“Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
Psalm 83:4
How would you feel if you woke up to a call from your former commanding officer, ordering you to report to duty after completing six years of service in high-level Air Force intelligence?
How would you feel if it was your daughter and just the night before the family was discussing her wedding plans for next month? That same morning her fiancé, who was a paratrooper, got the same call.
And as you were driving her to Beersheva, you heard that Hamas militants overtook an Army base in the location you were heading to, and all the soldiers on duty were murdered.
Would you not wonder if your third daughter, who served in a security unit on the Gaza border, be re-enlisted? The next morning, she and her newlywed husband received a call to return immediately from their honeymoon in England.
As we spoke that morning shortly after my friend returned from the base, his voice sounded unusually weak. Are there enough tears left to shed knowing that his firstborn daughter and her husband may also get the call?
Tears have been streaming like rivers in the homes of Israelis throughout the Land lately, as the rockets fall seamlessly like never before.
Over 330,000 soldiers were called up to serve. And tens of thousands have volunteered despite their age. Why?
They cannot allow the enemy to destroy the Land and the people whom God has promised it would be theirs forever. It is His covenant that is at stake.
But they return to their bases with no time to shop for the essentials that the army does not supply.
The next day his daughter called from the base.
“Abba, we are not prepared for this influx of soldiers. There is not enough food here, let alone soap, shampoo, and other female items,” his daughter said over the phone.
Meanwhile, the government is urging everyone to prepare to stay in a shelter for 72 hours with no electricity or water. And be sure to install the new locks for their bomb shelter doors because the terrorists have breached the older ones.
So what does he do?
He does what other believers are doing–they remember those who are defending their nation with their lives yet have no way of getting their needed essentials.
He persuaded his youngest daughter that they needed to gather supplies, not only for their family but for the soldiers. She agreed to go even though they could hear bombs exploding constantly and she was afraid.
“Don’t worry,” he assured her, “you will be with me, nothing will happen to us.”
He was right, but no sooner did they begin their drive that an alert sounded on his phone indicating a bomb was heading toward them.
Within minutes it exploded 150 meters from their car. The ground shook from the blast but they were not shaken from their mission. They continued to the warehouse and filled their vehicle with food and supplies, then brought them to the base. His older daughter was so thankful because so many of the soldiers were living in sorrow and uncertainty. Everyone knew someone who was killed, wounded, humiliated, or abducted.
“Pray for me Abba,” she cried. “I want to be a light to all these unbelieving soldiers under my command, but the darkness is so thick I can’t bear it.”
He cried out to God, something believers are doing throughout the world–and God heard. She sensed His peace and her face lit up with her beautiful smile. She was excited to distribute the supplies in the love and comfort of Yeshua to unbelieving frightened soldiers.
Nearby their home lives another family who are also close friends and ministry partners. As we talked by phone, I asked him where he was so late at night. He replied,
“On guard duty at the gate.”
Their home is in a moshav, a community of Messianic families, several I know–but the gate is usually not guarded–in fact, it is open. Their neighborhood borders an Arab city. Guard duty means that if a car approaches, he has to determine immediately if it is someone he knows and if not, how to respond as he holds a loaded rifle. Meanwhile, his wife and four children are sleeping (hopefully) in their house below.
Another friend lives in Carmel, which is a Druze city in the North. I was there with a group a few months ago. The Druze are Muslims, but also known as good citizens and supportive of Israel. They also have the reputation of being highly capable soldiers in the IDF, even though they are not required to serve.
Immediately they set up a roadblock to the two entrances of their city and established guards. Their protection is not for themselves but for the Jews who live there and because in the center of the city is a Messianic congregation and drug rehab facility that serves their community.
I asked my friend if he has been called up and he said not yet.
He is at the end of the list, by age, but he served as an ambulance driver in Gaza during their first war, and knows the crowded winding streets. He is well suited for the position following the ground incursion.
Please pray for him. He is married with two beautiful little girls.
What does God have to say?
Many Christians are wondering about the prophetic significance. I will weigh in from two perspectives. The first comes out of a zoom prayer meeting my wife and I attended. Two men of God, whom I deeply respect, shared a portion that inspired my study. One of them is the first Israeli to pray prophetically for Comfort My People. He is a Gentile. I attribute our healthy spiritual growth to that moment in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Most Christians are familiar with one of the earliest enemies of Israel, the Amalekites. When King Saul pursued David, he fled to Ziklag with six hundred men and their families. From Ziklag, they staged raids against Amalekite cities.
Upon returning to their city they found it burnt to the ground and their wives and children taken hostage by the Amalekites.
Ziklag was located very close to what is now Gaza. It is the region where Hamas terrorists have maimed women and children, burned down their homes and cars,… and taken hostages to places still unknown.
In David’s day he and his soldiers wept bitterly, but then went in search of their families. They came upon the Egyptian servant of an Amalekite whom David interrogated after they nursed him back to health. David swore to him that he wouldn’t be harmed if he gave up the location of their families. As a result, they were safely reunited. This episode mirrors what is now happening, but those abducted are still missing.
As the Israeli army now scours the city of Gaza may they find a battered individual who will disclose the location of those now held captive.
The Amalekites were a wicked nation, whose practice was to offer their own children in the fire. Yes there must have been individuals who went against the grain in those days and I’m certain that God judged accordingly. As a nation though, they were hell bent on the destruction of the Jews beginning with Abraham.
Moses, Joshua, and David also warred against them. Saul was ordered to defeat them and their King entirely, but he failed to obey and then the Prophet Samuel seemingly finished the work.
Fast forward about six hundred years. The Jews are in Persia, which is modern day Iran. Haman is second in command and devises a plan to destroy all the Jews in one day but fails. Strangely Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalek king.
Are the Amaleks still alive?
Certainly not by heritage, but likely in spirit, according to Exodus 17:16.
“The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
It is critical to understand that this is a spiritual battle, warring simultaneously in the heavenlies. As long as there is a nation hell bent on the destruction of Israel and her people, God will be at war with them.
Our hope and sincere prayer is that God will protect the innocent victims of the corrupt and barbaric leadership in Gaza and that this generation of Amalekites will be the last one to arise.
What Can We Do?
In one day Israel transformed from a nation socially divided to one fully united for the cause of survival. For the first time in their history, thanks to social media, the nations have awakened to see the how fragile their existence is.
Humanitarian assistance is crucial and thankfully many charitable organizations have begun the process.
I caution you not to be led astray.
Many so-called organizations are already offering to help that have no intention of doing so. Dummy websites have been set up in advance by Hamas. They look authentic in their pleas with photos and texts of the suffering. The Israelis who were kidnapped also carried smartphones that the enemy absconded to be used for propaganda on media platforms.
Now is our opportunity to step in.
Comfort My People is in a position to serve the Israeli community through our partners across the Land. We are in process of raising funds for another container with supplies that are being requested. Because of the amazing partners we serve, we have access to send essential supplies to IDF bases and distribute them by Messianic soldiers stationed there. We have a wide network of dedicated servants of Yeshua, many of whom have served in the military and are capable and acquainted with the process. We also partner with the Joseph Project through whom we have sent three containers.
Most importantly is the spiritual and emotional care, which will be ongoing for years, especially for the soldiers. Fortunately Lech L’cha, one of our partners is all about providing discipleship for soldiers who have finished their service. They have been effectively equipping young believers to serve in the Kingdom for over 20 years.
CMP also supports women who have chosen life and not abortion through Be’Ad Chaim, which has offices throughout the land. Many are living in poor conditions to begin with, but with supplies of all kinds becoming scarce, their worries have grown large. The counselors bring material help as they can but the love of Yeshua always. Sadly one mother of nine children lost her husband in the onset of this war.
Our ministries, who are our dear friends, are serving the Ethiopian community—three of whom have been reported killed defending their nation.
Through close relationships with Holocaust Survivors, our partners are there to calm their resurrected fears. Pre-school children in Jerusalem of all backgrounds, including Palestinian and Arabs, are tenderly cared for through another Yeshua centered ministry we support.
They are all intent on bringing the Gospel to their people in authentic ways.
Because of our friends in the Bible Society of Israel, we have access to distribute bibles to every base. These are acceptable because they are the Old Testament. They are also annotated and translated into modern Hebrew. This is the first of its kind. For centuries, the majority of Jews have been lacking a bible they can read and understand, which causes me to consider…
What will be the outcome of reading prophecies that are now unfolding and see themselves in the story? How will they respond to Isaiah 53 and countless other
passages?
There are now estimates of about 25,000 Messianic believers of Yeshua in the Land. That is less than .4% but it includes Gentiles.
It’s no wonder that most Bible teachers suggest that in the book of Revelation, the 144,000 Jewish believers prophesied to show up in the last days is symbolic.
Not me.
If the evil onslaught of Israelis can occur without any forewarning, I have no problem believing that God can turn this evil into good and turn a multitude to come to faith by the power of His good and Holy Spirit in the days ahead.
They need you and we need you to get involved. We have many ways you can. Check out our website in the days ahead comfortmypeople.com
Like us and share on Fb and Instagram.
If ever Israel needed friends it is in the days and weeks to come .
¶
Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Gaza,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they carried into exile a whole people…
So I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour her strongholds
Amos 1:6,7
Below is the account of a courageous young man who was the first reported soldier to die in battle from the Messianic Community
“David fought with his platoon for ten hours.
Two hours after the start of the fighting, he was wounded in the neck, after which he continued to fight and cover his fellow soldiers for another eight hours.
During the battles, David came to the defense and killed about thirty terrorists, covered his friends, and thanks to him, five soldiers from the platoon survived. David was killed by terrorists along with seven other soldiers from his platoon.”
David was a best friend to the son of our partner and friend, Israel Pochtar, Pastor of Beit Hallel in Ashdod. Below is a message from him.
