Nadav Cohen was the 600th soldier to give his life protecting Israel since October 7. At just twenty years of age, Nadav was a devoted soldier ready to pay the ultimate price for his country. His friend said that Nadav wanted to serve “with his hands and feet”. Like hundreds of other young Israelis, some of them still teenagers, he gave his life in service of his country.
His name, “Nadav”, is extremely pertinent. It’s from the root of the word volunteer, and means to give generously. Nadav generously gave his hands, his feet, and his life. He volunteered himself to join with the army in trying to eliminate the threat against Israel and secure the borders to protect his people.
It’s almost as is Psalm 110:3 was written specifically for him, and for his brave companions:
Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power,
in holy garments; from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
Today we mourn the loss of Nadav Cohen and the 600 others who have fallen in battle. Many more have been critically wounded, losing limbs, and suffering other life-altering injuries. If Israel really wanted to commit genocide it could just bomb Gaza to smithereens from the air, but despite the smears and allegations, soldiers like Nadav are proof of the fact that genocide is not the objective. Each of these 600 soldiers lost is testimony to the fact that we value the lives of people in Gaza enough to send in troops, Israel’s own sons and daughters, risking danger and death to do so. Israel doesn’t want this war, this blood, this tragedy, this death. We grieve the life of Nadav with his family, along with all the other innocent lives lost on both sides of the border.
In a precursor to the day David speaks about, we are seeing the dew of Israel’s youth offering themselves—volunteering themselves freely. The day will come when Jesus will be on the throne here to rule and reign, and He will execute judgment. Until that day, Israel mourns the tragic death of so many while evil has its day.
But God’s day will come.
A Psalm of David.
The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power,
in holy garments; from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.
