Red Alert
Can I encourage you to download an app called Red Alert – Israel. (See link at the end of this post.) Turn on your notifications and leave the app on your phone for at least a week. It will alert you every time there are missiles, rockets, mortars attacks, or hostile aircraft intrusions. I think the number of attacks will surprise you. These attacks have been going on for years. Before and after October 7
They know they are hated. They know there are those who want to destroy them as a people and a nation. They do not ever think otherwise. Sadly, many of those who want to wipe out Israel and its people want to do the same to the USA. However, I’m not sure we fully understand this threat because our homeland isn’t bombed on a regular basis. Surely if we were, we’d be on as high alert as they are.
Since childhood, I’ve held Jewish people in high esteem. Afterall, the mighty men of God I learned about were all Jewish. Hebrew. Israelites. It amazed me when I learned God called out a people and set them apart for Himself. A people that He would dwell and communicate with, show Himself mighty on their behalf. God loved, led, provided for and gave them a standard of worship and living.
In either 2004 or 2006, Tom and I were able to go to Israel where we not only toured all the Biblical sites, but we studied the Word of God on those sites. I remember…
Walking where Jesus walked and reading what Jesus said along the way! Yes, walking the Palm Sunday Road, standing and praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, visiting Golgotha, and seeing the empty tomb. Picking up stones from a stream bed just like David. Standing on Mt. Carmel where God rained down fire. Looking at the Red Sea and imagining the waters being divided.
I could go on and on, but my point is this trip made me love the land of Israel and its people all the more. Jesus clearly said, “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22b). Jesus’ striking statement shows that the New Testament confirms the unique role of the Jewish people in God’s redemptive plan. Think with me. God entrusted the Scriptures to Israel. It was also to Israel that He sent Jesus, the Messiah. It was Israel (and now us) that God called to be a light to the nations!
We were so impressed by the fact that every time we saw a group of children there was a minimum of 2-armed military with them. A tour of one of the hospitals educated us on how they handle bombings, attacks, and how they are prepared for even chemical attacks. They shared that when they hear more than 3 or more sirens at the same time all medical personnel head to their hospitals as they know is signals a bombing or attack has taken place. Lots of Palestinians live within Israel and they are treated with equal care as the Jews. The Jews cherish life.