Psalms 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.
Isaiah 62:6-7 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, 7 And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
This past weekend saw an unprecedented assault on Israel by Iran; 185 drones, 36 cruise missiles, and 110 surface-to-surface missiles were launched in successive waves from the eastern enemy nation devoted to the destruction of the Jewish homeland. More than 99% of these objects were intercepted by Israel and her allies. Israel’s military is extraordinarily capable and her allies’ support significant, yet I believe there is a bit more to the story.
A study of the history of wars reveals that God has intervened in military conflicts, and not just in biblical accounts of war.
The war of 1812 is one example, when the fledgling American nation was facing a devastating challenge from the British. Francis Scott Key peered across the harbor in Baltimore at the siege of Fort McHenry, witnessing the scene that would inspire the words in his national anthem, and wondering would the young nation survive “the bombs bursting in air”; would we find that “our flag was still there”? As the war progressed, British troops marched into Washington D.C. capturing the city as American forces retreated, and finding the dinner table set, sat down to dine before setting the White House ablaze, while First Lady Dolly Madison fled her presidential home by carriage, taking with her the rolled-up portrait of George Washington. The British troops continuing their destructive spree, entered the Capitol building, where they mockingly held a vote in the lawmaker’s chamber to decide whether to burn it down. Then they torched the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Navy Yard, and other significant public buildings.
However, soon afterward, the sky darkened and fierce winds began to howl, a hurricane and tornado unleashed chaos in Washington, D.C. The storm’s ferocity threw British soldiers from their horses, killed others with flying debris, and sent cannons airborne. Torrential rain extinguished the raging fires across the city as a tornado swept down Constitution Avenue. The tempest forced two British ships ashore and prompted a retreat. Overwhelmed, a British admiral exclaimed to an American woman, “Great God, Madam! Is this the kind of storm to which you are accustomed in this infernal country?” Her response underscored the storm’s timely intervention against the invaders: “No, Sir, this is a special interposition of Providence to drive our enemies from our city.” Someone must have been praying; perhaps we’ll eventually find out who….
According to a British historian, “More British soldiers were killed by this stroke of nature than by all the arms the Americans could muster in the feeble defense of their Capitol.” It was shortly thereafter that President James Madison, recognizing the hand of God in saving his nation, declared a ‘Day of Fasting and Prayer.’
While many in Israel may attribute its survival against a barrage of missiles to its military defenses and allies, the unfolding conflict had mobilized millions of saints around the world to pray for the “Peace of Jerusalem”, doubtless invoking the aid of powerful angels in whatever ways their divinely guided activity impacts the course of missiles and weapons of war.
Never underestimate the effectual prayer of the saints as it works in the affairs of men! Let the recent conflict in Israel serve as a testament to the efficacy of spiritual warfare, and that God’s intervention works in tandem, fulfilling His purposes in earthly affairs, and protecting all that belong to Him. Let us continue to pray and stand in faith as this Middle East conflict develops, praying for the salvation of Israel and her enemies, as He desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. The gospel will reconcile even the bitterest of enemies, until Yeshua (Jesus) returns to finally bring peace on Earth.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Over the past month, it seems that we’ve been dealing with different internet issues … and hopefully, these issues will be resolved sooner rather than later. Being that the bulk of our ministry is based upon the internet, it can be problematic at times, especially when you’re suddenly disconnected from the web!
As we continue this study of the Dead Sea scrolls, authorities announced the discovery of several more scrolls as their extensive search for more hidden caves and treasures continues. Given the “coincidence” of the events described in previous devotionals, God’s providential involvement in these developments becomes clear. His Word tells us what is about to happen, and new discoveries of Biblical texts seem to be directly related to modern prophetic fulfillments.
As we continue this study of the Dead Sea Scrolls we jump to 1963 and the unearthing of Masada.
Flavius Josephus the Jewish historian recorded the tragic events at Masada in “The Jewish Wars.” Masada was ignored for years as it reminded the Rabbis of the failures of the many false messiahs that appeared after Yeshua (Jesus).
As we continue into the historical and prophetic significance of the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls, I take you back to 1948. Professor Eleazar Sukenik discovered that Mar Athanasius Yeshue Samuel, the Syrian Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem purchased several of the Dead Sea scrolls. So Professor Sukenik visited the archbishop and took several photos of the scrolls which were then sent to William Albright, a Biblical archaeologist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
As we’ve been travelling around the U.S., we’ve been trying to take extra care of ourselves, taking vitamins and disinfecting our hands regularly as not to get sick.
A grindstone is a revolving disk made of stone which is used for grinding, polishing or sharpening. It can commonly be seen grinding down wheat or sharpening and polishing metal for various purposes.
A century ago, Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, was a thriving center of Christianity, earning the nickname “Jerusalem of the East.” The early 1900s saw rapid Christian growth, especially after the 1907 Pyongyang Revival, sparked by a meeting between Western missionaries and local believers. At its peak, about 30% of the population were practicing Christians, and the city was filled with thousands of churches.