RAMADAN IN JERUSALEM

Around 40% of the residents of Jerusalem are Muslim Arabs and therefore it is impossible for us living here to ignore the month of Ramadan. During this month most Muslims over the age of 8, whether very devout or not, fast during the daylight hours, taking neither food nor water, something not at all easy as our summer temperatures are now reaching the 30s. After sundown, families and friends gather together for the often-sumptuous Iftar meals allowed during the night hours, a time to celebrate and enjoy quality time together.  

An Iftar Meal
http://timesofoman.com/uploads/images/2015/07/27/169178.JPG

Every year Israel eases the restrictions on West Bank Arabs allowing them to come in and out of Israel more freely, pray at the Al Aqsa mosque (on the Temple Mount), make family visits and even travel abroad. Unfortunately this always results in an increase in tension in the city, necessitating an increase in police surveillance, and sometimes an increase in terror attacks.  

Ramadan prayers outside the El Aksa mosque
http://12pv0y13xwog68iq81ecagfw.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/3050124067.jpg

This year has been no exception. The relative calm that we have been enjoying lately was shattered on Friday evening as three young Palestinians carried out a shooting and knifing attack near the Damascus Gate of the Old City. A 23-year-old, border policewoman, Hadas Malka was stabbed multiple times in the neck and back, and later died of her wounds in hospital.  Five others were also injured. The three terrorists were shot and killed by other police in the area. 

Hadas Malka, on duty outside the Damascus Gate: a selfie sent to friends to wish them a Happy Sabbath, just minutes before she was killed.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/friends-mourn-hadas-malka-stabbed-to-death-near-old-city-as-a-true-wonder-woman/

Once again the world's news media have been guilty of reporting this incident in a biased anti-Israel manner. The BBC headline read " Three Palestinians Killed after Deadly Stabbing in Jerusalem". There was no mention of the murder of Hadas Malka, nor that the three Palestinians were killed because they had attacked her and were attacking others at the scene. They were killed to prevent further casualties.  

The BBC has since published a clarification and an apology but already the damage is done. Many people read only the headlines and never read the small print, nor the corrections. This apology was only offered after a widespread outcry and protest from the Foreign Ministry and the  Israeli Ambassador to the UK, who also criticized the BBC for its policy of never using the word 'terror' in relation to attacks on Israelis (2).  

In spite of the tensions Ramadan is also a time when both Arabs and Jews reach out to each other in friendship. Ynetnews, a major Israeli newspaper, reports that "Jewish settlers in Gush Etzion have taken to hosting nightly break-fast meals for Muslim celebrating the Ramadan, taking the opportunity to talk about co-existence and build relationships with their Arab neighbors." (1) These nightly shared meals are taking place just 200m from the Gush Etzion Junction, to the south of Jerusalem, which has been the scene of many stabbings, shootings and vehicular attacks against Israelis, and where Palestinians have to submit to humiliating searches and security checks daily.  One rabbi said that he attended these gatherings to " deal with a type of emotional sickness that I think we all—Israelis and Palestinians—have". This sickness is the fear and distrust that separates us even though we live and work, pray and socialize, in the same spaces, shoulder to shoulder. It is good to see there are still those, on both sides, who long for a time when we will be able to heal those wounds, and forget the fear and anger.  Sadly though this is still seems far off, but I believe it will come, when Yeshua (Jesus) returns to restore all things. He will heal it all when he fills our hearts with love and forgiveness. 

That may sound like an empty platitude but I have seen with my own eyes the love that exists between Jewish and Arab believers in Yeshua when they yield to the Holy Spirit within them. It can happen, and it will, when Yeshua returns.  

In the meantime many Arabs are turning to Yeshua across the Muslim world. We hear many reports of miracles, dreams and visions, and many being born again by the Spirit of the Living God. According to Sharia Law any Muslim who turns away from Islam to another faith, especially Christianity, must be killed. Sadly many Christians have already been martyred because they would not renounce their faith. Those who remain have amazing courage, standing firm and proclaiming the gospel. Here is a song that touched my heart - such beauty and courage and joy - as some Egyptian Christians refuse to bow down to fear, even as they pick through the blood stained remains of their Church that had been attacked by Muslim extremists. Here is the link- take 5 minutes to watch and be encouraged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzNsRCQGE4I

Take a few more minutes to read about the background to this video - 

https://www.sat7uk.org/egypt-worship-show-prays-persecutors-victims/

My prayer request in this blog is that you will take time to pray for these amazing brothers and sisters all over the Muslim world, who often feel forgotten by the Western Church, and who are living daily in fear of their lives, Many have had to flee their homes and are living in refugee camps. They could teach us much of courage and victory, but they need our support too.  

 Pray also that the veil will be lifted from the eyes of more and more Muslims , especially as extremism and violence is revealing Islam for the evil lie that it is. Already there is a stirring of the Spirit of the LORD in these lands such as there has never been since the rise of Islam. Soon we will see this prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled:

 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border.  It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them.  So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.  The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.

 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.  In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people,Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”

Isaiah 19: 19-25

1. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4976783,00.html
2. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4977323,00.html

ISHMA'EL AND JACOB, BROTHERS IN THE LORD

It seems like wherever I go these days people are talking about the prophecy in Isaiah 19 which speaks of the future highway comprising Egypt, Israel and Assyria, and the acceptance of the God of Israel by the people dwelling along that highway.

"In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

Isaiah 19: 23-25 

 

Below is a map of the region showing the Assyrian Empire of the time of Isaiah, and it comprises modern day Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, eastern Turkey, Iraq and part of Iran, in other words, the whole arc of the Fertile Crescent.
 

 

https://visualunit.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/assyria_empire.png
 

 

Most of the people in this region today are Muslim and are sworn enemies of Israel, so how can this prophecy ever come to pass? It seems impossible but there are many today who believe that it is already beginning to be fulfilled.  

 

On the one hand we are seeing the  Islamic world rising up with seemingly more arrogance and power than ever, with the promulgation of the philosophy of Jihad (world domination), and its expression in the form of infiltration, terrorism and  military conquest affecting the whole world.  However at the same time, cracks are appearing in the world of Islam.  Everywhere in the Middle East we are seeing civil unrest, wars between different streams of Islam, and Muslims brutally killing Muslims. We are now really seeing the true face of the Lie of Islam. This is causing many Muslim people to begin to question their beliefs.  We are hearing reports of many Muslims abandoning Islam, and in their search for a better way they are encountering Yeshua (Jesus), often directly in the form of dreams or visions, but also through the witness of those faithful believers, both locals and others, who are hard at work in the Muslim world bringing them the gospel. These workers are encountering a deep hunger for Bibles and for the truth of the gospel, such as has never been seen before. It is just a tiny stream so far, but it is gathering strength. We need to support these workers and the new believers however we can, and pray for them without ceasing. May the strongholds of Satan be brought down and our brothers, the descendants of Ishmael and Esau, be saved.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
³ The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

⁴ “Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar,
And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
⁵ Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
⁶ The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
⁷ All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar,
And I will glorify the house of My glory

Isaiah 60 : 2-7

 

 

This wave of spiritual awakening is not just happening in the Muslim world. Lately in conversation with friends here in Israel we have remarked amongst ourselves how things have changed in Israel over the last 20-30 years. When I first came to Israel over 30 years ago the name of Yeshua was anathema to the average Israeli. Yeshua was considered almost synonymous with Hitler, and Christianity with Nazism. Any Jew who became a believer in Yeshua was considered a betrayer of their own people. He or she would usually be ostracized by his family, sometimes to the extent of being disinherited and mourned as dead. We believers numbered only about 200 and we were fearful that if we spoke too loudly about Yeshua we would be expelled from the Land. Consequently we were often timid and circumspect.   Now however there is a much greater openness amongst Israelis, and more and more we hear influential people recognizing that Yeshua was a great Jew, and expressing curiosity about him. Now there are an estimated 15,000 Messianic believers in Israel and about 100 congregations, at least one in most major towns. Consequently most people seem to know about the existence of Messianic Jews in Israel, many have met and know Messianic Jews, and the media has from time to time even run positive articles and reports about us. It may even be that Messianic Judaism is beginning to be recognized as a legitimate stream of Judaism. A lively and on-fire second generation of young believers now exists and are moving into leadership amongst us.  These are young people who, born here,  have been through the Israeli education system, served in the army (often with distinction) and are now raising up families, fully integrated into Israeli society and its workforce, and speaking unaccented Hebrew as their mother tongue. No one can deny their right to be here. No one can deny their 'Jewishness'. They are endowed with much greater boldness than we of my generation had, and they are speaking loudly, eloquently and with great enthusiasm about their relationship with Yeshua. They are also more united in their vision and the expression of their faith. They cannot help but be heard more and more. This gives me great hope. The Isaiah 19 prophecy no longer seems far fetched.

 

 Meanwhile what else is happening in our 'patch'?  The so-called Intifada of Knives seems to have quite suddenly dropped off.  The last two weeks have seen , as far as I am aware, only one  attack, which resulted in an Israeli woman being lightly wounded, and the Palestinian teenage girl  attacker arrested.  There have been no attacks in Jerusalem, or surrounding areas. Is the 'Intifada' over, or has it just paused to lull us into a false sense of security - the lull before the storm? Time will tell of course but with Hamas in Gaza calling for a massive wave of terror during Passover, only two weeks away now, we need to keep our guard up. Today the Israeli Counter Terrorism unit is calling all Israelis to leave Turkey immediately as there is 'a high-level and concrete threat of an ISIS terror attack in the country"  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4789077,00.html.  Passover is a major vacation period for Israelis and many families travel abroad, especially to Turkey and to Eastern Europe to take advantage of the cheaper accommodation there.  ISIS and other terror organizations see this as an opportunity to attack Israelis as these countries do not have the tight security we enjoy here in Israel.

During the  Pesach holiday, which is also one of the main vacation periods for Israelis, some 1.1 million travelers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4792309,00.html

A week has passed since I began writing and still the calm persists. On Thursday (14 April) an axe-wielding terrorist charged a group of soldiers in the Gush Etzion region and was shot to death, and in Jerusalem two teenagers were arrested carrying knives, and confessed their intention to carry out an attack (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4791790,00.html ). Apart from that, this week too has been quiet. Last Sunday the Shin Bet (Israel's equivalent of the American CIA), in a brief to the government, noted that there has been  "a significant and noticeable drop in the number of terrorist attacks committed by Palestinian terror elements, including significant attacks", which they attributed  to "the extensive thwarting efforts by Israel, the effective thwarting of attacked (sic) planned by Hamas - which significantly increased its efforts to execute attacks, including kidnappings and suicide bombings, effective deterrence efforts to prevent additional attacks and very strong actions taken against Palestinian incitement".

In the six months since the beginning of the "Intifada of Knives" (as it has been dubbed)  "Palestinian terrorists have committed some 270 attacks and attempted attacks that were defined as "significant" - most of them shootings, stabbings and vehicular attacks. Twenty-nine Israelis and four foreign nationals were killed in the attacks, while some 250 additional Israelis were wounded".  In March this year however there were 20 significant attacks compared to 78 in October, and in April there have only been 3 such attacks, so far.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4789511,00.html

It appears that the Palestinian population in general, and even the potential attackers themselves,  have come to realize that this so-called intifada is not achieving anything, and even perhaps doing more harm to their cause than good. If this is so, we might expect to see a new tactic arise. Hamas which rules the Gaza strip and has a degree of support in the West Bank is calling for a return to planned, mass-terror attacks such as suicide bombings and kidnappings.  So far their attempts to execute such attacks have been successfully preempted by our intelligence and security forces which have arrested several cells  in the act of preparing attacks.  I do not however get the feeling that a return to this sort of terrorism is supported by the majority of the Palestinian population in the territories, who long for stability and a decent standard of living.

I suspect too that the sidelining of the Palestinian -Israeli struggle by the larger events in the Middle East  means too that Palestinians are not feeling the support of the greater Muslim world. Today the results of a survey carried out by the Asda'a Burson-Marsteller Institute was published.  Based on face-to-face interviews with 3,500 young Arab adults, between the ages of 18-24, from 16 Arab countries, the survey concluded that
"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems to be just the seventh most pressing issue for millennials in the region, after the rise of ISIS, terrorism, unemployment, political instability, the cost of living, and the absence of strong political leadership in the Arab world. "
Of those surveyed, only 13% said that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict worried them. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4791552,00.html


This coming Friday evening is Passover Eve.  Police in Jerusalem are beefing up their presence around the Temple Mount and the Western Wall area as tensions increase leading up to the holiday. Thousands of Jews will be visiting the Wall compound over the 7 day holiday and there has been a significant increase in incitement in the Palestinian social media. On the Palestinian website, Sawt al-Watan, for example, Arab MK (Member of Parliament), Jamal Zahalka, called Palestinians to stop "in any way possible" Jews from going on to the Temple Mount, claiming that more and more Jews are going on to the Temple Mount every day. He went on to say that "During the al-Aqsa intifada, we sacrificed 4,000 martyrs( note this gross exaggeration!) for the al-Aqsa mosque, and the continuation of Jewish entry into the complex is what causes the current intifada ....The continuation of the intifada is depended (sic) on the decision of (Palestinian) organisations—if they will take up the popular fight or leave it to young people and individuals." http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4792046,00.html

Jordan plans to install security cameras on the Temple Mount in the near future in an attempt to defuse the lies and incitement. Posters went up this week on the Mount calling for Muslim worshippers to destroy these cameras. Why do they want to destroy the cameras? They do not want the truth to be revealed - that their reports of Israeli actions on the Mount are grossly inaccurate and exaggerated.

A poster calling for the destruction of the cameras
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4792046,00.html

 

Photo: AFP http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4792309,00.html

 Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem over these important holidays.  I went walking in the Botanical Garden of Mt Scopus campus of the Hebrew University today. It was so lovely and peaceful there. Everywhere I went on campus I heard Arabic being spoken. It was a reminder of how Arabs and Jews coexist in peace to a remarkable extent even in this troubled city.  Of the total population of around 800,000 in Jerusalem 20% (1 in 5 people) are Arabs. Arabs and Jews shop together and work together. We eat at the same restaurants and make barbecues in the same parks. Most of the time we not only coexist but we like and respect each other, even though there is currently a high level of distrust and tension. I believe we can live together, and in the Middle East, we must live together and we must find a way to do so.  I believe that only in Yeshua can we find the common ground, the forgiveness and compassion to do so.  Any other 'solution' is temporary and ultimately doomed to failure.

I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL PASSOVER





RAYS OF HOPE

 

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2859/11247737503_001bc8f7e5_m.jpg

 

In a world that seems to be increasingly driven by hate and torn apart by violence, it is easy to be overcome by despair, especially here in the Middle East. In Israel the endless conflict between Israel and the Palestinians seems to have no solution. We are surrounded by nations and terrorist organizations  that desire nothing more than to wipe us off the map. Meanwhile the Islamic State is spreading like wildfire and extremist, salafi Islam is taking hold like cancer in every part of the globe. Where is there any hope for the future?

 

Yet, in the midst of all this darkness there are some rays of hope shining forth. The other day a friend sent me this link, a speech by an Israeli diplomat in Norway, George Deek, an Israeli-Arab from Yafo (Jaffa). Please take 30 minutes out of your busy lives to listen to the speech (or read the transcript). You will not regret it, I promise.  It is the best speech I have ever heard on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and it moved me greatly.

 



http://www.miff.no/Englisharticles/2014/10/04ThebestspeechanIsraelidiplomateverheld.htm

This eloquent and courageous young man dares to speak of grace, forgiveness and hope. If more were to speak out and take his stand, then and only then would the Palestinian Arabs have any hope for a better life. There is a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Deek outlines it clearly, but the question remains, will the Palestinian Arabs embrace it or choose their current path that leads only to hatred, bitterness, violence and despair?

George Deek speaking  in Oslo 27 September 2014.

http://www.miff.no/Englisharticles/2014/10/04ThebestspeechanIsraelidiplomateverheld.htm

 

Here are a few excerpts from Deek's speech:

(The)Time has come to put an end the culture of hatred and incitement- because Anti-Semitism, I believe, is a threat to Muslims and Christians, as much as for Jews...

 

I know that this might sound naïve,
But I believe that it’s possible, and the only thing that is standing between us and a more tolerant world is fear.
When the world changes, people start worrying about what the future holds.
This fear makes people shrink themselves into the passive position of victims, rejecting reality, and looking for someone to blame for being behind all this.
It is true today as much as it was true in 1948.
 
The Arab world can overcome this mindset, but it requires the courage to think and act differently.
This change demands that the Arabs realize that they are not helpless victims,
It demands that they open up to self-criticism, and to holding themselves accountable;
 
Up to this day, not a single history book in the Arab world questions the historic mistake of rejecting the establishment of the Jewish state.
No prominent Arab academic has come out saying that if the Arabs would’ve accepted the idea of a Jewish state, there would’ve been two states, there would’ve been no war, and there would’ve been no refugees’ problem...

And I fail to see self-criticism in the Palestinian mainstream today about the use of terrorism, the launching of the second intifada, or the rejection of at least two Israeli offers in the last 15 years to end the conflict.
Self-reflection is not a weakness; it is a sign of strength.
It brings forth our ability to overcome fear and face reality.
It demands us to look sincerely into our decisions, and take responsibility for it.
 
Only the Arabs themselves can change their reality.
By stopping the leaning on conspiracy theories and the blaming of outside powers – America, the Jews, the West or whoever – for all the problems;
By learning from past mistakes,
And by making wiser decisions in the future;
  

 Yesterday’s enemies can be tomorrow’s friends. It happened between Israel and Germany, Israel and Egypt, Israel and Jordan.

 

It is time to start in making a ray of hope in the relations between Israelis and Palestinians, so that we can put an end to the replaying of old grievances, and focus on our future and the exciting possibilities it holds for us all, if we’d only dare.



George Deek's is not the only Arab voice that is being raised up to speak against the majority positions in the Arab world. 


There are others also daring to speak out.  George Deek is a Christian Arab, but there is also a Muslim scholar,  the Jordanian Sheikh Ahmad al-Adwan,  who is not afraid to challenge the traditional interpretations of the Koran and point to a different way. This takes great courage.



Ahmad al-Adwan

 

http://mida.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ALADWAN.jpg

Sheikh Ahmad al-Adwan has this to say:

“Palestine” doesn’t appear in the Koran, that Allah commanded to bequeath the Land of Israel to the Jews and anyone who argues otherwise distorts its meaning.

 He bases his opinion on Sura 5: 19-21 of the Koran which says this:

"O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making things clear to you-after a cessation of messengers-so that you cannot say, "No preacher has come to us, and no warner." In fact, a preacher has come to you, and a warner; and God is Capable of everything.

When Moses said to his people, "O my people, remember God's blessings upon you, when He placed prophets among you, and made you kings, and gave you what He never gave any other people."

  O my people, enter the Holy Land which God has assigned for you, and do not turn back, lest you return as losers."

 

In December 2012, Sheikh Ahmad al-Adwan visited Israel and met with Jewish Rabbis, including Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu in Sfat (Safed), in order to discuss peace and reconciliation between the religions.

In an interview given after this visit he said:

Indeed, I recognize their sovereignty over their land. I believe in the Holy Koran, and this fact is stated many times in the book. For instance “O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you,” [Koran 5:21], “We made the Children of Israel inheritors of such things.” [Koran 26:59] and additional verses in the Holy Book

 

And there are additional reasons: this people (Israel) is peaceful and peace-loving, is not hostile or aggressive; [they are] a people that defends itself only when necessary, while trying to minimally harm its enemies. In addition, I recognize the fact that God may He be praised gave preference to these people over humans and demons until the end of days. God does not give preference for nothing but grants all that which they deserve. God may He be praised never turned to any [other] people by name and grant them this honor, aside from the People of Israel, who are named for their ancestor Israel (Jacob), may he rest in peace, as it says in the Koran “O Children of Israel”. In contrast, in approaching others it is said “O Believers” or “O people”, which is a more general greeting

A complete translation of this interview can be seen on  http://mida.org.il/2014/03/03/a-zionist-islam-an-interview-with-sheikh-ahmad-al-adwan/. 

There always remains hope. In an analysis of the world situation by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, it was concluded, in relation to the situation in the Middle East, that:

Despite the turmoil in the region, the Arab world is not condemned to instability and violence. Tunisia has already demonstrated what a commitment to pluralism and inclusion can produce in three short years. But old forces must realize that the old Arab order is done—forever. Either new leaders will share power, develop inclusive policies, defend the rule of law, offer sound economic plans, and establish meaningful institutions to fight corruption or more chaos lies ahead. 
 

The choice is the Arab world’s to make.

http://carnegieendowment.org/2014/08/14/is-world-falling-apart

Amongst Messianic believers here in the Land there is much talk currently of the Isaiah 19 Highway. Isaiah 19: 18-25 says this:

In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the Lord of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. 

 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border.

And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them.

Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. 

 And the Lord will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and heal them.

 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.
 

 In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land,  whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

Has the 'construction' of this highway begun? I don't know, but as I was driving out of the city recently I noticed that the new Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway currently under construction  involves a great deal of destruction in its early phases. My prayer at this time is that out of the current destruction and turmoil in the Middle East will come something new and better. Even as many Christians flee for their lives from the region, we hear reports from many parts of the Arab world of many Muslims receiving revelation, often in dreams and visions,  and coming to faith in Yeshua (Jesus). I pray that the  rise of radical, salafi Islam will cause many Muslims to rethink their faith, see it for the empty lie that it is, and call out to the true God for Truth. In Yeshua, there always remains hope.

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

I Corinthians 13:13.