Tuesday, January 8, 2008

DAY OF ANGER

May 28,1999

The Palestinian authority announced that Thursday June 3rd is to be a "day of anger" against all settlements and settlers in all "occupied Arab lands." The spokesmen for the PLO are also issuing an ultimatum to the Prime Minister elect: "settlements or peace". We would like to inform you of this and ask for your prayers, as this may be the beginning of violent confrontations over the settlements. The Hamas (which in Hebrew means violence) militant Palestinian organization (the one responsible for all the bloody bombings in the past), is waiting for a "go ahead" from Arafat to begin the struggle to liberate Judea and Samaria. Kosovo serves as an example of what should happen to Israel, the illegal occupier of Arab lands. Thus, they are justified in their "day of anger" reaction. I wrote the following to a friend, a couple of weeks ago.
"Arab terrorism is about to be unleashed again. They do not want their people to think that all their accomplishments, these past 7 years, have been because of political negotiations, and that the uprising and the martyrs have been in vain. Now they have a whole army of potential martyrs. Even men, women and children from nearby towns, are ready to overrun a settlement, if need be. It would take them about five to ten minutes to do so.

On the way home, on the day after the elections, I went into an Arab market where there is usually a very friendly atmosphere. This time the atmosphere was noticeably different. A confidence had returned to our Arab neighbors. I felt a superior attitude arise from within them, as they totally ignored me, while the friendliness was gone. The disdain and hate they have towards the settlers has resurfaced."

"For behold, your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate you have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel, and consulted together against you. They have said, 'come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.' For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against you: They bend their bow and made it ready" (Ps.18:2-5). " They also prepared for themselves instruments of death; and made their arrows into fiery shafts. Behold, they bring forth iniquity; Yes, they conceive trouble and bring forth falsehood. They make a pit and dig it out, but they shall fall into the ditch that they made. Their trouble shall return upon their own head, and their violent ("hamas" in Hebrew) dealings shall come down on their own crown" (Ps. 7:13-16). "For I will deliver you from your enemies. I will also lift you up above those who rise against you; I will delivered you from the violent (hamas) man" (Ps. 18:48).

A couple of years ago, the Lord gave us Nehemiah 4, in which He had shown that we would be like that team that came back to rebuild, with the sword in one hand and the working tool in the other. He also showed us that there would be others who would join in as, guards and prayer warriors who could stand and blow the shofar, and still others would supply the needed materials for maintaining our livelihood and the work.

Two days ago, as I was praying about a meeting with some intercessors in Jerusalem, the Lord gave me this scripture: "And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage" (Ezra 9:8).

I shared it at the meeting, and almost all those who were there confirmed that indeed we have but a little time of supplication (the word translated "grace" is actually supplication in Hebrew, and has "grace" as its root), and that the Lord would give us a stake in the holy place, or an anchor for the soul (see Heb.6:13-20). Secondly, that He would unveil the mysteries and pour out His Spirit and give us revival but, interestingly, only in our bondage.

If this "speaks" to you, please stand with us. As we enter the final phases of this age, all nations are going to be affected by what is coming down on Israel. "For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined" (Isa. 60:12). The Lord also addresses the nations that want to stake a claim and possess the mountains of Israel for themselves: "Because the enemy has said of you. 'oh mountains of Israel (Judea and Samaria), aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,' and because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side…and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people, they have plundered and made a mockery of you to the rest of the nations all around-- Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with whole-hearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country. Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations. I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame. But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come" (Eze. 36:2-8).

In Joel chapter 3 we see why the Lord brings all the nations down to the valley of Jehoshaphat ("God's judgements"), it is because they divided up the land (v. 2). Thus, all nations are brought into this war, but when it is over the devastation and judgment actually fall on the surrounding nations (v 11-12, 19). Here again, in verse 19, we see the Hebrew word "hamas,": "Egypt shall be a desolation, And Edom a desolate wilderness, because of violence (hamas) against the people of Judah, For they have shed innocent blood in their land."

But there is a door of hope, even through the time of Jacob's troubles, because ultimately the Lord will have the last word: "And there shall no longer be a pricking brier or a painful thorn for the house of Israel from among all who are around them, who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God: 'When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the nations, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them, who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God" (Eze 28:24-26). Amen!
Ephraim