During my devotions recently, I read in I Samuel, chapter 4. It tells the story of one of the darkest hours of the Jewish people. The Philistines had defeated Israel; the high priest, Eli, and his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were dead. The Ark of the Covenant had been captured. Phinehas' wife had named her newborn son Ichabod, which means "the glory of God has departed." Tragically, the light had gone out in Israel.
Despite this crisis, a godly woman, Hannah, had dedicated her life to the Lord to be light. God answered her cry. Her son, Samuel, was carried to Shiloh as a young child to serve the house of God. Through Samuel came a new generation of righteous prophets and judges.
The light of Christian love had gone out from the life of my Jewish mother. I saw professing Christians in the United States throw tomatoes and eggs at her and spray paint "Jew witch" and "Christ killer" on our house. I never realized the terrible meaning of those words until I spoke them aloud.
My father was an anti-Semite beyond even the wildest imagination. He beat my mother repeatedly. The moment I attempted to defend my mother against my father, he strangled me and left me for dead. I could never defend my mother, so God gave me another Jewish mother to defend: Israel. My mother never saw the love of God—only hatred. I want the Jewish people in Israel to see the light of the love of Christ and not the hatred my mother saw.
What a mighty God we serve! He took a broken little lamb at 11—me, a stuttering, terrified, introverted boy—and has used him for over 40 years to be a light to the Jewish people and to defend the nation of Israel. Matthew 5:14-16 says:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (English Standard Version).
Today, God is calling you and me to stand with and for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people as never before.
Daniel said that in the last days those who know God will do great exploits for Him. Today, I am asking you to be part of something amazing...something miraculous...something prophetic...that will raise up a great army of Believers from every corner of the globe to join together in defense and support of Israel and in opposition to the demonic forces fighting against us.
We have been given mighty weapons by our God to pull down the strongholds of the enemy! Our support and defense of Israel are so vital right now—more than ever before. Today, you and I are standing on the front lines of the spiritual battle for Israel's survival.
