Hostages Freed, The Promise of Peace, and Lessons from Solomon's Splendor

October 20, 2025

I have prayed for my president since 9-11. I don’t always like the policies of the President of the United States, but I have always respected the man, and the great sacrifice he and his family have made, to serve our country as the elected leader of the greatest nation in world history. That said, I am so proud to call President Trump my president for his leadership in bringing about the release of the hostages from the Gaza strip, and the possibility of an actual lasting peace in the Middle East. It is truly one of the great events in the shared history of the United States and Israel.

I will never forget watching the videos of Jewish families whose loved ones came home, and the joy and weeping that occurred after being reunited after over two years of captivity. Sometimes I cry, and I always get goosebumps over my body, reliving their experience in my mind.

One story I find particularly moving is about Avinatan Or, 32, and his girlfriend Noa Argamani, 26. There is a horrible video of when they were torn apart at gunpoint during the Nova music festival. Noa’s screams of “Avinatan!” as militants dragged him away, are heart wrenching. She was rescued in the summer of June 2024, but Avinatan’s fate was unknown until he was freed on October 13 of that year. His first act was a private hospital reunion with Noa. Frail and gaunt, he embraced her, sharing their “first cigarette together after two years,” laughing through tears upon learning his grandparents were still alive. They were both survivors of the Nazi concentration camps.

I believe it is very important for the United States to always find ways to defend and support Israel. First, I believe the Abrahamic Covenant calls us to this. God vowed to bless those who bless Abraham’s descendants (the Jews) and curse those who curse them (Genesis 12:2-3). This is God’s eternal promise, and God always keeps His promises. I believe our country has been blessed, in part, because of this commitment.

Second, Israel is God’s “treasured possession,” chosen in love (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). Zechariah 2:8 warns, “Whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye,” affirming their enduring role despite rebellion. We should treasure those whom God treasures.

Third, our salvation in Jesus Christ has strong Jewish roots through Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles who were all Jews. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). Paul wrote in Romans 15:27 that the Gentiles should repay spiritual blessings with material support for their Jewish roots.

There are many other Biblical reasons for Christians to seek to protect God’s chosen people. I heard a Messianic Jewish Rabbi share that, when Christians study the New Testament without knowing what is taught in the Old Testament, it is like studying the New Testament with one eye closed. God has given us the entire Bible as His word, and mature Christians need to know and understand our Jewish roots.

The next thing I want to have you think about is this, can you imagine the children of today not thinking of the Middle East as a region of war? That is quite possible with the ground work President Trump and his team have laid for peace in this war-torn region.

Can you imagine the land of Israel being a safe place for a spiritual pilgrimage for the Jews, Christians, and Muslims of the world? It will bring peace and incredible prosperity to this region that all the Arabs, Jews, and other residents can enjoy. President Trump’s unique approach of “peaceful commerce” seems to be captivating the world, and the end of eight wars in nine months is a testament to the possibilities of what could actually happen to destroy poverty and unleash freedom and wealth around the world.

It is a unique approach for today, but it is not unique in human history. In the annals of biblical history, few figures gleam as brightly as King Solomon, whose reign of wisdom and opulence once dazzled the ancient world. As chronicled in 1 Kings 10:14-25, Solomon’s annual gold intake alone tallied 666 talents, which is equivalent to over 25 tons of gold, EVERY YEAR. It poured in from merchants, Arabian kings, and territorial governors. This wasn’t mere extravagance; it symbolized a golden era of peace and prosperity for Israel.

But this glittering narrative carries profound warnings. Solomon’s vast fortune, built on God’s covenant blessings, financed not just splendor, but compromise. He erected temples for his many foreign wives’ pagan gods, diluting Israel’s faith and sowing seeds of idolatry. Within one generation, his heirs squandered wealth amid the civil war that fractured the kingdom. In times of peace and plenty, the temptation arose to forget gratitude, ceasing to thank and glorify God. As Proverbs 30:8-9 warns, “Give me neither poverty nor riches… lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’” Solomon’s story urges us, “Prosperity without Piety invites Peril.”

These ancient echoes resonate today, especially amid the fragile dawn of peace in the Middle East. Solomon’s example shows us that freedom and prosperity can vanish in one short generation. If we arrogantly think we have accomplished such things without the mighty hand of God playing the key role in all human affairs, we will fare no better than the generation that followed Solomon. I call us to prayer that we will not repeat the sins of the past, that we will see “Prosperity with Piety which invites Peace,” all to the glory of God. (To learn more about Al Earley or read previous articles, see www.lagrangepres.org. You can purchase my book, My Faith Journal, at Amazon.com, a compilation of 366 articles as a daily devotional. Check out my podcast on YouTube, called “My Faith Journey”).