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The Future of Gaza

During his previous term, President Trump proclaimed that he recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It led to some people here calling him “Cyrus the Second.”

This current term Trump starts with a surprising statement regarding Gaza. Completely out of the box. Beyond what even the far-right in Israel had imagined. According to Trump, America will take responsibility for the evacuation and reconstruction of Gaza.

An AI depiction of what signage leading to the new Gaza strip may look like –
Holit and Sufa are two of the Kibutzim in the Gaza Strip that were attacked on October 7th

Shortly after the war broke out on October 2023, and after the fog that enveloped my mind cleared enough to enable me to connect a few dots together, I wanted to understand what Gaza’s purpose is, what it was originally destined for in God’s plan.

The Answers I Was Looking For

Once the IDF had set the goal of destroying Hamas, I wondered what did that mean for Gaza and its inhabitants. After all, not everyone who lives in that strip is a member of Hamas. I wondered if their fate tied to that of Hamas terrorists, and what God had to say about them.

I delved into my Bible to find some answers to these troubling questions. I examined all the verses related to Gaza and its surrounding area, in an attempt to ascertain its original purpose and how to pray for this destiny to be fulfilled.

The full account of my findings is in my post from November 2023 – Can Out of the Strong (Gaza) Come Something Sweet?)

The Future of Gaza and Philistia – A Short Summary

God promised that after gathering the outcasts of Israel, He would put an end to the enmity between Judah and Ephraim, and that together they would conquer that Philistine territory (Is. 11:13-14).

Jeremiah prophesied that the Philistines would drink from the cup of God’s wrath (25:15) until they would fall, never to rise again because of the sword He will send among them (v. 27).

Ezekiel declared that God would stretch out His hand against the Philistines, cutting them off and bringing a great vengeance upon them (25:17). Amos (1:8), Obadiah (v. 19), and Zephaniah (2:4-5) prophesied the destruction of Gaza by fire that would consume its magnificent houses and walls.

Zephaniah further stated that the house of Judah would settle where the Philistines once lived (2:6-7). Notice the phrase “…when I return your captives” (end of Zep. 3:20). This is a triple promise: God will restore the captives, return them to their land, and most importantly, will bring them back to Himself. In Hebrew, all these motifs are encompassed in this short prophecy.

Zechariah Vs. Trump

The prophecy I want to elaborate is Zechariah’s (9:1-8). It became my constant declaration in the past months. When I first studied it, on November 2023, Israel did not fight in Lebanon yet, Assad was still on the throne in Syria, and Sinwar was alive. Today this prophecy seems so timely and accurate, knowing what took place to all the regions mentioned in this portion.

Zechariah prophesied that the cities of the Philistines (Gaza Atrip) will witness the destruction that God will bring upon Lebanon and Syria. Back then I thought it’s the opposite, as Lebanon and Syria were watching what was happening in Gaza. But so much had happened since, and that makes this prophecy so accurate.

Zechariah said that they will be filled with fear and shame. The senior leader of Gaza will perish. God will cut off their pride, and will remove their thirst for blood and the abominations from between their teeth. Yes, it’s God who is going to put an end to the monstrous regime, not our forces and leaders, not even Trump.

What excites me the most is the following promises: whoever will remain there will belong to God and will be like “a leader” or “a champion in Judah.”

God goes on and promises that He will encamp around His house right there, just like a military force, and will protect it from every passerby, so that no oppressor will ever pass through or strike them again (vs. 8).

All these have been promised by the very God whose words are always Yes and Amen. Can He use Trump for that? Can Gaza be cleansed and even become an Altar to the God of Israel, the biggest Christian Center in the Middle East, led by mighty people who are like the leaders and champions of Judah? Looks like it is possible more than ever before, and Zechariah provides us with great and accurate language to combine in our prayers for that miserable region.

A Tale of Two Trunks

Shoshi is one of my besties. Our relationship goes back 35 years. For her birthday this year, she asked us to take her to some war sites around the Gaza strip. As settlements and businesses start to recover, Israelis make an effort to shop there as much as they can. So last week a group of us headed south, and among other places, visited a nursery with a unique orchard of olive trees.

The owner, Tamir, walked with us through the orchard and shared his experience of loss and pain. He lost over 50 of his friends and relatives on that fateful day of October 7th. But from the ashes, he is determined to rise up, rebuild and restore. By telling his story in details, to an audience that just wants to be there for him, seems to be part of his own healing process.

The trees he grows tell the story of a nation – that of redemption, restoration, and resilience in face of attemps to exterminate us. So symbolic! And such an experience!

Olive Tree: Israel’s Deep Roots

This is the biggest tree in Tamir’s orchard. It weighs about 18 tons, and is 3,000 years old. Years ago it was uprooted from the northern region and brought to the south. As you can see, it hit deep roots and prevailed. What a symbol of God’s covenant and faithfulness to His promises. Just like the olive tree that thrives in harsh environments, and endures through centuries, so is Israel. In spite of our bloody history of exile, suffering and Islamic jihad, we prevail and are being restored. Am Israel Chai!

Romans 11 highlights this theme and invites the nations to join that olive trunk with humility (vs. 17-18). This war served as one more opportunity for the Gentiles to graft themselves into the right tree. This past year we all watched with mouths wide open how entire nations chose to detach themselves and turn their backs on that invitation. However, we were delighted to find out that within each nation is found a bold remnant that spoke loudly and hung on to that Tree. If you are one of them, I applaud you for that. Well done!

Oak Tree: Strength and Rebirth

Another interesting tree in that orchard prevailed and took over a rock. Take a look at this short clip:

In the Bible, the oak tree symbolizes strength, endurance and protection. One of the key passages is Isaiah 61:3, where God promises to replace ashes, mourning and despair with a crown of beauty, the oil of joy and a garment of praise. It then declares that God’s people will be called “oaks of righteousness,” and that they will be planted by the Lord for the display of His splendor.

I also find it interesting that the trunk of that oak split into two. Hmmm… Jews and Gentiles? Stemming out of the same hidden Rock? Can it be more symbolic than that?

The Remnant of Israel

There is a remnant, there always will be, no matter how many missiles of all kinds will be shot in our direction. Simply because God said so. Just like Tamir, we will prevail and survive to tell of God’s faithfulness.

Join the tree, if you hadn’t done that yet. There is still room around that trunk. At least for the time being.

Looking for some Christmas gift ideas?

With Christmas right around the corner, how about gifting a loved one with one of our books, now available in print or digital formats.

“His Faces” explores a hidden biblical phenomenon, showing how God’s partial concealment from Israel, as foretold in Deut. 32:20, has shaped their history and suffering. Written in accessible language, the book connects this theological mystery to a call for the church to aid in Israel’s spiritual healing and to find its place in God’s amazing story.

“Who is Knocking” (book and study guide) – This series addresses the power of painful emotions and harmful thoughts, and the one amazing tool that can put an end to them!

This series offers two transformative tools that have revolutionized lives, including the author’s. It includes some practical exercises and precious testimonies that make it clear – God can truly heal any wound we carry, no matter how deep and multi layered it is.

Email otoomofet@gmail.com for more details and ordering.

When We Run Out of Words…

How can a human mind fathom an enormous disaster? We can’t. No one can really comprehend the burning of 6,000,000 Jews. But than you read one diary of one girl, one Anna Frank, and you can connect to the fear, the helplessness, the level of cruelty.

How can we comprehend the monstrosity of October 7th? By telling personal stories, small stories, one at a time.

The media in Israel is full of such stories this week, as we ponder and re-ponder the horrors of last year. I take in as much as I can, and than disconnect myself and take time to process. As much as I can. Well, not sure I can really fully process. But at least I can breathe.

Anyway, today is about one story that will give you a peek into the bigger picture. Prepare your tissues, and do not forget to breathe.

ZAKA

In Judaism, each blood drop and body cell need to be buried, even if the body exploded and the collection might take long hours.

Nearly 30 years ago, on October 1994, following a suicide bomb that exploded a bus in Tel Aviv and killed 22 civilians, the organization “ZAKA” was established. Its workers are all religious, mostly older men, who highly esteem the value of burying any body part, cell or bone pieces that can be found. They will climb trees to look for any blood drop, if there is a chance to find anything there. They believe that all men and women, no matter what their religion is, were created in the image of God, and are destined to go back to ashes when they die. So this is one of their main motivators – to ensure a respectful burial, even if all that is left are random body cells.

Hard to fathom the enormous job they had on October 7th. It took them a few months to clear the southern region. Imagine the sights they saw. During the first few days, once the battle over a house or kibbutz was over, they were the next in line to come in and clean ovens, walls, trees, ruins, door knobs, etc. Any and every thing. They scrutinized each square centimeter before thy taped on the horrific sticker declaring that area is “clean.” All that while missiles are shot around them and sirens force them to the ground or a nearby saferoom. Their level of trauma is something that only now Israel starts to discuss.

In preparation for the memorial today, some of them got together to pray. They ran out of words. This is the outcome.

How Can You Pray for Us?

In all the present upheaval we are experiencing, and with everything that is going on, here are my main points of prayer for Israel these days. You are welcome to join me and “glean” in my field. I am using here the terminology that God has given me along the way, so if you are new to this blog, please read previous posts to get acquainted with these terms.

  • National Repentance and the ability to see God’s Hand behind all the suffering. He is not inactive and so well hidden from us right now, to the contrary. His faithfulness is evident, O, if we would only have the eyes to see it; Pray for an awakening of our national original calling and destiny, so that we won’t stay in our “Mara” mentality, but take our stand as a “Naomi”, as an O’menet. This applies even to those among us who already know Yeshua, not only to non-believing Jews.
  • A deeper understanding and a revelation of the connection between Jews and the Land. Abba, show us the real path for lasting peace; pray that the rise of antisemitism will bring back home Jews from the four corners of the earth.
  • Salvation and freedom from bondage for both Arabs and Jews, for the hostages and yes, for the terrorists as well. All are held captive in a Satanic scheme. Some will have to give a heavy account before their creator, but their freedom and salvation is in our best interest, for the Kingdom’s benefit. And while I’m on the subject, I long to see how the Gaza strip becomes an altar for the Lord of Hosts.
  • That God will reveal more of His “Faces” and raise His voice through His Body. I highly esteem the influence that a combined voice of Jews and Arabs has. Its impact is majestic. Our mutual love and unity (“the One New Man”) can drift many eyes from what is seen in the natural (war, hostages, death, evacuees, etc.) to where the future lies. So pray that His Kingdom terminology will become widespread.

Thank you for coming alongside us and standing in the gap for Israel at such a time as this.

Shalom,

Orna

What Is Next?

Following a long break due to Orna’s traveling schedule, our next session in our Over V’Shav series will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, June 25th, at 09:30pm Israel time. The link for the meeting is provided below.

Orna will share about her trips to South Africa and Auschwitz and we will discuss “What is Next” as Israel may soon be facing another front in the North.Looking forward to see you all.

Orna Grinman is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Over V’Shav – Session 20
Time: Jun 25, 2024 09:30 PM Jerusalem

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 845 2243 3152
Passcode: 839912

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Jews and Arabs – Is Reconciliation Even Possible?

Is there a chance for peace between Jews and Arabs in Israel? Can Jews and Arabs can live together in Israel?

This past Sunday, around the world people celebrated Mother’s Day (in Israel we do that on February). In Israel, however, the day was dedicated to the memory of victims of terror and wars throughout our modern history. And as the day comes to an end, within a fraction of a second, we shift from mourning into joy and celebrate the 76 years of modern sovereignty.

In Isa. 66 God promises (v. 13) that He will comfort His children as a mother comforts her child. And that we can be comforted in / through Jerusalem.

How can Jerusalem comfort anybody – especially now, especially these days – as she is mourning over so many new graves of her own? How can mothers, fathers, anyone rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, even rejoice greatly with her, while she mourns? (v. 10).

This is the essence of Orna’s teaching in this video. The key is found in v. 11. If anyone seeks nurturing, comfort, satisfaction, delight, abundance, there is a specific place God is pointing towards today. There is a nurturing bosom, and His eyes are so fixed on it.

Arise and Shine

As Israeli troops enter Rafah and the failed attempts to reach an agreement with Hamas on releasing the remaining hostages, this is the cry of my heart –

Arise, State of Israel, and shine! (Is. 60:1).

I ask myself how can we, in the midst of such darkness and uncertainty, rise and shine?

“For in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you”, God clarifies later in the chapter (v. 10).

Yes, in His wrath and anger over our sinfulness as a nation He struck us, but just the same He has abundance of mercy upon us.

The Hebrew says: “It is in My desire, My will, that I have mercy upon you”. So Father, the God of Israel, it is to Your will that I turn now and plead: have mercy, Lord, please have mercy! Bring our sons and daughters back from near and afar (v. 4), and make our hearts swell with joy.

Over V’Shav – Session 19 – Recording – Update and Prayer

Here is the recording of our last session. This session was dedicated for updates on the state of things in Israel and for prayer.

With Orna’s extensive traveling the next few weeks, our next session will be held on June 18th. A reminder and a link to the meeting will be sent out closer to time. See you then!