As I was in prayer early this morning for the Israeli people and troops in Gaza, the Holy Spirit directed by mind to Isaiah 4:1-2, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”
This call of the Holy Spirit to the people of Israel was written by the prophet Isaiah 2,700 years ago. This call has echoed down through the ages to our time and admonishes those whose hearts are with God to cry out for His people. The Jewish people have perhaps suffered more than any other ethnic group of people in the history of mankind. Countless millions of Jewish people since Isaiah penned these words have endured persecution, character assassinations, expulsions, threats, wars, terrorism, and violence in ways unimaginable to most people. They suffered these things because they are God’s chosen people. While speaking of these last days, Jesus said to His Jewish disciples, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and they shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).
It is chilling to think that at this hour millions are marching and demonstrating in support of the monster terrorist group called Hamas. The word “Hamas” in Hebrew means “violence.” A little over a month ago these murderers invaded Israel, and like savage beasts, they raped, tortured, dismembered, and beheaded babies, children, mothers, and the elderly. They did this to these people for one reason – their victims were all Jews. The righteous mind struggles to grasp this kind of hatred and vicious wicked spirit! Yet, millions are supporting Hamas’s war against God’s people. Not all, but a greater majority of the Palestinian people are all praising Hamas and are calling for the annihilation of Israel. The overwhelming majority of people in the world want to give God’s Promised Land to a people who hate God and His chosen people. Friends, our world is ripe for the vengeance of God. Isaiah spoke of the Tribulation Period as “the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion” (Isaiah 34:8).
Friends, these events should send a global warning that the end of days, the final rebellion against God, has just about arrived. What can we do? Look at the call of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 40:1-2. We need to pray for and identify with the Jewish people. These are Christ’s “brethren” (Matthew 25:31-46).
The Jewish people are about to suffer more than any other nation in all of human history! Speaking of the Tribulation Period, the prophet Daniel wrote, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1). We need to pray for them. We need to weep with them. We need to support them in their war effort.
We also need to comfort them. We need to remind them that the God of Israel loves them and is about to save them from their sins. Just a few days ago, I was watching a video recording of a battalion of Jewish soldiers standing at the corridor of Gaza. In concert, they were passionately shouting, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” Show me another army in the world that would honor and glorify God with words like these as they about to engage combat for their home, their families, their nation!
We need to comfort them with the hope of the physical and spiritual redemption of the nation of Israel. The Lord is coming to rescue them from the storm of hate that is coming against them. At the end of the Tribulation, the church will return from heaven with Jesus to Jerusalem, and we will witness the final blow against the nations that have aided Satan and his attack upon Israel. Of that day, Zechariah wrote, “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought un the day of battle” (Zechariah 14:3).
I believe that God is at work in Israel. I believe these are the days of spiritual preparation of Jewish hearts. A mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit is about to take place among God’s chosen people.
To the church – prepare to meet the Lord! He is coming for us soon!