Amir Tsarfati BEHOLD ISRAEL

Shalom from Israel! The battle rages in the south. The storm clouds of war build in the north. The political opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back at it, trying to remove him from office. A crazy president in Brazil is comparing Israel to Hitler’s Germany. Ignorant mobs the world over are chanting their slogans of love for the perpetrators of the October 7 massacre, while vehemently condemning the victims. Christians are regularly being slaughtered by Islamists in Western Africa, but the press is ignoring it. Iran missed a turn somewhere and found themselves at the South Pole, so they decided to lay claim to it. Another Putin critic, healthy and only 47-years-old, somehow managed to die in prison. And the president of the most powerful nation in the world, well, let’s just say it appears he may be slightly past his prime.

People, this is the crazy world we are living in!

But through it all, we know that God is in control, and that is why there are great things happening too. You should see the number of pictures I receive from all over the world of churches, community groups, school classes, and families, all waving their Israeli flags and sending messages of love and support. There are pro-Israel rallies and marches in many areas of the world. The new Argentine president has been very supportive of Israel, and the mainland European country that has given us the most love has been Germany, of all places! While the U.S. is turning into a political morass for us, they continue to send arms and much needed munitions, particularly for our missile defense systems. Israel has established a land route to bypass the Houthi blockade of the Red Sea that is bringing us supplies from India via the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. And Israel is forging deeper friendships with most of the Gulf States, as well as, very quietly, the family of Saud in Riyadh.

Even amid this world’s insanity, God is at work. He loves His nation, and He loves His people the world over. It is that truth of God’s hand on His children that comforted me and my family as we sent my number three child, a son, off this week for his mandatory military service. For the next three years, he will serve in the IDF, and we pray that the second and third year of his stint will be much less tumultuous than this first. Once again I say, our God is in control. Halleluiah and amen!

Psalm 34:7-8
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

The Middle East

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The War in the South
The work dismantling the tunnel system in Khan Yunis continues. Spearheading this operation is Yahalom, a sayeret or “special forces” unit of the Israel Defense Force’s (IDF) Combat Engineering Corps. The goal of Operation Protective Edge is to put out of commission Hamas’s extensive tunneling throughout the Gaza Strip. It is extremely dangerous work as there are many places for terrorists to hide and booby-trapping is extensive. But through it all, Yahalom and other units of the IDF are making amazing progress.

Despite international protests, the IDF launched an operation against Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. As expected, it was crawling with Hamas. Hundreds of terrorists were arrested, and many weapons were destroyed. A vehicle stolen from Kibbutz Nir Oz was found on the premises, as were packages of necessary medicine for the hostages that were never distributed. The IDF must fight Hamas where it is at. It is the terrorists who chose Nasser Hospital as the battleground. They are the ones who bear the blame for the resulting humanitarian issues. It is no wonder that more and more Gazans are fed up with Hamas and are speaking out against them. A Gazan widow, in response to the leaflets that Israel dropped offering cash rewards to anyone who could provide the location of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, was recently recorded saying, “I swear, if I knew where he was, I’d bring them Sinwar’s head for free.” So many have lost everything in this war, and they are quickly realizing that the blame does not lie north of their border in Israel but with the terrorists within their midst.

With the operations of both Northern Gaza and Khan Yunis coming closer to completion, the focus is on Rafah. The plan of the war cabinet for that southern region of Gaza is to enter strong close to the beginning of Ramadan. The IDF will move to encircle Yahya Sinwar from all sides, then conduct negotiations for the release of the abductees.

What these negotiations will not include is a promise of a permanent ceasefire if that means Hamas remains a viable entity. Nor will it include any verbiage hinting at a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been adamantly against a two-state solution, despite the hard push from the United States. The Knesset on Wednesday backed the PM up with an overwhelming majority, only one vote short of 80% support, that included his own coalition and many from the opposition.

If anyone feels that Israel is unreasonable in their prosecution of this war and insistence that a Hamas-led Gaza not be allowed self-governance on their border, they need only remember October 7. Murder, torture, and kidnapping were carried out not just by the Hamas terrorists, but by ordinary Gazan citizens who followed the “soldiers” through the border fence. The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel submitted a report to the United Nations (UN) detailing the systematic and premeditated rape of women, men, and underaged girls and boys throughout the attack. The despicable assaults included the use of foreign objects, including gun muzzles and knives. What we hear from returning hostages is that the sexual violence perpetrated against the abductees has continued through the many days of their captivity.

This is part of the reason why Israelis are so disdainful of the claim by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) that Israel is operating a campaign to destroy the agency. Hey, UNRWA, we don’t have time to fight with you. We already have a war on our hands. All we’re doing is telling the truth of the dozen, at least, of your employees who actively participated in the actions of October 7. We’re just letting folks know of the many UNRWA sites that housed terrorists, warehoused weapons, and provided access points to the terror tunnels under Gaza. The only thing we’ve done is report the truth. The world is doing the rest. When the UNRWA collapses, it will be as a result of your actions, not ours.


The War in the West Bank
Many believe that the IDF is only facing the enemy in the south and the north. However, the West Bank is a dangerous place in which many belonging to Hamas and the Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are harbored along with an extremely large cache of weapons. Almost nightly, there are operations into the region, such as the one that took place in Jenin on Wednesday. Three terrorists were killed and 40 more were arrested when the IDF raided two houses. Also, many weapons were seized, and improvised explosive devices (IED) were located and disarmed along the roads in and out of the city. The West Bank terrorist cells are especially concerning, because when the battle in the north eventually begins, Israel will immediately face another front right in the heart of the nation.

The West Bank is also the origin of numerous terror attacks on Israeli civilians, including the one that took place just this morning near Jerusalem. Three Palestinian gunmen from the Bethlehem area opened fire on a line of cars stuck in traffic. Put yourself in that situation. You’re just going to work when suddenly automatic weapons are being fired at you and the cars around you. And because you are in traffic, you’re trapped and helpless with nowhere to go. One man was killed in the attack and 11 more innocent civilians were wounded. Two of the gunmen were killed at the site of the attack by police and armed citizens, and the third was “neutralized” a short time later.


The War in the North
The soft war in the north continues with rockets crossing the border southward and airstrikes directed north. A targeted elimination by Israel killed two in the Kfar Sousa neighborhood of Damascus, a district known for the presence of Iranian security personnel. The Israeli airstrike took place just one day short of the one-year anniversary of a similar attack directed at Kfar Sousa. Eventually, the generals of the IRGC are going to catch on that their people are much safer when they are kept in Iran. Although, that’s not always the case.

The IDF continues their “softening” of targets in Lebanon prior to the coming launch of the war in the north. A concerning report was released on Tuesday by French newspaper Liberacion that claims that Hezbollah has a tunnel system in Lebanon that dwarfs that of Gaza in both size and sophistication. Back in the 1980s, Iran and North Korea came alongside Hezbollah to begin the tunneling, and the terrorist organization has been working on it for the past four decades. The tunnels can be used for attack, troops movement, warehousing, barracks, and other needs. Hundreds and hundreds of kilometers stretch through the country reaching Syria and Israel.


Yemen
The Houthis of Yemen continued their attacks on shipping throughout the week, leading U.S. forces to carry out five self-defense strikes on Saturday. Each strike was aimed at lessening the terrorist group’s ability to carry out their missile launches. This morning, however, it became quite evident in Israel’s southern city of Eilat that the Houthis still have plenty of capability when warning sirens sounded. A surface-to-surface missile was inbound toward the city. Thankfully, the Arrow missile defense system was able to intercept and destroy the threat before it reached its target.


Iran
Iran has declared property rights in Antarctica and announced sovereignty over the South Pole. Sometimes the potential jokes are so plentiful that it is best just to sit back and let the fact stand on its own. I will say that this excites me for my Mossad thriller novel series. I think I’ll call my co-author, Steve Yohn, about getting Nir Tavor a heavy-duty parka and maybe a pack of sled dogs.


Russia
Speaking of my Nir Tavor series, during a discussion about imprisoned Putin critic Alexei Navalny on page 107 of my latest novel, Out of the Far North, one of my characters made the suggestion, “I hope Navalny has his life insurance paid up, because I don’t think he’s going to be around much longer.” Fiction became reality last Friday when Navalny fell over dead during a walk in an Arctic prison. When his lawyer and his mother arrived at the prison colony the next day, they were told he died of “sudden death syndrome”. This is a diagnosis that can likely be used for most of Putin’s now deceased critics, including the many who fall from high-rise balconies and the ones who commit suicide by shooting themselves twice in the back of the head.


Brazil
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio da Silva, known as Lula, made a speech in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday in which he declared the war in Gaza as genocide. He then took it a step further, saying the only other moment in history when something so heinous has occurred was “when Hitler decided to kill the Jews.” A firestorm ensued. The next day, Foreign Minister Israel Katz reprimanded Brazil’s ambassador to Israel and declared Lula persona non grata in Israel. That same day, Lula ordered the ambassador home to Brazil. Kudos go out to the opposition in the Brazilian government which on Tuesday garnered 110 signatures for a call for the impeachment of the president.



The Ministry

In last week’s newsletter, I included a letter from Professor Yonatan Dubi in which he presented four opportunities to support humanitarian efforts in Israel. The final one listed, Nachshon Preparatory Academy, gave a link for information but not a link to give. If you want more information about the academy, please click this link. If you want to support the academy’s work, you may use this link.

Have you seen the second of my series of two-to-three-minute videos explaining the history of Gaza and the Palestinians? If not, check out “Should Palestine Be Free from the River to the Sea?”, and be sure to share it with your friends and family.

What’s next? From the very beginning, the eyes of mankind have always been looking ahead – waiting, wondering, worrying. Now more than ever, wars and pandemics have the world feeling like we’re living in a pressure cooker that is about to blow. In my teaching, “Global Suspense”, premiering Friday, February 23 at 12:00 PM PST, you’ll learn how our peace regarding the future can only come about by looking to the past.

If you are looking for a beautiful reminder to pray for Israel or just something you can use to keep track of all your appointments, the Behold Israel Ministry Calendar is for you! This 16-month biblical calendar features stunning imagery shot by various photographers in the Holy Land. Get yours today!

After the amazing success of our Alaska Cruise conference in 2023, we are preparing to take our teaching back on the water! For these opportunities, we will be presenting our Discovering Daniel & Revealing Conference in two very different venues. The first will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, which will take place from October 19-29, 2024. Our second opportunity to present these teachings will be on the waters of the Caribbean on January 18-25, 2025. Registration for both cruises is currently open! Make sure to register soon, as we anticipate these events to fill up quickly.

Thank you so much for your prayers and generous support of this ministry. God is working and I am seeing incredible progress on CONNECT! Already we are planning new online shows and other ministry opportunities that we can use to get the truth of the Scriptures out to the world. Thank you for your partnership in fulfilling that mission!

Awaiting His Return,

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1008096?e=52ebe87529
Shalom from Israel! In this week’s newsletter, I want to give you a state of the war update. We’ll look at what’s happening in each of the main regions of battle, seeing what has been completed and what is yet to accomplish. But, first, I would like to begin with something very special. Soon after the October 7 massacre, many of you contacted us with the desire to minister to those affected. Professor Yonatan Dubi, whom many of you know from my video, “Climate Change: A New World Religion?” recommended a number of excellent humanitarian organizations, which I passed on to you. Then, you stepped up in a remarkable way. Below is a letter of appreciation from Professor Dubi, and a list of four more options for blessing those affected by the violent attack.

From Professor Yonatan Dubi:

Beloved “Behold Israel” Community,

Over 125 days ago, Israel was forced into a war following the horrific events of October 7th. Only a few days later, your amazing community opened its heart, and in only a few days donated hundreds of thousands of dollars (!!) in support of the people of Israel.

Here are a few things that I personally witnessed that could only have happened through your amazing donations:
• Food, clothes, housing, furniture, and other basic needs were supplied to evacuees from the attached areas.
• Temporary schoolrooms and kindergartens for evacuated children were built and maintained.
• Day-to-Day support for evacuees – from food to driving needs to emotional assistance.
• Tens of thousands of sets of warm clothing were sent to our troops at war.
In addition, there were numerous other acts of kindness, including direct care to families of those still abducted in Gaza, and to those who have lost their loved ones, as well as all their belongings. There are too many stories to list all of them here.

But we still need your help.

As the war progresses, some evacuees are starting to go back to their homes, and they need help in re-building their lives. Many thousands are still forced to live as refugees in their own country, looking for ways to rebuild and push forward. This is a long haul, and years will be needed to rebuild. We need your help to take the first steps, and to keep the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the heart-breaking events of October on their feet.
Below is a list of amazing NGOs, doing amazing things. I have vetted each organization personally, to make sure that every dollar that you send will be used for doing good.
I thank you personally – your support touches my heart, and the hearts of all those who benefited from it. God bless you all!

Galgal Hozer (the turning wheel)
Shlomi Sofer’s foundation aids evacuated families and IDF soldiers. Located in Netivot, Shlomi has been able, through your generous donations, to provide food, clothes, and other basic needs for tens of thousands of people. His work started immediately on October 7th, and he has had very little sleep since then. I have seen this myself.

Nir-Oz Support
My friends from Kibbutz Nir-Oz have suffered an unbelievable loss – over 15 Kibbutz members viciously murdered. We are helping them to rebuild their lives, one step at a time.

“Amazing Grace”
My good friend, Lilach Lester, founded a wonderful organization that in normal days is devoted to helping Israel’s poor. Lilach has established the “Israeli Food Bank” and was awarded a special commendation from the president of Israel. Since the beginning of the war, Lilach’s work has been devoted to helping those who have suffered personal losses.

Nachshon Preparatory academy
This preparatory school for high school graduates sits right next to Sderot & Kibbutz Shoval. They are now working around the clock with many of their alumni for aid and relief in the area. Their founder, Ze’evic Nativ, called me with tears of gratitude after the first round of your donations.

The Middle East

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North Gaza/Gaza City
Just because the talk on the international stage is about Rafah, that does not mean that the work is done in Gaza. It will still be several years until the tunnel structure that stretches through the entirety of the Gaza Strip is completely destroyed.

That being said, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has done a tremendous job neutralizing most of the threat in the north of the Gaza Strip. They accomplished this by going to where Hamas was hiding out and destroying them there. These necessary actions were taken despite those locations typically being protected behind humanitarian façades. Schools, mosques, and hospitals all served as human shields, and most, if not all, contained access to the underground terror tunnels. For a while, this humanitarian lie swayed public opinion against Israel. But most finally realized what was taking place. Even the worthless New York Times had to admit Monday that the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City was used by Hamas for cover, weapons storage, and as an access point for the tunnels.

One of the worst offenders for antisemitic propaganda has been Al Jazeera. Their rhetoric has been over the top and completely one-sided. Now we have a clue as to why. Mohamed Washah, a Palestinian correspondent for the news site, has been discovered to also be a “prominent commander” in a Hamas anti-tank unit. He has also been involved in air unit research and development for the terror organization. Sadly, that is exactly the type of “unbiased” reporter that you’d expect to find working for Al Jazeera.


Khan Yunis
As in northern Gaza, the IDF’s work in Khan Yunis has been exceptional. The force shown was both overwhelming and humanitarian. I can think of no other war where one combatant has gone through so much trouble to protect the other combatant’s civilians. Phone blasts, leaflet drops – every practical method has been used to warn people ahead of time that the IDF is coming in. It has obviously worked because tens of thousands of people fled further south prior to the operation.

What is left to do in Khan Yunis? Of course, there are the tunnels. But as saw earlier, completing that work will be a long-term project. For now, the primary work remaining is under the hospitals. Just like in Gaza, the IDF has left these medical centers for the end. This allows them to be used as long as possible and gives time for the maximum number of civilians to leave the area. Currently, the IDF is focusing on Nasser Medical Complex. The fact that the international media is going crazy over video of people being forced to leave the hospital shows just how short their memories are. In a move that so clearly shows the New York Times for what it is, on each of the two days following the paper’s admission that there were tunnels under Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, as mentioned above, they published articles by their journalist, Raja Abdulrahim, excoriating Israel and the IDF for ordering the evacuation based on claims of Hamas’ activity that “could not be independently verified.”


Rafah
Just as the IDF was focused on Gaza City then Khan Yunis, it is now setting its sights on Rafah. If you want a detailed explanation of why this is so, I encourage you to watch my Breaking News update from Monday. It is in Rafah that Israeli forces must go to destroy Hamas’s final four remaining battalions of the original 24. As always, the IDF has warned the citizenry, and thousands are fleeing north. Why are they going back the way they originally came? To the east is Israel, to the west is the Mediterranean, and to the south is Egypt. Why not just cross the border to their fellow Muslim country? Because Egypt has made it very clear that they don’t want any Palestinians coming in.

There is a strong international push against Israel moving into Rafah. Many nations are against the offensive simply because they don’t want to see Hamas finished off. They see them either as heroes, as victims, or as a necessary foil against Israel. Egypt, in particular, is warning against the offensive, but for a different reason. There are a tremendous number of tunnels between Egypt and Rafah, some of them large enough to drive a truck through. Weapons, ammunition, supplies, and, even, commodities have been smuggled through these tunnels for years. If Israel succeeds in Rafah as they have in northern Gaza and Khan Yunis, the Egyptian corruption that has allowed this smuggling will be exposed and the government will be severely embarrassed on the world stage.

An amazing event took place in Rafah early Monday morning in the Shaburah refugee camp. A special hostage rescue team of the Israeli police snuck into the camp, used ladders to climb to the second floor of a building, blew the door off, killed three terrorists, and liberated two October 7 hostages. The entire nation wept with joy as 70-year-old Luis Har and 61-year-old Fernando Simon Marman were brought home and soon reunited with their families. This proved the other reason that the IDF is moving into Rafah. There are still 131 hostages remaining, and many of them are in that part of Gaza. The stories we are hearing from hostages who have come home include the daily raping of both women and men, severe beatings, deprivation, and other brutality. We will bring them all home, and we will make their captors pay most dearly for what they have done.


Lebanon
The greater war in the north has yet to begin. Hezbollah knows this, and they are scared. Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of the terrorist organization, said on Tuesday, “A strong Israel is a danger to the region, and a weak, deterred, and fearful Israel constitutes a less harmful and catastrophic situation for the countries and peoples of the region. In Lebanon, a strong Israel is a danger to Lebanon, and a deterred Israel is the one whose danger to Lebanon can be reduced.” In other words, “We must win, because we have no other choice.”

But Nasrallah’s statement is not completely accurate. If you take his second sentence and change “Lebanon” to “Hezbollah”, that would be closer to the truth. Palestinians and Lebanese are not the same kind of people. Palestinians hate the Jews more than they love their lives. The Lebanese love their lives more than they hate the Jews. A war with Israel will mean many people losing their homes and all they have. Many would see Hezbollah out of their country before they allowed that to happen. The question is whether they are strong enough to accomplish that. I believe they likely have until the middle of May to make it happen.


Iran
On Wednesday, Iran’s main north-south gas pipeline was cut by two massive explosions. Tehran claims that the incidents were acts of sabotage. Really? I can’t imagine who would ever do such a thing. Totally random thought, this may be a great time to remind everyone of my Nir Tavor Mossad Thriller series. Sorry, can’t imagine what made me think of that just then.

If this is an update on Israel’s wars, then why have I included Iran? Because they are the head of the snake. They have done a masterful job keeping their hands clean, while their proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen have done all the dirty work. Israel is too busy at home to do anything about Iran. It would take the full power of the United States to bring justice to the radical Islamist regime. But we all know that’s not going to happen any time soon, and possibly never depending on how November’s elections go. So, for now, Israel will have to content itself with the occasional elimination of an Iranian general and an act of sabotage here and there – allegedly.


Ministry

Have you seen the first of my series of two-to-three-minute videos explaining the history of Gaza and the Palestinians? If not, check out “Make Gaza Great Again?”, and be sure to share it with your friends and family.

Upon its inception as a nation via Abraham and his descendants thousands of years ago, God vowed to use Israel as a source of blessing to the world – the vessel through which He would make Himself known. In my message, “Be a Light to the Nations”, premiering Friday at 12:00 PM PST, I am joined by special guest Eyal Dror on the Golan Heights. Together, we will discuss one of Israel’s greatest humanitarian operations, revealing how God continues to use His chosen people as an example of how to be a blessing, to love your neighbor, and, yes, to be a light unto the nations.

If you are looking for a beautiful reminder to pray for Israel or just something you can use to keep track of all your appointments, the Behold Israel Ministry Calendar is for you! This 16-month biblical calendar features stunning imagery shot by various photographers in the Holy Land. Get yours today!

After the amazing success of our Alaska Cruise conference in 2023, we are preparing to take our teaching back on the water! For these opportunities, we will be presenting our Discovering Daniel & Revealing Conference in two very different venues. The first will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, which will take place from October 19-29, 2024. Our second opportunity to present these teachings will be on the waters of the Caribbean on January 18-25, 2025. Registration for both cruises is currently open! Make sure to register soon, as we anticipate these events to fill up quickly.

The work on CONNECT is progressing well. Please continue to pray as we are facing many very important decisions in the weeks ahead. Also, thank you so much for your constant prayers and faithful support of Behold Israel. You are such a blessing to me and to the team. May God lift up your head and give you hope and peace.

Awaiting His Return,
Amir Tsfarti

Shalom from Israel! Despite the nearly constant roar of F-16 fighter jets taking off and landing at a nearby airbase, it has been a very productive week of ministry here. The work on CONNECT has been progressing well. Certainly, there have been problems, delays, and additional costs, but that is true of any project of this type. If you want to see the latest that’s been happening with CONNECT, check out this short update video and the video of the CONNECT sign going up on the building. It’s so exciting to see, and it just continues to stimulate my mind toward the many and varied ministry activities we will be able to carry out in this facility.

It has been a very busy seven days in the Middle East, so for this week’s edition of the newsletter I’d like to dig right in.


The Middle East

Gaza

Israel is winning the war in Gaza. Don’t let the media tell you otherwise. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have destroyed 17 of 24 Hamas battalions. Thousands of buildings used to house terrorists and their war materiel have been demolished, and kilometers of underground tunnels are being blown apart weekly. A massive number of weapons, from explosives to rockets to automatic rifles to handguns, have been found and confiscated.

Still the work is not yet done. The IDF has yet to capture or eliminate Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s chief in Gaza, who is currently on the run from one hiding place to another. It is without question that he has surrounded himself with a human shield of Israeli hostages. There are still thousands of Hamas terrorists in Khan Yunis and down in Rafah. Although, today, Rafah has one fewer after Majdi Abd al-Aal, commander of the special forces of Hamas police in the area, was taken out in a targeted killing. The work in Khan Yunis, then down toward the Egyptian border, will continue until the threat is completely neutralized.

Despite defeat after defeat, Hamas seems to think they are winning. That is the only explanation for their ridiculous response to the Qatar, US, and Egypt-brokered ceasefire proposal. While verbally giving a generally positive response, they then issued a counterproposal that, according to the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, essentially stated: 1) we want all IDF soldiers out, 2) let’s go back to how it was before we slaughtered your people, with the same borders and international guarantees that you’ll stay on your side from now on, and 3) we don’t want Jews up on the Temple Mount anymore. In return, we’ll give back your hostages over a 135-day period. How could Israel say “no” to such a gracious offer?

Alas, it seems that Israel will, in fact, say “no”. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that it is quite obvious that Hamas’s answer “was drafted in a way that will make Israel reject it.” Based on Netanyahu’s statements of the last week, Israel’s counterproposal to Hamas would be more along the lines of “surrender or die.” If that sounds harsh, then remember what these vicious animals did on October 7. If you need your memory jogged, watch the video that Israel presented to the International Court of Justice. However, let me give you my strongest warning before you do. Murder, mutilation, rape, beatings, kidnapping – all were part of Hamas’s actions that day. Still today, over 100 days later, 136 hostages are being held. However, of that number, we know that at least 31 have perished in captivity. Israel cannot afford to let the Hamas terrorist organization continue to exist.

Hundreds of Israelis are fed up with their country sending humanitarian aid into Gaza. Taking matters into their own hands, they are blocking the transports of this aid. It is not because they want to take vengeance on the Gazan civilians. It’s because they recognize that a majority of the aid sent ends up in the hands of the terrorists. Netanyahu recently estimated 60% of humanitarian aid is taken by Hamas, but many believe the number to be as high as 80%. The Gazans themselves tell of this theft, often carried out by Hamas soldiers who liberally use clubs to beat back those who are in need.


The West Bank

The fighting continues daily in the West Bank as the IDF seeks to root out Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Many people think the greatest threats are in the south and in the north, but I believe it is quite possible that an October 7-like massacre could come from the West Bank. First, the will is there. Most Palestinians in whatever part of the region they are in support Hamas. Second, the ability is there. The West Bank has been heavily weaponized through smuggling over the years. If there were an attack, there would be no shortage of guns or ammunition. Finally, the hostile attitude of the U.S. and Europe against Jews living in the West Bank emboldens the Palestinians living there, giving them an excuse to attack. The terrorist groups must be eliminated from the area.


Lebanon and Syria

Rockets flew from Syria toward Golan at the beginning of the week, leading Israel to target a site in Homs belonging to pro-Iranian militias. In Lebanon, rockets and projectiles are daily being fired across the border at Israel. In return, Israel is regularly flying sorties into Lebanon, particularly in the southern portion. In the past months, according to spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the IDF has eliminated 200 Hezbollah terrorists and destroyed 120 observation posts, 40 weapons depots, and 40 command centers. It is essential that the IDF soften Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the south of Lebanon before Israel’s northern border war begins.


Argentina

On a bright note, Argentina’s new president Javier Milei has come to Israel, meeting with President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday and Prime Minister Netanyahu on Wednesday. When he first arrived, Milei immediately announced Argentina’s intention to move the country’s embassy to Jerusalem. Milei’s visit has included an emotional trip to the Western Wall, and many diplomatic talks about expanding the economic relationship between the two countries. Thank you, President Milei and Argentina, for showing yourselves to be great friends of Israel!


Saudi Arabia

The Riyadh government has spent much effort trying to repair the damage caused by the United States when it was leaked to the media that Saudi Arabia was willing to soften its position toward Israel, even while the Gaza conflict continues. This rumor was then reaffirmed by US Secretary of State Blinken. The accusation brought great embarrassment to the Saudis, who are, in fact, pursuing a stronger relationship with Israel but in an extremely quiet manner. This leak to the media forced Riyadh to come out with a strong denial, stating that a relationship with Israel will not be normalized without a Palestinian state.


US Bases in Iraq and Syria

The US launched a retaliatory strike against Iran-supported militias in Iraq and Syria on Saturday in response to the deadly attack on American troops last week. Eighty-five targets were hit using 125 precision weapons, killing nearly 40 people. On Monday, however, the militias were back in action, conducting a drone attack at the American base at Al-Omar oil field which killed six US-allied Kurdish fighters.

Last night, the US took more decisive action against Kataib Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia responsible for the January 28 attack on an American base that left three US soldiers dead. A missile fired from an American drone destroyed a car traveling in eastern Baghdad. Among the three killed in the vehicle was Abu Baqir Al-Saadi, the commander of Kataib Hezbollah’s operations in Syria and the man directly responsible for the deadly attack that killed the three American troops. Al-Saadi is the most senior person to be killed on Iraqi soil since the targeted eliminations of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in January 2020. Also killed in last night’s strike was Arkan Al-Alawi who oversaw the sending of UAVs from Iraq to Israel.

As positive as it is to have those two Hezbollah terrorist commanders removed from the playing field, Iran couldn’t have asked for a better US reaction. First, no Iranian was killed or asset damaged on Iranian soil. The loss of Soleimani four years ago was devastating to Iran, because he was a Persian who headed the IRGC’s Quds Force. In contrast, Al-Saadi and Al-Alawi were not Iranian but Iraqi. Thus, while their skills may be missed, they are still only expendable Arabs to Iran. Second, the assassinations took place in Iraq violating Iraqi sovereignty. This gives the Iraqis an excuse to kick the Americans out and the pro-Iranian terrorist militias a reason to seek revenge against US troops and assets. Once again, Iran’s Persian hands remain clean, while their Arab minions spill their blood to further Tehran’s agenda.


Yemen

Saturday saw the US and the UK hitting back hard against the Houthi infrastructure in Yemen. Struck were 36 targets in 13 sites in retaliation for the near daily missile and drone attacks by the Houthis against shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The government in Jordan is in hot water after it was discovered that it was participating in a “land bridge” to get necessary goods to Israel. Ships docked in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and their contents were loaded onto trucks. Those trucks were then driven across Saudi Arabia, through Jordan, and into Israel, thus bypassing the Houthi blockade of the Red Sea.


NATO

Turkey has finally given its okay to Sweden’s joining NATO. That should clear the path, right? Hold on a minute. Hungary is still dragging its feet. While some say that it is an internal political issue with President Viktor Orbán’s party saying that Sweden has lied about the quality of their democracy, others say it is Orbán himself who is blocking the way. They claim that the president, channeling his inner Rodney Dangerfield, feels that Hungary “don’t get no respect” from Sweden. Orbán, however, tweeted that he’d talked with the NATO secretary-general and expressed his support for Sweden’s membership. Whatever the real story is, Hungary needs to get it figured out.


The Ministry

Throughout the Old Testament, recurring prophecies and insights are revealed regarding a future on earth where there is no war, no overlooked injustices, and an overall theme of restoration – an era in which the Creator serves as King. In addition to the prophets speaking of this and Jesus’ disciples anticipating it, the apostles reinforced it. What is the Millennium? Is it something to come or something that’s being experienced now? Is it something to be taken literally? Tune in to “Life in the Millennium” on Friday at 12:00 PM PST for Pastor Mike Golay’s exciting journey through the Scriptures for answers to these questions and more!

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

After the amazing success of our Alaska Cruise conference in 2023, we are preparing to take our teaching back on the water! For these opportunities, we will be presenting our Discovering Daniel & Revealing Conference in two very different venues. The first will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, which will take place from October 19-29, 2024. Our second opportunity to present these teachings will be on the waters of the Caribbean on January 18-25, 2025. Registration for both cruises is currently open! Make sure to register soon, as we anticipate these events to fill up quickly.

My Telegram Channel is a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

Thank you for your constant prayers and your faithful support of Behold Israel. This could be a very trying year around the globe. With your help, we will be able to assist people in making sense of the craziness around them by filtering it through a biblical lens. God is in control, and together we will make sure the world is reminded of that wonderful truth.

Awaiting His Return,

Amir Tsarfati: All Things
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Is it true? Yes. Am I glad that it’s true? Yes. And when is it true? Now.

All things are working together for good. “I don't see it.” That’s not part of the verse, that you need to see it. While the fruit called patience is still growing, it is now. God is working. And even when you go through hard times, He’s still working. All things are good. So I hope you understand, we live in the last days. There are essential things that all of us should know and exercise regardless of circumstances. And I can tell you that great is our reward, and wonderful is our inheritance. And we are the most blessed people that this world has by not only knowing who we belong to, but having all of these promises and holding onto them, even in these evil days.

It has been said: The three primary rules of Biblical interpretation are: Context, Context, and Context! Here’s an example of contextual importance:

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Many have taken this to mean that because you know Christ, then by faith you can do anything or have anything you set your mind to. The context however is this:

Philippians 4:11-12
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Paul says, I can do poverty through Christ’s strength, I can do riches through Christ’s strength. He said, through Christ I can do fullness and I am equally empowered to do hunger. Because of Christ’s strength in me I can be abased and I can do abundance. Abased means to suffer humiliation.

Context is also critical for another famed, yet often misapplied, passage:

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

This is a verse many love to quote when hard times come. And while their intentions might be well meant and good, the interpretation can be misleading. Context is established by reading the surrounding verses and we always need to be careful about isolating verses from the overall context of the passage. Case in point, if you were to keep reading Romans 8 you would find this a few verses later:

Romans 8:36
As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

This tells us that the good that is in view in Romans 8:28 is the greater good. It is not saying that since something bad happened to you, something good will come from it to cancel it out. What it is saying is that, ultimately, no matter what happens in life, there is good waiting for us in the end.

There is nothing good that comes from the loss of a child or the untimely death of a spouse. They are lifelong pains and sorrows that may lessen over the years, but the pain never goes away completely in this life.

Revelation 21:3-4
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

This is our glorious future. A tear-, death-, sorrow-, and pain-free existence will someday be ours forever. Until then, Christ will strengthen us to do all the things that cause today what one day will pass away. Until then we have to remember that no matter what comes our way, there is an ultimate good that awaits us in the future.

One other thing to remember is that there are times in life when the hard things we encounter can also lead to good things that cannot be seen when they are endured.

Think about all that happened to Joseph. He was betrayed and sold to Midianite slave traders by his brothers, then lied about and imprisoned because of Potiphar’s wife. He was forgotten by those he had helped while in prison, finally remembered, and ultimately named the second most powerful man in all of Egypt because he was faithful in the face of the bleakest of circumstances.

What his brothers did to him was not only intended for evil, but it led to a series of evil things in Joseph’s life. Yet, Joseph runs in some rather elite company in the scriptures with men like Enoch, Nehemiah, and Daniel of whom the Bible has nothing negative to say.

Genesis 50:20
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

It was not until many years and negative experiences later that Joseph could see that what was intended as an evil act against him led to the saving of many people because of the position in life in which he wound up. Not all hard things lead to temporal good things. Yet all things, for those who love God, will lead to ultimate good when we see the Lord as He is and we, then, are like Him (1 John 3:2).

So when life brings things that don’t make sense or that hurt us deeply, remember there is an ultimate good that awaits us all.

Psalms 16:11
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Amir Tsarfati: Last Days Essentials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2t71W-0HrU

BEHOLD ISRAEL
AMIR TSARFATI
Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.” Only when we have that hope, we can rest. We can really, truly rest in that hope. “Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good, be kindly, affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor, giving preference to one anther, not lacking in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope.” We see that Paul and Silas are coming to a place called Thessalonica. Coming to a synagogue full of Jewish people, and the Jewish people are holding onto tradition and religion. And, yet, the Greeks, as we just read, who had no hope and no God at the time, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, found hope.

The Bible says that hope is not something; it’s someone. 1 Timothy 1:1 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.” He is our hope. Interesting. And what is the hope? 1 Thessalonians 2:19, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” So not just that He is our hope but He’s coming to take us. That is our hope. So not only He’s our hope, but the fact He’s coming to take us is our hope.
WATCH
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AmIir Tsarfati
Behold Israel.

Bible Bite: The Hope the Messiah Brings
Few things impact the life experience of both believers and nonbelievers like hope. In some ways, hope affects both groups alike, and, in other ways, hope means something completely different. Hope requires an object, and both groups might at one time “hope” for pizza for dinner, or “hope” to pass a test or “hope” to get a raise. Parents “hope” for the best for their children, or, when facing one of many of life’s dilemmas, “hope” things will work out.

Isaiah 40:31
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.

The word “wait” in this famed passage means “to bind together”. It can also mean “to hope for or expect”. That sheds a little more light on the meaning here as we can better understand that those who bind together or place their hope in the Lord will experience renewed strength, power, vigor, and stamina. This is exclusive to those who wait on the Lord. When the Lord is the object of our hope, everything changes.

Psalm 31:23-24
Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Psalms 43:5
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Proverbs 10:28
The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

These verses highlight the differing life experiences of the believer and nonbeliever, and hope is even presented as a weapon for the believer with which to combat a disquieted soul.

There is also an element of hope that Christians have always had that is closer to being realized today than at any point in church history.

Titus 2:11-13
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

This blessed hope is described as belonging to those who have experienced the grace of God that brings salvation and who appeared to all men. That blessed hope is His glorious appearing once again, and the object of our hope is identified as our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Yes, people who do not know the Lord experience hope. Yet their hopes are not the same as ours as believers. They are based on wishes combined with efforts and desires. The hopes of the world can be dashed, lost, and lead to disappointment and even despair. But for the believer, the object of our hope never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So you might say in comparison to the hope of the world, our hope is next level.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

The hope we have in Christ is so powerful it even changes the way we experience the greatest of life’s painful experiences, the death of a loved one. We do sorrow, but not without hope.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

Peter says that the hope we have in Christ is so powerful that it is visible to the degree that it causes others to inquire as to the reason we have such hope. This is one of the reasons it is so important that we not live in fear in these fear-mongering last days. It is why it is so important that we know where things are headed and not fall prey to the uncertainty and despair the world lives under today.

We have a hope that is different from that of the world. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. On Christ the solid Rock we stand, all other ground is sinking sand. We sing it, but we must also live it so others can see it and desire it.

People are sinking in hopelessness all around us today. Talk of food shortages and famines, pandemics and death, are driving people to seek escape from these things through drugs or alcohol at unprecedented levels. Many, from hopelessness, are taking their own lives at numbers never seen before.

We, as Christians, have what they need and know where they can get it. We need to live in a manner, as Peter said, that leads them to ask where such hope can be found. Our hope is not like that of the world – circumstance-related. Our hope is one that cannot be impacted by circumstances and is even more clearly visible when they are at their worst. Tell someone about the hope you have today!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

Civilian Deaths in Gaza: Relatively Low.
by Alan M. Dershowitz • January 28, 2024 at 5:00 am

Critics of Israel almost never cite comparable data from other military encounters. This omission creates the false impression that the civilian death tolls in Gaza are among the highest in history, when they are in fact among the lowest.

The New York Times' conclusion that the new data suggests that it is "wrong to accuse [Israel] of wanting to maximize civilian deaths" is highly relevant to the false charges of genocide that are being considered by the International Court of Justice.

The decreasing civilian death rate among Gazans should also end the campaign to impose a ceasefire on Israel before the IDF completes its legitimate mission to destroy Hamas' military capacity. Successfully completing that mission will save civilian lives in the long run, by reducing Hamas' capacity to keep its promise of repeating the barbarism of October 7 and also by reducing its use of civilian shields.

The time has come, indeed it is long overdue, for the world to stop imposing a double standard on the nation-state of the Jewish people. Double standards are a form of bigotry, and when bigotry is addressed to the only nation-state of the Jewish people, it becomes a form of international anti-Semitism against the Jew among nations. It must stop.


Israel's military actions have produced far fewer deaths and a far lower ratio of civilian-to-combatant deaths than in any comparable urban warfare. This is especially significant considering the reality that Hamas deliberately increases civilian deaths by using women and children as human shields and by hiding its military personnel and equipment among civilians. Pictured: Gazans, protected by the Israeli military, walk along a safe corridor in the northern Gaza Strip, leaving the battle zone towards the southern Gaza Strip, on November 10, 2023. Hamas terrorists had ordered Gazans not to move to safety, and shot at them as they tried to flee. (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)
You wouldn't know it from the hectoring decision just rendered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel, but the death toll among civilians in Gaza — even including children and women — is among the lowest in the history of comparable warfare. Over the past several months, it has become even lower.

According to The New York Times, "The daily death toll in Gaza has more than halved in the past month," and has fallen almost two-thirds since late October. Moreover, the percentage of civilian to combatant causalities has gone down considerably as well.

In a massive understatement, The New York Times also reported that these considerable reductions in civilian deaths have been "somewhat overlooked" by the media and critics. "Somewhat"! They have been totally buried and ignored. The New York Times also opined that Israel's "harshest critics are wrong to accuse it of wanting to maximize civilian deaths."

Continue Reading Article https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20343/gaza-civilian-deaths



Iran-Pakistan: The Beautiful Vase Has Been Chipped
by Amir Taheri • January 28, 2024 at 4:00 am

Despite attempts by both sides to pretend that the recent clashes were a passing storm, it is clear that something deeper and more lasting may be involved.

Tehran is sore that China decided to locate the trade-cum-security hub it wants to build in the Indian Ocean in the Pakistani port of Gawadar on the Arabian Sea rather than in the Iranian port of Gavatar a few kilometers to its west.

Tehran fears that China's choice indicates Beijing's lack of confidence in Iran's stability once the "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenei bows off stage, while Pakistan would retain a measure of stability because its system does not depend on a single leader.

Both Tehran and Islamabad are anxious to patch things up as quickly as possible. But one thing is clear: the beautiful vase filled with flowers has been chipped.


Despite attempts by Iran and Pakistan to pretend that the recent clashes were a passing storm, it is clear that something deeper and more lasting may be involved. Pictured: An anti-Iran protest in Lahore, Pakistan on January 19, 2024, after Iran launched an airstrike in Baluchistan province. (Photo by Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images)
If you had asked me just a couple of weeks ago, I might have assured you that Pakistan is the last county with which the Islamic Republic of Iran would pick a fight.

I might have cited many reasons for that opinion.

First, A recent demise of the classical reasons for antagonism between nation-states. Their border, almost 1,000 kilometers long, was fully demarcated in 1964, ending ambiguities left behind by the British when they withdrew from the subcontinent in 1947. Relations were never marred by irredentist pressures on either side.

Nor did Iran and Pakistan compete over access to natural resources, including water, or competition over markets.

History, too, designated Iran and Pakistan as natural friends. Iran had been a source of inspiration for two generations of Muslims in the subcontinent who dreamt of a separate homeland. Many of them even adopted surnames that indicated an Iranian rather than Indian origin: Gailani, Isfahani, Shirazi etc.

Continue Reading Article https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20344/iran-pakistan

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-1008044?e=52ebe87529
Some of the last words of Jesus, and even Paul, were actually words of warning to the church. And, remember, when Jesus gathered the disciples on the Mount of Olives and when they asked Him about the signs of the end of the age in Matthew 24, it says, “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately.” It’s something that didn't really cause the rest of the Jews to even think that Jesus had an answer to. But the disciples came to Him privately without anyone around and asked Him, “Tell us when will these things be and what will the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, and He started with, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” In other words, there’s going to be the things that I’m going to tell you that will be, but I want you to know that deception is the first thing you’re going to encounter.

And Paul, to his beloved Timothy in 2 Timothy 1, says, “Timothy, hold fast the pattern of…” What? “…sound words.” Why? Why did he have to use the word ‘sound words’? Because a lot of junk is going to be thrown in the air. He says, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words…” But what words can be sound? “…which you have heard from me…” In what? “…in faith and love…” What kind of faith and love? “…which are in Christ Jesus.” In other words, all the words that I gave and it was all about Jesus. It has to produce love and faith. And that’s the things that I want you to keep. Hold fast onto these things. “That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chains; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day.” That day.

Paul loves to use that term. The day we’re going to see Jesus – in that day. “And you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.” Paul is warning Timothy, telling him, “Look, hold on to the words that I told you that could only be from Jesus. But I want you to know, first century, first church, everybody left me.” Look what he said, “All those in Asia have turned away from you.” They haven’t turned away from Paul because he’s an obnoxious person. They turned away from the message of Paul. They heard the message from Paul directly and they just left. And he said, “Look, in this, I can see we’re not going to be the majority. Look, a lot of people are going to turn back on us. Look, these are the days of deception.”
Amir Tsarfati: Take Heed that No One Deceives You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLS6f4gfiQE

Many have heard or used the adage; “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The point being, if something is working, leave it alone. This is exactly what Satan has done through the centuries. His efforts in the garden worked with Eve, and he still employs the same tactic today.

Genesis 3:1-5
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan has been convincing people that what God says is not true ever since there were only two people in existence. It worked then and it still works now. Only now he has his agents to incorporate into his strategy; ones whom the Bible says will grow worse and worse as time progresses in their efforts to deceive (2 Timothy 3:13). This is consistent with what Jesus told Peter, Andrew, James, and John when they asked about the signs of His coming and the end of the age.

Mark 13:5-6
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.”

This is the warning Jesus issued as He opened the last message He would give before His betrayal and arrest two days later. At the Last Supper, He would give one of the great promises of scripture that He would come again and receive us unto Himself. But the Olivet Discourse would be His final sermon during His time on earth.

Paul offered a similar warning in the last chapter of his last epistle written before he would be executed by Caesar Nero for his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

When someone is about to depart from this world, their last words would certainly be worth our undivided attention. This is especially true for us, as Jesus and Paul were both referring to the days in which we now live. This is a time when imposters and deceivers have grown worse than ever, and churches, in many cases, have become places where fables have replaced the line upon line teaching of the sound doctrines of the word of God.

The only conclusion we can draw is that time is short, the hour is late, and Jesus is coming for us soon. We have precious little time left to tell others about our Savior. Tell someone about him today!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,
Amir Tsarfati: The Days of Deception
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God loves to declare His plans. Sometimes He declares them in real writing, and sometimes He’s hiding them. Not hiding them, but He’s actually showing you that in the past, there was something, but in the future, that something reflected something else, and that’s the beauty of the word of God. The Old is actually revealed in the New, and the New is concealed in the Old, and both are going together. And every time Jesus said that, “All those things that are written must take place,” Jesus speaks of the Old Testament. “All those things that were written by the prophets must take place.” And unfortunately, instead of going to the things that are written, to the things that we are instructed to learn and study, people love to go to those places that are not written, the places that are nicer and cooler, probably, that makes a bit more interest in our Christian boring walk, probably, and then they come up with some strange theories and theologies.

Lately, you know, I was attacked by blood moons, and Shmita, and so many different things. And it’s already October and we’re still here. And I say that if there are some things that God wants us not to know, then we should not know. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law,” which means that we have to remember that there are things not for us to deal with, and the things that He wants us to deal with are the things in his written, given word to all of us. Amen.


Amir Tsarfati: God Loves to Declare His Plans
Imagine going through life right now without the Word of God. You wouldn’t know what’s going on or where things are going. You wouldn’t know that the delusion that much of the world is under is actually a sign that something wonderful is going to happen for the church. You wouldn’t know where we came from, and you wouldn’t know what to think about the rebirth of the nation of Israel. You wouldn’t have hope; you wouldn’t have comfort. All that is happening in this world – all the pain, suffering, and sorrows – would be the sum total of your existence. The greatest tragedy of all would be you wouldn’t know there was One who came into the world to provide a way to a place where sorrow, pain, suffering, and death are not allowed.

Isaiah 46:9-10
“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’”

The true and living God, the God of the Bible, dwells outside of time. He knows and has declared to man how things began and how things will end and how we should live in the between time. He has told mankind of His plan of redemption after the fall in the garden. He has told man of the nation and people through whom He would choose to send the Savior of the world. He has told man how this Savior would be born, where He would be born, where He would live, how He would die, and that He would be resurrected. And He put all this in His book.

Yet many today choose to ignore the Bible or they focus exclusively on the New Testament. By doing so, they miss out on much of what makes the Bible “living and powerful.” Things like:

Psalm 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 119:41
Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD— Your salvation according to Your word.

Psalms 138:2
I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Proverbs 3:5-8
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.

Why face life without this crucial information? The problem with avoiding the Old Testament is it is the foundation for the New Testament. Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection being foretold in advance makes His birth, death, and resurrection unique amongst all others. It establishes that we can trust in the Lord at all times, that He will be faithful to direct our paths, and that living righteously is healthy for our bodies.

It also protects us from falling for sensationalistic nonsense.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22
“And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”

God is never wrong, nor does He ever misspeak. His word is inerrant and this inerrancy is why He has exalted His word above all. If His word is not true, His name is disparaged. If a person claims to be a prophet and speaks something contrary to God’s word or speaks things that do not come to pass, do not pay attention to them no matter how appealing their words may be.

In light of this age of a diminished view of God and His word, we would do well to remember that the Bible does not contain God’s word, but the Bible is God’s word – all of it!

2 Peter 1:2-4
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We need not live without knowledge of the past nor what’s coming in the future. The God who knows the end from the beginning has given us His word, and both Testaments are living and powerful. The history, the poetry, and the prophecies are all what make the Bible the inspired word of God.

Isaiah 55:11
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1008024?e=52ebe87529
Weekly Newsletter December 27 - January 4 2024
Shalom from Israel! Along with the rest of the world, many in my country celebrated the beginning of a new year. However, instead of the sound of champagne corks and the singing of Auld Lang Syne, we rang in the turn of the calendar to the tune of air attack sirens and the deafening sounds of our low-flying fighter jets. Lest that sound pessimistic, let me tell you that I in no way feel negative about the future of Israel. We are sorrowful, wounded, and heartbroken. But we are not defeated. In fact, it is just the opposite. The Israeli people are filled with a scowling, jaw-clenched determination that should have those who are set on harming us running deeper into their tunnels. The year 2024 will see Israel at peace and without any more fear of what is just on the other side of its borders.

To get there, though, it is going to take another six-to-nine months. That is what the US administration and the United Nations need to understand. Well, maybe not the UN – they’re hopeless. But the pressure and the restrictions that my government is dealing with from Washington is threatening to hobble the effort. How do people not understand that this is not just an anti-terror action? This is an all-out war against a real enemy. When the Americans and the British bombed Dresden, Germany, in February 1945, there were no restrictions demanding that the 3,900 tons of explosives be precision directed only at military targets. There was no requirement that humanitarian aid be immediately provided as part of the assault. Instead, it was determined that the reward of shortening the war was worth the cost of the devastation. It was the same thinking used to end the War in the Pacific.

But the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are not indiscriminately bombing. In fact, they are doing everything they can to avoid civilian casualties. The war in Gaza could have been completed before the end of October with far fewer Israelis hurt and killed if the IDF didn’t care about civilians. Instead, the military gave up the advantage of surprise in order to warn Gazans to flee areas that would soon be targeted. Also, they limited the size and strength of the ordnance used if civilian targets would be put at great risk.

What does Israel get for their care in the prosecution of the war? The Gazan perpetrators are made victims by the press, and the US administration warns our prime minister that he better stop the “indiscriminate bombings”. Academics, social influencers, protest organizers, and the talking heads on television all agree that the while the Palestinians may have possibly gone a bit overboard in expressing their legitimate rage on October 7, it can certainly be understood after so many years of repression. What ultimately needs to happen to bring peace in the land is summed up in the catchy little phrase, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!” For those of you who may not get what is meant by “free”, just add “Jew-” in front of the word and that should clarify it.

I wish there was a magic wand that Benjamin Netanyahu could wave that would give us peace on all our borders. But that kind of security only comes through perseverance, hard work, and time. Israel is determined to see it through. While I would love to think that Washington will stand with us the whole time, I am not that naïve. But there is a bigger, global entity that I believe is even more important to have as an ally. That is the church. Already, I am seeing cracks in the resolve of the worldwide church when it comes to Israel. Some are condemning the country’s actions. Many more are just ignoring it, afraid to speak of it out loud for fear of offense or reprisals. I call on the church to pray in your services for Israel. I call on the church to pray in groups and as individuals. We show our love for God when we love that which He loves. Please, encourage your pastors to weekly bring the safety of Israel before the One who considers this backslidden nation to be, even now, the apple of His eye.

Zechariah 2:8
For thus says the LORD of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.”

One piece of wonderful news for the beginning of 2024 is that today sees the beginning of construction on CONNECT! From this new facility, Behold Israel will be able to continually update the news, produce quality videos, teach Israelis, host tour groups, and carry out many other ministry-related activities. Despite the war carrying on around us, we still anticipate CONNECT being ready for operation at the end of April. Thank you so much for your prayers and your giving to this ministry facility. With your help, God has brought CONNECT from the spark of a vision to the place that we are only months away from opening.


The Middle East

IDF Assassinates Major Hamas Commander
Tuesday night saw a meeting of key leaders of the terrorist organization, Hamas. Among those attending the meeting was Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy chairman of the Political Bureau of Hamas. Born in the West Bank, al-Arouri joined early with Hamas, and in 1993 he founded the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which is the military wing of the terrorist organization. He continued to rise in the ranks until he became the most important person in Hamas outside of Gaza. That came to an end when an Israeli airstrike targeted al-Arouri’s Tuesday night meeting. He was instantly killed, along with five other terrorist leaders. Not only was this an embarrassment to Hezbollah since the meeting was taking place in their headquarters, but more importantly this is a major blow to Hamas. Al-Arouri was the number two man in Hamas and deputy to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. But his elimination is even more significant than if it had been Haniyeh taken out. Al-Arouri was a strategic terrorist. He was a creator, an initiator, and an implementer. He was also ambitious and very charismatic. The elimination of Haniyeh might have been more symbolic in nature, but taking al-Arouri will have far greater impact and it is a shame it didn’t happen earlier. To learn more about this attack, watch my short Breaking News Update from immediately after the event.

IDF Working Hard in Khan Yunis
There are five governorates to Gaza descending southwards. The first two, North Gaza and Gaza City, are firmly under IDF control. Rather than continue to the third, Deir el-Balah, the IDF has focused its attention on the fourth governorate of Khan Yunis. They are doing this to try to cut off the gradual southward retreat of Hamas. If the fleeing terrorists were able to make it all the way to the fifth governorate of Rafah, then they would potentially be able to flee across the border into Egypt. This is why, if you follow my Telegram, you have seen so much activity in Khan Yunis this past week. To have this strategy and its reasoning described in much more detail, please watch "An Important Update from Amir" posted on Tuesday. Beyond the activity in the south, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has been very busy in the north. Iranian officers and proxy militias bore the brunt of the attacks in Syria, while Hezbollah targets were incessantly pounded in Lebanon.

Extraordinary Number of Chinese Weapons in Gaza
The IDF says that it has seized a “massive” amount of Chinese manufactured weaponry in Gaza. Defenders of China have said that it is impossible because China does not sell weapons to the Middle East. This short-sighted response ignores the round-about way weapons travel, particularly within what seems to be an emerging axis of evil between China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran with its minion proxy militias. So, while China may claim to have a strict control over the flow of their weaponry, it is likely that the containment practices of their arms factories are similar to that of their biological labs.

Houthis Given Stern Warning
A stern warning was issued to the Houthis by a coalition of 13 countries, led by the United States. A joint statement issued by the coalition read, “Ongoing attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing…. The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.” In the last three months, there have been approximately 24 attacks on international shipping in the area.

U.S. Bases in Iraq and Syria Under Constant Attack
There have been at least 118 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria since October 17. The perpetrators of these assaults are the Iranian-led proxy militias. While they’re sending suicide drones toward U.S. troops, the Washington administration continues to play footsie with the ayatollahs holding out hope for some sort of nuclear deal. For those of you in America who are reading about this, how many of you knew that the attacks were this extensive? If you didn’t, then ask yourself why you didn’t? There’s an event coming the first Tuesday in November that might have something to do with it.

Explosions in Iran Cause Hundreds of Casualties
An explosion yesterday sent shrapnel flying into the massive crowd that had gathered in Kerman Martys Cemetery, located just over 500 miles southeast of Tehran, to commemorate the death of assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. The fleeing crowd funneled onto Shohada Street, where twenty minutes after the first blast took place a second bomb went off. It is here that most of the casualties occurred. So far, at least 103 are known to be dead, while another 211 are wounded. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the terror attack, but sources in the U.S. speculate it to be ISIS or a related group. It is also possible that it is one of the many disgruntled minority populations that make up between one-third to one-half of Iran’s population. Iran, however, claims that they know who the perpetrators are. Mohammad Jamshidi, deputy chief of staff for political affairs to the Iranian president, posted on X today, “Washington says USA and Israel had no role in the terrorist attack in Kerman, Iran. Really? A fox smells its own lair first. Make no mistake. The responsibility for this crime lies with the US and Zionist regimes and terrorism is just a tool.” The Islamic regime knows full well that it is neither the U.S. nor Israel, but their own opposition. But less than 24 hours after the assassination of al-Arouri, it’s much more convenient to make Israel the scapegoat.

Turkey’s Skyrocketing Inflation
It’s possible that Turkey’s President Erdogan needs to stop worrying about Israel’s prosecution of its war and start focusing on his own economy. The inflation rate finished the year near 65%. A shift in philosophy at the central bank this past June has led to interest rates lifting from 8.5% to 42.5% six months later. Unfortunately, from what we know about Erdogan, this kind of news will not quiet him on the world stage. It will only make him more dangerous.

Difficult Start for Japan’s New Year
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Ishakawa Prefecture on New Year’s Day. At least 55 people were killed, and there was widespread damage to roads and houses. The next day, sorrow compounded sorrow when a JAL jet carrying 379 people collided on the ground with a Coast Guard plane preparing to aid victims of the quake. Everyone on board the passenger plane survived, but five of the six on the smaller plane perished.

South Africa Accuses Israel of Genocide
The South African government has filed a case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. Apparently, the country’s ANC-dominated leadership has forgotten what genocide really is. To refresh their memories, they are welcome to look back at the Hamas-led atrocities on October 7. Or, if they prefer something closer to home, their constant turning of a blind eye to the massacring of white farmers all across South Africa speaks well of the concept. Israel has chosen to defend itself against the charges, and South Africa is demanding that the case, which would normally take several years to adjudicate, be dealt with directly. In the meantime, they are asking the court to issue a legally binding injunction for Israel to “immediately suspend its military operations in and against Gaza.” Should this occur, I am positive that the Netanyahu administration will give the demand the due that it gives everything connected to the United Nations. For all of Behold Israel’s dear friends in South Africa, especially those who have contacted us apologizing for this court case, let me assure you that we recognize that this is your ANC-led government, not you. We pray for you as you struggle under their leadership, even as you faithfully pray for us in the difficulties we bear.


Ministry

Registration is now open for Proximity 2024, held at Calvary Central OC on January 27, 2024. Pastor Barry Stagner and Pastor Mike Golay will be teaching in person, while I will “satellite” in from Israel. Just where are we in the prophetic timeline, and where are we going next? Those are the questions we’ll be answering. Please come and join us! You may register here!

After the amazing success of our Alaska Cruise conference in 2023, we are preparing to take our teaching back on the water! For these opportunities, we will be presenting our Discovering Daniel & Revealing Conference in two very different venues. The first will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, which will take place from October 19-29, 2024. Our second opportunity to present these teachings will be on the waters of the Caribbean on January 18-25, 2025. Registration for both cruises will begin tomorrow, January 5!

My Telegram Channel is a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

God gave His laws to Moses for the people of Israel to observe. He did the same with the yearly cycle of feasts. Why were these rules and observances so important? In “God’s Calendar”, premiering Friday, January 5, at 12:00 PM PST, I’ll use the seven Old Testament feasts of Israel to show you Jesus Christ and His redemptive role as described in the New Testament.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

As we close, I would like to make a personal request for prayer. I am going south this weekend to spend time with my 76-year-old mother in Eilat. She has been battling cancer and she could very much use your prayers. Thank you so much.

I am so grateful for your support and your prayers. As we enter 2024, we know that it will be full of surprises – some good and some not so good. But through it all, we have the profound assurance that God is always with us and we are never alone. With Him alongside us, how can the enemy ever prevail against us?

Awaiting His Return,

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-010124?e=52ebe87529

When God is separating you, He knows you by name. He knows who you are, what your name is, and He wants you to demand Him to be with you. But sometimes it’s not just the people from a foreign land or the people from a pagan world. Sometimes within the people there is a separation. Think about Moses coming down from Mount Sinai, and they were celebrating the golden calf. Moses, the Bible says, Exodus 32, when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained, for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies, then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Within the nation, sometimes within your own, you will have to have a separation. And the only criteria is, who is on the Lord’s side? It’s not who do you like more? Who looks better? Who is wealthier? It’s who is on the Lord’s side.

Behold Israel with Amir Tsarfati

Amir Tsarfati: Who is on the Lord's Side
WATCH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVvd5I_HdXM

Amir Tsarfati BEHOLD ISRAEL CHANNEL ON Telegram


Merry Christmas from Netanyahu

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The Fig Tree Prophesy
BY AMIR TSARFATI/HARBINGER'S DAILY DECEMBER 20, 2023

The Fig Tree Is Alive: Are We Among The Generation That 'Shall Not Pass Away'?
Hebrews 1 says, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..." So, here we are seeing that Jesus never contradicted a single verse from the prophets. In fact, He continued in the same mantle.

Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus was on the Mount of Olives surrounded by His disciples. None of His disciples were "Christian" at that point. They were Jewish.

So, Jesus taught his Jewish disciples while He was in Jerusalem. And to make it very clear, in the history of planet Earth, Jerusalem was never the capital of any other nation but Israel. So, here you have the Jewish Messiah speaking to His Jewish disciples in the Jewish capital of the Jewish people.

We have to understand that the questions He was asked by his disciples--to which He gave a great, lengthy, and detailed answer--were authentic Jewish issues related to the Jewish Temple, the Messiah, and the last days.

No Gentile at the time was thinking about the last days, the Messiah, or the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus was talking to Jews about Jewish matters that only interested the Jews. He spoke on the Mount of Olives. That is why Matthew 24 is called the Olivet Discourse.

By the way, He was not angry with their questions. He understood exactly where they were coming from and took His time to give them a detailed answer. First, in verses 4 to 31, He spoke to His Jewish disciples about the future of the Jews. But then, starting in verse 32, He also gave them a different perspective of things to come. And He was talking about something else, someone else, another group of people which, by the way, they are also part of.

Learn from the Fig Tree

In Matthew 24:32-35, Jesus said, "Now learn the parable from the fig tree..." In the middle of His teaching on Israel and all the things Israel will go through, He stops to tell His disciples: "Now listen, I want you to learn a parable from the fig tree." In other words, He makes it clear that what He says about the fig tree is not literally about a fig tree; it's a parable of the fig tree--a symbol of something different. He is basically saying: Look, "when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know..." It's not "you think" and it's not "you guess." It's "you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see..."

Again, it's not when you talk about it, it's not when you hope for it, and it's not when you dream of it. It's "When you see" (with your very eyes) "all these things, know that it is near." Not 200 yards away, not 200 miles away. Where? "Right at the door." Right there!

So, Jesus reminds the disciples, "Look, the fig tree, remember the fig tree (of Matthew 21:18-20)? That fig tree that died, it's going to come back to life." Then He said, "the generation that will see the 'rebirth' of that tree, that generation shall not pass away till all these things take place" (Matthew 24:32-35). What things? His coming back.

God's Word Stands Forever

Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus' words will not pass away. Just like God said through Isaiah: "The flower fades, the grass withers, but the Word of God stands forever" (40:8). Wow!

So, Jesus stopped His entire description of the end times of Israel to tell His disciples, "Now listen. I want to talk to you now, not as Israel, but as My followers. If you follow Me, you can escape destruction. And, if you're following Me and alive to see the fig tree blooming... that's it! That's the last generation." Wow!

Before we talk about the fig tree, let's talk about the word "generation." Scholars, theologians, teachers, and pastors have pondered and debated about the timeframe of a generation. Some say it's 20 years, some 30 years, some 40 years, others say longer.

But none of those answers are correct. We need to understand that biblically, a generation has always referred to the longevity of mankind. That means the time between conception and natural death. So, the average lifespan of a group of people living at about the same time constitutes the length of a generation. Before the Flood, the Bible tells us the average lifespan of a man was over 900 years. Today, if a man makes it to 100, he's a celebrity.

So, which generation was Jesus talking about when he said, "this generation shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:34)? He was speaking of the generation that will see the fig tree come back to life. Wow!

I believe He is referring to believers who witness the most significant end-time prophecy: the "rebirth" of the fig tree--the rebirth of Israel.

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-1007387-q7a8ch7s7m-1007996?e=52ebe87529
Amir Tsarfati & Barry Stagner
Tsarfati: Spiritual Wisdom
Behold Israel with Amir Tsarfati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CCn2VgV2Tc

December 18, 2023
According to James, there are two types of wisdom, human and spiritual. Let me show you. James 3:13-17 – “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but it is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil things are there. But the wisdom that is from above….” Remember when the Holy Spirit came, they were in that upper room. It came from above. “When the wisdom comes from above, it is pure and then peaceable and gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” Oil in your lamp you must have, so you can shine your light. Matthew said, “You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men.” And if you truly have the Holy Spirit in you, then you are not seeking to self-promote. You are not actually seeking for your own glory. You are not writing a book so people will worship you and love you. You’re not preaching, you’re not posting things so that people will love you more. Look, when they see your good works, they will what? Glorify who? Your Father, which is in heaven. That’s when you’re a spiritual person. That’s when the spiritual wisdom is in you.
READ MORE https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-1007387-q7a8ch7s7m-1007996?e=52ebe87529
2 Peter 1:2-4
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

There is an adage that says, “All means all, all the time.” If we apply that to what Peter wrote, we can come away recognizing what a magnificent statement this is that “we have been given ‘all’ things pertaining to life and godliness.” This truth is being exposed more radically than ever in our day in that we have access to wisdom that is exclusive to born again Christians.

James 3:13-17
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

The exceedingly great and precious promises of the word are there for the entire world to read and embrace as true. Yet the only ones who do so are those who have received the pure wisdom from above. The word “pure” means “perfect” or “sacred.” It is the root word from which we get the word “holy.”

Earthly wisdom is therefore the polar opposite, and it is clear that most of our world is operating in this kind of wisdom. Wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and demonic. We know this because our world is filled with self-seeking, confusion, and every evil thing.

We must not miss the connection between the source of our wisdom and how it manifests itself in our lives. Those operating in earthly wisdom are confused about what a woman is, what gender means, and what good and evil are. In fact, the list of things the world is confused about seems almost endless these days.

Yet, the wisdom that comes from above is still yielding great benefits and clarity in the lives of those who have accessed it. We know there are two genders, we know that males cannot become females, and we know the definitions of right and wrong, evil and good. We can say this because the source of pure wisdom wrote a book. It is God’s word – the Bible.

Most importantly, those who access the wisdom that comes from above know that they have “all” things pertaining to living a godly life through His divine power. Their lives bring glory to God through their good works rather than tearing down and disputing the word of God like those operating in earthly wisdom today. We live by a different standard and walk in divine power and are hated by all for His name’s sake (Matthew 10:22).

It is our response that highlights how our source of wisdom is different from that of the world:

Matthew 5:43-45
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

This is wisdom from above that brings glory to God from the earth below. The world today is filled with hate – hate for those who think different, hate for those of a different political party, hate for those of a different ethnicity, hate for those who are the chosen people of God.

John 13:35
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In other words, the less we are like the world, the more we are recognizable as the people of God.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,
MORE
Behold Israel with Amir Tsarfati
Amir Tsarfati: The Parable of the Ten Virgins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZSGyuOqayU

December 11, 2023

Paul said, “I have fought the good fight.” You know, there’re fights that are not good. I saved that seat for someone else. You sat in my seat. You parked in my spot. You did this to me, you say that to me. These are stupid things. These are not the good fights. Good fight is about your faith, it’s about your heart, it’s about eternity, it’s about your future, it’s about those things. That’s the good fight. And it’s worth fighting for. Don’t fight fights that are not worth fighting for.

Look, in 1 Corinthians 9, Paul said, “Thus I fight not as one who beats the air.” You can ask Manny Pacquiao, he can tell you. Beating the air means nothing. You need to beat the person, you need to beat the situation, you need to fight the good fight that matters, not just punching in the air. Going back, he said, “I fought the good fight. I have finished the race.” Look, Paul said there’s a race. Life is not just strolling and walking and everything is great. It’s a race. I always liken Christianity to be running up an escalator that goes down. Have you tried? Escalator goes down and you run up. What happens if you stop? You go down. There is no “I’m taking a pause from my Christian walk in the next few months.” There’s no such thing.

The life of a believer is a race, and Paul says to those in 1 Corinthians, “Do you not know that those who run in the race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” Don’t just stroll, don’t just do this – run. Run in order to win. “I ran. I finished the race,” he said. By the way, our finish line is up there, not here. Paul already could see the welcome to heaven. And that’s what he said.

Finally, he said, “I kept the faith. I could have lost my faith.” Look, I could have blamed every person who did bad things to me and depart from faith and go do whatever I want. Oh, he was nasty to me, those Christians. No. Christianity is not about Christians. It’s about Christ. And Christianity is not, you know, promising us no problems. Christianity is not the absence of problems. It’s the presence of Christ.

Happy Hannukah from Israel! It is good to be back home with my family. My time in the U.S. was very special and the Lord accomplished much. However, I am thrilled to be in Israel with my wife and children, particularly during this time of war.

October 7 ushered in a new era in the Arab-Israeli conflict. In the past, we’ve allowed evil to live just on the other side of our borders. We didn’t like it but put up with it. The reasons for this tolerance came from both outside and inside Israel. Outside, there was great pressure from the world that a solution must be found that would allow independent states for Israel and the Palestinians. Any perceived slight by the Jews toward the Arabs was immediately pounced on by the United Nations who manufactured condemnatory resolutions against Israel like they were pickup trucks at a Ford plant.

Inside the country, we had a large population of liberal optimists who truly felt that if we were nice to the Palestinians, we could win them over. “They hate us now, and probably for good reason. If we just love them, then they’ll start to love us. After all, love always wins!” Tragically, the kibbutzim that were attacked along the border were largely populated with many of these well-meaning but naïve families. It’s truly heart-breaking.

As I said, we are in a new era in Israel. No longer does anyone foolishly hope that a relationship between Palestinians and Israelis can be forged. By the actions carried out by those Nazi monsters, they forfeited any right they thought they may have had to Gaza. There will be no Palestinian settlements south of our border.

“But, Amir, that isn’t fair to all the innocent civilians! They can’t help it if they had terrorists living among them!” I understand that there are innocents. And I also recognize that there are Christians amongst the Palestinians. However, the innocents and the believers in Gaza are a very small minority. Just yesterday, the Palestinian Center for Political Research and Surveys, based in Ramallah, released results of their inquiries. Of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, 82% said the massacre of October 7 was an appropriate response to the attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque (which never actually occurred) and to free prisoners from Israeli custody. 70% think that armed terrorism is a proper solution to ending occupation. 90% call for the resignation of Mahmoud Abbas and more than 60% called for the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority (PA). In other words, Abbas and the PA are not radical enough for them. They want Hamas in charge.

We are no longer in an era of appeasement or compromise. We are in the era of vanquishment. The Palestinians in our region and around the world have ceased masking their intentions to annihilate Israel. They have laid down the gauntlet – it is them or us. We did not ask for this fight. We did not desire to make this choice. But neither will we shy away from it. Outside pressure has always caused us to moderate our responses in the past. That is no longer true.

This will be a difficult road because world sentiment continues its sway away from Israel. This past week, the United Nations (UN) rejected a proposed resolution by the U.S. that would have included a condemnation of Hamas. All the world saw what those Nazi terrorists did. Their own cameras proudly showed their torture, rape, and murder of Jews of all ages from tiny children and infants to the elderly. Yet, the world refuses to condemn this group because the massacre was carried out against Israel.

The UN did find the votes to pass a different resolution, however. It called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The vote was 153 to 10 with 23 abstentions. Many of our European “friends” voted in favor of the resolution. I was so proud of Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan. He held up a sign in the General Assembly that read: “For a Ceasefire Dial [phone number] Ask for Yahya Sinwar”. Sinwar is the head of Hamas in Gaza, and the phone number belonged to him. In an interview, Erdan said that Sinwar could arrange for an immediate ceasefire if he chose to. All he would need to do is return all the hostages and surrender.

As predicted, our closest ally, the U.S., appears to be tiring of our fight for survival. In a statement on Tuesday, President Joe Biden made it clear that Prime Minister Netanyahu will not be able to refuse a Palestinian state in the future. This is not surprising since the president has long been a supporter of a two-state solution. Sorry, Mr. President, but that is now off the table. Biden also expressed his concern that Israel is beginning to lose support due to indiscriminate bombing. Apparently, one man’s “indiscriminate bombing” is another man’s precision-targeted elimination of terrorist facilities, weapons, tunnels, and personnel. Finally, President Biden suggested that Netanyahu must change the composition of his government saying that “this government in Israel is making it very difficult.” I’m sure our prime minister will take that suggestion under serious advisement.

We recognize that we are losing public opinion, but that is nothing new. It just means we are going back to the old status quo of global antisemitism. Very public incidents are daily in the news. Some have results the perpetrators don’t anticipate. In Poland, in an act of stupidity and insanity, MP Grzegorz Braun wielded a fire extinguisher to attack a lighted menorah in the parliamentary building. He has now been excluded from the rest of the session, had his governmental allowance withheld, and is facing criminal charges. Thank you, Poland! In the Turkish Grand National Assembly, member Hasan Bitumen vehemently condemned Israel, concluding with, “You will not escape the wrath of Allah.” He then suffered a heart attack before he even got off the stage. Seems that someone didn’t escape God’s wrath.

Even greater than the drift of nations from Israel is the growing vehemence in grassroots antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League reported 2,031 incidents of antisemitism in the U.S. since October 7. That is the highest two-month figure ever and is up 331% from last year. Violent protests, vicious assaults, threatening vandalism are all increasing throughout the Western nations. It was especially noticeable this past week as city after city in America and Europe canceled their public Hannukah ceremonies due to fear and threats.

Despite all this, Israel will not stop fighting until we are safe. Yesterday was an especially difficult day as we lost ten soldiers in a 24-hour span in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza. And for those who say, “Only ten? Look at all the Gazan soldiers Israel is killing.” Again, we did not choose this war. They poked the bear. Now we’re awake.

The battle is still raging in the West Bank, particularly in the area of Jenin. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists are being rooted out of their hiding places and either taken into custody or killed. In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire rockets into Israel leading to regular retaliatory airstrikes. Yesterday, fighter jets bombed Hezbollah facilities in and around Nakoura. So far, over 100,000 residents in southern Lebanon have evacuated northward. It seems they recognize what we in Israel all know, and that is that the military campaign in the north is inevitable. Commander of Israel’s Home Front Command, Major Rafi Milo stated, “There is a target date for the war with Hezbollah. We are preparing for it. The situation in the north is worse than the situation in the south.” We are not safe with Hezbollah, an incredibly violent, well-funded, and well-trained proxy militia for Iran, right across our border. When I spoke of an era of vanquishment, I meant on all sides. On October 7, Hamas triggered a response that will only be complete when we, like most nations in the West, can rest secure without fear that our neighbors will fire rockets at our cities or invade across our borders.

There has been a new thread of criticism levelled against Israel as a result of pictures of captured Gazan terrorists wearing only their underwear. I have two responses to that. First, this is tactical. It ensures they are carrying no weapons, and it makes them very easy to spot if they try to escape. Second, these same men were not concerned in the least with the shame and terror they were causing their victims when they were raping and murdering them. Compared to their crimes, a little public underwear time doesn’t even register on the inhumane scale.

Besides, at least Hamas can see what is happening to their soldiers who are taken captive. Israel still has 135 innocent civilians who are being held hostage somewhere in Gaza. We have no idea the conditions they are being held in. What we do know is that at least 20 have been murdered while in captivity. There will be no consideration of a ceasefire until we are assured that we will get back every one of those hostages. Did you hear that, Yahya Sinwar? If you hope to survive this, returning our loved ones is your first step.


Resources

Now that I am back in Israel for the next year, I am focusing my efforts on establishing our new CONNECT ministry center. From this new facility, Behold Israel will be able to continually update the news, produce quality videos, teach Israelis, host tour groups, among other activities. I cannot wait to see all that God will do through CONNECT. But for now, the task seems overwhelming. Please pray as I work hard to bring all the pieces together. Also, if the Lord leads you, would you consider a recurring donation for the future ongoing monthly expenses of this ministry center, such as rent, taxes, utilities, salaries, etc.? We are humbled at how God has miraculously blessed us already as He poured in the finances for the construction of the facility. Thank you and may God bless you!

My Telegram Channel – a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

The parable of the ten virgins communicates a mysterious yet serious message regarding biblical wisdom. Do these virgins represent the need for Israel to prepare to meet the Lord, or is there a greater application for those within the Church concerning foolishness and wisdom? Join me tomorrow, Friday, December 15, at 12:00 PM PST, for my video, “The Parable of the Ten Virgins”, in which I talk about what it means to be prepared to meet the Bridegroom.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support of this ministry. And thank you also for your continued prayers for Israel. According to His promises, may God bless you as you bless His people with your prayers.

Awaiting His Return,

Amir Tsarfati: Israel and the Tribulation
Amir's Bible Bites Devotionals
BEHOLD ISRAEL
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From:
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December 4, 2023

One of my dearest pastors taught me, “Amir, happiness and joy can be translated in so many different ways, but suffering, only by one.” Suffering is the only language that everyone understands. And, unfortunately, that’s the one thing that really brings us always back on track. In Israel, we have a term meaning “to come back with an answer.” It’s very interesting, but it’s not just an answer. It’s to return. It’s amazing, “Come back and return to me,” He says, “and then I will return to you.” “I am here.” God is near all those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. Matthew 23, look what He says. Jesus is looking at the city of Jerusalem. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her, how often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathered her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. See, your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see me no more until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” He says, look, you suffer from your own consequences and you won’t be able to see me until you return. You come back and you ask me to come, and I will come. Because when you come back to me, I will come back to you.

Amir Tsarfati: Suffering and Repentance
There are some things within the Christian life that we will be glad to be rid of when we enter into eternity, not the least of which are suffering and trials.

James 1:2-3
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 5:10
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Suffering and trials have a productive impact on our lives, as James and Peter point out. Trials produce patience and prove the genuineness of our faith. Suffering perfects, establishes, strengthens, and settles us. Settle means “to stabilize”.

We would all prefer to live without this productive pair of life experiences, but the truth is they are the only means by which those things can be accomplished. After all, you can’t learn patience by never having it tested. You can’t show the genuineness of your faith without suffering. And consider this, Jesus Himself proves the importance and reality of these truths:

Hebrews 5:5-8
So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”; who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Jesus “learning obedience” is not an infraction on His omniscience, but rather proof that some things can only be learned by experience. As God, He had not suffered. As God, He was the One to be obeyed not the One who had to obey. In His humanity, He learned these things.

Again, this is not our favorite truth but it is true nonetheless. Suffering and trials teach us things that cannot be learned any other way.

Hosea 5:15
“I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

The afflictions of the time of Jacob’s trouble will cause many of the Jews to earnestly seek the Holy One of Israel, whom their fathers rejected. They will acknowledge this offense, and one-third of the Jews, all who survive the Great Tribulation, will earnestly seek the Lord and thus “all Israel will be saved.”

What finally opens their eyes to their Messiah? Suffering affliction.

Yet many today question the goodness, or even existence, of God because of the very things that teach us much of what we need to know that can only be learned through sufferings and trials.

These things are so powerful, when seen from the proper biblical perspective, that they will lead to the salvation of the whole nation of Israel – that surviving one-third (Zechariah 13:8).

Many who are reading this are going through some form of trial or suffering. If it is causing you to question God’s goodness or faithfulness, remember, there are things to be learned from it. The greatest proof is how Jesus learned obedience through His suffering. We should learn the same thing through ours.

Trial-free and suffering-free lives do not exist, and the presence of problems does not annul God’s goodness and kindness.

John 16:33
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The next life is nothing like this one. Because of that, we can be of good cheer. This world system and the fallen nature of man are soon to be replaced with “fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11) for all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved.

Take heart, dear friends. We’re going to be in the new Jerusalem for a very long time, and this life, which is but a vapor, and all its trials and sufferings will no longer be a part of our existence.

Revelation 21:4
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

1007972?e=52ebe87529

Shalom from Washington, D.C.! I arrived in the United States on Friday, and it has already proved to be a very worthwhile trip. On Monday, I was able to join Tony Perkins on his show “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins”. We had an excellent conversation about the situation in Israel, the rise of militant Islam in the West, and how all of this fits into biblical prophecy. If you would like to watch, you can find the interview on his website. The show date was November 27, 2023, and my segment begins at 37:00.

Yesterday, I had the great privilege of sitting with former ambassador to Japan and current U.S. Senator from Tennessee Bill Hagerty. I was so blessed as I found Senator Hagerty to be a great friend of Israel. During our time, I asked him to please put pressure on the administration to allow Israel to finish the job in Gaza. I also asked him to explain to the president that a Two State solution is no solution at all. In the afternoon, I had the opportunity to present a challenge to 50 congressmen at the Republican Study Committee (RSC), which is the conservative caucus in the House headed by Oklahoma Representative Kevin Hern. Then, last night I had a wonderful time with Pastor Gary Hamrick at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia. There were 1300 people who attended as he interviewed me about the situation in Israel and how it fits into Bible prophecy. I would encourage you to check it out.

Today I am wrapping up my time in Washington. I started this morning at a bible study with senators and congressmen. I had the opportunity to brief them on what is happening in Israel and the need to pressure the U.S. government to allow us to destroy Hamas quickly. Also, I again asked them to please shut down the talks for a Two State solution. Please pray for the rest of my day here. I trust that the Lord will continue to allow me to be His spokesperson to these powerful men and women. I sometimes sit in wonder at the doors the Lord has opened to this former cast-off product of the Israeli foster care system. The Lord has His plans; He just asks that we trust and follow Him.

Tomorrow, I will travel to Miami, Florida, where I will rendezvous with Behold Israel’s senior writer and editor, Steve Yohn, to plot out our fourth Nir Tavor novel. With everything that is happening in Israel, it is very understandable that the eyes of the world have moved from the war in Eastern Europe to the Middle East. But we cannot afford to forget Russia and its president. Our latest novel, Out of the Far North, released last month, delves deeply into the Russian mindset and the grand schemes of the nation’s leadership. With all of the thriller’s Mossad-centered action and intrigue, there is nowhere else you will be able to learn so much while having such a good time doing it.


The Middle East

Ceasefire
Seven days ago, a temporary ceasefire was instituted between Israel and Hamas. In the period leading to today, 75 Israeli hostages were released along with 20 foreign nationals. In return, Israel sent violent prisoners back to Gaza. Just to clarify, we received 95 victims – innocent children, women, and elderly who had been kidnapped and stolen across the border. Hamas received back perpetrators – men, women, and teens who had been jailed for carrying out terrorism and violence.

Originally, the ceasefire was scheduled for four days, but Hamas is dragging it out as long as possible. They were on the verge of annihilation, but now they have already been given a week to regroup, rearm, and redeploy. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are prepared to reengage the moment the ceasefire ends. When they do, they will find an enemy refreshed and ready to resist.

From the beginning, I was against this ceasefire. It was obvious to all that exactly what Hamas had planned was taking place. They knew that there might come a time when they would be facing defeat. At that point, they would need bargaining chips to employ in order to save themselves. That’s all the hostages ever were to these terrorists. They were not humans. They were just pawns in their violent game. This shouldn’t surprise us, because it is the exact same way they treat their fellow Gazans. Those patients in the hospitals and women and children in the neighborhoods and schools were not humans to Hamas. They were simply human shields under whom they could build their vast tunnel system.

That being said, I cannot fault Prime Minister Netanyahu and his administration for agreeing to the ceasefire. I can’t imagine being in his position. He, along with every other Israeli, desperately wanted to see those kidnapped hostages brought home. Beyond that, I don’t know what promises or threats were made behind the scenes by the U.S. The American secretary of state, Anthony Blinken, who today met privately with Prime Minister Netanyahu, announced prior to his trip that he would do what he could to extend the ceasefire. I expect that it will not be long before the international pressure will overwhelmingly be for a permanent ceasefire. That is an action that Israel must not agree to. Hamas must be completely annihilated. Otherwise, Israeli citizens will spend their lives looking over their shoulders waiting for the next attack.

Action in the West Bank
The IDF carried out a major operation Wednesday in Jenin in the West Bank. Two members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) were killed in the attack. Both had been involved in terror attacks in Israel, and the cell was planning more. Sadly, an eight-year-old boy and a fifteen-year-old young man were also killed in the operation. This is tragic and it breaks my heart. Of course, the media focuses on those deaths while ignoring the purpose for the operation. They ignore the truth that the IDF would have never been there had the terrorists not attacked Israel and if they were not plotting further violence. The blood of those children is on the PIJ, not the IDF.

Action in Lebanon
Tensions continue to simmer along the Israel/Lebanon border. Hezbollah is well-armed, well-trained, and well-funded. If they poured across the border like Hamas did, they would eventually be defeated. But the cost in Israeli lives would be much higher. The Iranian-funded proxy militia does have other options for wreaking havoc in Israel. A source in Lebanon announced this last week that Hezbollah intends to attack Israel with thousands of standard rockets in one major barrage. These munitions, which they already have positioned just across the border, will deplete the Iron Dome and the other missile intercepting systems. At that point, they could switch to their more accurate and more powerful ground-to-ground missiles. The source claimed that already Hezbollah has 240 targets selected. This is a strategy that I had predicted months ago in this newsletter.

Global Attitude Toward Israel
For the most part, the sympathy other nations felt for Israel as a result of the October 7 attack has run its course. It’s now turning back to antisemitism, as usual. The United Nations General Assembly took time away from saving the world through peace and humanity to hold another vote to demand that Israel withdraws from all “occupied” territories and returns to its pre-1967 borders. Not only did it pass, it did so overwhelmingly. Only Australia, Canada, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, the UK, and the US voted against the ridiculous referendum. All others either voted yes or abstained. The United Nations has always harbored a hatred for Israel, and that animosity has shown over the last seven weeks as much as ever. As the hostages have been released, stories have come out including one from a man who said that he was held in an attic for nearly fifty days by a teacher from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). How are we ever supposed to trust an agency whose own workers hold our people hostage?

Israel does continue to have a shrinking group of friends, some from unexpected places. Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier came to Israel and visited Kibbutz Be’eri with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog. As nice as that was, the Germans then turned around and abstained from the UN vote. It reminds me of the teen who sometimes hangs out with the unpopular neighbor kid, but won’t acknowledge him in the halls at school.

Billionaire and world social media influencer Elon Musk visited Israel this past week. His eyes were opened as he toured the sites of the violence near the southern border. However, it seems that the overall influencing tide has once again turned strongly against Israel. Throughout social media, cable and network news channels, the entertainment world, and academia, the anti-Israel, pro-Hamas sentiment is reaching hysterical levels. Marches, riots, and physical attacks stain almost every major city in the West. Last night, mobs of antisemitic Hamas supporters ran wild at the annual Christmas tree lighting in Manhattan. European governments, in particular, are going to have to make some very hard choices very soon as the militant element of the hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants is becoming more emboldened to express its hatred for western values and its desire to usher in Sharia law.

Global Attitude Toward Islam
Some countries have already woken up and realized that the enemy is not at the gates, but is already in the city. As I mentioned last week, Geert Wilders, the man situated to become the Netherlands next prime minister, ran on an anti-immigration platform and won handily. Jimmie Åkesson, a conservative member of the Swedish Riksdag, said on Saturday that the militant Islam concern was great enough that the government should ban the building of new mosques, while also considering the destruction of existing mosques that preach hatred and violence. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the first European leader to see the danger, coming out strongly against Muslim immigration into his country. The pro-Sharia element in Europe is only going to get stronger and better organized in the coming months. Eventually, it will come to a very violent head.


Resources

After my time in Miami, I will be heading northwest where, on Wednesday, December 6, at 7:00 PM CST, I will be speaking at Abundant Life Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. It is at that event that I will deliver my new message, “What’s Next for Israel?”. This is not a ticketed event. I very much look forward to seeing you there!

Special Israel Prayer Meetings – Please join us every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 AM PST for a prayer time when we will be lifting Israel up before the Lord. Details can be found HERE. We look forward to seeing you there.

My Telegram Channel – a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

God disciplines those He loves. For the nation of Israel, this time of correction is called Jacob's Trouble, or the Tribulation. In “Israel and the Tribulation”, premiering Friday at 12:00 PM PST, I will look at Israel's rebellion against God before the period of correction begins, the peace and the horror the nation will experience during that time, and the spiritual restoration that will take place when the seven years conclude. Join me for this important teaching!

Out of the Far North – this third novel in my Nir Tavor Mossad Series looks at Russia’s role in the growing tension in the Middle East and their animosity toward Israel which will one day explode into war. Like the previous two bestsellers, they present both biblical truth and geopolitical realities in an action-packed story exciting enough to have had my previous novel, By Way of Deception, nominated as an ECPA Christy Award finalist for 2023.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

Did you know that Behold Israel has an online shop? Located in our online store is a variety of resources, including books, DVDs, and downloadable teachings. Moreover, there is some new exciting merch with more on the way! We invite you to check it out and we greatly appreciate your support.

I hope you are as excited as I am at the doors that your prayers have opened. I am humbled as I navigate the opportunities that God has given me in Washington, D.C., knowing that it is only His work that could have made it happen. Thank you again for your constant prayers and your support of the ministry.

Awaiting His Return,
Amir Tsarfati: God's Hand on Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxA-ADfFkgg

BEHOLD ISRAEL
Emir Tsarfati
https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1007944?e=52ebe87529

Shalom from just up the road from the Ramat David Airbase in Israel’s Northern District! It has been a very noisy month-and-a-half as jet after jet takes off heavily strapped with weapons, then later returns empty. Israel is a nation at war, and we are winning the fight. But despite my nation’s many victories over these last weeks, the fight still rages on. Hezbollah continues to threaten up north. Iran, the terrorist puppet master, has become fairly quiet, at least for them. This is likely because, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, they have recently upped their nuclear enrichment by 22 times. And around the world, pro-Hamas, anti-Israel protests are loudly and violently announcing their support of the Nazi terrorists.

Still, there are several visuals I witnessed this past week that brought a quiet joy to my heart.

I saw Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops carrying much needed medical equipment into the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. According to the world’s media which get its headlines directly from Hamas, there is nothing that Israelis enjoy more than bombing a hospital filled to capacity with ailing Palestinians and newborn children. What they neglect to mention is that, first, the reason the hospitals are even on the IDF’s radar is because Hamas built all their infrastructure under these human shields. Second, that the IDF gives many warnings before they attack. The Israeli military actually endangers itself by giving away the crucial element of surprise, just so innocent civilians can get to safety. Third, that the IDF attacks with precision so that they are targeting only Hamas terrorists, as much as possible. Fourth, that the Israeli military is bringing with it a massive amount of humanitarian aid, like necessary medical equipment, that the Israeli soldiers are providing to those that Hamas has purposely put in harm’s way. It is quite evident that the Israelis have far more compassion for the average Palestinian than do the terrorists of Hamas.

I saw the Hamas parliament building in Gaza exploding into a pile of rubble. Israel is sending a message – Hamas is no more. The IDF has destroyed more than 90 government institutions and buildings, levelling the corrupt leadership infrastructure. Throughout Gaza, in place of the Hamas flag, the blue and white of Israel is now proudly flying.

I saw four massive bulldozers with their huge blades brought together to form a makeshift synagogue. Within that sacred location on the beach, soldiers donned their shawls and read from their prayerbooks. In another picture, I witnessed members of the IDF gathered around a large Torah scroll. As they listened, an officer wearing his full kit read the Scriptures using a tactical knife as a yad, or pointer. We are seeing a great return of the Jews to their God. For some atheistic or agnostic Israelis, this is a necessary first step. Before they can accept the true Messiah at the end of the tribulation, they must first acknowledge that there really is a God. We must be praying that the Lord, who began this great work, will carry it on to completion.

God is at work in Israel. We can see Him in the miraculously smooth destruction of Hamas in Gaza to the south. His hand is in the hesitation of Hezbollah to open a second front in the north. Undoubtedly, He was in the overwhelming support that most of the world gave to Israel after the atrocities of October 7. And the United States’ tremendous demonstration of military partnership was a beautiful showing of our Lord at work.

I am going to purposely keep this edition of the newsletter short. Two days ago, I sent out a special release entitled, “Special Newsletter: Blessings in Disguise”. If you have not read it, please do so. It details many of the ways we can see God’s hand moving over the last weeks in Israel. Also, this morning at 10:00 AM PST on Facebook, YouTube, and X, I will going live with a “Special Middle East Update: The Raid on Gaza Hospitals”. In this update, I will give some very important news and information on what is happening in the war in the south.

I recognize that between Telegram, Instagram, newsletters, and online updates, the amount of information can sometimes feel like a lot. The last thing I want to do is overwhelm you. So, please take advantage of what I’ve already put together in Tuesday’s newsletter, today’s online update, and my Telegram channel. And, if you are reading this later in the day and you’ve already consumed all the important information, then take the time instead to pray for Israel. God is moving amongst His chosen people.

Below are some more resources you may want to take advantage of:

Special Israel Prayer Meetings – Please join us every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 AM PST for a prayer time when we will be lifting Israel up before the Lord. Details can be found HERE. We look forward to seeing you there.

My Telegram Channel – a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

The Wars of Israel, Part 1 – At 12:00 PM PST tomorrow, we are sharing Part 1 of the story of the miraculous survival of the nation of Israel in modern times. This will be accompanied by biblical truth in contrast to the deception of today's news. Tune in to my message, which is fact-based, documentary-supported, and loaded with Bible verses!
VIDEOS https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1007944?e=52ebe87529
VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEMVcGCjs54

Out of the Far North – this third novel in my Nir Tavor Mossad Series looks at Russia’s role in the growing tension in the Middle East and their animosity toward Israel which will one day explode into war. Like the previous two bestsellers, they present both biblical truth and geopolitical realities in an action-packed story exciting enough to have had my previous novel, By Way of Deception, nominated as an ECPA Christy Award finalist for 2023.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

May God bless you as you lift Israel before His throne.

Awaiting His Return,

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-1007387-q7a8ch7s7m-1007936?e=52ebe87529
BEHOLD ISRAEL
https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-bible-bites-devotionals-1007387-q7a8ch7s7m-1007936?e=52ebe87529
November 13, 2023

There are no people that are exempt from the duty to testify of Jesus. There are none. The Bible says that you must tell the things of the glory of the One who brought you from darkness into His marvelous light. He says He took you out of that, so you will testify, you will tell everyone of His glory. So that’s a duty that we need to remember. The Bible tells us about all of these things and we need to remember the believers are the runners of this race, and at no point in the Bible it says that some can and some cannot run. If God is calling you to Him, God will equip you also to run the race.

Running the race is living a life of godliness and fulfilling the ministry of testifying the gospel of Jesus to the people around the world. I don’t think it’s something that only few can do. And why running, by the way? Why running? Why not walking? Running is something that is challenging. Running is something that takes a lot of effort. Running is something that requires from you some skills, and running is something that is often describing how we flee from the things of the world. We must run away from things. So that’s the way we need to remember that.

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 9 how we should run. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it, and everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore, I run, thus not with uncertainty, thus I fight not as one who beats the air, but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection lest I when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” Paul is telling us, when you enter that racetrack you are not to run in a way that you know you’re going to lose from the very beginning. In other words, you can’t just walk and stroll through that race. You have to run and run in a way that you will win.


Amir Tsarfati: Run for the Prize
Jesus told His disciples in John 14:12 that they would do greater works than they had seen because He was going to His Father. What they would be empowered to do would be greater than healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the masses through miraculous means, and even raising the dead. What is that power and what would be the results?

Acts 1:8
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This is the greater work Jesus was referring to, the work of being a witness. All who were healed by Jesus later died. All who were fed got hungry again. All who had demons cast from them and even those raised from the dead still died and their encounter with Jesus’ miraculous power changed their lives to be sure. But it did not necessarily lead to the saving of their souls.

Many Christians today are longing to see the power of God manifested in miraculous ways, and sadly, few are doing the things that lead to God manifesting His power in ways that are greater than temporal miracles. Primary among these things is being a witness.

Acts 2:36-39
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

If the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to everyone who comes to faith in Christ, then everyone who comes to faith in Christ has the power to be a witness for Christ.

Paul likens being a witness to running a race and fighting the good fight of faith. This means it takes discipline like that of a runner who must train and deny themselves of things others are doing that would be detrimental to them on race day. He says we don’t fight like a shadow boxer beating the air with their fists. Rather, the fighter disciplines their body that they not be disqualified. What Paul was referring to was that in order to enter the Greek games every participant had to commit to 10 months of training before their event, and had to swear that they had kept this commitment. If they couldn’t, they were disqualified.

The greatest thing we can do in life is lead other people to Jesus, and He has given us His Spirit to empower us to do so. Sometimes it will be like a race – exhausting. Sometimes it will be a fight to do what we are called and empowered to do, but the one thing we need to recognize is we are all called to do it.

Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Mark 16:19-20
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

If you want to see the miraculous power of God manifested in your life, go tell people about Jesus. Whatever power is needed to do so, you will have. If it’s a word of knowledge, He will give it to you. If it’s discernment you need, you’ll have it. If someone getting healed will cause them to turn to Christ, He can even do that through you.

We already have the command to go. Too many Christians today want to see God’s power just for the experience’s sake. Mark says the signs that confirm the word were present everywhere the disciples preached.

Go out and tell people about Jesus and see what the Lord will do through you!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1007932?e=52ebe87529
Amir Tsarfati: Share the Good News
Weekly Newsletter: October 27 - November 3, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZlq7nj-k44

Shalom from the Jezreel Valley in Israel! Tuesday marked one month since the horrific events of October 7. The people of my country are still recovering, like trying to get your breath back after being punched in the stomach. We are wounded, we are mourning, we are reeling. What we are not is helpless. Hamas thought they could hit us hard enough to take away our spirit, our hope, our unity. They miscalculated, and now they are paying an extremely high price.

Because one month has passed, I want to take this newsletter to reset ourselves. I think it is necessary to not let time soften the sting of what took place. However, it is also important to look at where we are now, and to see what Israel and the world can expect in the near future.


The Past

On October 7 at 6:30 in the morning, more than 3000 Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians crossed the border into Israel. They didn’t just have murder on their minds. They were also intent on committing torture, rape, and kidnapping. All four of their goals were accomplished in the most evil and horrific ways. We cannot forget the indiscriminate rape and slaughter at the music festival. We cannot let the stories of children tortured and killed in front of their parents, of a pregnant woman being torn open and a knife being plunged into her unborn child, of two stacks of ten children each who were set fire and burned alive, of husbands being forced to watch their wives being raped before they were executed with a bullet to their heads. Time can morph those actions into just a number – more than 1400 killed. That number is tragic, but it is clinical. We must never forget what that number represents – 1400 acts of the most barbaric evil this world has seen.

We must also remember that there are at least 240 hostages still being held by Hamas and Gazan civilians. Many are children of all ages, even down to infants. Many are women, from teens on up. They are being brutalized beyond comprehension. I recently posted on my Telegram a Palestinian woman explaining how the Koran taught that female prisoners of war should be “humiliated” in the worst possible ways. When the hostages are finally freed, they will spend a lifetime processing through the trauma they have experienced.

Once again I ask, if this had been done to your country, how would you expect your government to react? The Israeli leadership has responded by saying that those responsible will pay, and the military will ensure that our enemy is not around to do this again. That is what has been taking place in Gaza and on our northern border with Lebanon.


The Present

Of the billions of dollars that has been sent to Gaza for humanitarian relief, most of it has found its way into the pockets of Hamas’s leadership and into the vast tunnel system they built underground. What they created in their “city below the city” is really quite amazing, and I just wonder what sort of thriving society they could have right now if they had invested that money into their people and their culture rather than into their futile life’s mission to eradicate Israel.

Currently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has clamped tight their pincer strategy, effectively cutting Gaza in two. Having warned civilians to flee to the south out of harm’s way, they are now closing the circle they created around the Hamas headquarters. I can’t say it’s around the Hamas leaders, because they have been living in luxury hotels in Qatar and Turkey for years. The primary tunnels for Hamas’s headquarters are located in and around the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. While the safest route for the IDF would be to drop bunker buster bombs on the site, that is not how they operate. As heinous as Hamas’s strategy is of using their own civilians as human shields, it is effective. So, the IDF is forced into a ground war that will do its best to target only terrorist combatants. This process is progressing well.

When Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah, announced that he was giving a speech last Friday, the Hamas leaders were hoping he would say they were joining the war. They were let down. While Hezbollah, guided by their Iranian masters, originally had every intention of being part of this invasion of Israel, Hamas jumped the gun and went out on their own. That brought in a complication that Hezbollah and its Lebanese terrorists hadn’t expected – the United States. A US carrier group off Lebanon’s shore has given Nasrallah great pause, which is evidenced by the fact that two-thirds of his speech focused on America. But Hezbollah has not given up on their plans. They are just waiting for the right time when they once again have the element of surprise.

When Hamas first attacked, the world seemed to be with Israel. Of course, there were the usual hold outs, but a vast majority of nations condemned the attacks and sent condolences to the Jewish state. Two factors are changing that. First, there is time. The painful edge of the attack is dulling, and those who have always been anti-Israel are becoming emboldened to express their feelings once again. We see this in the United Nations. We see this in countries that are calling on Israel to pause the action in Gaza and to reconsider the proportionality of their military response. I would like to know what the proportional response is to two piles of small children who were burned alive. The proportional response to evil of that sort is to remove the evil once and for all. That is the commitment that Israel’s leadership has made to their people. And it is a commitment that they will likely pay for in condemnation from much of the world.

Already Israel has been falsely accused of bombing a hospital in Gaza. Nations across the globe rushed to condemn this heinous action of the IDF. But then the source of the explosion was proven to be one of Hamas’s own rockets. Then, on Tuesday, the United Nations Relief and Workers Agency (UNRWA) accused Israel of killing 66 innocent civilians and injuring 540 more who they say were sheltering in UNRWA schools. But in the pictures accompanying their accusation, there were sinkholes that clearly showed collapsed Hamas tunnels underneath the United Nations sanctioned school. Hey UN, didn’t you know that locating military infrastructure under schools is an internationally acknowledged war crime? I guess we shouldn’t expect anything more from an organization that has named the Iranian ambassador to chair its Human Rights Council Social Forum. Lies and fabrications will continue to rain down from the global news media. Some will stick to Israel, and, when the layer of fake news has grown enough, the world will once again turn against the maligned nation.

Other nations, particularly the United States, must recognize that a two-state solution is no longer on the table. If it had just been a rebel terrorist group from within Gaza, that would be one thing. But the attacking force was made up of members of Hamas, along with civilians who just happened to be nearby. When they were invited to come across the border and join in the atrocities, they did so with glee. That is because the Palestinians raise their children to be monsters. Those civilians joined in because they had been taught from the time they were young that one of the greatest things they could do for Allah is to violently kill a Jew. That is ingrained in the Palestinian population, and it will undoubtedly be passed on to the next generation. Having hundreds of thousands of people with that mindset living just beyond our border is untenable, as was evidenced on October 7. So, no, there will be no two-state solution. That ship has sailed.

A recent development that is especially concerning is to see the way that Satan has gotten his foothold of antisemitism into the church. Click-bait conspiracies and unscriptural speculation is rampant from some pulpits and throughout social media. I can’t tell you how many people have asked me whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conspired with the United States to carry out the October 7 attacks. This is not only ludicrous, it is appalling. And, no, I am not going to spell out exactly why this is so asinine for the same reason I do not waste time proving that 9/11 was not an inside job and that people actually walked on the moon. Anyone spreading these antisemitic lies should be ashamed of themselves and should repent immediately.

Antisemitism is already strong enough in western cultures without the help of the church. Jews are being attacked and beaten in the streets. Some businesses have started to ban Jews, and Stars of David are beginning to appear spray-painted on Jewish-owned houses and stores. Pro-Palestinian marches and rallies are really more anti-Jew than anything else. So much of the ignorance that is leading to these mass protests originates in western academia and mosques. It is only going to get worse, and eventually governments are going to have to deal with it – particularly in Europe where the Muslim population is greater and more militant.

The other major factor in the growth of antisemitism is the press. They have already shown their bias to a shocking degree. We are so used to seeing pictures and video of events as they happen, that sometimes we forget to ask who is behind the camera. Much of the photographic evidence taken of the atrocities on October 7 was done by Hamas members. However, we have now learned of four photojournalists who were embedded with Hamas on that day. These men who worked for AP, Reuters, CNN, and the New York Times were well-positioned to document the terrorists as they broke through the border fence, raided the Israeli villages, tortured and murdered innocent civilians, and carried away hostages and dead bodies. The fact that these morally bankrupt voyeurs kept their cameras to their eyes but their phones in their pockets is nothing short of complicity. The silence of the news media giants who excitedly published the pictures coming in from these men, knowing full well their situational provenance, makes them equally as guilty of collaboration. This is the media that the world turns to for truth about Israel.


The Future

Israel will fully deal with Hamas. In the same way Operation Wrath of God ensured that everyone involved in the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre was permanently dealt with, each member of the Hamas leadership has a date coming with either the IDF or the Mossad. Hamas, as a terrorist organization, will cease to exist. Hezbollah will also be forced to back down. I hope that it can be done the easy way with them pulling back from the border and dismantling their armaments. But if Hezbollah insists on doing it the hard way, the IDF do whatever it takes to ensure Israel’s safety. Finally, there will come a time when Israel exacts its punishment against Iran. They were the masterminds behind all that has taken place, and they must learn that planning, ordering, and funding that kind of terror comes with a very high price.

It is likely that the U.S. will get drawn deeper into Syria and Iraq. I am amazed at how little uproar is being caused within America over the constant attacks on their bases in the Middle East. U.S. soldiers are experiencing grievous wounds, and I’m wondering where the response is. It is as if this current administration is so desperate for a new deal with Iran that they are willing to ignore the fact that the ayatollahs are ordering their proxy militias to send rockets and suicide drones into American military bases. In the Middle East, we do not speak a language of appeasement but of power. The U.S. needs to show their strength in Syria and Iraq or the attacks will only intensify.

As time goes on, the Russia/Iran/Turkey alliance will only grow stronger. We know this because of what we see in the geopolitical world and what we read in Ezekiel 38. I think it is also very likely that the timeline is growing shorter for China attacking Taiwan. Overall, we can expect to see evil increasing around the world. For instance, just in the last few days the Muslim extremist Janjaweed militia massacred nearly 800 tribal people, mostly teenagers, in the Geneina area of Darfur, Sudan. Where are the BBC and the New York Times? Where are the marches for these victims?

This newsletter has been necessarily gloomy because it is a dark time in our world. But we know that it can never grow so dark that God’s light ceases to shine. As believers, it is our role to pray for Israel. We are to love that which God loves, and God still loves the Jewish people, as rebellious as they may be at times. He holds in His heart the ultimate example of what a Father’s love should be for a wayward child – passionate, unwavering, disciplinary when necessary, and never-ceasing.


Resources

Special Israel Prayer Meetings – Please join us every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 AM PST for a prayer time when we will be lifting Israel up before the Lord. Details can be found HERE. The theme for tomorrow’s time of prayer is: Miracles on the Battlefield. We look forward to seeing you there.

My Telegram Channel – a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

“Special Middle East Update: The War in Israel” – recorded Tuesday, this gives you much more detail on the situation in Israel and beyond than was possible in this newsletter.

Tune in for the premiere of my teaching, “Run the Race”, tomorrow at 12:00 PM PDT. This was filmed on location in Greece, revisiting the Apostle Paul’s encounter with the people of Athens nearly 2,000 years ago, proclaiming to them that the God of creation can indeed be known!

Out of the Far North – this third novel in my Nir Tavor Mossad Series looks at Russia’s role in the growing tension in the Middle East and their animosity toward Israel which will one day explode into war. Like the previous two bestsellers, they present both biblical truth and geopolitical realities in an action-packed story exciting enough to have had my previous novel, By Way of Deception, nominated as an ECPA Christy Award finalist for 2023.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

Thank you so much for your prayers and your support of this ministry during this very difficult time. You have blessed me over and over, and I am so grateful for you all. May the Lord bless you as you seek the best for His people.

Awaiting His Return,

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1007920?e=52ebe87529
Shalom from a very different Israel than what we had one month ago. Back then, we were mired in political friction. There was a huge divide over judicial reform with threats being leveled from all sides. Culturally, we were not just two different countries with a conservative population and a liberal population, but we had countless subgroups centered around religious beliefs and lifestyle choices and ethnic backgrounds. When I looked at my nation back then, I felt incredible sorrow. We were a nation fighting an internal war and I could see my country falling apart.

That is no longer so. When you look at Israel now, you see one country, one people. We are Israelis, and if you harm one of us, you harm us all. As a nation, we were attacked. As a nation, we were murdered and tortured and kidnapped. And as a nation, we will have our vengeance on those who perpetrated these heinous acts on our children, our elderly, our women, and our men. We will also ensure that those who attacked us will never have the capability to do it again, because we know that if they could, they would. Hamas didn’t just “get this out of their system” and now they’re ready to play nice. They are the same evil, antisemitic Nazis they have always been, and they will not be satisfied until every Jew has been pushed into the sea.

That’s not going to happen.

“But, Amir, you are a believer in Jesus. Shouldn’t you turn the other cheek?” I will answer that in two ways. First, nowhere in Scripture is a nation told to turn the other cheek. There is no Bible passage that tells a government that they must accept the evil done to it and respond in love. In fact, throughout Scripture it is the State that is used by God as His weapon against evil. Currently, Israel is that weapon in God’s hand, and He is using it to eradicate the demonic terrorists who carried out such vile and malicious crimes against innocents.

Second, as believers we have a responsibility to protect the innocent. Yes, Jesus said that turning the other cheek is the correct action when struck. But He said that in a certain context and in relation to a specific situation. If I am being attacked and I feel it is appropriate to respond to my attacker in love, then I should do so. But if a child is being attacked, my response must be protection of the innocent by whatever means is necessary and proper.

Israel’s actions meet that “necessary and proper” criteria to protect the innocent and eradicate evil. More and more nations are going to soon find themselves in the same situation making the same types of choices, because this radical antisemitism and, in many circumstances, its accompanying universalist Islamist vision is not going to remain localized to the Middle East. This war is a global event, and it has ramifications around the world.

Gaza
The Israeli ground assault is continuing in Gaza. The plan is to cut the Gaza Strip in two, which will allow the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to wrap around and eventually surround Shifa hospital – the main hospital in Gaza. Now, New York Times, before you start saying, “See, we told you that Israel likes to bomb hospitals,” let me tell you why they are doing that. Within that hospital compound, built both above and below ground, are Hamas’s main headquarters. If Israel really didn’t care about civilians, they would have dropped a few bunker buster bombs on the Shifa property and been done with it. Instead, they are making a risky maneuver so that they can target Hamas terrorists, all the while announcing what they are going to do so that the hospital and the surrounding area can be emptied of civilians. Once again, we see the difference between Hamas and the IDF. Hamas targets innocent civilians. The IDF warns civilians so that they can escape. The reason non-combatants are killed is because Hamas forces them to remain behind to maintain the human shield, and so that they can use their bodies afterward as propaganda for the world’s media.

Gaza has had billions of dollars poured into it. Where has it all gone? First, to the Hamas leaders. Hamas Deputy Chairman Mousa Abu Marzuk is worth $3 billion, former Chairman Khaled Mashal is worth $4 billion, and current Chairman Ismail Haniyeh is also worth $4 billion. It’s understandable, though, because it takes a lot of money to pay for their luxury housing in Turkey and Qatar. I mean you couldn’t expect them to live in Gaza amongst the riff-raff, could you? Most of the remaining money went to the construction of an intricate, multi-leveled system of 1300 tunnels that stretch for 500 kilometers (311 miles) and reach 70 meters deep (229 feet).

The flaw in this tunnel system is that it needs gas for generators to power the ventilation system. So, while there is food and water in Gaza, as well as electricity in most areas, gas is very difficult to find. This is because the IDF has confiscated all the gas they can find. No gas, no ventilators. No ventilators, no air. No air, the terrorists will be forced to scurry out of their holes where they will surrender or be killed.

Lebanon and Syria
Iran desperately wants their militias in southern Syria to do something directed at Israel. But so far there has only been the occasional rocket or artillery fire. Hezbollah in Lebanon is receiving the same pressure from Iran. The skirmishes across the Lebanese/Israeli border have been more intense that those with Syria but have still mostly been in the form of rockets and airstrikes. However, there have been border breaches that had to be dealt with by the IDF. Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of Hezbollah, has announced that he will make a very important speech Friday at 3:00 PM. The speculation is that he will declare Hezbollah’s entrance into the war.

This would be unfortunate for two reasons. First of all, the Lebanese don’t want war. Most civilians in Lebanon are good, hard-working people who are in the unfortunate situation of having their country commandeered by a terrorist organization whose puppet strings are being pulled by Iran’s radical Islamist regime. Maybe this will be the catalyst for the people to finally rise up and oust Hezbollah. The second reason Nasrallah should think carefully before entering the fray is that him doing so would be a fatal mistake. Because of the organization and training of Hezbollah, it would likely take more Israeli lives to end Hezbollah. But rest assured, by the time the IDF has finished, there would be no more Hezbollah and no more Hassan Nasrallah. Last night, Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), visited Beirut, likely to discuss Hezbollah’s involvement in the next phase of the war. Please pray that this front does not open wide.

Yemen
The Houthis of Yemen have declared war against Israel. You may wonder why this 50,000-strong rebel army based 1000 miles away from Israel is declaring war. Because they, too, are funded and directed by the ayatollahs in Tehran. These extremist Shiites have long-range ballistic rockets, and they have fired them at Israel. At least one was destroyed by a US Navy ship. Another was taken out while still in space by Israel’s new Arrow-3 hypersonic anti-ballistic missile system. So far, they have just fired missiles at Israel. But if one of those ballistic missiles finds its target, there will be mass casualties.

Iran
What do all of Israel’s enemies have in common? A fealty to Iran. The Iranians have a superiority complex when it comes to their fellow Middle Easterners. If there is dirty work to be done, they would much rather it was Arab hands that did it. Their Persian hands are too finely manicured for grunt work. That is why they created the militias. Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Houthis, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and all the others, they are all the Persians’ fighting force, because it’s no use spilling Iranian blood when there are so many Arabs just hanging around. I know my words sound harsh and incredibly callous, but they are one hundred percent accurate when it comes to the attitude of the Islamist regime in Tehran. If Hezbollah and the militias in Syria attack from the north, Israel knows who will be behind it. When the time is right, there will be a reckoning.

Egypt
The Egyptian government is finally opening a field hospital on their side of the Rafah crossing. What they are not doing is opening wide their gates to an influx of Gazans. Why? Because they know the violence and trouble that comes with them. The Egyptian prime minister is so determined to keep Gazans out of the country that he recently said that he is prepared to sacrifice millions of lives to protect the border from Palestinians. When it comes to relations with Israel, there continues to be the same surface coolness between the two countries. Yet, behind the scenes there is secret cooperation.

Jordan
Jordan remains at peace with Israel. Their concern is with the missiles in Syria and Iraq, and they have asked the US to deploy Patriots to protect the skies above their country.

Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain
Each of these countries has made it clear that the Abraham Accords are here to stay. Both Russia and Iran want to drive a wedge between the Saudis and Israelis because of energy, but their ploys are not working. The UAE indicated that a strong relationship with Israel is “our future”, while the Bahrainis said keeping a relationship with Israel is in their common interest. Remember, when the Ezekiel 38 War launches, these countries will remain out of the battle, and will strongly criticize those nations that attack Israel.

United States of America
The US has been Israel’s best friend through this fight, and we are very grateful for their help. Unfortunately, American bases in Syria and Iraq are paying the price. On an almost hourly basis, Iranian militias are attacking the US military with rockets and suicide drones, and the American casualties are mounting. As concerning as these developments are overseas, I am just as worried for the US mainland. So many terrorists have merged into the constant immigrant flow, and now the FBI has announced that they are very nervous about attacks taking place in US cities that are inspired by what Hamas did on October 7. There is also a new cultural divide taking place between virulent Palestinian supporters and those who criticize the horrors that Hamas perpetrated. Much of this ignorant hatred is originating in American academia.

Europe
There is a massive division between Europeans and the enormous Muslim population that now exists in their cities due to an open border policy. The tension between the old guard and the newcomers is getting stronger. For so long, European governments refused to admit there was a problem, but as Ayn Rand once said, “You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.” I’m afraid that those consequences are just around the corner. It well may be the war in Israel that pushes Europe over the brink. As the anti-Israel protests swell and the number of Jewish houses that are being spraypainted with Stars of David grows, it is very likely that some flashpoint will occur which will set the streets on fire.

Turkey
On paper, Turkey and Israel are allies. But President Erdogan wants to be seen as a strong Muslim leader. Just this past week at a massive rally celebrating Turkish independence, he took the opportunity to go on a very antisemitic rant, including making it clear that he didn’t consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization. But even as he says those things, he allows two American B-1 bombers to land in Turkey in case they are needed against Hezbollah. Erdogan is trying to straddle two worlds, but he will have to choose one side or another soon. Again, because we know Ezekiel 38, we recognize that it will not be Israel’s side.

Jewish People Around the World
All the Hollywood Jews had a very bad day last week when they suddenly woke up and realized that being liberal and progressive is not enough. Many discovered that their friends had begun to abandon them for the sin of being Jewish. They thought that the world was beyond hating Jews just because they are Jews. But the world was just taking a little break. Now antisemitism is back in vogue. In Germany, cases of antisemitism have risen 240%; in Austria, 300%; South Africa, 720%; and the UK, 1351%.

There is a dark cloud covering the world right now. Standing with Israel is soon going to exact a price. It may be relational. It may become physical. What we are seeing is symptomatic of the growing influence of the enemy. It is truly diabolical, and you will not understand it until you put your spiritual glasses on. But it is what we as believers expect because we know that this world is being prepared for the day when there will be a single leader who will rise up with the power of Satan himself. And in that day, all who are still left in this world will follow him.

You do not want to be around when that happens, because it will be a period when God’s judgment will come down upon this world. It will be a time unlike any other, when the Lord sets out to discipline His people and punish those who have rejected Him. But you don’t have to be here. The Bible tells us that salvation is a matter of believing and receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you want to know more about how to become a follower of Jesus, follow this link.
https://peacewithgod.net/steps/?outreach=LP-home&utm_source=Behold+Israel+News

On a very personal note, may I please ask you for prayer for my heart and my mind. With all the evil that I am exposed to, I am constantly under attack. The little sleep I get is often filled with visions and scenarios of the horrors that I have seen. I do not fear for myself or my nation. God is prepared to fight our battle for us. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). My request is simply for the Lord to give me occasional relief from the oppressive effects of witnessing such darkness and that He grants me some blessed sleep uninterrupted by violent dreams. Thank you, and may God bless you for praying.

Once again, I will leave you with a list of resources:

Special Israel Prayer Meetings
https://beholdisrael.org/live-online-events/?utm_source=Behold+Israel+News
– Please join us today and tomorrow at 10:00 AM PDT for a prayer time when we will be lifting Israel up before the Lord. With Hassan Nasrallah possibly announcing Hezbollah’s intentions in the war, the church must be gathering to pray for God’s people. Details can be found HERE. https://beholdisrael.org/live-online-events/?utm_source=Behold+Israel+News

My Telegram Channel – a constant flow of news throughout the day. Subscribe to my channel to make sure you know exactly what is going on.

“Special Middle East Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3R-_aNDptw The War in Israel” – recorded yesterday, this gives you much more detail on the situation in Israel and beyond than was possible in this newsletter.

Tune in for the premiere of my teaching, “The Unknown God”, tomorrow at 12:00 PM PDT. This was filmed on location in Greece, revisiting the Apostle Paul’s encounter with the people of Athens nearly 2,000 years ago, proclaiming to them that the God of creation can indeed be known!

Out of the Far North – this third novel in my Nir Tavor Mossad Series looks at Russia’s role in the growing tension in the Middle East and their animosity toward Israel which will one day explode into war. Like the previous two bestsellers, they present both biblical truth and geopolitical realities in an action-packed story exciting enough to have had my previous novel, By Way of Deception, nominated as an ECPA Christy Award finalist for 2023.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.


Amir Tsarfati: Listen to the Holy Spirit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB9hGx_c0cw

Amir Tsarfati: I Have Many People in this City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2CFznhR-ks

Special Middle East Update: The War in Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3R-_aNDptw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB9hGx_c0cw

Amir Tsarfati: Listen to the Holy Spirit

Men will never give us the best advice. I’m reminded of David running from Saul and hiding in the cave of Ein Gedi and you know, King Saul was right there. He took off his sandals, he put his feet in the water and David had the chance of his life to kill King Saul. And his people said to him, “The Lord gave him to you. Now, today, this is it. Do it.” They even use that, I call it, Christianese, ‘thus says the Lord’ and they try to tell him, “This is it.” And David was not listening to men, even though they were his men. They were his best people. They were his protectors and they were his guards in a way.

David knew that he needed to listen to the Holy Spirit, and he never touched King Saul. He never did anything wrong. “Far it be for me that I will raise my hand on the Lord’s anointed.” That’s what he said. That’s why God loved David so much, because David did not rely on somebody else’s opinion. He relied on God and on the Holy Spirit and he was on his knees. He was praying. He was listening, and the Spirit of God talked to David every day. “Go up, go down, turn left, turn right” – even in the most simple, practical things.
God.
You see, it’s not going to be Israel. It’s not going to be the Israeli prime minister, the Israeli generals, the Israeli military. Not even a single time it says that Israel will use its best weapon and thus will obliterate their... No, God will have to intervene. And, you know, the greatest thing of all? God will intervene in a supernatural way. So no one will even be a little bit confused about who is running the show. Earthquakes, brimstone, that’s not a weapon Israel developed.

Ezekiel 38 says, “The word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Son of man, set your face against Gog in the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh [Russia], Meshech, and Tubal, to prophesy against him and say, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am [What?] I’m against you.’”’” God says to the enemies that are going to come, “I’m against you.” In other words, it’s not going to end up good for you. Oh, Gog, the prince of Rosh, He says, “I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws and lead you out with all your armies, horses, horsemen.” Look what He says. He continues, He says, not only you. It’s going to be Persia. Persia is the name of Iran of today. That’s the biblical name. Ethiopia is the name of what is probably Sudan today. We’re not sure because it’s right there. Sudan in the Ethiopia area. And then Libya, He says, “…are with them. And all of them with the shield and helmet, Gomer and all of its troops, the house of Togarmah.” These are the ancient biblical names of Turkey of today. “Many people are with you.” You’re looking and you're seeing a whole formation of nations that is coming together for an invasion into Israel. So we see there’s the rise of this Ezekiel 38 coalition. But how many of you read the full chapter? How many of you know the end of that coalition? You see everybody is, oh, they’re going to, they’re going to be defeated. But who is going to defeat them?

God.

You see, it’s not going to be Israel. It’s not going to be the Israeli prime minister, the Israeli generals, the Israeli military. Not even a single time it says that Israel will use its best weapon and thus will obliterate their... No, God will have to intervene. And, you know, the greatest thing of all? God will intervene in a supernatural way. So no one will even be a little bit confused about who is running the show. Earthquakes, brimstone, that’s not a weapon Israel developed.


Amir Tsarfati: The Ezekiel 38 Coalition
Many are asking if the current war in Israel is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. While there are many possible prophetic developments that could come from this, there is one area where the answer is a definitive “Yes!”
Amir Tsarfati: The Ezekiel 38 Coalition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcj88Akc2j8

Zechariah 12:1-3
The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.”

While this will reach its ultimate fulfillment during the tribulation, there is no question that Jerusalem is a heavy stone to the world today. The word implies an intoxicating burden, and no matter which side a nation is on, the world is intoxicated with Jerusalem (“intoxicated” in this context means “overly consumed”).

The Bible makes it clear that the last days began when Jesus walked the earth (Hebrews 1:2), and if they began 2000 years ago we are certainly in the last seconds of the last days as we watch the world unravel as Jerusalem takes center stage on a global scale.

Not only do we see the world focused on Jerusalem but we also see the coalition of the Ezekiel war forming and three of the five nations poised to strike from the north. Russia, Turkey, and Iran all have military equipment and personnel on the northern border of Israel in Syria. Libya and Sudan have relationships with Russia and Turkey and share the same religious ideology as Iran.

Yet when we consider all this we must remember that should this current war be the path that leads to the Ezekiel war, this will not end well for those who fight against Israel.

Ezekiel 39:1-8
“And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, (Russia) Meshech, and Tubal; (Turkey) and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; (Iran, Libya and Sudan) I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken,” says the Lord GOD. “And I will send fire on Magog (Turkey) and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD. So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,” says the Lord GOD. “This is the day of which I have spoken.”

The Jews are the chosen people of God. Israel is the land God gave to His chosen people. God scattered them among the nations for their rebellion and He gathered them back into the land for His name’s sake and glory (Ezekiel 36:22). He will fight for them. He will get the victory and, thus, He will get the glory. And the world will know He is the Lord. It is coming, and current events could be leading up to it.

Either way it is clear that time is short. The church age is near its end and Jesus is coming for His bride soon.

1 Peter 4:7-8
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

Now is not the time for the church to be fighting over the timing of the rapture or if there even is one. It is time to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for many to come to faith in Christ, for the end of all things is at hand.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Amir Tsarfati: The Final Jihad

Behold Israel with Amir Tsarfati

Amir Tsarfati: The Promise to the Jewish People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOQZADmcoS0




Amir Tsarfati | Days of Ezekiel - Understanding the Times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n19DoYVToz0

https://mailchi.mp/beholdisrael/amirs-amirs-weekly-newsletter-1007904?e=52ebe87529

Shalom from a land where there is no shalom. Our shalom (peace) was taken from us on October 7, when a terrorist army flooded over our border from Gaza and began indiscriminately murdering Israelis. You have heard the stories, and I have no wish to repeat them once again. If you want all the blow-by-blow details of the war, follow my Telegram channel which I am constantly updating. Just know that in its sheer brutality, it surpassed the atrocities of the Holocaust. For the past week-and-a-half, I have been immersed in the details of the barbarism that was intentionally carried out by that evil horde, and each day I continue to find myself repeatedly stunned and heartbroken by some new story of the gruesome suffering of the innocents. It is appalling. It is unforgivable. And it must be avenged.

Thus far, Israel has been overwhelmed at the level of support from around the world. Offers of tangible help have come in from Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. The United Kingdom and Germany have been particularly strong in their encouragement. But the greatest friend by far to Israel over these past days has been the United States.

Without the deterrence power of the U.S. military, it is very likely that we would already have a full-blown war raging in the north with Hezbollah in Lebanon. It is also probable that the Iranian-backed militias based in Iraq and Syria would have come across the Syrian border into Israel. But as soon as the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group sailed into the eastern Mediterranean, those terrorist plans were stalled. Weapons have been supplied to Israel from the U.S. Our Iron Dome anti-missile system has been replenished. And for the first time in history, a U.S. President came to Israel during wartime to consult with our Prime Minister and to give assurances of America’s steadfast friendship. I disagree with most of the policies of the current U.S. administration, and I strongly oppose the President’s support of a two-state solution. There is no possibility of that happening, especially not now. Still, there is much positive that America has done over this past week-and-a-half. We have seen throughout history God using unexpected sources to bless Israel. This is one of those times.

While we have appreciated the support and encouragement of so many countries around the world, we recognize that it is destined to be short-lived. Even as governments and media are forced to say kind words to Israel because of the incredibly heinous nature of Hamas’s crimes, they will readily jump at the opportunity to turn the situation around so that Israel is once again in the default position of “evil perpetrator”. This was evident Tuesday when reports rapidly circulated that Israel had purposely bombed the Al-Maamadani hospital in Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health cried out that well over 1000 people were dead with hundreds more wounded as a result of this barbarous acted carried out by the IDF. Soon, the report had spread around the world. Protests were incited in city after city in Europe. The Israeli embassies in Ankara, Turkey, and Amman, Jordan, were attacked by mobs.

From the beginning, the IDF said, “We didn’t do this!” But no one believed them, because so many nations in the world default to “Jews are evil”, although they would never admit it. By the way, if you doubt me, look up how many resolutions the United Nations has passed against Israel, then compare that number to any other country – Russia, Iran, North Korea. Actually, let me save you the trouble. Since 2015, the UN has passed 140 resolutions against Israel compared to 68 for the rest of the world combined. Are your eyes now open to the blatant anti-Israel bias of the UN, and of the rest of the world?

We were frustrated but not surprised when the media and so many countries immediately condemned Israel without checking on facts. We fully expected them to take the word of the terrorist organization that had just brutally slaughtered more than 1300 people over the word of the victims of that butchery. But, even after incontrovertible proof was given that it was a failed Islamic Jihad rocket that caused the explosion and that the number of victims had been hugely exaggerated, media outlets continued to spread the false narrative. Am I right, New York Times? Finally, governments began to accept the truth. The US, Germany, and other western nations said the tragedy at the hospital was not Israel’s doing. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE agreed. Even Vladimir Putin, by no means our friend, kept silent on whom he thought was to blame when he spoke of the event.

But we know that the time will come when the world opinion will once again turn against us. Whether it is due to another false flag from Hamas or Hezbollah, or a military mistake like what inevitably happens during wartime, Israel will once again be vilified. It is then we will see who our true friends are, and which nations are coming alongside us simply because it would be seen as heartless not to do so due to the heinous nature of the October 7 attack.

As of now, we have a three-front war. The fighting is strong to the south in Gaza where the IDF is very busy ensuring that the terror groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are eradicated. The real war hasn’t started yet up in the north where there is a steady exchange of fire between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel’s military. It is just beginning in Syria, where Iranian-backed terrorist militias are prepared to attack if and when they are given the go-ahead from their Persian Islamist masters. It is likely that the ground maneuvers in Gaza will cause the north to increase the intensity of its attacks. These areas have been preparing for war with Israel for months. They are ready for action and are angry that Hamas has messed up the plan.

Here is why I say that Hamas blew Iran’s war strategy. Back in April I wrote about how Iran was planning a major attack on Israel using its terrorist proxies. I quoted from this article regarding a “Doomsday Scenario”, which is a fascinating read if you can get your browser to translate it from Hebrew. I was one of the few who saw the merit in this very real possibility and echoed it in my posts. Remember, in the Iranian Islamist mind, they don’t get their elite Persian hands dirty. They save that for their Arab underlings. The plan was to begin an attack on Israel from both the north and south using thousands of rockets. Once the Iron Dome was depleted and the rockets were falling on Israel, a joint ground attack would be made in the south by Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah and other militias in the north from Lebanon and Syria. They would blow holes in the border fences and invade using motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, and other vehicles. It would take time for Israel to call up its reserves, and in that gap the terrorist packs would be able to wreak havoc on the Israeli population.

It was a horribly brilliant plan. What it didn’t account for was the attention-seeking nature of the Hamas leadership. They wanted the glory for themselves. So, they jumped the gun and launched their invasion on October 7. That is why there was no joint action from the north. Hezbollah and the others were shocked by what was taking place to the south – not by the violence, but by the timing.

If you are looking for God in all of this, it is here that you can see His hand. The Iranian plot was foiled. If this had been a simultaneous two-front attack, the Israeli casualties would have been so much higher. I am not downplaying any death that occurred that terrible day. I am just saying that it could have been a lot worse. And that ties in with another way to see God’s hand during the attack. With the number of terrorists who poured over the southern border and the number of weapons they had, the Israeli dead should have been closer to 10,000. But the restraining hand of God limited what this Satanic horde was able to pull off.

This war is far from over, and the battlefields are expanding beyond our borders. Pro-Hamas marches have been seen in many cities in the Middle East, Europe, and America. In places, those protests have become violent, and that violence will only increase. Yesterday, in France, eight airports had to be evacuated for security reasons. In Ankara and Amman, violent mobs once again tried to storm Israeli embassies. The Iranian regime and the Hezbollah leadership are regularly issuing threats against America and Israel.

This is a time for the church to pray. I don’t fear the destruction of Israel. I’ve read my Bible. I know how this story ends. Also, I know who my God is. I know that
“He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). He has brought Israel back to this land, and here we will remain. But I also know that Israel’s “soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. [We are] for peace; but when [we] speak, they are for war” (Psalm 120:6-7). So, pray for wisdom for our leaders. Pray that the demonic plans of Satan’s forces are thwarted. Pray that shalom returns once again to the land of Israel.

As I did last week, I want to offer you some resources that will help you understand what is happening with Israel.

Special Middle East Update: The War in Israel – recorded live yesterday, this update will give you much more detail into what is happening than what I was able to provide in this newsletter.

“The Final Jihad” – this video takes a deep look at radical Islam, then processes it through the lens of Scripture.

“The Deception of the Nations” – this video looks at five lies the world has bought into about Israel.

Out of the Far North – this third novel in my Nir Tavor Mossad Series looks at Russia’s role in the growing tension in the Middle East and their animosity toward Israel which will one day explode into war. Like the previous two bestsellers, they present both biblical truth and geopolitical realities in an action-packed story exciting enough to have had my previous novel, By Way of Deception, nominated as an ECPA Christy Award finalist for 2023.

Discovering Daniel – so much of what is taking place in the Middle East ties in with the Old Testament book of Daniel. This book, a prequel of sorts to my bestselling Revealing Revelation, is available for preorder leading up to its May 7, 2024 release.

Awaiting His Return,