THE GREAT EXCHANGE

THE GREAT EXCHANGE

Once again all eyes are on the Middle East; as avowed enemies, Israel and Hamas, are going through a prisoner exchange. Original plans called for freeing Sgt. Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,000 male and 27 female prisoners. 450 of these were to be released in the first phase and the rest within two months.


Of the prisoners on the Palestinian side, 315 were serving life sentences. The maximum sentence suggests they were possibly convicted of attacks that caused the death of Israelis.


Shalit, the one prisoner being exchanged for this disproportionate number from the other side, was captured in June 2006 by Palestinian militants. A small tunnel was burrowed into Israel from Gaza. Shalit was captured, while two other Israeli soldiers were killed in the process.

For the past five years the Israeli government and private citizens have worked ceaselessly for Shalit’s release. During his captivity, in violation of international law, his captors have refused to allow the Red Cross to visit him. His physical condition has been largely unknown.

Although Israel has been tough on their prisoners, up until June of 2011 when peace talks stalled, Palestinian prisoners were allowed to earn degrees in prison. This perk allowed hundreds of them to acquire educations at various levels. I wonder if Shalit furthered his education while under Hamas control.

Throughout this whole ordeal Hamas, a terrorist organization, has made it perfectly clear that Shalit has been a bargaining chip. Past history on prisoner swaps has proved the value of human ‘bargaining chips’ with Israel.

According to reports, “Over the last 30 years Israel has released about 7,000 Palestinian prisoners to secure freedom for 19 Israelis and to retrieve the bodies of eight others.” (Wikipedia)

Rabbi Jonathan Greenberg said, “Agree or disagree with the policy, we must have the moral clarity to say that this deal is painful to all people who love peace and justice.”

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, Founder and President of International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, said that “whatever our fears and apprehensions, it is a time to be thankful….welcome home Sgt. Gilad Shalit! The entire nation of Israel, and Israel’s friends everywhere, celebrate your return.”

An Israeli citizen put it this way: “Even though some might argue that by releasing 1,000 terrorists we are endangering ourselves, they don’t understand that the Jewish people rely on God for protection.”

The sad, cold hard facts of this prisoner swap will no doubt show that most of the terrorists will jump right back into doing all they can to drive Israel into the sea. With hearts further hardened by imprisonment, their resolve to finish the work they started will most likely have grown harder also.

The only true and good prisoner swap began just over 2,000 years ago when another Jew was traded for a bunch of wicked prisoners of sin. His name is Jesus Christ. Unlike Shalit, Jesus voluntarily sacrificed his own life in order to bring freedom for his enemies. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)


Like this recent prisoner swap in Israel, the exchange is done in phases. Each time a prisoner of Satan accepts God‘s only begotten Son an amazing thing happens. God does more than just open the prison doors…He also deposits within these freed prisoners a new nature.

No longer are we enemies of God, but now He calls us ‘friends’. No longer are we fighting Him, but now we are on His side. Where once we hated the things of God, we now love Him and want to do everything we can to share the good news of His exchange program with everyone we meet.


“And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)