Yet again, in Israel’s seventy-five years of modern history, it is at war with its neighbours. While war is being waged due to the invasion of Israel by Hamas, which targeted civilians of all ages, will it morph into a regional war? A world war? and does it have a link to Bible prophecy? Read on ….

It started off as a quiet morning, which it should have been considering it was the sabbath day and the end of the high holy days. These days include a time of communal fasting on the Day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur. Then from fasting, the Jewish people go to the festive ‘Simchat Torah,’ rejoicing in the law. There is dancing and celebrating in the synagogues because God gave the law to Moses (Note: why don’t believers in Jesus match Jewish enthusiasm for the law? See Philippians 4:4).

Around 6:00 AM on Saturday, October 7, 2023, a surprise attack was launched against southern Israel. The invader was the Hamas regime which rules the highly-populated Palestinian coastal enclave known as the Gaza Strip. The invaders attacked by land, air (hang gliders), and sea, while thousands of rockets rained down on the Jewish state.

Once invaded, Hamas targeted the Israeli communities near the Strip. They raided homes, butchered men, women, and children, beheaded babies and kidnapped many others. Hamas attacked the attendees of a music festival and slew two-hundred and sixty of them, including many foreigners. One hundred were slain at a farming kibbutz near the border. The dozens of kidnapped Israelis, of all ages, were taken as hostages to Gaza. Some were shamefully abused and paraded in public. Rapes and murders were videoed and posted on social media, adding incalculable pain to already bereaved families.

The deliberations were short: the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas. With Israel at war, what does it mean for the region and the world?

Going Deeper

The Hamas attack on southern Israel occurred one day after the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War of 1973. This, too, was a surprise attack on a Jewish holy day by the armies of Egypt and Syria. This war could have brought the world to a ‘nuclear armageddon,’ including a worldwide US military alert. For three days, Israel was losing badly; Prime Minister Golda Meir telephoned US President Richard Nixon for an emergency airlift of military hardware. When Nixon demurred, Golda implied that, without American assistance, Israel would lose the ‘third temple’ and have no choice but to use the ‘nuclear option’ – literally. The prodding worked; Nixon sent the planes and changed the course of the war. At the end of three weeks of fighting, the price tag Israel paid was $4 billion and 2,500 deaths.

What is the significance of the 2023 Hamas surprise attack on Israel? With at least 1,300 dead (a number that is sure to rise), and 2,800 wounded, Israel experienced the highest death toll of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. Hamas was the first entity to capture and hold Israeli territory – briefly – since the 1948 war. It was indisputably the biggest terrorist attack in the Jewish state, making it Israel’s ‘9-11,’ if not ‘Pearl Harbour.’

Even more puzzling was that this surprise attack happened under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister is known for his counterterrorism expertise and tough-guy approach to terrorism. Terrorist incidents tended to be less under his watch than other prime ministers. But not now. Perhaps the relentless, lengthy, months-long, protests against his proposed judicial reform legislation have drained and distracted him. Israel’s vaunted security sector and intelligence agencies were caught flat-footed as well.

Yet, there were prescient voices foreseeing a conflict at this very time. In Signs Of Possible War In September-October, Yigal Carmon wrote on August 31st the following: ‘Lately, there have been growing indications that a war against Israel may break out in September or October 2023. The trigger may be spiralling violent clashes resulting in many casualties, or the use of new weapons leading to many fatalities on the Israeli side, in the face of which Israel will be unable to suffice with its regular counterterrorism measures.’ Carmon adds that while neither Hamas nor Hezbollah want a comprehensive war at this time, the situation could spiral out of control.

What motivated Hamas to strike? According to their Charter, their goal is the dismantling of the State of Israel. Heavily funded and guided by Iran, Hamas is its Palestinian proxy and dutifully does the bidding of the Islamic Republic. With the Abraham Accords bringing peace treaties between Israel and four Arab countries, and Saudi Arabia talking seriously about normalisation with the Jewish state, Iran would dearly love to be the spoiler. What better way to crash the party than by an attack by Hamas.

Remember Hamas, founded in 1987 early in the first intifada (uprising) against Israel (1987-1993), is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the oldest and largest Islamist organisation in the world. While claiming to be non-violent, the Brotherhood is the inspiration for many terrorist organisations. Hence, there is a theological/eschatological element to their motive. The Brotherhood is banned in many Arab nations.

Who is to Blame?

Of course, Hamas is to blame for launching a murderous, barbarous, and unprovoked ISIS-style attack against Israel. But what caused them to act so audaciously, knowing full well their invasion would trigger a fiery response? Here are some possibilities:

• The anti-Netanyahu judicial reform protests, which lasted for months, with Israeli military reservists refusing to show up for duty, sent the wrong message to Israel’s enemies: the Jewish state is divided, weak and vulnerable. The unprecedented politicisation of Israel’s military was a dangerous move.
• The Gilad Shalit hostage deal of 2011, where a single Israeli soldier was freed from five years of Hamas captivity in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners by Israel. The Shalit deal may have set a bad precedent, possibly causing the current hostage crisis.
• Ariel Sharon’s unconditional and unilateral Gaza disengagement of 2005, where twenty-one Israeli settlements and eight thousand settlers were evacuated by the strip and handed over to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Two years later Hamas snatched the territory from the PA in a violent coup and has ruled it with a rod of iron ever since.
• There is a strong consensus that the main motivator for conflict is Iran. The Islamic Republic has hegemonic ambitions in the Middle East and is often credited for being the hidden hand behind all turmoil in the region. The $6 billion released by the current US administration in September is credited with funding and inspiring the invasion from Gaza. The Daily Wire on 7 October wrote: ‘[One] month ago Trump predicted the $6 Billion that Biden gave Iran would be used for terror attacks across the Middle East and specifically kidnapping,” conservative Jack Posobiec captioned a screenshot of Trump’s prediction on X. “This is exactly what we are seeing in Israel this morning.”
• During the time of the Bible, Gaza was part of the ‘land of the Philistines,’ Israel’s historic enemy. Rivalry and hostility emanated from that part of the country, especially during the reigns of Saul and David. As Ecclesiastes says, ‘There is nothing new under the sun’ – Ecclesiastes 1:9

Remember that the core of the Zionist dream was to establish a Jewish state in Palestine where the Jews could defend themselves from anti-Semitic Gentiles. So while the Hamas invasion revealed Israel’s governmental and intelligence failure, it also unleashed the instinct to hit back hard. Over three hundred thousand reservists have been called, the largest mobilisation in the nation’s history. Already Israel has installed a blockade of food, water, and power from going into Gaza in order to weaken Hamas.

What Does It For Us All?

In this unfolding drama, there are moves towards an Israeli unity government but one thing is for sure – Israel is on a total war footing. In previous wars with Gaza, the goal was containment; this time it is the total overthrow of the Hamas regime. 

Yet the price of regime change could be frightfully high. While aerial bombings over Gaza can soften up the enemy, only a ground offensive can capture territory. The Gaza Strip, with two million people squished into territory forty-three kilometres by six kilometres in dimension, is one of the most densely populated places on earth. The city itself can be booby-trapped and the death count on both sides will potentially be high. 

In addition, there is the danger that the conflict will grow into a multi-front regional war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran from Syria, the potential involvement of the PA in the West Bank, and even East Jerusalem and Arab citizens of Israel.

While this may seem to be a conflict confined to Israel and its neighbours, the strategic location as the land bridge between Africa and Eurasia, oil, and theology (yes-theology), means it has ramifications for the wider world. Like the war between Russia and Ukraine, the widening of the Israel-Hamas conflict could morph into a larger war, with the dreaded possibility of a shower of missiles or weapons of mass destruction, be they nuclear or electromagnetic-pulse (EMP). With a mighty push, a regional war can go global.

Conflict in the Middle East can affect oil prices and stock market rates. The interconnected global economy can spread these changes very quickly.

A Word About Prophecy and Prayer

Then there is the underappreciated yet highly consequential theological component. Matthew 24:6 says we will hear of wars and to be not troubled when we do. Key prophecies about end-time wars against Israel include Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38-39, and Zechariah 12,14 (Armageddon). We will look at these separately in our next teaching letter. 

We should all ‘stay awake’ and become prophecy watchers (Mark 13:32-37); we also need discernment to separate the true from the false. Regarding the accurate interpretation of prophecy, take note of the place names written in the Bible and make sure your interpretation of them is correct. 

Pray for the protection of Jewish and Arab civilians; the leadership on both sides (1 Timothy 2:1-4); and for a quick, even supernatural end to this conflict. Above all, pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6): those who do shall prosper. 

Intercessors will save the world! They did so in the British war effort during World War II, they did so at other times in history. They will do so again. Let’s join them.

The post Israel at War: What Does It Mean For Us All? appeared first on Teach All Nations inc..

Highly recommend this course for a group setting. The presentation was excellent with passion & commitment by Pastor David to present with clarity. Many discussions took place regarding session 6 and 7 and the group remains positive to continue to grow from this learning. Thank you David McCracken Ministries.

Two key periods in the last one thousand years were the Crusades and the rise of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire. Due to its central location and sacred association, Jerusalem had a front row seat. The city that we know today was greatly impacted by both entities.

Jerusalem’s central location and sacred association guaranteed it a front-row seat to history’s greatest drama. One of these key events was the Crusades in the Middle Ages.

The Crusades 1099-1187 AD

The Crusades were a period of several European invasions of the holy land; they were considered a long overdue pushback after four centuries of Islamic conquests. It was a controversial period of claims and counterclaims. The main thing is that the pilgrims were motivated by piety to ‘defend the Holy Sepulchre’ and guarantee free access to all Christian holy sites in the land.

The first crusade succeeded in conquering Jerusalem in July 1099. The victorious Christians set up the ‘Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.’ They turned the Dome of the Rock and the al Aqsa Mosque into Christian houses of worship. They left an architectural legacy that remains to this day. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, destroyed in 1010 AD, was completely restored and the building you now see today dates back to the Crusader period, though it was only a third of its Constantinian size.

In 1187 Saladin, the Ayyub leader, won the battle at the Horns of Hattin near the Sea of Galilee. This gave him the springboard to take Jerusalem from the Crusaders. Even the militarily gifted King of England, Richard the Lion-Hearted, failed to recover Jerusalem. Except for a brief period of negotiated Crusader rule from 1229-1244, Jerusalem would not have another Christian ruler until the 20th Century.

Second Muslim Period: 1187-1917 AD

1187-1260: The holy city returned to Ayyubid rule back in 1187 AD, though the crusader presence in the holy land continued until the fall of Acre in 1292. The Mongols, who once had the largest empire in history, were almost unstoppable but yet met their defeat at Ain Jalut in the Jezreel Valley at the hands of Sultan Baibars.

1260-1517: From this date in 1260 the Mamluks took over. Ruling from Egypt, these freed slaves became a powerful force in the land. Some of their buildings still stand in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City to this day.

1517-1917: Another Muslim power, this time from Turkey, won battles at Marj Dabiq (Aleppo) and Younis Khan (near Gaza). Thus commenced the four-hundred-year occupation of the Ottomans, based in Constantinople (Istanbul). Their rule was so long and their footprints so deep that abundant evidence of the Ottoman presence, physically and legally, is still with us to this day. Their Central Asian conquering heritage caused them to capture and administer lands in three continents: North Africa, SE (Balkan) Europe, and Western Asia. Though Islam has a history of successful military conquests, the Ottomans were the first Muslim military to have a potent navy, and they used it to full effect.

The first Sultan to rule over Jerusalem, Selim, had gone a step further. He named himself the Caliph of (Sunni) Islam. This title was bestowed on all his successors until the caliphate was abolished in 1924 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic.

For those who have visited Jerusalem, you will appreciate the legacy of the next Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent. An ‘Islamic Nehemiah,’ in the years 1535-38, he is credited for building the walls of the Old City that we have with us today. In 1541, he did something of symbolic significance: Suleiman sealed the Golden Gate, known as the Eastern Gate, the one Jesus used to enter the holy city after His triumphal procession. It is expected that He will again enter through this gate – unsealed – during His glorious return.

After the high point of Suleiman’s wall-building legacy, Jerusalem declined economically from the 16th to 19th centuries. Despite this neglect, the European powers became vitally interested in the city, particularly the holy places. Russia took the side of the Greek Orthodox Church while France and the Venetians aligned themselves with the Roman Catholics, locally known as ‘the Latins.’

Unholy Fight for a Holy Site

The biggest rope in the tug-o-war was Christendom’s premier site, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional location of Calvary and the tomb of Christ. It was administered by six denominations, the major ones being the Orthodox, Catholics and Armenians. It is no secret that the prime chapels of the Church were held by the Greeks, including the Chapel of the Crucifixion and the actual sepulchre itself. The competition between the groups was so fierce that it was not uncommon for one group to lock out another from the church. There have even been physical altercations. Any changes in the status of these chapels could spark an international incident; the missing silver ‘Star of Bethlehem’ in the Grotto of the Nativity was one of the pretexts for starting the Crimean War.

For years, the Catholics put pressure on the Ottomans to restore their rights to these chief chapels. An Ottoman ruling in 1757 gave ‘joint ownership’ of the shrines but the Catholics viewed it as a Greek triumph, especially because they continued to retain the prized chapels. When the Catholics objected, the Ottoman representative said bluntly: These holy sites, though Christian, belong to the sultan and he can give them to whoever he wants.

Nearly a century later in 1850, France demanded the Ottomans restore Catholic oversight of key sites, like the church’s rotunda, the sepulchre itself, the stone of unction, etc. In February 1852 Sultan Abdul Megid issued his famous landmark firman (decree) which said: whoever owns a chapel today, owns it forever. The erstwhile de facto situation became de jure. This decree, known as ‘The Status Quo of the Holy Places,’ remains in force to this day.

What the Ottomans learned was that adjudicating the Christian holy sites was a thankless job. What they wisely learned is: to make a decision, seal it in concrete, and don’t touch it again. Their British, Jordanian, and Israeli successors were destined to learn this same lesson. Though none of them were bound by Ottoman decrees, they discovered that even mentioning a possible change of the status quo stirred up a hornet’s test. Touching this issue was simply not worth it inevitable fallout.

After Caliph Omar’s conquest of Jerusalem in 638 AD, apart from the Crusader period, Christians would not rule the city again until General Allenby walked through the Jaffa Gate on Hanukkah, in December 1917. The time of the Gentiles was entering its twilight.

TO BE CONTINUED

The post Times of the Gentiles – Crusaders & Turks: History of Jerusalem Part 06 appeared first on Teach All Nations inc..

Even the mature and most patient among us have their patience tried by life’s circumstances. But we must take hold of the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ – patience – for it is a key to unlocking the blessings of God.

What circumstance in life tries your patience? For me, it’s driving on the residential streets and country roads of the United Kingdom. They are way too narrow and clogged with parked cars, and there is a continuous weaving between the stationary cars and those that are in motion.

Worse still are the little country lanes, lined with vegetation, that are wide enough for only one car but host two-way traffic. The last thing I want to see is another car coming from the opposite direction or, worse still, a large tractor. Once encountered, either they or I have to back up in a wide space on the side so the other can pass. Recently the lane was so narrow my Kia Sportage barely fit and there was no place to back into if another car came. Yet, the ‘stiff-upper lip’ ‘keep calm and carry on’ Brits take it all in their stride.

Another real-life incident happened to us as our plane landed at its destination. The safety protocol dictates that everyone stays in their seats until the plane comes to a complete stop. On this particular flight, a few passengers got up while the plane was still taxing. Normally, the diligent steward(ess) will politely tell the passengers to be seated. In this case, the amount of ‘transgressors’ was so great that the pilot personally got involved and rebuked the impatient passengers from the cockpit. His words:

Please be seated. Never in aviation history has there been an occasion where the passenger reached the terminal before the plane.

As individuals, we can be patient in many things and tried in a few, but ultimately we need to realise that patience is not only a mark of maturity, but it is key to the promises of God. We can even pray for patience but it often sounds like this: Lord, grant me patience and give it to me now!

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises — Hebrews 6:12

Note that it is not by faith alone but by ‘faith and patience.’

Amplified Definition of Patience

Patience is steadfastness, constancy, continuance, forbearance, and divinely inspired long-suffering in the face of life and all its challenges.

It does not buckle under but leaps over the hurdles we face. 

Patience does not surrender to circumstances but defies, overcomes, and outlasts every obstacle.

We are called to patience because our Heavenly Father is the paragon of patience. 

Romans 15:5: Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

Patience in a Nutshell: To trust God with all your heart at all times and wait on Him.

Patience means to take the ‘long view,’ to be far-sighted and look at the ‘big picture.’ Patience focuses on the forest and not just the trees; the end goal and the road that leads you there; the spiritual reward and not just the temporal.

It is the development of maturity, especially in times of trouble, that positions you for a spiritual breakthrough. James 1:2-4: Tells us to do an incredible thing – count it all joy when we fall into various temptations. To this day I have yet to see someone turn cartwheels because they are entering into a season of trials. Yet there is divine wisdom from James, because the trial of faith develops patience which ripens, matures, completes and perfects. You will lack nothing.

We are exhorted to run the race of faith with patience (Hebrews 12:1). Come to the starting line, get on your track, start running when you hear to gun go off, and keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith (v. 2). With so much distraction and competition, it is tempting the compare oneself with other runners. Yet consider this: no Olympic gold medal winner keeps looking to the runner on the left or the right. They focus on their track, run with all their strength, and keep their eyes on the goal. That’s what we do in the race of faith and the goal is Jesus.

Patience: The Farmer and Job

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. 10. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy — James 5:7-11

What do we learn from this passage in James? 

• Patience is linked and viewed in the light of the coming of Christ (v. 7).

• The life of a farmer: He works, waters, weeds, and waits.

• We patiently, faithfully, and watchfully wait for Christ’s return (v. 8);

• Do not grumble against one another so you won’t be judged. Patience will spare you a lot of grief. (v. 9);

• Christ is returning to earth as a warrior, king, and judge. He is at the door (v. 9).

• The prophets of the Lord are role models of suffering affliction and patience as they spoke God’s Word to the people (v. 10);

• Happy, not miserable, is the saint of the Lord who patiently endures trials, tribulations, indignities, and reproaches (v. 11). While it seems like nonsense to the carnal mind, it is wisdom in the Spirit realm to be happy, since we are not celebrating the afflictions but the victorious endurance during the affliction: Patience is blossoming and God’s promises are just around the corner.
• You have heard of the patience of Job – and we will learn more from this patient template in our next article.

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