Probably least of importance, but not without consequence, for the past few days Israel has been experiencing a heat wave. The entire country has been experiencing temperatures between 35-50 C (95-122 F). In Jerusalem, being in the mountains, it has stayed around the mid 30s (mid 90s). With no air conditioning in many apartments, including ours, that makes for some really uncomfortable days. We've tried to do everything we can to stay cool and hydrated, while praying for the 3 boys that are still missing & the soldiers during this heat wave.
What else is heating up? The entire Middle East region surrounding us. As most of you know, it's not only Syria that is experiencing civil war with many murders occurring daily, but now Iraq. The news coming from these nations are horrendous. And now the Islamic terrorist groups are threatening Jordan, the country that borders Israel to the east. The current ruling government in Jordan is actually a minority, and the fear is that it wouldn't take much for a civil war to start there as well. There is talk of the US and Israel assisting Jordan if necessary. As you can see from the map below, Israel is only about 70 miles at its widest, making Her very close to these troublesome nations.
What else is heating up? As Ramadan began Saturday (Islam's "holy month"), we can only expect more acts of terror. As written in the Times of Israel online news, "Ramadan is a time of heightened religious fervor and militants typically step up their attacks during the month. Sunni extremists believe that attacks, especially suicide missions, during Ramadan are more blessed and rewarded by (their god)."
What else is heating up? At the same time, since the boys were kidnapped 12 June, Gaza has launched over 30 rockets into Israel, almost daily - a third of those being just the last 2 days. Last night one of the rockets hit a factory, causing it to catch fire and four people were lightly injured.
While the Israel Air Force has responded, many feel something on a larger scale needs to take place to put an end to the rocket attacks. The Defense Minister has said, "Don't test us." and the Prime Minister has said he won't allow it to continue. We shall wait and see what takes place. Below is how long people have to take cover before the rocket hits. The places the recent rockets are hitting are in the 15-30 second areas.
What else is heating up? It's been 2 ½ weeks since the kidnapping, and the IDF still has several thousand soldiers on foot searching for the 3 missing boys each and every hour of each day. The challenge now is how to continue Operation Brother's Keeper in a way that doesn't spark riots during Ramadan. Many of the IDF infantry units we've visited are involved in the searches, including Oketz - the canine special forces unit.
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/WATCH-IDF-mans-best-friend-set-out-in-search-for-kidnapped-teens-360819
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| Getting ready to do a demonstration for us last November. |
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| Puppy in training. |
So what have we been doing during this past week during all this turmoil? We were blessed to travel as a CFI staff to visit key Biblical sites in Samaria (known to the political world as the West Bank). We were able to stand - as Christian's from the Nations - in solidarity with the men and women who live in this region and just by coming there say, "We support you. Even with the unrest going on in our country right now, we are not afraid to visit the places where these brave people live."
“Set up for yourself road marks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities."
Jeremiah 31:21
Our first stop as we headed due north from Jerusalem was the modern city of Bet El. "Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God..." Genesis 35:1
We were honored to be invited into the home of Rabbi Yehuda Bohrer, one of the founders of the city. He shared with us the importance of the Jewish people returning to the heartland of their Biblical beginnings. He told us that his experience has been that the Christians (who are coming to visit these areas) are the ones he knows can be trusted to stay by their side and to support them. Rabbi Yehuda then went on the bus with us to the site of Jacob's dream - or as he said, Jacob's vision.
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| Rabbi Yehuda and our guide Moshe. |
"Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” Genesis 28:10-15
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| This is said to possibly be the oldest tree in Israel. |
Next we traveled even farther north to Mount Gerizim, the Mountain of Blessing. "Now it shall be, when the Lord your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal." Deuteronomy 11:29
From the top of this mountain, there is an amazing view of the rich heritage of Israel's Biblical history. While we stood on Mount Gerizim, we looked across to Mount Ebal and could imagine the tribes of Israel fulfilling God's command as they stood on these mountains so very long ago.
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| Looking across at Mount Ebal. You can see some of the excavations in the forefront on Mount Gerizim. |
Below we had a clear view of the arab city Nablus (the ancient city of Shechem).
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| City of Nablus (ancient Shechem) |
In this valley, below Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, is where Jacob's well is located. Which also means this is where Yeshua (Jesus) spoke with the Samaritan woman. "He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well." John 4:3-6
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| The building with the red dome roof is the site of Jacob's well. |
Shechem is also where the Israelites buried Joseph's bones after carrying them through the wilderness for 40 years, by Joseph's request not to be left in Egypt. "Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” Genesis 50:25 "The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver, and which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph." Joshua 24:32
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| The building with the white dome roof in the center is the site of Joseph's Tomb. |
The scripture above points out another fact discussed on our tour. Three of the most contentious pieces of land in Israel right now are Jerusalem (the Temple Mount), Hevron (the Tomb of the Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac & Jacob) and Nablus (Joseph's Tomb & Jacob's well). What do all three of these properties have in common other than the fact that they are inhabited or controlled by the Palestinians? Each of these properties were actually purchased with money by Jewish forefathers and documented in the Bible. Not just a promise given from God - which is good enough - but a literal purchase recorded in God's Word - think about it... And the world wants Israel to give up this land for a Palestinian state?
From here we traveled back south to the ancient city of Shiloh, where the Tabernacle stood for 369 years after the Israelites crossed the Jordan having travelled in the wilderness with it for 40 years. "Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there." Joshua 18:1 Recently (within the last year), the archeologists have discovered the actual spot they believe to be the site of the Tabernacle.
We have been to Shiloh a couple of times before, but each time it is unique and special. This time, we found out that there are thousands of clay pottery shards that scatter the area from vessels that were broken for purity reasons during the time of the Tabernacle at Shiloh. We were able to collect (by permission) several shards of this amazing bit of ancient history.
Another blessing of this particular trip to Shiloh was the honor of having David Rubin, a former mayor of modern Shiloh, speak to our group. He shared the blessings and challenges of living in Samaria surrounded by people who would want to do you harm. He also, like Rabbi Yehuda Bohrer, expressed the importance of rebuilding these ancient cities as God said they would do. David told us of his personal tragedy of being a victim of terrorism 12 years ago, as he and his 3 year old son were driving through Samaria. David was shot in the leg, and his son in the base of his head. By God's grace and miracles, they both survived and are doing well today. David has since founded the Shiloh Israel Children's Fund for trauma therapy. In the link below, David Rubin shares his heart for this region and the tragedy he faced.
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| David Rubin speaking to our group at Shiloh. |
We would highly recommend touring this region - Samaria, the Biblical Heartland - if you ever plan to come to Israel. We know it has made a great impact on us to understand the importance of why Israel cannot give away this Land.
Please pray for stability for our region.
Please pray for peace during Ramadan.
Please pray for a solution (God's solution) and an end to the rockets coming into Israel from Gaza.
Please continue to pray for Eyal, Gilad and Naftali to be found.
Please pray for the soldiers and intelligence team as they search for these boys.
Please pray for the families of these young men.
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| The moms of the 3 kidnapped boys. |
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF
JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL
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