Watching over Zion" (The weekly News Report & Prayer Update)
Compiled by David Soakell Tel: 01642 469663
E-mail david@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk

~ Thursday 8th December 2011 ~

The Word: Command the Israeli’s to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israeli’s for the generations to come. (Exodus 27:20-21)

For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (Psalm 18:28-30)

• Pointers for prayer: Let us give thanks to the LORD for His faithfulness, grace and protection to the people of Israel throughout 2011. May we be encouraged to press on with our intercession for the Jewish Nation, and even through the difficult areas, may we know within our 'inner man' that the LORD God has everything completely in His grasp and control.

• From our viewpoint, Israel looks weak and very vulnerable. But God is good, and faithful in all things to fulfil His Word. May we too, be faithful in bringing the nation of Israel before His throne in our prayers.

• Please do share with your prayer groups this information and may it enable you to cry out to our LORD regarding these issues. And please pray for great wisdom & discernment. We are living in days of uncertainty. However the LORD God has given us His written Word to enable us to know the times that we are living in.

Wrapping up the year part one With the festival of Chanukah now only 12 days away (and counting) and Christmas a mere 17 days away – we’re approaching the time of wrapping gifts and having holidays (for some anyway). And as there will only be one more ‘Watching over Zion Report’ (next week) before my winter break, I thought it would be good to reflect over the past 12 months in these last two reports, along with bringing you updates on the current situation within the Middle East and comparing how all this fits into the theme of the Jewish festival of Chanukah.

I don’t believe any of us could possibly have imagined what we would witness throughout 2011 when the year kicked off in January. Back on the 6th January 2011, I wrote in my first Watching over Zion report under the heading, ‘2011 brings serious new threat to Israel’: “As we enter the new year of 2011, I would love to be able to say that this year will be different. Peace will reign in the Middle East; the Jewish nation of Israel will be free from terrorist attacks; Iran will decide to plough the millions of dollars into blessing their own people instead of building nuclear war heads, and the church will fast and pray and commit serious warfare on Satan instead of allowing some of the church to attack Israel ~ the very people they are engrafted into... but sadly, to announce all this would only make me a false prophet. The reality isn't so good: A serious new threat to the peace and security of Israel and the people is rapidly emerging. The prospect that the Palestinian leadership will unilaterally declare their own independent, sovereign state as early as the summer of 2011 and attempt to divide Jerusalem is drawing ever closer. And sadly, the world will try to force Israel to accept this new state rather than require the Palestinians to sit down and negotiate a fair and just arrangement that both sides can accept.” I laughed when I re-read this… but little did I know what else would be happening!

2011 was a year of global tumult, marked by widespread social and political uprisings, economic crises, and a great deal more which even affected our nation of Britain with uprisings in our major cities. We saw the fall of multiple dictators, witnessed our planet's population grow to 7 billion, and watched in horror as Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake, a tsunami, and a nuclear disaster. From the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ otherwise known as the Islamic Awakening to citizens around the world taking to the streets in massive numbers, protesting against governments and financial institutions, risking arrest, injury, and in some cases their lives, it has surely has been a year of unrest.

Anti-government protesters gathered by the thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square in February of 2011, calling for an end to Hosni Mubarak's 30 years of dictatorship. A furious wave of protest finally swept Mubarak from power ~ which of course proved nothing as ten months later, the country is still in turmoil with the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood taking over. Uprisings in Libya descended into civil war, with battles raging across desert roads and cities across the nation, and NATO forces controlling the skies and offered cover to rebel forces ~ something unheard of, and questions still remain. To date, there have been revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, a civil war in Libya, Bahrain, Syria and Yemen, along with major protests in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco and Oman, and minor protests in Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and the Western Sahara.

With Christchurch being rocked in New Zealand by a 6.3-magnitude quake in February and a massive tsunami sweeping in to engulf north-eastern Japan from another huge earthquake in March, many people were starting to wonder if the end of the world was indeed nigh. We’ve witnessed U.S. President Barack Obama watch a team of US Navy Seals descending on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, raiding the suspected residence of bin Laden. Come the 2nd May cometh the hour, when celebrations were officially announced by President Barack Obama over the death of Osama bin Laden. Then of course on 20th October 2011, Colonel Muhammar Gaddafi was killed during the final rebel attack.

I haven’t the space to comment on all that has happened this year such as the earthquakes in Turkey etc, but as the Palestinian Authority demanded more land to be taken off Israel by going to the U.N. did the rockets stop being fired from Gaza? No way… in fact just in one weekend in August, more than 100 rockets were fired into major Israeli population centres. Fifty-eight civilians were injured from the rocket attacks, including women and children. The rare piece of good news came during 2011 with the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held in Hamas captivity without Red Cross visits since June 2006. This week, the IDF spokesperson's office announced that the Israeli Air Force hit two Palestinian rocket launching cells in the northern Gaza Strip preparing to fire on IDF forces, and Palestinian sources in the Strip confirmed that one gunman belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades was killed in the strike. The IDF have also recently increased preparations for a possible war against the Lebanese Shi'ite terror militia Hezbollah, including new training scenarios.

I dare not imagine how 2012 will pan out. From my several sources, many believe that the major problem Israel will face is Iran’s nuclear capability, which is currently now so dangerous, that a military strike is the only option left to the international community to bring Iran into line. Due to leaked documents, we know Israel has already considered such action against Iran’s three main nuclear facilities. The problem however is how will Israel tackle this, as these nuclear facilities are hundreds of miles apart in Bushehr, Natanz and Arak. Due to these facilities being located in reinforced underground bunkers, it would be a highly complicated method of destroying these. The only “good thing” about them being hit underground according to Israeli experts, is that there is no danger of radioactive fallout. The political fall-out, however, would be terrifying.

The Iranians have threatened dire consequences if such an attack should take place, including firing long-range ballistic missiles, thought to be more accurate than the Scud missiles Saddam Hussein launched against Israel during the first Gulf War. They are also likely to retaliate against any neighbouring state that allows Israel to fly through their airspace towards Iran, including Turkey and Iraq. Iran has threatened Israel with a barrage of missiles, if the Jewish State attacks its nuclear facilities. Iran’s Defence Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi told the Fars news agency that Israel will not have a minimal chance of survival after attacking Iran. He advised the U.S. and its allies to realise Iran’s incredible might and said that in the event of a war, the Islamic Republic will teach the Americans what war really is and what soldiers are supposed to be like.

According to reports this week, the Obama administration does not know Israel’s intentions regarding potential military action against Iran, and the uncertainty is stoking concern in Washington, where the preferred course for now is sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Although Israel remains one of the United States' closest allies and the two countries' officials are in regular contact, US officials have a "sense of opacity" regarding what might prompt an Israeli military strike on Iranian nuclear sites, and about when such an attack might occur, according to a senior US national security official.

Meanwhile, the Quartet continues to go through the motions of “peace talks” even though Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has publicly dismissed them as being irrelevant. The media for years have adopted the U.S. State Department line of pushing Israel to make constant concessions to Abbas, but they recently have given up on the “peace process." They openly ridicule it at U.S. State Department briefings and negatively report on the Obama administration’s continuing attempts to bring Abbas back to what they call the ”negotiating” table, although there is nothing to be negotiated under his terms. “We are ready to return to the negotiations table if Israel halts settlement activities and accepts the international references", Abbas said again on Tuesday. Next Wednesday, American and other Quartet mediators are to talk again – mainly among themselves but will again meet separately with the Palestinian Authority and Israel in Jerusalem.
Celebrating the light with Israel (part one) Even though war never seems far away in Israel, many within the land are preparing for Chanukah. Both the celebration of the Feast of Lights (Chanukah) and the celebration of the birth of the Jesus (or could it be the time he was conceived?) are times when houses are filled with lights. Here in the UK I’ve noticed people put their decorations up earlier every year. Does this speak of the need to have light and something to look forward to? I think maybe it does… the people are crying out for something to pull them out of the darkness.

I’ve also noticed that many Christians and secular folk are putting a seven-candle light decoration in their windows… I wonder where the idea of that came from? Amazingly, we told in the Scriptures (Exodus 25:31-40) about the seven-branched menorah, which was kept lit in the Tent of Meeting, and later in the Temple in Jerusalem as part of its daily services. Olive oil was used to light the menorah which was prepared in ritual purity and placed in vials, each holding only one day's worth. Chanukah (also spelt Hanukah) began after the Jews defeated the Greeks in their famous victory. There are a couple of stories relating to this event.

The first story is told of a Greek officer and soldiers who assembled the Jews, asking them to bow to an idol and eat the flesh of a pig ~ activities forbidden to Jews. The officer asked Mattathias, a Jewish High Priest, to take part in the ceremony. He refused, and another man stepped forward and offered to do it instead. Mattathias became so outraged that he took out his sword and killed the man, then killed the officer. His five sons and the other villagers then attacked and killed the soldiers. Mattathias' family went into hiding in the nearby mountains, where many other Jews, who wanted to fight the Greeks, joined them. They attacked the Greek soldiers whenever possible.

About a year after the rebellion started, Mattathias died. But before his death, he put his brave son Judah Maccabee in charge. After three years of fighting, in the year 139 B.C the Jews defeated the Greek army, despite having fewer men and weapons. Immediately, they purified the Temple and set up the Menorah. Then came the miraculous event that is celebrated with the holiday of Chanukah. The Syrian-Greeks and Hellenists had contaminated all of the holy olive oil - except for one vessel, containing a one-day supply. Miraculously, it burned for eight days, until new oil could be made and brought to the Temple. In commemoration of that miracle and the miraculous military victory, the eight-day festival of Chanukah was proclaimed. In the story, the tyrant (Antiochus IV) King of Syria, was a man distinguished by vanity and even madness, as well as great power. He was also horrifically anti-Semitic and very evil. Of course there has been many more like him since, such as Hitler, Stalin, Yassir Arafat, and of course today we have the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – the latter has of course declared to wipe Israel of the face of the map. As I wrote recently, for Israel, Iranian nuclear capability poses the biggest threat to Israel's existence, particularly due to Iran’s call for Israel’s annihilation and its active support of acts of violence against Israel. And, as I’ve already mention above, the Iranians have threatened dire consequences if Israel should try and attack Iran, including firing long-range ballistic missiles, thought to be more accurate than the Scud missiles Saddam Hussein launched against Israel during the first Gulf War.

Back to the Chanukah story… When Antiochus had one of his general’s march into Israel and occupy Jerusalem, he not only butchered many of the people, but completely banned the practice of Judaism. No Shabbat, no circumcision, no Torah, no holidays, no anything. He set up Greek gods in the Temple. Sacrificed pigs on the altar, and sprinkled their blood in the Holy of Holies.

So that’s one account. Remember… I said there were two accounts… well you can read the second account next week. How ironic that today standing on the Temple Mount is a place of worship to the moon god. How ironic, that as 2011’s “Arab Spring/Islamic Awakening” continues, the Arab Palestinian leader Abbas demands another Arab state in the heart of Israel, one where both Jews and Christians would not be able to go to their places of worship, and one where Abbas has gone on record to declare that his “State” would be free of all Jews! Maybe we need to pray the God would once again provide a miracle during this time of miracles?

And finally… Assad – “It’s not my fault” According to reports out today, the Syrian president has told ABC news that acts of violence have been committed by individuals, not ordered by Syrian government. The Syrian President Bashar Assad told ABC News that he is not directly responsible for acts of violence committed by his security forces since an uprising against the Alawite president began in Syria in March of this year, and denied reports of torture by the Syrian army.

Speaking with Barbara Walters, Assad said, "There is a difference between a deliberate policy of repression, and the presence of some errors committed by some officials. There is a great difference." Assad added that acts of violence were carried out by "individuals," and not ordered by the Syrian government. The situation in Syria has grown increasingly chaotic in the last few months as security forces have been accused of firing live rounds on peaceful protests, Syrian soldiers and intelligence officers have defected, some of whom have helped form the Free Syrian Army to support the opposition. The death toll in the embattled country has risen well over 4,000 people according to the United Nations. However Assad has dismissed these figures and questioned the UN's credibility. He also claimed that most of those killed in street violence were government supporters and not vice versa, as has been widely claimed by witnesses, human rights groups, and the UN.

David Soakell
(CFI Church Liaison Officer (UK)
& Writer & Producer of the CFI News Report & Prayer Update)

Tweet me @David_at_CFI

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