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Pride Comes Before A Fall – 19 Jan 2018

Dt 8:11-20

The State of Israel is preparing to celebrate its 70th Independence Day this April 18-19.
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture-Ministry-announces-plans-for-Israels-70th-anniversary-536822

Seventy years of the impossible being made possible. After nearly 1900 years of exile from the land God promised on oath to give to the children of Israel; after prayers and hopes of one day returning to Jerusalem; after centuries of suffering persecutions and unending dislike and mistrust; after forced expulsions from other countries; after trying to show that they are like the Gentiles among whom they live; after failures of other nations to keep promises to assist them in their return to the land; after the Holocaust which sought to destroy their aspirations once-and-for-all; after wars against their surrounding enemies throughout the 70 years of statehood: Israel and the Jewish people here are thriving and prospering beyond all expectations, and blessing the world through its acquired knowledge and innovations born of necessity. Continue reading “Pride Comes Before A Fall – 19 Jan 2018”

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Will Israel Ever Accept Messianic Jews?

A couple of days ago the Jerusalem Post carried an interesting article on the plight of Jewish believers in Yeshua/Jesus:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Diaspora-Affairs-Will-Israel-ever-accept-Messianic-Jews-518129

This situation is nothing new, as the article makes clear.  Before my wife and I got married (and before we were believers in Jesus) , we went to speak with a progressive rabbi — liberal beyond Reform Judaism (I was raised Conservative).    She (who is not Jewish) asked him who is a Jew.  He said that anyone that wanted to be a Jew could be one.  She said that she didn’t believe that, but that a Jew is one who has the DNA:  someone might convert to the Jewish religion, but that did not make him/her a Jew.  The rabbi said that’s not so:  “anyone could be a Jew that wanted to be, as Ben-Gurion said”!  Then I asked about those Jews who believe in Jesus (such as the organization Jews For Jesus), and say that they are still Jews.  His face changed…..and hardened:  “You can not be a Jew and believe in Jesus Christ!”

I grew up thinking that a Jew who became a believer in Jesus was either not a Jew anymore, or, at the least, was a bad Jew.  My father and mother never reconciled with me still being Jewish after I became a believer.  I say that I was born Jew-ish and was born-again a Jew! 🙂  All this to say, I am not attempting to have Judaism accept me as a Jew.  Whenever any Messianic Jew has gone to the Israeli courts to try to prove that they are still Jews for the purpose of aliyah, they have always lost, and brought more difficulty on the others, making aliyah of Jewish believers more difficult.  But still, the Lord is bringing some over, including some with big names.  Judaism will not accept us; some Jews will.  Just like Islam will never accept Israel; but some Muslims might.
The particular story of this woman is really tragic, and only brings shame to our government and nation.  Our hope is in Yeshua/Jesus, also despised and rejected, and thrown out of the vineyard.  We, too, must go outside the camp where He is and bear His reproach.
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More on Jerusalem as Capital of Israel – 15 Dec 2017

The whole issue revolves around whether someone believes that Israel is a legitimate sovereign nation or not. Jerusalem has always been Israel’s capital whenever there was a recognized Jewish nation in the land, including following the Babylonian captivity and during the Roman period at the time of Jesus and the apostles. Jerusalem was never declared the capital of any other country when controlling the land: not during the long Islamic occupation and the Ottoman Empire, and not during the years that Jordan and Palestinians controlled what is East Jerusalem from Israel’s independence in 1948 to the Six-Day War in 1967.  The heartbeat of Jewish people everywhere throughout the generations of exile has been, “Next year in Jerusalem!”.

If someone — whether Christian, Jewish, or other — accepts Israel as legitimate under international Law (Balfour Declaration in 1917, San Remo Conference in 1920, League of Nations in 1922, United Nations in 1947) — then Jerusalem as the capital should not be so difficult. If for religious and other expediencies some one or some nation chooses to “trample Jerusalem under foot until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled”, then they are more likely to avoid the obvious reality. For those who believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to return from Heaven to the earthly Jerusalem and establish God’s Kingdom on Earth, then even more so should we be able to acknowledge the capital of Israel which King David founded at the Lord’s leading and revelation. While present Jerusalem may have the spirit of Sodom and Egypt (Rev 11:8), it is nonetheless destined to be the city of the great King to which all nations must go up during the Feast of Tabernacles to worship Him.

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Beer Sheva Will Never Be The Same!

Thank-you for your prayers connected with the events here in Beer Sheva for the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC Beer Sheva Charge and victory. The city has never had a day like this before! The PM of Australia and of Israel were present; the Governor-General of New Zealand was there (the NZ gov’t has just had a change of PM). Security was at an all-time employment; the municipality put out a tremendous effort to put on a spectacular day that has received very high remarks from the Aussies (especially) and Kiwis that we have spoken with. I was very impressed with the remarks made by the Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull. Also the new ANZAC Museum was dedicated, and, thankfully, the ones I know who have been praying and acting for years for it are very pleased! Continue reading “Beer Sheva Will Never Be The Same!”

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Beer Sheva’s Capture in 1948 Independence War – Oct 15-22, 1948

The War of Independence for the nascent State of Israel began immediately after the declaration of statehood by the first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion on May 14, 1948.   The Negev was an essential part of the territory that Israel would need to protect itself from Egypt from the south, and to enable development of the new country.

Beginning on Oct 15, 1948, Operation Yoav began with the mission of capturing Beer Sheva from the Egyptians, and open up the way to the entire southern desert.  On Oct 21, in Operation Moses, the Israeli forces captured the city, making possible Israel’s ultimate victory against the Arab armies which attacked her at the very beginning of her restoration.  The conflict remains unresolved till today, but the God of Israel will fulfill His intentions to restore His Kingdom to His people chosen to be His holy inheritance. (Is 19:23-25)

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/operation-ldquo-yoav-rdquo-october-1948

http://www.jpost.com/Blogs/My-Nation-Lives/This-Week-in-Israeli-History-Battle-of-Beer-Sheva-Sinking-of-the-Emir-Farouk-and-the-Chazon-Ish-428622

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Arad Still A “Canaanite” Stronghold – 18 Sept 2017

The small city of Arad lays between Beer Sheva and the Dead Sea.  It is situated for clean air, beautiful panoramic views of the Judean and Negev deserts, and cold winter winds.  Arad was the first city in Canaan that the Israelis captured as they neared the Promised Land after the Exodus from Egypt.  Yet, because the LORD had sentenced them to 40 years in the wilderness before they would enter the land, they did not continue from the south to capture the land, but wound up going back and around to the eastern side of the Jordan River to eventually capture Jericho and much (but not all) of the rest of the inheritance. (Num 21:1-5)  Tel Arad, going back to at least the kings of Judah, has remains of a temple dedicated to both YHVH and to Asherah, paganizing the Jewish worship.

Today, and for many years, the Messianic believers in Yeshua in Arad have suffered much harassment and hardships from a group of non-Zionist ultra-orthodox Jews, whose intent is to control the city.  That harassment and intent has now extended to the secular residents and citizens of the city as well.  The Canaanite spirit of religious idolatry and antagonism to YHVH’s people and to the faith in Him whose name is great, continues to this day.

Here is an interview with a couple of the Messianic leaders in Arad, conducted by Kehila News:  http://kehilanews.com/2017/09/17/unholy-war-in-arad-violent-protests-in-israels-southern-city/