死神的试炼2梅针:为以色列时事祷告 (February 6, 2012)

为以色列时事祷告 (February 6, 2012)

以色列的神是那将力量权能赐给祂百姓的。神是应当称颂的！诗篇68:35

1. 不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠能力

上周，以色列国防部长巴拉克在赫兹利亚（Herzliya）的安全会议中指出，他认为伊朗快要研制出核武，其会使得任何攻击武器无法抗衡…一个拥核的伊朗将会更难对付，更充满危险、死伤更多，除非今日就终止核武制造。换言之，再晚恐怕就来不及了。如果国际制裁不能阻止伊朗获得军事核能力，那就要考虑采取行动的必要性。军事情报局发言人表示，伊朗目前已提炼足够的浓缩铀，可以制造出4枚核弹。副总理亚阿隆（Moshe Ya'alon）也表示，伊朗必须终止核武制造（不管出于自愿或被迫），以他个人的军事经历判断，伊朗的地下核武设施难以探测（摘自耶路撒冷邮报2/4/2012『巴拉克表示：如果国际无法制裁，伊朗非打不可』JPOST.com）。

同时，华盛顿邮报专栏作家戴维.伊格内修斯（David Ignatius）指出，美国国防部长利昂.帕内塔（Leon Panetta）认为，在伊朗进入以色列所谓的开始制造核弹为『免疫区』前，以色列很有可能会在今年4月或5、6月攻打伊朗。帕内塔部长和欧巴马总统则是警告以色列不要轻举妄动，免得使非军力的努力前功尽弃（摘自2/2/2012『帕内塔相信以色列快要攻打伊朗』ynet.news.com）。

周四，以色列军事情报局局长阿?夫·柯查威（Aviv Kochavi）预估，随时都有20万枚飞弹对准以色列。他更进一步表示，伊朗获得核武的能力完全取决于最高领袖哈梅内伊（Ayatollah Ali Khamenei）的意愿，而非先进科技（摘自国土报2/2/2012『以色列国民军高阶军官表示：大约20万飞弹持续对准以色列』HAARETZ.com）。

『伊朗最高领袖』周五表示，『以色列是将被切除的毒瘤』，更进一步承诺『伊朗将协助任何对抗以色列的国家或组织，现在是以色列最弱的时候』（摘自2/3/2012『哈梅内伊：以色列是癌』ynetnews.com）。

因此，当以色列从一方听到声音要她克制与忍耐，她却持续从另一方听到誓言要灭绝她，她看到可以阻止灭绝的窗户很快就要关掉了。四枚核弹听起来好像不多，但只要一枚击中小小的以色列就可以危害到她的存在。威胁要灭绝以色列的不是海珊，他不过是对泛阿拉伯主义大发热心，却不是宗教狂热份子。而这位威胁者，他是伊斯兰什叶派『共和国』的『最高领袖』，他所拥载与推动的是灵界势力。但以理在2600年前（但以理书10:13）看见的大君，必须来帮助米迦勒打倒『波斯魔君』，这花了21天加上一位代祷者站在破口上火热的祷告。上周日，纳坦雅胡总理谈到：『在过去几天我们被提醒所处的环境，我们听到伊朗领袖要毁灭以色列的论述，我们看到叙利亚军队屠杀自己的百姓。在这个区域，唯一能确保我们的生存、安全与繁荣的是能力。我们要持续委身于以色列军队、经济与社会能力的培植。』

我们爱我们的总理并支持他，但惟有让敌人了解到将有一能力大过他们的能力，区区以色列的能力无法拯救她，我们必须祷告，纳坦雅胡总理『想起』另一个能力─一句主藉由先知撒迦利亚指示所罗巴伯的话（亚4:16），这句话出现在他所管理的国会大厦前的金灯台底部，以希伯来文刻着『万军之耶和华说：不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠能力，乃是倚靠我的灵方能成事！』

请祷告：

*用诗篇68篇为以色列祷告：『愿神兴起，使祂的仇敌四散，叫那恨祂的人从祂面前逃跑。 他们被驱逐，如烟被风吹散；恶人见神之面而消灭，如蜡被火镕化。神的车辇累万盈千；你们要将能力归给神。祂的威荣在以色列之上；祂的能力是在穹苍。神啊，?从圣所显为可畏；以色列的神是那将力量权能赐给祂百姓的。神是应当称颂的！』 

*祷告保护以色列的（诗篇121篇）将指示她的领袖，为着将要发生的事来预备她的百姓，甚至需要做出一些牺牲。这周以色列民防部长就公共就绪状态提出年度报告，尽管有改善，却仍显出以色列若在炮火猛攻下被迫作战，民政部运作能力上出现许多缺口。此外，以色列所有市民都应发放的防毒面具，目前不到四百万市民收到，原因是预算不够。众所皆知，叙利亚许多飞弹带着有毒瓦斯，其中一些可能现在正供给南黎巴嫩伊朗所扶持的真主党势力。

*祷告万军之耶和华，以色列军队的神（撒上17:45），以祂的行动与时间来引导并部署以色列的国民军（以及天上的万军）。为以色列国民军中的信徒信心祷告，他们将如明灯照亮，满有卓越、盼望、勇气、效率和怜悯。

*祷告没有任何战争爆发不是出于主的时间，若需要摧毁伊朗核武设施，求神看顾引导整个行动充满效率，死伤降到最低。

*祷告以色列信徒中充满敬拜赞美，撒迦利亚书10:3说：『因我─万军之耶和华眷顾自己的羊群，就是犹大家，必使他们如骏马在阵上。』虽然我们相信这很可能指着自然界的应验，但同时我们也看到属灵层面的应用：『犹大』的原意是『赞美』或『举手感谢』（创世记29:35因此给他起名犹大）。藉此我们可以看见主使用此君尊的赞美，将祂的同在带入争战中。祷告主释放争战的敬拜赞美在以色列的弥赛亚肢体中！

*请为伊朗广大的信徒祷告，我们看到报导指出他们的逼迫越来越大，祷告他们能站立，圣灵赐下超自然的勇气，使他们能在岗位中坚立，在黑暗中兴起发光。


2. 在以色列海岸的天然气油田TANIN

昨天从埃及输送天然气到以色列和约旦的管路爆炸，这是去年埃及总统穆巴拉克垮台以来，至少12次以上管路遭到蓄意破坏。以色列使用此天然气来制造全国五分之一的电力。我们严重怀疑由穆斯林兄弟会掌管的政府，是否会允许继续让天然气输送到以色列；当然，在穆巴拉克统治时期，多数人也对高昂的费用吃不消。在报导埃及的天然气管路爆炸的同时，我们发现另一处大型的天然气油田！这是这几年发现的第七座天然气油田，位在以色列西北海岸线120公里处。目前虽然只做了初步探勘，但似乎蕴藏了很丰富的天然气储量。

我们发现很有趣的是，此最新的天然气油田叫做Tanin，在最近的妥拉阅读中曾检视过这个字（请参考1/15-21的每周一妥拉），尽管有时会将这个字翻成蛇，但这个字不同于常用来称呼蛇的希伯来文（nachash）。有可能是鳄鱼（现代希伯来文一般用Tanin这个字）；圣经多处也翻成神所造的海怪（创世记1:21），或是用来比喻常与神对立的灵界或自然界力量（诗篇27:1；杰里迈亚书51:34；诗篇91:13）。也可以翻成『龙』（以赛亚书27:1；诗篇91:13）。当摩西在燃烧荆棘处站立在神面前，他的杖就变成蛇，但当他和亚伦站立在法老面前，杖丢下去就变成另一个东西─tanin，有可能是一条鳄鱼（注：中文圣经仍翻成蛇），它是尼罗河一带崇拜并惧怕的一种生物。埃及的术士丢下他们的杖，就变成许多鳄鱼，但摩西的鳄鱼（tanin）吞吃了他们所有的鳄鱼（tanninim）。

石油变成现代让国家运转的必需品；有可能是神所赐下的祝福，人为此而感谢，也有可能变成被崇拜的怪兽，拥有它的国家将他人辖制在自己的能力中。然而，是神造了石油，正如在以西结书29:3的大鱼tanin（在此象征法老王），祂可以用钩子钩住那些崇拜和误用石油之人的腮颊，或是那些利用石油作为逼迫祂立约之地与百姓，还有为他们站立的人。当神让祂的百姓拥有自己石油的时候到了，祂能够神迹性地将他们目前的资源转变成摩西的鳄鱼，拥有吞吃他们压制者的能力（申命记33:24）。

请祷告：

*求神赐下智慧、正直、技术以及财力资源来建造以色列的七座油田，祷告这些油田能被利用，很快就能使用，进而满足以色列土地的需要，并能提供其它土地作为交易之用。

*祷告属神的保护在这些计划和油田上。

*祷告我们能对神的祝福充满感谢与谦卑，因为『得着从地所出的上好之物，和其中所充满的；得着那住在荆棘中的耶和华的恩宠』（申命记33:16新译本）。

*祷告当被发现的资源之维护与滋养回到以色列时，可能其中最重要的就是水资源，以赛亚书41:17-20可以找到主对此的应许，『好叫人看见、知道、思想、明白；这是耶和华的手所做的，是以色列的圣者所造的』。

马汀和娜玛?赛维士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
于耶路撒冷

Prayer Update From Israel (February 6, 2011)

"Acclaim strength to God, over Israel is His pride and His strength in the skies."
Psalm 68:35
(Trans: Robert Alter)

1. "NOT BY MIGHT, NOT BY POWER . . ."

This past week, during a conference on security in Herzliya , Israel 's Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that he sees Iran nearing a stage in her assumed development of a nuclear weapon "which may render any physical strike as impractical..A nuclear Iran will be more complicated to deal with, more dangerous and more costly in blood than if it were stopped today. In other words, he who says in English "later" may find that "later is too late.If sanctions don't achieve the desired goal of stopping military nuclear program, there will be a need to consider taking action." A speaker on behalf of military intelligence reported that Iran now has a stockpile of enriched uranium capable of manufacturing four nuclear weapons. Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon said that Iran must be stopped "one way or another" and, drawing on his own military experience, disputed claims that underground Iranian nuclear sites would be impenetrable. ("Barak: If sanctions fail, Iran must be hit", by Yaakov Katz: The Jerusalem Post (JPOST.com), 4 Feb 2012, 22:40 IST).

Meanwhile, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius wrote that US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta "believes there is strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June-before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb." Both Panetta and President Obama have warned Israel against making such a strike, saying it will jeopardize non-military efforts ("Panetta believes Israel will strike Iran soon" by Yitzhak Benhorin: ynet.news.com, 02 Feb 2012, 21:37). On Thursday a top IDF officer Major General Aviv Kochavi estimated that around 200,000 missiles are aimed at Israel at any given time. He said further, that rather than technological advancement, Iran 's ability to obtain nuclear weapons depended solely upon the will of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ("Some 200,000 missiles aimed consistently at Israel , top IFF officer says" by Amos Harel: HAARETZ.com, 2 Feb 2012, 10:32).

That "supreme leader" on Friday said that "The Zionist regime [i.e. Israel ] is a cancerous tumor and it will be removed." Khamenei further promised that " Iran would assist any country or organization that would fight the Zionist regime, which is now weaker than ever" ("Khamenei: Zionist regime is a cancer", by Dudi Cohen: ynetnews.com, 03 Feb 2012, 12:06).

And so, as Israel hears calls for restraint and patience from one quarter, she is hearing promises of her eminent annihilation from another-and she sees the window closing quickly on anything she might do to thwart that annihilation. Four atomic warheads may not sound like many, but it would take only one hitting tiny Israel to endanger her very existence. He who threatens this is not Saddam Hussein, who was motivated more by a zeal for pan-Arabism than religious interests. Rather, he is "Supreme Leader" of a Shiite Islamic "Republic", and his allegiance and motivation are knowingly spiritual. The mighty spiritual being seen by Daniel 2600 years ago (Daniel 10:13) had to be assisted by Micha'el, another heavenly power in order to overthrow the "Prince of Persia"-and this took 21 days and the fervent prayer of a human intercessor standing in the gap. Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "Over the past few days we've been reminded about the environment in which we live. We've heard the Iranian leader's statements about destroying Israel , and we've seen the Syrian army slaughtering its own people. In this region, the only thing that ensures our existence, security and prosperity is power. We are committed to the continued cultivation of the State of Israel's military, economic and social power."

We love our Prime Minister and support him. But while it may be true that the only thing which our enemies understand will be a Power greater than their own-Israel's power alone will not save her. We must pray that Mr Netanyahu "be reminded of" one other thing-a word of the LORD given to his ancient predecessor Zerubbabel through the prophet Zechariah (4:6)-indeed, a Word inscribed in Hebrew across the bottom branches of the Menorah which stands before the Knesset building from which he governs, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit!" says the LORD of Armies!

PLEASE PRAY:

*Psalm 68 over Israel : "Let Elohim arise and His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of Elohim.the chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands.Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds. O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be Elohim!"

*That the LORD who Watches over Israel (Psalm 121) will instruct her leaders how to prepare her people for what is to come, that the necessary sacrifices will be made to do this. This week Israel 's Home Front Defense Minister presents his annual report on the public's state of readiness. It is expected to announce that despite improvements, there are many gaps in the HF's ability to function under the expected missile barrages should Israel be forced into war. Further, fewer than four million citizens have received the updated gas masks which all citizens are supposed to have-and now the number of available ones have run out because of budget cuts. It is known that many of the missiles in Syria are armed with poisonous gas, and likely some of those now arming Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon .

*That YHVH Tzva'ot Elohei-Ma'arkhot-Yisrael-"Yehovah of Armies, The Arraying-God of Israel " (I Samuel 17:45)will guide and position Israel 's physical army (as well as His heavenly ones) in His action and timing. That the faith of believers in the Israeli Defense Force will shine as lights of excellence, hope, courage, efficiency and mercy.

*That no war will break out except it be in the timing of the LORD, that if it be necessary to destroy the nuclear weapons capabilities of Iran, the operation be guarded and guided to be as efficient as possible with the least possible loss of life.

*For praise and worship amongst Israeli believers. Zechariah 10:3 says, "For the LORD of Armies will visit His flock, the house of Judah , and will make them as His royal horse in the battle." Although we believe that this likely refers to a physical fulfillment, we see also a spiritual application: " Judah " originally is related to "praise" or "giving of thanks with extended hands" (Thus his naming in Genesis 29:35). In this usage we can see that royal high praise is that which the LORD uses to carry His Presence into war. Pray for warfare praise and worship to be released among the Body of Messiah in Israel !

*Please pray for the vast number of believers in Iran.we have seen reports that they are under increased persecution. Pray that they stand and be granted supernatural courage and works of the Holy Spirit to stand in their positioning and shine in the darkness.

2. TANIN OFF ISRAEL 'S COAST

Yesterday the pipeline transferring gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan was blown up. This makes at least twelve times that it has been sabotaged since the fall of Hosni Mubarak early last year. Israel has used this gas to produce around 1/5^th of its electricity. There are serious doubts as to whether the Muslim-Brotherhood-dominated government expected to evolve from the present turmoil in Egypt will allow the gas to continue to flow to Israel ; most certainly not at prices enjoyed during the Mubarak period. With the same reports on the Egyptian gas-line explosion, came news of another Israeli natural gas discovery! The seventh in recent years, this field lies 120 kilometers off her northwestern coastline. Only preliminary tests have been made-but they seem to point towards another enormous reservoir of natural gas.

We find it interesting that the name of the newest oil field is Tanin. We examined this word in a recent Torah Portion, how, although sometimes translated "serpent", it is different than the word usually used for snake (nachash). It may be a crocodile (its usual meaning in modern Hebrew); it is also translated in the Bible variously as a "great sea monster", created by God (Genesis 1:21 NASB), or used as a metaphor for spiritual or physical powers, often in opposition to God (Psalm 74:13; Jeremiah 51:34; Ezekiel 29:3). It can also be translated "dragon" (Isaiah 27:1 NASB; Psalm 91:13 NASB, margin). When Moses stood before the LORD at the Burning Bush (Exodus 4:3, 7:15) his rod became a nachash-snake; but when he and Aaron stood before Pharaoh and the rod was cast down, it became something else-a tanin, perhaps a crocodile, which was feared and worshiped along the Nile. The court magicians threw down their rods and they became "tanninim"-but Moses' tanin devoured all of theirs.

Petroleum has become a modern necessity to the functioning of nations. It may be a God-given blessing for which man gives thanks-or it may become a monster which is worshipped and through which nations which have it hold others that don't in their power. Yet it is God who made it, and as with the tanin in Ezekiel 29:3 (which there symbolized the King of Egypt), he can humble and "put a hook in the jaws" of those who worship or misuse it-or use it as a means of persecuting His covenant land and people and those who stand with them. When it is God's time for His people to have their own supply of oil, He is capable of miraculously turning their present resources into that tanin-one with a capacity to swallow those of their oppressors (Deuteronomy 33:24).

PLEASE PRAY:

*For wisdom, integrity, skill and financial resources for the establishment of the seven petroleum fields in Israel-that they be harnessed and become operable as quickly as possible-so as to meet Israel's homeland needs as well as providing commerce with other lands.

*Divine protection over these projects and the fields.

*For humility and gratefulness for God's blessings to us.for "the precious things of the earth and its fullness, and the favour of Him who dwelt in the bush" (Deuteronomy 33:16).

*That as resources are discovered to maintain and nourish returned Israel, probably the most important of all, water, will be found as promised in Isaiah 41:17-20, "That they may see and know, and consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORDE has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it."