Fight Like Ittai: A Biblical, Non-Jewish Response to Terrorism Against Jews

Now more than ever, Christians see that for humanity’s sake, we need to support Israel. But how? Can people like you and I – non-Jewish, lovers of God, Israel, and the Jewish people – do anything to stop the continuous slaughter of God’s chosen people?

After the recent, horrific events in Israel, I am sure that you are on the same page with me. You are not okay with standing idly by. We have learned from history. We know what happens to Jewish people when Christians forsake their biblical mandate to bless Israel. Millions of innocent people have been mercilessly slaughtered as those who claim to serve the God of Israel did absolutely nothing to stop it. We know we cannot carry on the sins of our forefathers. No; we will not. Not on our watch.

I’m sure that, like me, you are irate to see that many wicked people are beginning to stand up for and justify the barbaric terrorists.  The reality is finally sinking in. These wicked people intend to take their evil schemes to the entire world. It is happening to Israel right now, but Europe and America are next. If we care about humanity, we must stand with Israel and eradicate those whose goal is the cruel death and destruction of humanity. Echoes from the Holocaust are much louder today than they were before October 7th, 2023. 1,400 Jews were murdered just because they were Jewish. We have said, “Never again.” But what does that actually mean for us? What can we do right now about what we see happening before our very eyes? We want to do better. We know we must!

What can we do that would actually stop Palestinian Arab jihadists from indiscriminately murdering innocent Jewish civilians?

A good friend of mine, Rabbi Elie Michele, recently wrote an article entitled “Fight like David.” In that article, he says that Jewish people in Israel should be more bold in their efforts to defeat their internal enemies. He contends that Israel should: 

“Send a clear and unequivocal message to all terrorists: when you commit an act of terror, your family will be deported from this land and will suffer for your acts of evil. If the State of Israel fought like David, it would tell our enemies: after every act of terror, we will declare sovereignty over another town in Judea and Samaria, our biblical homeland. And if the State of Israel fought like David, it would use overwhelming force to punish terrorists and all those who protect them and give them shelter.”

That is the role of Israel. What is our role as non-Jews?

Enter Ittai. You may not have ever heard of this particular biblical character. He is not so famous and only shows up twice in the whole Bible. King David was having a very rough time. Internally, the state of Israel was falling apart. David’s own kin played a successful propaganda campaign against him and drove him out of his capital, Jerusalem. As he was on his way out of the city with those faithful to him, he was surprised to find that Ittai the Gittite was also leaving Jerusalem. 

King David says, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” (2 Samuel 15:19-20)

David tries to convince Ittai that this is not his fight and that he really doesn’t have to follow him. Ittai, however, would not take no for an answer! He replied, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” (2 Samuel 15:21)

Ittai was from Gath, a town of the Philistines, where Israel’s worst enemies lived! Ironically, it is also the same place where Goliath was from! Historically, Christians have sided with Goliath against Israel. History incriminates us as enemies who wanted nothing more than to destroy the Jewish People. Today, even as Israel is being restored, and many Goliaths have been conquered, Hamas Jihadists have risen up to take their place.

The Prophet Zechariah makes a very interesting declaration in chapter 12 verse 8. He says, “On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David.” What he’s saying is that all those who are now in Israel, whether they miraculously made it through the Holocaust, survived the wars of Israel, terrorism, economic challenges, making aliyah and re-settling in the land, no matter how unstable they are, God will make them like David.

How is God going to do that? Let’s read a little further in Zechariah. In Chapter 8 verse 23 it says, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” We Christians are beginning to realize that God is with the Jewish people. That does not necessarily mean that they will always have peace or success. It means that they have been commissioned by God to represent Him and what He stands for in a national expression. God-ness – what is good, right, moral, peaceful, blessed, and successful, is permanently stamped in the DNA of the Jewish people. God is with the Jewish people. Therefore, anyone who truly loves the God of the Bible (the God of Israel!), will never give a second thought to whether or not they should bless, defend, or come to the aid of God’s chosen people. It could not be more obvious that this war is spiritual. The darkness is unimaginably dark, but the light is strong, and it is rising!

Psalm 126 tells us that these pro-Israel, non-Jews will also help Israel realize that God has done great things for them. Isaiah 61:5 says that these modern-day “Ittai’s” will help Israelis with their agricultural endeavors. Isaiah 56 declares that all Gentiles will come to pray and worship the God of Israel in Jerusalem. 

When times became rough for David, Ittai was right there beside him. Just three chapters after he makes a commitment to stay, Ittai is appointed as one of David’s top generals! Ittai stood with King David in his weakest hour and helped him to re-establish order in Israel. If every David had ten Ittais, we would stop terrorism! Especially if all ten emphatically declared that David should, as my friend, Rabbi Elie put it, “send a clear and unequivocal message to all terrorists: when you commit an act of terror, your family will be deported from this land and will suffer for your acts of evil.” “…after every act of terror, declare sovereignty over another town in Judea and Samaria”, and “use overwhelming force to punish terrorists and all those who protect them and give them shelter.”

We have to do it! We cannot stand back and say, “well, there are a lot of internal issues, and I’m not so sure about the modern ‘conflict’ and ‘occupation.’” That is not what Ittai did! It is what many Christians did leading up to and during the Holocaust. 

Ittai showed up the day before he made his stand with King David. If you feel like you are behind or don’t know how to start, consider joining our Operation Ittai team.

Now is your time. For God’s holy name sake, become an Ittai today!