INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM // NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 // GLOBAL EDITION
FROM JERUSALEM
ISRAEL AT WAR!
THE DARKEST DAY IN ISRAEL’S 75 YEARS
FROM THE
PRESIDENT’S DESK Dear friends,
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was established in 1980 in recognition of the biblical significance of Jerusalem and its unique connection to the Jewish people. Today the ICEJ represents millions of Christians, churches and denominations to the nation and people of Israel. We recognise in the restoration of Israel the faithfulness of God to keep His ancient covenant with the Jewish people. Our main objectives are: * To stand with Israel in support and friendship; * To equip and teach the worldwide Church regarding God’s purposes with Israel and the nations of the Middle East; * To be an active voice of reconciliation between Jews, Christians and Arabs and to support the churches and congregations in the Holy Land. From its head offices in Jerusalem, the ICEJ reaches out to more than 170 countries, with branch offices in over 90 nations. Our vision is: * To reach every segment of Israeli society with a Christian testimony of comfort and love, and * To reach and actively represent to Israel the support of denominations, churches and believers from every nation on earth. The Christian Embassy is a non-denominational faith-based ministry supported by the voluntary contributions of our members and friends across the globe. We invite you to join with us as we minister to Israel and the Jewish people worldwide by donating to the ongoing work and witness of the ICEJ.
WORD FROM JERUSALEM
CREDITS ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler VP International Affairs Mojmir Kallus VP Finance David Van der Walt VP Operations Barry R. Denison VP International Spokesman David Parsons VP AID & Aliyah Nicole Yoder Managing Editor/Publications Director Laurina Driesse Staff Writers Jonathan Parsons Graphic Design/Illustrator Ryan Tsuen Administration Tobias H Photography Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Adobe Firefly, Flash90, JAFI, Getty Images, Imago, Wikimedia, NBC News, Levi Dörflinger, ICEJ Staff and Branches The New King James Bible is used for all Bible references unless otherwise noted. Word From Jerusalem is published by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Word From Jerusalem has no subscription price and is supported through contributions worldwide. All gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible (in countries where this applies). For more information, visit us at www.icej.org
Israel is at war! Just weeks ago, the Feast of Tabernacles ended and our staff was ready to relax after all the hard work. Behind us lay a very blessed time of worship, teaching and prayer. Yet the next day, we awoke to rocket alarms in Jerusalem and across Israel. As the minutes passed that morning, more and more upsetting news emerged from the Gaza border. At 8:00 am, I called our friend Ofir Libstein to check if he was okay. As mayor of the Sha’ar HaNegev regional council, Ofir had welcomed nearly 700 Feast delegates only two days earlier. His phone did not answer. Not long after, he was the first named casualty of the massive Hamas pogrom of October 7th. The tragic toll that day came to over 1,400 dead, and more than 240 taken hostage. The terrorists brutally raped women, tortured victims, and even beheaded children. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called it the worst single day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Everyone was shocked at how this could have happened, especially 50 years exactly since the surprise attack on Yom Kippur. Just two days earlier, we were in the very same location as the massacre. Many Feast pilgrims said our solidarity visit to the Gaza border area was a highlight of this year’s Feast. God was undoubtedly there, but no one sensed any warning that the roads we were driving on would soon be littered with dead bodies. At the same time, God had clearly directed us to be there during the Feast. We were eager to dedicate part of the Be’eri Forest as the new “Christian Embassy Nature Park.” We have many long-standing friendships there, people like Ofir Libstein and Shai Hermesh. Over the years, we have donated some 150 bomb shelters and much fire-fighting equipment to the western Negev region. Unable to reach Ofir and then learning he was dead, I felt my stomach wince. I also recall the desperate voice of my friend Shai Hermesh over the phone from his safe room in Kfar Aza, where he hid and prayed for 20 hours as outside Hamas terrorists slaughtered his neighbours. A few days later, our nature park became the IDF’s main entry point to divide Gaza and deal with Hamas. In a way it felt like God embedded us right at the center of this conflict, so we might take our stand alongside the traumatized nation of Israel. I am very proud of our staff who have stayed in Israel amid this crisis. One team member who was ending his term came and said, “Can I please stay on for a few more months to help Israel!” We have all rushed to bomb shelters and seen the horrors of this war up close. We also have met many distraught Israelis forced from their homes, visited the injured in hospitals, packed food for families, and delivered toys for children. Meanwhile, we were told the special communication devices and ATVs we supplied in recent years to fight fires were used to save many lives on October 7th. One regional security officer even insists the ICEJ donations spared some 3,000 lives that day. Israel is fighting for its existence, and the global Body of Christ must show our support in practical ways as Israel confronts the dark forces of Hamas in Gaza. Please pray, give, and take a public stand wherever possible. Thank you for all the generous gifts received so far, and please consider urging your church to hold a special solidarity Sunday, with an offering and prayers for Israel. We are here on the frontline for you! Yours in Christ,
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM P.O. Box 1192, Jerusalem • 9101002, ISRAEL
Support our ministry online at www.icej.org
SCAN ME TO BLESS ISRAEL TODAY!
Dr. Jürgen Bühler President International Christian Embassy Jerusalem COVER PHOTO: Body bags of the many victims of the October 7th masacre at Kibbutz Be’eri. (Flash90) FOR MAGAZINE ARCHIVES visit www.icej.org/media/word-jerusalem
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CONTENTS
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 GLOBAL EDITION
FEATURED TEACHING
THE SPIRIT OF AMALEK 4 AND THE WAR ON ISRAEL
8
ISRAEL BATTLING FOR ITS LIFE!
12
BLANKETING ISRAEL WITH RELIEF AID SPECIAL
FEAST FEATURE
14
SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL!
18
FEAST HIGHLIGHTS 2023 KING OF ALL THE EARTH
TEACHING
THE SPIRIT OF AMALEK AND THE WAR ON ISRAEL BY D R. J Ü RG E N B Ü H L E R, I C E J P R E S I D E N T
(NASB Scripture References)
I
srael is at war! After the mass terrorist attack on 7 October, Israel finds itself in one of the most challenging situations since its founding in 1948. The nation currently has its standing army with advanced military equipment, plus a record call-up of over 300,000 reservist soldiers, all deployed on three battle fronts – Gaza in the South, Judea/ Samaria (West Bank) in the Center, and the Lebanese border in the North.
However, we must understand that this battle is of a spiritual nature and needs to be engaged as such, particularly by the Church. The Apostle Paul said, “Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against … the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12). The same holds true today.
An ancient battle in the deserts sands; Biblical battle; Biblical times, Israelites: Generated by Adobe Firefly
On October 7th, the world witnessed the worst manifestation of antisemitism since the Holocaust. The attack caught Israel by utter surprise. But even more shocking were the reports coming from the dozens of besieged Israeli communities around Gaza. The vast majority of victims were not IDF soldiers who fought bravely that day. Rather, the main targets were women, children, and the elderly, who were brutally murdered, mutilated, raped,
tortured, and burned alive in their homes, or taken hostage to Gaza. To erase any doubt, the terrorists themselves recorded their atrocities on body cameras, leaving behind a chilling record of their vile atrocities. Their utter cruelty, however, should not have come as a surprise, since over recent decades Hamas leaders and clerics have called for the annihilation of every Jew on earth. And
Israeli girl pleads for her parents held hostage by Hamas in Gaza (Flash90)
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TEACHING the Hamas Charter expressly cites the hadith (tradition) that ‘Judgment Day’ will not come until Muslims kill Jews to the point the rocks and trees cry out, “O Muslims, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!” And Hamas insists this fight must liberate every last inch of Palestine from Jewish rule.
This vicious Spirit of Amalek arose once more on October 7th. There is an ancient hatred – even a demonic spirit – at work which shares these exact aspirations. It manifested itself repeatedly through the descendants of Amalek, and eventually infected many other peoples as well. This vicious Spirit of Amalek arose once more on October 7th. Rabbinic literature presents Amalek as the arch enemy of the Jewish people. Today, we call it violent antisemitism. AMALEK AND ESAU’S HATRED The Spirit of Amalek is the oldest enemy of Israel. The Amalekites were the first people to attack Israel when they left Egypt for the Promised Land (Exodus 17:8ff ). Amalek was a grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12) who, according to the rabbis, inherited his grandfather Esau’s envy and hatred for his twin brother Jacob.
Years later, this hatred stirred Esau’s heart to mobilize 400 armed men to ‘welcome’ his brother as he returned to the Promised Land. Jacob knew the depth of his twin brother’s hatred and was very concerned for his wives and children (Genesis 32:11). So, the night before Esau’s army arrived, Jacob wrestled with God and became “Israel.” In answer to his prayer, God touched Esau’s heart and the brothers reconciled. Yet Esau’s grandson Amalek retained that jealous spirit and became Israel’s arch enemy down through history (Numbers 14:25; Judges 3:13, 6:3, 10:12; Psalm 83:7). Amalek often appeared at critical moments in Israel’s history, which teaches us important principles for today. The nature of this murderous hatred of Jews is jealousy over Israel’s calling and election for world redemption, its inheritance of the Land, and the blessing passed down from Abraham to Isaac and Jacob and his twelve sons.
was an Agagite; that is, he came from the house of Agag, the Amalekite royal family (see 1 Samuel 15; Numbers 24:7). His scheme was the most vicious of all previous attacks, as Haman planned to ethnically cleanse Persia of all Jews – men, women and children (Esther 3:8-9). For Esther to approach the King on this matter, she needed spiritual support, like Moses did with Aaron and Hur. She called all Israel to a three-day fast (Esther 4:16). After this fast, things changed quickly, with a complete reversal. The Jews were allowed to defend themselves for two days and their enemies perished. Amazingly, Haman was hanged on the very gallows he built for the Jews.
AMALEK AT REPHIDIM Amalek first appears as a nation in Exodus 17:8: “Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.” In this well-known story, Moses instructed Joshua to draft an army while he, together with Aaron and Hur, went up a hill to pray. And these prayers became the decisive factor in the outcome of the battle. “So it came about, when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed; but when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.” (Exodus 17:11) AMALEK AND DAVID
Right before David became king of Israel, we read about the Amalekites T his ancient hatred is rooted in certain events burning his camp at Ziklag in their lives. When their and abducting his wives mother Rebekah was still (1 Samuel 30:1-2). But David pregnant with twin sons, “strengthened himself in the Lord” and inquired she received the word from God that the “elder will serve whether to attack. God told him to pursue and overtake the younger.” This divine election is referenced by Paul the enemy and rescue the ‘Jacob reconciled with Esau’ by in Romans 9:10-13, and it Adolf Hulf, circa 1919 (Wikimedia) hostages. Amazingly, this grew into a root of jealousy in all took place near Kibbutz Esau’s heart. Second, the Bible describes Esau Be’eri and Kfar Aza, where the worst atrocities as a ‘profane’ or ungodly man who despised of the recent Hamas massacre took place. So, his birthright and sold it to his younger brother that is our prayer also in this current situation Jacob for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29ff; – that Israel may pursue, overtake and rescue! Hebrews 12:16-17). Third, Jacob deceived his father Isaac to also receive the blessing of HAMAN THE AMALEKITE (ESTHER 3-7) the first-born (Genesis 27). All these events combined to create a root of bitterness in Esau The last time Amalek appears in the which left him ready to kill his brother Jacob Word of God can be found in the story of (Genesis 27:41). Esther. Haman, the archenemy of the Jews, 5 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
‘ Victory O Lord’ by John Everett Millais, circa 1871 (Wikimedia)
SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AMALEK These stories contain several common themes that instruct us how to pray strategically in these days. 1) The Nature of the Amalek Spirit: The severe judgment from heaven was due to the type of conflict waged by Amalek. At the end of his life, Moses reminded Israel to: “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you came out of Egypt, how he confronted you on the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.” (Deuteronomy 25:17-18) Amalek’s enmity went beyond a mere dispute, but was a vicious, blood-thirsty rivalry. His main targets were the faint and weary and
TEACHING
stragglers in Israel’s camp. They mainly targeted civilians – like today’s grim specter of Hamas terrorism. That is why Jacob was afraid for his wives and children. And Amalek kidnapped the women and children in David’s time. Finally, in Esther’s day all of Israel was targeted – both men, women, children and the elderly. This same demonic spirit of violence was on display in the brutal Hamas slaughter of innocent Israeli civilians. Israeli doctors have concluded that 80% of the Hamas victims identified so far had been raped or tortured. Over 240 remain hostage. In addition, Amalek is distinct from other historic enemies like Egypt or Babylon in its declared purpose to annihilate the Jewish people. “They have said, ‘Come, and let’s wipe them out as a nation, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.’” (Psalms 83:4) 2) The Nature of the Battle: All these battle stories involving Amalek had one thing in common – they were won through prayer and fasting. For example, after Israel’s victory at Rephidim, the story in Exodus makes several significant statements which bear comment:
very throne of heaven. His prayer moved the heavenly realm and released heavenly armies to battle on Israel’s behalf. b) In every generation an Amalek will arise against the Jewish people. It was a great challenge back in biblical times and throughout history until today, with its latest manifestation witnessed in the western Negev. c) Amalek‘s ultimate fate is already sealed. God will blot out their memory from under heaven (see Numbers 24:20). It means that as we apply the strategy of Moses, we can expect victory! The way to overcome this militant, violent spirit of hatred that is manifesting now all over the world is by targeted, militant prayer with fasting which persists until the breakthrough comes. The end is sealed, and God will have the final word! Today, it is the hands of the Church which need to be lifted up. We need to be like Moses and Aaron and Hur, supporting each other in prayer. Israel is in desperate need of this prayer covering, and it is for “such a time as this” that we are called.
Mt. Sinai and the most transforming moment in Old Testament history. God came down in fire, made a covenant with Israel, and gave them the Ten Commandments. David’s challenge with Amalek could have led to his stoning by his own people, and the man after God’s own heart would have missed his destiny. But David strengthened himself in the Lord, won the battle, and two chapters later became King of Israel. Finally, if Haman had prevailed, two great heroes of Israel would have perished as well. Both Nehemiah (who rebuilt Jerusalem) and Ezra (who brought significant spiritual reforms) were still teenagers in Persia and would have been slain. Even in modern times, we see just after the birth of the global Zionist movement the emergence of the worst manifestation of the Amalek spirit in the heart of enlightened Europe. Adolf Hitler and the powerfully seductive Nazi spirit gripped the majority of the German people, and Nazi Germany slaughtered six million Jews just when they established the modern State of Israel. APPLICATION FOR TODAY
Please watch our video teaching series on the Spirit of Amalek at: on.icej.org/ICEJteachingseries “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.’ And Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner; and he said, ‘Because the Lord has sworn, the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.’” (Exodus 17:14-16) a) We see that prayer moves heaven. Moses made a rather amazing statement after this battle. Yad al Kiseh Adonai – “The hand on the Lord’s throne!” he declared. Moses understood as he prayed, he touched the
3) Amalek, the Enemy of the Crossroads: The Spirit of Amalek manifested itself mainly at significant crossroads in Israel’s history. When Esau planned his attack with 400 militants, Jacob was about to cross over the river Jabbok back into the Promised Land. Jacob was entering his inheritance and destiny when Esau attacked. At this crossroad, Jacob became “Israel” – the one who saw God face-to-face (Genesis 32:30ff ). When Amalek attacked Israel at Rephidim, they were at their very last stop before 6 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
Thus, the recent atrocities by Hamas should make us think. Could it be that Israel is at another crossroad? Are we about to enter a season of spiritual revival in Israel, when the ancient prophecies of God pouring out His Spirit upon Israel will be fulfilled? Maybe we are near the promise of Zechariah 12:10-14, when God will pour out the Spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look upon him whom they pierced. Maybe the times of Ezekiel 36:24-38 will come when God promises to sprinkle clean water on Israel and remove hearts of stone for hearts of flesh. This is a critical time, not just for Israel but also for the Church. It is no longer enough just to profess our love for Israel, it is time for action. Concerted prayer and fasting are urgently needed. Please join our various prayer initiatives and prayerfully consider holding a three-day Esther Fast for Israel in this time of need. I know as Moses, Aaron and Hur saw the breakthrough, and as Esther saw a complete reversal of the situation, we are trusting for a big breakthrough for Israel both for its military and soldiers, but also for the spiritual state of the nation. Please join us in this battle.
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Please consider the following options to join us in prayer: our daily Global Prayer Gatherings 1 Join online. onsider joining one of the three-day 2 CEsther Fasts for Israel concluding every three days with a joint global Communion. oin our 24/7 Rosh Chodesh prayer 3 Jchain online during these days of war and lead your own group of prayer warriors as part of this global movement.
Learn more at: icej.org/pray-with-us
TRIBUTE TO MAYOR OFIR LIBSTEIN
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ear the end of our eight-day Feast of Tabernacles celebration in October, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem took nearly 700 Christians from some 50 nations on a visit to the western Negev for a solidarity rally with the local Israeli communities along the Gaza border. The colorful, uplifting gathering started with a warm welcome from our friend Ofir Libstein, Mayor of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council. “Welcome again to Sha’ar HaNegev,” Mayor Libstein told our Feast pilgrims. “We are here just three kilometers from the border with Gaza. The people who live here in Sha’ar HaNegev, we are keeping the Land of Israel. We are keeping the border with the Gaza Strip… We have doubled our population in the last ten years, and everything is with your help. Because with your help we feel safety here. With your [bomb] shelters that you help us to buy and to put here in the area, we live better lives. And I promise to do everything to keep the Land of Israel, to keep the land of this area, and to build it stronger and stronger. I am so happy to see you from all over the world that have come to see this beautiful place. Thank you very much.”
Mayor Ofir Libstein, David Parsons and Shai Hermesh during Feast 2023 at the Solidarity Gathering in the Sha’ar HaNegev The ICEJ is committed to honoring the life and legacy of Ofir Libstein by continuing to invest more than ever in the safety and future of the recovering Israeli communities along the Gaza border.
Sadly, Ofir Libstein was killed just two days later defending his home community of Kfar Aza from the treacherous surprise attack by Hamas terrorists infiltrating from Gaza on 7 October. In fact, he was the first named Israeli casualty of the conflict. Mayor Libstein was a greatly respected leader and a man of peace. Despite years of unrelenting rocket attacks, he still had hope that Israelis could live in peace with the Arabs of Gaza. To that end, he oversaw the construction of a water project taking fresh water into northeast Gaza, but Hamas dug up the pipes and made rockets with them. More recently, he was spearheading a planned joint industrial park near the Erez Crossing which would have employed 10,000 Gazan workers in good paying jobs.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
ISRAEL BATTLING FOR ITS LIFE! AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR BY DAV I D PA R S O N S , I C E J V I C E P R E S I D E N T & S E N I O R S P O K E S M A N
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n the quiet Shabbat morning of 7 October 2023, as the Jewish people were observing the fall holy day of Simchat Torah, Hamas launched thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel, which provided cover for over 2,500 armed terrorists to blast through the Gaza border fence and lay siege to 30 Israeli communities and an outdoor music festival. In the ensuing carnage more than 1,400 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were murdered in cold blood, scores more were wounded, and some 240 others were taken hostage to Gaza. The victims of this unprovoked attack also included dozens of foreign nationals from at least 40 countries.
Israelis fleeing the outdoor music festival The brutal wave of atrocities committed by Hamas is the worst pogrom against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Mere infants were cruelly stabbed and beheaded. The elderly, including Holocaust survivors, were executed at gunpoint. Parents were made to watch their children being killed, and children their parents. Entire families were burned alive in their homes.
Israeli girl taken hostage Despite Israel’s legendary military and intelligence services, the entire nation was completely shocked by the mass infiltration and ensuing carnage. In its aftermath, Israel as a nation has determined they are no longer willing to live alongside the ‘death cult’ of Hamas lurking inside Gaza. For the International Christian Embassy
Jerusalem, the Hamas onslaught was also surreal, as just two days earlier we led nearly 700 Christians from some 50 nations on a solidarity visit to this same western Negev region. We had just planted trees in our new “Christian Embassy Nature Park” near Kibbutz Be’eri, where a major breach in the Gaza security fence allowed hordes of terrorists to pour in. We drove on the same roads that became killing fields for fleeing Israeli motorists less than 48 hours later. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Kibbutz Alumim, another quaint farming village targeted by the waves of Hamas gunmen. We were there to encourage communities that sadly became ‘ground zero’ for the most brutal slaughter imaginable of innocent men, women, children and the elderly.
to reduce the threat of more cross-border raids to kill and kidnap civilians. Everyone was waiting for Hizbullah to quickly join the battle, but they held off with any immediate large-scale incursions or missile barrages. This despite the fact that over recent months Hizbullah, Hamas, and their Iranian backers had all openly boasted that their “united axis of resistance” was ready to launch a coordinated multi-front war against Israel. But apparently, Hizbullah was caught off guard by the surprise Hamas attack, which was kept a closely-held secret among only its top military commanders. Thankfully, Hizbullah’s delay gave Israel time to mobilize and deploy its largest army ever, and to empty out the border communities, including such large towns as Sderot and Kiryat Shmona.
Once the current fighting ends, there will be an official inquiry as to how this calamity While there have been localized artillery duels happened. But it is already clear Israeli leaders on the northern front, most of the fighting so were lulled into thinking Hamas was too far has been confined to Gaza. But even there, busy governing Gaza to launch a major war Israeli leaders have found themselves caught with Israel. Ever since the Iron Dome antimissile system was deployed in 2014 and a deep underground wall was then built to block terror tunnels under the Gaza border fence, the IDF was convinced they could handle any threats emanating from Gaza, and thus relaxed as the fall holiday season was Hamas militia inside a terror tunnel (Imago) coming to an end. Jolted into action, Israeli leaders formed an emergency unity government and called up a record 300,000 IDF reservists, with an extra 50,000-plus voluntarily showing up to help defend the nation. Many were rushed to the northern border to counter Hizbullah forces in Lebanon. Others were sent to lock down any potential Palestinian unrest in Judea/Samaria (‘West Bank’), while the rest deployed around Gaza waiting for the order to go in and start eradicating Hamas. Israel also took the unprecedented step of evacuating over 200,000 Israelis from the southern as well as northern border regions, 8 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
in a very difficult dilemma of prioritizing between the ultimate war aim of eradicating Hamas and trying to free the hostages taken into Gaza. Hamas is likely holding many hostages in its labyrinth of terror tunnels underneath Gaza’s sprawling urban maze. Funded by Iran and Qatar and dubbed the “Gaza metro,” the extensive tunnel network stretches for some 500 kilometers and allows Hamas to hide and move its weapons and militiamen and to spring hit-and-run attacks on Israeli forces. But the IDF now has better tunnel detection capabilities and massive bunker-
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The flag of Palestine has become the main symbol for jihad, and the slogan “Free Palestine” is now a mere euphemism for “Kill the Jews!” (Getty Images)
buster bombs, and are hoping to turn the tunnels into death traps for Hamas. Above ground, the Israeli air force spent three weeks pulverizing Hamas infrastructure in a bid to weaken the militia before the IDF
Gazans celebrate the capture of an IDF jeep (Shutterstock)
opened a ground offensive. Meanwhile, Israel also urged Gazan civilians to head to the south end of the Strip, where food, water and medicine are being allowed in.
This has left the Jewish state and people facing their greatest challenge in generations.
The plight of Gazans caught up in the fierce fighting has taken center stage once again, as many Arab and Muslims rulers have accused Israel of war crimes, while Western allies of Israel concur that Hamas is guilty of using its own civilian population as human shields.
Even after suffering such a gruesome killing spree, Israel was allowed hardly one day of mourning before the angry, hate-filled mobs hit the streets worldwide waving Palestinian flags and calling for Israel’s demise. That very flag has become the main symbol for jihad, and the slogan “Free Palestine” is now a mere euphemism for “Kill the Jews!”
Israeli ground forces are expanding their hunt for Hamas militiamen and Israeli hostages inside Gaza, but it remains unclear how long the international community will allow Israel to wage this fight. The traditional battle lines are drawn, but something is different this time.
Surely, everyone should have been appalled by the grave atrocities committed by Hamas which ignited this present conflict. Yet even the United Nations could not bring itself, just this one time, to condemn the mass murder of Jews by naming the culprit.
The savage Hamas assault on October 7th touched the raw nerve of the Holocaust for most Israelis, and they have resolved to vanquish the Islamist terror group from the neighborhood. But Iran and its other proxy terror militias are poised to rain down tens of thousands of missiles all across Israel, even as a vicious wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic incitement is sweeping the globe.
This is the same United Nations which was established upon the vow “Never Again!” Regrettably, the world is failing the Jews once again. But the nation of Israel will prevail, and it has millions of Christian supporters boldly standing at its side. Read on further about how the International Christian Embassy is helping in this battle.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
ICEJ ON THE FRONTLINES OF ISRAEL’S BATTLE
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is unequivocally standing with Israel in this battle. Our emergency response efforts have fallen into three broad areas:
1. PRAYER: The ICEJ has launched a daily Global Prayer Gathering to give updates and offer prayers alongside Christian leaders and intercessors from Israel and around the world. We also have called a Global Esther Fast to bring together those willing to fast and pray for successive threeday periods into this very difficult situation. Find out more about our urgent prayer efforts at: www.icej.org/pray-with-us
THE CHRISTIAN EMBASSY’S THREE-PRONG RESPONSE TO WAR WITH HAMAS
2. RELIEF AID: The ICEJ staff in Israel are traversing the country to deliver urgent relief aid to the embattled nation. Currently, we are:
T
he ICEJ is on the frontlines of Israel’s battle to defend itself and the world from the savage jihadist terrorism brandished by Hamas at the outset of the current conflict. We need every Christian to join us in this just cause today!
On 7 October 2023, Israel was brutally attacked by Islamist-inspired terrorists who carried out the worst pogrom against innocent Jewish lives since the Holocaust. The Israeli army is now fighting to rid Gaza of the scourge of Hamas terrorism, which poses an intolerable threat to the entire region and even has the Arab population of Gaza imprisoned in poverty and indoctrination to hatred. This war is Israel’s most daunting crisis in generations, as Iran and its proxy Hizbullah are threatening to expand the conflict by raining down hundreds of thousands of rockets and missiles on Israel from Lebanon, even as the world twistedly paints the Jewish state as aggressor, not victim and defender.
• Assisting evacuated Israeli families with housing, food, clothing and emergency aid, plus toys and activities for the children. • Joining urgent food distribution efforts to the elderly, new immigrants and needy families nationwide. • Providing helmets and protective vests to volunteers in firstresponder teams. • Rushing to order more portable bomb shelters for the north and south of the country, and renovating more underground shelters in vulnerable border towns. • Donating ambulances and other emergency medical equipment. • Donating warm clothing, tents, sleeping bags and other outdoor equipment for those defending the country. • Funding trauma counseling and care for Israeli first-responders and families severely shaken by the conflict. Please donate today to our Israel in Crisis fund at: give.icej.org/crisis
3. SOLIDARITY:
ICEJ Headquarters staff help prepare emergency Relief Aid packages
The ICEJ is working through our international network of branch offices and activists to defend Israel and combat the wave of antisemitic incitement now sweeping the globe. Israel has a right to defend itself, and a just cause to eradicate the Hamas terror militia before its ideology spreads further. You can show solidarity with Israel by organizing or joining rallies and marches for Israel in your hometowns and capitals. Also be sure to let your government leaders and media know of your stand with Israel. Learn more at: icej.org/solidarity For more on solidarity with Israel, see page 14
Brasil
India
Italy
Canada
Philippines
Cape Town South Africa
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
PRAYER: CALLING ALL CHRISTIANS TO JOIN ICEJ IN PRAYING FOR ISRAEL! OVER 20,000 HAVE JOINED GLOBAL PRAYER GATHERING
PRAYER POINTS: 1. Pray that the war will be successful in completely removing the threat of Hamas from not only Israel but the entire Middle East. Pray for resolve among Israel’s leaders to pursue this battle to the very end (Psalm 18:34ff ). 2. Pray for the protection of all Israeli soldiers who serve their nation! (Psalm 91). 3. Pray for unity among the people of Israel, that this war will become the catalyst for a new-found brotherly spirit throughout the nation (Luke 11:17).
Soldiers carrying a corpse in a body bag in Kfar Aza (Flash90)
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srael’s current battle against Hamas in Gaza, Hizbullah in Lebanon, and other Iranian-backed terror militias is the nation’s most daunting crisis in its modern history. Even as more grisly evidence emerges of the brutal Hamas onslaught against innocent Israeli civilians on October 7th, pressure is growing on Israel to halt its legitimate military response and thereby hand Hamas the victory. The people of Gaza themselves also need deliverance from Hamas. Meantime, Hizbullah has been coiled to strike with tens of thousands of deadly missiles from Lebanon at any minute. In response to this dire threat to Israel, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is calling on Christians everywhere to join us in praying as never before for the peace and well-being of this restored nation. The Church has reached a time when it is not enough just to say, “We love Israel.” Real action is needed! Prayer is a powerful spiritual weapon in the heavenlies. At the outset of this crisis, we decided to turn our weekly Global Prayer Gathering into a daily time of urgent prayer and intercession for Israel until the nation can declare victory in this war. Thousands of Christians from around the world have been joining us every day for these daily online prayer sessions, where we give updates and
offer prayers alongside Christian leaders and intercessors from Israel and around the world. Many participants in the daily GPG have found that it gives them great encouragement and hope for dealing with this crisis, as the news out of Israel and the region is often troubling. One lady from England recently wrote us: “For the first two days after the attack, and before I’d discovered ICEJ, I felt in such shock, and that the Jewish and Messianic friends and family in Israel and London were alone, heartbroken and frightened. Now each day it is a privilege and profound Holy Encouragement in our LORD to listen, worship, prayer and be in your comforting presence. Thank you! I’m so blessed to discover ICEJ after all this time.”
4. Pray for protection for all those in the region who seek to live in peace with Israel. Pray that God would send a spirit of repentance and reconciliation with Israel throughout the Arab world. 5. Pray that many ‘Rahabs’ might come forth to join Israel in restoring calm to the region. 6. Pray for Arab Christians in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and the wider Middle East to have the courage and moral clarity to take a clear stand against the evil spirit driving Hamas. Pray that God’s Spirit will remove the veil of Replacement theology from their hearts. 7. Pray that this conflict will become a catalyst for spiritual renewal in Israel and the region.
In addition to the daily GPG prayer vigil online, the ICEJ leadership also has called for a Global Esther Fast to bring together those willing to fast and pray into this very difficult situation. We believe these recurring three-day periods of fasting and prayer are delivering “Esther strikes” to the dark enemies of Israel in the spiritual realm.
Find out more about how you can join our urgent prayer efforts at: www.icej.org/pray-with-us 11 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
CURRENT AFFAIRS
CHRISTIAN EMBASSY BLANKETING ISRAEL WITH RELIEF AID
The food boxes are being transported in two refrigerated trucks which the ICEJ has leased for this charitable partner to comply with laws concerning the delivery of food to the needy. Elsewhere, we have hosted several cookouts for hundreds of dutiful Israelis still close to the border areas.
BY I C E J S TA F F W R I T E R S
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ince Israel’s war with Hamas erupted on October 7th, the staff of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has been crisscrossing the country to deliver relief aid and express love and comfort to a people still in shock from the ruthless Hamas assault. As the grave atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists were still coming to light, the IDF spent several weeks poised on the Gaza border waiting to enter and engage with Hamas, even while fending off the larger threat of Hizbullah in the North. To better manage this multi-front battle, Israeli leaders took the unusual step of evacuating all the communities along the Gaza and Lebanese borders, including large cities like Sderot and Kiryat Shmona. This unprecedented move meant well over 200,000 Israeli civilians were displaced from their homes and are being sheltered for at least two months at guest houses, hotels, hostels and other facilities throughout the country. Most of these uprooted civilians had to flee with the bare necessities. Among them are many shattered Jewish families who lost loved ones, while other relatives and neighbors are either missing or being held hostage in Gaza.
An ICEJ leadership team recently visited a kibbutz along the central coast where 135 families who survived the Kfar Aza massacre are being housed and cared for. The families were all given vouchers that can be used at grocery stores and Israeli chains to buy food, clothing and household items. We also will be delivering these voucher coupons to all 305 families left from Kfar Aza, who are being housed in several respite centers across Israel. The ICEJ team in Haifa also was busy caring for the shaken residents of our Home for Holocaust survivors, while also volunteering to pack food parcels for hundreds of needy families in the area. We also purchased a large generator to supply power to the Haifa Home in case the electricity goes out.
In response, teams of ICEJ staff have been heading in many directions each day to pack and deliver food parcels and hand out store vouchers and relief items to evacuees, while giving toys and games to disoriented children. At a major food distribution center in Rishon LeZion, an ICEJ team has showed up every work day to help pack thousands of boxes of food supplies, clothing, and toiletries. While there, the staff has had wonderful encounters with other Israeli volunteers, providing words of encouragement as they stand side-by-side packing these items.
The Hebrew signage on the ICEJ truck states: “Israel, you are not alone.”
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
In addition, the ICEJ raised funds to help donate two ambulances and a medi-cycle, including one ambulance earmarked for Kibbutz Be’eri, which also suffered heavy losses like nearby Kfar Aza. Some ICEJ branch offices have set a goal to donate several more ambulances. The ICEJ also rushed to order another eight portable bomb shelters to be placed in other vulnerable areas, and we are renovating an additional 20 underground shelters in Shlomi, bringing our total in that northern border town to 73 refurbished underground shelters and 12 mobile ones above ground. In a sign of just how difficult the situation is for Israel, previously donated portable shelters were temporarily moved to other locations where they were urgently needed, such as a cemetery to allow for the burial of slain residents of the Gaza periphery farming villages. The ICEJ also gave protective and emergency gear to dozens of volunteer first responders in the western Negev and other border locations. Not to be overlooked, regional officials in the Gaza envelope also assured us that our previous donations of over 140 mobile bomb shelters, plus special communication devices, ATVs and other emergency equipment truly saved many lives over the opening days and weeks of this war. Your continuing donations to our Israel in Crisis fund will enable us to meet many more urgent needs in the embattled nation of Israel. You will be: ssisting evacuated Israeli families with housing, food, clothing A and emergency aid, plus toys and activities for the children.
J oining urgent food distribution efforts to the elderly, new immigrants and needy families nationwide. upplying more vital emergency equipment and protective S gear for first responders. lacing more bomb shelters and renovating existing shelters P in vulnerable Israeli communities. elivering more ambulances and other emergency medical D equipment. roviding clothes, tents, sleeping bags and other outdoor P equipment for those safeguarding outlying communities. unding trauma counselling for Israeli medical workers F responding to the crisis and for families severely shaken by this conflict. At this critical time, Israelis need to know that millions of Christians worldwide are standing with them in their hour of need. And indeed, many Christians are responding as the ICEJ is receiving support for our relief efforts from such unusual places as Mongolia, Nepal and Uzbekistan. The needs are great, and every gift counts! So, please give your best gift today.
Donate at: give.icej.org/crisis
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL! ICEJ STANDING WITH JEWISH STATE AROUND THE GLOBE!
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n the wake of the deadly Hamas surprise attack in early October, the ICEJ’s global network of 95 national offices and supporters in some 170 countries have been standing up as never before to defend Israel and combat the wave of antisemitic and even jihadist incitement now sweeping the globe. Israel has a right to defend itself, and a just cause to eradicate Hamas terrorism before its ideology spreads further. In the wake of the worst mass slaughter of innocent Jews since the Holocaust, our pledge of “Never Again” means nothing if we do not stand up for Israel now. Let us not be silent! Over recent weeks, ICEJ leaders and members have organized and joined numerous rallies and marches around the world, including pro-Israel rallies in Albania, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Honduras,
Finland
Czech Republic
India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Philippines, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, United States, and many other countries. The ICEJ also partnered in a large Christian rally in front of the UN Human Rights Council and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland to demand more urgent action to free the Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. ICEJ Vice President for International Affairs Dr. Mojmir Kallus and our Swiss branch leadership team were all there on stage to call and pray for the release of these abductees. The ICEJ, and most notably our USA branch, also spearheaded an international advocacy campaign to urge our nations’ leaders to do more to stand with Israel at this critical time. We secured signatures from over 100 prominent Christian leaders on letters addressed to UN Secretary General António Guterres and other key government figures which called for a drastic change of course from the normal appeasement of Iran in allowing it to arm its proxy militias Hamas and Hizbullah. The ICEJ also has been offering educational resources to help Christians and others understand better the threat of radical Islamist terrorism. We all need to grasp why Israel must achieve victory over the brutal Islamic-inspired terrorism carried out by Hamas. In their own words, they are waging a vicious jihad not only against Israel and the Jewish people, but also against all ‘infidels,’ for the purpose of achieving Muslim domination over all the world.
Australia
United States of America
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Geneva, Switzerland
Germany
You can show solidarity with Israel by sharing these resources with others, and by organizing or joining rallies for Israel in your hometowns and capitals. Also be sure to let your government leaders and media know of your stand with Israel.
Learn more at: icej.org/solidarity
CURRENT AFFAIRS
ISRAEL’S CASE FOR DISMANTLING HAMAS RULE IN GAZA WHO IS HAMAS? Hamas is a radical Sunni terrorist organization which has been the de facto ruler of the Gaza Strip since 2007. Considered the Palestinian chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas was founded in 1987 as a political rival to the Fatah-led PLO. The Hamas charter commits the group to the destruction of Israel and creating instead an Islamic state under sharia law in Palestine. The charter also promotes a dark Islamic eschatology that calls for perpetual jihad (holy war) by Muslims against the Jewish state and people, which it sees as a first step to regaining Jerusalem and then defeating the “Crusader West” to secure Islamic world domination. Hamas has its main presence in Gaza and broad support in the West Bank, but its senior leadership has been hosted by Qatar for the past decade. After Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in the 2005 Disengagement, Hamas liquidated local Fatah officials and security forces in a bloody coup in 2007. Today, it governs over 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, imposing a strict brand of fundamentalist Islam. Hamas totally rejects any peace deals with Israel, including a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although Hamas presents itself as a Muslim welfare society, the group spends most of its budget on its military buildup, including rockets and terror tunnels. WHY DID HAMAS ATTACK? Hamas called its mass terror operation of 7 October the “Al-Aqsa Storm,” launched in defense of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, even though the site has been in no danger from Israel at any time. Over 2,500 armed terrorists infiltrated into Israel and killed more than 1,400 Israelis, mostly innocent men, women, children and the elderly, and took some 240 hostages. This was the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. One week later, Hamas called for a “global day of jihad” to include attacks and “lynchings” against Jews and their supporters worldwide.
DID HAMAS COMMIT WAR CRIMES? The horrific acts against Israeli citizens on October 7 make Hamas and Islamic Jihad criminally liable for war crimes. They especially violated the “rule of distinction” requiring combatants to limit attacks to legitimate military targets, whereas Hamas willfully and deliberately attacked civilians, including an outdoor music festival, motorists on roads, and families still at home in their beds. They tortured, mutilated, raped, beheaded, kidnapped and burnt people alive. In addition, Hamas cynically uses the civilian population in Gaza as human shields, and uses mosques, hospitals, schools, and private homes as weapons storage facilities and firing platforms. Thus, Israel is just in responding to these Hamas war crimes. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CIVILIAN DEATHS IN GAZA? According to international human rights law, Hamas should be held responsible for the deaths of civilians in Gaza, including children, due to its instigation of the war and its deliberate placement of weapons and fighters among densely-populated civilian areas. Israel does not intentionally target civilians, and any incidental deaths of civilians due to Israeli strikes on legitimate military targets are legally attributable to Hamas. Also, Hamas is guilty of flagrant war crimes by intentionally shelling Israeli civilian areas, and murdering hundreds of innocent men, women, children and the elderly at point-blank range. Also of note, the laws of warfare do not require Israel to provide food, water or electricity to enemy combatants in Gaza. DOES ISRAEL HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO RESPOND? Israel has both the right and duty to defend its citizens from Hamas attacks. Israel also has a valid case for dismantling Hamas rule in Gaza due to its long, gruesome record of war crimes, and its abuse, oppression and endangerment of the civilian population in Gaza. Hamas has sought to indoctrinate the Gazan people to wage perpetual war with Israel, which has only brought death and destruction on Gaza. Freeing Israel from the threat of Hamas, and freeing Gazans from Hamas rule is the only way to secure peace and stability for the entire region.
Israeli tanks outside Gaza (Flash90)
Hamas gunman (NBC News)
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HOMECARE
COMFORT IN DARK TIMES OF WAR BY C O R R I E VA N M A A N E N
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rom the joy of the Feast of Tabernacles celebrated with Christians from many nations, we were confronted with a shock. Suddenly there were sirens, racing to bomb shelters, and realizing the horrors of what had happened on 7 October. We suddenly went from joy to tears. Homecare immediately began to contact people we care for. What could we do for them? What were their needs? Each person had a different reaction. Some were in total shock, others gripped by fear, depression or anger. Single mothers became very protective of their children. Holocaust survivors feared a time of hunger lay ahead, while the jolting images of Jews suffering at the hands of terrorists revived memories of their own past horrors. One elderly lady lives alone and is still recovering from an operation. I promised her weekly visits which have become the highlight of her week. She makes soup so we can share a meal together. While we eat, she cries over the situation. She went through many hardships in life back in Russia, and fears this war in a way I can hardly fathom. When I visited Tatjana in her bedroom, she anxiously asked: “Can you buy me medicine to calm me down?” Because I know her so well, I already brought some. Years ago, Homecare gave nursing care to her father, as well as to her during a long illness. We also cared for her husband until his passing a few years ago. This lady lost many family in the cruelty of World War Two. I sat beside her, carefully listening to her trembling words. I asked her what she was doing during the day.
“Yes, I am praying day and night.” We drank our tea and talked about many subjects. When I rose to leave, she said: “A stone was rolled from my heart this morning.” In Jerusalem, I regularly visit a Jewish couple who survived the Second World War in a ghetto. Last year, they escaped the horrific battle for Mariupol in Ukraine, fleeing their home as rockets hit their apartment building. In their 80s, they had to climb down a ladder from the second floor. After a long, dangerous three-week trek, they made Aliyah via Hungary to Israel with their two daughters, leaving behind a son-in-law and grandson. They suffered from grief and loss of all their treasured belongings. When I recently visited them, she held up three fingers, saying: “This is the third war we are in and this time we have nowhere to go.” Still, they were finding strength and hope in the God of Israel. During the Feast, Homecare also was blessed once again with suitcases of gifts from the nations for needy Israelis. A group of Finnish believers brought bags filled with new bed linens, towels and many handknitted socks. I did not know how valuable these would be until I took the gifts to a kibbutz just outside Jerusalem that is housing 150 traumatized Israeli evacuees from the Gaza border area. They were much appreciated and met a great need.
Bags filled with new bed linen, towels and hand-knitted socks donated by a group from Finland
“I listen to the news from Israel in Russian the whole day,” she responded. “I am afraid to go out of the house.” Then I showed her my ‘medicine’ – a small Book of Psalms in Russian. Together we started reading. Slowly, she calmed down. After a few psalms, she looked up and said: “You are right. I shouldn’t listen to the news so much. These words are giving me the peace I need.” I also visited an elderly lady who lives in the South, with no family and only a small support network. Her health is not good and daily life was already a challenge for her. When I arrived, she was very upset about the war. As I helped resolve some of her smaller irritations, she calmed down. After a while we could discuss her concerns. I wondered if she had enough medication and food and water in the house. Was somebody nearby to contact? Was she still praying, knowing the God of Israel is with you? Her eyes lit up.
Israel has come together in heartwarming ways to help each other during this war. Homecare is helping too. We are sitting with people, listening to their worries, and encouraging them to trust the Lord. We are buying groceries, helping with showers and hygiene, and sharing soup and tea. Sometimes, we feel our arms are too short to help everybody, but we make a difference where we can, because His love is a never-ending source.
Please support the work of ICEJ Homecare by giving at: give.icej.org/homecare
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AID & ALIYAH
ALIYAH CONTINUES EVEN DURING GAZA WAR BY H O WA R D F L O W E R , I C E J A L I YA H D I R E C T O R
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liyah to Israel is continuing despite the intense war with Hamas in Gaza, and the pace could even pick up given the current wave of antisemitism sweeping the globe, as evidenced recently in the near pogrom in Dagestan, Russia. In November, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is supporting Aliyah flights for 111 Jewish youths ages 14 to 18 immigrating from the former Soviet republics. After they complete their study program, they will be eligible to become Israeli citizens and serve in the IDF to defend their new homeland. The ICEJ also is working on the ground in these same former Soviet countries to help with their Aliyah preparations, logistics and airport transport.
expected to exceed 50,000 Jews this year – numbers not seen since the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. These figures do not include the nearly 300,000 Israeli citizens living abroad who have rushed home to defend their ancestral homeland. With most flights in and out of Israel cancelled due to Hamas rocket barrages from Gaza, EL AL and other Israeli airlines have still been operating out of Ben-Gurion Airport and the in-bound flights are packed with a mix of returnees and new immigrants. In fact, some Israeli airplanes have added extra seats to accommodate the increased demand and Israeli pilots have even allowed some people to sit on the floor in the galley or in cockpit seating. Despite the raging war, significant numbers of Jewish immigrants have come from the USA, France and the republics of the former Soviet Union, and the Christian Embassy is a part of this patriotic wave of Aliyah.
Meantime, the ICEJ also is sponsoring flights for 61 Ethiopian Jews who will arrive as soon as they get their exit documents in Addis Ababa. So far this year, the ICEJ has assisted over 5,000 Jewish immigrants during various stages of their journey home to Israel, as well as with immediate integration needs. This includes sponsoring homeward bound Aliyah flights for more than 1,300 of these olim (newcomers). The worldwide Aliyah is
Often, wars in Israel or Islamist terror attacks against Jews and ‘infidels’ around the world have resulted in stirring waves of Aliyah that strengthen Israel. For instance, Israel’s surprisingly swift victory in the 1967 Six-Day War instilled a sense of pride and confidence among Jews worldwide in their national homeland, and inspired a surge in Aliyah that lasted into the 1970s.
angry crowd of Muslim youths in Dagestan searched a hotel looking for Jews and Israelis, and then a larger lynch mob invaded two airports in search of Israelis and Jews coming on a scheduled flight from Tel Aviv. Quick thinking on the part of local authorities saved the Jews from certain harm, but many Muslim rioters and police were injured. No doubt, many in the Jewish community still left in Russia will be considering a move to Israel after this frightening incident. With tens of thousands of mostly Muslim refugees from the Middle East now marching through the streets of European cities and stridently calling for Israel’s demise, Jewish communities are having to increase their protection around synagogues and it is very likely that we will soon see another Aliyah surge from France and other parts of western Europe. Immigration to Israel over the past year has seen a surge in immigration widely attributed to the war in Ukraine and its aftershocks throughout the Russian-speaking countries. The ICEJ is currently helping young Jewish people from several of these former Soviet republics come to Israel, even while we also are standing strong with relief aid, prayer, and solidarity with the Jewish nation in one of its most difficult hours.
The second Palestinian intifada (2000-2005), the Second Lebanon War (2006), and the Gaza rocket wars of 2009 and 2014 all led to waves of antisemitism worldwide, as well as jumps in Aliyah. In 2013, more Aliyah was triggered by the Boston Marathon bombing, which was committed by two Muslim brothers from Chechnya in southern Russia, a region with millions of Muslims which has been a hotbed of antisemitism for decades. The hatred of Jews in the Caucus region boiled over again recently in response to several days of Palestinian calls for violence against Jews on a popular Telegram channel. An 17 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
Join with us in this urgent and timely effort to help strengthen the nation of Israel! Make your best gift today to the ICEJ’s Aliyah efforts!
Donate at: give.icej.org/aliyah
“King of All the Earth” BY L AU R I N A D R I E S S E,
WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM TRICIA NEIGHBORS AND LOIS HERRINGTON
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n late September, the ICEJ’s annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration drew over 3,000 Christian pilgrims to Israel, while several thousand more joined us on our online streaming platform and at Feast watch parties worldwide. The Feast theme this year was “King of all the Earth,” from Psalm 47:7
Feast watch party: Sakhalin
Feast watch party: Australia
DAY 1 Opening Night at Ein Gev
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he Feast opened on 29 September at Ein Gev, on the beautiful Sea of Galilee, with a spirit of excitement and expectation in the air. The main speaker was evangelist Manasa Kolivuso from Fiji, who helped lead a large group of pilgrims from the Pacific island nations on an historic charter flight – the first time ever Fiji Airways landed in Israel. The Lord had inspired Pastor Manasa and ICEJ-Fiji national director Pastor Mikaele Mudreilagi to charter the flight and several groups from other Oceania nations joined in to make it happen. Pastor Manasa brought an inspiring message from Psalms 22 through 24. In Psalm 22, we see suffering, sorrow, and brokenness; in
DAY 2 Ein Gev celebration
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he second evening of our Feast celebration also took place at Ein Gev in the sweet presence of the Lord. Dr. Enoch Abeboye from Nigeria ministered from Mark 5: 1-20, showing how powerful the King of Kings is. Here we have the story of a man from Gadarene who was totally demon-possessed, but in the end this mad man became an evangelist for the Kingdom of God. Pastor Enoch encouraged the pilgrims by saying: “There is hope for you, and I want you to
rejoice because it means no matter how low you are, your tomorrow will be alright.” He also reminded pilgrims that there are many kingdoms in the earth, each one having its own king, but there is only one person who is the King of Kings! He shared how even in the animal kingdom, the lion is king, but the King of all Kings also controls the lions and shuts their mouths as in the story of Daniel in the lion’s den.
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Psalm 23 we see the Great Shepherd leading, guiding, guarding, and offering His peace and rest; and in Psalm 24 we see Him as the King of Glory and experience His power and victory! Referencing Psalm 24:1 (“The earth is the Lord’s and all the fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”), Pastor Manasa reminded Feast pilgrims that we are “owners of nothing but stewards of everything. The earth is God’s by ownership, and it is ours by stewardship. God owns it all and deserves our praise and worship!”
FEAST HIGHLIGHTS 2023
DAY 3 Roll Call of the Nations in Jerusalem
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rom the Galilee, Feast pilgrims ascended to Jerusalem for an amazing five days of celebrations! The opening night at the Jerusalem Pais Arena saw nearly 80 nations appear before the Lord in Zion. Delegates from each nation waved their country’s flag on stage in the colorful ‘Roll Call of the Nations’ – a highlight for many Feast goers. This year’s Roll Call included flag-bearers from Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Mongolia, and two pilgrims who appeared together from North and South Korea. Often, flag-bearers dress in their national attire and this year was no exception! And several shared their joy and pride in representing their country at the Feast. “I’m carrying the flag of my nation, and my desire is that God will move in the Philippines, and we will catch a new anointing in a new season,” said Rose Riviera. “I am representing Switzerland as an intercessor for our nation to the God of Israel. We bless Israel, console Israel, and love the people of Israel,” said Swiss believer Sabine Bartschi-Santmann.
Feast participants also were welcomed in video greetings by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, who said: “It gives me great pleasure to send greetings to the entire Christian world and to the thousands of pilgrims who in these very moments are celebrating the festival of Succot with us here in the holy city. You are gathered here dear friends for this sacred pilgrimage from all corners of the earth, welcomed by the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem … for my dwelling place shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations.” ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler then brought an anointed message on the King of Glory from Psalm 47. He reminded pilgrims that God is present wherever they gather, but there is something special about worshipping in the city of Jerusalem. “The Feast of Tabernacles is also a feast of prayer,” said Dr. Bühler. “God is calling you here in Jerusalem to a fresh and new lifestyle of prayer.”
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DAY 4 Feast Youth Day
he next day started with morning seminars that were impactful and thoughtprovoking messages on Israel and the New Testament, as well as the prophetic challenges of Artificial Intelligence and Transgenderism.
The evening featured a joyous celebration with Messianic youth from across Israel raising one voice to offer songs of praise and worship in the fresh Hebraic style now coming from the Land of Israel. Dr. Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University, also shared on the ‘Power of One’ and the value of every person’s life to God. “The Shepherd is looking for one. No matter how broken, how crushed, He will change their life and through them will change the world,” said Dr. Wilson. “What is the potential in your life that needs to be unlocked? … Every single person on planet Earth is important to Christ.”
FEAST HIGHLIGHTS 2023
DAY 5 Israeli Guest Night
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he morning seminars began with local Messianic pastor Benjamin Berger, who spoke on “The Throne of David in Jerusalem.” Other speakers included Rania Sayegh, an Israeli Arab Christian prayer leader from Nazareth; Julia Popova from Moscow speaking on the move of God in Russia; and Sergey Shidlovskiy, who shared on prayer as the key to revival. The evening centered around our traditional Israeli Guest Night. With this year being the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, pilgrims heard from the legendary hero of that battle, IDF Brigadier General (Ret.) Avigdor Kahalani. He was an Israeli tank commander during the costly battle for the Golan and received the Medal of Valor, Israel’s highest military distinction. Kahalani reminded
DAY 6 Garden Tomb and Jerusalem March
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he sixth day of the Feast began with a very special Communion service in the peaceful setting of the Garden Tomb, just outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls. There is always something special about this gathering around the Lord’s Table with believers from all over the world. Presiding over the Communion elements were local Jewish pastor Sasson Pochtar and Israeli Arab pastor Saleem Shalash. Rev. Malcolm Hedding delivered the main message and reminded all: “If we want to experience His mercy, and His grace, and His reconciling love, then we have to come to the Cross.” “It’s very special to be in Jerusalem and to know our Lord and Savior is no longer in the
grave. Our Savior lives and gives us hope!” responded Tiara from the Cook Islands. In the afternoon, our Feast delegates made their way to the assembly point for the popular Jerusalem March through the streets of the capital. There was an incredible atmosphere of joy as Christians from some 90 nations expressed their love and support for the people of Israel, and were warmly received by a massive crowd of Israeli parade watchers.
everyone that Jews have had little choice but to fight for their survival from generation to generation. Another highlight enjoyed by all was listening to Eva Erben, a Holocaust survivor who during the Second World War was deported to several concentration camps. She later endured the death march from Auschwitz and became the sole survivor of her family. She shared her incredible story of survival, hope and forgiveness. When asked what her secret was to keeping so young at heart, her immediate response was ‘love!’ Laughingly, she said: “Love is a very splendid thing, and you should fall in love with somebody because nobody is perfect, and you will never get a person who is exactly your taste!”
FEAST HIGHLIGHTS 2023
DAY 7 NEGEV SOLIDARITY GATHERING AND HEALING SERVICE
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hen on day seven, over 600 Feast pilgrims travelled from Jerusalem down to the Gaza border area for a solidarity gathering with Israeli communities in the Western Negev region. Among the speakers at this event were Sha’ar HaNegev mayor Ofir Libstein, and IDF (Res.) Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi. “How important it is to keep Israel safe and to fight for its security for generations to come, because there will always be enemies who want to destroy this jewel called the Land of Israel,” said Gen. Avivi. [Little did we know then that just two days later, thousands of Hamas terrorists from Gaza would invade this same area and commit mass murder against innocent Israeli civilians.]
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DAY 8
Next, a special ICEJ leadership delegation attended a tree-planting and dedication ceremony for our new “Christian Embassy Nature Park” located near the ANZAC Monument in the Be’eri Forest, just meters away from the Gaza security fence. After returning to Jerusalem, our Feast pilgrims attended a special Healing Service led by ICEJ-Philippines national director Pastor Stephen Mirpuri, who shared several personal testimonies about the many dramatic healings he has seen and experienced throughout his life, including the miracle birth of his first child. After the message, there was a powerful time of prayer for healing.
PRAYER VIGIL
uring the Feast, virtual pilgrims had the opportunity to unite with other believers in the online Prayer Succah to offer prayers for Israel, their respective countries, and their own families and communities. For the pilgrims who were physically present, a special dedicated Day of Prayer was held on the eighth day in the Jerusalem Pavilion.
countries. “It has been very worthwhile coming to hear the nations praying for their own nation. It’s been very touching, especially listening to the prayers for North Korea, for instance, where believers are having such a difficult time, and praying for a reunion with South Korea. We were thinking of only coming for our own nation, but it’s been worth it to listen to the other nations.”
John from Poland said that this day was a highlight for him, especially to hear the prayers from so many
That evening, the Feast of Tabernacles 2023 ended with an amazing worship concert led by local singer/songwriter Shilo Ben-Hod and his band SOLU-Israel.
HEAR FROM THE PILGRIMS!
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s the Feast ended, we asked several pilgrims how they had enjoyed it?
“It’s my first time in Israel, and it’s wonderful to see so many cultures coming here. I’ve enjoyed the whole conference and especially the Jerusalem March,” responded Boris from France.
“I really enjoyed the Feast. It’s my first time to join the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles. I really love this place. I really love Israel. I enjoyed the presence of God here, and I received so much revelation from the Lord,” added Madelyn from the Philippines. 21 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
FEAST teaching
WHERE THE CHURCH WENT WRONG ON ISRAEL… AND HOW IT CAME RIGHT BY P R O F. G E R A L D M C D E R M O T T [Excerpts from his seminar presentation at Feast of Tabernacles 2023]
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y subject is not only where the Church went wrong on Israel, and why, but then how the Church in the last 400 years – since the 16th century – has been regaining a proper approach to Israel. This reconsideration by Christians of Israel, and God’s eternal covenant with the Jewish people, started to take place after the Holocaust. Tragically, six million Jews, one-third of all Jewry, was destroyed by the most Christianized country in history, the birthplace of the Reformation – Germany. After the Holocaust, Christian Bible scholars and theologians in the 1950s to 70s tried to rethink how could this have happened? Where did we go wrong? Obviously, we went tragically wrong. One of the famous Bible scholars was W. D. Davies, a Welshman, who came to one conclusion, as he re-read Romans 9-11 after the Holocaust, that Paul never calls the Church, the “New Israel”. Not once! He never calls the Jews, the “Old Israel.” Unfortunately, for 1700 years and more, Christian leaders and theologians and pastors called the Church, the “New Israel” that replaced Jewish Israel. But Paul never did that, not even in Galatians 6:16.
all through the centuries, who kept their faith with the Jewish covenant because God had given it to them. And for centuries and centuries in the Christian Church, starting in the fourth century under Constantine, if you are a Jew, and you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but you want to continue to practice a Jewish lifestyle as a Jew, you are either excommunicated, persecuted or killed by the Church for living as a Jew. Now, how did this happen? How did everything go so wrong? To put it very simplistically, it was in the start of the Second Century when Gentiles took over leadership of the Church, who did not know the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, starting with Justin Martyr and some of the great Fathers of the Church, like Irenaeus and Tertullian… And it became the mainstream story for the Church, up until the Reformation, that God had ended His covenant with the Jewish people and had forsaken the Land. But then in the 16th century, the Puritans in England and the Pietists on the continent started to question these things. The Puritans were Calvinists, yet they disagreed with Calvin, who was a Supersessionist, a Replacement theologian. He reinterpreted all the promises of God to the Jewish people in the Hebrew Bible and applied them to the Gentile Church. But beginning with the Reformation, the biblical hermeneutical principle arose that the plain sense of Scripture is to be taken first. Now there are other spiritual senses, but you always look at the plain or literal sense first.
Gerald McDermott delivers an insightful teaching at Feast 2023
Charles Cranfield, the great British New Testament scholar, wrote a massive two-volume commentary on Romans. He says Romans 9-11 forbids the Church to call itself the “New Israel.” And by God’s election, the Jewish people are beloved of the fathers – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their gifts and calling from God are never to be revoked. For more than 1700 years, Christians who accept Replacement theology have used Matthew 21, the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, as a proof text for Supersessionism. This is where the wicked tenants, according to Jesus, are replaced by other tenants who will produce the fruits. And for 1700 years, most Christian scholars and theologians interpreted the other tenants as Gentiles. But in this reconsideration, since the Holocaust, many of us have been realizing that the killed servants were faithful Jewish prophets. And the new tenants are faithful Jews, the Apostles and their spiritual descendants, not to count out faithful descendants of the Pharisees, Rabbinic Jews today, or Orthodox Jews
And when you look at the plain sense of the Hebrew Bible, there are way too many prophecies about the future of Israel that clearly cannot and should not be applied to the Gentile Church. They clearly are about the future of Israel and the Jewish people. The Geneva Bible, which was produced by the Calvinists, came out in 1560, and it talks about the spiritual return of the Jewish people, and implies a literal return to the Land of the Jewish people. Then in the 17th century, Puritans in England said the Jews will return to the Land someday. That the Jewish people are still God’s chosen people, and Christians are debtors to them…
2 2 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
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