bible-study

Strong as a Dead Lion–Then What?

Posted by

0

Painting by a Highschooler named Uri in Katzrin, Israel

At the time before there was a king in Israel, Samson arose as a judge and spent his life wiping out the Philistines, one episode after another. After having killed a lion with his bare hands, he later came upon the carcass and it was full of bees which had made honeycomb and was dripping with the sweet honey. From this experience he thought of a riddle with which to trick the Philistines that should attend his wedding to a beautiful Philistine woman.

“…Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness…” Judges 14:14

Do we remember that the Philistines occupied in part what today is called Gaza? The town of Timnah, where the wedding was to take place, was located a few miles east of what today is Gaza.  

It comes to mind that Judah was called a lion in the blessing given to him by his father, Jacob. Judah was to hold the kingship of Israel and rule like a lion. But what we see today is appearing to be an almost dead lion. What will happen if the lion is killed? What then? Will sweetness come from the carcass? Let’s look a little deeper. 

What we see in modern Israel is a political government that is not concerned with its mandates from its covenant the God of Heaven. This is the lion we see trying to fight with all the worldly power it can muster, trying to satisfy the different nations that supply weapons and yet subjugate themselves to the foreign policy of nations who care nothing for Israel–those who wield world power at the touch of a switch, and we see our nation “going along to get along.” Perhaps this lion will die. Then what?

Could we even imagine that something could happen then to help Israel in its most trying time? Is there Anyone watching this struggle? Anyone in the Heavens who might just be ready to take the reins when all seems lost? Will there yet be a sweetness that exudes from this dead lion? Wouldn’t it be better if we were not looking to might and power but to something else?

“Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” – Zec 4:6

Few know what it means to depend on El Shaddai, and even those may wring their hands in fear of what is coming upon the world and especially what will happen to those in this land given and  promised to God’s people. It is mandatory that we take heart at this time. 

It will get very ugly before it gets over. Maybe it should get over, the sooner the better. We need to stop being led by those who think like the world thinks, however wise that may seem. What if we had pure faith (Emunah if you will) in YHVH and His great power? Will He let us down? Where are we in the line up of what is happening to bring about the Divine plan for this world? How does Israel play a part in this? Do we fight like the nations, or do we march out with trumpets blowing when we hear a sound in the mulberry trees? 

“And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” – 2Sa 5:24.

But we are a long way from that type of trust. Why do we tremble? Is it because we have never seen the Hand of Providence guiding our lives? Is it because we remember pogroms, Holocaust, and the Kristanacht? Where was God during those times? Maybe somehow we were in the wrong places or worse yet, that we were not listening to Him? 

Maybe these terrible tragedies should tell us something. Maybe we need to step back and ask who we are following in our religion? Who wrote the instructions? When did we deny our Creator to go after a strange doctrine? 

The way I see it is that we follow the nations because we believe there is more wisdom and skill than that offered by the ONE who made a Covenant with us about land and protection and about raising us up to be a Holy Nation. 

What would happen if we really knew the God of Israel? Would He come alongside and win the war for us so that we could go out with tambourines and march (dance perhaps) to the sound in the myrtle trees?

Judah, “you’ve come a long way, Baby” but maybe in the wrong direction. 

In hopes of a new day after the storm…

Ariella

Please like, share, comment to help promote my efforts.

Follow Take Hold the Tzitzit on WordPress.com

Whose is the Land anyway?

Posted by

1

The war in Israel raises many questions and I switch back and forth in my views that Israel is winning the war and creating a safe place for Jews to live and be at peace, but then, on the other hand, I have reason to suspect that some evil agenda started this war and that leading politicians and globalists are somehow involved in creating a footstool for their agenda. The second idea is very troubling and I know there are many who see suspicious things that happened at the start of the war. Questions are raised about a lot of things that happen in the ongoing alliances of countries who are sworn to fight against us while a few others opt to support us.

It all can be very worrying, or should I say, crazy making? Planes turn on their afterburners over our heads as they fly in the direction of Lebanon or Syria, missiles find their targets in nearby cities, the news tells us what we are supposed to believe or not believe. With all the confusion, those who believe in the Bible or even have the slightest inkling of a God in Heaven are asking how this all fits into any Divine plan for the Land that belongs only to the Eternal who claims Israel as His own. Is there anything that makes sense? I hear my own thoughts and others asking where is Hashem? Does He not see? Has He removed His Hand? Some say God is punishing the Jews with this war for their ongoing belief in tradition rather than the Bible. But I don’t think any of what people are thinking is one hundred percent accurate.

I believe that the land of Israel belongs to the God of the Universe. I believe He will place and protect the people of the Eternal Covenant—that is, those who obey their part of the covenant, in the land. There may be a lot of mopping up that has to happen before it is over.

I believe that Hashem, YHVH, the Eternal is still involved, even when we don’t understand how.

And I believe that in the long run and at the end of the battle, all will be made clear and that nobody, not Gorge Soros, Not Klaus Schwab, not the UN or UNWRA–nobody will stand in the way of what Heaven wants for the Holy Land.

I do not doubt that it will get ugly and still uglier. But can we recommit ourselves to the Covenant that we once made with our Creator and stop following the doctrines of mere men? Can we cling to Hashem throughout this very rough time that is probably going to get very messy soon? Do we have enough faith to stand while the towers fall around us and we see blood flowing in the streets?

So let’s imagine that Israel is somehow destined to become a stronghold for the New World Order! And supposedly a lot of stuff gets blown up and goes away. Ok, perhaps it all seems to be destined to total destruction, and maybe that is what is needed. Maybe the Eternal Covenant Maker even then will execute his plan and all those who came against Israel will be dead on the mountains of Israel and therre will be months and months of burying corpses or burning the bones of those who come against the Land! See Ezekiel 39.

“11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there for burial in Israel, the valley of the passers-by to the east of the sea; and it shall stop the way of the passers-by; and there shall they bury Gog and all the multitude; and they shall call it, Valley of Hamon-Gog. 12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying them, that they may cleanse the land; 13 and all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them for renown in the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord YHVH.” Eze 39:11-13

People tell me that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jews. Not so fast! Who does the Land belong to? The Covenant Maker and He is going to clean it up so that those who keep His Covenant will have a safe place to live so that they will finally be a light to the nations. Do we really think that it doesn’t matter how we live? That it doesn’t matter what we do if we just learn to repeat certain prayers over and over, light Shabbat and Holiday candles, avoid mixing meat and dairy and wear wigs or scarves? Is this stuff even mentioned in the Bible? What is in our hearts? Do we have a clear conscience or do we do all this external stuff to cover up what we really are? I know these are hard questions, but Hashem is watching and He is making His list and checking it twice or three times to see who really deserves to be part of His Covenant People who live in the land of the Covenant.

So how do we fight the war? I do not mean we shouldn’t support the war effort, by no means! But at the same time, we need to fight the personal war of renewing our covenant with our Creator, making sure we are ready to be among those who finally win the right to the Land.

Yours for a final victory, both personal and for Israel!

Ariella

Please support my blog by liking, sharing on your favorite social media and commenting for others to see!