Remembrance and Celebration
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” Ecclesiastes 3:4
Israel will weep on Monday the 13th, as thousands visit military cemeteries in which each grave will bear an Israeli flag and be guarded by an IDF member. The visitors will lay flowers on both relatives and strangers graves, listen to speeches and the haunting prayers in memory of the dead.
The next day Israel will laugh with the joy that against all odds, the modern State of Israel was born on the 14th May 1948. This year, the Hebrew date coincides with the Gregorian one.
In light of the painful events of October 7 and the ongoing tension and heartache, celebrations will be modified this year. We know though that God will fulfill all His promises concerning Israel.
This week the Biblical calendar moved into the month of Iyar. During this month, there was the opportunity to celebrate Passover if ritual uncleanness prevented someone from keeping it at the proper time. Numbers 9:5-14 tells of men who, because of contact with death the month before, asked for a second chance to keep this important appointment with God. Moses gave permission and instructions received from a God of Grace, who gives second chances. Their sincere desire to obey God gave them the privilege of partaking in this celebration of salvation and deliverance even if they came late!
We Gentiles came late as Paul says, “You Gentiles were once aliens, outsiders, far away.” But thanks to our Messiah, we came, even if later, to being able to celebrate the deliverance wrought for us and that we, “…are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens…” Ephesians 2:19. Praise God for this great gift to us!
It has been over half a year since Hamas launched a bitter war with Israel in Gaza, triggered by the brutal massacres and atrocities of October 7.
Click below to read an important update from ICEJ VP & Senior Spokesperson David Parsons pertaining to the situation in Israel.
ICEJ Aid Update
ICEJ Aid have been tirelessly working to comfort Israel in the months since October 7. Check out this video for an update on the huge amount of work that’s been done, and how you can continue to support Israel.
Want to enrich your prayers for Israel? This month’s Prayer Points are now live on the website!
Click below to download the full prayer points for your home or church, or download the handy condensed mobile version.
