missiles, mortars, and suicide drones on Israeli civilians and soldiers.

That’s why Hezbollah must be vanquished.

Israel isn’t at war with the Lebanese people.

Or its government.

Or its army.

Israel is at war with the wicked Iranian regime and its terror proxies, including what’s left of Hezbollah. 

That’s why Israeli artillery is firing at Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. 

That’s why Israeli ground forces are pushing northward.

Killing terrorists.

Capturing one village after another.

And finding – and removing – massive numbers of rockets, rocket launchers, RPGs, anti-tank missiles, AK-47s, ammunition, other weapons and communications gear from almost every house, every school, every mosque, and every hospital.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

It’s Wednesday afternoon.

I’ve come up to northern Israel – right on the Lebanon border – to receive a detailed briefing from senior Israeli military officers and assess the latest developments on the hotly contested border for myself. 

And I’m encouraged by what I see and hear.

The IDF is taking more and more ground.

Killing more and more terrorists.

Protecting three Christian villages.

And pushing most Hezbollah forces back above the Litani River.

In Washington, historic, direct, dramatic, and unexpected peace talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials are underway.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is overseeing those talks.

And we’re hearing early signals suggesting progress. 

THURSDAY, APRIL 16

TIBERIAS, SEA OF GALILEE — As I spend more time here in northern Israel, meeting with and interviewing Israeli pastors and ministry leaders, I’m hearing rumors from sources in Washington and Jerusalem that President Donald J. Trump is about to request – possibly demand – a ceasefire in Lebanon.

That’s causing the IDF to accelerate its attacks on Hezbollah. 

In the coming hours, the rumors of a 10-day Trump-imposed ceasefire are confirmed.

By midnight, all shooting by Hezbollah and Israel must halt. 

And sure enough, the IDF dramatically accelerates its battle tempo.

By 12 a.m. (midnight) local time, the IDF strikes “more than 380 Hezbollah terror organization targets in southern Lebanon,” including “launchers, headquarters, and terrorists,” notes the IDF spokesman.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 

THE GOLAN HEIGHTS — I’m now in the Israeli mountains of the Golan region.

The night has been quiet.

Today has been quiet, too.

So far, the ceasefire is holding.

But Israelis I talk to up here are anxious. 

To be sure, they appreciate a chance to sleep through the night.

But they are certain that much more needs to be done to break the back of Hezbollah once and for all.

They’re worried that Trump is forcing a pause in fighting much too soon.

They’re not happy with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for agreeing to what most regard as a premature pause. 

They would absolutely love a true peace deal with Lebanon.

But only – and I stress, ONLY – if that means that Hezbollah forces are truly disarmed and driven far away from Israel’s northern border.

Starting the day after the October 7th, 2023, invasion in the south, Israelis in the north were subjected to 20,000 Hezbollah missiles, rockets, mortars and drones.

As I noted a moment ago, they’ve been subjected to more than 8,000 additional attacks since February 28th.

They’re resilient and brave.

But they’re exhausted and angry.

Enough already.

“Let’s finish this thing,” many tell me.

“Let’s obliterate Hezbollah once and for all.”

“Don’t stop now – we have the initiative – the end for Iran’s slave masters in Lebanon is near.”

IS PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON REALLY POSSIBLE? BIBLICAL LESSONS FROM ISRAELI KINGS DAVID AND SOLOMON

I realize full well that pessimists abound.

Count me an optimist.

I’m certainly not a fan of everything President Trump says or posts on social media.

But overall, I see his determination – and that of his senior team – to destroy the offensive capabilities of the Iranian regime, Hezbollah, and Hamas. 

I don’t worry that he will stop aggressively advancing American interests.

Nor do I worry that he will cut loose faithful and trustworthy American allies – like Israel and the Gulf Arab states. 

What’s more, I think Trump and Rubio may be very well on the verge of emboldening Lebanon President Joseph Aoun and his government to rise up.

Remove the shackles of their Iranian and Hezbollah slave masters.

Disarm the terrorists.

And prove their independence and sovereignty once again.

I think it’s increasingly possible that Trump and Rubio will help Lebanon join the Abraham Accords.

So I encourage Evangelicals to pray and be patient. 

I’d also encourage Evangelicals to spend time reading Old Testament scriptures recounting the history of past seasons of peace between Israel and Lebanon.

The Bible teaches us that God raised up David to be the king of all Israel and Judah at the age of 30.

David made peace with Lebanon’s King Hiram.

And David reigned for 33 years.

“David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him. Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David. And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.” (see all of 2 Samuel 5, and especially 5:10-12)

Later, by God’s grace, Solomon deepened and broadened peace between Israel and Lebanon. 

See I Kings chapter 5. 

“Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend of David. Then Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, ‘You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune. Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name. Now therefore, command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.’”

“When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, ‘Blessed be the Lord today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.’”

“So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, ‘I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber. My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place where you direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then you shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.’”

“So Hiram gave Solomon as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.”

What a beautiful model.

Let us not be cynics.

Let’s pray without ceasing for victory over Iran and its terror allies.

Let’s pray for peace.

Let’s pray for calm and quiet on this border.

Let’s pray for an historic diplomatic breakthrough soon.

And for divine blessing on Israel and the people of Lebanon in the days ahead.