(Note: this update was written on 30 April 2022, and is the one that got deleted during my recent website issue. It is not the final version but I am republishing for the sake of completeness. A new update is coming soon)
It is Shabbat but I could not go to my congregation this morning because we are meeting outside today and it is very hot and windy. The air is full of dust and pollen. The cypress tree outside my window is ‘smoking’ as it sheds its pollen in clouds. After our late-lingering winter, Spring came late here too. This means that the peak pollen season is coinciding with the first of the sharavs – the hot, dry east winds from the desert.
The wet winter and late spring also means that the land has stayed green until now and the wildflowers and trees have put on a spectacular display. I am glad I was able to get out a few times to enjoy them.
I am sure that when Yeshua would retreat into the wilderness to pray, he would have sat amongst the glorious flowers and loved them just as I do. They speak to me of the glory of the LORD, who created all this beauty. It brings rest to my soul.
Yeshua said this, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matthew 6: 28).
We can learn from the flowers but what a pity we so seldom take a moment to contemplate them. What kind of God has made such beauty?
As I walked these fields and byways, I could not help but be struck by the contrast between their peace and beauty and the horrors of war and strife all around. How far man has fallen!!
https://www.timesofisrael.com/eu-condemns-russian-bombing-of-mariupol-maternity-hospital-as-a-war-crime/
THE WOUNDED RUSSIAN BEAR
The war in Ukraine rages on and, after an embarrassing tactical retreat from the west of the country, the Russian forces are now concentrated in the east where they are attempting to take control of the entire Donbass region. The news this morning (30/4) is that Putin is poised to declare an all-out war, which would unleash the full might of his army. He has hesitated to do this so far, because it would totally destroy his false narrative about a mere ‘military operation’ to save Russia from the ‘Nazi’ Ukrainian threat. Such a move would also be unpopular with the Russian people as it would put them under martial law and a compulsory call up of reserves. They would also suffer dire economic consequences. If Putin goes ahead with a declaration of war, it will release the full force of his professional standing army, all his potential reservists, and his formidable weaponry. If, or perhaps I should say ‘when’, this happens, what will the Western nations do? Will they be able to stand by and watch Ukraine be totally obliterated? As long as we have thought the Ukrainians stood a chance of winning, we could continue our stance of non-involvement, but when the wounded Russian bear rages across the country, what will be the response of the world’s nations? Are we on the brink of World War III? Whatever happens, we will likely see more sanctions against Russia and a strengthening of Russia’s economic and military ties with those nations who are under its sway, especially Syria and Iran in the Middle East.
So far Israel has maintained its stance of supporting Ukraine while at the same time not angering Russia. It is becoming harder and harder to balance on this swaying tightrope. Israel has declined to send military aid to Ukraine, but it has provided a considerable amount of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including a field hospital in Mostyska, 50 km west of Lviv. The hospital was staffed by 100 doctors, nurses and auxillary staff, from Israel. Over a period of six weeks this hospital has treated some 6,000 civilian patients, who could not receive assistance from the overstretched Ukrainian hospitals. Today the field hospital is closing down and staff returning home. Earlier this week, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Benny Gantz, Jerusalem will provide Kyiv with protective gear, including helmets and vests, for its rescue and emergency organizations. Israel has also helped to evacuate citizens and has absorbed at lead 15,000 Ukrainian and Russian Jews. On the street there is a groundswell of support for the Ukrainian people but there are some who have not forgotten the atrocities committed by the Ukrainians against the Jews during the Holocaust, nor their failure to stand with Israel in the United Nations in more recent years. There are also many Ukrainian and Russian Jews living in Israel, most of whom have relatives in either or both countries. Feelings are mixed and confused.
Russia is making threats against Israel too.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Psalm 122: 6-7
Worship: John 3:16 in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, English, Korean and Persian – YouTube
https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/04/14/ben-gurion-airport-luggage-system-malfunction-causes-major-disruptions/
Free at last. No, I am not referring to the exodus from Egypt or the salvation from sin which we are celebrating at this time. I mean free at last from the travel restrictions that have kept Israelis home these past two years. Now we are free to travel abroad and we are doing it in droves. The picture above is the concourse of Ben Gurion airport one day before the Passover holiday began. Naturally, the luggage handling system broke down that day – hence the collection of luggage. I guess that means a lot of people will be celebrating Passover with friends and family abroad in their travelling clothes and minus gifts. This picture reminded me of a poster we saw around New Zealand, during the height of the brain drain in the ’70s as many kiwis headed for the greener pastures in Australia, which coincided with an energy crisis. The poster said, “Would the last one out, please turn off the lights”. When I look at this picture I can’t help wondering if anyone is left here, but I can assure you not everyone has left the country. I for example am still here. And I have no doubts that our beaches and parks will be jam packed over the coming Passover holiday, not to mention our roads. Another good reason for staying home.
The security situation in Israel is very tense this Passover. Over the past two weeks some 14 Israelis were killed by terrorists in a series of ‘lone wolf’ attacks, some claimed by ISIS and some by Hamas. Although it is not on the scale of a ‘terror wave’ such as we had during the two Intifadas, in which mainly bombs were used, this raises concern as machine guns are now readily available to the terrorists, supplied by Hamas and ISIS ( read Iran). Consequently the IDF has launched an operation to ‘deep clean’ the trouble spots in the West Bank, capturing terrorist cells planning attacks and mountains of arms and munitions. According to a 2020 estimate by the Knesset there some 400,000 illegal weapons around the country. In one bust alone, on 25 January, the police and the IDF captured four smugglers from East Jerusalem with 3 million shekels (about 1 mill US$) worth of weapons, including 39 pistols, 10 AK-47 assault rifles and four M-16 rifles (1).
During this last ‘wave’ of terror our leaders are exhorting all who have legal weapons to wear them on the streets, this because in these latest attacks it was bystanders who were able to neutralize the terrorists and prevent more deaths and injuries. It is not only the terrorists who are heavily armed these days, so are the criminal elements. There have been many violent incidents involving criminals using ‘hot’ weapons, especially in the Arab communities. No wonder it is starting to feel like the Wild West around here.
https://www.milkenreview.org/articles/putins-rasputin
Tension has spiked today, the second Friday of Ramadan coinciding with Passover Eve and Good Friday. On Thursday Hamas called for ‘hundreds of thousands’ to come to the Temple Mount to pray today. Tension was increased by reports that an extremist Jewish group were planning to sacrifice a sheep on the Mount today. They have tried this over the past several years but have been prevented from doing so by Israeli security personnel.
According to a police statement (2) dozens of young Muslims began marching in the Temple Mount area carrying PLO and Hamas flags. They threw rocks and set off fireworks. Police waited until the end of Muslim morning prayers before entering the Temple Mount complex to disperse the rioters, some of whom were throwing rocks down on Jews praying at the Western Wall below. Later in the morning police entered the mosque and arrested some 400 rioters who were barricaded inside and were preventing those who wanted to pray there from doing so (2).
Putin’s Muse
Dugin became especially famous in Russia for the Neo-Eurasianist version of classical geopolitics. His book The Foundations of Geopolitics (published in 1997) outlined his political and ideological vision of Russia’s place in the world. According to Dugin, there is an irresolvable confrontation between the Atlanticist world (principally the United States and the United Kingdom) and Eurasia (predominantly Russia, Central and Eastern Europe and Asia) that resists US-led globalization and ethno-cultural universalization. This confrontation is also placed on the metaphysical plane: the alleged hegemony of Atlanticism and liberal democracy is interpreted as the triumph of the “age of vice”, while the Eurasian revolution that would establish the Russia-led Eurasian empire is understood as an advent of the “golden age”. The Eurasian ‘revolution’ is a rebellion against ‘wokeness’ and liberalism. It is seen as a return to conservative morality and true Christian values. As such, it might be supported by many Christians but its fascist and dictatorial leadership,and the brutal savagery of its military apparatus, such as we have already seen in Syria and are now seeing in Ukraine, is anything but Christian.
( Sorry, I lost the final version)
https://www.eurozine.com/putins-brain/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1e61100qn9 Putin wants teh Nevsky
Church
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-bought-this-land-for-35-million-in-oranges-russia-wants-it-back-612392 Ownership of Russian compound
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-704490
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-694523