~ Thursday 25th March 2010 ~
Compiled by David Soakell Tel: 01323 410810
E-mail david@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk

The Word: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, gazing through the lattice. My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away! (Song of Songs 2:8-13)

Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.' " (Exodus 6:6-8)

• Pointers for prayer: Once again, as we continue to stand with Israel, may all our actions, support & prayer be lead by the Holy Spirit. Please pray that we would have ears to hear, and hearts open to the areas the Lord wants us to be effective in. Pray that the whole Nation of Israel, from the Politicians, through the IDF, to every woman and son, would look to the Lord their God to renew their vision. Pray that the nation of Israel would turn to the LORD God of Israel and that they would wait upon Him and seek His face. 'But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.' (Isaiah 40:31)

• Pray for wisdom for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to stand strong against international threats and pressure to divide Jerusalem! "Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid." (Psalm 35:1-2)

• As Passover approaches, do pray for Israeli's security. A bomb attack at a bus stop in northern Israel was thwarted on Tuesday evening when local residents spotted a suspicious package and reported it to police. Police sappers responded to the scene and discovered two large pipe bombs inside the package. As Passover celebrations will be happening in homes throughout Israel, do pray for protection against any terror attacks. And pray that Israel would receive fresh revelation of the God they are called to serve.

Divine Hand of Love

I heard an interesting talk the other day by someone called Rabbi David Aaron (http://www.jwisdom.com/shows/883/). Rabbi Aaron is the founder and dean of Isralight, an organisation with centres and programs in Israel and throughout North America offering retreats, seminars etc. I need to point out however that I'm not recommending this chap, indeed I should warn you that he often appears to quote the Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה‎) which is the mystical aspect of Judaism... something we need to keep well away from. However, what caught my attention was his opening comments. Regarding Passover, David Aaron states, "With so much focus on the judgments and plagues, is there room to see a Divine Hand of Love in the events which led to ancient Jewish freedom — and a lesson for today?" Is there room to see a Devine Hand of Love? There certainly is... and with Israel coming under so much hatred from the world, maybe we should be praying that during this Passover, every Jew might discover the awesome love that God has for them (and us). And with news that US President Obama claims he's launched a "political war against Israel in the interest of promoting peace", we certainly need to pray that Israel will put their trust in the God of Israel, and be free from their "bondage" or dependence to America. Maybe we also need to pray that Israel would receive fresh revelation of the God they are called to serve... maybe then, deliverance would come.
Passover of course is all about the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. But it is also about their adoption as the nation of YHVH (the LORD) (Exodus 6:6-7). For this to happen though, a divine consecration was necessary, so that their outward severance from the land of Egypt might be accompanied by an inward severance from everything of an Egyptian or heathen nature. This is similar to how we (as Christians) should live... an inward severance of the flesh and the world... the problem is of course, walking the talk!!! Israel's consecration was to be imparted by the Passover ~ a festival which was to lay the foundation for Israel's birth into the new life of grace and fellowship with God, and to renew it perpetually in time to come. This festival was therefore instituted and commemorated before the exodus from Egypt. In Exodus 12: 1-28 we find the directions for the Passover (we haven’t got time to go into the full story now ~ but do look at the Scriptures in your own time). Here, we also find the recorded detail for the keeping of the feast of the Passover before the departure from Egypt, and for the feast of unleavened bread.

Now there are many different traditions associated with Passover. It is a festival celebrated mainly in the home, rather than in synagogue. Incidentally, I heard a sermon by Dwight Pryor called "Redemption Dimension: Reassessing The Significance of Passover" in which he comments on the Jewish crowd welcoming Jesus on what is known as Palm Sunday, stating that they weren’t the same people who yelled "Crucify him". He goes on to state that those who welcomed Jesus, would have been celebrating Passover in their homes the night Jesus was arrested… why do you think the religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus and give Him a quick illegal trial through the night? They feared the crowd… knowing that many Jews believed in Him. Now that's interesting... yet sadly not often taught in our churches!

The central part to the week long festivities is the Passover seder, a ritual meal with an accompanying liturgy read from the Haggadah. This tells the story of the Israeli’s in Egypt. In addition to the liturgy of the Haggadah, it is also traditional to read The Song of Songs, sometimes known as The Song of Solomon. This is one of the five megillot, or scrolls, that are connected to particular festivals. Now why on earth is Song of Songs read? What has this got to do with Passover? Well, to answer Rabbi David Aaron's question... this is what the Passover is all about. It’s a love story! It is God demonstrating His love for His covenant people Israel. It’s the same God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son ~ the ultimate Passover Lamb (Yeshua / Jesus), so that you could also be engrafted into His people Israel, and know God.

Is there room to see a Divine Hand of Love in the events which led to ancient Jewish freedom? In Song of Songs 2:8-13 we read, “The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.... My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth... Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!” God is calling His beloved Israel, “Rise up My Beloved… Come to Me, I want to love you”. This is what the Passover is all about. And how both we, the Church, and the Jewish nation of Israel need to hear this calling. Let us pray that we will fall in love once again with the One who is LOVE.

Confusing messages part one

According to the Independent Media Review and Analysis group, someone in the US State Department is giving US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton false information about Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. As I wrote in last weeks News Report, leaders of the Fatah party, headed by Abbas, waited for U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to leave the region before they honoured the terrorist who carried out the massacre on the Coast Road in 1978. They arranged a day in praise of Dalal Mughrabi, who murdered 37 people in the bus-hijacking massacre before she was finally killed. Fatah leaders named a Ramallah square after Mughrabi. Yet in her speech to AIPAC on Monday, Hillary Clinton condemned Hamas for renaming the square saying it was "wrong and must be condemned." On the other hand, Clinton "commended" PA Chairman Abbas. Yet Clinton's condemnation of Hamas alone was wrong as it has been the Palestinian Authority and Mahmoud Abbas, not Hamas, who have been leading the Palestinians in glorifying Dalal Mughrabi.

Palestinian Media Watch has documented the continuous Mughrabi veneration by Abbas and the Palestinian Authority in recent years. As mentioned, it was Abbas himself who defended the naming of the square after Mughrabi (http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=1563). It was also Abbas who on 31st December 2009 honoured that same terrorist Mughrabi by sponsoring a celebration of her birthday. [PA TV (Fatah) News, Dec. 29, 2009] http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=1526; It was Abbas's PA TV that opened its broadcasting this month on 11th March ~ the anniversary of the attack, by praising the terror attack as: "A glorious chapter in the history of the Palestinian people." (http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=1764). It was Abbas's PA TV that interviewed the sister of the "terrorist who murdered innocent Israelis" on the anniversary of the terror attack and introduced her as follows: "Now, dear viewers, we move on to a glorious chapter in the history of the Palestinian people... Dalal Mughrabi, the Palestinian Shahida (Martyr), has become a symbol and model." Rashida Mughrabi, sister of terrorist Dalal Mughrabi responded: "This is a day of glory and pride for our Palestinian people." [PA TV March 11, 2010] http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=1764

It was also Abbas's PA that held a football tournament named after the same "terrorist who murdered innocent Israelis." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (Fatah), Aug. 8, 2008] http://www.palwatch.org/pages/news_archive.aspx?doc_id=695 Much of the PA terror glorification by Abbas and Fatah has happened in the last few months, and it has all happened in the last two and a half years under Abbas. All this has been reported by Palestinian Media Watch. In response to this, Palestinian Media Watch state, "When Hamas is condemned for the terror glorification that is the fault of Abbas and the PA, the message to the Palestinian leadership is that it can continue with its incitement to hatred and violence without consequences. If not immediately rectified, this message to the Palestinian Authority from the United States will have devastating implications for peace."

Confusing messages part two

At the recent meeting of the Hartlepool for Global Peace and Justice group, Fairtrade Fortnight was declared very successful. However "Letters of the month" consisted of postcards from the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign requesting that goods exported from Israeli Communities be banned in supermarkets. Both the postcards and petition are in the Hartlepool Cornerstone Fairtrade shop. But WHY? Why is it that Christian groups get up in arms about Israel? Why is it that many are openly supporting Palestinian Solidarity Campaign? Is it simply a case that they are ignorant of the truth, and if so, who has deceived them? And... by demanding that people boycott Israeli goods, what damage are they doing to their own campaign? Do they not realise that every week Israeli goods help the Palestinian people. Once again this week, humanitarian aid was transferred into the Gaza Strip from Israel from the very areas these people are wanting "joe public" to stop buying from.

Over the last week, a total of 519 Israeli truckloads, consisting of 12,422 tons of humanitarian aid were transferred into the Gaza Strip from Israel via the various crossings. 1,079,310 litres of diesel fuel and 837 tons of cooking gas also crossed into Gaza. Additionally, 483 medical patients and accompanying individuals from the Gaza Strip crossed into Israel and the Judea and Samaria region for medical treatment and 67 Palestinians entered Israel for other various reasons. 188 staff members of international organizations crossed into the Gaza Strip, and 240 crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Essential humanitarian food products including wheat and flour, meat, chicken, fish and legumes in addition to agricultural produce, animal feed, hygiene products and medicals supplies were among the goods that crossed into Gaza this past week. Why is it that these groups of churches don't check out the facts instead of listening to the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, who when I spoke to them last, had never even been to Israel/Gaza! By issuing their protest, the picture in Israel/Gaza is rather cloudy and it would appear to the general public that Israel give no help at all to the Arab communities. Do pray that they would correct their information before the general public are fooled into supporting some extremist organisation like Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.

Britain expels Israeli diplomat over Mahmoud al-Mabhouh murder

As you may have seen on the UK national news, Britain has expelled an Israeli diplomat over the 12 forged British passports used in the killing of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in January. MP David Miliband said there were "compelling reasons" to believe Israel was responsible for the forgeries. However, Miliband did not divulge into what the alleged "compelling reasons" were. As yet, I have not heard any "compelling" truth as to where the real blame lies. Yet the foreign secretary said the misuse of British passports was "intolerable". Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, said he was "disappointed", but Israel confirmed there would be no tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsion. Mr Prosor said: "The relationship between Israel and the UK is of mutual importance, hence we are disappointed by the... decision." The name of the diplomat has not been released. Israel has always maintained that there is no proof it was behind the killing at a Dubai hotel.

So is there proof or not? Well, commenting on this decision, the BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen stated, "Britain's foreign secretary David Miliband has taken the decision to expel an Israeli diplomat after the UK's serious organised crime agency turned up evidence that Israel cloned British passports. The Israeli diplomat is not the ambassador himself, but the expulsion sends a very strong signal to Israel of Britain's disapproval and anger. " However, Mr Bowen continues, "Diplomatic sources say Britain does not have evidence that Mossad murdered senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai. However, the accusation was made by police in the United Arab Emirates." Hmmm... So what is this "evidence"? And why is it that the media always refer to the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh as only "a senior Hamas official", making him sound like some middle class politician whose only crime was fiddling the tax payer?

The assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh has sparked off a great deal of hypercritical outrage by the same media organisations and countries that typically ignore the murders committed by Islamic terrorists. Let's face a few facts here: Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was a Muslim Brotherhood member and a co-founder of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the "armed wing" of Hamas. Essentially Mahmoud was a co-founder of the terrorist sub-group responsible for more than half of the murders of Israelis that have taken place over the last decade alone.

By the way, if you're wondering what that long string of syllables, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, means, it's in memory of Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, a Muslim religious leader who founded the "Black Hand" terrorist group, the first modern day Muslim terrorist group in Israel, which murdered Jewish farmers and tried to launch an uprising in order to create an Arab-Islamic state in place of Israel. The good Sheikh worked together with the Mufti of Jerusalem, who went on to help Hitler to carry out the Holocaust. Qassam never had the chance to do the same, as he was killed in 1935 while hiding in a cave after the murder of a Jewish police officer. So I guess the only difference between Mahmoud al-Mabhouh and his inspiration Sheikh Al-Qassam, is that the latter met his end in a cave and the former in a hotel room. Both men were committed and fanatical Islamic terrorists who plotted to drown the region in blood in the name of their Jihad. As to who killed him... a Hamas source told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that Mabhouh had been imprisoned in Egypt for almost a year in 2003, and that he was wanted not only by the Israelis, but also by the Jordanians and the Egyptians and did not lack enemies.

And finally...

I have had quite a few emails taking the opportunity to wish us a happy Pesach – or Easter. One such well-wisher was the team at Conceptwizard. They stated, "In view of recent developments, we feel that our new 3½-minute presentation about Jerusalem, at: http://www.conceptwizard.com/info.html , will remind us all – Jews and non-Jews – where the roots of the Jewish people truly lie." It's well worth checking out.

David Soakell

Sources: Unless otherwise stated: Personal sources throughout Israel along with The Jerusalem Post, BBC News, Arutz-7 News, Israeli Embassy London, Independent Media Review and Analysis & Israel National Radio