為以色列時事禱告 (November 14, 2011)
你們要以感謝向耶和華歌唱，用琴向我們的神歌頌。祂用雲遮天，為地降雨，使草生長在山上。祂賜食給走獸和啼叫的小烏鴉（詩篇147:7-9）。
我們由衷感謝你們的禱告。今天以色列再次下雨。 你們要稱謝耶和華，因祂本為善；祂的慈愛永遠長存！ HODU LA'ADONAI KI TOV, KI LE'OLAM HASDO!
1. 國際原子能機構（IAEA）的報告出來了
上週二（11/8）國際原子能機構發表一份報告，第一次宣稱有『可靠證據』指出，伊朗發展核計畫絕不是為了和平用途；現在可以確定其目的是為了製造核武器。英國星期日電訊報有一篇很棒的文章提到，歐巴馬總統對以色列上個月拒絕臣服華盛頓的要求，在攻擊伊朗前事先知會白宮『感到擔憂』(Google：以色列拒絕告訴美國其對伊朗的意圖)。這篇文章在檢視數個贊成與反對以色列攻打伊朗之可能性或有效性後，最後陳述了一個對以色列人非常真實的因素：『在納坦雅胡先生的眼中，伊朗總統內賈德是另一個『希特勒』，他的目標是要完成大屠殺失敗的地方─完全消滅猶太族群。外界並不瞭解以色列對大屠殺不可抹滅的記憶，以及其如何影響著以色列的未來政策。當以色列情報單位顯示伊朗的核彈即將完成，『絕不再發生』的政策將支配著以色列的行為。』（來源電訊報2011/11/12以色列拒絕告訴美國其對伊朗的意圖）
同時，上週六在伊朗德黑蘭28哩外的軍事基地發生巨大爆炸，造成17位革命衛隊軍死亡，其威力連首都德黑蘭都可以感受得到。其中一位死者是哈桑•穆加達姆（Hassan Moqaddam）將軍，這位資深軍官被稱為『革命衛隊大砲和導彈部隊的主要建造者和伊朗強大力量的奠基者』。此人受到極大的尊敬，連伊朗最高領袖哈梅內伊都出席喪禮哀悼他。伊朗官方堅稱這次爆炸是意外事故，不過西方情報單位告訴時代雜誌是以色列情報單位摩薩德所為；一些不確定的來源甚至宣稱所得到情資指出是核裝置部署導彈所致。星期天那坦雅胡總理暗示他的政府，以色列所得到的情資遠超過國際原子能機構發表的報告：『國際原子能機構的報告只有詳述可以被證實的資訊，一些可以在法院呈現的事實。我們還看見許多其他事情，因此世界居領導地位的一些國家必須決定怎麼做來阻止伊朗，目前的努力完全無法阻止伊朗製造核彈，已經快要完成了，比人們想得更快。』
請禱告：
*針對伊朗對以色列威脅的回應，禱告以色列會在神的時間與目的中行動。『凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。爭戰有時，和好有時』（傳道書3:1,8b）。
*禱告主會『趕散好爭戰的列邦』（詩篇68:30b）
*禱告以色列的領袖會仰望主如同我們的磐石，『祂教導我們的手爭戰，教導我們的指頭打仗』（詩篇144:1）。禱告以色列眾人將會知道『爭戰的勝敗全在乎耶和華』（撒母耳記上17:47）。1981年，以色列空襲摧毀了海珊即將建成的核反應堆，當時的總理比金（Menachem Begin）獨自一人來回走動，深度禱告。
*禱告亞伯拉罕的神會成為以色列四周的盾牌（創世記15:1），她會仰望祂的保護，她必不怕『黑夜的驚駭，或是白日飛的箭』（詩篇91:5）。
*禱告在以色列的信徒不受攪擾，持續『住在至高者隱密處，住在全能者的蔭下』，他們忠心這樣做將吸引其他人渴望做相同的事！
*禱告神會保護祂在伊朗的餘民，在逼迫時持守信仰，在戰爭爆發時生命得以保存。
*禱告對伊朗百姓施以暴政並咒詛以色列的邪惡領袖將被取代；禱告在伊朗抵擋至高神對以色列之約的宗教綑綁將被打破。
*禱告神的啟示會被釋放在這廣大土地的百姓中間，使他們知道以色列的神是一位充滿愛的神，而祂已經差遣一位救主釋放所有人脫離罪與絕望的綑綁。
2.同盟，領袖與彼此尊重
『因此，你們在暗中所說的，將要在明處被人聽見；在內室附耳所說的，將要在房上被人宣揚。』（路加福音12:3）。
『投靠耶和華，強似倚賴王子』（詩篇118:9）。
上週在法國坎城舉辦的20國高峰會，法國總統薩科齊與美國總統奧巴馬，以為會議室的麥克風已經關掉，有了以下的對話：『薩科齊說：我無法再忍受那坦雅胡，他是個騙子。歐巴馬回答說：你或許厭煩他，我還得天天跟他打交道。』聽到這段對話的記者們被官方要求簽下保密協定，不報導此事，但最後還是傳出去了，美聯社與路透社的記者證實此對話的真實性。當此故事傳到媒體時，所有官方都尷尬地保持緘默；到了星期天以色列新消息日報（Yedioth Ahronoth）報導，薩科齊先生寫了一封私人信給以色列總理，關乎國際原子能機構的報告，承諾會與以色列堅定並密切合作以制裁伊朗，並親手寫『附上我的友誼』（此在外交通信中非常罕見）。白宮發表一份聲明表示歐巴馬與那坦雅胡之間的關係非常好，事實上總統與那坦雅胡的商談遠多過其他領袖。不管這些聲明是否有用，還是會有更多官方言語上的道歉還有待觀察。
以色列則選擇不對私下對話做出任何官方聲名；我們瞭解領袖也是人，既是伙伴，就很容易放鬆、歡樂談論著彼此所面對的困境與困惑話題。那坦雅胡的副手之一，副總理夏洛姆（Silvan Shalom）表示『人人都會談論其他人，好朋友之間有時也會說上兩句，這些專業人士也不例外。所以你必須考慮主要的事：歐巴馬是以色列的朋友嗎？薩科齊是以色列的朋友嗎？他們的政策是否與支持以色列一致呢？對這些問題的答案都是肯定的，對我而言，這才是重要的事。』同時，聽見以色列歷史上最親密的兩個同盟私下的談話充滿不敬，甚至對我們領袖的輕蔑，實在令人心痛與不安。這也傳達著他們個人的誠實，儘管他們常常公開聲明他們的支持與友誼。
請禱告：
*禱告法國、美國與以色列之間的關係會更堅固。
*禱告這兩位世界級領袖的失禮將使他們下定決心友好相待，並帶著真誠的謙卑。
*禱告那坦雅胡總理將仁慈行事、正直以對，卻持續照著他心中的正直行事，充滿誠實與真理，又不受人的看法左右，甚至是其他領袖的看法。
馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
於耶路撒冷
PRAYER UPDATE FROM ISRAEL (November 14, 2011)
"Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry" (Psalm 147:7-9).
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
TODAY THE RAINS CAME AGAIN.
HODU LA'ADONAI KI TOV, KI LE'OLAM HASDO!
Give thanks to the LORD for He is Good, and His lovingkindness endures forever!!
1. THE IAEA REPORT IS RELEASED
Last Tuesday International Atomic Energy Agency released a report, claiming for the first time to have "credible evidence" pointing towards a conclusion that Iran's nuclear activities are by no means focused exclusively on development of nuclear power for peaceful uses; it is now a virtual certainty that the focus is on production of a nuclear weapon. The uneasy speculation highlighted in last week's Update regarding Israel's intentions given these circumstances, has only increased this week. A fascinating and informative article in Sunday's British Telegraph spoke of President Obama's "alarm" at Israel's refusal to bow to Washington's demand last month that the White House be notified before any Israeli strike be made against Iran (Google: Israel refuses to tell US its Iran intentions). After examining a number of opinions pro and con about the possibility or effectiveness of such an attack, the article ends by stating a factor very real to Israelis, while of little concern to others: "In Mr Netanyahu's eyes, Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is another "Hitler" whose aim is to complete what the Holocaust failed to do by wiping out the Jewish race. 'People outside Israel don't understand how profound memories of the Holocaust are, and how they affect future policy making.At the end of the day, this policy of "never again" would dictate Israel's behavior when intelligence comes through that Iran has come close to a bomb.'" ("Israel refuses to tell US its Iran intentions": Adrian Blomfield, The Telegraph; 7:49PM GMT 12 Nov 2011).
Meanwhile, an enormous explosion occurred this past Saturday at a military base 28 miles outside of Tehran, killing at least 17 Revolutionary Guards and being felt strongly in the capital. Among those killed was Brigadier General Hassan Moqaddam, whom one senior military official called "the main architect of the Revolutionary Guard's' canon and missile power and the founder of the deterrent power of our country." This figure was so highly esteemed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended the ceremony mourning his death. The Iranians are officially calling the blast an accident occasioned by the repositioning of conventional explosives. Yet one western intelligence source told Time magazine that the Israeli Mosad was behind the explosion; and certain popular speculative sources are even claiming access to information that it was caused while a nuclear device was being placed on a missile. Sunday Prime Minister Netanyahu suggested to his government that Israel has information beyond that released by the IAEA report, "The IAEA's report only detailed information that can be proven; facts that can be presented in court. In practice there are many other things we see, and hence the leading states in the world must decide what to do in order to stop Iran.The efforts thus far did not prevent Iran from progressing towards a bomb, and it is closer to acquiring it, sooner than what people think."
IN LIGHT OF THIS, WE BELIEVE IT APPROPRIATE TO REPEAT THE PRAYER POINTS FROM LAST WEEK:
PLEASE PRAY:
*That Israel will move in the timings and purposes of God regarding a response to the threats coming against her from Iran. "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.a time for war, a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,8b).
*That the Lord would "Scatter the peoples who delight in war" (Psalm 68:30b).
*That Israel's leaders will look to the LORD as our rock, who trains our hand for war and our fingers for battle (Psalm 144:1). That they will realize, with David, that "the battle is the LORD's" (I Samuel 17:47). During the flight of the jets which destroyed Sadam Hussein's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981, Prime Minister Menachem Begin spent the entire time pacing back and forth alone, deep in prayer.
*That the God of Abraham will be a shield around Israel (Genesis 15:1), that she will look to Him to protect her from fear of the "terror of the night, from the arrows that fly by day" (Psalm 91:5).
*That Believers in Israel will not be distracted from dwelling in the "secret place of Elyon (the Most High), abiding under the shadow of Shaddai (the Almighty)"-and that their faithfulness in this will draw others to desire to do likewise!
*That God would protect His remnant in Iran-from denying their faith in the times of persecution, and from destruction should war break out.
*That the godless leaders tyrannizing the people of Iran and cursing Israel would be replaced; that the bondage of a religion set against the covenant purposes of the Most High God would be broken.
*That revelation would be released among the masses of that enormous land that the God of Israel is a God of Love, and that He has sent a Saviour to free all Humankind from the bondage of sin and despair.
2. ALLIES, LEADERS, AND MUTUAL RESPECT
"Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops (Luke 12:3).
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes" (Psalm 118:9).
Last week it came to light that during the recent G20 summit in Cannes, French President Sarkozy and American President Obama, thinking the microphones in their meeting room had been switched off, had the following exchange: Sarkozy: "I cannot bear Netanyahu anymore, he's a liar." Obama: "You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day." Reporters who were witness to this exchange were asked by officials to sign a confidentiality agreement agreeing to withhold the report; but it eventually leaked out and reporters from AP and Reuters confirmed that it had taken place. As the story made it into the media, there was embarrassed silence from all official quarters; but Sunday Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Mr Sarkozy has sent a personal letter to the Israeli Prime Minister related to the IAEA's report, promising strong and close cooperation with Israel on the issue of sanctions against Iran, and then signing the note in his own handwriting (a gesture not common in diplomatic correspondence) , "with friendship". The White House released a statement to the affect that relations between Obama and Netanyahu are very good-in fact, that the President confers with Netanyahu more than with any other leader. Whether these will suffice, or there may be more verbalized official apologies forthcoming remains to be seen. For her part, Israel has chosen to take no official notice of the private exchange. We realize that leaders are human beings, and, as companions, apt to make loose, jocund remarks about mutually faced subjects of difficulty and perplexity. As one of Netanyahu's deputies, Vice Premier Silvan Shalom remarked, "Everyone talks about everyone. Sometimes even good friends say things about each other, certainly in such competitive professions. So you have to consider the main things. Is Obama a friend of Israel? Is Sarkozy a friend of Israel? Is their policy a consistent policy of support for Israel? The answer to all of these questions is affirmative and, as far as I'm concerned, that is what's important." At the same time, to hear the leaders of two of Israel's historically closest allies making remarks reflecting privately-held opinions of disrespect, even contempt for our leader, is painful and unsettling. It also says something about the honesty of their own oft-spoken public avowals of support and friendship.
PLEASE PRAY:
*That relations between France, the US and Israel would be strengthened.
*That the faux pas of these two world-leaders would be resolved amicably.and with a genuine humility.
*That Prime Minister Netanyahu would move graciously and in integrity.but, nevertheless, continue to move according to the integrity of his own heart-in honesty and truth, yet not being swayed by the opinion of man-even that of other leaders.