Hamas is currently acting out the wicked will of the Enemy, brutalizing God’s people. We know, however, that the Lord fights for us.

From David’s Tent. Over the past two days, Israel has been eliminating the remaining dregs of Hamas terrorists – the jihadi squads of over a thousand who crossed into Israel on the Sabbath to rape, murder, kidnap and torture. Going house to house and building to building, IDF soldiers have taken down or captured nearly a thousand terrorists. Israel’s army has also discovered bestial savagery of these jihadi ravagers, in the corpses discovered as the kibbutzim, moshavim, towns and fields have been combed.

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In Kfar Aza, barely a few hundred meters from Gaza, the bodies of 40 slaughtered babies were discovered, many of them decapitated. Whole families were gunned down sleeping in their beds, or roughly hauled out to be executed while laughing terrorists filmed the events. A few kilometers from there, at a music festival, Hamas terrorists murdered 250 young people and went on to rape young women between the dead bodies of those slaughtered. Over 150 Israelis were brutally kidnapped to Gaza. Hamas has posted videos without any hesitation, showing mass rapes of young Israeli women, torture of children and decapitations of Israeli soldiers. Another photograph, verified by Israeli intelligence, shows many Israel babies and toddlers locked up in chicken pens which are stacked one on top of the other. These abominable acts are being applauded by those participating and witnessing in these videos. These images have gone viral in social media throughout the Arab world.

The heart of David

King David gives the anguished cry of our heart a biblical expression:

• “Look at my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with violent hatred” (Psalm 25:19)
• “Do I not hate those who hate You, YHVH? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred. They have become my enemies” (Psalm 139:21-22)

The wisdom of Solomon

David’s son Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, added his footnote here: “One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous – both of them alike are an abomination to YHVH” (Proverbs 17:15). Hamas supporters have been marching in New York, London, Paris, Berlin and Sydney, chanting “Kill the Jews! F*** the Jews!”

In the Bible YHVH speaks highly of Job: “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:8). This God-fearing man addressed his prayer to God, asking Him to bring swift justice to such bestial people: “Look at everyone who is arrogant, and humble him, and trample down the wicked where they stand!” (Job 40:12; see also Job 29:17).

The decree of the God of Jacob

The majority of today’s Palestinians are descendants of Esau, also known as Edom. See my book ‘Jews, Arabs and the Middle East: a Messianic perspective’ for a detailed biblical and historical study of this (available at www.davidstent.org).

The prophets Obadiah and Ezekiel speak prophetic promises over Edom, the preeminent Last Days enemy of the Jewish people in the prophetic Scriptures:

• “Will I not on that day, declares YHVH, eliminate wise men from Edom, and understanding from the mountain of Esau . . . so that everyone will be eliminated from the mountain of Esau by murder. Because of violence to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be eliminated forever” (Obadiah 8-10)
• The Lord YHVH says this: Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred great guilt, and avenged themselves upon them, therefore this is what the Lord YHVH says: “I will also reach out with My hand against Edom and eliminate human and animal life from it. And I will turn it into ruins; from Teman even to Dedan they will fall by the sword. And I will inflict My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom in accordance with My anger and My wrath. So they will know My vengeance,” declares the Lord YHVH (Ezekiel 25:12-14).

The God of Jacob directly and specifically commands Samuel what the Jewish people are to do with those enemies of Israel who seek her destruction: “Thus saith YHVH of armies, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not” (1 Samuel 15:2-3). Do we know this God?

King David gives us guidance on how to pray here: “Arise, YHVH; save me, my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek. You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to YHVH! May Your blessing be upon Your people!”  (Psalm 3:7-8).

• Many followers of Messiah Yeshua are not deeply acquainted with the God of the Bible. They are comfortable with the image of a gentle Jesus, but appalled at the God of Moses, Joshua and Samuel. Isaiah’s vision of lion and lamb is ‘in,’ but YHVH coming to destroy Israel’s enemies is ‘out’ and make some believers distinctly ill at ease. But as the writer of the Epistle to the Messianic Jews (Hebrews) points out, “Messiah Yeshua is the same yesterday and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  Are we willing to acknowledge and worship the One about whom Moses declared: “YHVH is a warrior – YHVH is His name . . . Your right hand, YHVH, is majestic in power! Your right hand, YHVH, destroys the enemies” (Exodus 15:3, 6).

When Messiah comes

Balaam prophesied by the Holy Spirit regarding one of the works that Messiah Son of David will perform at His return: “I shall see Him, but not now. I shall behold Him, but not nigh. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth” (Numbers 24:17). Moab is in central Jordan today, and Sheth is a parallel term for the people of Moab (Shutu) found in ancient Egyptian documents.

The principle behind these prophesies is crystallized in Zechariah’s Last Days declaration: “And this shall be the plague wherewith YHVH will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:12).  Evidently the God of Jacob is still highly agitated about those who take up weapons against Israel.

“For YHVH of armies says this: ‘After glory He has sent Me against the nations that plunder you, for the one who touches you, touches the apple of His eye”  (Zechariah 2:8). Would that more Christians today would grasp this huge emphasis straight from the heart and eyes of God.

Ezekiel speaks of one of the main motivators and catalysts that will move Messiah Yeshua to return to Jerusalem:

• Now you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of YHVH. This is what the Lord YHVH says: “Since the enemy has spoken against you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The everlasting heights have become our possession,’ therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord YHVH says: “For good reason they have made you desolate and harassed you from every side, so that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations; and you have been taken up in the talk and the rumor of the people.”’” Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord YHVH. This is what the Lord YHVH says to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the abandoned cities which have become plunder and an object of ridicule to the rest of the nations which are all around— therefore the Lord YHVH says this: “Certainly in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with contempt of soul, in order to make its pastureland plunder.” Therefore, prophesy in regard to the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have endured the insults of the nations.’ Therefore, the Lord YHVH says this: ‘I have sworn that the nations that are around you will certainly endure their insults themselves’ (Ezekiel 36:1-7)

It is because of Hamas’ bestial barbarism (as well as that of Hezbollah, Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood, etc.) and its cancerous increase in days to come, that the return of the Captain of the armies of YHVH will be triggered.

Isaiah’s Jewish vision of Messiah’s Second Coming

One of the most powerful descriptions of Messiah’s return is found in Isaiah 56, and quoted by Paul as the capstone of Romans 11. The God of Isaac expresses astonishment that the nations of the world couldn’t care less about the plight of the Jewish people. He is also astounded that most intercessors are not interceding for Israel’s protection, victory and salvation. In anger He abruptly stands up from His throne, puts on His body armor, and heads out to crush those who are doing Israel harm:

• Now YHVH saw, and it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no one, and was amazed that there was not one to intercede. Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head. And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, so will He repay: wrath to His adversaries, retribution to His enemies; to the coastlands He will deal retribution. So they will fear the name of YHVH from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun. For He will come like a rushing stream which the wind of YHVH drives. A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from wrongdoing, declares YHVH (Isaiah 59:15-20)
• And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:4)

These prophecies and the principles behind them are key to understanding why Satan hates the Jewish people so much, and why he is digging his own fiery grave by activating his demonized disciples to confront the living God and His armies. As David the shepherd teenager said, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 7:16).

Mopping up and mowing the grass

The IDF is still finding and eliminating squads of Hamas terrorists. In the past few hours, as I was typing up this newsletter, news flashes explained how various jihadi groups were discovered and destroyed in Ashkelon, Sderot, Zikim Beach, and two kibbutzim. Only when that operation is successfully completed will the ground war against the jihadi terrorist rat’s nest in Gaza begin.

How should we then pray? 

• Pray for the complete destruction of Islamist terrorist invaders still on Israeli soil
• Pray for the physical rescue of the many Israelis who have been kidnapped
• Pray for divine wisdom and decisive strategy to be given to Israel’s leaders in every area here
• Pray that Lebanon’s leaders will be able to restrain Hezbollah from making moves which would be suicidal to that country
• Pray for the raising up of Ezekiel’s prophetic Jewish army throughout the earth

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

Share this article to encourage others to pray for Israel.

(Used with permission. From David’s Tent. Photo Credit: Amir Levy/Getty Images)