Can we be counted upon?!

In a moment of madness, I accepted a challenge, on Facebook, from a very dear young friend. I only wish that the response to that challenge (as, having failed, I had to pass it on!) could be replicated with my blog!!

Anyway, as we move through the amazing library of books that is named The Bible, we come to the book of Numbers. Maths just happened to be my best subject during my secondary education - but one doesn't need to be a mathematician to learn from this book. 

Here is the next video.

I wonder if anyone is noticing the lessons here?! How like those Israelites of old is the church - the body of the Christ - today! Indeed, as one who is intensely interested in, and supportive of, the modern descendants of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, I see the modern State of Israel behaving in the same way through its secular government that looks to alliances with other nations, rather than to the God of their ancestors! more to come in the next post.

More on apartheid in the modern State of Israel.

Although this blog is, primarily, a Christian ministry blog, I do publish posts on a variety of other topics. One of those concerns the negative press given to the State of Israel and to the Jewish people, by those who are too blind - or too bigoted - to see the truth! I often see material that claims that Israel is an "apartheid" state, just like the pre-Mandela South Africa. This is, of course, totally untrue, and an insult to those who suffered under the apartheid regime in South Africa.

These two pictures, sent by a friend, speak volumes. Look; consider; and realise that, while the State of Israel is not perfect (there are a number of the government's policies with which I, personally, totally disagree), it is most definitely NOT operating any policy of apartheid!

Is Hamas innocent?

This is not, and has never been intended to be, a purely Judaism-supporting blog. However, I object strenuously to the fake news, and the failure by most of the MSM to report news that would show the State of Israel in a good light. I also follow One Who was born a Jew; lived as a Jew, in the land that is known as Israel; and died on a Roman cross under a placard that read "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (written in the three most commonly-spoken languages of the time!).

Having said that, I do not support every policy of the secular Israeli government. For example, I have been informed that the abortion laws in Israel are among the most liberal in the world. I have not been able to confirm that information but, if true, then I certainly do not support such laws, and pray that they will be repealed. I certainly do not agree with permission being granted to those whose lifestyle is an abomination to HaShem, to parade, and flaunt that lifestyle in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Nevertheless this week, as every week, Hamas terrorists and their supporters took part in violent riots along the Gaza border. For many Israeli families, the Gaza Strip is a short walk from their back gardens. IDF (Israel Defence Force) soldiers don’t just protect a border, but what lies behind it - Jewish families, Jewish homes, and Jewish children. The world refuses to blame terrorists who brag about their plans to “tear down that border and tear out their hearts from their [the Jews] bodies,” (a quote from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar). 

"Palestinian" terrorism has nothing to do with Jerusalem, and everything to do with Islam! How can their supporters explain the verifiable fact that Muslims were carrying out terror attacks in the Holy Land - long before Pres. Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and even before the Israeli Declaration of Independence on May 14th, 1948? Muslims who call themselves "Palestinians" (such an ethnic, or national, group has never actually existed!) carry out their attacks, not in the name of "Palestine", but "in the name of Allah"! Hamas - predictably - took advantage of the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to stage violent riots, aimed at over-running the Israel-Gaza border. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed that some 50,000 Muslims took part in those riots along the border. Some 52 Hamas rioters and terrorists were killed - an unnecessary loss of life that was the responsibility of Hamas! It was Hamas that sent those 50,000 Gazans to the border with Israel - with the incentive of US$100 being offered to families who joined. With these human shields for cover, Hamas terrorists used bombs, guns, Molotov cocktails, and burning kites, to attack Israel!

A closer look at the casualties betrays the violent nature of the allegedly 'peaceful' protests! Terrorists have been shot whilst trying to plant explosive devices at the border fence. Others have been killed as they attempted to open fire on Israeli soldiers. Yet Israel has repeatedly warned Hamas, and its supporters in Gaza, that "Anyone who tries to invade Israel will be shot!" Approximately 4,000 Israeli families live within a mere 2 miles of the border. Israel is obliged to protect these families - and now there have been more than 50 additional deaths. 

The world refuses to blame terrorists who brag about their plans to “tear down that border and tear out their hearts from their bodies,” (a quote from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar). Hamas is a Muslim terror organization ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007, whose declared goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. Hamas is responsible for Gaza, but instead of providing welfare for its citizens, Hamas brainwashes the Gazans, uses them as pawns against Israel, and exploits them as human shields, even involving/using young children! "Palestinians" participating in the violent Gaza riots have repeatedly flown swastika flags, and sent kites with swastikas on them with firebombs attached into Israeli territory.

The Hamas terrorist group is leading and orchestrating the recent wave of violence from Gaza, aimed at breaking the border fence, storming Israel with thousands of rioters and attacking Israeli civilians. Israeli is not instigating this violence and Israel has the right to self-defense. Israel, like any other country, has a right to defend itself. Israel will not allow terrorists to invade its territory. Hamas, which rules Gaza, is an Islamic terrorist organization that threatens to kill Jews. Hamas terrorists use civilians as human shields and send children to the front line during the riots along the Gaza border. IDF soldiers don’t just protect a border, but what lies behind it - Jewish families, Jewish homes, and Jewish children.

Israel will not apologise for defending itself against Hamas - and I shall not apologise for seeking to spread the truth!

Who is in charge?

In our contemporary society, it's a question we may often ask ourselves! Oh, we know who holds the "top" positions - the various monarchs, and presidents, and prime ministers, etc. But there are theories that those who are really in charge merely use these people to get their own way. Is it the "Bilderberger Group"? Is it George Soros? Are they all united in their aim of a New World Order - that they control?

Such thoughts came to me during my personal devotions, this morning, as I read Psalm 2:

Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?
 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
 against YHWH and His anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds asunder,
  and cast their cords from us.”

 He who sits in the heavens laughs; YHWH has them in derision.
 Then He will speak to them in His wrath,  and terrify them in His fury, saying,

“I have set My king on Zion, My holy hill.” (vs1-6)

This is a time of great uncertainty in many aspects of the world situation. News bulletins, and newspapers, are filled with concerns about the international situation. There is talk of war - whether between the USoA and China; or the USoA and N.Korea; or a full WW III. There has been a rise in anti-Semitism that has alarmed many. Some are using what they claim is simply criticism of the State of Israel

The Bible speaks of a great shaking that will take place before the end of this present age: "For thus says YHWH Sabaoth: 'Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor', says YHWH Sabaoth." (Haggai 2:6-7). There are many - including yours truly - who believe that we are seeing that great shaking at this time. It is a time when we do well to watch the changing situation, and stay close to Father God. 

The assurance that we may have is that YHWH Sabaoth - The LORD of the armies of heaven - is still Sovereign. He is, whether some wish to acknowledge it, or not, the King and Lord of all that is created. He is the One Who is, ultimately, in charge! And His people may be encouraged by the closing words of that second Psalm: "Blessed (Happy) are all who take refuge in Him."

When the heavens are rent, and the Lord Jesus appears on Mt Zion, it will be too late. "'At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation.' Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Cor.6:2).

What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be.
Some day, your heart will be asking: "What will He do with me?"

The first casualty!

It was, as far as records can show, Aeschylus, a Greek tragic dramatist (c. 525-456 B.C.) who first used the words: "In war, truth is the first casualty".  Certainly, propaganda (the art of persuasion - persuading others that your 'side of the story' is correct) can be as effective a weapon as any other - a fact well used by, for example, Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment in Hitler's Nazi Germany.

Donatella Rovera, an Amnesty International field investigator, wrote an interesting article about the challenges of fact finding in war situations.  One of her main points is that eyewitnesses are often unreliable. For example:

In Gaza, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and other places I interviewed civilians who described what they thought were artillery or bomb strikes being launched by far away government forces and striking near their homes – whereas in reality the loud bangs and tremors were caused by mortars or rockets being launched by opposition fighters from their positions nearby. For the untrained ear it is virtually impossible to distinguish between incoming and outgoing fire, and all the more so for those who find themselves close to the front lines.

She also states:

Even if they disregard it, investigators must be alert to the fact that disinformation and misinformation can contribute to shaping the perception of events, the narrative surrounding the events, and the behaviour of people who take it in good faith and internalize it, including victims, witnesses, and others potential sources.

Here, Ms Rovera is referring to lies that spread quickly, and then become widely believed – including by “unbiased” NGOs (non-governmental organisations) – before anyone has a chance to investigate.  She gives a specific example from Gaza:

Fear can lead victims and witnesses to withhold evidence or give deliberately erroneous accounts of incidents. In Gaza, I received partial or inaccurate information by relatives of civilians accidentally killed in accidental explosions or by rockets launched by Palestinian armed groups towards Israel that had malfunctioned and of civilians killed by Israeli strikes on nearby Palestinian armed groups’ positions. When confronted with other evidence obtained separately, some said they feared reprisals by the armed groups.

What this means is that “eyewitnesses” will often claim that there was no terrorist activity in the area of an airs-trike and Israel wantonly and indiscriminately killed people for no reason.  Regretfully, this version tends to be swallowed, hook, line, and sinker, and is then parroted by the UN and other NGOs. 

This is why we ought always to be careful about western media reports concerning the modern State of Israel, and its alleged illegal occupation of certain parts of the Holy Land.  I would not wish to be the one who maintained that Israel is totally blameless in every situation.  However, much of what we read and hear is nothing more or less than propaganda - propaganda against a people who are still "... the apple of His eye" (Zech.2:8)!

Last year, in Israel

Wherever I turn to in the popular media, I find the State of Israel being criticised and, indeed, demonised!   Increasingly, she is being isolated, internationally, as world 'leaders' cosy up to régimes that are the supporters of terrorists whose actions have a negative effect on the whole of the developed, and the developing, world.

It is regrettable that some of the news from Israel does not reach our western television screens, radio broadcasts, and newspapers.  However, in order to make some small attempt to redress the situation, I share the following, with gratitude to Michael Ordman, publisher of the popular blog “Good News from Israel – News of Israel’s Achievements and Heartwarming Stories of the Jewish State.”  It came to me through the website http://unitedwithisrael.org

"In May, doctors at Schneider’s Children's Hospital transplanted a kidney into a 10-year-old Palestinian Arab boy. The kidney came from 3-year-old Israeli Noam Naor who died in a tragic fall and his parents decided to donate his organs to save the life of others.  Following the operation, Noam’s mother said, “To see Yakub today is very exciting. I wish him only health, a full and speedy recovery.” In the same month, Hadassah Hospital doctors performed an extremely rare operation to deliver the conjoined (“Siamese”) twins of a Palestinian Arab mother. The babies weighed 4.9 pounds and shared a heart.

The Israeli charity Save A Child’s Heart (SACH) performs more life-saving surgery on Palestinian Arab infants than from any other part of the world.  In August, of the 22 children at SACH’s base in the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, seven were from the Palestinian Authority.  SACH works with Christian organization Shevet Achim which funds and transports PA and Gaza children requiring heart surgery to Israeli hospitals such as the Wolfson and to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.

In July, IDF (Israeli Defence Force) paramedics and Magen David Adom joined together with the PA police and the PA Red Crescent to save a Palestinian Arab who was hit by a car when riding his donkey near Nablus (Shechem).  MDA transported him to an Israeli hospital for further treatment.  And coming right up-to-date, in December an IDF emergency medical team rescued a 10-year-old Palestinian Arab boy whose head was cut open following a car accident and airlifted him to hospital.  The team also treated the boy’s mother, who suffered from shock after the accident.

In 2013, truck drivers from Israel were fully occupied making 64,783 deliveries of food, medicines, finished goods and building materials (some 1.3 million tons) into Gaza.  Unfortunately for Hamas, their leader Ismail Haniyeh was caught feeding orphans in Gaza with “boycotted” Israeli yogurts.  Meanwhile in July sixty Gaza farmers attended an agricultural seminar in northern Israel.  They completed workshops on cultivation methods, planting schedules, soil preparation, irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides. In the following video, dozens of Gaza farmers are shown at an Israeli exhibition earlier in the year learning about innovative Israeli agricultural methods and new fruits and vegetables developed in Israel.

When the December storm struck, Israel intervened in Hamas’ quarrel with the PA by rushing in 1.2 million liters of diesel into Gaza to restart its power station.  And when the snow trapped a Palestinian Authority ambulance carrying a very sick woman, Israeli soldiers from the Kfir Brigade were there to help it back on the road.

The PA shuns normalisation of relations with Israel, but the 20,000 Palestinian Arabs working for Israelis in Judea and Samaria (25 percent more than in 2012) illustrate that the reality is quite different.  In August we also read about the hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian Arabs who have become business partners and colleagues in joint start-ups. For example Israeli startup Naked Sea Salt partners with a Palestinian Arab company to use eco-friendly methods to harvest salt from the Dead Sea.  And the massive project involving Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority will construct a pipeline from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea to produce millions of cubic meters of drinking water for the region, hydroelectric power and replenish the critically dwindling Dead Sea.  Even Al Jazeera broadcast the news of the joint project."

There is much more.  It remains true that the first casualty in war, is truth.  Please take the time to access the Ordman blog, or the site
http://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-occupation-in-2013?inf_contact_key=0c73d6c9a69288c9bec0fd63a0ef0023826d49d9e537ecd6e3e8448c53058847