KEY SCRIPTURES TO PRAY OVER THE 2023 HAMAS ISRAEL WAR

1.    Pray against evil agendas, unwise counsel, or delays promoted by foreign presidents suddenly visiting Israel: Jeremiah 30:8: “In that day, declares the Lord Almighty, I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them.”

2.    Pray for the government and military of Israel to have the anointing of the sons of Issachar overruling their own thoughts: I Chronicles 12:32 “…from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command”

3.    Pray for warning dreams from the LORD to leaders and members of Hamas: Job 33:15-18: “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears, and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing, and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.”

4.    Pray for the occult shields of protection to be removed from all Hamas leaders / terrorists who will not repent: Numbers 14:9: “And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

5.    Pray for Ziklag type miracles for the rescue of the Israelis held as hostages:  I Samuel 30: 11 They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. 15 David asked him, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?”16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. 17 David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day 18 David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.”

6.    Pray for the people of Gaza and the people of Israel to be delivered from the tyranny of the demonic “kings” operating over Gaza and the surrounding cities in Israel: 

 

Amos 1:6-8

This is what the LORD says:

“For three sins of Gaza,

even for four, I will not relent.

Because she took captive whole communities

and sold them to Edom,

I will send fire on the walls of Gaza

that will consume her fortresses.

I will destroy the king of Ashdod

and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.

I will turn my hand against Ekron,

till the last of the Philistines are dead,”

says the Sovereign LORD.”  

 

Zechariah 9:5-7

“Ashkelon will see it and fear;

Gaza will writhe in agony,

and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.

Gaza will lose her king…

and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.

I will take the blood from their mouths,

the forbidden food from between their teeth.

Those who are left will belong to our God

and become a clan in Judah,

and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.” 

 

7.    Pray for the protection of Jerusalem and the Lord’s “Holy Hill” the Temple Mount, as the stated goal of Hamas was not Gaza, but Jerusalem and the Temple Mount (the location of the al Aqsa Mosque” as the Hamas terrorist crusade was officially called “Al Aqsa Flood”.  Zechariah 9: 8: “But I will encamp at my temple [mount] to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.”  Zechariah 2:4 “And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.”  

8.    As Iran (Persia) is obviously behind both Hamas and Hezbollah, it is important to pray this Scripture about Elam, which was the core area of Persia where the Palace in the story of Queen Esther was located: 

 

Jeremiah 49:35-39

This is what the LORD Almighty says:

“See, I will break the bow of Elam,

the mainstay of their might.

I will bring against Elam the four winds

from the four quarters of heaven;

I will scatter them to the four winds,

and there will not be a nation

where Elam’s exiles do not go.

I will shatter Elam before their foes,

before those who want to kill them;

I will bring disaster on them,

even my fierce anger,”

declares the LORD.

“I will pursue them with the sword

until I have made an end of them.

I will set my throne in Elam

and destroy her king and officials,”

declares the LORD.

“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam

in days to come,”

declares the LORD.

 

Compiled by Rick Ridings, Succat Hallel, Jerusalem 17 October, 2023

SUKKOT - THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

The week long holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) usually falls the end of September, beginning of October. During this “season of our rejoicing”, the Jewish people eat their meals in a tabernacle or booth, covered with boughs but with the sky showing through in remembrance of the wanderings from Egypt to the Promised Land. Sukkot is one of the three Pilgrim festivals ordained by God. People had to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast in the Temple.

"Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year: You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread… at the time appointed in the month of Abib… and the Feast of Harvest, the first fruits of your labours which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year. Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.” Exodus 23:16 (NKJV)

Being an observant Jew, Jesus too celebrated

 Sukkot.

“Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand… Then the Jews sought him (Jesus) at the feast, and said, Where is he? … Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught… On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 

John 7: 2,11,14,37-38 (NIV)

The three pilgrim feasts - 

Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Tabernacles) have both historical and agricultural significance. Because Sukkot occurred in the fall harvest, it was also observed as an agricultural event. Prayers for rain were also recited during this holiday.  In Israel, the first and last days are celebrated as a full holidays (like a Shabbat); The “Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly” is celebrated as Simchat Torah (Rejoicing of the Law). People are allowed to work during Chol Hamo'ed (intermediate days), but the festival framework is maintained. Schools are closed, and many families enjoy the holiday together by going on outings, visiting family or entertaining guests in their Sukkah.

Sukkot’s observance involves “dwelling” in the sukkah. The concept of thanksgiving for the harvest remains central, symbolized by the fruits (real or artificial) that decorate the sukkot (one sukkah, two sukkot). 

Some say the American Pilgrim fathers were influenced by the Jewish observance of Sukkot, from which Thanksgiving Day came.

An important symbolic item of the Festival is the Arba’ah Minim (Four Species). These are held together and waved at different points in the religious services. The four species consist of a lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron), hadasim ( three myrtle twigs) and the aravot (two willow branches). Combined, these are called the Lulav.

According to the Bible, in the millennial Kingdom gentile nations will have to come up to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot in order to be blessed with rain. Even though it is not commandment now, many Christians celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain." Zechariah 14:16-19 (NKJV)

Awesome, isn't it?

If you'd like to learn more about the Jewish Feasts and special days as they are celebrated in Israel, this book is a great reference guide:

                                                         

Click to order the book

Lag BaOmer and Upsherin

Upsherin (Yiddish Upsherinish (lit. shear off) or chalaka) is a Jewish haircutting ceremony,

Kabbalistic in origin, held when a Jewish boy is three years old. The upsherin tradition is (for Judaism) relatively modern and has only been traced back as far as the 17th century.

R. Yehudah Leibush Horenstein, a Chassidic rabbi who emigrated to Ottoman Palestine in the middle of the 19th century writes that "this haircut, called chalaka, is done by the Sephardim in Jerusalem at the kever (grave) of Shimeon bar Yochai during the summer, but during the winter they take the boy to the synagogue or Bayit Midrash and perform the hair- cut with great celebration and parties, something unknown to the Jews in Europe."

Because there was no Hebrew or Yiddish name for the custom, it was called by the Yiddish word for cutting off the hair: "upsheren".

In the Chassidic community, the upsherin marks a male child's entry into the formal edu- cational system and the commencement of Torah study. From now on, it will wear a kippah (yarmulke ) and tzitit. The child will be taught to pray and read the Hebrew alphabet. So that Torah should be "sweet on the tongue," the Hebrew letters are covered with honey, and the child licks them as he reads.

Some communities weigh the hair that is cut off in the upsherin ceremony, and give the amount to charity. If the hair is long enough, it may be donated to a charity that makes wigs for cancer patients. Other customs include having guests snip off a lock of hair, and encourage the child to put a coin in a tzedakah box for each lock that is cut.

Cutting hair is not allowed during the time of the Counting of the Omer, but is permitted on Lag Ba’omer. This is why boys who turned three between Pesach and Lag Ba’omer cele- brate upsherin on this date.

Mt. Meron, Galilee, Israel

The biggest Lag Ba’omer celebrations are held at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron, in the Galilee. Shimon bar Yochai was a famous 1st-century tannaic sage in ancient Israel, active after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. He was one of the most eminent disciples of Rabbi Akiva, and is attributed with the authorship of the Zohar, the chief work of Kabbalah.

During the time of Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534- 1572), parents used to distribute wine and sweets while their son had his first haircut. This custom is still popular today. Rabbi Isaac Luria. a Jewish mystic from Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Palestine is considered the father of contemporary Kabbalah.

Today, many orthodox Jews travel to Mount Meron to celebrate their son’s upsherin. Jerusalemites who cannot travel to Meron, hold celebrations at the grave of Shimon Hatzaddik.

The Bible sometimes compares human life to the growth of trees. Leviticus 19:23 states that one is not permitted to eat the fruit that grows on a tree for the first three years.

Some Jews apply this principle to cutting a child's hair, and therefore only at the age of three does the child get its first haircut.

Chassidic Jews hope that the child, like a tree that grows tall and eventually produces fruit, will grow in knowledge and good deeds, and someday have a family of his own.

Some communities call a boy before his first haircut an orlah - the same word used for a tree in its early years.

Excerpt taken from the book: “Remember Observe Rejoice” © by Petra van der Zande  

ISBN 978-965-7542-61-3

Order book by clicking on this link

Lag BaOmer

Lag Ba’omer (also known as Lag La'Omer amongst Sephardic Jews) is celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. (Usually in May.)

According to the Talmud, 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva died from a divinely sent plague during the Counting of the Omer. In the years that followed, Jews began to celebrate the end of the plague on Lag Ba’omer.

Rabbi Akiva continued with only five students, amongst them Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who became the greatest teacher of Torah in his generation.

Akiva decided his students should learn to fight the Roman conquerors. To avoid suspicion, they dressed up as hunters carrying bows and arrows, and went to the woods to practice. Eventually, the students joined the Bar Kochba rebels in their fight for freedom.

During the Roman Empire, the Romans believed it was unlucky to marry in May, before the harvest. They believed that the souls of the dead came back to earth at that time to haunt the living, and would only be appeased by fu-nerals, not weddings. This period lasted 32 days, and ended with a festival on the 33rd day. The Roman practice coincided with the Jewish practice of Counting of the Omer, which ended with Lag Ba’omer, on the 33rd day.

In the Middle Ages, Lag Ba’omer became a special holiday for rabbinical students. On this so-called "Scholar's Day," it was customary to practice outdoor sports.

In ancient times farmers used to worry (they actually still do) during the Counting of the Omer, whether the new grain crops would succeed or fail. Israeli spring weather is always unstable. Hot desert winds (sharav) can dry out the seedlings or burn the standing grain. Another danger is locusts, other insects or plant diseases. Until the farmer knows the out-come of his respective harvests, he is not in the mood for private or public celebrations.

While the Counting of the Omer is a semi-mourning period for observant Jews, all re-strictions of mourning are lifted on the 33rd day of the Omer. Amongst Ashkenazi Jews, weddings, parties, listening to music, and haircuts are commonly scheduled to coincide with this day. Sephardi Jews marry on Lad Ba’omer, the 34th day of the Omer.

On the eve of the holiday, huge bonfires are lit all over the country. Children often begin to collect wood after the Pesach holiday.

Some believe that the practice of having these bonfires goes back to the days of Bar Kochba, who lit fires in Jerusalem to sig-nal to other villages and towns that they had captured the capital. In turn, the villages kindled fires which could be seen even further away.

The following day, families enjoy picnics and outings into the woods. Children continue to play with bows and rubber-tipped arrows.

The Meron celebrations date from the time of Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572). Since then it became customary to give three-year-old boys their first haircuts (upsherin) during Lag Ba’o-mer.

Mt. Meron, Israel

Zionist ideology connected Lag Ba’omer to the Bar Kochba revolt against the Roman Empire. The holiday became a symbol for the fighting Jewish spirit.

The Gadna program (youth brigades) of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) was established on Lag Ba’omer in 1941. Their emblem bears a bow and arrow.

On Lag Ba’omer 1948, the Israeli government ordered the establishment of the Israel Defense Forces.

Excerpt taken from the book: “Remember Observe Rejoice” 

by Petra van der Zande  ©

ISBN 978-965-7542-61-3

Buy the book by clicking this link

Two Jerusalems

by Tikvah and John Ott

The name Jerusalem appears 814 times in the Bible, and has a place of central importance to understanding the kingdom of God.

The name is literally Yerushalayim ירושלים. The "ayim" suffix means "two, double, pair". It is used in such words as ear or eye, meaning a pair of ears, oznayim or a pair of eyes, einayim.

Other examples would be the Hebrew for twice, pa'amayim, or two years, sh'natayim.

So there is a subtle implication in the very name that there is a double Jerusalem or a pair of Jerusalems.  This duality is referred to both in Jewish and Christian writings as Jerusalem of above and Jerusalem below; or heavenly Jerusalem and earthly Jerusalem. Galatians 4:25-26

Indeed, the Scriptures use the name Jerusalem most of the time to refer to our city in the Middle East, the capital of Israel. Occasionally it is used to describe Heaven, or a golden city invisible in the heavenlies.

At the very end of the Bible, in the last two chapters of the Book of Revelation, the two Jerusalems are united, once and for all.  Heaven on earth. Heaven and earth back together.

"Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." 

Revelation 21:2

 

"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."

 Revelation 21:10

We live in earthly Jerusalem and pray with our hearts toward heavenly Jerusalem. In fact all true believers have Jerusalem in their hearts, both in heaven and on earth.

We hold the two together by faith. Ultimately in the perfect paradise restored, the "double Jerusalem" will be united forever.

Within the etymology of the holy city’s name Yerushalaim, Yeru means established. Shalayim is derived from shalem which means whole or complete. Thus God will establish and make Yerushalayim perfectly whole.

Melchizedek, Priest of God Most High and King of Shalem (written Salem in English, later known as Jebus which David and Joab captured through its water shaft) was an early appearance of King Yeshua who would arise in the order of Melchizedek, a duality recorded both in Genesis 14:18 and Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17.

“Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.” Hebrews 7:3

This early mention of ancient Yerushalayim as Shalem (its meaning taken from the same root as shalom meaning peace,) illuminates Melchizedek as an early representation of Yeshua, the everlasting King of Wholeness.

As is written in Psalms 76:2, 

“In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.”

Yerushalayim’s destiny as the holy city shall be established and made wholly complete, united by the Prince of Shalom, King Yeshua (Salvation.)

Note:

John Ott is JBC’s worship leader who blesses the Sunday service with his gift of music.

Tikvah and John Ott have ministered together in Jerusalem for the last 15 years leading worship, prayer, and dance outreaches in Israel. Currently they facilitate intercession via global Zoom calls in Hebrew and English, giving expression to the prophetic gifts of the Holy Spirit.

tikvahott@gmail.com  www.Johnandtikvah.com

The powerful Hebrew letter Yud

From the smallest of Hebrew letters, ‘yud’, came the Roman letters ‘I’ and ‘j’, and the Greek letter ‘iota’.

The Yud (jodh; yod; jodh) is the 10^th letter of the Semitic writing system, incl. Phoenician, Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac and Arabic. The pictograph shows a hand – the Yad in Hebrew. Israelies pronounce the letter as a ‘yood’ (yud).

Because the holy name of God cannot be written, in Hebrew they use ‘’ which is pronounced as ‘Adonai’.

 

Many important words start with a Yud:

The sacred name of God – YHWH (Jaweh)

The land of Israel  

The city of God – Jerusalem

Yeshua (Jesus)

The greatest of God’s works begins with the smallest of strokes; new life begins so small it can’t be seen by human eye. By nature, we avoid newness and change and going from a life of failure to victory is an overwhelming prospect. It can be done by taking the ‘yud’ of steps. We don’t start out with a great victory but by taking a ‘yud’ (little) step towards that great victory. That is a ‘yud’ of courage, an iota of change, a smallest stroke of new beginning, the yud’ of the life we are called to live.

 A look at Matthew 5:18

“For truly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away and perish, not one smallest letter nor one little hook [identifying certain Hebrew letters] will pass from the Law until all things [it foreshadows] are accomplished.” AMPC

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth ·are gone [pass away; disappear], not even ·the smallest letter [T one jot; L one iota; C the smallest Greek letter] or the smallest ·part [stroke; T tittle] of a letter will ·be lost [pass away; disappear] until everything ·has happened [is accomplished/achieved].” EXB (Expanded Bible)

“For, omein, truly I say to you, until Shomayim and haaretz pass away, not one yod, not one tag (ornamental flourish), will pass from the Torah until everything is accomplished.” OJB (Orthodox Jewish Bible)

“You must not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to complete them. Indeed, I assure you that, while Heaven and earth last, the Law will not lose a single dot or comma until its purpose is complete.” Phillips

Someone who worries about ‘the tip of a yud’ (like a Torah Scribe)  is meticulous about small details – each letter must be perfect.

 

The Jewish sages say that the ‘yud’ represents the world to come and completeness.

By being small, the Yud also symbolizes wisdom.

 

 “Never think that something is insignificant 

just because it is small.”

 

*******************

 

Sources: 

The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn; Wikipedia; Hebrewtoday.com

 

 

 

Six Days of Miracles - Irene Levi’s experiences during the 1967 Six Day War

Mt. Carmel school, school bus and view of Haifa Bay

Chapter 27 from the book From McComb to Jerusalem - The Life Story of Irene (Shaloma) Levi By Petra van der Zande  

Copyright © 2017 by Petra van der Zande

“Remember how the enemy has mocked you, O Lord….  Rise up, O God, and defend your cause….” Psalm 74:18  

With war looming on the horizon, civilians began to stock up on food, which led to food and cash shortages. Bomb shelters were prepared and ditches dug to be used as emergency shelters. Along with most of the reservists in Israel, some teachers from Haifa’s Bible College and Carmel School were called up, even in the middle of the night. 

June 5, 1967 – Refusing to listen to Israel’s entreaties not to engage in war, the Jordanian king’s army attacked Jerusalem from the east. Soon, the wailing of air-raid sirens prompted civilians to run to bomb shelters.

“Would you like your child to come home, or stay at Bethel?” [Boarding school] we had to ask the parents. The only child who went home was one who had been hurt while out riding his bicycle.

For me, the war became a time of ‘triple duty’. In addition to my own tasks, I had to take on extra duties of teachers who had gone off to protect their country. Like Queen Esther had done for her people, I, too, felt the need to fast.  Israel’s future hung in the balance –again! Whenever I could, I went to the home of Dr. Churcher who lived up the hill at the Church’s Mission to the Jews (CMJ). It was a respected ministry, helping Jews who were restored to the Land.  Dr. Churcher was our school’s beloved medical doctor and I often went there to pray with other believers.

The US Consulate advised its citizens to leave Israel unless they had vital business to attend to. Even though the situation grew tenser each day, I didn’t feel I should leave the school. Eventually, believers began to meet on the school veranda for prayer, which meant cleaning up at the end of the school day. 

The first day of the war had been the beginning of many miracles. Israeli pilots had destroyed the Egyptian Air Force on the ground; the Jordanian Air Force followed suit; it took only one hour, and two-thirds of the Iraqi Air Force were in shambles. 

Schools were kept open, so every hour, our teachers opened the classroom doors for everyone to hear the latest news. “Haifa’s oil refineries are bombed,” the newsreader said. Everyone rushed to the window overlooking Haifa Bay, but from what we saw, this was not the case.

June 6 – During the afternoon English lesson, the flannel-graph story of that day happened to be of David and Goliath. I had reached the point where David defeats Goliath, when the radio news came on. All the doors were open, so everyone heard,

“Israel has turned back the enemy at the Sinai Desert and has almost reached the Suez Canal.” The children’s mouths fell open. “The West Bank is now in Israeli hands,” the announcer continued, “including Nablus, Ramallah, Jericho and Bethlehem.” 

It was a time to praise and thank the Lord for so many miracles in Israel’s past and present.

June 7 – At the Carmel School, classes continued as usual, with an hourly break to listen to the latest radio announcements. I was surprised to see Mr. Ben Meir, one of the Bible school teachers, enter the building. His face beamed when he announced, “All of Jerusalem is now united under Israeli rule!”  

He told us that on that very morning, Motta Gur and his paratroopers had been able to break through the Old City’s Lion’s Gate and liberate the Western Wall and the Temple Mount. “The Temple Mount is OURS!” Israelis would never forget Motta Gur’s words coming over the radio. Shlomo Goren, the Army’s Chief Rabbi, had blown the Shofar. With tears in their eyes, the weary, dust covered soldiers, for the first time in their lives, had reverently touched the ancient stones of The Wall. Many had stood with their heads bowed, reciting psalms. “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand lose its cunning.”

The rest of the country still found it hard to believe that after nineteen long years, all of Jerusalem was back in Israeli hands! 

Israeli flag at the school - Irene 2nd from right

Two weeks before the war, during Israel’s nineteenth Independence Day, Naomi Shemer’s song had touched many hearts. Now, it could be heard everywhere, “Yerushaliyim shel zahav, veshel nechoshet veshel or…”, “Jerusalem of Gold’ was heard from cars, shops, and people around us singing it. When the songwriter heard that Jerusalem had been united, she immediately added another verse. The song, set in a beautiful melody, became a kind of second national anthem.

Naomi Shemer sings (click on the link) 

Naomi Shemer

This excerpt was part of the original song:

“The wells are dry, and the market place empty. No one visits the Temple Mount in the Old City. Through the caves in the rocks, the winds howl and no one goes down to the Dead Sea by way of Jericho.”

This was added now:

“We’ve returned now to the wells, the market and the square; and the ram’s horn from the Temple Mount in the Old City. And through the caves in the rocks, a thousand suns do shine. We can go once more to the Dead Sea by way of Jericho. Jerusalem of gold….” 

I was thrilled and awed, when I realized that prophecies had been fulfilled right before our eyes. Israelis walked with a new spring in their steps and contagious joy spread over the country. 

But the war wasn’t over yet, and because of their wounded pride, the enemy fool-heartedly continued to fight. Israeli soldiers were still risking their lives up on the Golan.

I continued to fast, though I had begun drinking water after three days. 

While reading my Bible, I was amazed how many times I came across the words “Adonai Tzva’ot” - The Lord of Hosts - the Armies. The prolonged fasting (with all the extra work) had weakened me. When I began to proclaim God’s promises, “The Heavenly host fights alongside Israel,” I felt revived. “Lord, I can feel it – You’re strengthening the Israeli soldiers on the Golan!”

June 8 –The Syrian positions on the Golan, which for so many years made life a living hell for the people in the valley below, because of their constant rocket barrages, had now been taken over by Israeli soldiers.

June 9 – After the ceasefire with Jordan, from all over the country people rushed to Jerusalem.

June 12 - That Saturday night, because their hall was being renovated, believers from the Bethesda fellowship were meeting on the veranda of Carmel School. During the communion service we sang a fitting hymn, about Jesus the Savior, who died on the cross. Then came the part, “’It is finished’, was His cry…” 

It is finished! A shock went through me. The war is over! I knew it in my heart, as if the Lord of the armies had announced it. Feeling weak from fasting, I leaned against the wall. And I’ll be able to break my fast after the meeting, I thought.

Later, I learned that the last cease fire had come into effect exactly at that hour. When Jesus cried out “It is finished.” while hanging on the cross, He accomplished my salvation, as the Spirit had shown me years ago, and I had believed. That same Jesus was also the “Captain of the Hosts”.  Yeshua is alive today!

“We’re able to travel to the Golan Heights again!” we realized. “Oh! And all the other areas Israel set free!”

Messianic believers visiting the Garden Tomb in united Jerusalem

It had taken six days of heavy fighting, and gradually, the magnitude of the Israeli victory dawned upon Israel and the rest of the world.

 The “Six Day War”, as it has come to be known, surely was a miracle from beginning to end. 

After this war, I began to share my spiritual insight and experiences with every hitchhiking soldier I took along. “The sooner we ‘see’ Him, the Savior Soldier who died in our place,” I felt led to tell the soldiers, “the fewer soldiers here need to die in today’s armies. He’s alive, the Captain of Hosts!”  

  

ISBN  978 965 91615 4 6

https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/petra-van-der-zande/from-mccomb-to-jerusalem-the-life-story-of-irene-shaloma-levi/paperback/product-18nj24r2.html

The Hebrew translation of this book can be ordered by writing to email: tsurtsinapublications@gmail.com

The Mercy Gate

The Golden Gate, on the eastern side of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, features prominently among Jews, Christians and Muslims as the place of the Last Judgment. In ancient times, judgments were rendered in the gates of the city (Gen. 19:1, 23:10). Since the Messiah was to come from the East (Matthew 24:27, Luke 19:35-38), it was concluded that his judgment would be at the eastern gate. In the assumption that the dead in the immediate vicinity will be the first to be raised, Muslims, Christians, and Jews want to be buried as close as possible to this gate.

According to Jewish tradition, the Shekhinah (שכינה) (Divine Presence) used to appear through this gate, and will appear again when the Messiah comes (Ezekiel 44:1–3). Then, a new gate will replace the present one now called Sha'ar Harachamim (שער הרחמים), the Gate of Mercy.

Christians believe that Jesus passed through this gate on Palm Sunday and upon His second coming, will enter the city through this gate. (Zechariah 14:4-5.) 

Muslims call it the Bab el-Dahariyeh - Gate of Eternity, recalling the visions of Joel 4:2 and 12, or the Twin Gate, because of its shape.

In Biblical times, the gate was known as the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:2,10.) It probably also existed during the period of Aelia Capitolina (Roman Period).

The top picture shows the Kidron Valley and part of Jerusalem’s Old City Wall with the Golden Gate, taken from the direction of the Mount of Olives.