Inside Israel

Israel’s Fourth Election

On Tuesday, March 23, Israel will hold its fourth election in two years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is leading in the polls. Opposition leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party is close behind. Although a single party needs to have a sixty-one-seat majority in the Knesset to win, it is unlikely that any party will earn that many seats. Therefore, parties like Yamina led by Naftali Bennett, Yisrael Beiteinu led by Avigdor Lieberman, Tikvah Hadasha led by Gidon Sa’ar, and the ultra-Orthodox bloc all have a very important role. Each will seek to win as many seats as possible so they can add to their coalition bloc to form a majority. Benny Gantz’s Kahol Lavan party, the primary opposition party in the last election, might not pass the minimum number of votes to win any seats—a mighty fall from grace. However, since polls are not always accurate, every vote is important, but Israelis are weary and frustrated with this long, expensive, and tedious situation. Netanyahu has been the prime minister since 2009 (and also from 1996–1999), and many believe there should be term limits. He is also in the middle of a court case to address some serious indictments.

Please pray for Israel’s democratic vote happening again, that the leaders would humble themselves and turn to the Lord for wisdom and direction to lead the State of Israel.

Read more at Jerusalem Post…


More Dead Sea Scrolls and Fragments Found

Previously found Dead Sea Scroll fragments (Source: Ken and Nyetta/Wikimedia Commons)

In the dry and arid landscape of the area surrounding the Dead Sea, amazing archeological treasures were found in 1948 and again in 1950—the Dead Sea Scrolls. They were hidden in caves where the Jewish people were living after they fled Jerusalem during the Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans in 132 CE. The scrolls survived because of their remote location and the dry weather, which preserved the parchment. For the first time since then, archaeologists have found more scroll fragments along with an impressive array of everyday objects, such as a completely intact woven basket. The Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) escalated its search of the 110 miles of caves as a result of looters looking for treasures to sell on the black market. In general, it is extremely difficult terrain, and researchers need to use ropes to rappel off cliffs to get to the hillside grottos, as well as use drones to search inside.

Praise God for the truth and security we have in His Word, that the Old Testament text is the same today as it was more than 2,000 years ago.

Read more at Jerusalem Post…


Nanosatellites To Be Launched

A simulation of what the nanosatellite could look like in space (Source: YouTube screenshot/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30HEkT1HmEE)

On Saturday, Israel launched three tiny satellites from a Russian rocket fired from Kazakhstan. They began their three-year mission to orbit the earth every ninety minutes, all on one gram of fuel a day. These shoebox-sized nanosatellites are anticipated to be more efficient than one larger satellite, which is precisely what the scientists are testing. The new technology will be used to monitor emergency signals from ships, planes, explorers, and hikers. The three satellites will be kept within 155 miles of each other, allowing for a high-accuracy reading of signals. They will use natural forces like gravity and atmospheric resistance to navigate, which will allow the specially built fuel system, developed at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, to complete the mission using only a little more than fourteen ounces—less than one pound—of krypton, the gas often used to fill fluorescent light bulbs. This averages less than five ounces of fuel per year, or one hundredth of an ounce per satellite per day.

Please pray for this innovation to work and for the creation of other wonderful ways to help mankind.

Read more at Times of Israel


Happy Passover from Israel

This is a very busy and important week in Israel! The children have all started their Passover break from school, grocery stores are full as people stock up for the holidays, and the cleaning and organizing of Jewish homes to get rid of dust, excess, and leaven (or yeast, which represents sin) has begun. On Saturday night, the nation of Israel and Jewish people worldwide will sit down for their Passover Seders, remembering how the Lord brought us out of slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. The Lord showed us over and over that He has redeemed us and provided for us with miracles and wonders. It truly is an incredible story from the Scriptures that speaks so clearly today of the redemption we have in Jesus, the sinless One who was our Passover sacrifice.

Please pray for the Seders our workers in Israel will have and the conversations we have with our friends and family.