| | July 14, 2006 ~ The Elijah List
Reuven Doron: "A Nation At War"
A Prophetic Word Coming to Pass
Calls have been coming in from friends and intercessors as the crisis in the Middle East intensifies daily. They ask, "How should we pray? What's going on in the land the Bible calls 'the glorious land?' How is your family there doing?" We thank you for the concern, for the commitment to God's agenda in the region, and for your prayers.
When we published our message "Prepare for War" (see archives at www.onenewman.injesus.com in February 2006), some of our well meaning friends wondered whether we overstated the case for the inevitable Middle Eastern conflict. After all, aren't we all peace loving folks who'd much rather get along with each other? "Live and let live" kind of people? Of course we are, but what should you do if you live in a rough neighborhood among bullies, as Israel does?
Given the accumulating facts on the ground and the gathering storm clouds in the spirit, the message was clear as was the call to publish the February article among the intercessors. Sadly, and sooner than envisioned, we see the prophetic word coming to pass before the eyes of a heavy-hearted nation and a bewildered world.
The Gaza Strip and Recent Kidnappings
During the last 15 days, Israeli military forces have swept into areas of the Gaza strip, which were painfully cleared of its nearly 10,000 Israeli citizens only a few months ago. The territory, still being a sensitive security issue, was handed over to the Palestinian people in a wild gamble to allow them to build their national life without "Israeli interference." In this unprecedented move, Israel has offered the Palestinians what neither the Ottoman Empire, the British, the Egyptians, nor the Jordanians (who all ruled over them in recent history) ever did.
That experiment in nationhood soon collapsed as the Palestinians elected a terror organization (Hamas) to become its government. Their concept of building a nation was reflected within days of the Israeli withdrawal, with the first Kassam short-range rockets being lobbed into neighboring Israel communities across the international border. In less than a year, a total of more than 1,000 rockets have hit civilian Israeli targets with no military retaliation in response. The Israeli army was restrained from action as the politicians worked frantically to exhaust all other options first.
That time of restraint came to an end with the abduction of an Israeli border guard by a Gaza terror cell two weeks ago, resulting with an intense Israeli military response. The crisis is now spreading into Israel's northern front in Lebanon, following a second kidnapping of two more Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah (the party of god) terrorists. Hezbollah is the Middle Eastern "cousin" of the Al Quaeda; an Islamic terror organization that virtually runs southern Lebanon without interference from the Lebanese government, and is funded by Syria and Iran.
As we write these words, broad Israeli air strikes are being carried out against infrastructure and terror targets in both Gaza and Lebanon, with ground troops moving into hostile territory to try and find the kidnapped soldiers. One needs to be blind to miss the dark shadow of Syria and Iran behind the scenes, and deaf to miss the intensifying beat of war drums.
War Is Coming
We have family, friends, and many interests in Israel, and we pray that the inevitable war may be averted, contained, or minimized in some way. We, like you, aren't war mongers. However--war is coming, and only a fool will not prepare for it. Sooner or later, as the demonic realms feel emboldened enough, push will come to shove. At that time, even a peace loving nation may find herself in need to take up arms in a decisive way to disarm the evil that threatens her. This has been the lots of all freedom loving people all throughout human history.
Recently, a strong prophetic word was widely published, speaking of the Church of the Lord Jesus, as a people of war. That word was true, as it addressed our spiritual heritage and present status in a darkening world.
Israel, we must realize, is always moving on parallel lines with the "spiritual Israel," the Church, and testifies of the same truths that the Church does, only in the natural. It should not surprise us, therefore, that credible prophetic voices have been speaking about the call to courage, discipline, sacrifice, and devotion among the people called by His name, while Israel, the covenant nation of God, is being drawn into regional conflict simultaneously.
I talked with our children tonight, and other family members in Israel by phone, and found myself reminding them that there is "nothing new under Heaven."
Israel has always been in conflict; our presence in the Promised Land has always been hated and resisted; our borders have seen constant skirmishes, clashes, and military maneuvers: and our nation has always known the high cost of being God's (still blinded) covenant people.
In fact, I told them, these recent years of relative calm, were misleading as the peace process was a farce, the agreements insincere, the negotiating partners deceitful, and the hearts of the Islamic masses unchanged. There will be no peace in the Middle East, or in the world for that matter, until the very end of time under the government of the Prince of Peace.
So, good nations must prepare for war from time to time, to drive the flood of evil back, and gain time and room for the Lord's work of salvation in the earth to continue. As a former soldier descending from a military family, I have told the children, "We always had to fight wars and we have always won."
Be calm. God is not caught unawares, and He is not anxious about this crisis. As sickening as these present hardships, loss of lives, and the gathering storm clouds can make one feel, God is no stranger to war. He is always near to those who call upon His name.
Pray for His will to be done, for His Kingdom to come. Pray as He leads.
Reuven Doron
One New Man Call
P.O. Box 164
Hayfield, MN 55940 USA
OneNewManMail@aol.com
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