My wife and kids recently asked me a heavy question: “Why are America and Israel attacking Iran and throwing the whole world into chaos?” When you ask a pastor or a theologian a question like that, you won’t get a simple answer. You get layers. To explain this, I like to use the “3 Ps” framework—think of it like peeling the layers of an onion. We start with the superficial and move toward the core truth.

Layer 1: The Political (The Superficial layer)

As someone who follows the news and forms an independent opinion, here is my take on the geopolitical landscape.

Historical Background: After the British Mandate, with UN partition plan, State of Israel was officially established on May 14, 1948, much against the Arab world, and this was followed by the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; Israel against the neighboring Arab nations (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon). Israel won, gaining more territory than planned. This led to the Nakba (“Catastrophe”), where roughly 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled, becoming refugees in neighboring countries. In 1967 Six-Day War, in a preemptive strike against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem. This brought millions of Palestinians under Israeli military rule. Later years, the conflict between Israel and Arab world intensified. Israel wanting to defend itself and expand its borders has been engaging in wars.

Israel also has long-held ambitions to expand its dominance in the Middle East. However, Iran has consistently stood in the way by building the “Axis of Resistance”—a network of allies including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and various militias in Syria and Iraq. Essentially, Iran is the main roadblock to Israel’s regional dreams. (I am aware of untold atrocities these terrorist groups have inflicted, and would never support them. But in the context of this Iran war, my sympathy is primarily to 1000s of God’s creatures being killed when there was no direct provocation or attack and without proper planning.)

The real question, though, is why does America blindly support this and join the attack? The reasons from Washington change every day. First, they cited a nuclear threat (with no solid proof). Then, they claimed “pre-emptive defense” based on secret intelligence. Finally, they used the standard reason “spreading democracy” by toppling an Iranian dictator. (I wonder why not Kim Jong of North Korea, who ranks as top 1 dictator, or Putin of Russia or even Xi Jinping of China who actually have powerful nuclear weapons).

If we look at the hard facts none of these reasons are true. I believe Trump involved America in an unprovoked war, bypassing Congress and breaking international norms. It looks more like a megalomaniacal move to stay in the headlines, as Supreme Court put a stay on his tariff war atrocities and spurred by the quick success of the Venezuela attack, he started this new war, diverting attention from internal scandals like the Epstein files and his own legal troubles. But as we know, political reasons are rarely the whole truth. Let’s peel deeper.

Layer 2: Popular False Teaching (The Ideological Middle)

Over the last century, a specific teaching has infected much of modern Christianity: Dispensationalism. This system teaches that the Church and Israel are two separate entities with two separate destinies. It suggests that God’s primary plan is to restore a physical, political kingdom to Israel. This theology gave birth to the Zionist movement, which many in the current U.S. administration blindly follow.

Ideas—whether true or false—have the power to alter history. We see similar ideological movements in our own country. But we must ask: What is the fruit of this teaching? Does it justify the genocide of 45,000 in Gaza with a vast majority being women and children, killings in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and recent tragic loss of life of 150 schoolgirls killed in Iran and untold number of lives and hardship due to this unprovoked war.

When you read the Bible in its proper context and chronology—using sound hermeneutics—you realize that Dispensationalism is a modern invention. It was virtually unknown to our church forefathers or the giants of the faith before the mid-1800s. It is a sad influence, but there is a deeper layer that gives us hope.

Layer 3: The Prophetic (The Sovereign Core)

If politics are unjust and ideologies are built on popular false teachings, where is our hope?

We find it in the Word of God, which reminds us that we have a Sovereign God who overrules the schemes of men to fulfill His own purposes. Psalm 2 asks, “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?… He who sits in the heavens shall laugh.”

I believe these events are a fulfillment of Matthew 24:6: “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

Notice that last phrase. These wars are not necessarily “the sign of the end,” though Dispensationalists claim the opposite. Rather, they are the “groaning” of a world under the sovereignty of Christ. We can rest in the comfort of a reigning Christ who has all authority. He told us not to be troubled when we hear of these wars and rumors of wars. He foretold these things, and He overrules them, and He will ultimately work all these things together for the good of His Church.

Remember His words in these difficult times: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.“ Matthew 24:6

Do not be troubled!

Pastor Murali