ONE STEP CLOSER
Three forty AM yesterday morning the sirens blared over the city of Beersheva. As around 200,000 residents ran to their safe rooms (bomb shelters), one mother gathered her 3 children and ran to theirs. A moment after she closed the door a missile, carrying 20 kg of explosives, punched through the roof and exploded in the upstairs bedroom of one of the children. The four were unhurt physically but were treated for shock. The house was totally destroyed. Another woman elsewhere was lightly injured as she fell while running to her bomb shelter.
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| The results of a rocket strike on a home in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on October 17, 2018. (Israel Defense Forces) https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-bombs-targets-in-gaza-after-rocket-hits-beersheba/ |
At around the same time, another missile was fired in the direction of one of the coastal cities in the Tel Aviv area but it landed in the sea.
This incident could have ended with many more casualties but nevertheless it represents a serious escalation in the tensions between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied involvement and it is thought that a rogue terror organization carried out the attack in an effort to derail the ceasefire talks being mediated by Egypt.
Israel has a policy of holding Hamas, as the governing entity, responsible for all such attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip, even if Hamas itself did not carry out the attack. Consequently, the IDF attacked some 20 military targets belonging to Hamas during the day yesterday. In addition, a terror cell, caught in the act of firing a rocket, was also attacked. Reports are that one Palestinian was killed and some 25 injured.
Tensions have been rising over the last couple of weeks and there are many voices in Israel saying "enough", including that of Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman who said that Israel is “not prepared to accept the level of violence that we see week after week…We have exhausted all the options, all the possibilities, and now the time has come to make decisions." He then added, “We must strike Hamas hard, and this is the only way to bring the situation back to normal and lower the violence threshold to 0 or almost 0, or to the level of March 29”(1).
Earlier in the week the Security Cabinet met to discuss further action in the Strip but decided to wait to see what would happen over the coming weekend. Until now the government has exercised extreme restraint and showed great reluctance to go to war with Gaza again, but it seems that we are sliding, step by step, closer to that inevitability. No one wants war but Gazan militants are constantly increasing the provocation, and on Tuesday, Leiberman warned that the military was gearing up for a major strike on Gaza to stop the ongoing violence, saying “I’ve held a series of meetings with the head of the Southern Command, the head of the [Gaza] Division, the brigade commanders, the battalion commanders, also with soldiers. My impression is that they all have reached the understanding that the situation as it is today cannot continue” (2). Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Tuesday at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting " if these attacks do not stop – we will stop them". Yesterday he said "I want to tell you today as well – Israel will take very strong action" (2). This morning (18/10) the Security Cabinet met to decide what action it will take but Cabinet members have been instructed not to reveal to the media the content of the discussions which lasted 5 1/2 hours (3).
Last night passed quietly and life in the south residents has returned to 'normality'. After being closed yesterday, schools in Beer Sheva and the southern region have reopened. There are reports that the IDF is still 'heavy on the ground' in the border region and civilian defenses in Beer Sheva and other communities are being strengthened. Questions are being asked why the Iron Dome Missile Defense System failed to shoot down the missile that hit Beer Sheva, and an additional battery has been moved to the city.
Earlier in the week the Security Cabinet met to discuss further action in the Strip but decided to wait to see what would happen over the coming weekend. Until now the government has exercised extreme restraint and showed great reluctance to go to war with Gaza again, but it seems that we are sliding, step by step, closer to that inevitability. No one wants war but Gazan militants are constantly increasing the provocation, and on Tuesday, Leiberman warned that the military was gearing up for a major strike on Gaza to stop the ongoing violence, saying “I’ve held a series of meetings with the head of the Southern Command, the head of the [Gaza] Division, the brigade commanders, the battalion commanders, also with soldiers. My impression is that they all have reached the understanding that the situation as it is today cannot continue” (2). Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Tuesday at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting " if these attacks do not stop – we will stop them". Yesterday he said "I want to tell you today as well – Israel will take very strong action" (2). This morning (18/10) the Security Cabinet met to decide what action it will take but Cabinet members have been instructed not to reveal to the media the content of the discussions which lasted 5 1/2 hours (3).
Last night passed quietly and life in the south residents has returned to 'normality'. After being closed yesterday, schools in Beer Sheva and the southern region have reopened. There are reports that the IDF is still 'heavy on the ground' in the border region and civilian defenses in Beer Sheva and other communities are being strengthened. Questions are being asked why the Iron Dome Missile Defense System failed to shoot down the missile that hit Beer Sheva, and an additional battery has been moved to the city.
Over the last two or three weeks, tensions on the border have been escalating. Rioting, the burning of tires, the attempts to break through the border fence, the throwing of Molotov cocktails and grenades at IDF soldiers and the sending of incendiary and explosive devices across the border into Israel has been a daily event for some 25 weeks now, with violence tending to peak each Friday after Muslim prayers in the morning. The violence this past Friday was the worst for some time as some 15,000 or more Gazan's participated in the riots at various places along the fence. It is not too late for Hamas to agree to a ceasefire truce, but tomorrow is Friday and we are all waiting to see what will happen at the border. The next 48 hours will be crucial.
If you want to see what Hell looks like - take a look at these amazing photos of the Gaza riots (warning- some of the photos are disturbing)
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/09/photos-25-fridays-of-protest-in-gaza/570889/This morning I walked out into my garden and there on the roadway lay a balloon. My heart skipped a beat. I went to investigate it and was relieved to find no incendiary or explosive device attached. It may have just been an escaped birthday balloon, or NOT!
What a sad state our world has come to that we must fear balloons and teach our children to stay away from them. For several months now the Palestinians of Gaza have been sending kites, balloons and inflated condoms across the border into Israel with incendiary devices or explosives attached. Recently, with the upswing in violence along the border, they have become more creative in their efforts. This past Friday a terror group in Gaza claimed it launched the first ever terror 'blimp' against Israel. On its side is written in both Arabic and Hebrew the words, " If our fate is to be doomed to suffer, then we will not suffer alone" (4). It is not clear if the blimp crossed the border or caused any damage.
The balloons are often brightly colored with hearts on them and some have flashing lights or toys attached to entice children to pick up these explosive devices (5).
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| https://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-group-unveils-first-ever-incendiary-blimp-bound-for-israel/ |
Palestinians claim that this is their land, but they show little or no care for it, wreaking widespread environmental damage, not only destroying agricultural resources but also wilderness areas by fire but also polluting the air with the toxic smoke from burning tires. As of the 10th of this month, some 11,920 dunams (about 3000 acres) of farmland and woodland has been burned by incendiary devices, and the forests around the Gaza border area have seen some 1053 fires. The Beeri forest has seen 452 fires, the Kissufim forest 353, the Shokeda Forest 75, the Hannun Forest 31 and the HaBesor Stream Forest 29 (6). Mature trees and other vegetation along with hundreds of wild animals have been destroyed. It is only when the rains come will we have any idea how much of this can be rehabilitated but it is clear it will take many years to restore the area. Plants grow only slowly in the arid desert areas. The World Jewish Congress submitted a petition with more than 22,000 signatures to the UN condemning Hamas' environmental crimes in southern Israel (7).
Environmental crimes are not confined only to the southern region. Earlier this month terrorists in the north burned 50,000 chickens alive in an arson attack on a moshav in the Galilee region (8).
This callous disregard and downright cruelty to animal life contrasts strongly with Israel's efforts to protect the environment. Israel is the only country in the world which has increased the number of trees in the last 100 years. Trees are so 'sacred' here that roads must go around them. It is almost impossible to get permission to cut down a tree. Near the place our congregation meets in central Jerusalem, there is a street with a huge eucalyptus tree right in the middle of it. The cars have to go around it. A few years ago, snow snapped off its top, but it still thrives and has grown a new top.
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| A pelican coming in to land in the reservoir |
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| Pelicans settling in for the night |
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| The solar panels |
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| A grey heron enjoys the easy pickings too |
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| Waiting for dinner |
The Jerusalem Stone
It always blows me away when people claim that there is no archaeological evidence to support the Bible or the Jews' claim to the Land of Israel. As Bibi Netanyahu said yesterday at the Christian Media Conference, you just have to get a spade and dig into the soil anywhere in Israel and you will come up with loads of evidence.
Last week a very interesting pillar of stone was uncovered at an excavation taking place in Jerusalem. It dates from the Herodian period, 2000 years ago, and reads in clearly discernable Hebrew text " From Hananya Bar Dudolos from Jerusalem". This is the earliest example that has been found with Jerusalem written and spelled exactly as we write it today (Yerusalayim ירושליים). Earlier examples were written as Yerushalem or as Shalem in Hebrew (9).
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| (photo credit: ESTI DESIOVOV/TPS) https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/2000-year-old-Roman-find-reveals-usage-of-the-name-Jerusalem-in-Hebrew-568973 |
O Death where is thy sting?
Here in Jerusalem two much-loved sisters in the LORD died recently, and in the same week, two civilians were murdered by terrorists in the West Bank. I could not help but contrast the funerals of these people. I attended the memorial service for one of the sisters who had died under very tragic circumstances. We grieved and tears were shed for our loss but there was also much joy, for we knew she had now passed on to something better, everlasting life with the Lord, Yeshua. On the other hand, I witnessed on TV the funeral for one of those killed by the terrorists. The depth of grief and wailing was horrible to see. There was no joy there, no hope, just deep, unspeakable pain and searing loss.
I thank God that In Yeshua, Death has truly lost its sting. Yes there is always the pain of separation from our loved ones and we feel grief, but it is always undergirded by the joy of the knowledge of eternal life to all who will accept Him. We, who are in Yeshua, have the certainty of salvation because it is not something we have to earn, but a free gift given by God to all who will receive it. In other religions there is no certainty of eternal life, for such a salvation must be earned by deeds, and who can ever know if they have done enough.
The Bible tells us that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Genesis 8:21, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 2: 23). I think of the righteousness of God as a perfectly white page. We may consider ourselves to be relatively sinless but even the smallest black dot on a pure white page will cause that page to become impure. God cannot become impure so no sin can survive His presence. For this reason, we cannot come into the presence of God, or look upon His face, and live, except through Yeshua who has made a way. The Torah Law was given so that we would know that we are sinners but the Law cannot save us, since we can never keep it perfectly. Salvation can only be found in Yeshua who covers our sin with His pure, sinless blood and therefore makes a way for us to enter into the presence of God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3: 20-23
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins
When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Thessalonians 4: 13-17
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Please pray for the situation with Gaza. It is always difficult to know how to pray about military things, but please pray that our leaders will act righteously, ethically and morally, and according to the Will of God (even if they don't know Him). Pray for the protection of our borders and our citizens, and especially for our military and emergency services personnel, who are daily risking their lives for us. Pray especially for those young believers who are serving in the armed forces, often in very dangerous situations.
2. Pray for the leaders of Hamas and others influential people in Gaza that they will have a change of heart and begin to really care about the welfare of the people. May they start to make decisions that will improve the dire situation there rather than make it worse. Pray too for all the believers in Gaza for their protection and encouragement, and also that their physical needs will also be met.
2. Pray for the Body of believers in Yeshua here in the land. We serve at the very epicenter of the spiritual war that is approaching its final battle. The Enemy is hell-bent on destroying God's people and in the process some are getting injured and even dying. Pray that we can stand and continue to shine our light even as the days grow ever darker.
3. Pray for the local congregations in the Land. Millions of dollars pour into various ministries in the Land, often run by non-Israeli organizations and staff, which do great work, but the local Body is often overlooked. Congregations struggle to pay rents and salaries. Individuals who work and live here in the Israeli economy struggle to make ends meet and some are even in dire need. The original founders of the congregations, my generation, are now reaching old age and find themselves unable to work and unable to survive on the meagre pension provided by our National Insurance Fund. Few of us were able to buy our own homes, to save or pay into a private pension fund. Rents and the cost of food are skyrocketing.
4. Pray for strength for the local believers that we can not only stand in these dark days but continue to shine our light. Above all, pray that the gospel will go out more and more as we try to touch lives that otherwise have no hope.
5. Pray for good rains this winter. The first rains have not yet arrived, but temperatures have at last begun to decrease.
6. Finally, give thanks for what the Lord has done and is doing, for the supernatural protection of Israel and her citizens, and the coming redemption and salvation of 'all Israel', and all who will accept Yeshua as Lord and Saviour worldwide.
REFERENCES:
1. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/253347
2. https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-threatens-forceful-response-to-gaza-violence-as/
3. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/253431
4. https://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-group-unveils-first-ever-incendiary-blimp-bound-for-israel/
5. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252680
6. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5367283,00.html
7. https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/World-Jewish-Congress-urges-UN-to-condemn-Hamas-for-environmental-crimes-568935
8. https://www.timesofisrael.com/50000-chickens-burned-alive-in-suspected-arson-attack/
9. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/2000-year-old-Roman-find-reveals-usage-of-the-name-Jerusalem-in-Hebrew-568973
https://watchjerusalem.co.il/450-the-jerusalem-stone
