So Christmas is over and everyone is settling down to the New Year of 2017. I wonder what the Lord has in store for us this year. I think it good that we do not know what is happening tomorrow, for if we did we would perhaps try and change things, and we might not do what we need to do, and disaster may follow. There is an old Chinese proverb, “If you find yourself digging at the bottom of a pit too big to get out of, don’t go on digging”. Perhaps we need to not strive on in our own strength and turn to our Lord for His guidance and help. He really does know best.
Of interest is that it is year 5777 on the Jewish calendar. And as dealt with last month, many important happenings have occurred in a year with a 7 in it. This year, not only is the Middle East in a turmoil, and Israel threatened from every side, the year has three 7’s in it.
Although the combined efforts of both Syria and its military supporter Russia seem to be winning over the rebels, particularly ISIS, and establishing their nation Syria into some sort of order. Various cities are in ruins however and it will be perhaps sometime before they decide to fight anybody else. It seems that the Arab’s are determined to remove Israel from the map. Recently an Israel patrol had a skirmish with ISIS along the Golan Heights border between Israel and Syria. There is a buffer zone along the border and the Israeli’s were shot at with small arms and mortar fire. The ISIS gun unit was soon destroyed by the Israeli Air Force. Who later that night destroyed the abandoned UN building where the ISIS operations centre were based. I think with the reduction of operations by ISIS in Syria and Iraq, ISIS will be looking for other fields of operation. They already have spread to Libya and the Sinai desert and have units under various names causing pain and suffering all over Northern Africa.
Amidst increasing ISIS activity on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, Israeli soldiers stationed there reported that over a weekend in November last year, a literal pillar of cloud descended on the border. The bizarre storm completely engulfed the Syrian side of the border, but stopped just at the boundary and did not enter Israel. A number of soldiers are seen in a video capturing the phenomenon on their cell phones. The video went viral on Facebook, where not a few Israelis labelled the storm as “divine intervention.” “Huge miracle! Notice how God stopped this enormous storm exactly on the border,” wrote Yifat Romano. “Thank you, Father!”Netanel Tanaami wondered, “What more do you need to believe?” “The Creator of the world is protecting us,” proclaimed Nissim Nahoum. [The Jerusalem Post]
Another form of terrorist activity is being seen in the malicious lighting of fires in the Israeli forests. Several were lit in the area of the national parks, which spread across a large area of Israel, which consumed 500 homes and 32,000 acres of trees. Mahmoud Abbas the PA leader sent firefighters to help extinguish the fires, all the time, most likely, having paid his men money to light them in the first place. According to Palestinian law, anyone imprisoned for “resisting the occupation” and imprisoned for arson will receive a high monthly salary from the day they are convicted to the day of release. All part of the war of words and propaganda against Israel. How does Israel, with all the good intentions in the world, make peace with these people? And perhaps you heard, the World Vision manager in the Gaza strip has been sacked, as he was sending relief to Hamas, who were spending it on armaments and building tunnels through the border fence for terrorist raids into Israel. Meanwhile the innocent of Gaza have to endure, poverty and hunger and deprivation as their money never got to them.
An Iranian general has said that he believes Israel will fall within the next 10 years, he obviously has not read his Bible. In Ezekiel 38, we are told the nation that will lead an attack against Israel is ancient Persia, or now known as Iran, plus other nations such as Russia, Turkey and Arab and Muslim nations in that area. Nuclear bombs or no, it will not succeed as the Lord God of Israel will bring His judgment upon them. So great a judgement that it will take 7 months just clearing it all up after the battle. Then there is Psalm 83, which I believe is more than a prayer. It will be. Indeed, answered by God in a very final way. It says in Zechariah 10, that the horse riders will be confounded. With all the earthly weapons being controlled by electronics, what if God confuses the electronics, all the guided weapons will be useless. Also with so many Arab armies gathering together, it only wants them to do what they are doing in Syria, and start fighting each other, that they will not stand any chance before the armies of the Lord.[Haggai 2:22].
We never hear this type of news in the general press reports, I wonder why? Much of the news lately has been about the American elections and the arrival of Donald Trump on the scene. Everyone is wondering how things will develop, and although Christians and Israel might be better looked after, many are in fear and trepidation on the future role in world affairs of the most powerful nation on earth. People find it strange that the Bible does not mention the USA in some way, but is probably included with Europe, referred to as Tarshish in the Bible. As a general term for “out there”.
So, as I said earlier, 2017 or 5777 will indeed be an interesting year. We are already seeing the hand of God in defending Israel, will we see many more signs in the heavens above and the earth beneath? As the day gets closer when the Lord will come for us. Are you ready? For we know not the day or the hour, when our bridegroom will meet us in the clouds to take us home.
Brian D. Papworth
P.W.M.I representative for New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.