Stand Up – Speak Up and Bless Israel!

Israel is at War – What’s Happening and Why?

Israel is at war, the result of an unprovoked, terrorist attack to destroy their land and annihilate the Jewish people.  We recently received a devastating report from inside Israel of the terrible atrocities. What does this most recent event mean?  Understanding what’s happening historically, politically, and spiritually is critical.  Knowing God’s prophetic destiny for Israel, and the Jewish people, unlocks the prophetic events we are seeing right now, and what’s ahead for Israel and the nations of the world.  

 A Three-Fold Revelation – Unbreakable Cords

Putting the ownership of the land of Israel into proper perspective starts with the Bible. and a three-fold revelation, that I am summarizing from “Seven Living Prophecies – What Israel and These End—Time Prophecies Have To Do With You.”   I believe these three powerful strands with bring you to a place of understanding, commitment and support for the Nation of Israel and her people. 

The First Strand 

God made an everlasting, covenant promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-2, which involved blessing him and making a nation of his lineage.  The second part of the promise God gave him was to his descendants in Genesis 15:17. They were also given the land.   The third part of the promise set the actual boundaries of the land, and the people groups mentioned in Genesis 15:18-21.  The boundaries were described as “From the river Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates – the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”  Not once did God mention the people known today as Palestinians.   They never appeared in the Bible.   

The Second Strand 

Here is the connection between the Jewish people and their land, politics and bible prophecy.  In 1917 the British government endorsed the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, as it was called under a British mandate.  This endorsement became the Balfour Agreement, which later was granted in 1920 at the San Remo Conference.  Despite these clear-cut agreements and mandates, Israel was not recognized as a nation until a United Nations Resolution on November 29, 1947, followed by President Harry S. Truman’s recognition of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948.  Here are other facts you need to know.  The Arabs never resisted the San Remo re-creation of the Jewish state.  Arabs also publicly support ed the Balfour Agreement and encouraged Jewish immigration into what was previously identified as Palestine by British mandate.  Remember, the League of Nations unanimously recognized the historical connection between the Jewish people and Palestine, underscoring Israel’s right to the land.  They also re-constituted it as the national home for the Jewish people.  These merge politics and bible prophecy as the second strand of evidence that Israel, is the Promised Land of God to the Jewish people.  

The Third Strand 

Today, archeology is uncovering the historical events of Israel’s connection to God’s Promised Land, and the events of the bible.  The City of David, along with what is thought to be King David’s palace continue to be unearthed.  Other finds are a 2600-hundred year old stone stamp bearing biblical names engraved in Hebrew.  The Pilgrims Road and the Pool of Shilom have also unlocked the truth about Israel’s ownership to the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. 

Most likely this is not what you have heard on the news, read in popular books, or been part of messages preached in churches, but it is the true history of Israel and some of the many reasons you and I, as believers stand with Israel, support them, and believe in the fulfillment of their destiny.         

Enemies Bent on Destruction 

Now, I hope you are beginning to understand some of what’s going on, where this terrorist threat has come from, and what is the future of Israel, the United States, and the nations of the world.  Israel is surrounded by enemies that are bent on their destruction.  They want to annihilate the Jewish people and take the land that God promised them.  They are not interested in peace.  Even though people have talked about “land for peace” it has never happened.  Despite Israel’s attempts to give portions of their own land away, peace has never come.  That’s because these radical fanatics don’t want peace.  They feel entitled to land that has never been theirs to possess.  They have called Israel “occupiers” when nothing historically, politically, or archeologically, gives them a title deed to the land.      

Making A Stand – Holding Fast

So why is there still a land grab going on for the land of Israel?  A couple of years ago, then President Trump, invited me to the White House.  I met with Jason Greenblatt and five or six other pastors.  Jason told us that they were drafting a new Middle East plan and wanted our input.  Everyone offered their biblical perspectives, and reasoning.  I agreed with what was said.  But as the discussion was wrapping up, I said, “We don’t need another peace plan.  What we need to do is make a stand.” “What do you mean?  What stand?” Jason asked.  I responded, “You know that between Lebanon and Syria is the Golan Heights.  We need to make a statement that declares that Israel alone has sovereign rights over the Golan Heights.  There’s no disputing it.  It’s in the Bible.  It’s part of the Balfour Declaration, and it’s in the San Ramos Conference agreements.”  Two days later, President Trump made an historic statement.  He said, “We declare and acknowledge Israel’s sovereign right to the Golan Heights.  It’s a security issue.”  Can you imagine would have happened in Israel during the last few days, if he hadn’t said that two years ago?   

Putting it in Perspective

Let me share a simple illustration with you that will put all of this in perspective.  Most people know what the Dallas Cowboy football stadium looks like.  Put the Arab countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt in that stadium.  These countries make up the Middle East.  They fill most of the space in the stadium.  In the corner in the end-zone, is Israel.  They are in the space of a matchbook.  What these Arab countries are saying to Israel is “Give us half of your land, and we’ll have peace.”  That will never happen. 

The Palestinian authorities have made it clear.  We don’t want peace.  Actually, they don’t want half of Israel’s land.  They want it all.  They want Israel wiped off the face of the Earth, and all the Jews annihilated.  That is what’s behind what has happened in the last two days and continues right now. 

Monstrous Acts of Terror

Hamas came to terrorize, destroy, capture, and declare victory over Israel.  They went door to door and killed families.  They mowed down young adults at a music concert and celebration. They killed soldiers.  These were innocent people, going about their daily lives. Yet these animalistic, murderers took great pleasure grabbing men, women, the elderly, and children, and killing them indiscriminately.  They left messages in blood, and their signatures as trophies of their acts of terror and death.  They took the phones of their victims and sent videos of their monstrous acts to their friends and family.   Where did they get the money to do all of this? The answer is Iran.  

This is Israel’s 9-11 

There are hundreds or more images on social media.  Videos and photos of unspeakable carnage.  They are so gruesome that words cannot describe the brutality and calloused disregard for human lives.  Who gang rapes a young woman and parades her in and out of a car where she is being held hostage?  Who gags and ties up a feeble, fearful, elderly woman and kidnaps her?  These are innocent people.  They aren’t soldiers.  They aren’t politicians and government officials.  They are people pulled from their homes in the early morning, killed while celebrating the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, kidnapped as they were enjoying time with friends, pulled from vehicles as they were driving through the streets of their neighborhoods. Yet, the United States government gave Iran 6.1 billion dollar in a prisoner trade.  Terrorists used those finances to destroy a nation and butcher and murder innocent citizens.  Here in America, we need to repent for the actions of our nation.  These acts by Hamas and their financiers are animalistic.  They are butchers.   War is war.  But this is terrorism beyond anything we have seen anywhere in the world.  It is being called Israel’s 9-11, executed with precision against Israel 50 years after the last day of the Yom Kippur War. 

Praying, Standing, and Speaking Up! 

Join us as we continue to pray for the peace and safety of Israel.  Pray for wisdom in the coming days for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and all the leadership in Israel.  Speak up.  Don’t be silent.  Share the truth about what’s been happening and why.  Let others know that Israel has the right and the obligation to once and for all, put an end to Hamas and other terrorist threats. 

I have many Jewish friends. I also have many Palestinian friends. I have friendship with many secular and religious Jews.  They are all good people.  But others, that are not friends, are stirring up trouble.  They want to change God’s appointed times and seasons. They are attempting to bring about Armageddon.  Make no mistake, those who are coming against Israel will be annihilated.  Those who stand with Israel will be blessed.  When this started days ago, my phone was exploding with calls.  Pastors and friends were calling and asking, “What are you thinking about what’s happening?” “What should we say?” “What should we do?”  I answered without hesitation.  “Stand up and say boldly, we will not allow this to happen. Never again.”  We cannot have people promoting hate. We need to love one another. We need to stand firm.  We need to say “Enough is enough” 

Pray for the Peace of Israel 

I want you to stop reading right now and pray with me.  Let’s pray for the peace of Jerusalem, on Jews, on Christians, on Muslims, the peace of Jerusalem. Father, we come before your throne right now, and we’re thankful that it’s a throne of mercy and grace, but it’s also a throne of justice. And Father, we bind this spirit that brings death and division and destruction, and we release the power of the Prince of Peace on all of Israel and Jerusalem and the world.  Father, we must stop hating one another and we must love one another. Father, I ask you to give divine wisdom to Prime Minister Netanyahu, divine wisdom to leaders in government around the world, religious leaders, Christian, Jew, Muslims around the world that says, enough is enough. We must have peace. Father, we ask you to do something supernatural as we stand for the Kingdom of God, for the nation of Israel, and the Name that is above all names. And it’s no coincidence that he is called the Prince of Peace. Give Israel strength. We pray for those men, women and children that have been taken into captivity. Father, send the angels of God into those tunnels and surround them with your protection. Please Father, protect them, especially the women and the children. We bind every demonic force that would come on anyone to harm them.  We bind that spirit.  We ask you to allow their captors to come to their senses and realize no God would ask them to do these things. And Father, for answering beyond anything we can think or imagine, we give you all the praise and all the glory, in Jesus’ mighty Name. When I was growing up, there used to be a peace sign. For the next month, everywhere you go, give the peace sign and let people know you are standing for peace.  

Bringing Help and Relief to Israel 

Now, I need you to do something else.  Help us bring relief to Israel.  On one of our recent trips to Israel we met some of Israel top military forces. They are the equivalent to our United States special forces in every service, Army Rangers, and Navy seals.  Some of them have lost their lives in the last few days. We are putting together plans right now for an ICU Mobile Ambulance dedicated to serve this branch of the IDF – Israel Defense Forces.   

On that same trip, we went to the Gaza border.  We saw some of the neighbors that have been devastated from the attacks by Hamas.  They left orphans behind.  We are going to help them every way we can.  We are also going to provide updated safe rooms and bomb shelters that can withstand missile strikes from today’s modern weapons.  Israel knows they can count on us.  I’ve heard from dear friends in Israel that have thanked us for our thoughts, prayers, and help, knowing that more resources are on their way.