To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven… A time to love and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace…I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.
That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8, 14-15
This picture is from my balcony, looking across the street at the American Consulate that will become the US Embassy in Jerusalem on 14th May. This is something that we have been praying for, for many years. It is an answer to prayer that causes us to rejoice. I also wonder what kind of turmoil it will bring not just to Jerusalem and Israel but to the whole world. And to my neighborhood as well.
The picture of the US Consulate/Embassy will change as they extend the walls on all sides to 3 meters (10 feet) and build an escape route (required for all US Embassies). You might be wondering why you don’t see much – it’s because almost all of the buildings are underground.
While we don’t know what US President Trump will demand of Israel in his “peace plan”, he has done good to Israel and to Jerusalem. He said that his recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was just affirming the obvious, yet the aggressive rejection of that reality by the vast majority of the nations has significance. And the Lord will require an account of what has been done as we see in Ecclesiastes 3:15.
It is the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem: Zechariah 3:2 And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire? President Trump chose 14th May to open the Embassy as a 70th as a birthday present to the people of Israel and Satan is angry.
We don’t often see a 12 minute speech change the world but I believe US President Trump’s short statement on Jerusalem is a world changer and shaker. The UN voted in response “that any decisions regarding the status of the city are null and void and must be cancelled.” The non-binding resolution was approved by 128 states, with 35 abstaining and only nine others voting against. Once again the UN has proved itself to be as our first Prime Minister referred to them as the “United Nothings.” These 128 nations have aligned themselves directly in opposition to God’s Word and purpose. We know there will be consequences. The nations of the UN may seem mighty and important in their eyes but in the eyes of the Lord they are as nothing. Psalm 30:10-11 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.
The violent ongoing Friday demonstrations that started in Gaza March 30 are in part Hamas’s response to President Trump’s declaration and his 70th birthday present to Israel. The most potentially explosive dates on the road leading up to Nakba Day are Palestinian Prisoners’ Day on April 17, April 19 which is Israel’s 70th Independence day this year according to the Hebrew calendar. May 14th which is Israel’s 70th Independence Day on according to the Gregorian calendar as well as the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem and then Nakba Day the following day. We could see demonstrations and even riots worldwide on 14th and 15th May.
The Palestinians celebrate Nakba (catastrophe) day as the day when Israel was rebirthed and 600,000 Palestinians fled Israel. What the Palestinian leadership refuses to acknowledge is that the vast majority of those 600,000 left under the orders of the Arab leaders who said that they were in the way of the destruction of the Jews and when that was completed they would be able to return to their homes and take over the Jew’s possessions as well.
We see this refusal to acknowledge reality also in the nations’ incensed reaction to Israel defending its borders which on 30th March resulted in the deaths of 20 Palestinian rioters – at least 11 of whom have been identified as known terrorists. On 6th April the death toll was 9. As expected it is Arab nations which are the most incensed. By now we could also say that the European response is expected. In many ways Western Europe is committing suicide, not only by the influx of Islamic immigrants but also by rejecting their Christian roots and culture. It is bizarre that the more “fascist” Eastern European nations seem to have a better insight on what is happening than their “enlightened” Western European compatriots.
Hamas tells the story that the people of Gaza are suffering and Israel is to blame. This could not be further from the truth. Without a doubt the people of Gaza are suffering: electricity only a few hours a day (all supplied by Israel), poor drinking water and a terrible or nonexistent sewage system, very high unemployment (50%), poverty and hunger and lack of decent housing. Who is to blame? It is the Hamas leadership which has enriched itself as the Palestinian Authority leadership has been doing for 25 years. In addition, the majority of building materials (that enter via Israel) meant for the rebuilding of damaged and destroyed homes and a new electricity plant have been funnedled into the building of tunnels and rockets to attack Israel.
The fact that in poverty stricken Gaza, Hamas has announced that they will make a payment for every one killed or wounded in these riots does not seem to resonate in the western liberal minds as manipulation and pressure. For Hamas dead Gazans are wonderful public relations. The Islamists have said for years “you (Israel) love life, we love death that is why we will win.”
Hamas is mobilizing its people to march to the Israeli border fence. Their purpose is multifold: clearly an attempt to breach the fence and invade and destroy Israel, demanding the so called “right of return.” It is also their demonic response to President Trump’s decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
The UN and the EU is demanding the “right of innocent Palestinians to demonstrate.” The reality is that they are rioting; many are armed with weapons, fire bombs, explosives and rocks and are members of the various terror groups in Gaza. It’s also worth noting that none of Hama’s leadership’s children have been sent to fight.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has said “We will uproot the (Israeli) borders, we will pluck out their hearts, and we will pray in Jerusalem.” Sounds peaceful and non-violent doesn’t it?
The reaction of much of the world has been to attack Israel for defending itself. The USA is the notable exception. What nation would not defend its border in the face of an invasion? Today some European Nations don’t but they are the exception or should we say an aberration in how nations defend themselves.
The situation in Gaza could very easily get out of hand and we might soon find ourselves at war with Hamas again.
Iran is a major patron and supporter of Hamas as well as being one of the dominant powers in Syria and the power behind Hezbollah in Lebanon. In the north on the Lebanese and Syrian border things are quiet but tense. Iran is building permanent military bases for itself in Syria. It continues to arm Hezbollah and a miscalculation on any side could plunge us into war. It would be gross negligence for Israel not to be prepared for these three enemies to coordinate their actions. A war on three fronts (Gaza, Lebanon, Syria) could stretch Israel to its limits.
The other dominant players in Syria are Russia and Turkey. The Islamic regime in Turkey is spiritually aligned with the Moslem Brotherhood of Egypt which is the progenitor of Hamas. As both Turkey and Hamas are Sunni Islam they have both a spiritual and financial connection. Turkey is not a friend of Israel but for now is not as potent an enemy as Iran.
Russia is the unpredictable influence in the region. They are really the dominant power in Syria, looking to cement Assad’s rule there for their own purposes. At the same time they have some kind of working relationship with Israel.
Another concern for Israel is President Trump has announcement that the USA will be withdrawing its troops from Syria ASAP as this intended move as it would leave the whole area in the control of the Iranians, Turks and Russians.
Pray for:
- Israel to be prepared for a multitude of eventualities. War on multiple fronts, lawfare (legal warfare) and the battle in the arena of public diplomacy. We do not look forward to war but we know that Israel is not done fighting for its existence and that more war here is inevitable.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven… A time to love and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
- We recognize that one of the strategies of Satan is to try and bring things to pass before God’s timing is full. We pray for the world and its peoples to align themselves with God’s perfect time table and His seasons.
- The Russians to deepen their cooperation with Israel at Iran and Turkey’s expense.
- May the Russians realize that Islamic Iran and Islamic Turkey which both border on Russia will become a source of Islamic support for Russia’s Islamic terrorists.
- May Putin remember that his defeat of Chechnya’s Islamic terrorists elevated his standing with the Russian People.
- As we are about to send this out, it is being reported that Israel last night bombed a Syrian Airbase that has a large Iranian presence. The point for prayer is that the Americans have revealed that Israel did it and they were told about it in advance. It is very unlikely that this “leak” of information was agreed to by Israel. This could lead to a tense situation between Israel and the USA on the sharing of intelligence. Pray that this is properly dealt with by the Americans and that there will be no break of US – Israel cooperation
- On the Russian side they have angrily complained that they were not informed at all. This could also cause a break in the cooperation between Russia and Israel. Pray that it doesn’t happen.
- A revolution in Israel’s public diplomacy. (This means presenting Israel’s position on what is happening before the eyes of the world.) There was a time when Israel was very good at this but for many decades now the Palestinians have surpassed Israel in every aspect of public diplomacy.
- The Lord to speak to His People and give us more revelation and understanding of the times we are living in, what to expect and how to pray.
Pray against:
- Attempts to bring Israel before the International Criminal Court for defending itself against terrorists. (Lawfare.)
- We are always spiritually and sometimes physically in a state of war.
- Thank you all for fighting the good fight in prayer,
- Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
- The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
Eliyahu Ben-Haim, Jerusalem, 9 April, 2018
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