A GIANT AMONG GIANTS

 

Today (Friday 30 September)  Israel is mourning the passing of the last of her great founding fathers, Simon Peres. who died of a stroke on Wednesday, 28th September, at the age of 93.  As I am writing I am watching on TV his funeral which is taking place right now on Mt Herzl here in Jerusalem. Attending the funeral are twenty-five heads of State and numerous other dignitaries including US President Obama, US Secretary of State John Kerry, ex-US President Clinton, French President Francois Hollande, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Egyptian Foreign Minister Samah Shoukry, and Prince Charles of Wales. King Felipe VI of Spain , the Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands,  and Mahmoud Abbas the President of the Palestinian Authority.  In all ,representatives of around 100 nations were present, representing over half of humanity. This is an indication of the high regard with which Peres was held amongst world leaders, and all the people of Israel.  Even those who did not agree with his policies or decisions admit that he was a great man, who selflessly gave his whole life in service to Israel, and never lost his optimism and vision for peace.



http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2011/1105/360_peres_0526.jpg

 

 

Simon Peres was born Szymon Perski in 1923 in Wiszniew, Poland (now Vishnyeva, Belarus). His father was a timber merchant and his mother a librarian. His family immigrated to Israel when Szymon was 11 years old, in 1932. All his extended family that remained in Poland perished in the Holocaust.  In 1945 he and David Ben Gurion found a nest of bearded vultures (lammergeiers) in the Negev and, since the bird is called peres in Hebrew, Simon adopted Peres as his surname.

Lammergeier in Flight
http://01271bfede0954168758-da1041207dde8e2d0a75af6fbedebedf.r83.cf1.rackcdn.com/20100324034104.jpg

This magnificent bird, with its nearly 3 meter wingspan, can be seen soaring over the cliffs and crags of the mountains of the Negev. So too did Simon Peres soar high above us all.  All his life he dedicated his whole life to service and his life story is nothing less than astounding. He began as a shepherd on a kibbutz and rose to become both Prime Minister and President of Israel. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in  and even was made an honorary Knight of the United Kingdom in 2011, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from  the United States in 2012. Back home he served in nearly every ministerial position at some point during his record-breaking 48 years as a Member of Parliament. In spite of this, he somehow managed to be an exemplary family man and happily married to his wife, Sonya, for 67 years until her death in 2011. He raised 3 children and was grandfather of 8. He wrote books, poetry and songs. He was known for his pleasant manner  and his moral integrity.  You can read more about his amazing life on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimon_Peres.




Shimon and Sonya Peres flying over Kibbutz Alumot in 1985. Photo: Chanania Herman (GPO)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4861303,00.html

 

With so many world leaders present in our city today, you can imagine  what a security nightmare this poses. An unprecedented level of security has been set up all over the city and also at the airport and along the roads leading to Jerusalem. Many of the streets of the city are closed and movement around the city almost impossible. Some 95,000 people have arrived at Ben Gurion Airport for the funeral, and this is in addition to the usual heavy traffic prior to the beginning of the High Holy Days.  As a consequence we decided to close our school for the day. Our congregation has also had to cancel its meeting today because of the road closures. Such is life in Jerusalem.

  An impressive line up of world leaders attend the funeral of Shimon Peres
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/09/israelis-world-leaders-gather-peres-funeral-160930063814074.html


Peres was a man who always looked with optimism towards the future. In the year 2000 he said this,
 

Israeli children should be taught to look to the future, not live in the past. I would rather teach them to imagine than to remember."

                                 Jerusalem Post, May 4, 2000And in 2011, he said this:Sometimes people ask me, 'What is the greatest achievement you have reached in your lifetime?' So I reply that there was a great painter named Mordecai Ardon, who was asked which picture was the most beautiful he had ever painted. Ardon replied, 'The picture I will paint tomorrow.' That is also my answer."
When I look at a life like that of Peres I am humbled. How could one man accomplish so much? It makes me feel very inadequate and inconsequential. However I am inspired by such men. May I never lose hope and never stop believing that I can make a difference, even in my small corner. The Apostle Paul also urged us to look forward, not dwelling on our failures or mistakes, but pressing ever onwards to the goal:

"...one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3: 13-14

 

May we all be people who persevere in our faith, walk in humility and with purpose aiming for the highest goal.

LEST WE FORGET

 

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
² Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

³ But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
⁴ I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

⁵ I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷ Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
⁸ Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Psalm 3  

 

As I sit down to write the air is filled with the wailing of the muezzin calling the Muslim faithful to prayer, a reminder of the fact that the LORD's redemption of this, His Holy City, is not yet complete. Every time I hear the muezzin it prompts me to prayer, that soon they will be silenced, and only the voice of the God of Israel will be heard in this city.

 

YOM HASHOAH

A Holocaust survivor lighting the flame at Yad Vashem
http://www.blog.standforisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/
YomHashoahYadVashem2015.jpg

It has been a solemn week here in Israel as we observed Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Flags fly at half-mast and all places of entertainment are closed. The sirens sounded at 10AM and all cars stop, and people everywhere stand in silence for two minutes as we remember those 6 million Jews who were murdered by the Nazi Regime during World War II. Every settlement, village and neighborhood has its own memorial ceremonies, and at the official national memorial ceremony, held at Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum), the names of the Jews who perished are read out, lest we forget that those 6 million ‘statistics’ were real, living people, with names and lives and families.  Survivors of the Holocaust, now elderly men and women, give testimony and light torches, lest we forget that in spite of the horrors they experienced, they not only survived but overcame all the odds and lived a full life, marrying and raising children, and grand-children and great grandchildren. This is the proof of victory. Hitler and his henchmen tried to destroy ‘Am Israel’ (the people of Israel) but not only did he fail, the Holocaust provided the motivation for the establishment of the State of Israel, and the survivors came and worked and struggled to make it the amazing, wonderful nation it is today. What a testimony!

MEMORIAL DAY

This coming week we will be commemorating the 23,320 soldiers and victims of terror who have fallen since the arrival of the first Zionists in the 19th Century, including the 116 who have perished in this last year, and the one killed just this week in yet another terror attack in Jerusalem*. It too is a solemn day.  Ceremonies are held at the Mt Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem and in every town, village and neighborhood. Sirens again sound and we all stand in silent contemplation and respect, remembering those who have given their lives in defense of us all. Immediately upon the end of Memorial Day, we switch gears and begin to celebrate Independence Day, our 67th. It is sometimes hard to make that switch but it is fitting, for our Independence has only been won through the shedding of much blood. Always our celebrations are underlain by sadness; that has long been the lot of the Jewish people and so it is still. Only when Messiah comes will he wipe away the tears and our joy be untarnished by grief.

* Before I even got to publish this news is coming in today (Sunday 19th) of yet another victim of a terror attack in the Sharon region, a cyclist run down by a car, bringing the number killed this year to 117

ANZAC DAY

And we are not alone. This week too, New Zealand and Australia commemorate ANZAC Day, which commemorates the landings of the Australian and New Zealand forces on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey during the First World War, exactly 100 years ago this year. During those landings, 5709 Australian and 2721 New Zealand soldiers were killed and many more wounded. This was a serious blow for those fledgling nations and awakened strong nationalistic feelings. This tragedy is credited with igniting the beginning of independent national identities in Australia and New Zealand.  This year, the centenary year, large public celebrations will be held in both nations on ANZAC Day which is the 25th April. 

Today news is coming in of a massive police operation in Melbourne, Australia, in which  they captured 5 Muslim young men who had been plotting a terrorist  attack during the ANZAC celebrations in that city. The Australian Federal Police Acting Deputy Commissioner, Neil Gaughan,  said  that they have evidence that has led them to believe it was ISIS inspired. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-18/five-arrested-in-melbourne-after-a-joint-terrorism-operation/6402810. This particular plot has been foiled but it raises fears that there may be other cells or individuals plotting other attacks. This all just underlines the seriousness of the Salafi Muslim threat, not just to the Middle East and Israel, but also to the whole free world.  Many are our enemies that rise up against us!!!

IRAN DEAL

In my last post I wrote of the deal signed between Obama and his allies and Iran regarding Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. It now seems we have all been misinformed. It now is becoming apparent that no such deal was signed.

A well-known Israeli commentator, Shoula Romano Horing, an attorney, claims that,

 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was correct when he said on April 9 that the White House was lying about what the Americans call a framework agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program.
 

Iran Agreement

The soft power of diplomacy actually works / Aviad Kleinberg Op-ed: American sanctions led to the rise of a pragmatic regime in Iran, which isholding talks to freeze its nuclear program and silently cooperating with US efforts to restrain radical Sunni forces. Full op-ed

Obama is untruthful when he repeatedly claims that Iran has agreed to a detailed and comprehensive nuclear framework agreement. Iran has never signed or agreed to the framework agreement. The framework agreement, with its many specific numbers, productions limits and specific deadlines, is an Obama and Kerry wish list of their own best case scenario of a futuristic agreement.

 
Two documents were produced in Switzerland on April 2. The first document is a detailed US fact sheet titled, "Parameters for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Nuclear Program," which the Americans refer to as "The Framework Agreement," which Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and the media have repeatedly discussed.

The second document is a thin, page and a half statement read jointly by European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, which lacked any of the details, numbers, and deadlines mentioned in the framework agreement. Those two documents contradict each other on many points and reveal Obama and Kerry's dangerous lies. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4647981,00.html

Horing is not alone in her belief. This week Senator McCain also accused Kerry and Obama of fabricating the 'agreement', saying  in a radio interview with radio host, Hugh Hewitt,

"I can't blame the ayatollah, because I don't think they ever agreed to it," McCain said. "And I think John Kerry tried to come back and sell a bill of goods, hoping maybe that the Iranians wouldn't say much about it."

In response to Senator McCain's accusations, Secretary of State, John Kerry responded thus," It's an unusual affirmation of our facts that come from Russia, but Russia has said that what we've set out is reliable and accurate". http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/12/john-kerry-so-far-iran-has-lived-up-to-its-end-of-nuclear-deal/ 

What has the USA come to when it has to rely on the witness of Russia to support its acts? Russia is no impartial observer in the situation. It has a strong stake in the lifting of sanctions against Iran, and it has wasted no time in taking advantage of the supposed lifting of sanctions, under the 'deal', to sell an advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran. Israel's Intelligence Minister, Yuval Steinitz, responded to this news thus:

 "Instead of demanding Iran put an end to the terrorism its instigates in the Mideast and around the world, it is being allowed to attain advanced arms which will only spur its aggressions...While Iran disregards article after article of the agreement reached last week, the international community is already begun to ease restrictions on it...
 
This is a direct result of the legitimacy that Iran obtained from the emerging nuclear deal...
 
This is proof that Iran will enjoy (an)economic surge in wake of the removal of sanctions which it will use for arming itself and not for the benefit of the Iranian people."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4646752,00.html


Russia is also standing behind Iran in its support of the Houthis insurgency in Yemen, and justifies its sale of the S-300 system in the belief  that "the conflict in Yemen will eventually lead to a direct clash between the Iranians and the Saudis, which will lead to a Saudi attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities".
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4646869,00.html
 
THE LATTER RAINS

This week Israel has been blessed with a drenching of later-than-usual latter rains. In the early hours of Wednesday morning we were all awakened by the crashing of thunder and the clatter of hail on our roofs. Over the several following hours around 40 mm of rain fell on the city, flooding dozens of homes and cars across the city. Several of my friends had their homes flooded. When I set off for work I was surprised to find the ground outside my building white like snow. It was a thick layer of hail.

Hail in Givat Ze'ev (Photo: Tehila Menachem)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4647639,00.html

 

Flooding in Silwan (Photo: Jerusalem field researchers)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4647639,00.html

Though most of the world has been enjoying warmer-than-usual April weather we have been having an extended winter. I cannot remember having such heavy rain in April. Usually by now it is easing off and the most we can expect is a few showers. Traditionally it always seems to rain on Independence Day when we are all outside enjoying our mangals (barbecues), and according to the weather forecasts, this year will be no exception. Nevertheless, whatever the weather, we will be celebrating the goodness of the Lord, in that we have survived one  more year, the 67th of the modern State of Israel. Please pray that we as a people will give the glory to God, who has preserved us and brought us back to the Chosen Land.

Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah
Psalm 3:8

 

 

THE FAST OF ESTHER

...the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 5:8

Saturday 27th February
This time last week we were shivering in the snow and this week we are sweltering in an unseasonable sharav. The temperature hit 28 degrees C in Tel Aviv on Friday, necessitating the stopping of the Tel Aviv marathon early, as several runners had to be treated for severe heat stroke. Others flocked to the beaches - and all this in February which is normally our coldest winter month. Although such 20 degrees swings in temperature are not unusual in spring, it is bizarre at this time of year. Today (Saturday) it is cooler but still very spring-like and I am enjoying the sunshine on my balcony as I write.




On a Tel Aviv beach Friday
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4631621,00.html

Tuesday 3rd March
In just two hours our Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu will make his controversial address to the US Congress on the matter of Iran's nuclear program. The Obama administration is reported to be 'furious' that Netanyahu was invited to address Congress by the Republican Speaker, John Boehner, without either party informing the White House. Netanyahu has been criticized both in the USA and at home for accepting this invitation, just two weeks ahead of our elections. However until then he is still our Prime Minister and world events do not stop even for our elections. 

On the eve of his departure for the US, Netanya said this, "Israel and the United States agree that Iran shouldn't have nuclear weapons. But we disagree on the best way to prevent them from developing those weapons." http://news.yahoo.com/israel-pm-netanyahu-takes-off-historic-us-mission-132110917.html  Netanyahu is of the opinion that the deal likely to be brokered with Iran at the end of this month is extremely dangerous for Israel, and his speech is intended to sway US opinion away from signing it. Without knowing the terms of the proposed deal, it is hard to know if he is right or not, or whether this affront to the Obama administration might not backfire to our detriment. Opinion here is divided, but we do all agree that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear arms and must be stopped. We also believe that Iran's word is not to be trusted, and that they have not stopped threatening to destroy Israel and the whole western world. How can you negotiate with a nation like that?


It is interesting to note that Netanyahu's speech will be given just a few hours before the beginning of Ta'anit Ester, the Fast of Esther, which commemorates the 3 day fast of Esther before she confronted the Emperor of Persia, Ahasuerus, in her attempt to save the people of Israel from destruction at his hands. The Ancient Empire of Persia was centered geographically and politically on the region we now know as Iran.



http://ancientweb.org/images/explore/Persia_Map_Empire.jpg





https://www.google.co.il/webhp?authuser=0&ei=IopiU9-bE6XFsQSno4LwCw&ved=0CAQQqS4oAQ#authuser=0&q=iran+map





 

We can read the whole story in the book of Esther, which is read in its entirety in all Jewish synagogues at this time of the Feast of Purim. King Ahasuerus decreed that every Jewish person should be killed because they refused to bow down to his image, which would have constituted idolatry, forbidden by their LORD. 

In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.  And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.  Esther 3:12-13

 When he heard of this, Esther's uncle Mordecai, came to her and said,

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14 

On that occasion Israel was saved by a courageous woman, Esther, who interceded on behalf of her people. Are you willing to be an 'Esther' today and pray to our God for the rescue of Israel from all the many enemies bent on our destruction?

Netanyahu prays at the Western Wall before his departure to the US.
http://thedemocrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/112.jpg

THE TREASURY OF SNOW

20 February 2015
 

God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’...

Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God...

then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

... Have you entered the treasury of snow...

 

Job 37: 5-6,14, 38:1,22



The Temple Mount in the snow today (20 Feb 2015)

Here in Jerusalem today, and indeed in much of the country, we awoke this morning to a white world. As I write the thunder is rolling around the hills, and flashes of lightning are illuminating the heavy snow that is falling.  We have about 30 cm on the ground in Jerusalem, and all the city has ground to a stop. Most roads are impassable, buses and trains are not running, schools are closed and very few shops are open. A hush has fallen as we contemplate the majesty of God, his power and our puny impotence in the face of a snow storm. There is an air of celebration and wonder. Who cannot be moved by the beauty of snow? The whole city is like a scene from a Christmas card. Here are some photos:

 

My cat investigates that cold stuff on the balcony



The view from my balcony

In the yard of our building



 

My street this morning

In the passage quoted above it mentions the 'treasury of snow'. Why a treasury? How is snow a treasure? If you live in the US you might not be seeing snow as a blessing right now, but here in Israel every drop of precipitation, be it snow, or rain or even dew, is seen as a blessing and a gift from the Lord. Snow is especially precious as it melts slowly feeding water into the soil and refilling the underground aquifers. This year we have had plentiful rain and snow with most parts of the country exceeding the annual average rainfall already. Coming after last year in which we had less than 1/3 the annual average here in Jerusalem, we are rejoicing in every drop of rain or snow.

 

Snow is mentioned many times in the Bible and clearly it is an image that was familiar to the people during the Biblical period. Snow is a reminder of the power and bounty of God's provision, and also that every word He has spoken will certainly come to pass.







For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

 

Isaiah 55: 10-11

 

Last night as I was watching a news report about the snow, one of the commentators said that we are all glad of the snow as it allows us to escape from thinking about all the threats that so concern us, at least for a little while. I think there was some truth in what he said.

 

A temporary escape is sometimes healthy and necessary, but the continued denial of reality can be dangerous. I just heard President Obama say, " The notion that we are at war with Islam is an ugly lie". What a shocking statement. I am sure if you asked the Islamic State fighters they would have no hesitation in saying that they are at war with the West in the name of Islam, and Iran has repeatedly and openly stated that it intends first to destroy the 'little Satan' (Israel) and then the 'big Satan' the USA and the Western World, and again all in the name of Islam.  It seems to me that Obama is taking political correctness to a dangerous level in an effort to appease the Islamic world. One must ask why? Although it is true that not all of the Islamic world nor that all Muslims support the actions of the Islamic State or Iran, and many oppose them, nevertheless the actions of the Islamic State and Iran are based on the Koranic injunction for Jihad, that is, the conquest of the world for Islam and in the name of Allah.

 

Just this last week we saw 21 Egyptian citizens being beheaded in Libya by Islamic State fighters, simply because they were Christians who refused to denounce their faith. If this is not a religious war, what is? 

 

http://i0.wp.com/the-american-journal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ISIS_Butcher_Coptic_Christians_Libya.png?resize=940%2C474
 

The Islamic State released a video entitled "A Message Signed in Blood to the Nation of the Cross" and then showed the beheading of these men, some of whom were seen mouthing the words "Lord Jesus Christ" moments before they were murdered.

 http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/02/21/coptic_church_recognizes_martyrdom_of_21_coptic_christians_/1124824

 

I would challenge Obama to look in the faces of the wives and children of these Coptic Christian martyrs, and say this is not a religious war.

Although I normally steer clear of getting involved in politics, it seems irresponsible at this point in time to not speak out against the policies of the Obama administration, which is exhibiting what, from our perspective, seems at best incredibly naïve, or at worst, knowing complicity with the sworn enemies of Israel, the USA and the Western World.

This latter possibility is explored in some depth in an opinion article in the Jerusalem Post which raises the question thus:

Why does US President Barack Hussein Obama so desperately want a deal with Iran? Why is he so fixated on a grand bargain with the Islamic Republic, the world’s biggest killer of Americans? What explains the president’s passion to embrace the radical mullahs of Tehran, despite the fact that all America’s traditional allies in the region are calling for him to check Iran’s advances? Why the deferential approach that seeks Iran’s partnership, instead of its isolation? The question becomes even sharper when you consider the fact that Iran is patently not seeking integration in the Middle East or reconciliation with the West, but rather obviously domination of the region and apocalyptic victory over the West."  http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Know-comment-What-explains-Obamas-zeal-for-a-deal-with-Iran-391602

It well worth taking the time to read this whole article. It comes to the conclusion that Obama's excessive political correctness does not come so much from the recognition that the USA has overstepped its moral prerogative in interfering in world affairs, particularly in the Middle East, as has been suggested by some commentators, but rather that " Obama’s fervor for Iran lies somewhere much more fundamental: In a deep-seated ideological belief that Islam has a rightful leadership place in the world". In other words, it puts forward the suggestion that Obama is, deep in his heart,  in agreement with the Islamic goal of Jihad. I don't know if this is so, but it would explain his otherwise inexplicable stance, and also his deep anger with the upcoming speech of Netanyahu to the Congress on the 3rd of March.

 

Against the background of Obama's policies in the Middle East, and particularly those regarding a deal with Iran, which are seen in Israel as endangering our very existence, I feel that Netanyahu's speech is crucial and essential at this juncture. The reality of the situation in the Middle East must be exposed or we all stand at terrible risk, not just Israel but the entire Western World. Netanyahu put it this way:

"I am going to the United States not because I seek a confrontation with the President, but because I must fulfill my obligation to speak up on a matter that affects the very survival of my country,” http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/26028/Default.aspx?article=popular_posts

Please lift up Netanyahu as he prepares his speech as it may be one of the most pivotal speeches in all human history. Pray that he will speak truth, and only truth, and that his words will be guided by the LORD God.

 

Please also pray for the outcome of our elections, just over 3 weeks away, that the Lord will overrule, and the right man or woman, will be raised up as our Prime Minister and the right people sit in the Knesset. I think most Israelis are fed up with all the political mudslinging and corruption in our government, and long for leaders of moral  integrity and who have the best interests of the Israeli people foremost in their hearts. However only God knows who is for the best, and we need to cry out for his mercy and favor in the elections, as in all other things.

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;

Daniel 2: 20-21 

 

Formula One and King David's sin

FORMULA ONE JERUSALEM

http://www.haaretz.com/travel-in-israel/out-about/1.618797

 

Today I have an unexpected day off work thanks to the Formula One racing taking place in Jerusalem today. Most of the streets in the town center are closed off and the rest of the city is clogged with traffic, which would make it impossible to get our students home after school, and consequently it was decided to just close for the day. Such is life in this crazy, wonderful city.

 

  Above is a photo of last year's event, against the backdrop of the Old City walls, and it shows the sometimes bizarre juxtaposition of the modern and the ancient, the mundane and the deeply spiritual, which is the essence of this city.

 

Just two days ago we celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most solemn day of the Jewish religious calendar. It is a day when even the secular refrain from driving cars or doing work, and most observe a  25 hour fast, abstaining from food and water. Even our Arab neighbors respect this holy day and do not drive around the streets. An eerie hush falls over the cities and highways of Israel. It never ceases to amaze me that traffic and business in this land, usually so frenetic, worldly and fast-paced, can just stop for a day.

 

The Main Entrance f rom Highway 1 into Jerusalem on Yom Kippur 2014

 

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/10/04/Jerusalem-streets-empty-during-Yom-Kippur/1131412449921/ph8/



Today I was reading the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12) and was struck by how like David this city and we the people of Israel are.  David was a man who knew God and loved him. He was beloved of God, who even described him as 'a man after my own heart' (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).  

Yet David committed a great sin, he committed adultery with the wife of Uriah and then contrived to have Uriah killed in the battlefield in an action, which caused not only the death of Uriah, but several others of the valiant men of David's army.  Nevertheless when God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David, David recognized his sin and repented of it from his heart, saying

Blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—

 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

        (Psalm 51)

And God forgave him his sin  as Nathan testified saying, " The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die" (2 Samuel 12:13). Nevertheless the consequences of David's sin did not go away, and we are still living with them today. His sin "gave great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme" (v. 14) and furthermore the LORD said to David,

" Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife".  (2 Samuel 12:10)

David was a man who lived his life with great passion. He was greatly beloved of God, and he did great good and executed many mighty feats in the power of God, but he was also capable of great evil and at least on this one occasion did great evil.  So too is the nation of Israel. Israel is greatly beloved of God, the apple of his eye (Zechariah 2:8). Israel is again today a nation of great vibrancy, life and passion. It does great good to many people but it is also capable of evil.  However when Israel  will repent from her heart, just as David did, so too will God forgive her sins, heal her and restore her to her rightful place, the Land in which God dwells and from which His word goes forth.

And we know from the ancient prophesies that this day shall come. It will come at a time when all the nations of the earth will come up against Israel and besiege Jerusalem. But on that day God will fight on her behalf, destroying all the attacking armies and devouring all the surrounding peoples and judging every nation that has dared to touch the apple of his eye. On that day Israel as a nation will repent, turn back to God and recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as the LORD and repent of her sin in rejecting him. Israel will in that day all be saved (Romans 11:26).

 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. ³ And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. ⁴ In that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. ⁵ And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.’ ⁶ In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem.

 ⁸ 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.

 And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

 In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.

(Zechariah 12: 2-6, 8-9, 10; 13:1)

As I listen to the newscasts and read the papers I see the nations around about in great turmoil and unrest, as the spirit of salafi Islam creates havoc in their midst. The West is rather belately trying to counter the spread of this ideology by attacking IS (the Islamic State) by military means. It will not work. The salafi ideology, which drives the IS, Al Qaida, Hamas, the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, and the myriad other terror organizations operating in the Middle East, thrives and prospers on violence. It draws to itself disaffected and angry young men looking for a justification for their violent inclinations. There is no shortage of such young men. The more the West attacks the ideology, the more it will  see itself justified, and the more it will grow. Sooner or later salafi Islamist forces will gain control of most of the states of the Middle East and then they will turn their attention on Jerusalem and Israel. They themselves have made it abundantly clear that this is their ultimate goal, to conquer Jerusalem and claim the whole world for Islam  (see the quotes in Netanyahu's speech below).

The Western bloc is weak and crumbling. It does not have the moral fiber to withstand such an onslaught. Even now we see a steady rise of anti-Semitism worldwide and an erosion of political support for Israel even amongst those nations we count as friends.  Just this week, Sweden, an influential nation in Europe, declared its recognition of the (nonexistent) state of Palestine. Others are likely to follow. (For more on this go to http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/25386/Default.aspx)


Recently Barak Obama said  in his address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2014, that

At the same time, we have reaffirmed again and again that the United States is not and never will be at war with Islam.  Islam teaches peace.  Muslims the world over aspire to live with dignity and a sense of justice.  And when it comes to America and Islam, there is no us and them, there is only us -- because millions of Muslim Americans are part of the fabric of our country.

So we reject any suggestion of a clash of civilizations. Belief in permanent religious war is the misguided refuge of extremists who cannot build or create anything, and therefore peddle only fanaticism and hate. 

This  politically-correct statement only serves to underline the naivety and  weakness of the Western nations. They are being infiltrated by the ideology of Islam but they are unable to counter it because they must always be seen as being 'politically correct'. We can no longer call a spade a spade.

This not only prevents the Western nations from seeing things clearly, but leads to a confusion in which white is black and black is white.

Isaiah 5:20

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

 

In the same speech Obama later said,

We recognize as well that leadership will be necessary to address the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.... The violence engulfing the region today has made too many Israelis ready to abandon the hard work of peace.  And that's something worthy of reflection within Israel...

 Because let’s be clear:  The status quo in the West Bank and Gaza is not sustainable.  We cannot afford to turn away from this effort -- not when rockets are fired at innocent Israelis, or the lives of so many Palestinian children are taken from us in Gaza. So long as I am President, we will stand up for the principle that Israelis, Palestinians, the region and the world will be more just and more safe with two states living side by side, in peace and security.

(for full transcript of Obama's speech  go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/24/remarks-president-obama-address-united-nations-general-assembly )

This not-so-thinly-veiled criticism of Israel represents a serious erosion of American support. It is the thin end of the wedge.  Did Obama reflect on the reason why so many Israelis are becoming ready to "abandon the hard work of peace"? His and the western world's failure to recognize the true nature of the battle we are fighting, and their failure to stand with us as we fight, not only on our own behalf but on behalf of all the free world, undermines our resolve greatly. We Israelis feel tremendously betrayed and misunderstood when the world seems to swallow, without question,  the blatant lies and misrepresentations of our enemies' propaganda. Is it any wonder we feel tired of the so-called 'peace process'?

A few days after Obama's speech Benjamin Netanyahu, our Prime Minister, addressed the same General Assembly saying,

Ladies and gentlemen, the people of Israel pray for peace, but our hopes and the world’s hopes for peace are in danger because everywhere we look militant Islam is on the march. It’s not militants. It’s not Islam. It’s militant Islam. And typically its first victims are other Muslims, but it spares no one: Christians, Jews, Yazidis, Kurds. No creed, no faith, no ethnic group is beyond its sights. And it’s rapidly spreading in every part of the world.
You know the famous American saying, all politics is local? For the militant Islamists, all politics is global, because their ultimate goal is to dominate the world. Now, that threat might seem exaggerated to some since it starts out small, like a cancer that attacks a particular part of the body. But left unchecked, the cancer grows, metastasizing over wider and wider areas. To protect the peace and security of the world, we must remove this cancer before it’s too late.
           
Last week, many of the countries represented here rightly applauded President Obama for leading the effort to confront ISIS, and yet weeks before, some of these same countries, the same countries that now support confronting ISIS, opposed Israel for confronting Hamas. They evidently don’t understand that ISIS and Hamas are branches of the same poisonous tree.

 ISIS and Hamas share a fanatical creed, which they both seek to impose well beyond the territory under their control. Listen to ISIS’ self-declared caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This is what he said two months ago: A day will soon come when the Muslim will walk everywhere as a master. The Muslims will cause the world to hear and understand the meaning of terrorism and destroy the idol of democracy. Now listen to Khaled Mashal, the leader of Hamas. He proclaims a similar vision of the future: We say this to the West -- by Allah you will be defeated. Tomorrow our nation will sit on the throne of the world.
As Hamas’ charter makes clear, Hamas’ immediate goal is to destroy Israel, but Hamas has a broader objective. They also want a caliphate. Hamas shares the global ambitions of its fellow militant Islamists, and that’s why its supporters wildly cheered in the streets of Gaza as thousands of Americans were murdered in 9/11, and that’s why its leaders condemn the United States for killing Osama bin Laden whom they praised as a holy warrior.

For the full transcript go to  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.618308

If you have any doubt of the nature of Hamas, take a look at these photos of Hamas executions of so-called collaborators (none of whom were known by the Israeli security forces and none of whom had a fair trial) during the recent war in Gaza.

http://34stby2ora6b105yxl1yqt7219yg.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/hamas_executions-300x180.jpg

http://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/628x4713-600x350.jpg

Are these any less brutal and appalling than those of ISIS?  And what of  Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, the terror organization that now holds sway in the Sinai Peninsula? Yesterday it executed four so-called collaborators, and this is not the first time. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4577982,00.html

For more on this - hot off the press- go to http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/25391/Default.aspx

Wake up world!!!

If you agree with my analysis of the situation, I strongly recommend you not only pray fervently for Israel and the peoples of the Middle East, but also for your own nations and people. I firmly believe that all nations will be called to account before God as to how they have stood for or against Israel, and the time of testing is drawing very close. The Church too will be called to account. It is very sad that many Christian believers, both nominal and born-again, are deceived by the spirit of 'political correctness' and the erroneous teachings of replacement theology which claims that God has rejected Israel. I pray that we all will be found standing on the right side of the fence when the time comes. And that time is coming very soon, I believe. It is time to declare on which side you stand.

For behold, in those days and at that time,
When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
² I will also gather all nations,
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there
On account of My people, My heritage Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
They have also divided up My land...

 Proclaim this among the nations:
“Prepare for war!

 “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

 But the Lord will be a shelter for His people,
And the strength of the children of Israel.

 Egypt shall be a desolation,
And Edom a desolate wilderness,
Because of violence against the people of Judah,
For they have shed innocent blood in their land.
²⁰ But Judah shall abide forever,
And Jerusalem from generation to generation.
²¹ For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted;
For the Lord dwells in Zion

Excerpts from Joel 3.