March 15, 2002
Dear Friends,
Over the last months I've been collecting thoughts and impressions and prayers
to share with you. Once again I would like to give you a view
from Israel that you might not see or hear in any other way – the
view of a friend, a mother, a dweller in the land.
Yesterday I read what might be the best current summary of the soul of this
nation. I highly recommend it to those of you who are weeping
and agonizing with Israel. It's in the Jerusalem Report magazine (www.jrep.com),
an article called “Living in the Shadow of Death,” by Yossi Klein
Halevi. The following words are highlighted “Non-stop terrorism
induces a sense of helplessness. Trying to resist that, Israelis are
clinging to the motions of daily life, relying on caution, humor, spirituality
and fatalism in order to survive.” The article is not
available on-line, but if you can pick up the March 25 Jerusalem Report
in your local
major bookstore, it is worth reading.
In 1985, 17 years ago, Avner and I saw a film called “The
Battle of Algiers” in a Jerusalem theatre. This movie depicts
how Algerian Arab terrorists drove the French occupation out of Algeria
between 1954 and 1962. I remember watching this movie and feeling
uncomfortably certain that these same scenes of fear and destruction would
one day become a reality in Israel. I didn't know when this
would happen but I knew it was coming. I knew, however,
based on God's Word, that the Jewish people would not be dislodged
from their own land of Israel no matter how hard the enemy would try.
Years before, as a teenager in the 1970's I remember having the sense, based
on the Word of God, that Israel would be headed for trouble, but that
she would meet her Messiah through this ordeal. Most believers who knew
the prophetic Scriptures also were aware of this. Thirty years ago many
people also knew that the strategy of Yasser Arafat and other enemies
of Israel would be to try to “divide and conquer” Israel.
What we saw then as future is today’s reality.
Israel is now deeply divided on how to respond to the existential threat
that she is facing. Some folks in Israel (and many around the world)
consider that the best option is the creation of a Palestinian state. But
were a Palestinian state to be created, it would be used as base to destroy
Israel. This actually was the PLO’s plan from the beginning. Though
it now seems that Israel's enemies have the upper hand, God knows more.
In the mid-1990's Avner and I were living in Kansas City where we helped
to lead a weekly Friday-night prayer meeting for Israel. For three
years we met with other precious friends and prayed God's Word back to Him.
We reminded Him of His promises to the people of Israel. Many times
we asked God to take idols away from the people of Israel so that they
could meet their Lord face to face. Gradually we are seeing
those idols being diminished. Some of the idols being removed
are trust in the United States, or even trust in the Israeli armed forces. The
immediate result is fear, desperation and pessimism. At the
same time God is tenderizing hearts.
In 1999 Israel pulled its forces out of Lebanon, hoping that once and
for all young Israeli soldiers would no longer have to die. This hope
was short-lived. Indeed, several days ago an Israeli Army Radio commentator
described the current situation in Israel as ‘turbo-Lebanon.’ What
Israel had hoped to avoid is back on her doorstep, and the pressure is
being turned up.
Last week an Israeli radio talk show invited callers to express their
feelings about what is happening and to suggest possible solutions. Callers
voiced ideas ranging from the far right to the far left. One lady suggested
that the only way to solve the current situation was through international
intervention, a ‘savior’ who would come from outside Israel to bring
a solution. When I heard that, I grieved, knowing that before
Israel meets her One and Only True Love, she will indeed be
confronted with a counterfeit.
The Lord is never without a voice or a witness in this world. He
speaks loudly through His Word and often through prophetic voices. In
times past He has spoken even through a Balaam. Several weeks ago,
when Hillary Clinton was in Israel, she spoke what might be a prophetic
word: “Israel is the canary in the mine shaft. Whatever happens
to Israel now will happen to the rest of the world.” (Jerusalem
Post, Sunday, February 24, 2002, p.1) In times past a caged canary was
taken by coal miners down into a mine. If the canary stopped singing
and passed out, the coal miners knew that deadly gasses were present and they
took appropriate action. A canary in the mine shaft is a tripwire, a
lightning rod. What happens to Israel is also a
sign of coming events for the rest of the world.
Very soon the church – the true believers, the Body of Messiah – will
be required to make a choice as to where they stand with regard to
Israel, God’s canary.
Sunday morning March 10, 2002, our twelve-year old son had a dream. In
his dream a good friend told him that “two demons were going to try
to come to destroy us at Passover”. He said that we would be
able to stop one of them if we prayed enough. The other one we could
not stop. We feel that the dream relates specifically to Israel. Please
pray for God's protection for Israel particularly during the Passover
season (March 27-April 3).
Like most Israelis we try to keep a sense of normalcy in everyday things. We
take pleasure in visits with Israeli friends and friends fromabroad.
We love you, we appreciate you, and we are aware of your prayers for
us!!!
In Yeshua,
Rachel Boskey (for Avner and the boys)