Dear Family in the Messiah Yeshua! Greetings and blessing from your
brothers and sisters at “Holy Land Ministries in Israel”!
This Chanukah we will be celebrating in the middle of a war with our enemies, represented this time by the Islamic terrorists of “Hamas”.
It is not by accident, that the Hebrew word “ Hamas” means violence and is frequently used in the Hebrew Bible to describe the hatred and cruelty of the enemies of God towards the children of Israel. The recent brutal terrorist attack on October the seventh has shaken Israeli society to its very core by its scale and by its unspeakable atrocities.
Of course, it isn’t the first time Israel has survived and repelled the attacks of her enemies. The tragedy of October the 7th has been compared to the Yom Kippur War, which happened in 1973, fifty years ago and also commenced on a Shabbat. It is a bitter reminder of the ancient ongoing battle that continues even to the recent history of the modern State of Israel. This ancient conflict commenced very soon after the very creation of the nation of Israel in 1313 BCE at Mount Sinai.
Since that moment in history when the children of Israel entered into Covenant with God and thus became “God’s chosen people (Exodus 19), the enemies of God have been constantly attacking and viciously persecuting the nation of Israel. There were countries and world empires with their leaders during the different periods of human
history that tried to destroy Israel and even seemed to be close to it. Considering all these numerous efforts and assaults, and especially remembering all our sins and short comings before God, it might feel and look at times, that the enemy will prevail at last, but Praise the Lord! – This simply will never happen!
As the Word of the living God declares in Jeremiah 31:35-37 “Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day; The ordinance of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): If those ordinances depart from Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever. Thus says the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the Lord”
And now again, at this Chanukah season, we are fighting the enemies of Israel, which this time are represented by the terrorists of “Hamas”, “Hesbolla” and other Islamic forces inspired by the demonic spirits thirsty for death and destruction, the Chanukkah story tells of an ancient attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and today it is repeating again.
The ultimate goal of the demonic forces using the terrorists of “Hamas”, “Hesbolla” etc. just like many others before them is to fight the plan of God by destroying the people of Israel as His chosen appointed instrument in the final establishment of Messiah’s Kingdom on the earth. The enemies of God have no chance to win but the battle is real… and we need all the counsel of God, His strength and His Spirit to press on.
The Chanukkah story will take place again in the final scenario of the last days, just before the establishment of the Messiah’s glorious Kingdom.
We are pleased to include in this newsletter an article on Chanukkah by our local rabbi and brother in Yeshua.
בס״ד
Chanukah 5784 תשפ״ד
According to tradition, Chanukah is a great celebration of victory for the Jewish people over the Greeks. It is most significant that, according to the book of Daniel chapter 8, the antichrist empire will be known by the same Hebrew word יון (Javan) which in modern Hebrew relates to Greece (See Daniel 8:21). In ancient Hebrew, it is proper to understand this word as referring to Europe in a general sense. Daniel calls this empire “the Goat” and one reads in the New Covenant that Yeshua, in the End Times, will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32-33).
In previous articles, it has been discussed that there is an End Times connection concerning Chanukah. This is based on Daniel 12:11-12 and the extra 75 days from 1,260 to 1,335. There is always 75 days from Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) to the first day of Chanukah. The text states that those who wait and arrive at 1,335 days will be blessed. Many understand this as referring to the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom which will take place on Chanukah. In regard to the events of the End Times, there is much confusion.
The primary reason for this is that individuals base their eschatology upon what they hear from others, rather than what is stated directly in the Scriptures. Of course everybody says this concerning others who do not have the same view concerning a theological position. Therefore, I would like to use this article to ask some Biblically-based questions. These questions should be viewed by you as a type of “homework assignment”. If you will take the time to research them thoroughly, you will benefit greatly in your understanding of the End Times.
I am sure you have heard Daniel’s 70th week (the final seven years prior to the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom) called “The Tribulation”. I heard recently a very well-known Bible teacher say, “The Bible calls Daniel’s 70th week the Tribulation.” My first question is simply, “Where in the Bible is Daniel’s 70th week called “The Tribulation?“ I suggest that before you exert your time in looking for the Biblical verse, search first the internet for the numerous people who teach this as truth and see if they provide any Scripture to support their position. I welcome anyone who can prove me wrong and provide a verse from the Bible which teaches that Daniel’s 70th week should be known as “The Tribulation”. Frequently, those who do offer Scriptural evidence for Daniel’s 70th week being called “The Tribulation” cite Daniel 12:1.
“And at that time, Michael, the great official, the one who stands concerning the Children of Israel, Your people; and there will be a time of tribulation which has not been since the nation until this time and at this time Your people will escape, all who are found written in the book.”
This verse does not relate to all of Daniel’s 70th week, but specifically the second half of these seven years, when Israel will be persecuted by the antichrist for rejecting him at the middle of the week, when the antichrist will commit the Abomination of Desolation. Another verse which is often stated is Matthew 24:21,
εσται γαρ τοτε θλιψις μεγαλη οια ου γεγονεν απ αρχης κοσμου εως του νυν ουδ ου μη
γενηται
“For then there will be great tribulation, which has not been from the beginning of the world until now, and no, not not will be.”
I translated the last part of this verse in the most literal manner in order to assist the reader to understand the uniqueness of this period of time. This verse provides a great example of how certain individuals run to any verse that contains the word tribulation without properly understanding it.
Had one correctly studied the context, then this person would realise that in Matthew
24:15, the Abomination of Desolation is mentioned by Yeshua. This has significant implications. The fact that great tribulation is mentioned in verse 21, and this occurs after the Abomination of Desolation means that verse 21 refers to the second half of Daniel’s 70th week. In addition to this, Yeshua states,
“And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world for a testimony to all the nations and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14
Those who insist on using the term “The Tribulation” also state that all seven of these
years consist of the wrath of G-d. Again, can one provide a verse that supports such an assertion? It simply cannot be proven from the Bible that all of Daniel’s 70th week consists of G-d pouring out His wrath. While it is very true that believers in Yeshua, through one’s acceptance of the Gospel, will not experience any of G-d’s wrath (See 1 Thessalonians 5:9), there is no Biblical justification that I know of which supports the assertion that the wrath of G-d begins at the beginning of the final seven years. Once again, I would be happy to admit my error if such Biblical testimony could be provided.
Another statement which I frequently hear stated is that The Great Tribulation is the worst time of the wrath of G-d and takes place during the second half of Daniel’s 70th week. Matthew 24:21 is often cited as a Biblical verse to support this perspective. There is a serious problem with such an interpretation. In Matthew 24:21, the phrase in Greek appears without the definite article,
This means that this verse is only speaking about a period of time which will consist of a great amount of tribulation, and does not relate to what is meant when theologians refer to “The Great Tribulation”. This term only appears by name in one place in the Bible,
και ειρηκα αυτω κυριε συ οιδας και ειπεν μοι ουτοι εισιν οι ερχομενοι εκ της θλιψεως της μεγαλης και επλυναν τας στολας αυτων και ελευκαναν στολας αυτων εν τω αιματι του αρνιου
“And I said to him, lord you know and he said to me, these are the ones who came out of the Great Tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:14
Please notice the difference between the two phrases in the original language:
θλιψις μεγαλη and της θλιψεως της μεγαλης.
I have placed the two definite articles in bold to show the difference between these two phrases. The definite article is simply the word “the” and its purpose is to specify or differentiate between two or more objects. Therefore, Matthew 24:21 simply informs the reader that after the Abomination of Desolation there will be great tribulation in Israel; whereas in Revelation 7:14, one learns that believers will go through what John learns is called specifically The Great Tribulation.
Even though it is almost universally taught that The Great Tribulation relates to the wrath of G-d, when one reads the book of Revelation, the wrath of G-d does not begin until chapter 8 and therefore The Great Tribulation is actually prior to the wrath of G-d and is unrelated to it.
The reason for this time of persecution of believers prior to the wrath of G-d during the first half of Daniel’s 70th week being called The Great Tribulation is to emphasise how important to G-d are those who are suffering for their faith in Yeshua. When studying the book of Revelation, one learns that John places a priority upon those believers who will be experiencing the things mentioned in his book. There is absolutely no Biblical basis for asserting that The Great Tribulation is after the Rapture. Again, it is very important to remember that the promise believers have from G-d is that we will never experience the wrath of G-d. It is never promised that we will not be persecuted or suffer tribulation.
On the contrary, in the book of Acts one reads,
επιστηριζοντες τας ψυχας των μαθητων παρακαλουντες εμμενειν τη πιστει και οτι δια
πολλων θλιψεων δει ημας εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου
“Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging to remain in the faith and that because of much tribulation it is necessary for us to enter into the Kingdom of G-d.”
Acts 14:22
When examining many places in the New Covenant, one learns that it is normal for
Yeshua’s followers to suffer persecution and go through tribulation; in fact, He promises His disciples that such suffering will increase in the End Times. In short, there is no Biblical evidence which teaches that the Rapture will occur before the coming of the antichrist empire. In regard to the Rapture, there is not any Scriptural reason to define the timing of the Rapture in light of Daniel’s 70th week. It is most common to speak of the Rapture as PreTribulational, Mid-Tribulational, or Post-Tribulational. Such terminology is without Biblical support. All one can know with certainty concerning the Rapture is that it will take place prior to the wrath of G-d beginning.
The final matter which I would like to address in this article concerns one whom Paul mentions in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 called the “Restrainer”. There is a great desire for people to know the identity of this “Restrainer”. This is not possible and Bible teachers should avoid engaging in this pursuit. In the relevant passage, it is frequently translated as,
“And you know what is now restraining him…” 2 Thessalonians 2:6a English Standard
Version
Most translations render this verse as though the identity of the “Restrainer” one should know. This is incorrect and not the intent of the verse. When examining the verse in the original language it states,
και νυν το κατεχον οιδατε εις το αποκαλυφθηναι αυτον εν τω εαυτου καιρω
“And now, the restrainer, you know for the revealing of him in his season.”
2 Thessalonians 2:6
What is being taught in this verse is not that one knows the identity of the “Restrainer” but rather what the purpose of the “restrainer” is; namely to restrain the antichrist from being revealed until the proper time, i.e., according to G-d’s timing.
It is frequently asserted that the “Restrainer” is the Church. This simply is an impossibility, as the word for the “Restrainer” in verse 6 is το κατεχον and is neuter in gender, while in verse 7 the word is ο κατεχων and is masculine. It is most unusual that the same entity would appear in this passage in two different genders. What is the purpose for this? The answer is that this provides a Biblical clue that the identity of the “Restrainer” is not what the Holy Spirit wants the reader to focus upon, but rather its purpose.
Please be aware that the Greek word for Church is ἐκκλησία and appears in the feminine. It is improper and without support from the Bible to teach that it is only after the end of the Church age, i.e., the Rapture, that the antichrist can be revealed. The popular website, gotquestions.org states,
“Evil is restrained right now; once the Church Age ends, the hindrance to evil will be removed,…”
This website has many problems in how it answers questions concerning the End Times. They base many of their answers on assumptions rather than proper exegesis of Scriptural passages. For example, they also state,
“Second Thessalonians 2 is clear that the removal of the restrainer’s influence precedes the revealing of the Antichrist. Given free rein during the tribulation, the lawless one will ‘use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders’ to deceive the people of the earth (Verses 9-10).”
Although I agree with much of this quotation, there exists a problem. If the antichrist is given free rein during at least a portion of Daniel’s 70th week, which I agree he will have, how can one also assert, as gotquesitons.org does, that all of Daniel’s 70th week consists of the wrath of G-d? The fact of the matter is that during the first half of Daniel’s 70th week, the antichrist will have indeed free rein to do pretty much as he wants. This is based upon what is written in Revelation 13:5,
και εδοθη αυτω στομα λαλουν μεγαλα και βλασφημιας και εδοθη αυτω εξουσια ποιησαι μηνας τεσσαρακοντα δυο
“And it was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy; and was given to him authority to act 42 months.”
The implications of this verse reveal that during the first half of Daniel’s 70th week, the antichrist will act as he desires. He will do mighty acts to deceive and the character of his empire will be blasphemous. It will be during this time that he, or his empire, will persecute, imprison, and kill many believers. Again, there is no Biblical support that I am aware of which can offer Scriptural evidence that all of Daniel’s 70th week consists of the wrath of G-d. The wrath of G-d will only begin, according to the book of Revelation, after three events: the Abomination of Desolation, the sealing of 144,000 in Revelation chapter 7, and the Rapture, Revelation 7:9-12.
My hope is that each one who reads this brief article will indeed explore these questions I raise, study the word of G-d and not rely upon one’s own understanding or what they simply have heard others say. Studying about the End Times will give us the perspective which each of us needs as these days drawn near. Shalom
We would like to ask that you pray for all those that HLM reach out to specially in these troubling and anxious times.
The elderly people that HLM minister too are deeply affected by the current situation.
Some are recalling memories of the horror of the holocaust from their childhood.
But they all sense that God is taking care of them through the ministry they receive from the staff and volunteers of HLM.
They are also encouraged that there are people from other nations supporting the ministry and so not feel so isolated, as many have no family close to them.
Please pray for Antonina and her sister Sophia who are shown in the picture on the left with Julia our HLM staff member in Ashqelon. Sophia is in the front at the right).
Sophia suffers from Alzheimers disease and Antonina cares for her. Antonina asks for prayer for God’s strength and mercy so that she can continue looking after her sister.
Please remember in your prayers Leon, a sweet, humble older Jewish man. He just had an unscheduled surgery on his face ( not the last one, but he is hopeful and expects the best outcome for this ordeal)
Please remember him in your prayers as he is lonely and almost deaf which makes our communication more complicated. But we can see that he is very appreciative for the Shabbat meals that we deliver to him and he really appreciates the care and concern he receives from HLM.
The picture on the right is a picture of Lisa another of HLM’s elderly wards. Lisa is always grateful for the help and support she receives from HLM. She prays for the team. For the IDF soldiers and for HLM supporters.
Please pray for Lisa that she will continue to know God’s blessing and that she will know His peace in these difficult times.
Please pray also for David and Galina (shown here on the left). They are an elderly couple who care for and support one another. They are very grateful for the ministry they receive from the staff and volunteers of HLM as they are, like many elderly people in Israel, quite isolated.
Please pray for God’s strengthening and blessing for this devoted couple.
The picture on the right shows Vecheslav. We have mentioned him before in previous newsletters. Vecheslav had a serious heart operation some years ago which was carried out in accordance with his wishes and those of his family against advice from the doctors. Vecheslav not only survived the operation but went on to make a full recovery. Something that the doctors themselves described as a miracle. Although Vecheslav lives on his own he is always very positive and at peace with his situation.
Please pray that the LORD will bless Vecheslav and that he may con-
tinue to enjoy his life despite his situation. Vecheslav is always appreciative of the contact with the HLM staff who are always encouraged by his strength and patience.
The couple shown on the left are Grigori and Rimma. Rimma has Alzheimers disease and is dependent on Grigori who lovingly cares for her. They specifically ask that we pray for God’s abundant mercy and grace to allow Grigori to continue looking after his wife and for the retardation of Rimma’s medical condition.
On the right is a photograph of Julia our HLM staff member in Ashqelon who distributes food parcels and visits the elderly clients (Also shown above with Antonina and Sophia). Julia has a really caring heart for the people she ministers to
and has kept up weekly visits even while the sirens were sounding in Ashqelon.
She and her husband Alexander and daughter Zlata are themselves new “Olim” (migrants) to Israel and have settled well in their new environment.
We would ask you to pray for Julia and her family that they will know God’s peace and blessing in their homeland and for healing for Zlata who has recurring bouts of ill health and has undergone medical tests with no clear result.
Please pray for the safety and security of all the HLM staff, volunteers and many clients at this particularly anxious time.
Please also pray for the spiritual condition of our clients. It is often difficult to assess
where they are in faith. So we would ask that you pray that even in their elder years they would know the joy of salvation that comes through knowing Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ).
Please also pray for our ministry partners in Kirgistan especially the believers in the city of Osh (shown below). They are seeking to show the light of Messiah in their community which is a poor area of Kirgistan and predominately Muslim.
Please pray that they would be strengthened and anointed to spread the good news of Messiah through their charitable works and caring witness to their neighbours and that the LORD would open an effective door of ministry for them.
Holy Land Ministries 