Modern history of the nations and Israel in a nutshell

Much is being said and written these days about the UNESCO decision to disconnect the temple mount from its 4.000 year old Jewish history (starting with Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son of promise, Isaak, on mount Moriah, which is the temple mount). I want to add my part to the discussion – but from a somewhat different, primarily biblical perspective.

Modern history of the nations and Israel in a nutshell

If we look back, let us say over the past 120 years, we can discern a certain development.  To put it in fairly simple terms, it looks like this:

• 120 years ago, it began with Zionism: do the Jewish people have a moral, historical, legal and spiritual right to return to their (at that time mostly desolate and uninhabited) ancient homeland, which they had inhabited for about 1.500 years, as the Bible foresees?
• 100 years ago, after World War I, the League of Nations answered this question affirmatively and gave the UK the mandate to establish a Jewish homeland in their historical / Biblical land. Almost immediately there was a radical negative reaction in the Moslem world against this decision which has been growing ever since.
• Almost 70 years ago, after the Shoah, with the UN vote of November 29, 1947, the promise of Lord Balfour and the consequent decision of the League of Nations became a political reality, though militarily contested by seven Arab armies one day after the re-establishment of the Jewish state of Israel. Israel’s battle for survival began on the very day of its re-birth.
• Almost 50 years ago, with the victory of yet another defensive war, the 6-day-war, Jerusalem was reunited under mostly Jewish sovereignty. The battle for the status of Jerusalem went into a next stage. A mass-exodus of national embassies, moving away from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, was one of the sad consequences.
• For the last 50 years, Nathan Sharansky's 3D plumb line was the point of decision and division for many nations: Who contributed to the demonization, de-legitimation and double standard talk and policy? And who did not?
• And today – 2016/17 – almost exactly 50 years after the reunification of Jewish Jerusalem – we witness the next phase of escalation of a UN-body, moving against the Jewish state of Israel: The dis-attachment of the temple mount from Jewish history, faith and prophecy.

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40 Years On - Entebbe Continues to Inspire

By Joe Nam, Media Specialist Christians for Israel Uganda.. It’s June 2016. I am entering a coffee café in Uganda’s capital city Kampala. I frequent this place during the evening social hour to catch up on news of the latest happenings in the city. Here, in between sips of coffee and tea, patrons get to discuss the hottest topics of the day. I am just in time to catch animated conversation going on about the Entebbe Rescue. So I sit to listen.

In Uganda, this epic event is referred to as the Entebbe Raid or Operation Thunderbolt. This was when, on the night of 4 July 1976, Israel landed over 200 commandos and soldiers at Entebbe Airport in Uganda, East Africa, to rescue 105 hostages held by terrorists of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). 

The story is widely known. Air France flight 139 leaves Tel Aviv Airport on 27 June 1976 en-route to Paris. The plane lands in Athens to pick up more passengers. This is when terrorists enter the plane using forged passports. Half an hour into the flight, the terrorists jump up with weapons and hold up the passengers and crew. The pilot is ordered to divert the plane and fly south. After refuelling in Bengazi, Libya, the plane is commandeered further south, landing in Entebbe on 28 June.

Reminiscent of the Holocaust days, Jewish passengers are separated from non-Jewish passengers. Non-Jews are released while Jewish passengers and crew of Air France remain as hostages. The State of Israel is in a dilemma - should they meet the terrorist demands?

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Teaching on Evangelism and on Israel as avenues of blessing for a nation

Drake Kanaabo is called by some “The African Reinhard Bonnke”. He has proclaimed the gospel in over 50 nations using a strategy very similar to that of the German Evangelist - large “gospel-crusades” on the open field or in big stadiums. In fact, the two Ministries have worked together in a number of eastern African nations. His contribution to the conference was teaching about Evangelism. Harald Eckert shared his insight into the biblical teaching on “sheep nations and goat nations” and how Uganda remains under the protection and blessing of God by walking in the spirit of a “Sheep-Nation”.

The first GPC-session introduced the “Global Prayer Call” in its three major dimensions: 1) Revelation and teaching on “Israel and the Nations”. 2) Understanding  the “Times and Seasons” in which we live from a Biblical as well as a prophetic standpoint and discovering God’s divine calendar and what it means to us as praying believers. 3) Maintaining  a mentality and lifestyle of “networking and partnership” between leaders, between nations and between continents. Harald also called for a “special partnership” between Europe and Africa for the blessing of Israel and with a potentially global impact.

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After the conference: The GPC council for Africa was formed

For GPC, this first conference after 2015 was a milestone in many ways: It made an impact through a conference of national relevance and significance. It continued the German-Ugandan partnership in the footsteps of Reinhard Bonnke. It acknowledged, confirmed and reinforced the excellent cooperation between Drake Kanaabo, leader of Christians for Israel in Uganda with the Israeli Embassy of Kenya/Uganda on the one side and the government of Uganda on the other side. And, in the wake of this conference, a next step was taken: A pan-African council for the GPC was established.

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Online video-training-seminar available starting in October 2016 – A great tool for a 10-week seminar that can be used individually or in your prayer or Bible study group.

The core teaching of the book “Israel, the Nations and the Valley of Decision” will be published in October 2016 as a freely accessible 10-part video-online-seminar for all those interested in learning more about this highly relevant and significant prayer topic.

In 10 units of about 25 minutes each, this seminar is especially useful for prayer groups, home groups, Bible studies and anyone who prefers watching and listening to reading. Professionally produced, these 25 minute video sessions with Harald Eckert will draw you into a deeper understanding of this key end-time Biblical revelation leading up to the Lord's return and his judgment of the nations in the valley of decision. Although not yet widely known and appreciated, this teaching is none-the-less central to the wellbeing of all of our nations.

Brexit – a wake-up call for Europe?

Could the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union serve to remind the peoples of Europe and the Christian Church of their Judaeo-Christian roots?

A biblical impulse from Harald Eckert

Theodor Heuss, the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany, had a clear vision for Europe. He saw the continent built on three hills: the Acropolis in Athens, Golgotha in Jerusalem and the Capitoline Hill in Rome. In spiritual terms, there is much truth in this observation. But can these three sources of European spiritual history really be reconciled with one another? The crisis currently facing the peoples of Europe (and also the Church in Europe) has entered a new dimension with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom, making this issue even more explosive and topical.

Are Athens (Hellenism) and Jerusalem (Judaism) really compatible? Is Rome (Vatican) influenced to a greater extent by “Athens” or by “Jerusalem”? From a biblical perspective – taking Genesis as the starting point in the history of biblical revelation and the Book of Revelation as its culmination – the same question can be formulated slightly differently: what is the relationship between Jerusalem and Babylon?

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Celebrating the 68th anniversary of the rebirth of Israel with the First Lady of Uganda

In a way, the conference kicked off the Sunday before it actually began: Drake Kanaabo, Chairman of Christians for Israel, Uganda, invited the Israeli ambassador to Kenya (also responsible for Uganda), the First Lady of Uganda, the Foreign Minister of Uganda and diplomats from about 50 diplomatic missions to Uganda for an evening event celebrating the 68th anniversary of the rebirth of the state of Israel.

A few days later, just as the conference began, the major national newspaper of Uganda dedicated nearly a full page to this event. Reading Genesis 12,3 - where God promises blessing to the nations that bless Israel and calls Israel to be a blessing to all nations - in combination with this newspaper article, in which the Israeli ambassador publicly described the Uganda-Israeli relationship as growing “from strength to strength”, was the perfect beginning for the conference. It was clear that Uganda is recognized and honored as a “role model” and example for many other African nations. It was also a great encouragement to the praying church in Uganda to continue to pray for good Ugandan-Israeli relations - even as the next highlight of this relationship comes into view. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is planning to visit Uganda in July of this year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Entebbe rescue operation where his brother was killed in action. But his death was not in vain. The Israeli hostages were rescued out of the hands of the terrorists and the terror-supporting regime of Idi Amin. How Uganda has changed over those 40 years by the grace of God!

Action highlight: Press conference and the distribution of thousands of books and flyers

The conference (with up to 600 participants) closed with two highlights: A national press conference and a ministry of anointing, commissioning and blessing. In the national press conference, Drake Kanaabo emphasized that Uganda has been blessed but should not grow lax with regard to the preaching and promotion of the gospel and at the same time should stay faithful in blessing Israel. If the church of Uganda stays strong and faithful in those two areas, God will continue to bless Uganda and even use this nation as a source of stability, protection and blessing for other neighboring countries like South-Sudan, Burundi, Ruanda, Congo and Tanzania.

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How YOU can support the GPC-work in Africa

In this new season, Africa is key to the first phase of development of the “Global Prayer Call” for a number of reasons:

1. Africa – a unique spirit of prayer has developed in the living Body of Christ - often in the midst of suffering.
2. In the nations and regions of Christian revival the Christian population is often the strongest and most reliable segment of society. Many leaders, including political leaders, come out of this move of the Spirit, and even non-Christian national leaders have a high level of respect and appreciation for this segment of society.
3. On a continental level, especially in central Africa, the question of who will prevail is still an open issue: Will it be the Spirit of God bringing revival and a renewal and blossoming of society, or the spirit of Islam. Here, the Biblical revelation of Israel and the relationship our nations have the people and the land of Israel is key.

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The 3rd and expanded edition of the GPC-book will be available in July!

Many readers from all continents have testified to the eye-opening effect of Harald Eckert’s book entitled “Israel, the Nations and the Valley of Decision”. With his easily understood clear logic and deep understanding of the Scriptures, Harald helps the reader understand the deeper meaning behind the “valley of decision” in Joel 3 and the parable of the “sheep and goat nations” in Matthew 25.  On that basis, God's mandate to the praying church becomes abundantly clear.

The first 16 chapters of the book, the teaching part, are followed by articles by five other highly respected authors giving their perspective on the significance of a nation's attitude and actions towards Israel and the Jewish people. Finally, in the third part, a practical prayer guide helps you pray for Israel, for your nation and for the praying church worldwide. Please check our website to find out how to order your copy. Please note: Those who order the book before July 1st will receive it at a discount pirce of 9,95 € instead of 12,95 €!

Please also note that translations of the book are available to download at no charge in as many as nine other languages.