Everyone Hates Us!

I was standing in the kitchen this morning when I heard the distant sound of voices on Fox News from the TV in the living room. Not even certain of what they were saying, I rushed into the living room to hear the newscast, because something had caused all the hair on my arms to stand straight up. It turned out to be an announcement by John Kerry that they had reached a deal on Iran's nuclear program. For the past several days I have been hearing P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu warn the United States and the rest of the world that "this is a very, very bad deal." While the most powerful nations on earth are cozying up to the Islamic nation of Iran, which makes it no secret that their agenda is to wipe Israel off the map, the people of the tiny little nation of Israel seem to stand alone. Surrounded on all sides by Arab nations that despise them, Israelis continue to endure the blare of warning sirens, the blast of rockets, the voices chanting "death to Israel," and the television news broadcasts that show their only ally, the United States of America, making deals with their enemies.

In today's edition of the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, Dr. Haim Shine writes, "There is an alarming straight line that connects Munich 1938 and Geneva 2013. It has been proven many times throughout history that Jews can rely only on themselves."  

Dr. Shine's words really pierced my heart. It took me back to my first visit to Israel about 12 years ago. I had walked down to the edge of the Sea of Galilee to watch the sun set. There were two teenage girls there, perched on some large rocks. They overheard me praying aloud and came near to ask, "Are you American?" I smiled and told them I was. They did not smile back; their expressions were gravely serious. "Why did you come here?" they exclaimed, "Everyone hates us!"  

I've never forgotten that moment. It was as if I understood for the first time what it meant to be Jewish and have the family history that connects Germany of 1938 to our day - and even to the agreements being struck with Iran in Geneva right now, today. And the saddest part of all this is that, as Dr. Shine writes, the Israeli Jews believe that they can rely only on themselves - their military might and intelligence. His article, which you can read here, ends with these words:

"Thank God we now have an independent state with a strong military that can ensure the future of the Jewish people. It is critical that Israeli leaders, both from the Right and Left, now stand united behind the vital interests of the existence of the state. It has been shown more than once in the past that if we stand united, we can overcome all enemies, near and far."

Please, beloved friends, pray that the Jews of Israel begin to rely on the Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! He alone can overcome all their enemies, near and far. Pray that they would get into the Scriptures and meet Him, the One who saved their ancestors time and time again from every enemy, every calamity, every evil intent to destroy the Jewish race forever. Herod wasn't able to do it; Antiochus Epiphanes wasn't able to do it; even Hitler failed! Though Satan himself wants to totally destroy the people through whom the seed of Messiah comes, we have read the end of the Book and we know that ultimately he loses the battle!

But in the meantime, we need to be in much prayer. 

Father, lift the veil from Jewish eyes, that they might begin to call upon Your Name and rely upon You and Your angelic army. Yeshua, appear to your people in visions and dreams and reveal Yourself as the Messiah they still await. Remember your promises to your people, promises of redemption and salvation.  Give Dr. Haim Shine and thousands of other Jews like him, the assurance that you have not forgotten them!

This is what the Lord says: in the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you;  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives 'Come out,' to those in darkness, 'Be free!' Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Thought she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.  (Isaiah 49:8-9, 15-16)

 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zech. 12:3)

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd. For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. (Jeremiah 31:10-11)

 

 

Let God Be True and Every Man a Liar

Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. (Psalm 5:9)
The poison of vipers is on their lips.  (Psalm 140:3)
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. (Psalm 10:7)
There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Psalm 36:1)

....ah, but enough about our President and our politicians!!!

Yes, I believe that most of us in this country right now are feeling betrayed and disturbed by the many lies and deceptions we have been fed. Paul said "Let God be true, and every man a liar." But he preceded that statement with this one, "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true and every man a liar." (Romans 3:3-4). He did not say this to make the point that all people might as well just do and say whatever they like and lie as much as they want; he said it to show that even when we cannot trust one single person, we can still trust God, who is always faithful, always true. He further states in Romans 3:19: "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are within the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God."

Isn't that a grand idea, friends? Perhaps you are as ready as I am for every mouth on TV and radio to be silenced, and the whole world held accountable to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! On this quiet Shabbat day, set apart to our God, I am repenting for even listening to men and seeking them for wisdom. We are living in an age of much increased deception, and unless we are hearing clearly from the Lord, through the Voice of the Holy Spirit, we cannot trust or believe what men are saying, including (perhaps especially) those in the highest seats of government! 

And so this past week I purposed to seek God and His wisdom and counsel regarding the days ahead of us. There are indeed wars and rumors of wars, greatly increased numbers of earthquakes (seven of them in Israel in the past 2 weeks!) horrific storms, prediction of totally incurable diseases (pestilence) and certain food shortages (famine) on our horizon. I can hear the hoofbeats of the four horses approaching. Yet we cannot live in fear - because we know we CAN trust and believe our God and His Word. And this is the word He gave me this week. I hope it will bless you and increase your faith as it did for John and me. As YHVH did before, so He will do again!

Isaiah 4:2-6:
² In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. ³ Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. ⁴ The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a Spirit of judgment and a Spirit of fire. ⁵ Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. ⁶ It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

The term "in that day" of course refers to the Day of the Lord, the time period of Messiah's return. "The Branch" in Hebrew is netzer, and refers to Messiah Himself. And this entire passage refers literally to Israel, making reference also to "those who are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem." This speaks of the time following the ransacking of Jerusalem and the captivity of the people. There is a remnant who remain, and they have been cleansed, as spoken of by the prophet Zechariah: "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from their sin and impurity." (Zec. 13:1).

Over this God-fearing, believing remnant, YHVH will do what He did with the Israelites in the wilderness: He will shield them with a cloud by day and keep them warm and sheltered with a fire by night. The One who was in the cloud and fire of the wilderness will be with His people again at the end time - Yeshua/Jesus, who IS our refuge, our Rock! And the Scripture says "over everything the glory will be a canopy." This canopy refers to the Hebrew word "chuppa," the wedding canopy! It is a picture of the Bridegroom keeping His Beloved Bride safe and bringing her into His wedding chamber.

We must let this beautiful truth comfort us and calm our fears.  Let God be true and every man a liar. Come, Lord Jesus!