Sunday, April 27, 2025

Arrows for 4/25/2025 Behold, I know the plots you devise against me

“Behold, I know the plots
you devise against me.”
Job spoke this to One of his ‘friends’ trying
to determine which sin Job committed
 to bring evil upon himself.
 

Behold, I know the plots you devise against me.
by Avner Boskey, David’s Tent 

“. . . . Job in his day spoke of Zophar’s evil machinations: “Behold, I know your thoughts, and the plots you devise against me” (Job 21:27). Nehemiah received divine discernment and courage regarding his contemporary Middle Eastern enemies. David and Asaph also prophesied about present and future enemies in the Psalms:  “Why are the nations restless and the peoples plotting in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together” (Psalm 2:1-2)
     “As plots thicken before our eyes, what can we discover about the schemes which the enemies of Jewish restoration are hatching, and how is the God of Israel exposing those conspiracies in our day? ….The words of James drive home a powerful point: Sometimes in diplomacy, sweet and bitter water flow out of the same spring. Such things rarely happen in nature, but they do happen in politics…. (James 3:8-12)
     “Though recent political events in the USA have radically and positively changed attitudes and actions toward the Jewish state, there is still a strong residue of anti-Israeli sentiments and strategies hidden deep within the US State Department, intelligence agencies, the oil industry and tycoons. The uncovering of significant State Department support for Hamas and anti-Israel jihadi forces over the years is being spotlighted with greater precision at this moment in time.
     “Funding Israel’s enemies | Recent investigative reporting has shined the light on some unsavory lizards creeping silently under Washington’s cobbled streets. Many of these exposés are connected to U.S. government funding flowing through USAID (the United States Agency for International Development) to Hamas-related activities and organizations, as well as to jihadi Islamist bodies.
     ‘Rather than being used to provide humanitarian aid and stabilize conflict-ridden regions – in accordance with USAID’s stated goal – American funds have often been funneled into corrupt, Hamas-tied institutions, with minimal oversight. A new multiyear study of USAID by the Middle East Forum identified $164 million in grants to radical organizations, including $122 million to those ‘aligned with designated terrorists and their supporters.’ The MEF also found that ‘millions of federal dollars have been handed by USAID to organizations directly in Gaza controlled by Hamas, with government officials even visiting Gaza terror proxies’ offices and launching joint programs’ . . .  The U.S. has distributed $2.1 billion to Hamas-controlled Gaza since Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages on October 7, 2023’
     “The Washington Free Beacon reported on February 10, 2025: ‘Some of the terror-tied funding initiatives are publicly known. In November 2022, for instance, USAID awarded $100,000 to a Palestinian activist group whose leaders hailed the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a designated terror group. Just six days before Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault on Israel, USAID handed $900,000 ‘to a terror charity in Gaza involved with the son of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’”
     “Rivers of sweet and bitter waters are indeed joining together. The American government has for years been surreptitiously supporting Hamas while publicly avowing its undying commitment to the Jewish state.”
     “Dividing up the Promised Land | Many are not aware that the U.S. intelligence community has had backdoor connections and a significant working relationship with the PLO since 1969, at the height of its involvement in Middle East and world terrorism (see our November 9, 2023 newsletter – https://davidstent.org/caiaphas-kissinger-and-the-cia/).
     “A recently declassified U.S. State Department document sheds light on long-standing and secret U.S. policy and strategies regarding Israel’s borders. At a Paris meeting between Henry Kissinger (U.S. Secretary of State) and Sadun Hammadi (Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs) on December 17, 1975. Kissinger communicated a ‘no-nonsense’ US foreign policy regarding Israel in the following selected quotes
     “Israel does us more harm than good in the Arab world” | “We can’t negotiate about the existence of Israel but we can reduce its size to historical proportions” | “So I think in ten to fifteen years Israel will be like Lebanon – struggling for existence, with no influence in the Arab world” | “If the issue is the existence of Israel, we can’t cooperate. But if the issue is more normal borders, we can cooperate” | “I think the Palestinian identity has to be recognized in some form … (It) will be a tremendous fight … (but) no solution is possible without it”
     “….Sponsoring political putschs (coups) and street riots against a friendly government | In a March 26, 2025 letter from the U.S. Congress’ Jim Jordan (Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary) and Brian Mast (Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs) addressed to Dr. Eliad Shraga (Chairman, Movement for Quality Government in Israel), the following was stated:
     ‘Dear Dr. Shraga, According to reports, the Biden-Harris Administration funneled U.S. taxpayer money to certain Israeli entities, including the Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG), with the effect of attempting to undermine Israel’s democratically elected government. The use of federal grants in this manner not only jeopardizes America’s relationship with one of its closest allies, but also undermines core civil liberties protected within the United States and Israel. Additionally, the misuse of federal grant funds may, in some cases, amount to a criminal offense . . . This was not the first time U.S. taxpayer-funded grants had been used to support protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the policies he supports . . . From 2007 through 2024, USAID and the State Department sent at least $122 million to NGOs aligned with designated terrorist organizations. Many of those NGOs have openly espoused antisemitic rhetoric and encouraged violence against Jewish individuals.
     “….In an investigative report by Adam Kredo in The Free Beacon dated July 12, 2016 (see also his recent article of March 6, 2023), reference was made to a U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee in Investigations disclosure “that the Obama administration provided U.S. taxpayer dollars to the OneVoice Movement, a liberal group that waged a clandestine campaign to smear and oust Netanyahu from office.” Evidently such American State Department political undermining did not begin during POTUS Biden’s tenure, but has older and more weathered roots.
     “….And as far as regards the nations, about to stumble blindly into the God of Israel’s soon-coming Judgment Day – as Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 chart out for us – it might be helpful remind ourselves that there really is a divine game plan being played out. It is described in our recent newsletter: https://davidstent.org/why-are-the-peoples-plotting-in-vain/.  Three major pitfalls facing the international community are:  foundational ignorance of biblical realities | lack of awareness of God’s irrevocable calling on and gifts to the Jewish people | flat-out anti-Semitism.”
     DONNA:
This is about all I can fit in here, but I encourage you to click on the title to read the full article. Avner has assembled ‘the goods’ on the United States, so can you imagine if we had reports like this from every nation that has been contributing to the evil plots against Israel in the nations. Is it any wonder that the Islamists don’t give it up when they get secret cooperation like this? God has other plans, but as Paul said repeatedly in his letters, “I would not have you ignorant…” I don’t think God would have us ignorant at all these things either!
     Ignorance may be bliss, but it is not bliss to all those suffering because of our ignorance. I have read Job many times but I never picked up on the evil motives that were behind Zophar’s speculations about which sins Job must have been guilty of to bring such punishments down on his head. I always thought Job’s friends were just misguided theologically, but clearly, at least Zophar’s motives were not benign!
     Avner citing Job’s answer to Zophar in it brings me to this: Job’s friends had gathered to comfort him in all his losses and began a long rehearsal of every rule in God’s Book that Job must have violated to be sitting in the dust in loss and grief. At the end of Job 21, Job answers those “comforts” of his friends by saying, “How then do you comfort me in vain, seeing in your answers there remains maʿal “trespass, unfaithful or treacherous act” “against man” or against God”. 
    
Job is a type of Israel, and Job’s three friends are like the different types of Christians who come to comfort him wrongly as Israel is “sitting in the dust in loss and grief.”
     To support the ministry of Avner and Rachel Boskey, David’s Tent go to the website! Browse a while.


Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

Howard Bass of the Yeshua's Inheritance/Nachalat Yeshua congregation in Beer Sheva opened with a widespread problem in Christians’ view of Israel. It was a dispute I just had with a long time follower on Facebook, so I know Howard addressed something you have probably run into as well. He writes about those who “doubt” Israel is in adherence of “international agreements” in their handling of Gaza terrorists or even ifthe present Israel is of God.Howard writes that Israel’s continual dilemma of wars with Islamist enemies is something ultimately “only the sovereign Lord Yeshua/Jesus can resolve” BUT “There is enough light and information to take a stand in principle. Anyone who knows that both God and the "international community" have and are playing a part in the promised return of the Jewish people back to the land promised with an oath to be theirs, will stand in principle for the right of a sovereign nation to both defend, and if need be, decisively defeat those whose raison d'etre is to destroy and annihilate them. This is dealing with both issues of international law and of war crimes. 
            For any who have any doubt about whether the present Israel is of God or of international agreements, will waver in making a choice. They may even take a leaning towards those whose root is bitter, hatefully and murderously so. This is the spirit and character of Esau/Edom against his brother Jacob/Israel. Jacob will receive what God has promised in covenant, but not in his way, but only by the righteousness of YHVH God's way.”
     If it were any other nation besides Israel, no one would question their rights under international law. If a Christian, or any other person tells you that the modern Israel is not the Israel of the Bible, they are deceived. Don’t let them drag you into their delusion. For Howard’s last point, Israel will only fully enter into their Covenant with God by coming to faith in Yeshua. It will be God’s way, no one has to worry about that! It is already happening, but many are blind to the facts on the ground in Israel. We have no reason to be persuaded otherwise.
     As Howard spoke of congregation and Passover, I also loved what he said here:  Living in Israel among my people, there is no need to contrive observance of Jewish culture -- some of it from God; other portions of it a distortion or contradiction. Through it all, our mission is to proclaim the truth of Messiah being Yeshua/Jesus, the Son of God, so that all who repent and believe might be saved from their sins. In Jer 15:19, YHVH speaks:  "If you return/repent, then I will bring you back; you shall stand before Me. If you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth...."
     So many good things happening in the congregation, including increase of teens and baptisms among them. One was held at a Biblical site, mentioned in Ezekiel 47:10 as En Eglaim. Today it is a national park called Enot Tzukim. There is a fresh-water pool there, looking ahead to the river of water which will go forth from the Millennial Kingdom Temple down to the Dead Sea, making it a living body of water filled with fish. 
     Happy wedding anniversary to Howard and Randy on the first eve of Passover. It was their 45th.

From Tiferet Yeshua in Tel Aviv, Gil Afrait announces they are beginning a new season as Gil hands over the senior pastor role he has stood in for the past nine years to Moti Cohen. We have mostly heard of Moti in relation to the “Feed Tel Aviv” ministry he has headed as an elder and associate pastor, but Moti’s roots go much deeper than that. Saved at 16 years old when Ari Sorko-Ram still pastured the congregation he founded, Moti has made his spiritual home there ever since, always serving in different capacities. Moti and his wife are blessed with five young children. Gil writes, “Everyone who knows him would agree—Moti has a shepherd’s heart: he is gentle and patient but at the same time possesses keen spiritual wisdom and discernment.”

DONNA: Back in 2018 I had begun to take notice of Moti Cohen from the Tiferet Yeshua reports as Moti worked among “the least of these” brethren of Yeshua in the Tel Aviv streets – the addicts and other people trapped in poverty & sin degradation. This picture of Moti was published, I believe with the heading, “Fishers of Men.” I just loved it and even more so, loved the heart of this servant of the LORD, Moti Cohen, that I had been reading about in the ministry letters. I believe Moti  is going to be a great blessing as he leads the congregation in the next phase of being “Fishers of Men” in Tel Aviv

Moti Cohen writes that the vision of Tiferet remains the same, “and it is our desire to see Tiferet Yeshua grow in these areas. . . . We also desire to grow in our gospel outreach and our ministry to the homeless and trust that the Lord, by His grace, will give us new ideas and open up more opportunities with the goal of reaching more people in our city. . . . I want to thank you, our dear friends and partners in the nations, for being a part of this special calling! I am excited to get to know you better personally and share with you over the coming months more about what God has put in my heart for this new season of Tiferet Yeshua. Love in Yeshua, Moti Cohen, Lead Pastor
     When you support Tiferet Yeshua, you are right here with us - leaving a lasting impact for the Gospel and expanding God's Kingdom. We are grateful for your love, prayers and gifts!  Give Today

Tikkun is Hebrew for “Restoration” so the Tikkun Global Conference Sept 11-12 in Anaheim, CA is really Restoration Global 2025! “As our team pursued God’s heart for this conference, we felt it was important to bring it to California. This has been a season of fires and trials, but together we will overcome. …You might ask yourself: “What part do I play in this restoration plan?” Join us for a time of vision, teachings, worship, and fellowship. We hope and pray you will walk away understanding the significant role you have in God’s restoration story. The conference will be held at The Rock in Anaheim, California and featuring Asher Intrater, Ariel Blumenthal, Ana Paula Valadao Bessa, Franicis Chan, Raquel Smilovici, Jeremiah Smilocici, Melva Phelps, Paul Wilbur and Jerry Dirmann. We are so grateful for their partnership. Register today and guarantee your seat.
     4/17 Video from Asher Intrater on Passover: Past-Present-Future featuring this free download booklet with the same title that Asher and David Demian published together supporting the same theme. |  The Sign of Almond Blossoms by Hannah Tekle | BOOK by Daniel Juster That They May Be One

Michael and Dina Beener of the
City of Life in Sderot also write about serving the elderly during Passover:     Passover Hope for the Elderly in Israel | This Passover holiday takes on a deeper meaning in Sderot, our city in southern Israel just a few kilometers from Gaza. With the war still ongoing, and the constant threat of rockets and explosions, residents try to reclaim a sense of normal life. Among them, the elderly, perhaps the most vulnerable, yet often the strongest, cling to hope and to life itself. Our local outreach center organized a special Passover concert for the city’s elderly. It was an afternoon filled with live music, warm smiles, and heartfelt emotion. Over 100 seniors attended, receiving traditional Passover sets with matzah, wine, and food vouchers. In the midst of chaos, it became a moment of comfort and joy. . . . . In these difficult days, as darkness tries to overshadow this land, the light of hope continues to shine through acts of love and compassion. We believe that God is near to the brokenhearted, and His presence brings healing even in the midst of pain. All of this has been made possible thanks to the faithful support of partners and friends who, led by the Lord, have united with us in this calling, to reach lives and bring comfort to this region of Israel in such challenging times. WATCH THE VIDEO
     Constant Persecution On Our Ministry | We are facing ongoing pressure from local authorities, influenced by ultra-Orthodox extremist groups like Yad L’Achim, trying to shut down our distribution center and congregation. They see our work and the support we receive as a threat. In the midst of this, we believe the Lord is leading us to something greater, acquiring our own building. Please watch this VIDEO and learn more. We need your help.

 In the Haifa Passover ministry at Shaveitzion/Return to Zion, Leon Mazin writes, “There are some people and families in Israel that do not have an opportunity to make such dinner. God tells us: "… then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone …" so our Congregation tried to help them to feel a joyful atmosphere of the Feast. We provided about 250 presents for the vulnerable groups of the population that include needy families, Holocaust Survivors and elderly people, women subjected to domestic violence, families of the children with cancer. About 100 presents were provided to Municipal Services at their request.
     More good news is that recently we started the Alef-Course for non-believers in our daughter congregation, Nof ha-Galil Congregation.  We ask you to pray so that it bears much fruit. We also wish Happy Passover to all of you, our beloved friends! Please visit us online to learn of the ways we are "Restoring & Proclaiming the Faith in Yeshua in Israel!"

The ARC of Israel’s Chaim Malespin was in the throng that welcomed the new US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. It’s small picture, but see if you can spot Chaim’s smile! He writes, “We are in the final days of Passover and soon believers around the world will be remembering the resurrection power of Messiah! I’m home for the weekend, what an honor it was to be part of welcoming the new appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and pray at the Western wall, and watch as he placed a personal handwritten note from US president Donald Trump, in the wall, in an act of solidarity, his first act is Ambassador, and hear him stand very strong for Israel! ALSO Watch this report Chaim makes on it.
     Special Passover Message from Chaim: Why the big Exodus from Egypt? | ALSO Check out the daily videos from Chaim Malespin and please help spread the videos by liking and sharing them.
 The ministry letter from Chaim also gives insight from Exodus 15, the Torah passage for Passover.

Youval Yanay leads the Revive Israel community in the believer village of Yad Hashmonah. They write, “God has raised this Yeshua to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” –Acts 2:32 | This year, Passover and Easter happen during the same week—a powerful reminder of the unity we are called to live out. What brings Jewish and Christian followers of Yeshua closer than His resurrection, which gave us life?  May this season of Passover and Easter be filled with renewed faith, deep joy, and the life-giving power of Yeshua for all who believe in Him.” Also from the Revive team, an article by Neveen Bader and Tal Haroni, A Night to Remember. It’s about the spiritual lessons of Passover: “For generations, the people of Israel waited. Entire lives began and ended in the grip of slavery, yet they held onto a promise that deliverance would come—if not for them, then maybe for their children.”

From Restoration (Tikkun) from Zion, the Juster’s file this report on Ben & Lorena in the US heading Tikkun America “This year’s feast has been especially enriching and meaningful. A highlight is that Lorena and I were blessed to host a seder for about 135 people, tying together the incredible dynamics of Yeshua in Passover for the past, the present and the future.” Ben’s mother , Patty in Israel, reflects on the Passover Seder Yeshua partook with His disciples – the Last Supper as it is known among Christians. Patty and Dan live in the same building as their daughter and her husband’s family live, so they are surrounded with grandchildren then. Patty noted that in the Egyptian Passover, the lamb that was sacrificed so they could put its blood on their doorposts to be passed over by the Death Angel, was a lamb that the family raised and had grown to love. It was a sacrifice that was costly to them in emotional terms. So was the sacrifice of Yeshua, as He prepared His disciples at that last Passover before he laid down His life to redeem whosoever will. She noted, “He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:14). Patty spoke of the intimacy that comes eating with others, and how Yeshua desires this intimacy with us all. In fact, Patty writes, “Eating and fellowship lead to intimacy. We were created with these two basic needs. Hence, the seriousness of eating with those who claim to be believers but are living in unrepentant sin. We are not even to eat with such ones, as it is not only food that we are eating but ingesting of one another’s souls. The table of fellowship is to be holy. It was at the last seder that Yeshua exposed Judas’s betrayal. Judas got up and left the fellowship.” But she writes, “Yeshua said that He would not partake of the elements of the seder until the marriage supper of the Lamb and the coming of His kingdom in fullness. His heart still burns for intimacy - us in Him and He in us.
     Dan wrote of their family Passover, “One of the children told her mother to remember that God does not slumber or sleep but watches over Israel day and night. Several times my eyes teared up as I perceived the grace of God shining through their lives. . . .It was such an amazing time as we celebrated Passover with our two families still in the Land, my daughter Simcha and my daughter Rebecca. Our seven grandchildren in our town in Israel were all together (we have three grandchildren in the United States). This is the first month of the year in the Torah. 
     Thank God for health. I continue with our work in the new Bible School and am now preparing a lecture on Deuteronomy. Then I go to a Toward Jerusalem Council II meeting at the end of this month. In May, it is a trip to Rome and then in June to Helsinki, Finland for networking at the World Pentecostal Fellowship. Finally we are back in the U. S. for a little over 2 months. I continue enjoying being part of the pastoral team of our congregation here. Slow down? What is that? But how much I do enjoy the work we do ... and peace. One of the children told her mother to remember that God does not slumber or sleep but watches over Israel day and night. Several times my eyes teared up as I perceived the grace of God shining through their lives.

Reuven Doron had many insights to share on Resurrection Life in his last ministry letter. On April 19th Reuven wrote, “It’s almost Resurrection Sunday, and the Old City of Jerusalem is packed full with pilgrims from many nations who arrive to worship God and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Before we worship, let us ask and answer a couple of meaningful questions.”  He goes over these important questions which you can read in part by clicking the title above. To read in full, please subscribe to Reuven’s ministry list. Here is a word from him on how to do that:
     Happy Resurrection Sunday to all who love the Lord. Thank you for upholding our people, our family, and our work in your prayers. We are grateful for those who are able to financially share in our labors during this season of war and of harvest. The needs are substantial, as are the opportunities to serve the Lord, and this link offers tax-credited giving options. OR  Email us for more information and for other giving options.

Guy Cohen of the Acco Katzir Asher/Harvest of Asher writes, “Resurrection is a promise from God to His people. Yeshua is the first to overcome death. In Ezekiel 37 we are given a promise from God that He will resurrect the dry bones and pour His Spirit into them. I pray that we will see with our own eyes the fruition of this promise for His people Israel whom He brought from the four corners of the earth, in order to breathe His breath into them.
     When Yeshua overcame the grave and became the first fruit to God, He fulfilled the Feast of Omer. On this day, in the temple, the omer (sheaf) was lifted up before God as a first fruit offering. From this day we count fifty days until the time when the whole nation would gather in Jerusalem to offer the first fruits of their harvest (Shavuot). This is when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the first century congregation. This is the beginning of God's promise that His Spirit, thanks to Yeshua's sacrifice on the cross, would dwell in every man in the world who accepts Yeshua as His Lord and Savior. In Him we live forever throughout eternity.
     Prayer Requests for Pastor Guy as he travels & ministers. Also for those who are experiencing hearing issues among the body. 

 From Pastor Israel Pochtar of Beit Hallel congregation in Ashdod and the Voice of Judah Ministries, he writes, how it is “A Season of Fulfillment and Forward Motion…, we are witnessing the convergence of prophetic promises being fulfilled, lives being transformed, and new doors of ministry opening across Israel and beyond. From the threshold of purchasing our long-awaited Evangelism and Discipleship Center in the heart of Ashdod, to life-changing moments at our Youth Discipleship Camp in the desert near Eilat—God is moving powerfully in our midst. These are not just isolated events; they are prophetic milestones marking the journey of faith we’ve all walked together.
     At the same time, I'm preparing to speak at a key pastors’ conference in Albania—carrying the message of revival and restoration from Zion to the nations. And we continue to see the fruit of discipleship in the lives of individuals like Elena, whose journey from new believer to bold follower of Yeshua is a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
     Holocaust Memorial Day: Compassion that Counts | “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” – Psalm 71:9 | This week as Yom HaShoah approaches—Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day—we find ourselves pausing once again to reflect on one of history’s darkest chapters. It’s a day etched in the collective soul of our nation. A day not only to remember the six million who perished, but also to honor those who survived—those who still walk among us carrying living memories of unspeakable horror, resilience, and hope. But remembrance alone is not enough. In 2025, approximately 123,000 Holocaust survivors remain in Israel. Most are now well into their 80s and 90s. Many live alone, facing poverty, isolation, and declining health. These precious individuals are not only survivors—they are living witnesses. They carry stories the world must never forget. But every day, that number dwindles. We are running out of time to look into their eyes and say, “We see you. We honor you. We’re here for you...” WATCH
     
* DONNA: See my commentary inspired by the things Israel Pochtar wrote about compassion towards the elderly in The Sign of Deep Spiritual National Decline

From an anointed friend with wisdom for healing especially emotional wounds, Orna Grinman shares her own family’s Holocaust experience in WE WILL NOT FORGET “My father was a holocaust survivor.”

The Sign of Deep Spiritual National Decline

 



A couple of days ago when I was just wrapping up the Weekly Summary this morning before starting to summarize it for Arrows from Zion. I was reading a part of Israel Pochtar's ministry letter about honoring Holocaust survivors on this day after of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel. Israel's words made me think of the contrast of honoring the elderly and the state of things in most societies today.
He wrote, "It’s a day etched in the collective soul of our nation. A day not only to remember the six million who perished, but also to honor those who survivedthose who still walk among us carrying living memories of unspeakable horror, resilience, and hope. But remembrance alone is not enough.
"In 2025, approximately 123,000 Holocaust survivors remain in Israel. Most are now well into their 80s and 90s. Many live alone, facing poverty, isolation, and declining health. These precious individuals are not only survivors—they are living witnesses. They carry stories the world must never forget. But every day, that number dwindles. We are running out of time to look into their eyes and say, 'We see you. We honor you. We’re here for you.' ”
A few days ago, I saw a video on social media of a young, heavy black man beating up a frail old white man in his 80's or 90's. The beating was merciless, fists slammed in the man's head several times, when he crumbled to the ground there were kicks in his body. The old man suffers from dementia. What possible reason could he have deserved being beaten like that? Or was it as it so often seems today, just being old and vulnerable was enough to make the young man beat him like that.
The disrepect of young people toward the elderly is rampant, far beyond anything I have ever witnessed in my life. That is not a nostaligic exageration, it is a fact. The deep moral and spiritual decline in the United States is evidenced in the pernicious disrespect of the elderly by our youth. It is rampant. Isaiah 3:5 addresses times like we live in: "And the people will be oppressed, Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor; The youth will storm against the old men and women, and the vile shamelessly against the honorable."
There are 6 places in scripture when the mistreatment of the elderly are spoken of. Clearly God sees such behavior as a strong indicator of human decline and He expects more from His people.
In Isaiah 47:6 God says, “I was angry with My people, I pierced My inheritance and gave them into your hand. You did not show mercy to them, On the aged you made your yoke very heavy."
I believe this speaks of Israel in the exile where they have been pierced and wounded throughout the nations they lived in. When God exiled Israel - removed them from the Promised Land - it meant He was 'giving them into the hands' of the nations. The reverse is also true, now that God had restored Israel to the Land of Promise, even though their deadly enemies attack them in that place, not longer is Israel just in the hands of the nations. Now the God of Israel fights for them. God is not happy with how Israel was treated without mercy in the nations, and makes speacial mention of how even the most aged among them were not treated kindly as is obviously the expected behavor toward all human elderly. As He continues to bring them to the place of repentance don't expect God to sit idly by when they are attacked. God fights for them in this hour and in the hours to come.
Reading about the honoring of Holocaust survivors year after year by the Israeli ministries - not just on this day but on every day - is a WORD for Christians, especially the youth-idolizing Christians who disdain aging saints, even aging leaders. Saying prideful things against them like, 'Time to roll over and make way for the young lions.' Not until those young lions learn to honor those God honors.
One of the verses that speaks of how young Israelis in scripture dishonored an old prophet has been on my mind lately. In 2 Kings 2:23-24 when "Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.…"
I know that probably messes with your theology a bit ("Oh no! Christians would never do that!). Let me just say that I don't believe God answers curses that come out of our own spirit, but that maybe He does tell someone like Elisha, 'That was not just a petty insult to you, that was indicative of an unredeemable band of 42 boys creating havoc.'
I know this, God sees in hearts even though we can't. Who knows what He might speak to us if we were in the place of that old man I saw horribly beaten. It is better to call the unredeemed to the LORD to be transformed, but not all are going to come, and this propensity to act evil against the innocent, the vulnerable, and God's people is not going away. It will only get worse. God will rise up on our behalf in any way He choses. and it might be to call His judgment on someone to halt further evil.
In the meantime, if you are indeed following the LORD, and you know you have been guilty of dishonoring the elderly, the older leaders you feel should move over so you can rise, you better get repenting for falling in to the trap. You have no excuse before God.
God bless the Israeli ministries who minister the remaining survivors of the Holocaust. You are coming with God's presence upon you as you minister to them.

Friday, April 18, 2025

Arrows 2025 Apr 18 The Fullness of the Gentiles versus The Rise of AntiSemitism among Christians

 The Fullness of the Gentiles
versus
The Rise of AntiSemitism
among Christians

by Donna Diorio 

 Two things are happening at once. While God is bringing His Church into a fuller spiritual maturity, the spiritual enemy is leading even many Christians into a worldwide trend of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist descent into bitter hatred.
     In the Exodus from Egypt, symbolic of God separating His people from slavery to sin, God through Moses told Pharaoh, the one who had enslaved God’s people in Egypt, in Exodus 8:23 “I will make a distinction between My people and your people.”  This distinction between God’s people and the people enslaved to the sin of hating those God loves is still being made today – this time including between Christians who hate Israel and the Jewish people and the Christians who love the same because they see God’s longing to restore and redeem “all Israel.”
     It is easy enough to see this distinction unfolding before our eyes. It is not just clueless celebrity talking heads who are morphing before our eyes into haters of Zion; but people we know personally, even Christians we know. Now they are ready to come out of the closet to tell us how they are the compassionate ones, and we are just blinded by being Zionists.
     One Facebook friend just regurgitated the latest Hamas propaganda being used to protest against Israel about how Israelis can’t be innocent when they are bombing buildings full of children. The man cannot see or hear of the lengths Israel goes to not to bomb innocent civilians, or how the terrorists often won’t let even children leave a building Israel has warned is going to be bombed. He sips from a cup of ignorance and readily believes the worst about Israel. He cannot see Israel through God’s eyes: and his ears cannot hear the facts because his heart is already hardened by the lies of the enemy.
     This is the reality of so many Christians today, much less those who have not even come to the LORD. We pray not only for Israel to see and be saved, but we must also pray for these Christians who have lost their way to God. I don’t know how God will judge those who call upon the name of the LORD in our day, while holding onto all the inaccuracies, lies, bad doctrines, all the things that keep Christians from getting on the same mind/thoughts as God Himself regarding Israel. That is His business to judge, but as He is bringing Christians into “the fullness of the gentiles,” I cannot imagine how one can be made spiritually “full” and still regard Israel and the Jews as evil, or a lost cause for the purposes of God.
     It has troubled me for a long time that there can be Christians so far removed from God’s heart for Israel and for the salvation of all Israel. Now in the midst of the worldwide rise in AntiSemitism – in great part an increase directly tied to the spread of Islamism throughout the world – I see God’s remedy for that is in our heeding His call to us to press into our spiritual maturity.
     As Christians, this point over what we believe about the Jewish people and Israel is becoming the dividing line I always believed it would become. Like God said in the Exodus, He was making a distinction between His people and the people under the evil ruler’s power.
     Receiving God’s love and will for Israel is no longer just another “truth” from the Word of God – one that we don’t need to place priority on. Just seeing it is not good enough, we must enter into God’s plans for the fulfillment — for our own spiritual fullness and for the fulfillment of God’s plan to make the Church and Israel of the Messiah “one new man” in Him.
     We are going to have to pray for the Christians who do not see these things, to see, as well as for the Israeli ministries.
     In a Q&A session a couple of years ago I asked the Israeli ministry leaders on the platform that when they pray for Christians, what is it they pray for?  I have never seen that many ministry leaders so speechless. Finally one of them spoke up and said something along the lines that they pray Christians would see them like God sees them.
     That is exactly the prayer that Israeli ministries must pray over the Church, for our eyes to finally open to the reality of what God is doing between us, Jew and Gentile in the faith. We Christians need not only to pray, but to be drawn into becoming the support system we are called to be as spiritual family. It is the Israeli Ministries who are taking the salvation message to all Israel. . . not the traditional rabbis so many Christians support financially instead. They fund the enemies of the Gospel rather than the witnesses of the Gospel. And many Christians are so stuck on the idea that they have to be the one to engage unsaved Jews in order to make then “jealous” of our faith in Jesus, that they fail to give anything but money to the rabbinic projects they support and willingly never share the Good News with them. Israel’s Messianic Jews share their faith, and it is credible to those they reach out to help. They can do what we from the outside can never do – and example of this is in the first report from the Katzir (Harvest) Passover Youth Camp.
     In Romans 11:25-30 the Apostle to the Gentiles wrote to Christians
     25 I want you to UNDERSTAND THIS MYSTERY, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the fullness of Gentiles comes. 26 AND SO* SHALL ALL ISRAEL BE SAVED. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. 27 And this is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
     28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. YET THEY ARE STILL the people He loves because He chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
     30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you SO THAT THEY TOO WILL SHARE IN God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

     * Let me explain verse 25-26 "the fullness of the Gentiles" is not talking about some set number of Gentiles that God has set as His goal! The fullness of the Gentiles is about a spiritual maturity that God is leading 'whosoever will' enter into that level of maturity that realizes it is Christians who are mature enough not to be jealous of Israel, but to recognize God wants to use us to bring "all Israel" to faith in Israel's Messiah, Yeshua/Jesus.
     When verse 26 says, "and so" it is the same as saying, "and by this means" all Israel shall be saved. What means? By the means of Christians who recognize God is going to use our Christian prayers and our practical assistance of the Messianic believers in Israel who are bringing the Good News of Yeshua, that He really is Israel’s Messiah - the healer, the comforter, the provider, the deliverer, the CAPTAIN of the LORD' ARMIES in battle - everything we need in this life.
     A great many Christians still cannot hear this message. It is beyond their clogged up eyes and ears, and hardened hearts - exactly the spiritual condition of Israel when God set Israel aside for a season to open salvation to non-Jews too. And now, as Paul explains to ALL CHRISTIANS it is our time to recognize the mercy of God in this instead of thinking God just fed up with the Jews and booted them from an eternal destiny with Him.
     Let's get over ourselves, how about it? Time to grow up into the spiritual maturity God has set before us now. We can step in now, or we can be the ones who stand against what God is doing for ALL HIS PEOPLE, both Jew and Gentile, made one in Yeshua, as a husband and wife are made one in God's eyes.
     This is what those who refuse to see Israel as God does are throwing away. In one of the first recorded messages of Jesus, He said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."


Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

A great report from Fields of Wheat’s Eitan Shishkoff on the Passover youth camp called Katzir, which means “Harvest”. This is a summer camp with a distinct purpose to equip Israeli young people for the spiritual harvest in Israel. Many believe it will be the younger generations in the forefront as Israel’s spiritual harvest continues to increase. To be sure it has begun already, but these young people with Hebrew as their first language are going to see far more come to faith than their parents and grandparents have. As an example of the quality of this camp, the volunteer counselors are almost always people who attended at teens themselves. Eitan tells the story of watching one such counselor, by the name of Ruth who after getting her Master’s degree as a registered nurse, came back to influence the young teens as she had been as a teen. In her testimony at the camp, Ruth said, “In 2014 I came to the Katzir camp. I saw a fire inside my counselor. I wanted what she had!” Eitan reports that you could hear a pin drop as the camp focused on all she had to tell them. He writes, “Teens need real-life examples. And they thrive on honesty and transparency. The youth in our camps come from believing homes, but many have not fully surrendered their lives to Yeshua. Over the four days we had together, 8 young people gave their hearts to the Lord for the first time. We are praising God for the grace extended to them.”
     This is what is going on in Israel among the body of the LORD, they are making the time count even in the midst of on-going war and all the sorrows and traumas that go with that. Eitan writes, “thank you for praying and for giving—so that the youth of this nation can be equipped to draw their generation to the Way, the Truth, and the Life of the Lamb who was slain. . . . We will continue, by God’s grace and with your caring, continued participation.” At this writing the Katzir Camps for 2025 has raised 83% - $149,928 of the $180,000 goal. Giving

Cookie Schwaeber-Issan wrote an informative piece on How the media fuels antisemitism that you can read in full on AllIsraelNews.com. Cookie writes, "....One case in point would be the recent “60 Minutes” segment, hosted by veteran reporter Leslie Stahl, who traveled to Israel to interview former hostages Yarden Bibas, Tal Shoham and Keith and Aviva Siegel…. It's not easy to portray cold-blooded murderers as being on the same level as the victims who were forcibly taken from their homes and brought to the dark, underground tunnels of Gaza against their will. But somehow, Stahl managed to attempt it while asking Keith Siegel about his personal experience of being denied food. She sheepishly asks, “Do you think they starved you or they just didn’t have any food?” To which Siegel replies, “No, I think they starved me.”
     How is it possible that a seasoned journalist, such as Stahl, would not have read or been aware of the myriads of reports, stating that Hamas packed their warehouses to the brim with stolen food and goods which they illegally seized from the thousands of truckloads of humanitarian aid constantly flooding into Gaza? …. It is this kind of disingenuous framing, of an ongoing war, lacking the important and relevant reasons, justifications and full context of why we continue to fight a war, foisted upon us, which brutally and savagely murdering our citizens while kidnapping and holding others under the most inhumane and abominable conditions known to man.
     DONNA: As I am watching conservative media exploding in anti-Semitic views on X, and many pro-Israel Christians conservatives deny their media heroes are speaking anti-Semitism, I believe this is an issue that must be countered and challenged. We cannot let it go.

Leon Mazin makes a great point in his opening statement: “Thank you for your prayers, support and letters of encouragement. Sometimes we feel like our “legs are buckling” (after all, you don’t believe that a believer should always be a hero…) and an encouraging letter or a word of support comes from you and the world around becomes more colorful and joyous.” Leaders are people too. They shouldn’t be afraid to be real with us.
    In speaking of a family trip to Canada where they have relatives, Leon wrote about how his younger children liked the new experience of snow. For himself, born in the former Soviet Union, “snow is not a novelty for me. From 1987 to 1989 I was drafted into the Soviet Army and served in Siberia…. I do not have much nostalgia for snow. But it is tied with the testimony of my faith, with how the Holy Spirit filled me in particularly unfavorable conditions when I was a new believer in an atheistic army and in a country with enduring anti-religious propaganda…. In December 1988 we spent many weeks of tactical exercises living in a tent in the terrible conditions of the Siberian winter close to the Chinese border. Afterwards we were taken back to our base very late at night. I remember going to bed completely exhausted and broken in the barracks where more than 100 people were sleeping. Suddenly I started praying loudly in tongues. My neighbors asked me: “Who are you talking to?” But thank God they were just like me tired and fell asleep very quickly. And as for me, I had a dialogue with the Heavens that winter night!  The Book of Acts 1:8 says: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
     DONNA: This is the preparation God had for Leon probably before he ever thought about going to Israel or of becoming one of those set apart for leading others to faith in Israel. Leon had other things to write about, but I was particularly touched by hearing this personal memory from his testimony in the LORD. The congregation Return to Zion is in Haifa, has daughter congregational plants, and many outreaches such as the classical music school outreach that is a major part of their ministry. Learn more 

 Sally Shiff from the HaMaayan congregation writes, “When I was in the states, I was taken aback by those who are not "anti-Jewish" just "anti-Israel", even my fellow Jews.  This is another form of Antisemitism. In order to fully understand this front that 1 of the 7 fronts on this war, I am including an excellent discussion of definitions, and how it impacts all of us.  This front of the war is insidious, and if not checked could result in another holocaust like WWII.  "Going on the offensive against Jew-hatred (w/Brooke Goldstein) | The Quad"  
     A Passover story and miracle to start off, and the story is near and dear to my heart: Dog abducted from murdered hostage’s family found by troops in Gaza. Reservist says Billy joined him for Passover Seder in Israel, then was taken to vet and identified via microchip as belonging to Rachel Dancyg, the divorcee of Alex Dancyg. This little dog, Billiewas in Gaza, responded to the Hebrew that the IDF was speaking, and now will return to his family. Sadly, he lost his "dad" on that horrific day, but will return to the safety of his home. (Watch the video on Facebook of the return of the dog to the mother whose son was killed.)
 

Jennifer Guetta of Plant Hope Israel writes of “2 amazing events that took place in Israel this week during the Passover-Resurrection week. God is moving among His people!” The first was a “Prophetic Last Supper” in the City of David with 14 disciples “above the Spring of Gihon, and the Melchizedek place, on the location where the Tabernacle of David stood.” The second Passover event was in their northern Galilee home in Poriya Ilit. Jennifer writes, “It was also exactly 10 years ago that the Lord called us to organize a Passover together with 400 believers in the Netherlands, including Israelis and Iranians. It was the same evening in 2015 that Yeshua revealed Himself to two Jewish men in their dreams!
She also writes, “Three years ago the Lord gave me a word for passover and the coming time. Now He has put it on my heart to share it with you:  The world is about to explode. But you are here to announce my victory. I am coming soon to save my people. Tell them not to fear. My light is far greater than the darkness. I will bring my people home into my kingdom. A spiritual exodus does not go without strife. But my miracles will open the way for deliverance. I will bring hope to my people. I will set them free and they will be in awe of the King of Glory. 
     “I will open the gates and set the captives free, topple strongholds, burn bridges of evil, cut the cords of the enemy and bonds asunder. The enemy will flee and hearts will open. They will not resist anymore.  MY GLORY WILL SWEEP THEM OFF THEIR FEET. Decree my Glory, For this is the time.”
     The Lord also said: "There is hope. God is real and the Messiah already paid the victory. The spiritual exodus has started. The greatest exodus ever. This will cause intense physical and spiritual collisions. But God will rescue his people with great signs and wonders and lead them out of the darkness into the light. Out of which God will bring forth a new hope for the children of Israel and the world.”  God says: Do not fear and is calling out to His people:  Come my children come. Follow me through the Red Sea. Come and I will lead you through the greatest exodus ever, and I will set you free.” For more information about how God pours His Glory out His Glory on Passover and our calling please listen to this Podcast: THE GLORY REVEALED AND PASSOVER. 

Rania Sayegh, the Christian Arab prophetic intercessor at Hope (House of Prayer & Exploits) in Nazareth writes of A Prophetic Call to Breakthrough & Encounter, during the “12 days leading into and through Passover are a dedicated time to press in for restoration and a fresh revelation of God’s character.” Read Full Article. HOPE Prayer Requests include prayers for a generation of prayer warriors, for salvation and revelation for both Jews and Arabs, spiritual awakening & freedom, peace in the Arab community, strength and provision for the HOPE team, Prayer for Iran and for worship on the high places. “As many of you are aware, we have begun a worship campaign as a house of prayer, worship in different strategic locations. Our first location began on Mount Precipice (Watch Video Here). Please continue to cover the team as we continue to release the sound in the coming months over the land.
     Sow Into HOPE | Join Us in Advancing Worship & Media Initiatives  At HOPE, we are passionate about advancing prayer, worship, and media efforts. As our house of prayer grows, so does our ability to equip and empower worship and media teams to support this exciting expansion.”

Ronit Bender, our friend in Isfiya in northern Israel writes of visiting a couple she has long expressed her faith to, joining them for a Passover sedar in their home. She writes that they are in the 80’s and have as yet to come to faith. Pray for the couple, B&G, and their son N, who has come to faith, but is undiscipled. Ronit also writes of an elderly Ukrainian woman who was searching the trash bins for food and at the Lord’s prompting Ronit was able to bless her with cash twice. Another person she was able to bless: “I felt prompted by the Lord to go to a specific shop where my friend I works. While there, she told me about her son being in jail, the boy is a believer like her. In that moment, the Lord revealed why He had sent me there: to give a large sum of money.  Upon receiving it, she wept, telling me this was the exact sum that she needed to give the lawyer defending her son and only that morning she told the Lord that He is her husband, so she relies on Him in all things. Thank you again for enabling me to be generous and help people as the Lord directs. He knows the needs.”
     There are many in deep poverty and need in Israel. This is on the heart of the Israeli ministries large or like Ronit, a person who just lives her life and shares with those the LORD puts in her path. 

Orna Grinman writes on her blog, Can We Feast our Freedom?  You may not understand that, I didn’t; but it has to do with the Feast of Passover, and what can a people do who are embroiled in a fearful war against brutal enemies and the reality of sorrows of wars? She writes about Daniel Weiss a survivor of October 7th, whose own parents did not survive the assault on their home. “Daniel is a musician and artist. He became a well-known figure thanks to his story and his powerful performances. In this rendition of “Let My People Go!” he is one of the soloists (standing 3rd from right and crying out loud at the end for his friends and relatives to be released from the dark tunnels of Gaza). [DD: You don't want to miss this powerful music video! Click the title and the video is on the blog.] 

Tikkun Global sends Betty Intrater’s Middle East Prayer Update.  Betty writes, “Halfway into the Passover holiday ‘Let my people go’ has never felt so real.” Read in full at the link above, but here is a summary: “Division within the Israeli public has reached alarming proportions, with intense and vocal opposition to the government at almost every level. Protests have become a weekly event.
     Please pray: • For all the hostages to be released • For a complete end to the war with complete destruction of Hamas • For Lebanon to be under full control of its own government without Hezbollah • For the downfall of Turkey’s president ErdoganFor the US not to whitewash the need to destroy Iranian nuclear infrastructure  • For healing within our nation”
     ALSO Yeshua’s great prayer in John 17:21 is for us to be one as He and the Father are one. But do we believe in Unity at Any Cost? By Guy Cohen | VIDEO Discernment = Identity (Part 2) | Teaching by Ariel Blumenthal | Some lessons we can learn from this teaching: • Not everything supernatural is from God (II Thessalonians 2:10, II Corinthians 11:14). • The Jerusalem “syndrome”—the good and the bad • Context, context, context! as we interpret and apply Scripture • Gospel and Sonship over angels | Book: Passover: The Key That Unlocks the Book of Revelation by Dan Juster
     Sept 11-12 in Anaheim, CA Tikkun Global Conference 2025 Register Now

From Revive Israel led by Youval Yanay: Please pray for us during this Passover time with our families—that the light of Yeshua would shine at our holiday tables, and that we’d be able to share our personal stories of redemption through the Messiah.  We also ask for your prayers as we prepare for Camp Connections in France. It’s a special opportunity to encourage teens from Israel, offering them a place of rest and a deeper encounter with the Father’s love. If your heart is to invest in the next generation of believers in the Land, you can do so by giving here. Wishing you a joyful Shabbat and a blessed Feast of Freedom! The Revive Israel Community
     Hidden Acts, Lasting Impact | The story of the Exodus doesn’t begin with the ten plagues or the parting of the Red Sea—it begins with the faith, courage, and resourcefulness of three women: Yocheved, Moses’ mother; Miriam, his sister; and Pharaoh’s daughter. Each one, from her unique place, played a vital role in preserving Moses’ life so that he could one day become a vessel in God’s hands for the redemption of Israel.

Aliyah Return Center’s Chaim Malespin makes the great comparison of the Exodus story to the modern Aliyah journeys from nations across the globe to Israel as God called His people to return to the land of Promise. Chaim writes, “As we witnessed during our celebration, each Jewish immigrant arrives in Israel with hope, courage, and determination to build their ancestral legacy. However, they cannot do it alone. "I have seen the suffering of my people... and I have come down to deliver them." — Exodus 3:7-8
     WATCH: BUILDING JEWISH LEGACY IN ISRAEL This Passover season, we invite you to make a monthly commitment that will help both bring Jews home to Israel and support them as they rebuild their ancestral legacy. CLICK to GIVE Your monthly commitment isn't just financial support—it's a declaration that you stand with God's people as they return to their promised land.
 

Israel Pochtar of the Beit Hallel congregation writes of “Building for Eternity: A Passover Season of Redemption and Revival! | In a world that feels increasingly fragile and fast-moving, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly lasts. But here in the Land of Israel—where prophecy unfolds before our very eyes—we are seeing the power of eternal things take root….—God is moving. These are not just stories from long ago or promises for the distant future. This is now. This is Kingdom work in real time….     We are honored to stand with you in this season—watching miracles unfold, witnessing salvation take hold, and building something that will outlast us all. With just 12% remaining, we’re almost at the finish line of establishing a permanent home for evangelism and discipleship right here in the heart of the Promised Land. Thank you for standing with us. WATCH NOW
     VIDEO Watch our Passover Seder in the Desert – A Night of Deliverance and Revelation  | VIDEO Unlocking the Prophetic Depth of Passover with Pastor Israel | READ A young Family Encounters New Life in Yeshua: Hope in Jerusalem

From Dov Bikas of the Aviv Ministry in Tel Aviv:  “We want to share some wonderful news about Artyom* – the street addict we mentioned in our previous newsletter. As you may recall, our volunteer Igal met him while he was begging near a supermarket. Later, Artyom* began visiting the Aviv Center, and eventually went to Igal’s rehab center in Netanya. We are happy to report that he is doing well – and has just come to faith in Yeshua! Praise God, and thank you for your prayers!
     In addition, we are excited to share with you two more videos about: First Aid at Aviv Center – a behind-the-scenes look at how we provide urgent medical help and care to people who often have nowhere else to turn.  AND the story of Wilhelm, the manager of our Rehab Center for men in Beersheba, where he talks about his past as a drug addict and criminal – and the change he experienced when God touched his heart with His saving grace.

For Out of Zion ministries of David & Josie Silver, their son Stefan writes an excellent piece on God’s Divine Distinction | From Egypt’s Plagues to the Final Judgment | by Stefan Silver | Exodus 8:23 “Thus I will put a division between my people and your people”

As Passover draws near (next Saturday evening), we look back to one of the most profound stories found in scripture – Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The book of Exodus is one of the most powerful demonstrations of God’s sovereignty, justice, and redemption. In the midst of the ten plagues, a striking and unexpected theme emerges: God makes a clear distinction between His chosen people, Israel, and the Egyptians. Nowhere is this more evident than in Exodus 8:22-23, where the Lord declares: “But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. Thus, I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.” (Exodus 8:22-23)
     This passage is important because it reveals God's active role in separating Israel from the judgments He unleashed upon Egypt. While the plagues ravaged the land, Goshen—the region where the Israelites lived—remained untouched. This divine differentiation wasn’t just an act of mercy; it was a statement of identity. Israel was His chosen people, and He would protect them even while judging the nation that oppressed them.
     The Hebrew word for “distinction” in Exodus 8:23 is p'dut, meaning “redemption” or “deliverance.” It conveys not just separation but an act of salvation, setting apart one group for preservation. God’s distinction is not unjust favoritism but a sovereign act of setting apart His people for His divine purposes. In the midst of the plagues, an unexpected theme emerges: A clear distinction is made between Israel and Egypt
     The Distinction in Egypt | From the fourth plague onward, the distinction between Israel and Egypt became increasingly evident. The flies that tormented the Egyptians did not infest Goshen (Exodus 8:22). The deadly pestilence that struck Egypt’s livestock left Israel’s herds unharmed (Exodus 9:4). The devastating hail spared Goshen (Exodus 9:26). The impenetrable darkness covered Egypt for three days, yet the Israelites had light in their dwellings (Exodus 10:23). And ultimately, the most sobering differentiation came with the death of the firstborn—Israel was given the means of escape through the blood of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:13).
     God was making a statement: He had a covenant with his people Israel who would be preserved and delivered, while Egypt did not and would suffer divine judgment.
     The Continuing Distinction: Israel as the Epicenter | This principle of divine distinction didn’t end in the book of Exodus. Throughout history, God has continued to preserve Israel despite insurmountable odds. Whether it was the survival of the Jewish people through thousands of years in exile, through the dark ages, the inquisition, the pogroms and the Holocaust, through the miraculous rebirth of the modern state of Israel in 1948 against all odds and until this very day, God’s hand remains evident.
     Today, Israel stands as the focal point of world events. The Middle East is the epicenter of global tectonic changes, and at the heart of it all is the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants. The nations rage, alliances shift, and global leaders deliberate over Israel’s future, but Scripture is clear: God’s promises to Israel remain unshaken.
     Just as in Egypt, God’s distinction remains. While the world plots and nations rise and fall, Israel stands as a testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness, those who bless Israel flourish and those who curse Israel wither away. The same God who shielded the children of Israel in Goshen continues to guard the nation of Israel today, setting the stage and preparing the way for the return of Messiah.  Once again, Israel stands as the Epicenter of tectonic global events that will culminate in the return of Messiah
     The Final Distinction | The book of Exodus foreshadows an even greater distinction to come—the separation of those who belong to God and those who reject Him when Messiah returns. Just as God made a distinction between Egypt and Israel, Yeshua will one day return to distinguish between those who are His and those who are not.
     Matthew 24:31-46 speaks of this final separation, where Jesus will gather His elect and judge the nations, separating the sheep from the goats. This will be the ultimate redemption for those who belong to Him and are grafted into His olive tree, while final judgment awaits those who are not.
     The Lord is still at work in the earth, and His hand remains upon His chosen people as He works all things together according to His plans and purposes, and for the good of all those who love Him. We are God’s fellow workers (1 Cor. 3:9) who eagerly await the day when He calls us and all who are His to enter the joy of the Master, forever sealing the great distinction of those who are His people, and those who are not. Shalom and Blessings from Israel