Shalom from CONNECT in the beautiful Jezreel Valley of Israel! What an eventful week this has been. It began with watching the mounting positive reviews of my latest book, Discovering Daniel. When Dr. Rick Yohn and I first discussed this work, our goal was to take what can be a very confusing book of the Bible and make it easy to understand. Not only that, but we wanted it to be enjoyable to read instead of some stuffy commentary. Judging by the more than 400 five-star Amazon reviews, that is exactly what God accomplished in this book! It is so wonderful when, through God’s guiding hand, we can see a plan come to fruition. And thank you so much to all of you who have taken time to write such encouraging words in the Amazon reviews.
As we came to Sunday evening, the mood in my house, and all across Israel, changed greatly. At sundown began Yom Ha’Zikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. On this day, every business, restaurant, and workplace shut its doors so we could take time to remember the 25,040 soldiers who have fallen and victims of terror who have died since 1948. This is the first year we’ve had the murdered innocents of October 7 to include in our mourning. The violence and evil actions perpetrated by Hamas on that day were brought right back in front of our faces. While it was a day of mourning, it also steeled us for what is ahead. I appreciated the words on Tuesday of former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, when he said, “If you take the math and do 1,200 [victims of October 7] and apply it to the United States, that’d be 50,000-100,000 people dead in a morning. Can you imagine what we would do?” You’re exactly right, general, and we’re carrying out precisely those actions that you would imagine.
We’ve mourned those whom we’ve lost, but even mourning must come to an end. As the psalms tell us “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Or, because in Israel our days change in the evening, joy comes at sunset. When sundown came on Monday, Yom Ha’Zikaron became Yom Ha’atzmaut. Memorial Day became Independence Day! Sorrow turned into joy! This Independence Day celebrated the 76th anniversary of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in the final chapter of his book:
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children. (Isaiah 66:8)
Not only do we celebrate the birth of the State of Israel, but we rejoice in the fact that following one attack after another we are still here! From the river to the sea, Israel shall always be!
Now, as this week wraps up, my joy moves from a national celebration to a ministry one. Today, I will be recording the very first video in the CONNECT studio. What began as a vision well over a year ago has now come to pass. I am overwhelmed at what the Lord has done from the planning of CONNECT to its provision to the final completion of the project. In the months ahead, prepare yourself for the increase in both quality and quantity of biblical teachings, news reports, interviews, panel discussions, and more. The possibilities are almost overwhelming, but, without doubt, when God gives the vision, He will also provide the strength, wisdom, and people to carry it out. Amir Tsarfati
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