No weapon formed against you shall prosper,  And every tongue which rises against you in judgment  You shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,  And their righteousness is from Me,”  Says the LORD.
Is. 54:17 

The Humanitarian Issue in the Gaza War

The Blood of the innocent lives is on the hands of Hamas

After watching these videos it is clear who carries the ultimate responsibility for the deaths of so many innocent civilians. And although there is debate about how many of the counted dead, are Hamas terrorists, even the loss of one innocent life is tragic. 

Are there any alternatives to this situation?

No, for one simple reason: Hamas is bent on one thing and one thing only - The destruction of Israel. As long as that is its goal, there is no chance of peace and Israel has no alternatives. None, but to continue fighting for its existence. 

Is it right and moral to continue fighting this way?

Yes. It is the right of every sovereign nation to defend itself. Israel left Gaza years ago, but Hamas has been attacking it from Gaza ever since. 

Just today, the chief of Iran's elite Quds Force was quoted as saying, "confronting the Zionist enemy is a necessity and the Palestinian resistance movement will turn the land and sky into hell for the Zionists." He further said that, "Disarmament of resistance is a daydream that will only come true in the graveyard" for Israel.(As quoted in Ynet)Israel does not have any alternative but to defend herself against terror and annihilation. Israel's war with terror is just and right! 

Some Christians feel that any war is wrong 

Christians have had to deal with the issue of war all throughout history; especially in Europe during the two world wars.  

P.T. Forsyth, a British theologian, faced this question regarding the First World War in his book, "The Christian Ethic of War". I quote: "It should be remembered that the object of war is not to kill but to bind the strong superman. And, if he so strong, infatuate, and criminal that nothing will stop him in his unrighteousness, but honest and judicial killing, such killing is not murder nor is it hate......Such war is not 'multitudinous murder,' It is a form of judgment."

C.S. Lewis in an essay titled, "Why I Am Not a Pacifist" wrote: "If a Germanized Europe in 1914 would have been an evil, then the war which prevented that evil was, so far, justified. To call it useless because it did not also cure slums and unemployment is like coming to a man who has just succeeded in defending himself from a man-eating tiger and saying, "it's no good, old chap. This hasn't really cured your rheumatism!"

War is a terrible thing. Those who don't think so, have never been in one. But sometimes it's the only choice, especially in the face of such evil as Israel is facing now. 

No one tries harder than Israel to keep innocent lives from harm's way. What you are seeing on your screens, is the cynical use, by Hamas, of human lives - the lives of their own people as a tool and a weapon in their war against the Jews. 

But even in this they will fail.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,  And every tongue which rises against you in judgment  You shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,  And their righteousness is from Me,”  Says the LORD. Is. 54:17 

Stand with us before the Lord for His full counsel and will, to be fulfilled in the earth. He plans to bless the nations of the earth through Israel in its restoration, not without it. 

Ofer Amitai
Jerusalem Prayer Center

Amazing Providence saves Israel from existential danger!

It is now safe to say that the chain of events that led to Operation Protective Edge, and the discovery of the terror tunnels were providential in saving Israel from a horrific and existentially dangerous attack.

״Hamas had apparently been preparing a murderous assault on Israeli civilian targets for the coming Jewish New Year Holiday, Rosh Hashanah, which begins on September 24, according anonymous sources in the Israeli security services, as Israeli Hebrew daily Maariv reports.

“The Hamas plan consisted of what was to be a surprise attack in which 200 fighters would be dispatched through each of dozens of tunnels dug by Hamas under the border from Gaza to Israel, and seize kibbutzim and other communities while killing and kidnapping Israeli civilians.

“According to the reports, each tunnel has arteries, veins, offshoots, and offshoots of the offshoots in intricate and complex arrangements. As one Israeli spokesman said, "There are two Gazas, one above ground and one below ground: an underground terrorist city.”1

Imagine this scenario 

Thousands of Hamas terrorists dressed as IDF soldiers emerge from dozens of tunnels dug into the heart of the villages near the Gaza Strip. They begin  murdering, invading, and abducting civilians. 

Meanwhile, thousands of rockets are launched towards Israel’s central cities. Possibly this is done in coordination with Hezbollah that has over 160,000 rockets in its arsenal and has its own an intricate system of tunnels under homes and cities of southern Lebanon. Imagine the possibility of the Israeli Arabs beginning riots everywhere, and the Palestinians join in by beginning another Intifada.

Some commentators are saying that Israel has not been in such existential danger since the war of Independence in 1948, and that the death of the three teenagers who were abducted and murdered on June 12, 2014 saved the nation. 

"Naftali Bennett spoke of a mother at Kibbutz Netiv Ha’asara who told him that her children wake her in the middle of the night and tell her that they hear digging beneath their beds."

For the rest of the article read here 

Psalm 83 - spiritual reality behind events and how you can pray

Although this Psalm speaks of nations and realities far back in history, we find much of the same spirit and intent, in the nations whom so oppose, and seek to destroy Israel today.

We will only quote small portions of the psalm here and recommend you read it for yourself.

What is the heart motive of the nations who war with Israel
Psa. 83:4  They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 
Psa. 83:12 who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God.”

What do they do?
Psa. 83:3  They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones.

The root of it is a hatred of God himself
Psa. 83:2  For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads 
Psa. 83:5  For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—  (see psalm 2 for a further elucidation of this point.)

How we can pray, and the motive for such strong praying
Psa. 83:17  Let them be  put to shame and dismayed forever;   let them perish in disgrace, 
Psa. 83:18  that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.

[Remember that we are praying against those evil organizations and not the innocent civilians who are being used as human shields by Hamas.]

Zechariah 12 - Another view of the same conflict 
Reading Zechariah 12 leaves no doubt as to God’s point of view regarding the nations that come against Jerusalem.

In reading this chapter, one cannot fail to find that the restoration of Israel is bitterly opposed by the nations of the world. This opposition results not in harm to Israel, but in grave consequences for those nations.

God Himself is deeply involved in this epic battle. (vv. 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 ) Read especially vv 9 and 10 together and see how these things work together. 

May the Lord open His Word to your heart and make it real. May His Word produce faith in your heart and give you light and wisdom to know how to stand before Him in this crucial hour.

Ofer Amitai - Jerusalem Prayer Center

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1. http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4516/hamas-mega-attack

“Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us”
1Sam 7:8

- Three Israeli teenagers abducted and killed by Hamas terrorists
- Hamas in Gaza launches rocket attacks that reach Beer Sheba
- Palestinian teenager abducted and murdered 
- Nationwide riots in Israeli Arab villages
- Beduins in the South clash with police
- Palestinians riot near Jerusalem 
- An Israeli Arab who murdered a young woman caught 

Our newspapers and headlines all reflect the tremendous conflict, turmoil, and upheaval that we are experiencing; we are in the midst of a dangerous time. Just read some of the News headlines and you will get the feeling that the nation is aflame. Some are worried about another Intifada, others, believe things are not ripe for it. Read here for one analyst’s point of view. http://tiny.cc/intifada

Yesterday evening a heavy barrage of rockets was unleashed from Gaza toward our southern cities. This morning, Israel is widening its operation against Hamas in Gaza and is calling up some reserves. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to lob rockets at Israeli cities and towns. It seems likely that if Hamas does not cease its hostilities, Israel will decide to go into the Gaza Strip.


But regardless of the situation God’s plan of the restoration and redemption of Israel is on track!

This is what I felt the Lord impress upon my heart, right at the beginning of the events that have led to the current crisis. It was ignited by the abduction and murder, by Hamas, of three teenagers who were hitching a ride home for the weekend, from their yeshiva, located in the Etzion Block, in Judea, about a month ago. 


Our need is to get a hold of God and pray

It is not my purpose here to analyze and argue or prove Israel’s rights, or moralize, or compare Israel and Hamas and the Palestinians, or try to explain heinous acts that have been done by individuals. Rather, I believe that our urgent need is to get a hold of God. And this, must be based on His Word. 

I take it as a given, that the Bible clearly teaches that in the Last Days God would gather Israel from all the corners of the earth, and here meet her and apply the New Covenant to her people, as a nation. This is an essential part of His plan for the nations!  See Ezekiel 36

If some will want to find fault with Israel, and say that Israel’s sinfulness prevents her from the fulfillment of the promises of God, I would say that just the opposite is true. God has brought us back in an unredeemed condition and has promised to redeem, cleanse, sanctify us, and give us a new heart. The Jewish people have been brought back to the land for this very purpose: to be sanctified and made whole and holy.  The promises and the covenants are all we have, but they are enough. 

This should be understood most by believers; after all, on what basis have they come to salvation?

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A lambkin is enough


“Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.” 1Sam. 7:7-10

I have been struck again and again by the fact that Samuel, in the face of war, danger, and pressure, offered a small little lambkin to God as a whole burnt offering. No trumpets, Shofars, big to do, shouting and sweating. Just a lambkin, a whole burnt offering….and God heard and saved his people from their enemies. It is wonderful to notice too, that the place of victory becomes known as Ebenezer, and it is exactly the place where the ark was lost formerly. (See 1Sam. 4:1) The place of defeat and loss, became a place of victory by the help of God; all because Samuel knew how to get a hold of God….with one little lamb!

We need to get a hold of God, we need to see Yeshua again.

It is at the cross where we see light, and it’s at the cross where we understand and it is at the cross where we can stand in prayer.

The book of Revelation describes the greatest and most horrible conflict imaginable. But in the midst, always, there is the Lamb; and He is always in perfect control of events. If you lose sight of that, you will see only what the devil does; but if you see the Lamb— you will know how to stand before Him through it all.

I urge upon you our need to see God again in the crucified Messiah. There, we can see  and understand and be in the Spirit. There, we can intercede for the fulness of all He died for, and for the restoration of His nation in the Land.

Our nation’s need cries out to us, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us.”

Let us, then, cry out to God, standing on the finished work of The Lamb; that He may save us from our enemies and our sins!  

He declared that we will understand, and that we will thus cry out to Him: 

“Thus says the Lord God: For this also I will let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do it for them;  Ezek. 36:36-37

Ofer Amitai - Jerusalem Prayer Center

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For the latest update on the conflict:  http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3083,00.html