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Harvest of Asher
Akko, Israel
A Passover phrase recently caught my attention. It runs parallel to the plot of Purim and the other “rescue” stories throughout Israel’s history.
“And it is this God who has stood by our ancestors and us. For not only one (enemy) has risen up against us to destroy us, but in every generation they rise up to destroy us. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, delivers us from their hands.”
Where is the safest place for the Jewish people to be? Some Israelis now suspect it is not in this land. After the events of October 7th, I noticed that many are seriously considering moving abroad. The Jewish people here and in the diaspora, just want to live their lives in peace and quiet. However, anti-Semitic sentiments, which characterize Jews as different and somehow unwelcome, often makes this a difficult goal to achieve. God says that He will make us strangers in the surrounding nations (Leviticus 26). Throughout history the Jewish people found themselves outcast, persecuted and even murdered for simply being Jewish. Even here in Israel, where we should feel safe and secure, we see that there are threats from inside and out, endangering our very existence. No matter what, the safest place is in the center of God’s will, submitted to His rule.
This brings me to the story of Deborah and Barak, standing against Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army of Hazor. Sisera was hired to destroy Israel but the Lord raised up the prophetess Deborah to mobilize the nation. Together, under the leadership of Barak, they were victorious. A sudden rainstorm caused Sisera and his 900 chariots to become mired in mud near the Kishon River (Judges 5:4,20-23). Victory came, not by the strength of man’s hands, but by the power of God.
The victory belongs to God. God alone is the shield of Israel. The battle is not ours but the Lord’s. It is He who has protected us in each generation. He is our defender and the One who brought us to this land.
My prayer is that the power of God will sustain us today as it has in the past. I look with hope beyond this war and pray that we will soon enter the physical reign of Messiah Yeshua, extending from this land to the ends of the earth.
