Israel Prays for Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali

June 24, 2014

The teenage Israeli boys kidnapped — 16-year-old Gilad Shaar, 16-year-old Naftali Frenkel, and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach — are still missing. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) which has been tirelessly searching for them is, understandably, releasing minimal public information about its efforts.

I recall a story from the book of Daniel – the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who served in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar in biblical times. These young men refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol of gold and were threatened with dire punishment because of it. They replied to the king, “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand” (Daniel 3:16–17). And, indeed, they were delivered.

Let us all pray that Gilad, Naftali, and Eyal — and all of us – retain this kind of faith and trust in God’s saving power even in times of crisis like this. And let us also pray that these three young men know that millions of people around the world, Jews and Christians alike, continue to pray for their safe return.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Founder, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews^® of Canada