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Now that we are safely home again from our travels interstate, we are very grateful to God for His protection as we watch what is happening thousands of miles away in Jerusalem. Israel was suddenly and brutally attacked and subsequently has declared war. Shocking and extremely upsetting to say the least. The timing of these events coincided with The Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles — it was no accident or happenstance as deliberate premeditated planning was involved in order to kidnap vulnerable people to take as hostages, by monsters wielding their murderous weapons of choice. Many victims were children, mums and dads, young men and women, elderly too. There will never be peace here on earth until Jesus Christ returns as our King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14), therefore we continue sighing and crying (Ezekial 9:4), persevering in a very dangerous world under the sway and crazy systems put in place by our wicked and evil enemy (1 John 5:19).
Those who travelled all the way to Israel to attend the Feast of Tabernacles were so very excited to go and had a great Feast. They would all most likely say "BFE FOT and TLGD 2023" which translates to "Best Feast Ever, Feast Of Tabernacles and The Last Great Day 2023". We eventually received news that my husband's sister has arrived home again safely to the USA amongst many others eager to depart. From the last report all Feast attendees have left the Middle East after tiring yet persistent efforts to switch travel arrangements and cross hot, dusty borders. It has been a tense time watching, praying, and waiting for all those who were delayed due to airport closures and the chaos that ensued. Again, we give grateful thanks to God for His goodness as He knows that His children "wouldn't miss it for the world" as the Feast is such a highlight and we all need the rejuvenation and strengthening these eight days bring packed full of divinely inspired spiritual messages, fellowship, acts of service, and beautiful joy surrounded by God's Holy Spirit while comforting and edifying one another in pure Agapé love.
In the Bible we are told to watch and pray and God's people certainly did that and continue to do so (Ephesians 6:18). Multiple scenes of terror on news footage were horrific, while reports of beheadings, children hiding in cupboards for hours on end, families in their own homes brutally murdered, and people attacked, even executed in front of their young children were hard to bear, almost seemingly unbelievable that human beings could be so wicked and cruel without any semblance of compassion towards innocent babies and civilians. Israel is at war and it looks very dire indeed. Yet we know God's plan for us and we are in full-on preparation mode for Christ's return to usher in His Kingdom where there will be no more war ever again. Indeed this is a major theme of what the world in God's Kingdom will be like according to the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 2:1-4 "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths'. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore". Finally, peace will come for all! It won't be long now as scripture reveals in Hebrews 10:36-37 as we develop this perseverance.
Oh how we look forward to that time when all will come to know God like we do now. We crave it with all of our heart, mind, strength, and being, therefore each and every day of the rest of our physical lives are completely devoted to being ready. We have motivating scripture to support this in Revelation 19:6-8 "And I [John] heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready'. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints". One thing I know with certainty is that God's called out ones, the firstfruits, all fervently desire God's soon coming Kingdom with a deeply set and quiet passion in the very core of our hearts that speaks clearly with one unified voice "wouldn't miss it for the world"! Even so, come Lord Jesus, come! Revelation 22:20-21.
ADDIT: There were many scriptures pertinent and relevant that I considered providing for this article such as Psalm 91, Revelation 12 and Isaiah 26 however, and to my great delight, these are all covered in the following sermons. God yet again provides and never disappoints. You will find these messages full of wisdom and never more certain than in this time we are living in. https://www.ucg.org/sermons/isaiah-predicts-end-of-mans-rule-and-the-rule-of-christ
https://www.ucg.org/sermons/signs-seals-and-the-return-of-christ-0