為以色列時事禱告12/2/2013
5774修殿節（Hanukkah）
『行毀壞可憎』的現代版已開始在攪動？
西元前167年基斯流月15日
敘利亞國王安提阿古四世於西元前165年拜訪耶路撒冷，二年之後，到了西元前167年，他大發熱心在他所統治的地方強迫施行希臘文化，他頒發一道命令，迫使在那個區域的猶太人放棄他們的宗教，包括行割禮、守安息日和猶太節期。在西元前167年基斯流月15日，他在聖殿山上的聖所立起奧林匹亞宙斯的像，並在十日後用豬獻祭來褻瀆祭壇。三年後，猶太人的軍隊在猶大.馬加比的率領下收復耶路撒冷，潔淨聖所，並重新獻上聖殿。『獻上』的希伯來文是hanukkah，就是我們這週所慶祝的修殿節（光明節）。
我們所擁有的大部分資訊來自馬加比一書，是在西元前二世紀末用希伯來文寫成的記事，但七十士譯本只有希臘文的翻譯。儘管馬加比書不是聖經的正典，它卻普遍被看重，視其為史料。立起行毀壞可憎的像記載在馬加比一書1:54-59：『現在是145年基斯流月15日，他們立了那行毀壞可憎的在壇上，並在猶太四圍的城市建造偶像祭壇』。
350年前
西元前165年再往前推三個半世紀，主將對此事的警告預先給了在巴比倫的但以理：『必有一個卑鄙的人興起接續為王，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人坦然無備的時候，用諂媚的話得國。他必回來聯絡背棄聖約的人。他必興兵，這兵必褻瀆聖地，就是保障，除掉常獻的燔祭，設立那行毀壞可憎的。作惡違背聖約的人，他必用巧言勾引』(但以理書11:21, 30b-32a)。毫無疑問的，這段經文最初是指著，在西元前167年於耶路撒冷聖殿山將發生的褻瀆。然而，在36節，時間很明顯的改變，跳到了未來，有不同的呈現模式。到了40節，我們已來到『末了』。
200年後
耶穌在相同的聖殿山外對祂的門徒說話：『那時，必有許多人跌倒，也要彼此陷害，彼此恨惡；且有好些假先知起來，迷惑多人。只因不法的事增多，許多人的愛心才漸漸冷淡了。惟有忍耐到底的，必然得救。這天國的福音要傳遍天下，對萬民作見證，然後末期才來到。你們看見先知但以理所說的那行毀壞可憎的站在聖地（讀這經的人須要會意）。那時，在猶太的，應當逃到山上』(馬太福音24:10-16)。
耶穌在第一個『修殿節』之後的二世紀所說的話，顯示出埋藏在但以理書11章的先知性警告，早已超越安提阿古四世時期所發生的事。一些人還看見在馬太福音這段經文有給猶太人短期的警告，當羅馬提多將軍抵達，在主後70年摧毀耶路撒冷。這的確有所根據，但在這一章最後，很清楚看到耶穌指的時間是在祂『有能力，有大榮耀，駕著天上的雲降臨』前。因此我們推斷另一個行毀壞可憎的彰顯，將會在末了前被設立，或許先前的不過是預兆而已。
2012年基斯流月15日
(承認)
在去年11月29日—聯合國以壓倒性票數通過67/19決議案，承認巴勒斯坦實體為非會員觀察『國』，此實體宣稱它擁有猶大、撒馬利亞、迦薩和東耶路撒冷（包括舊城和聖殿山）。去年的11月29日正是猶太曆基斯流月15日。我們並不是說 『行毀壞可憎的』是在那一天被設立，但我們在指出基斯流月15日被一個組織使用，來代表地上政府對一個領土實體的渴望現在已在『成形階段』。此『國』所環繞的正是安提阿古四世時期爭奪下的土地，其中心就是耶路撒冷的聖地。
正如西元前167年，此實體的監督者（不同於神立約子民的人），要求另一個神在那裡被人膜拜（包括古聖殿的所在地），並且嚴厲逼迫任何敬拜別神的人。這不僅使敬拜亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各神的地區荒涼，更使其未來的領袖公開聲明，他們將會有一個完全沒有猶太人的領土。
2013年的基斯流月15日
(攪動)
在今年11月19日星期四 –以色列人在下面的頭條新聞中醒來：
『巴勒斯坦國投下它在聯合國第一張選票』(以色列時報)；
『巴勒斯坦人投下它在聯合國第一張選票』(ynetnews.com)。
在以色列新聞網的文章中這麼寫：『聯合國大會的慣例性投票因巴勒斯坦代表而深具意義，在星期一它投下了第一張票，巴勒斯坦外交使節說此行動使他的國家更進一步邁向全然的聯合國會員。以色列時報的文章評論：『這是巴勒斯坦『國』第一次在聯合國投票，離去年193個國家將它升格為非會員聯合國觀察國即將滿了一年。』
但根據猶太曆並不是『即將滿一年』，投票的時間是11月18日，正是去年聯合國投票後滿一年整，那天再一次就是基斯流月15日。
所以去年如此重大的一天，在一年之後的相同日子開始攪動，它的第『一小步』據報導受到『熱烈鼓掌』。不只這樣，八天之後，上週二（11月26日）在聯合國大會譴責以色列六項決議，並宣布2014年是『聲援巴勒斯坦人民國際年』(『聯合國譴責以色列六次，宣布『巴勒斯坦年』：以色列時報；2013年11月27日5:56 a.m.)。
我們並不是在此時直接了當地宣稱，在末了行毀壞可憎的已臨到我們。但一個邪惡已被建立，並和過去相同的邪惡以如此精確的節奏開始移動，我們並不認為此單單是出於巧合。某樣東西已經改變，腳步正在加快，某樣重大事件即將臨到，聖靈將會甦醒我們來留意。
認識！剛強！行事！
傳達洞見！叫人瞭解！
在歷代志上12:32 說到在大衛的日子，以薩迦支派『通達時務，知道以色列人所當行的。』但以理書11:32-33預言當行毀壞可憎的被顯明時充滿黑暗，『惟獨認識神的子民必剛強行事。民間的智慧人必訓誨多人（原文：必叫多人瞭解）』。
請禱告：
*當聯合國已經做了決定，禱告以色列領袖有正直和智慧『知道要怎麼做』。『誰敬畏耶和華，耶和華必指示他當選擇的道路』(詩篇25:12)。
*為以色列、猶大、撒馬利亞和迦薩的信徒禱告，他們能剛強壯膽、有異象與瞭解。
*禱告神的國在此時的以色列快速進展，趁還有時間，在猶太人和阿拉伯人當中興起傳福音和門徒訓練的。
*用詩篇2篇和撒迦利亞1:14-17; 2:5為耶路撒冷和聖殿山禱告。
*用以西結書36章為『以色列的聖山 』禱告，如猶大全地和撒馬利亞。
*用撒迦利亞書9:5-7 為迦薩禱告。
*撒迦利亞書2:12-13.『耶和華必收回猶大作祂聖地的分，也必再揀選耶路撒冷。凡有血氣的都當在耶和華面前靜默無聲；因為祂興起，從聖所出來了。』
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當聯合國支持『聲援巴勒斯坦人民國際年』，請為住在爭議性領土的巴勒斯坦阿拉伯人禱告，他們可以從仇恨他們之敵人的欺騙中得拯救，來到愛他們的神那裡，祂為他們預備了未來。以色列的阿拉伯信徒為著他們的信仰，稱得上是中東最受逼迫的人。請禱告在他們中間興起那些真認識神的人，他們會剛強行事。
馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
於耶路撒冷
Prayer Update From Israel (December 2, 2013)
Hanukkah 5774
THE "ABOMINATION WHICH MAKES DESOLATE"
IS A MODERN-DAY MANIFESTATION BEGINNING TO STIR?
15 KISLEV 167 BC
In this year, Antiochus IV of Syria, having visited Jerusalem two years before, and in a zeal to force Hellenistic culture throughout his dominions, issued an edict demanding that Jews in that region be forced to abandon the essential practices of their religion; these included circumcision and observance of Jewish Sabbaths and feast days. On the 15th of Kislev he erected a statue of Zeus Olympius in the Holy Place of the Temple and ten days later desecrated the altar by sacrificing a pig upon it. Three years later to the day, Jewish forces under Yehuda Maccabee having taken the garrison at Jerusalem and cleansed the Holy Place, dedicated the Temple anew. The Hebrew word for "dedication" is hanukkah, and it is this particular Hanukkah which we are celebrating this week. Most of the information we have about this comes from the book of I Maccabees, an account written in Hebrew towards the end of the 2nd century BC, but surviving only in the Greek translation found in the Septuagint. Although not part of the Biblical canon, it is generally respected as a historical source. The erecting of the Abomination of Desolation (or, Abomination which Makes Desolate) is chronicled in I Maccabees 1:54-59: "Now the fifteenth day of the month of Cislev, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and built idol altars throughout the cities of Judah on every side." (Emphases ours).
350 YEARS BEFORE
Three and a half centuries earlier, a forewarning of this had been given to Daniel in Babylon: "In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of ki ngship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery." (Daniel 11:21, 30b-32a). There can be no doubt that this passage refers initially to the desecration which took place in the Temple in Jerusalem in 167 BC. However, with verse 36 the time frame appears to shift, to leap ahead towards a future, different manifestation. By verse 40, we are into "the time of the end."
AND 200 YEARS LATER
Yeshua/Jesus is speaking to His disciples outside this same Temple (now greatly aggrandized by Herod the Great): "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kin gdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains." (Matthew 24:10-16). Yeshua's words, spoken two centuries after the first "Hanukkah" shows that imbedded within the Daniel 11 passage lay indeed prophetic warning of a manifestation reaching far beyond that which would take place during the days of Antiochus IV. Some have seen included here a short-term warning for the Jews when Titus would arrive to destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD. This may be valid, yet before this chapter comes to an end, it becomes clear that Yeshua is speaking primarily of a time shortly before He returns "on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory." We can therefore conclude that another manifestation of the Abomination of Desolation-perhaps the one towards which all the others were but harbingers-will be set up before the time of the end.
15 KISLEV 2012 A.D.
(Recognition)
On the 29th of November last year-- the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to pass Resolution 67/19¸ recognizing as a non-member observer "state" an entity called Palestine. This entity claims as its own the regions of Judea, Samaria, Gaza and East Jerusalem (including the Old City and Temple Mount). Last year on the Hebrew calendar the 29th of November fell on the 15th of Kislev. We are not saying that an "abomination which makes desolate" was set up on that date. But we are pointing out that the 15th of Kislev credibility was granted by an organization purporting to represent the desires of all governments of the earth for a territorial entity to now consider itself a nascent (coming into being, though not yet completely formed) "state".
This "state" encompasses the lands under contention in the times of Antiochus IV, with its center the Holy Place in Jerusalem. As in 167 B.C., the overseers of this entity (a different people from those of the Covenant) demand that another god be worshipped there (including the site of the ancient Temple itself), and persecute severely any who worship otherwise. Not only would the region be made desolate of the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, its prospective leaders have continually avowed, even during the past year, that once it is finally set in place, its territories will be completely desolate of the Jewish race.
15 KISLEV 2013 A.D.
(Stirrings)
On Tuesday November 19th of this year-- Israelis awakened to the following headlines:
"'State' of Palestine casts its first UN ballot" (The Times of Israel);
"Palestinians cast first-ever vote in UN General Assembly" (ynetnews.com). The ynet article read, "
A routine UN General Assembly vote held special significance for the Palestinian delegation on Monday as it cast a ballot for the first time, an act the Palestinian envoy said brought his nation a step closer to full UN membership" (Emphases ours). The Times article observed, "It was the first time that a Palestinian "state" voted in the General Assembly, almost a year after the 193-nation body elevated it to non-member UN observer state."
But it was not "almost a year" according to the Hebrew Calendar. The vote was cast on November 18t h, which on the Hebrew calendar was to the day one year after the first UN vote, again the 15th of Kislev.
And so-what came into being on this significant date a year ago, has on the same date a year later begun to stir, its first "baby steps" reportedly rewarded with a "warm round of applause." And more. Eight days later, on Tuesday of last week (26 November) the UN General Assembly condemned Israel in six resolutions, and declared 2014 to be a "Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People." ("UN condemns Israel 6 times, declares 'Year of Palestine': The Times of Israel; 27 November, 2013, 5:56 a.m.).
We are not at this time asserting categorically that the Abomination of Desolation of the Final Day is upon us. But for an evil to have been established and begun to move in such exact cadence with a corresponding evil from the past we take to be no mere coincidence. Something has shifted, a pace is quickening, and something is coming into being of a seriousness which the Spirit would awaken into our awareness.
KNOW! BE STRENGTHENED! DO!
CONVEY INSIGHT! GIVE UNDERSTANDING!
I Chronicles 12:32 speaks of sons of Issachar in David's day, "who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." But Daniel 11:32-33, foretelling a time of gathering darkness when the Abomination will be revealed, breaks free from that tribe, extending their capacity to a wider populace and to a deeper level: "But the people who know their God will display strength and DO! Those among the people with a capacity to receive and convey insight will give understanding to the many" (Literal translation, Emphases ours.).
WE REPEAT HERE THE PRAYER POINTS WE GAVE A YEAR AGO (December 3rd Update, shortly after the 15th of Kislev vote). WE BELIEVE THEM TO BE OF EVEN MORE PERTINENCE TODAY. AS WE SEE THE PACE QUICKENING, ASK GOD TO GRANT YOU ADDITIONAL INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING!
PLEASE PRAY:
*For integrity and wisdom for Israel's leaders to 'know what to do' now that the UN decision has been made. "Who is the man who fears the LORD, He will instruct him in the way he should choose" (Psalm 25:12).
*For Believers in Israel and in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza to be strengthened with courage, vision, and understandin g (Daniel 11:34-35 above).
*That God's Kingdom advance quickly in Israel at this time, that evangelism awaken and discipleship rise up amongst Jews and Arabs while there is still time.
*Psalm 2 and Zechariah 1:14-17; 2:5 over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
*Ezekiel 36 over the "Mountains of Israel" (i.e. Judea and Samaria).
*Zechariah 9:5-7 over Gaza.
*Zechariah 2:12-13. "And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Hush! All flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"
---o ---
As the UN has countenanced a "Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People"-pray for Palestinian Arabs living in the contested territories, that many be rescued from deception by an enemy who hates them, and come to the God who loves and has a future for them. The Arab believers in the territories are among the most persecuted for their Faith in the Middle East. Pray that among them there rise up those who "know their God", who will display strength and DO what needs to be done.
