with Pastor Steve Berger
Zechariah 14 clearly states that a time is coming in history when every nation of the world will turn against Jerusalem. We have thankfully not yet reached that place, though a discerning mind can see how this may shape up in the future. Having just returned from Israel I saw even more the facts in the present conflict between the forces of Hamas (by the way the Hebrew word for “violence” is “hamas”) and Israel and saw how the news media reports all this. It’s clear how they and the nations will ultimately turn against this host people who have brought us redemption through Jesus.
Israel is the most compassionate nation in history in the way they are fighting against Hamas. They know where all the rocket launchers are located. They possess some of the most precise technology and intelligence sources on the planet. They could have wiped out every rocket launcher in a matter of hours, but they know this would also take the lives of tens of thousands of innocent Gazans. The main reason being Hamas hides their rocket launchers and weapons among schools, hospitals, and private homes, knowing Israel is more reticent to destroy them because they will inevitably take the lives of innocent civilians.
Pastor Steve & Pastor Israel Pochtar in Ashdod
As Benjamin Netanyahu told the world some time ago, if Hamas will lay down their arms, there will be peace, but if Israel lays down their arms, there will be no Israel.
Pastor Steve Berger and I spent much of last week in Israel, visiting some of the leaders among Jesus followers, as well as military personnel and government leaders. We were shown actual footage of one of the smart bombs used to destroy some of the weapons caches and tunnels in Gaza. Before the bomb was detonated, Israel took every precaution possible to see that innocent civilians and children would be spared. They 1) sent down leaflets urging all to leave the area because Israel was about to destroy the house containing the weapons, 2) made phone calls and sent text messages to warn the civilians to leave the area, 3) sent out their drones to see if any civilians were detected in the area, 4) dropped a small explosive on the roof of the building to try to scare people out of the house, 5) then release the bomb – and yet even in the releasing, if civilians were seen, the use their precise laser directors to redirect the bomb to an open field, 6) send humanitarian aid to the civilians, and 7) provide a hospital clinic to minister to the wounded.
The world media knows nothing of these precautions, nor do they care. They are more interested in accusing Israel of war crimes for the loss of civilian lives, but never take time or initiative to accuse Hamas of war crimes even though all their thousands of rockets sent into Israel are intended to kill as many Israelis as possible, including innocent children.
What is the message from all this? Do not rely on the media to give you truth. Read the Book!
Does this mean that we hate the Gazans or even the Hamas terrorists? No, there are many innocent people in Gaza. There are Gazan believers who need our help, and we must keep praying the Lord will reveal Himself both to Israel and to the Palestinians. Pray that even these Hamas terrorists will have visions of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus and will accept Him as their Redeemer. Many terrorists have been redeemed through the years, including the well-known “terrorist” named Saul, who was out to
kill all the believers, but had an encounter on the road to Damascus that changed his life and the lives of thousands of others who came to know Jesus as Lord.
Pastor Steve and I shared the message at Grace Chapel in Franklin, TN on Sunday. The whole message can be seen by going to www.gracechapel.net and scrolling down to “Latest Message” and “Part 6 – Trip to Israel.”
Stay strong! Keep looking at Jesus! Let fear and anxiety turn to prayer and to praise to a God who redeems!
Blessings,
Don Finto