Published: 24th of April, 2024

The country of Jordan was once one of Israel’s fiercest enemies. It is a country of 34,000 + square miles and a population of about 11 million. Jordan borders Israel to the east of Israel. The population of Jordan is predominantly (about 95%) Muslim.

Iran is a much bigger Middle Eastern nation, possessing about 85 times the landmass as Israel and about 9 times the population. Iran, an Islamic Nation, is Israel’s archenemy. The Iranian government had, on several occasions, threatened to “wipe Israel off the map.” Iran funds several terrorists groups which torment Israel through terrorist attacks and firing rockets into Israel.

On Saturday, 13th of April, 2024, and going into Sunday morning, 14th of April, 2024, Iran launched over 350 projectiles including missiles and attack drones at Israel. This was in retaliation for an IDF airstrike at an Iranian consulate building in Damascus, Syria. Almost all the projectiles fired at Israel where shot down thanks to Israel’s superior defense capabilities, the help of Israel’s allies, and the help of God. Jordan was one of the countries which helped defend Israel by shooting down Iranian missiles which passed through its airspace en route to Israel.

But why did Jordan, a country once at war with Israel, and once one of Israel’s fiercest enemies, help to defend Israel? The Israeli-Jordan peace treaty, signed in 1994, formally ended the state of war that had existed between the two countries since the reestablishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The peace treaty also established diplomatic relations between Israel and Jordan. But what had happened before that?

The Infamous Six-Day Israeli-Arab War

On June 5th, 1967, a conglomerate of Islamic Arab nations including Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, teamed up to attack the Jewish nation. Israel’s counteroffensive left more than 17000 Arabs dead within six days with the loss of only 700 Israeli soldiers. Further, the Arab league suffered terrible losses of military equipment. Within just 6 days, Israeli forces had pushed back its enemies and they surrendered on June 11th, 1967. Israel’s victory in this war included the capture of the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The status of these territories subsequently became a major point of conflict between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East.

It is speculative to say that Jordanians have learnt the hard way that “the God Who watches over Israel never sleeps.” You too can learn the same thing today, but you can choose whether to learn that the hard or the easy way. As it is written in the book of Psalms, “If I forget Israel, let My tongue cleave to the roof of My mouth,” says the Lord.

Today, Israel’s existence is under threat by the Iranian Regime, and as the Jewish nation braces for a possible war with Iran while facing intense pressure from various other unfriendly nations, I’d like to share a Psalm of the legendary King David written thousands of years ago.

Psalms 2 (A Prayer for Israel)

Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

4He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
7“I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.