Israel strikes Iran

As all of you have probably heard by now, Israel attacked Iran about 3:00am today, Friday the 13th. (BTW, Randi and I were saved on a Fri the 13th. 🙂 ) We were awakened about that time by a siren in our neighborhood, went down into our bomb shelter, hearing nothing, and went back to bed (but not to sleep!)  Immediately there many combat jets flying overhead nearby, and I thought that maybe Israel is attacking Iran, even though the Houthis had fired a missile from Yemen. After another 3/4 hr, our phones made an unusual strong vibrating sound on our mobile phones, telling us that Israel was in an extreme emergency situation, and for everyone to remain near safety. It wasn’t the Houthis, but Israel was waking up their sleeping people to prepare us for the sudden assault on much of Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the leaders of the evil regime. (Many Iranian citizens hope for the overthrow of the oppressive Islamic regime since 1979.) Part of the Home Front directives meant that our physical Shabbat service tomorrow is cancelled. The airport is closed, affecting our travel and ministry plans this coming week. 

Our son was called up early this morning for duty, and he is serving in a position of responsibility next to the battalion commander. Please pray for wisdom for him, and for all in authority who must make critical and timely decisions, which can have life-or-death consequences. And for eternal life, please pray for their repentance and belief in the gospel, that they would come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved from their sins. (1Tim 2:1-6) 

Most Israelis feel a sense of pride in what our leaders and military have accomplished today: the government is carrying out it’s God-given moral responsibility to protect its citizens and borders from its enemies.  It does not always succeed, such as on Oct 7, 2023. And there is still the dilemma of the hostages, both alive and dead. War is terrible; but YHVH is going to sanctify His holy Name through His war with Gog, when that day comes. He is the God of Armies/Hosts; and in Jn 12 it is clear that Yeshua/Jesus is the Lord of Hosts, whom Isaiah the prophet saw in His glory. (Is 6) God is not a pacifist, but Yeshua is the Prince of Peace, and will make peace when He makes wars to cease, and no one will teach or learn war anymore. Come, Lord! 

As I said in a video from Oct, 2023, while the world wanted Israel to not even go to war against Hamas after its barbaric invasion; or, having once gone on the defense and attack, to stop and let things be, and make whatever deal for the hostages that Hamas would accept (!); and, don’t go into Lebanon against Hezbollah, even though they were shooting missiles and causing the evacuation of the whole northern border; I said that maybe God wanted a wider regional war. Believe me, I am not a war-monger, and we have a son, plus other members of the congregation, plus sons and daughters and friends of many others here in Israel involved in the war; and some were injured for life, while others were killed in action. But there is a time for war, and a time for peace.

The Scriptures speak of these things, and given the times that we are living in, maybe these things must be now in order for the future things that must be will take place in their time, as the Lord Messiah has Himself told us. It is another wake-up alert from the Holy Spirit to a sleeping bride. (Mt 25:1-13): the generation that sees the fig tree put forth leaves will see the Lord’s return!  The rapture is not imminent/at any moment until the things which must take place before that occurs. And no matter when it does actually take place, in conjunction with the resurrection of the believers in Christ who have died, it will take place within this generation which has been, and still is, seeing the fig tree of national Israel flourish — but still without the fruit that God is looking for.  Israel has an exceedingly strong army, as Ezekiel writes about in ch 37, and today’s incredible success against the Iranian ram has [again] astonished the Middle Eastern countries, as well as those beyond our region. Yet Israel’s salvation will come when her strength is gone, not while she can still boast and trust in her power and abilities. (Dt 32:28-43; Dan 8:23-27) Meanwhile, more non-Jews are being saved while Israel remains the enemy of the gospel. Such is the wisdom and righteousness of YHVH our God! (Rom 11:25-36) 

I’ve received some questions privately from some of you, asking about some of what I write a lot about:  the end-times and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ/Yeshua the Messiah. And one of the questions asked multiple times has to do with what is coming, and how do I see it coming about. Here is the response that I gave the last time, and I think today’s — and probably carrying on into the days, maybe longer to come — strong victory fits into my outlook (which is subject to change, but the Word of God endures forever!):

“I do not know for certain the answer, but it would seem that something very significant has to happen to allow the daily sacrifices restart. The sacrifices must begin some time after the beginning of the last seven years/70th week of Daniel, which will be stopped by the antichrist very shortly before he is publicly revealed to be that when he commits the abomination of desolation in the holy place. This will begin his “shortened” 3 1/2 year reign of satanic terror, which God allows, and has told us about in advance. It may seem a long time for those going through it, but it is limited to this lest no one would remain alive.

It is simply not true that nothing needs to “prophetically” happen before the “imminent” rapture/snatching up of the living saints in Christ at any time (even possibly as I write). The dead in Christ will be resurrected, and the raptured living saints will then meet in the air those resurrected on their combined ascension heavenward. 

It would seem to me that Israel must have some leverage in order for the dailies to be restored, either on the Temple Mount, or in the City of David just below (since there are now disputes regarding the Temple location; I believe that the mount is where the Temples were). The outcome of the current war (since Oct 7, ’23) may bring this leverage, but with natural eyes and understanding it seems that it is not possible. But Jesus is Lord, and things will work out according to the Word of God, whatever it looks like now. For Israel to have leverage, and be willing for “long-term peace”, she may be willing to accept a strongly urged treaty that recognizes a Palestinian state on YHVH God’s covenanted land to the Israeli Jewish people; and, for accepting that big compromise and concession, she may demand access and liberty to resume the daily sacrifices.

Most Israelis/Jewish people do not want them; most Christians do not believe that they must be; Arabs/Palestinians, and Muslims everywhere will not approve such access and activity; the Vatican does not approve them now; the US does not; the UN no; and, also the EU. It will necessarily require a huge compromise by all parties — and huge deception to enable it — and the true believers of their respective faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam will not accept such compromises, and will be seen as enemies of peace, or else as traitors to their culture or to their God.  Many will be killed by those thinking to be serving God (even if their god is not GOD). Familial and friendship betrayals will tragically take place. While the world and covenant-breakers and carnal friends will be celebrating and proclaiming peace, peace, YHVH, God of Israel, will nullify this “covenant with death” by His Bride, and daughter of Zion, Israel, which, under the Law, a father or husband can do when he hears about a bad agreement by his daughter or bride, and he does not accept it on the day that he hears about it.” (Num 30; Is 28:1-22)