This week in Israel:
Even as we were writing this Update, news broke about the arrest of an ultra-Orthodox man who has confessed to a string of terrorist activities in Israel spanning ten years. These included the murder of two Palestinian men, and a number of bombings, including the planting of a device in a Purim gift basket in March of 2008 which exploded, severely wounding 15 year old Ami Ortiz. Ami, the son of Messianic Jewish leaders in Ariel, lingered very near to death for a long time as prayer was raised on behalf of him and his family around the world. Today no one can deny that a miracle occurred in his survival and continued recovery. And something else has occurred in Israel through this tragedy. The name "Messianic Jew", seldom used in Israeli media before, is now finding itself used in the Hebrew and English press and on national television. As we thank the LORD for His faithfulness in bringing these deeds of darkness into the light, PLEASE PRAY: for continued restoration, strength and protection in the Ortiz family.that the Lord guide them in wisdom, integrity and truth as they find themselves again in the spotlight. Pray for Ami to continue to progress in healing of his body, soul and spirit. Pray that Truth and Justice will be served, and that the LORD and His Messiah will receive glory as this case continues to unfold. And pray that citizens of Israel will become more and more aware that there is a growing community among them who believe in Yeshua as their Messiah and King.
1. RAIN
"But the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year" (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk, and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance"
(I Kings 8:35-36).
"For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned" (Hebrews 6:7).
After rain over a month ago on Rosh Hashanah and none since, we have finally received some significant precipitation. The Sea of Galilee rose four centimeters in two days, and may go up another three by Tuesday. We are so thankful. It is important to remember that this is "a land for which the LORD cares" (see Scripture from Deuteronomy above). His eyes are in a very unique way focused on this particular area of earth year-round. It is not pleasing to him to see it languishing on account of the sin of the people He has ordained to be its caretakers. As we thank Him for the rain and pray that it will continue, let us also pray God's mercy over the Land itself-that Israel, its caretaker, will be convicted of her sin and turn to the One who hears from Heaven, who will then teach her "the good way in which she should walk". As we pray for the Land to drink in the physical waters falling on it now, let us intercede that the rains of God's Holy Spirit will find "good soil" in the People of the Land, germinating into conviction, repentance and new life!
2. RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN
"Every spirit that does not confess that Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the anti-Messiah (anti-Christ), which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world" (I John 4:3).
This past Thursday is the day on rabbinic calendars associated with the death of Rachel, a day in which 150,000 Jews from around Israel flocked to a place in Bethlehem they believe to be her tomb in order to pray to her. According to one report, although fewer than a thousand came on this occasion 20 years ago, some 80,000 arrived last year-and that number nearly doubled this year. The vast majority are ultra-Orthodox "Haredim" women, bringing petitions in the hopes that Rachel will serve as an intercessor on their behalf to HaShem (YHVH, the LORD). "Everything you ask of her, she grants you," one woman waiting in line told a Jerusalem Post reporter. Although there are many types of petitions, there is thought to be a especial efficacy for barren women, based on Jeremiah 31:15 where Rachel is mentioned as "weeping for her children."
Ironically, Rachel herself died there while giving birth to her second son, Benyamin. And it is a question worthy of solemn meditation whether an 'opening' in her spiritual and physical armor contributing to that death may have been occasioned by her secret smuggling of foreign idols with her into the Land (Gen. 31:19). One wonders whether she might not weep still more over these latter-day children, who in many cases are very near to making her herself into an idol for worship.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews call themselves Haredim. The word means "those who tremble" and is taken from Isaiah 66:5, "Hear the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word." There are many streams of Haredim, often differentiated by a particular long-deceased rabbi whose memory or traditions are revered. Tragically, many of these Children of Jacob are bound in a religious system mingling legalism, idolatry and the occult. Each sect has its particular rules which they consider render it more uniquely "set apart" or "holy" than others. In some cases the revered dead rabbi is believed to have been a reincarnation of one of the Patriarchs. We know personally of cases where Haredi women have gone and lain upon the grave of a rabbi in hopes of receiving fertility or some other blessing or powers. In one stream, a Ukrainian rabbi who died in the early 19th c. is believed to have sent a message in a dream to a later follower, presenting him with a sort of mantra which if spoken is supposed to release instant redemption. Today one sees this mantra printed or painted on buildings, in offices, on cars throughout Israel. The Haredim are held in ridicule by many secular and Orthodox Israelis, made the more easy by their dress, their closed community, their use of political power to coerce others into abiding by their rules.
One thing which they share with the Orthodox is their utter hatred of "Messianic Jews" (Jews who believe that Yeshua/Jesus is the Messiah and Saviour of the World). In their desire to be those who "tremble at God's word"-they seek to hold to the "letter of the Law"-but they have completely missed the Word, Who was in the Beginning with God, and Who became Flesh and dwelt among us-Who is the Light of the World (John 1). We do not hate these people. God loves them, and indeed there are known to be secret believers in their midst. But their numbers are growing quickly in Jerusalem (they have many children), they are taking over more and more territory-and there is an occult power working with them. I John 2:22 clearly states that "Whoever denies the Father and the Son is anti-Messiah (i.e. anti-Christ)." It is a strong, cruel and violent spirit which binds those under it; and in its hatred of the Messiah, it bears a strong affinity with the spirit murdered Stephen. Yet this wonderful letter of I John also teaches us how it may be overcome-and those bound under it brought into the Light: "He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world" (4:4). "God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him (4:9).For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (3:8)" PLEASE PRAY: For light to shine into the darkness of the ultra-Orthodox world. For the power of the anti-Messiah spirit to be broken over lives; for angels to minister to those who will inherit Salvation. For revelation that Messiah has come and is called the "Son of the Most High". Please pray also for protection for Believers from this spirit. Zechariah 2:12 says the "The LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem." Pray that Jews who acknowledge the Father and the Son will be established within the ancient boundaries of Judah and in Jerusalem-and will not be uprooted by the forces of darkness. That they will walk in wisdom and shine like stars in that darkness as they guide many into righteousness (Daniel 12:3).
This week's Torah Portion:
From ancient times there has been a weekly portion from the five books of Moses (The Torah) and from the prophets (Haftarah-final reading) read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name taken from the opening words of the passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the Haftarah portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.
The readings for November 1-7 are called VaYera "Appeared" [the LORD to Abraham]-and include:
TORAH: Genesis 18:1-22:24
HAFTARAH: II Kings 4:1-37
*Genesis 18:1, 3. "Then the LORD [Heb: YHVH] appeared to him [Abraham] by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door.three men were standing by him.he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, 'My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant." John 8:56, 58. Yeshua/Jesus: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.Before Abraham was, I AM."
There is no clearer example in the Hebrew Scriptures of God taking on human form. He "appeared" to Abraham. When Abraham sees Him and runs to greet Him, it is to someone he recognizes (Remember, God had "appeared" to Him at least three times before (Acts 7:2; Gen. 12:7; 17:1) and he had become familiar with the "Word of the LORD" coming to him (Gen. 13:14; 15:1). Here Abraham approaches the three men, and to One of them he says, "My Lord." Instead of using the normal Hebrew word Adoni (Lord/Master/Sir), the vowel points of the text show that he used the word "Adonai"-a pronunciation which is only used for Deity. And in the ensuing conversation both with Abraham and with Sarah, it is made abundantly clear that it is the LORD with whom they are speaking. The other two 'men' are obviously angels, who will soon release destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah. PLEASE PRAY for believers in Israel, that from inclining our ears to His voice and seeking His face, we will become so familiar with our Lord and His messengers that we recognize their presence when they move among us. And pray that in our busy-ness we "not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Hebrews 13:2).
*Genesis 18:14. "Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?"
*Genesis 20:6-7. "And God said to him [Abimelech] in a dream, 'Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live.." PLEASE PRAY that although surrounded by peoples who are often hostile to us, we would make allowance in our hearts for the grace and lovingkindness of our God for all men and women of every nation, remembering that He is not willing that any should perish. And that we will not stereotype those in the peoples and nations around us, but be sensitive and ready to pray restoration and prosperity for those upon whom God chooses to rest His grace and mercy.
*Genesis 22:7-8. "Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, 'My father!' And he said, 'Here I am, my son.' And he said, 'Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' So the two of them walked on together." Genesis 22:14. "And Abraham called the name of the place "YHVH will Provide.In the Mount of YHVH it will be Provided."
In ancient Hebrew the word yireh could carry with it the idea of "provision". Yet literally it was then, as today, a form of the verb "To See". "God sees for Himself the Lamb"; "YHVH will see.In the Mount of YHVH it will be seen." We believe this to be a reason so much importance is placed throughout Scripture on the importance of dwelling "in the light of His face"-"seeking His face"-"finding grace in the eyes of the LORD". If there is nothing coming between us and His face (the place of His "seeing"), all the provision for our journey will be there. Lastly, God had indeed "provided the Lamb". Isaiah 54:11 uses the same word- "He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities."
*Genesis 22:13. "Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horn." We believe that here lies an important part of the significance of the "shofar" or rams' horn. Here, caught by its horn, was the figure of God's Provision for all humankind--the 'Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world'. The sound of the shofar is a sound of the redemptive work and victory of the Lamb. When it is blown in the timing and authority of the Ruah haKodesh (Holy Spirit/Wind).demons tremble, and into God's army is released strength, courage and joy!
