*Editor’s note: This is a living document with regular updates about the situation in Israel and Gaza. Please check back frequently.
Oct 12, 2023 – An Israel update from Brian Brodersen from the Island of Cyprus
Greetings, friends. Pastor Brian here, and I am standing on the shores of the Mediterranean. Just about 200 miles southeast of where I’m standing is Tel Aviv.
Of course, we are all aware of things that are happening in that region currently. I just wanted to take a few minutes to give you an update from where I am in Cyprus.
We are here for a conference that we do fairly regularly, and it just so happens that we ended up here at this time. It always seems like we end up here at strategic times!
At the moment in Israel, we have a number of students from our Bible college who are happy to evacuate the country. And thankfully we’re here and we’re able to have many of them come and join us here in Cyprus as they make their way back home to the U.S. If you would keep that in prayer, that would be wonderful. I know that their families would appreciate that.
Of course, our hearts go out to many of our personal friends in Israel. Today, we have been in touch with them, and we’re keeping in close contact to monitor the situation to see what we can do to help towards whatever needs arise.
And we’re also, of course, praying for the Palestinian people of Gaza. We actually have friends who have family there. So we’re not disconnected from that as well. I was in touch with one of them this morning, and they definitely asked for prayer. It’s a complicated, horrific situation.
Israel’s decision to eradicate the terrorism of Hamas, I personally think, is the right and obvious decision. And yet, it’s going to be a difficult road.
Many have asked this question, is this a fulfillment of Bible prophecy?
The answer is: no and yes at the same time. No, it’s not a fulfillment of any specific prophecy. However, it is a fulfillment of the larger prophetic scenario that the Bible lays out where Jerusalem would become this burdensome stone to all the nations, and the Lord promises that for all those who would come against Jerusalem, He would rise up in judgment against them.
So, we’re not there at this moment, but that’s where things are headed. Are they headed there in the next few months? It doesn’t seem to me that that’s the case. But that is, generally speaking, the direction that the world is moving in. So in one sense we see the stages continuing to be set for the final acts, which could be years out ahead of us. We don’t really know.
What I think what this does is it moves us to pray. It moves us to realize the seriousness of the situation, and the world that we are living in today. It creates in us an urgency for the Gospel. People need Jesus.
The craziness unfolds around us with the various opinions, with some people actually coming out and publicly supporting the murderous rampage that these terrorists went on!
A lot of things are being revealed right now. And hopefully, as a result of this, there will be people that are turning to Christ. That’s our prayer.
Please continue to pray for us:
Pray for the conference that we’re having because it’s for people from the region. They’re coming to be encouraged. They didn’t know they were going to be coming in the midst of this conflict… but that’s where we’re at. But we’re trusting that the Lord has good things, and people are going to be encouraged to go back to their communities in the Muslim world, for the most part, and in the Jewish world as well, to bring the hope of Christ!
So, thanks for your prayers.
God bless.
Oct 9, 2023 at 08:19 PST – More Prayer Requests From Friends In Israel
*Editor’s note: submitted by one of our Calvary Chapel pastors. A message from friends in Israel about the current crisis. Names have been withheld to protect those in the field.
Terrorist are still inside some of the towns near Gaza, and the fighting is still going on. As of now (Sunday night), over 700 Israeli citizens—women, children, and soldiers—have been killed and over 2200 wounded.
This is the worst incident ever in Israel. Such brutal and ruthless killing … As a result, Israel has declared war against Hamas. Since last night, Israel has been striking hundreds of strategic targets deep in Gaza and will be preparing for a full assault. It seems like we are far from the end.
And the most disturbing is the kidnaping: a large number (over 100) of soldiers and citizens have been taken into Gaza.
The IDF is calling up all reserves and is preparing for major operation in Gaza.
Please continue to pray for the situation to be resolved quickly, for the men and women who have been taken captive to be released, for the many wounded to recover, and for the families of the deceased.
Five men and women from the Netivah team were called up. The rest of the team are creating opportunities to bless the soldiers on the front line.
We are also working with other ministries to provide necessities and also looking into the possibility of providing shelter, food, and accommodation for residents of the southern towns.
Oct 7, 2023 – Prayer Request From Friends In Israel
*Editor’s note: submitted by one of our Calvary Chapel pastors. A message from friends in Israel about the current crisis. Names have been withheld to protect those in the field.
By now you are probably aware of the difficult situation that we are under at these moments in Israel.
From 6:30 am, we have been under an unusual rocket attack that enabled hundreds of Hamas militants to break through the Gaza border straight into the nearby towns and kibbutzim on a killing spree, killing over 200 civilians and soldiers, wounding over 1500 people, and kidnaping dozens of men women and children, taking them across the border into Gaza as hostages. As of 10:00 pm there is still fighting in fifteen different locations.
This has been described by many as a 9/11 incident, and the IDF is calling up reserves and is preparing for a full scale response which will probably temporarily escalate the situation.
Please pray for the situation to be resolved quickly, for the men and women that have been taken captive to be released, for the many wounded to recover, and for the families of the deceased.
Many of our messianic young men and women have been called up (also reserves) and some are in the heart of the battles.
Please join us as we pray for their safety and that they may be an encouragement and light in times of fear and pain.
Please pray for us at Netivah to know how to encourage and support the men and women serving and also for some of our team that has been called up as well.
Oct 7, 2023
The following is an update from Matt Davis of The Jewish Road, an organization which endeavors to restore the Jewishness of the Gospel through teachings and trips.
On the 50 year anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, Israel’s enemies once again have blindsided and invaded the land. As the joyous Jewish holiday of Sukkot ended last night, and on the morning of another holiday, Simchat Torah, the terrorist organization Hamas began an attack by air and land into peaceful Israeli communities. At the time of this writing, Hamas has launched over 3,000 rockets into Israel. On foot, terrorists have kidnapped and murdered hundreds of Israeli citizens including women, children, and holocaust survivors. Thousands of Israelis are wounded and the death and injury toll will continue to rise in the foreseeable future as Israel engages to protect their Jewish homeland.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has declared that the State of Israel is at war. What exactly this will bring and how the surrounding hostile nations will react and respond remains to be seen. Pray for Israel. As the church, we are grafted into the spiritual body of Abraham, and when our big brother goes to war, we should too. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for wisdom for Israel’s leaders. Pray that this battle would soon end and for justice for the victims of these heinous hate crimes and their families. Pray for the innocent civilians, Jews and Arabs alike, who are caught in the crossfire of this ancient hatred and modern day battle that rages on.
Make no mistake, this is not a battle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
The following is an update from Jim Stretchberry of AEBM (American European BETHEL Mission) in Haifa, Israel. Bethel is the hostel AEBM owns and operates in Haifa.
As of 0700 October 7, 2023 …
The situation in Israel is dire: 500 wounded, unknown number captured and taken to Gaza, at least 100 known dead. Israel was not ready, and infiltration came from many points.
Bethel is prepared: bomb shelter is perfect, provisions are being increased and preparations made for whatever we can do. They already have some tourists and refugees staying at the hostel but are committed to use every inch of the facilities as needed.
Prayer Requests:
- PRAYER: For AEBM’s obvious concern: Hezbollah.
- PRAYER: For additional concerns about some of the radical Muslim villages in the North. The streets of Haifa are deserted at this time.
- PRAYER: For Arabs around the country and especially for our dear partners who are Arab believers.
- PRAYER: That many would turn to God and realize Jesus as Messiah.
- PRAYER: For the peace of Jerusalem. Kindly pray and pray.
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