Update From Sderot 9/24/10

Rocket and mortar fire from Gaza has been stepped up in recent days, with some twenty Kassams, mortars, or Katyusha rockets fired at Israel since the Rosh Hashanah holiday. Wednesday the 15^th, saw the heaviest activity with ten rockets or mortars being fired from Gaza.

This has been the heaviest activity we have seen since “Operation Cast Lead” which began in December 2008. In one day, the ten rockets or mortars that were fired at Israeli civilians hit the cities of Sderot, Ashkelon, and Ashdod. At least two of the mortar shells fired on Wednesday was confirmed by authorities as white phosphorus mortars.

The secretary for one of the Negev communities said, “Every time we have peace talks, rockets and mortars rain down on us from above, but we try to maintain our daily routine… as talks proceed it will only get worse”.

The current wave of violence peaked as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the first time since the launch of the new round of peace talks in Washington three weeks ago. The latest stream of mortar and rocket fire from the Gaza Strip is clearly an attempt by Hamas to fulfill threats of violence meant to derail Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

As Believers, we understand that those involved in the current peace negotiations are looking for human answers to spiritual questions. The battle is a spiritual one, which means we need to have an understanding of God’s prophetic purposes and plans for Israel that we may be able to pray with understanding.

God has a purpose for Israel that shall be fulfilled despite all the attempts of the Enemy to destroy Israel and to stop God’s plan. All the hatred and indifference of the world against Israel shall not prevent the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel. It shall come to pass even if some in the Church continue to ignore God’s Word and remain indifferent toward Israel’s survival.

So what are we who love Israel to do? We are to pray. Just because God will perform His Word concerning Israel and the nations does not give excuse to sit back and watch it happen. God has always wanted us to labor with Him in the fulfillment of His purposes. This is the mystery of our relationship with Him and the mystery of prayer. But we are to pray with understanding, an understanding of God’s purposes and plans for Israel. That knowledge will only come with diligent study of God’s Word. May God remove all that distracts us from His Word.

Every year in Israel, on the first Sunday in October (October 3^rd this year) is a national day of prayer. Will you mark your calendar and take a few moments on that day to join those here in the land in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. May Ha’Shem hear the prayers of His people.