Shalom Chaverim (friends) and greetings from the Land of Israel,
Welcome to this week's Torah study, Ekev (Because). I found this particular study such a rich and sumptious feast.! There is probably enough spiritual food here to last us all week! :) I do hope it will bless, encourage and inspire you as well.
In this parashah (portion of Scripture), Moses is preparing Israel to cross the Jordan in order to enter the 'good land' that God had given them.
God makes it abundantly clear that it is not by their own arm nor for the sake of their own righteousness that they will take possession of the Land, but because of God's great favor (mercy) and because of the Covenant that he swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel)to give them the Land of Canaan as their inheritance forever. (Psalm 44:3, Psalm 105:9-11)
God has a 'good land' for each of us to inherit by faith (Deuteronomy 8:7); but He has never promised it will be easy to take possession of that land. We need to be strong and of good courage, trusting in God's mighty power. (Ephesians 6;10)
Part of the process of 'possessing the Land' is the necessity of 'dispossessing the enemy'. I discuss this in this week's parashah and wrote prophetically: (excerpt from Parashat Ekev)
------------------------------
God commands Israel to not only go in and possess the Land, but also to destroy its’ inhabitants:
“your eye shall have no pity on them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.” (Deuteronomy 7:16)
This was one of Israel’s worst mistakes – they failed to destroy the inhabitants of the land. “They did not destroy the peoples, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the goyim (Gentile nations)…” (Psalm 106:24)
Even today, it seems that in an attempt to appease the world, Israel is making dangerous concessions to the Palestinian ‘inhabitants of the Land’ that may threaten our very survival as a nation.
For those who struggle with the morality of God’s command here, we can keep in mind that Israel’s conquest of her homeland is not unique. In fact, nearly every country that exists today has conquered its’ present homeland and to a large degree destroyed or dispossessed its’ original inhabitants.
Of course, Israel as a nation, both in Biblical times and today, welcomes those who wish to dwell together in peace. Arabic people who wish to do so are given full Israeli citizenship and benefits, including health care, the right to vote and occupy seats in the Knesset (Israeli parliament). There is, however, a radical, destructive element that threatens the survival of the nation of Israel even today.
------------------------------
I am certain that many of you have by now heard about the terrible 'triple terror attack' on Southern Israel yesterday, leaving 8 Israelis dead and many more wounded. Seven of the most critically wounded were taken by military helicopter to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva.
(This is the exact hospital where I was rushed by ICU ambulance to give birth to Avi-ad, my youngest son. Here, many Bedouins receive excellent treatment equally and alongside Israelis)
Maden David Adom (Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross) has declared a mass casulaty event and is calling for Israelis to donate blood. In response to this vicous attack, Israel has been place on its highest security alert and the IDF has retalitated with strikes upon known terrorists' sites in Gaza
Yesterday, (August 18th 2011), three gunmen ambushed and opened fire on an Egged (Israeli public transport) bus # 392 enroute from Be'er Sheva to Eilat in the Southern Negev region of Israel. Most of its passengers were IDF soldiers headed for the Red Sea on leave. The soldeirs engaged in a shoot out with the terrorists, killing two and injuring a third.
A second bus was hit one hour later with a RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade), wounding several more passengers, just a few km from Eilat, one of the top tourist spots in Israel.
In the third attack, an IDF military vehicle was blown up while racing to the site to help the injured civilians. The vehilce ran over an explosive device planted on the narrow road, killing all the occupants..
Because of an ancient hatred, since the time of Jacob and Esau, the blood of the children of Israel is still being shed upon the Land. God says through the prophet Ezekiel, "Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of israel...therefore, as I live, says the Lord God, "I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you..." (Ezekiel 35:5-6)
God will bring judgement upon those who say, "These two nations and these two countries (Judea and Samaria) shall be mine.." (Ezekiel 35:10-12) God considers this blasphemy, for He has promised in His Word by Divine Covenant that the land belongs to Jacob's descendants (Israel).
THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US AND WITH ALL ISRAEL UPON THE PROMISES OF GOD FOR OUR LAND.
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR PRECIOUS ISRAELI SOLDIERS WHO LITERALLY GIVE THEIR OWN BLOOD TO PROTECT THE BORDERS OF ISRAEL. These are brave young men and women, many of whom no older than Timothy at 18 - someone's son or daughter, brother or sister. Please lift up your voices to the Throne room of heaven for the protection of the soldiers and civilians of Israel from those who want to destroy us.
Besides the terrorist attacks that come from the Sinai, there is also an internal enemy that threatens the nation of Israel: the social unrest over housing prices and the overall high cost of living here. Protestors have set up 'tent cities' in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities to take a stand and demand government reforms. This is being called Israel's summer of discontent.
Even this week, I have had an individual calling me in tears, saying his children need the most basic supplies for school and he is persecuted for his faith in Yeshua so cannot find work. He said, "My children look to me for a solution but I don't have one. Please help me, my sister!", he pleaded. My heart goes out to him and to others like him.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a man on the streets of Jerusalem shooing away several cats out of the dumpster in order to dig through its contents. Truly the poor will always be with us, but in this parashah, the Lord commands us to open our hand and give generously to the poor in the Land.
We appreciate all your generous giving so that we can in turn be a blessing to the people of Israel in these difficult times.
PLEASE PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR OUR GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN DEALING WITH THIS SITUATION AND A WAY TO MAKE LIVING IN ISRAEL MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE.
Shabbat shalom,
Love in Yeshua,
Hannah & family
No comments:
Post a Comment