Eyes are focused upon the Middle East right now. Earlier this week, IDF (Israel Defense Forces) shot down a Syrian fighter plane that had strayed into Israeli air space along the Golan Heights. This was the first time since the 1980's that Israel had actually shot down a manned Syrian fighter. I believe it was a strong statement by Israel that they will tolerate no one encroaching upon their space.
And yesterday American warplanes and tomahawk missiles hit ISIS targets within Syria - the first time American planes have actually entered Syrian air space to deliver warheads against ISIS. They were joined by five other Arab nations (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain) in a coalition whose purpose is to destroy the capabilities of ISIS. The contributions of these ally nations was not described. In addition to ISIS targets, American planes also struck targets belonging to another radical offshoot of Al-Qaeda, known as Khorasan. According to American intelligence, this group was actively engaged in making plans to attack either the United States or a Western European target by blowing up a plane. Attorney General Eric Holder said, "We hit them last night [Tuesday] out of a concern that they were getting close to an execution date of some of the plans that we have seen. And the hitting that we did last night, I think, will probably continue until we are at a stage where we think we have degraded their ability to get at our allies or to the homeland." This comes after repeated declarations by the Administration that the core leadership of Al-Qaeda has been decimated such that they are no longer a threat to the United States.
President Obama stated yesterday that "the fight will take time." And I believe he is correct. ISIS is a formidable foe. It is well armed, well financed, and well advertised. Its tentacles reach deep into both Western Europe and the United States. Dying for a cause is appealing to many young men and women whose lives really have no hope. They are trapped in poverty in our inner cities. Many have dropped out of school thus creating a more hopeless situation for them. So, when the Facebook and Twitter images of the glory of fighting for a cause and dying as a martyr for that cause appear, interest is piqued. Estimates are that as many as 2,000 Westerners have joined ISIS. Some are turned away at the border before they cross and they then return home but with a mindset of martyrdom. And they have as their intent to destroy as many other lives as they can before they themselves are destroyed.
Friends, it will be interesting to read the speeches from many of the world leaders over the course of the next few days as the United Nations opens its fall season. I am sure there will be the usual "Israel bashing" which almost seems universal these days. And, of course, there will be dialogue about global warming, or is it climate change. Don't turn a deaf ear to what these leaders say for they are a barometer of where the world is heading.
Tomorrow is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It marks the beginning of the year 5775. It also marks the beginning of one of the most celebratory months in Judaism. Rosh Hashanah is followed by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement which falls on October 4 this year. It is a day spent in fasting and prayer. The Feast of Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles begins on October 8 and lasts for seven days. This Feast commemorates Israel's 40 years of wanderings in the wilderness. Many Jews will create "booths" or outdoor living quarters for those seven days.
Some of you may be asking yourself, "I have always wanted to go to Israel and to walk where Jesus walked and to hear the echoes of the voices of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." I have traveled to Israel 8 times and can honestly say that each time I am in His Land, I grow to have a deeper understanding of the Word of God. The Bible literally comes alive as one threads his/her way through those winding streets of the Old City. To sit in quiet in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and view the surrounding countryside and then to read the stories of Jesus and His miracles there brings a new excitement to one's heart.
I am privileged to be leading another tour to Israel in 2015 - leaving on February 27 and arriving back home on March 8. We will be visiting such places as Joppa and hear the story of Jonah; Caesarea where Paul was imprisoned for two years; Megiddo and stand look out over the valley of Armageddon; Capernaum, the adopted hometown of Jesus; the Mount of the Beatitudes and reconnect with the Sermon on the Mount; and of course we will take a boat out on the Sea of Galilee. After our time in Galilee, we will journey down the Jordan Valley, visiting En Gedi, the fortress where David and his men hid from King Saul; Qumran - where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered; and Masada, whose story thrills the imagination. And, of course, there will be time to take a dip in the Dead Sea - one of the most unique places on this earth. Then we will conclude with four incredible days in Jerusalem itself. There will be time for prayer at the Western Wall. Visits to the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the Upper Room, and the House of Caiaphas will draw us more deeply into those final hours of Jesus' life. We will traverse portions of the Via Dolorosa and make our way to the Garden Tomb where, with a special Communion Service, we will celebrate our Savior's death and resurrection. The tour is for 10 days - days that will impact your life forever. And the cost for the tour is under $4,000 per person, including airfare, hotels, two delicious meals per day, all gratuities, entrance fees, deluxe motor coach and an outstanding guide.
If you would like to receive an informative brochures detailing this tour, please send me a message via Facebook, including your e-mail address and I will forward to you information. Registration for our tour closes on November 1, but there are still seats available. I can assure you, your life will be forever changed and your study of the Word of God will become more special.
So, I wish you a "Shana Tova." It means in Hebrew, "The year is good." And I trust it will be for each of you.
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