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THE HEART OF GOD

In previous issues of Knowing The Times we have talked about God's heart for His People Israel.  We have stated that if we truly know God then we will know His heart for His Jewish people - that is, how much He loves them.   Within God's heart we find His love for Israel. When He dwells in our hearts we share that love of Israel with Him.  As we share in His love for Israel, however, we also experience the consequences that come with that love - pain.  In this issue we will discuss two painful emotions that come along with this love: anger and sadness.

Unless we have friends or family who live in Israel, we receive our information about Israel from the media.  No matter what the source, however, the "news" about Israel usually evokes one or both of these emotions, anger and sadness.  What are we seeing and hearing that make us angry?

1.  The media is biased against Israel.  Headlines are worded to negatively reflect on Israel’s actions or lack thereof. The Palestinians and other Arabs are portrayed in such a way as to make them appear to be the oppressed. The media twists the truth to justify their opinion instead of giving us the true facts in each situation.  Example: The Hizbullah bombing of Northern Israel. The media emphasized the details (damage and injuries) caused by Israel's defensive retaliation, playing down the results of the offensive actions of their enemies.  (Ex. 23:1)

2. Israel is being pressed to fulfill its obligations under the Oslo and Wye agreements.  At the same time, the Palestinians are not being expected to keep their side of the agreements.  No one is demanding them to fulfill their obligations under Oslo and Wye. "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight." (Prov. 11:1)

3. We are led to believe that it's Israel's fault that the peace process has stopped. However, Israel has complied with the redeployment of its troops and the relinquishing of control of the land to a certain extent. In return, the Palestinians have assembled a police force far greater in size than allowed in the agreements. Many who are armed in this force are known terrorists. The speeches of the Palestinian leaders are full of incitement against Israel. They have not canceled the articles of their charter calling for the annihilation of Israel, as required by Oslo. Israel stopped its compliance because the Palestinians never began theirs.  "...that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, ..." (Phil. 2:15)

4. Leaders from around the world are exerting great pressure on Israel to comply with their concepts of Israeli existence and security. One reason for this is because most nations are reliant on the oil coming out of the Arab countries and they'll do whatever is necessary to please the Arabs in order to get the needed oil. Specifically, the European Union and the United Nations, in their meetings and with their voting, are attempting to coerce Israel to 'comply or else.' (Acts 4:29a)

5. Everyone acts like the Arabs can be trusted. We have already seen that this isn't true. They've made promises and even signed agreements, but haven't acted on their words.  Why should we now believe that they will live peacefully with Israel? "O Israel, trust in the Lord." (Ps. 115:9)

6. The U. S. State Department, as well as President Clinton, also aren't trustworthy. One example: During the Wye negotiations Prime Minister Netanyahu requested negotiations for accused Israeli spy Jonathon Pollard's release.  President Clinton indicated that this issue was negotiable until the Prime Minister agreed to the Wye demands, then turned around and declared the Pollard issue as non-negotiable. "Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation." (Ps. 146:3)

7. Jewish people living on their own land are called "settlers."  Here again is the twisting of the truth.  Those who live in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, all of which are part of the state of Israel, were encouraged by Israeli leaders to move there. These lawful inhabitants are now being portrayed as invaders of Palestinian land. "And I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates." (Ex. 23:31)

8. The Palestinians are being portrayed as refugees. A quick examination of historical fact reveals that the Arab leaders encouraged their people to evacuate the area before they attacked Israel in 1948. The Palestinians were told that they could return after the destruction of Israel. However, Israel survived (Hallelujah!). The Palestinians attempted to live in neighboring Arab countries, but they were not welcomed.  Instead they were (and some still are confined to refugee camps....by the hand of their own brothers, not Israel! "In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have refuge." (Prov. 14:26)

Anger is biblical: "For forty years I loathed that generation, And said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways." (Ps. 95:10) "I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from them." (Hos. 14:4) But we are warned: "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity." (Eph. 4:26)

What are we seeing and hearing that make us sad?

1. Israel is willing to give away its land. They have already given some away, and have agreed to give away more.  And they are still willing to negotiate to give away even more. "But the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; and the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year." (Deut. 11:11, 12)

2. Israel's leaders believe that they will be able to appease the Palestinians, and other Arabs, by giving away more of their land. The concept of "land for peace" is being championed as a real solution to the hatred and contempt most Arabs have for Israel. The Arabs have said with their own mouths that they want the Jews totally driven out of the Middle East. In light of these words, peace between Israel and its enemies does not appear to be remotely attainable, no matter how much land Israel gives to them.  "And they heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, saying, 'Peace, peace,' but there is no peace." (Jer. 8:11)

3. Those who support "land for peace" must not realize that they are contributing to Israel's destruction. (Or do they?)  For Israel to continue to give away its land in exchange for supposed peace with their Arab neighbors is equivalent to surrendering to their enemies. "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding." (Prov. 3:13)

4. Those who gave their lives for Israel to exist will have done so in vain if Israel continues to give away the very land that many died for. "...I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity;" (Is. 49:4)

5. The people of Israel choose to disagree among themselves to the detriment of the whole country. Although there will always be differences of opinions among peoples of every nation, Israel's infighting and blame-shifting serve no purpose but to weaken Israel's ability to exist. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133: 1)

6. Israel is concerned with obtaining the approval of other countries. As in the time of Samuel, they want to be like, and be liked by, the rest of the world. "Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations." (1 Sam. 8:4b)

7.  The world hates Israel and all that Israel represents. (See the June, 1999 issue of Knowing the Times, "History Repeats Itself") Anti-Semitism still exists. "They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause." (Ps. 109:3)
We know that sadness, too, is biblical. "Jesus wept." (John 11: 35) "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation." (2 Cor. 7:10)

So what does all of this mean to us? Let us follow the process: We know God. We know His Heart. In His heart we find His love for His People Israel.  We love them as He loves them.  Within this love we find His joy. And we also find the pain in His anger and sadness for the way His People are treated and how they treat themselves. We share in the joy of the love and the pain of the anger and sadness. And to where should this process lead us? To our knees and on our faces, in intercession for God's Chosen People Israel, if we truly know His heart for them. All the anger and sorrow are worthless unless we turn them into prayers for Israel. We can take earthly action, such as contacting our elected officials and telling them how we feel about Israel. We can even write letters to media editors. However, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 4:12) This is why our intercession is so important. The joy and the pain that come with knowing God's love for His People Israel must lead us beyond anger and sadness. Our hearts must be united with God's heart in desiring His will for His People. We can't bring about His will with our own hands, but we can, by our intercession, loose the heavenly powers of our Father God (Yahweh) to do battle in behalf of His People Israel. We will not see the actual spiritual battle, but we will be on the front line of attack, using our weapons of intercession and prayer.

From The Bridegroom

"Weep for your 'brothers and sisters', indeed. Jerusalem is My Heart--My Heart weeps for My Chosen--Their pain is so great. Their need--like your own--is deeper than they realize. Arise in your intercession for My People--My Chosen are now the thrust of My Spirit." (March 7, 1996)

"You know My great Love for My People Israel. Continue to weep, continue to pray, to hold them close to you, for it is My great desire that you do so." (January 26, 1998)

"Stand, stand up!  Stand up straight, stand up strong and do not accept the anti-Semitism that is coming out into society in greater numbers than before. The movement that is about now against My People will shadow that of Hitler. You must stand; you must stand firm, and you must stand up for My People. They don't have anybody else to stand. Those whom I've called to be Watchmen must stand. Stand against everything they see, hear, read, --- feel, that's against My People. Don't accept it or take it in. Rebuke it; reject it. Voice the declaration of My choice of My Chosen People." (April 7, 1998)

Current Events

Israel's New Prime Minister Ehud Barak has been traveling the world, meeting with the leaders of many countries, including the United States, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and England, as well as with Yasser Arafat. He has stated that he wants a comprehensive Middle East peace plan within 15 months. In Russia, the grandson of a former Soviet leader has declared that the problem with the Russian government is that there are too many Jews in it. At a recent conference on anti-Semitism a Vatican official, Rev. David Yager, said Israel's anti-Catholic attitude was the cause for the lack of warm relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people.

Choice

The Heart of God (Yahweh) is awesome to know.  If you don't know Him and His Heart, then know that He desires for you to know Him, and His Son Jesus (Yeshua HaMashiach). They both desire for you to know them and their heart for Israel so that you may intercede in Israel's behalf. Yeshua is interceding for us. "He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:25) Let us intercede for Israel.