GIDEON'S ARMY
And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
Judges 7:2
After the time of the Judge Deborah, the people of Israel once more 'did evil in the sight of God' and He gave them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites lived in the lands to the east of the Gulf of Aqaba, which today is in Saudi Arabia. The Midianites, together with the Amalekites and others from the East, constantly raided Israel, taking their grain and livestock, causing great suffering, until the Israelites, in desperation, called out to God. In response God raised up a Judge called Gideon, the least son of the least clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh. There came a time when the Midianites, with their allies from the East, raised up a vast army, of at least 135,000 fighting men (Judges 8:11), and they camped in the Jezreel Valley below the Hill of Moreh.
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Gideon also raised up an army and camped opposite the Midianites at Ein Harod (The Spring of Harod).
Gideon's army was vastly outnumbered since it consisted of only 32,000 men, about a quarter the size of the Midianite hordes!
Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitudeJudges 7:12
What chance did Israel have against so great an enemy? And yet, God said Gideon's army were too many, and He commanded Gideon to send all but 300 home. Why? It must have seemed crazy, but God intended to fight for Israel and He wanted to be sure that they, and all their enemies, would know that it was He who would give Israel victory. He would demonstrate His power and his love for Israel in a way that all could see, and in a way that would make it impossible for the people to take the glory for themselves. And He did. With God's help Gideon's tiny army succeeded in driving the Midianite hordes from the Land and the people of Israel enjoyed peace for 40 years.
Today Israel is surrounded by a great many enemies, some of whom have vast armies, far outnumbering ours. According to the Global Firepower Index, Iran alone has an army of around 2 million soldiers currently in front-line service or in active reserves, and another 40 million fit for duty if needed (http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=iran). Add to that the armies of all the other enemies of Israel and you will see we are vastly outnumbered and that is an understatement. Israel has only about 700,000 soldiers in active or reserve duty, and perhaps another around 3 million fit for duty at a pinch. What chance would we have if all our enemies attacked together now?
This week a Commission headed by Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yohanan Locker published its report that recommends the IDF (Israel Defense Force) budget be cut by 9.6 billion shekels each year over the next 4 years. These 'efficiency' cuts would include a reduction of 11 % of the army's resources and personnel by 2017, and cutting back the length of compulsory service and reserve duties, among other measures. It seems crazy considering the massive military threat Israel currently faces - just as crazy as Gideon's cuts. But perhaps God is preparing the stage, for yet another spectacular demonstration of his power and love for Israel. I remember the saying 'Me plus God is a majority'. Its true. As long as God is for us who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).
In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. 9 It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.Zechariah 12: 8-9 For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. 16 For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been.
17 “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,
And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,” For the Lord has spoken.
Obadiah v. 18
Although we know that in the end, the God of Israel will triumph and destroy all those who rise up against his holy people, I fear this will not happen until the people themselves cry out for salvation and rescue. The LORD is bringing Israel back to her land, but most are returning in a state of unbelief. We are all aware of the threats hanging over us but most are living in a state of denial with an 'eat, drink and be merry' attitude, instead of repentance. Since the foundation of the State there have been many wars and confrontations with our neighbors and in each one God has clearly intervened to save many lives and to give Israel, though vastly outnumbered, the victory. There are many, many reports of miraculous events that support this view. I have noticed that as long as the fighting is going on, the newspapers and the people do give recognition to the hand of the LORD and his supernatural protection, but as soon as the fighting stops, everyone forgets, gives glory to the IDF and our own strength, and then everything goes back to normal. We forget so quickly the goodness of the LORD.
There are many parallels between our times and the time when the remnant of Judah under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, and rebuilt the Temple and the walls around the city. They too had to hold a weapon in one hand and build with the other, for their neighbors lead by Tobias, Sanballat and Geshem the Arab, fought against them. Even so, it took them, under the leadership of Nehemiah, only 52 days to completely repair the entire city wall which the Babylonians had totally destroyed. And their enemies were astounded:
And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
Nehemiah 6:16
Once the work was complete, all the people, in the seventh month gathered together and Nehemiah read to them the Book of the Law, and when they heard its words, and realized their sin, they wept. That year the whole people kept the Feast of Tabernacles with joy, but when it was over they gathered together with fasting, wearing sackcloth and with ashes on their heads, confessing and repenting of their sin. They then entered into a solemn curse and an oath "to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes"(Nehemiah 10:29). Later, at the dedication of the wall, all the people rejoiced with great joy before God:
Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
Nehemiah 12: 43.
Yet, what happened? Nehemiah had to return to Babylon for a time, and the minute his back was turned, the people permitted their erstwhile enemy, Tobias, to set up his household in the Temple itself, corrupting the priesthood and the sacrifices, and all the people turned away from the commandments of God, profaning the Sabbath. How short our memory! However Nehemiah returned, worked to restore the proper functioning of the priesthood, and eventually cleansed the Land of all pagan worship. (Nehemiah 13:30).
What will it take to convict the people of Israel today of their sin and bring them to repentance? Today the nations are gathering around against Jerusalem, and the stage is being set for a mighty battle that Israel's little army could never win. When all hope of victory will be lost, then the people will cry out and God will step in and bring victory, as is prophesied in Jeremiah 12 and elsewhere. God will save Israel and he will destroy her enemies. Zion will see victory, Israel will be restored, not only physically but also spiritually. All Israel will be saved and they will know their Messiah (Romans 11:26). Hallelujah!
And what else is happening in Israel this summer?
This week the first intake of the year of new draftees into the IDF took place. At least 43 young Messianic believers will be in this year's draft, and I believe there are currently around 300 believers serving in the IDF. Please remember to pray for these young men and women who face a lot of challenges, not the least that of being separated from family and congregation, whilst being subjected to a great degree of peer pressure to conform to the behavior and beliefs of their comrades. In spite of this many of our wonderful young people have been recognized as outstanding soldiers and most stand firm in their faith shining as a light to their peers.
High summer is now upon us and the children are on vacation. The heat out on my balcony has just driven me indoors for the relative cool of my apartment (the indoor thermometer is reading 30 degrees!), even though it is just 9AM. We cannot complain however as the summer has not been particularly hot up until now, and the low humidity (about 30%) here on our mountain keeps the heat bearable. Only one year ago, Operation Tsuk Eitan was in progress in Gaza, and our poor soldiers were sweating it out in army fatigues, sleeping in the dust, behind their tanks, and risking their lives every minute. The civilians in the south were crammed into sweltering bomb shelters as the sirens blared warning of incoming rockets and missiles, sometimes as many as 12 times a day.
One day this week I took myself off to the lovely swimming pool at Ramat Rachel nearby. As I arrived at the pool, I was thinking how great it was to be able to swim, and relax on the lawns under the trees, without having to worry about where I would have to run to if the sirens went off. Just at that very moment, the siren went off!!!! I had to laugh at the irony. Everyone stopped and a ripple of shock passed through us all until the head lifeguard called to us that it was just an exercise. Even so in the midst of the blaring noise, which went on some minutes, there was an eerie silence. Everyone stopped, no one talked or walked or swam. We just stood there. I know my stomach twisted as it always does when the sirens go. I was probably not alone and I am sure we all shared the same thoughts, remembering last summer, and knowing that the threat of war is hovering over us all the time. It was a harsh reminder that the calm and joy of our summer vacation could be cut short any moment. Later that same day, in the evening, our neighborhood peace was rent by the sound of several large explosions nearby, followed by gunfire and hovering helicopters (a sure sign that something is amiss). I never did learn what happened but since then we have been hearing sporadic gunfire in the Arab villages across the valley. This is not unusual and sometimes it is just a wedding celebration or some other event at which is it customary in Arab society to shoot off guns (forgetting that bullets fired into the air, must come down somewhere!). However it had been quiet for several months since the police cracked down on the disturbances earlier in the year. I hope that this does not mark a return to the sporadic explosions and volleys of gunfire we used to have almost daily.
Many of Israel's children are currently enjoying summer camps. All over Israel you can see groups of happy, laughing children having the time of their lives, playing games, touring the Land, and swimming. But what about the kids in Gaza? There the kids are going to 'summer camp' too, but the goal of these Hamas-run camps is "to train the vanguard for liberation: spiritually, intellectually and physically, to be ready and able to play its role in liberation," according to a statement by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4683772,00.html This year's 'summer camp' accepts people from the ages of 15 to 60, and 25,000 are attending, mostly youngsters. They are being taught how to fire live ammunition (using portraits of Israeli leaders for targets) and how to infiltrate and carry out attacks through terror tunnels, hand-to-hand combat and other military skills. Worse still, they are being indoctrinated and brainwashed into a culture of hatred and violence.  Israeli youngsters enjoying summer camp http://www.tshcamp.com/wp-content/gallery/daycamp2/740x420_swim.jpg  Gazan children show off their skills at their 'summer camp' - with real guns.. http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer2/24012010/2688381/k1_wa.jpg Where is the outcry of the human rights groups about this abuse and the brutalization of a whole generation of children? How is it that Hamas has money for this but not to rebuild homes destroyed in the war they started last year? Perhaps those 25,000 young people would have been better employed rebuilding those parts of Gaza destroyed in last year's war, or learning the skills needed to build a better future for themselves and their people?
Another feature of Israeli summers are forest and brush fires. Yesterday two large fires broke out. One, in the Galilee, was brought under control quickly, but another near Beit Shemesh burned out of control for many hours. This was the biggest fire since the catastrophic fire on the Carmel in 2010 in which 40 people perished. Thankfully since that time our fire fighting capability has improved, not the least by the acquisition of at least 13 planes that can drop fire retardant. With the help of 150 firefighters and volunteers, and the planes, the villages of Tarum, Kfar Uriya and Ta'oz were saved and there was no loss of life. Nevertheless 370 acres of wooded land were burned.
There is an especially high fire risk in the pine forests around Jerusalem. High temperatures, strong winds, combined with pine resins and a lot of dead branches brought down by the snow over the last years, all creates a volatile mix. Just a piece of glass in the sunshine is enough to ignite a fire which can spread very quickly. The fire near Beit Shemesh yesterday is thought to have started when an (illegal) rubbish fire got out of control, but over the past years many fires have been lit by arsonists as acts of terrorism.
Photo: Beit Shemesh Fire and Rescue
I have only two weeks left of my summer vacation and then it will be back to work. I plan to enjoy every moment . However please join me in lifting up the people of Israel at this time. Tension and stress levels run high. Many people go abroad during the summer for a time of rest and to visit relatives. When here we just get on with life and mostly are not so aware of the stress levels, but when you go out of the Land it is as if a heavy burden is lifted, and you realize how much tension you have been under. But then you must come home and for many re-entry is difficult. Please remember us all in your prayers. They are important and God hears them all.
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