Beginning September 9, the United States Senate and Congress, in response to the request of President Barack Obama, will deliberate and vote on whether or not to punish Syria’s Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons on his people. Israelis will await the outcome with bated breath…
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Israelis will await the outcome with bated breath, for the American lawmakers’ final decision will send a loud and clear signal of potential consequences to the evil Iranian leadership who, with their soon-to-be-ready nuclear arsenal, pose a far greater danger to Israel.The conclusion and pronouncement of both houses of Congress will confirm to Iran and the other enemies of the young State of Israel whether or not America can still be trusted by her friends as a strong ally, and feared by her enemies as more than a paper tiger.
Today it looks as if especially the Congress – with its many Christian pro-Israel men and women – will this time vote with the president, perhaps even asking him to make the intended strike against Syria more robust. There is thus a high possibility that the US attack will come between the September 9 and the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Yom Kippur falls on September 13/14 this year, with the Feast set to begin the evening of the 17th. This leaves plenty of time so that, after the conclusion of the deliberations in the Senate and Congress, the distinct possibility exists that the coming war – though short – could erupt before the Feast of Tabernacles begins.
What a privilege, then, to be standing with Israel at such a time as this, as we will do during the Feast of Tabernacles, showing them that they are not alone, and encouraging them with our love, prayers and songs!
How particularly critical this could be, for Israel may well bear the brunt of all the enmity of Iran, Lebanon’s Hizbollah, and Syria. Indeed all three have already declared their intention to flatten Tel Aviv and make the people of Israel pay for an American bombing of Syria. Nor dare we forget that Iran and Hizbollah are already assisting Syria with all kinds of weapons and many soldiers. For all “this help” they will insist that Syria lend Iran a hand to finish Israel off.
It will be highly probable then – and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu already alluded to this – that during the High Holy days (possibly even on Yom Kippur) Israel could face an onslaught from these three enemies who, as he said, themselves face the terrifying consequences of perpetrating such a blatant attack on Israel. It is against this background, maybe just after this short – and for Israel’s enemies, devastating – war, that we shall have the high privilege of being in Israel for the Feast, to be a comfort and blessing from God Almighty to the Jewish people, even as He spoke: Comfort ye, comfort ye My people!
During the Feast we shall be going to visit the Israeli army at the main Givati base, to be with them and support them with speeches and songs. We shall go to Hebron to stand in solidarity with Israel’s settlers. Together with other thousands of Christians from all over the world, we will march through the streets of Jerusalem showing our love and waving our banners. AND EVERY EVENING we shall be in the Valley of Hinnom, entrance free for all who feel moved to come and participate in the worship and the praise.
We invite you to join us in the Hinnom Valley at 19h30 on September 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24.
PSALM 50:3
“Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”
2 CHRONICLES 5:11-14
And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions), and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets-indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
ISAIAH 30:29-33
You shall have a song
As in the night when a holy festival is kept,
And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute,
To come into the mountain of the Lord,
To the Mighty One of Israel.
The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard,
And show the descent of His arm,
With the indignation of His anger
And the flame of a devouring fire,
With scattering, tempest, and hailstones.
For through the voice of the Lord
Assyria will be beaten down,
As He strikes with the rod.
And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,
Which the Lord lays on him,
It will be with tambourines and harps;
And in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.
For Tophet was established of old,
Yes, for the king it is prepared.
He has made it deep and large;
Its pyre is fire with much wood;
The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone,
Kindles it.
There are three principles related to these wonderful scriptures. One – as also expressed in Psalm 37:4 – that he who offers praise will also see in his personal life the redeeming work of salvation and healing from the Lord:
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart”
The second principle is expressed in that beautiful passage from 2 Chronicles 5: that in answer to our united waiting on the Lord in full praise and worship, with all the instruments, that the glory of the Lord will descend upon us, so that there will be no more place for our flesh as we lie prostrate before the Lord our God. May it soon happen!
The third principle also revealed in the amazing story of 2 Chronicles 20, that as we praise and worship the Lord for His utter loving kindness, He will move against our enemies and against Israel’s! This is also strongly expressed in Isaiah 30:29-33, which amazingly links this song in the night – into which the world is rapidly sinking – with the Valley of Hinnom of all places! It is the passage which the Lord has directed us to for years in relation to this place for our evening Sukkot meetings:
ISAIAH 30:33
For Tophet was established of old,
Yes, FOR THE KING IT IS PREPARED.
He has made it deep and large;
Its pyre is fire with much wood;
The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone,
Kindles it
It is no coincidence that this is the lowest place in and around Jerusalem and therefore spiritually also speaks to us as the position we will adopt before the Lord during Tabernacles to hear what is in His heart. As the Lord Himself says through Isaiah:
ISAIAH 66:1, 2b
“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.“
You are all welcome to this place of humility and praise in the Hinnom Valley! We look forward to having you with us!
This year’s Feast may, therefore, become exactly as the Prophet Joel describes when he emphasizes two things: war, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the former and the latter rain:
JOEL 2:20, 23, 27-29, 32
“But I will remove far from you the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land …
Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you-
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.
“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.
How wonderful it would be, if straight after the renewed ravages of war and loss of life of many Israeli’s, YOU can be with us, coming even at this last and critical moment, to be part of that balm of Gilead which the Lord is willing to pour out upon us and them in true comfort to this people at this crucial time.
If you really are UNABLE to come yourself, could I plead with you to at least be with us, represented in your love gifts and in your prayers?
We very much need these to enable us to lay out the altar and be the channel in God’s hand at this serious time, to let Israel know that our God – their God! – has not forgotten them, but will come to them in power and in love.
