Israel is under attack! – Fire is burning in many places; it continues as I write this email to you. On the left, a missile exploded on a vehicle in Ashkelon, and on the right is the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem. This does not look like it is ending very soon as Israel has declared a several day conflict to eradicate the threat. This is God’s Land – and we need to pray without ceasing for them.
This is also the season of Pentecost/Shavuot – when we celebrate (at the same time) Moses receiving the Torah on Mt. Sinai and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2. Both are described as coming with fire: on Mount Sinai, “lightnings and fire” are described in Exodus 19-20 with the giving of the Torah and in Acts 2, tongues of fire are described being upon the heads of the Believers from the Upper Room.
There are also Rabbinical writings which describe the Torah being given in 70 languages. In Acts, the Scripture describes the Believers speaking all in native tongues/languages. Part of the fire being revealed, is the sacrifices which were offered on Shavuot (sevens) in the Mishkan/Tabernacle, and the Temple – and the fact we are called the temple of the Holy Spirit. Do you see the connection?
So, I find it interesting, that in this season, Israel is on fire – due to the enemy of God Himself, desiring to bring destruction to His first-born, Israel. These types of attacks are attempts to sway the world’s influence against Israel, because there is always collateral damage. It is also the fact that spiritually-speaking, the enemy of our souls does not want Shavuot to ignite a fire of hunger and outpouring with response to the Gospel of the Kingdom into a great harvest of allegiance in new Believers.
Could this be the time in which what the prophet Joel says can happen? In Chapter 2 he prophesies in verse 18: “Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.” Is it the time where His Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh? Continuing in verse 28: “And it shall come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.”
In this season of Shavuot/Pentecost – I encourage you to pray for Israel. Whatever the enemy attacks, it is because there is a timeliness about the thing he hates. There is always an imminency to his actions – he is afraid. Could it be that this year – in this season – that God is moving to do something remarkable to bring His Kingdom to a place of complete surrender and reliance upon Him? Pentecost/Shavuot is the time where the first fruits of grain were offered – these are called karbanot, which is derived from the root word karov — coming near — because an offering is a means to bring oneself closer to the presence of God.
Do not let the chaos of – gas shortages, trouble in Israel, news and politics refrain you from the Presence of God in all we do – we are the temple and our sacrifice is our reasonable service unto the Lord. Psalm 27:11-14 says this: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
May the Lord lift His countenance upon you today! Pray for Jerusalem! Shalom!
