This is a brief update on this 26th day of the war of Israel against Hamas, which began on Oct 7, a date that will be seared into the memory of Israel, instigated by the atrocious terroristic and militaristic infiltration of Hamas terrorists and barbarians. A large part of their success was their “low-tech” operations, which are not normally picked up on radar or other instruments designed to protect Israel’s borders. This reminds me of the still future war of YHVH against Gog, when it is written in Ezekiel that those hordes will be coming in on horses. (Ezek 38) If those will be literal war horses, they will not be detected by high technology.
The longer the war goes, the more challenging are the hosts going to find it financially to sustain the care for significant numbers of “refugees” and displaced persons. The government is unable to do all, and it may be questioned whether they are doing enough. We have never faced in Israel such a dire situation with so many citizens and other residents are uprooted from their homes and livelihoods. They do not know when they can return home, or even if there will be homes and livelihoods to return to. A very distressing situation facing a large segment of the Israeli population. Even in Beer Sheva, which is not under fire and attack anywhere near what these border areas face, businesses are struggling, schools are not in session. After recovering from the devastation of Covid regulations, this unprecendented war has broken out. Our hope is in Yeshua/Jesus alone!
In any case, there are presently 7 families from the City of the Living Congregation in Sderot, presently staying in a moshav not too far from Jerusalem. These are heroes, really, of Israeli citizens who are willing to live near the borders with enemies just on the other side. The assumption has been that the government and military are, and will, protect them from attack and invasion. This assumptive faith and trust has been shattered by recent events, even though for 18 years already on the Gaza-Israel border area, cities and kibbutzes have multiple times faced and suffered from rocket attacks, without sufficient action by Israel’s rulers.
Much of this is because of western powers pressure on Israel to basically “trust us; we have your back”, even while enabling the enemies to continue almost unaccountably for their very open determination to annihilate the Jews and the country for the Jewish people — which includes millions who are not Jewish, but who have mostly benefited from living under Israeli Jewish sovereignty. Certainly, far better than those living under the rule of the predominant religion and ideology in the Middle East. The Maccabees were the Israeli Jews who invited the Romans to come in to help make and preserve order; today most of Israel’s leadership have looked to and counted on America’s support for her ‘survival’ in the international arena. In both these cases, they are akin to the Herodians referred to in the New Testament, who worried more about what Rome wanted more than what was pleasing and faithful to the God of Israel. We asked for a king like Gentiles have, and God gave us Saul. We still want to be liked, and accepted by, the non-Jews, to the point of losing our morality and ability to distinguish between what is acceptable and what is not. The time is approaching when YHVH will say, “Enough! No more! You will be My holy people!” This is a word for Christians, as well, those who prefer to be like the non-disciples of Jesus. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Two of the families from Sderot now in Shoresh only immigrated from Russia very recently: one four months ago, the other two months ago! But…they know that Israel is their home, and this makes all the difference. You really need faith to not only live here, but to remain here. Without faith, it is easy to be double-minded about where your heart is regarding one’s identity as a Jew, or identification with the Jewish people and their destiny. In the book of Numbers, Moses wrote that the 10 spies who came back with a bad report said that this is a land that eats its inhabitants, therefore the Israelis should not go in to take it, despite YHVH God’s lead and command, from the Canaanites in order to possess the Land that He had promised to them. “Let’s go back to Egypt!” Or, “Let’s stay in Babylon!” Either way, this is a reproach to the name of the God of Israel, and without faith [in Him and in His word], it is impossible to please Him.
For you to understand the implacable foe which Israel faces, here are links to the charters of Hamas, and of the PLO/now called the Palestinian Authority:
Hamas original charter in 1988; in 2017 they issued a more succinct statement: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-2017-document-full
The PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization, started by Yassir Arafat) is today called the Palestinian Authority; first charter in 1964 (before the Six-Day War of 1967); revised in 1968:
https://ecf.org.il/media_items/677
Neither of these entities are open to any negotiation or agreements or scenarios that allows this “promised land of Canaan/Israel”, with the borders — or any part of them — determined by God in His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, to actually be possessed, inherited, ruled by the descendants of the fathers to whom YHVH promised with an oath to give to them — albeit, on HIS terms, and in HIS way. Any truces or deals which these entities may accept are only a means to the same end, as far as they are concerned. Thank and praise God that HE will vindicate HIS holy name, in that day, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ/Yeshua the Messiah!
They both have same objectives, but use different tactics, and are political rivals. The current conflict’s roots are not in the “oppression of the Palestinian people” by Israel since 1948, but the Arab world in general (including most of the Arab Christians), and the Palestinian Arabs in particular, that refuse to accept the legitimate State of Israel, both legally under international law, and also Biblically according to YHVH God’s covenants, including the New Covenant. In resenting and hating Israel so much, the whole Arab world has not built up its own “just society”, but wasted their lives by seeking their view of justice by seeing Israel’s demise. The deception of these last days is great, as Jesus/Yeshua, and the Apostle Paul, have plainly told us it would be. A bitter root defiles many, and many are poisoned by it.
Some prayer points:
1. that all of the hostages, including the four which have been held for up to 9 years, be rescued without the release of terrorists in Israeli prisons
2. that Israel would win this war decisively, that all will be confronted with the reality that YHVH is the Most High God; there is NO other god equal to or greater than Him, or even to be compared with Him
3. that God would use this war, and the increasing virulent antisemitism/anti-Israel all around the world, to encourage aliyah/immigration by many more Jewish people
4. that many Jews and Arabs who are truly hungry and thirsty for righteousness and justice would turn toward the One whom the true God and Father has appointed as His King, outside the camps, and go out to Yeshua/Yasua/Jesus who has God’s heart, for He is Immanuel/God with us.
