September 9, Tiberias, Israel
A Day on the Golan
We spent today on the Golan Heights witnessing what is happening with Syria. Last Thursday the pressure stepped up on the Syrian front when two Israeli planes entered Syrian air space and triggered a response. Debka file said crack pilots were sent in on purpose to draw a response from an air defense system installed by Russia on August 10. The new system was supposed to stop anything Israel had, so it was reported by Debka, and the Israeli planes jammed the system proving it ineffective. Israel is silent on the matter. So, we really don't know.
But what I can say is that Israel is on the alert. All military leaves have been cancelled. And up on the Golan today we saw signs of military readiness there. We had a very enjoyable day, however. Especially in Katzrin a lovely town in the Golan. A Reuter's news man with camera interviewed some of our group. They asked them if they were afraid to be there. The answer. No.
We went to the very border with Syria and the sight of a miraculous tank victory for Israel in the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Rani Levy shared the details of the heroic battle led by Avigdor Kahalani, a family friend. After the moving remembrance, we had wonderfully anointed prayer.
In Judea and Samaria
I tried to post an earlier blog about our time in what the world calls the West Bank, but what the Bible calls Judea and Samaria. We have longtime friends in Ariel whom we were so glad to see. Of course, the pressing topic here is that Prime Minister Olmert has been talking with PA Machmoud Abbas about handing over Judea and Samaria to create a Palestinian State. Olmert has a single digit approval rating. Abbas does not have the support of his people. And President Bush who is pushing the matter toward a November conference in America, cannot serve another term.
No one really thinks it will go anywhere. But it is troublesome. We talked to a man whose business is security. He said that those in Shiloh who own their own homes received a letter that day from a group called One House, claiming to be apolitical, and offering to buy their homes in Shiloh and to help them move in view of the violence that is bound to come there soon. He lives in Shiloh. Of course they are not about to leave their homes.
Visited an army outpost watching over two hostile Arab villages near Ariel. One is Hamas. The other is Fatah. If a civil war ensues between the rival groups there could be a battle here.
Most of our friends here are trusting God. The one they obeyed to come back to the land of Ephraim and to build just as the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied they would so many years ago.
We had wonderfully anointed prayer at the Alon Moreh of Genesis 12 where God first promised the Land to Abraham.
Baptism in the Jordan
Yesterday, 40 or so out of our group of 85 were baptized in the Jordan River. Those pastors who did the baptizing, as well as the people being baptized, said it was so powerful in the water they could barely stand. It was also so in our youth tour of June 2006.
The baptism was at the end of a wonderful day around the Sea of Galilee where our Lord's earthly ministry was centered. Each time there will be a different part of this trip where there is a strong anointing. This time it was at the place where Jesus met the apostles with bread and fish after His resurrection. Somewhere in this area our risen Lord said, "All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me, Go ye therefore...."
Misgav Am
Two days ago, we stood at Misgav Am overlooking Lebanon. The border there is a fence a few feet from where we were. We miss Mike Ginsberg, who passed away a year ago, but we appreciated his dedicated partner Arieh ben Yakov who spoke in the same way Mike did.
We were there just after the incident in Syria. Very interesting. We prayed here, too.
A man in our group who has traveled the world said today that he has never been on such a trip. It is so stratigically timely to be in these places at this time, and to be so anointed in prayer.
Tomorrow we leave for Jerusalem.
Shalom, Billye Brim
