This week in Israel:
The road signs on Hebron Road in Jerusalem point south bearing a compound Hebrew word: Bet (House) - Lehem (Bread)-"Bethlehem".
We pray a special blessing of joy and shalom over our many readers in the Nations who this week are celebrating the Living Bread, whose coming into our world in that tiny hamlet brought life from the Father for all. We are so grateful for your voices joining with the angels (and your brothers and sisters in Israel) in proclaiming to the lost house of Israel
"A Savior, Who is MESSIAH the LORD!!"
This week in Israel:
1. "A REPROACH TO OUR FRIENDS . . ."
"For behold, your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones.For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You.Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD" (Psalm 83: 2-3,5, 16).
Last week Israel's Opposition Chairwoman in the Knesset, Tzipi Livni, was forced to cancel a trip to England after learning of a secretly issued arrest warrant against her issued by a British court. The warrant accused her of responsibility in 'war crimes' a year ago when Israel made a military incursion into Gaza to stop a rain of rockets falling on her cities (Livni was Foreign Minister in the Israeli government at the time). Israel issued an official protest, rejecting the court's "cynical legal move" against Livni and stating that "Israel would like to note that both Israel and Britain are in the midst of a joint battle against global terror and that British soldiers are working to defeat it in many arenas of the world.Israel calls on the British government to fulfill, once and for all, its promises and prevent an abuse of the British legal system against Israel and its citizens by anti-Israel elements." She further warned that "lack of firm and immediate action aimed at repairing the situation will harm the relations between the two countries." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown quickly called Livni to voice opposition to the arrest warrant, assuring her that she was welcome in the country at any time and adding that he plans to take action to change existing legal parameters allowing such a situation to arise. Presently in England a poorly-defined legal loophole allows judges power to issue arrest warrants for visiting officials accused of war crimes in a foreign conflict without prior knowledge or advice by a prosecutor. In recent years it has been applied primarily by lawyers working with Palestinian activists seeking the arrest of Israeli military and governmental leaders visiting the country.
In the meanwhile, December 27 through early January marks a year since Israel's counterterrorism "Operation Cast Lead" into the Gaza Strip. International groups are organizing marches and demonstrations in North America, Europe and Israel, decrying the action.
PLEASE PRAY:
*For the British Government to take account of its legal system and bring about reforms which will wrest it from the influence and control of elements determined to guide it into bringing unrighteous reproach against Israel and placing the citizens of England under God's judgment (Gen. 12:3; 27:29:b).
*For courageous and wise counsel for Israel regarding when and when not to send emissaries to countries which until now have been our allies, but are quickly falling under influences from within threatening violation of those friendly relations.
*For voices to be raised in high places on behalf of Israel's right to defend herself from repeated violent attacks on her sovereignty by a force dedicated to her destruction.
*For Israel's security forces and military during the up-coming anniversary of the Gaza incursion. Pray for angelic help, for accurate intelligence reports and wisdom on the part of commanders in responding to any planned attacks against Israeli citizens during this time.
2. SHALIT.THE DILEMMA CONTINUES
"Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are appointed to die" (Psalm 79:11).
This week has seen the pressures intensify round Prime Minister Netanyahu and his staff regarding the proposed release of Israeli prisoner of Hamas Gilad Shalit. As the terrorists demand around 1000 prisoners be released, many with 'blood on their hands', there have been strong demonstrations by both those demanding Shalit's release at any price and those strongly opposed to release of Palestinians who have had a hand in the murder of Israelis. As Netanyahu said last night, "I face the dilemma of freeing Shalit vs. defending Israelis." At this writing, Israel has sent Hamas a proposal to which they have promised to respond within two days. Reportedly, there are still seven arch-terrorists Israel is refusing to release.including Tanzim chief Marwan Barghouti, and a master-mind of two Jerusalem café bombings which left many dead.
As we wrote in our November 30th Update: A key figure among the Israeli prisoners is Marwan Barghouti, a charismatic Palestinian leader currently serving five life terms in Israel on charges of murdering civilians and attacking Israeli soldiers. Barghouti holds immense influence even from his prison cell. The Palestinians have long called for his release, and he has even been considered by some left wing Israeli politicians as a viable possible successor to the present Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. We consider even the possibility of his release as being extremely dangerous.
PLEASE PRAY:
*For Gilad Shalit-that he would be protected and ministered to by God's holy angels-and that he would be released unharmed. Pray that even in confinement, he hear the call to "Seek My face" and respond with, "Your face O LORD will I seek."
*For Prime Minister Netanyahu to be led in great wisdom in this exchange. In his former term in the late 90's, in return for two Mossad agents captured in Jordan he allowed the return of the notorious Sheik Yassin to Gaza. What was supposed to be a "humanitarian gesture" for an old man about to die, resulted in Yassin, founder and spiritual leader of Hamas, entrenching himself in a position from which he virtually managed through a demonic spiritual communications infrastructure the murderous 2nd Intifada. He had just released a demand that young women begin to be groomed as suicide bombers when he was finally (we believe through the prayers and intercession of the Saints) located and killed. Within a short time thereafter, the spiritual communications system had short-circuited and the Intifada came to an end.
*That no prisoners who are in satan's plans to bring evil on Israel would be released. That prisoners who are released in exchange for Shalit's freedom would be visited by the mercy of God-and rescued from the powers which drove them into acts of violence.
*For Marwan Barghouti.that in the mercies of the God of Heaven, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whom he has defied, he would come to humble himself and find grace. That his gifts would be turned from the service of that which is false to honour and serve the God of the Universe.
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 December 20-26 are called Vayiggash ("And he [Judah] came near to him [Joseph].")and include:
TORAH: Genesis 44:18-47:27
HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 37:15-28
*Genesis 44:18; 46:28. "Then he (Judah) drew near to him (Joseph)." There is no question that the story of Joseph and his brothers provides a prophetic picture of Yeshua/Jesus and His "own", the Hebrew people, who rejected Him-but to whom He will one day be revealed as "risen from the dead" to provide salvation. In a special way, He loves them with an everlasting love and draws them with lovingkindness. In His grace, many are already drawing near to Him.and as they do so, He, like Joseph, miraculously reveals Himself to them! (Zechariah 2:9,11). PLEASE PRAY for more and more in Israel to be led in God's kindness to repentance and to respond to His call to "draw near."
Genesis 46:28 "Then he (Jacob) sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen." Beginning in Chapter 43 and more strongly emphasized here, the mantle of leadership shifts from Reuben to Judah. From here on, a special precedence will be given to this tribe, Judah goes first: from Jacob's blessing regarding a scepter of royalty (Gen. 49:8); to leadership of the armies marching towards Canaan (Numbers 10:14); to the securing of the land in the time of the Judges (Judges 1:2), to the Kingship of David; to the birth of the Messiah in the City of David; to Zechariah's prophecy of the Last Days when "The LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem" (2:12) but "will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah" (12:7). There is much of significance which may be drawn from this.but perhaps the most immediate point would be related to the name itself which Leah gave at his birth-Yehudah (Judah): Thankful praise expressed by the raising of the hands. PLEASE PRAY for a fresh awakening of thanksgiving and praise amongst the Body in Israel, an awareness that this must come first (II Chron. 20:21-22)-Praise will lead her into victories and her true place of inheritance in her Messiah. Pray that the Lord will indeed "take possession of praise" in the Holy Land (Zech 2:12) and that it will be released in Spirit and in Truth.
Ezekiel 37:21-23. "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel [Note: this expression always bears with it a relation to Judea and Samaria, the present day so-called 'West Bank']; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will purify them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God."
PLEASE PRAY: that the Spirit who 'convicts of sin and righteousness and judgment' would be poured out on Israel in increasing measure, bringing her to a place where God can reveal the Purification which has been prepared for her-so that she may dwell in their land of covenant forever (vs. 25).
[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week (27 Dec-2 Jan) ("VaYechi") will be: Genesis 47:28-50:26; I Kings 2:1-12.]
