“Fear no one but God” was the theme of a fabulous musical production I saw the other day. It was a timely message indeed. The dance – musical “Daniel” is based on the Biblical book of Daniel with a vibrant, throbbing African twist. It was brought to Jerusalem from South Africa by an international cast of some 30 Christian dancers and musicians as an act of love towards Israel. The Enemy (Satan) was not happy. The company learned how costly it can be to show love towards Israel. First, two of the cast missed their flight and therefore arrived late. Then the Israeli Customs Authority held back their set equipment and it arrived only one and a half hours before the first show. Somehow the crew managed to assemble it on time. The opening performance was a great success receiving a standing ovation from the audience, but later one of the stars of the show, 36-year-old Andile Gumbi suffered a sudden illness which resulted in a cardiac arrest. He is still critically ill in hospital. As if that were not enough, another of the cast suffered a broken leg. Yet, in spite of these disasters, the show went on with Joe Nieman, who also wrote the music, directed the show and played the part of the older Daniel, stepping in to play both the part of Andile (Nebuchadnezzar) and that of the other actor who had broken his leg. A true hero!
Please pray for the recovery of Andile who remains in a critical condition in Shaarei Tzedek hospital here in Jerusalem. His wife is on her way to join him and his 3-year old daughter awaits him. The rest of the cast are now returning to South Africa. We thank them for their sacrificial love and for the magnificent beauty and the powerful message of their show. May the LORD bless them all. You can read more about this amazing show and see more pictures of the performance on https://www.facebook.com/danielthemusicaljerusalem/photos/pcb.2888010161232745/2887935857906842/?type=3&theater
Admission charges did not cover the costs of this non-profit show. If you want to share in this love gift to Israel you can donate to:
South Africa: First National Bank, Acc no. 62817936993, Branch: 250117, Swift: FIRNZAJJ
Foreign payments: email mark@danielthemusical.net or call +27 60 875 9045 or WhatsApp Theo Christodoulou at +27 82 375 5703.
https://gatewaynews.co.za/from-sa-with-love-daniel-musical-is-a-miraculous-gift-to-israel/
https://gatewaynews.co.za/daniel-the-musical-goes-on-to-bless-israel-and-honour-critically-ill-star/
The message of “Daniel” is so timely today for Israel. We have enemies on all sides and even our friends, as few as they are, are proving unreliable. Fear is our true enemy and we need to remember that we need to fear nothing, and no one, except God himself, and he is love.
After the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah and took away all its leaders and the most talented of the people (including Daniel), those who were left in the Land of Israel decided to flee to Egypt for help. When they consulted the prophet Isaiah, hoping for a confirmation of their plans, God spoke saying,
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
And rely on horses,
Who trust in chariots because they are many,
And in horsemen because they are very strong,
But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
Nor seek the Lord!
Now the Egyptians are men, and not God;
And their horses are flesh, and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out His hand,
Both he who helps will fall,
And he who is helped will fall down;
They all will perish together.
Isaiah 31:1,3
Recently we were reminded of the danger of putting our trust in any human agent instead of seeking the LORD. On Sunday 6th October, US President Trump suddenly announced that he would pull out the around 1000 US troops stationed on the NE Syrian – Turkish border region in order to permit the Turkish army to attack the Kurdish army and establish a buffer zone in Syria. This seemingly capricious* move shocked the world and shook Israel. We were reminded that even our best friend (or so many once thought him) could not be trusted.
Shimrit Meir of the Israeli newspaper, Ynet, put it this way, “Anyone in the Middle East with eyes in their head understands the man in charge in Washington has lost his mind…. It is time for the most loyal Trump supporters in the region and beyond, to come to terms with the fact the U.S. can no longer be relied on as it continues to spin out of control” (1). Meanwhile Trump tweeted, ” “If Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey” (my emphasis) (2). In my view these are the words of a megalomaniac * dangerously out of control.
Ynet news summarized Israeli concerns thus,
This latest move could bring about a military confrontation between the Syrian army and Turkey as well as the resurgence of ISIS that had already been defeated, while U.S. President Donald Trump backs out of the area leaving it to the control of Assad’s chief ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin (3).
Simon Tisdall, a foreign affairs commentator for The Guardian warned, “ Donald Trump’s rash and foolish decision to pull the remaining US ground troops out of northeast Syria is a shocking betrayal of the Kurdish forces that were instrumental in destroying the Islamic State “caliphate”. It opens the way for a vicious, protracted struggle between the Kurds and Turkey’s military , which is poised to cross the border. And that in turn presages more civilian suffering in a country that has seen far too much during the past eight years (4).”
With the US troops out of the way, Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, mobilized his forces the next day, crossed the border into NE Syria and attacked the Kurdish forces. Without the backing of the US the Kurdish army was left alone in the face of a much stronger Turkish army and had no hope of holding their territory. Within hours they were on the retreat forcing the Kurdish civilians to flee their homes in fear of their lives, most of them heading towards the Kurdish enclave in Iraq.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5611796,00.html
Erdogan has three goals in this confrontation:
- To force the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which comprise about 60,000 fighters, away from Turkey’s southern border. Turkey and the Kurds have been fighting for years and you can read more background on this conflict on https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29702440
- To return, by force if necessary, many if not most of the 3-4 million Syrian refugees who have entered Turkey since 2011. This amounts to a population transfer, driving away the problematic Kurds and replacing them with the Syrian refugees.
- To improve his standing at home, which has recently suffered some hits, including the humiliating loss of Turkey’s two biggest cities, Istanbul and Ankara, in the recent elections
As I was writing this Trump was live on TV proclaiming a victory and that his actions had saved thousands of lives. A ceasefire agreement brokered by the US last week failed and consequently Vladimir Putin stepped in and has managed to set up a ceasefire agreement which establishes a 20 mile (32 km) buffer zone on the Syrian side of the Turkish border policed by Turkish and Russian forces. I cannot see this as any kind of victory for anyone except the Turkish and Russian interests. It was certainly no victory for the around 180,000 Kurds forced to leave their homes just when winter is setting in! Not only that, it further dangerously undermines the influence of the US in the Middle East and grants Russia a much stronger foothold. This is of great concern to Israel.
Israeli Elections
Please continue to pray for our government. We still do not have one. Netanyahu’s Likud Party was unable to create a coalition sufficient to form a government and the President, Reuven Rivlin, has now handed the task to Gantz and his Blue and White Party. If Gantz cannot broker a coalition, and both sides continue to refuse to form a unity government together, then we will have to have a third round of elections next spring.
How much we look forward to the establishment of God’s Kingdom in Israel under the righteous and everlasting government of his Son, Yeshua;
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 9: 6-7
- capricious – given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
- megalomaniac – a man obsessed with his own power
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