Isaiah's Messiah

O Holy Night!  The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth!

When we look back with awe at what transpired in that little town of Bethlehem, we sometimes forget that we look back at what Israel had been looking forward to!  Told of many of the attributes of the coming Messiah by Isaiah, they waited for some 700 years from the time he penned the words ‘til the time they were fulfilled!  While we all know a spattering of what Isaiah said, God on the Net took time to put it all together, as the excerpt below shows!

"What is a prophecy?"

A prophecy is the future told in advance by God through a prophet.

Isaiah 48:2-5 [3] I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. [4] For I knew how stubborn you were; the sinews of your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. [5] Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, `My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'

"Does the Old Testament contain any prophecies about the Messiah?"

Yes! The Old Testament contains about FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE prophecies about the Messiah. Here is a small sample (in roughly chronological order):

BE BORN AS A HUMAN MALE

Isaiah 9:6-7 [6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. ... 700 B.C.

BORN OF A VIRGIN

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 700 B.C.

FROM THE HOUSE OF JUDAH

Isaiah 37:31 Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. 700 B.C.

FROM THE ROOT AND STUMP OF JESSE

Isaiah 11:1-5 [1] A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. [2] The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD-- [3] and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; [4] but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. [5] Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 700 B.C.

FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID

Isaiah 16:5 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it--one from the house of David--one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness. 700 B.C.

BE FROM NAZARETH OF GALILEE

Isaiah 9:1-2 [1] Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan -- [2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 700 B.C.

What they waited for nearly a millennia to receive, we have had two millennia to be blessed by!  We know, however, that God has a Chosen People, and a Holy City!  That’s why as we celebrate “the reason for the season,” we should remember, as Psalm 122:6 tells us, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

To learn about more prophecies, go to the GodOnThe.net website:

A Man of Values & Valor

“You've given your life to Israel . . . to the people . . . to the military.  They were in your every waking moment and you never knew fear.  You are a great champion of Israel – a country that has always faced battles.  You've fought and you've won.  But you never stopped searching for peace.  You were a rare man, who served as an extraordinary example to us all.” ~ Israeli President Shimon Peres

“No one can feel this loss more than the family.  But beyond the personal pain, there is that of the public.  (He) was one of our finest sons and he is bereaved by all.  He was extraordinarily brave . . . a man of values and valor.  He was a hero.  He excelled in all walks of his life . . . He was one of those rare men who made their marks on all of us, especially in the IDF.  His humanity shone through always . . . as did his commitment to achieving peace and security.  He had a sense of vocation that I believe stayed with him until the very end.” ~ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“Today we are bidding farewell to one of our finest commanders ever.  We have lost an extraordinary man, a courageous commander, a true friend, a modest man who always looked everyone – from prime minister to a military cadet – directly in the eye.  Equal before all and all are equal to him.” ~ Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak

“You were a role model for all of us and we, as young soldiers, wished we could be like you.” ~ IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz

Israel has had many great military generals in its long history.  Today, one of those great leaders, General Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, was buried near Tel Aviv.  Six generals were his pallbearers.  His military life was remarkable.  He rose through the ranks to eventual become Israel’s 15th IDF Chief of Staff, serving as deputy chief under Ehud Barak, until stepping into his shoes in 1995.  Along the way he won two Medals of Valor.

The accolades given to him today were not about military accomplishments, but about his character on the battleground and off.  He was honored by his friends and family as a man of values and valor.  PM Netanyahu said, “I think that was Amnon's essence . . . Nobleness of spirit, devotion to the country and courage . . . A real hero.”  His wife, Tali, bid him farewell saying, “My love, what will my life look like without you?  In having you I won the greatest prize in the world.  You made me a better person.  I learned from you and taught you as well.  I am forever yours.”

It is always sad to see great men pass on into eternity.  Great leaders, men of integrity, men of values and valor, are getting harder to find.  Let us pray together for Amnon’s family.  Let’s pray that the Lord will raise up many more men of values and virtue in Israel who will work together to bring about the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

Source material for this story includes the Israel National News, the Jerusalem Post, and Ynet.

Iranian Death Squads are in the US Now

In an exclusive report published today by World News Daily, Reza Kahlili revealed that Iranian death squads are already in the United States and are ready to wreak havoc inside our borders in 2013.  Khalili’s resume lends credence to his report.  He has served in the CIA Directorate of Operations, has been a spy in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, is a counter-terrorism expert, and currently serves on the Task Force on National and Homeland Security.

The source of WND’s information is deep within the Iranian government.  There are ten highly trained Revolutionary Guard officers who have been embedded in the US over the past five years.  They are leading terrorist cells of 50 men each.  US officials have been made aware of many of the details of the planned operations.

Targets of these cells include parts of the national power grid, cell towers, water supplies, public transportation and strategic buildings and compounds, especially belonging to the US Military.  The attacks, therefore, are already planned.  The initial damage inflicted is projected to be much greater and, of course, much more widespread than 9/11.  Al-Qaeda operatives, also in hiding, are scheduled to take part in the final phase of the attacks which are designed to cripple the infrastructure and the economy as well as to take the lives of as many Americans as possible.

The “red line” for the imposition of the plan is not well-defined, but could be anything from an increase in sanctions upon Iran, an Israeli attack on Iran, the overthrow of the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad, or even the failure of the US to accept Iran’s nuclear program within six months.  The deputy head of Iran’s military General Massoud Jazayeri, has previously said that “In the face of any attack, we will have a crushing response.  We will not only act in the boundaries of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf; no place in America will be safe from our attacks.”

The real problem is that a showdown is coming in March 2013 which the US has set as a deadline for Iran to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency rules.  The threat is that, should they fail to do so, they will face additional, harsher sanctions.  The Iranian’s know that stricter sanctions will collapse their entire economy.  Their terrorist attacks within the US will be designed to bring our country to its knees.

In this same report, the source said that the Iranian nuclear program is far more advanced than anyone realizes and that it is wrong to assume that it is very far from reaching its goals.

The Islamic extremists have the US and Israel in their crosshairs and their fingers are on their triggers.  We need pray diligently for both the US and Israel.  We need to pray that the ties between our two countries will be strengthened and unbreakable.  We need to pray for God’s protection.  We need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).  “The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”  Let us pray that “He will drive our out our enemies before us” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

The source material for this post may be found at World Net Daily.

Adolf Eichmann - The Holocaust's Architect of death!

When we think of the great architects of the world, names like Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (The Eiffel Tower) or Shah Jahan (The Taj Mahal) or William F. Lamb (The Empire State Building) typically comes to mind.  These men provided us with sites that are readily recognizable and on everyone’s “must see” list when they visit the cities they are located in.  However, there was a German “architect” of whom we all know but who lives in notoriety rather than renown - for Adolf Eichmann was the man who designed the atrocious treatment of millions of Jews - - he was responsible for the attempted genocide of the Jewish race.  In the brief excerpt below from an article by Dr. Mike Evans, we learn a little bit more about this truly vicious man.

On December 15, 1961, a man was sentenced to death by a civilian tribunal in an Israeli civilian court, the only individual ever to have achieved that distinction. The condemned was Adolf Eichmann, the “architect of the Final Solution to the Jewish Question.” He wasn’t executed because he had failed at his job; Eichmann was hanged because he had succeeded all too well. The work of this architect is remembered because of cattle cars, barbed wire, the remains of giant ovens, and the mass graves of six million Jewish men, women and children.

On January 20, 1942, a group of fourteen high-ranking German military and government leaders, Eichmann among them, met at Wannsee, a beautiful villa in a serene lakeside suburb of Berlin. Imagine: Over lunch fifteen men needed only an hour and a half to change the world forever.Ninety minutes was all it took for Adolf Hitler’s henchmen to determine the fate of six million Jews.

As Germany’s defeat became apparent, Eichmann assumed various aliases and identities in an attempt to elude Allied authorities and evade responsibility for his wartime atrocities. Twice captured by the U.S. Army, first as Adolf Barth and later as Otto Eckmann, he managed to escape and lived in northern Germany under the name Otto Heninger before finally slipping away in 1950 to Italy. There, he obtained a refugee passport which allowed him to travel to Argentina under the name of Ricardo Klement. Eichmann found a thriving German community that gave him a warm reception. With their help, he settled into an obscure life and a year or two later, his wife and children quietly joined him.                                                                            

The story of the Holocaust and those who perished must never be forgotten. We must not allow the pathogen of hatred to germinate and blossom into another Holocaust. As George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Based on his extensive research, Dr. Evans took the truth about Adolf Eichmann and masterfully wove it into a novel set in WW II Germany.  Titled, THE LOCKET, the novel tells how the infatuation of a young girl for a teen-age Eichmann plays itself out during the horror of the Holocaust! To Learn more, click here.

During the darkest hours of WW II and the Holocaust, God’s Chosen People could take comfort in His Word, especially Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in danger.”  To ensure that the Jewish race will never face a fate like the Holocaust again, Dr. Evans encourages us all to pray according to Psalm 122:6 and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

To read Dr. Evan’s article in its entirety, click here.  

Their tears of joy are because of you!

Dear Friend, At 10:00 a.m. your Jerusalem World Center was jam-packed with poor forgotten elderly Holocaust survivors. Your heart of love and the generous gifts of so many Jerusalem Prayer Team members provided the resources for us to host this amazing Hanukkah party for them. We provided a wonderful feast for these dear people, and they left with gifts of money to buy food, medicine, warm clothing, and other urgent necessities

Heaven thanks you today. The tears of joy that I saw in the eyes of so many were there because of you! You have done something that touches the heart of God and blessed what He wishes to bless, and I know that He will bless you today. The Holy City is in the midst of celebrating Hanukkah this week. I am here to fast and pray for a miracle provision from God so that we can complete the purchase of the Jerusalem World Center. I urgently need your help right now to make the final payment on this amazing facility. This beautiful building will be the largest property in the nation of Israel to be owned by US Bible-believers. It will be the first Christian museum in the nation to tell the story of Christian love, such as that of Corrie ten Boom's family in Haarlem, Holland. Their home was purchased in 1987 and restored in 1988 and is open today because of the Jerusalem Prayer Team and friends like you. I serve as chairman of the board. In addition, this wonderful building in Jerusalem will be the headquarters for the Jerusalem Prayer Team worldwide. It will provide round-the-clock prayer for Jerusalem and the Jewish people in fulfillment of prophecy, and it will be the address for compassionate Christians who are reaching out to serve poor Jewish souls. “I will bless those who bless thee...” (Genesis 12:3). “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6). You and I are part of something that has eternal significance in the city on which the spotlight of Heaven shines. Heaven and earth met in Jerusalem and will meet again. Everything began prophetically and will end in the only city in the world in which God wrote His name. A dear friend has stepped forward to match your gift today. In other words, if you give $77,777.77, it will be doubled to $155,555.54. Or if you give $777.77, it will be doubled to $1,555.54. If you give $77.77, it will be doubled to $155.54. This is a huge answer to prayer! Please know that whatever you can give will also be doubled in Heaven in your Kingdom account. Thus far 230 people have given $27,835. Those gifts will be matched 100% so now we have $55,670. We still need to raise $361,053.50 which will be matched to make $722,107. Please pray with me right now for supernatural favor that this need will be met.

Memories Still Vivid in My Mind

Creak . . . Creak . . . Creak . . . Creak

“Those memories are very vivid in my mind. I can still hear the sound of the swing I used to play with. I hear the friction of the cord against the metal in my head. I remember going through war with only one pair of shoes, and most of the time, I had my feet wrapped in cloth so I could walk in the street and not hurt myself.”

These are the words of Shoshana Golan as she watched a film about Poland during the annual dinner of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, which provides financial assistance to non-Jews who risked their lives to rescue Jews during the Holocaust.

Golan and her “righteous Gentile, Wladyslawa Dudziak, were reunited after being apart since 1945. Golan, whose name back then was Rozia Beiman, was the daughter of Joseph and Sara Beiman, owners of a flour mill in Lublin, a city in eastern Poland. It is believed they were killed in the Majdanek concentration camp while trying to obtain passage out of Poland.

Orphaned and alone, Rozia found herself at the mercy of the family her parents had left her with, which was supposed to be for only a few days. Tekla Dudziak, a widow who was Christian, poor and living on a small farm in Kajetanowka, offered to take in the four year old Jewess child. Knowing that, if caught, her family would be killed, she was willing to risk all she had to save this child from being killed by the Germans or, worse yet, tortured in a concentration camp, facing horrendous treatment with death as the ultimate end.

Golan said, “Even though I was very young at the time, I knew I was Jewish and I was aware that they were taking a risk for me and I appreciated it. Even though we were very poor, I remember they used to get me Christmas presents, just like everyone else in the family. I felt wanted. I felt loved.”

Dudziak and her family loved and cared for Golan. Theirs was a true expression of Christian love. Is that the way we feel about God’s people? Would we make the same sacrifice to save the life of a stranger, regardless of who they are? Would we risk everything, including our lives to save just one Jew? If not, we should. We should not be so foolish as to be unprepared to make that choice, for who is to say we will never have to. We urge you to pray for the peace and protection of Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:6) We urge to pray for God’s chosen people.

The Jewish people have a double memory – a memory of indescribable evil and a memory of blessed righteousness. They must remember the millions who were murdered as well as the precious few who risked their lives and often the lives of their own families to save Jews, many of whom were total strangers.
Source material for this article can be found in Jerusalem Post .

Hundreds of Thousands of Terrorists Ten Miles Away

Just a few days ago Israeli citizens watched television broadcasts of the return of former exiled Hamas leader Khalen Mashaal’s return to Gaza to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the founding of the terrorist group.  Literally hundreds of thousands of Hamas members and Arabs living in Gaza assembled to hear Mashaal and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh shout insults, epithets, and warnings to the nation of Israel.  Even children were dressed in Hama military uniforms.

Now stop thinking like an American and start thinking like a Jew living in southern Israel.  Start thinking about what it would feel like to be watching live TV and seeing hundreds of thousands of your worst enemy being incited to conquer your country and kill you – and they are only ten miles away.  That is not just a nightmare.  That is reality.  Seriously, stop reading for a minute and just try to imagine it.  It is not just a reality, it is a frightening reality.

Mashaal not only said that Hamas will “never recognize the legitimacy of the Israeli occupation,” but that “Jihad and the armed resistance is the only true path to liberation.  We kill the Zionists because they are conquerors and we will continue to kill anyone who takes our land and our holy places.”

Before we discover more of what Mashaal said, let’s review:

·         Gaza was taken from Israel by Egypt in the War of 1948

·         Gaza was taken back by Egypt in the Six Day War in 1967

·         Israel subsequently allow Palestinian refugees (from their own Arab countries) to live in Gaza as a separate entity.

·         Hamas has repeatedly and almost continually wrought terror in the south of Israel.

Okay.  Now that we know that Mashaal is another maniacal Islamic terrorist leader molded in the likeness of Ahmadinejad and Arafat, we can keep his tirades in proper perspective.  Things like, “Liberating Palestine, all of Palestine, is the duty and right and goal of all Arabs and Muslims.”  When he says, “Palestine” he is including Israel.  He went on to say that “From the sea to the (Jordan) river, from north to south, we will not give up any part of Palestine.  It is our country, our right and our homeland.”  That is patently not true, but it is what he believes to be the truth.

Israeli Vice-Premier wrapped up the situation, describing the difference between Mashaal and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas it that the latter wraps his extremist ideology in pretty words.  He is absolutely right.  Israel is not only surrounded enemy countries, but it borders two very large terrorist threats with the PA/PLO in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza.

By the way, Hamas thinks that it won the eight-day war a couple of weeks ago, because Israel agreed to a ceasefire rather than invade Gaza.  This is a clear example of the twisted Islamic propaganda machine.  They could not tell the truth if it hit them in the face.

Our friends in Israel need our prayers.  They are in a desperate situation.  Normally it would be described as an impossible situation, but “with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

Our prayers can shake the very heavens because our God is Jehovah.  He is the protector of Israel.  People have tried to eradicate the Jews, but that will never happen.  Even if the situation gets worse, and it will, the Protector of Israel will always save them from oppression.  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:6)

Foundational information for this article can be found at the Times of Israel, International Business Times, and Israel National News.