Worthy Brief - 5/10/2021
Friend, He's establishing His watchmen!
Isaiah 62:6-7 6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Over the weekend, riots broke out throughout Jerusalem as well as rockets fired from Gaza leading into a pivotal week in Israel. On Monday, Israel will observe Jerusalem Day which celebrates the reunification of the city that occurred during the 1967 Six-Day War. This occurs as Muslims throughout the world will be closing their celebration of Ramadan as the feast comes to its conclusion on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Israel is launching its largest-ever military drill simulating war on all fronts over the next 30 days code-named, "Chariots of Fire."
If this wasn't enough, at the end of the week, Palestinians will recall "Nabka Day". This will occur on May 14-15th which is intended to coincide with the Israeli Declaration of Independence of 1948. Nabka literally means the "day of catastrophe" and is held each year remembering the time Israel became a nation.
On May 16th, believers will celebrate the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, in Hebrew. Most Christians recognize this holiday as the Feast of Pentecost -- the time when the Holy Spirit descended and empowered His saints to accomplish the mission of global witness to Yeshua (Jesus).
Throughout the world, there has been a call to prayer and fasting in anticipation of Shavuot and its prophetic significance for believers in Israel and throughout the world, as we long for a fresh outpouring of God's Spirit.
The "coincidence" of these two "calls", one to prayer, the other to war, seems significant.
We believers in Yeshua (Jesus) are called to stand as watchmen. Interestingly, one of the ancient Hebrew words for 'watchmen' is the word 'notzrim' -- which coincidentally, is the modern Hebrew word for 'Christians'. Watchmen are called to vigilance and attentive awareness of the situation. Our present situation is a boiling pot threatening to overflow. Please keep watch with us; "do not keep silence, and give Him no rest, till He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise throughout the earth." This can not happen if Jerusalem is divided and overrun with those who hate the very existence of Israel. The Lord will use this pressure for His own purposes, to test nations and hearts, and to draw Israel back to Himself. Our heart cry is for another outpouring of His Holy Spirit on all flesh. Whatever peace we can hope for in this age will come from Him, and this Divine outpouring...then, finally, Yeshua will return to establish His Kingdom -- and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God.
Friend, but for now, please stand as a watchman with us at this pivotal time..watch and pray fervently for a minimum of conflict....and for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit – the Lord will be faithful to answer our cries to Him.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Baltimore, Maryland
Editor's Note: We've added a minute-by-minute channel to Telegram. Follow us on Telegram.
Editor's Note: We're starting to schedule our Spring tour of the United States. If you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.
Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Amid Flareup In East
Ukraine says at least two soldiers were killed and another wounded in recent days in clashes between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists. The military claims the latest reported skirmishes rose the death toll to at least 36 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the east this year.
Hungary Police Probing COVID Vaccine Critics (Worthy News In-depth)
Hungary’s police have launched a fresh crackdown on people who publicly express doubts about coronavirus vaccines or mask-wearing in the European Union nation.
US Navy seizes weapons in Arabian Sea likely bound for Yemen
he U.S. Navy announced Sunday it seized an arms shipment of thousands of assault weapons, machines guns and sniper rifles hidden aboard a ship in the Arabian Sea, apparently bound for Yemen to support the country’s Houthi rebels.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
UN Security Council to hold emergency meet on escalating Jerusalem violence
The UN Security Council will convene an emergency session on Monday morning to discuss the escalating violence in Jerusalem, including major clashes on the Temple Mount.
IDF strikes Gaza after rocket launched at Israel amid Jerusalem unrest
The Israeli Air Force struck a Hamas military site in the southern Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire earlier on Saturday night, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.
17 policemen, 200 Palestinians hurt as hundreds riot on Temple Mount
Israeli police burst into the Temple Mount compound on Friday evening after Palestinians threw rocks and bottles at officers, as widespread clashes in Jerusalem spread to the holy site following prayers held there on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
‘Coalition agreement might be reached in next 24 hours’
The factions looking to replace Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister are close to reaching a coalition agreement paving the way for a new government, senior opposition officials said Sunday night.
Israel launches largest-ever multi-front war exercise
The Israel Defense Forces launched a month-long war exercise on Sunday—the largest in its history—simulating a multi-front conflict.
Inside the United States
Economy falls far short of expectations with just 266,000 jobs in April, unemployment rate rises to 6.1%
The economy added far fewer jobs than expected in April, just 266,000, and the unemployment rate rose slightly to 6.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
California’s population declines for the first time in state history
California’s population fell by more than 182,000 people in 2020, marking the first year-over-year loss ever recorded for the nation’s most populous state.
Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Americans say social media platforms are tearing us apart
Most Americans admit they use social media at least once a day, but they also believe platforms like Facebook and Twitter are doing more to divide the nation than to bring it together, according to brand-new results from the latest national NBC News poll.
Major US pipeline halts operations after cyberattack
One of the largest pipelines in the U.S. was forced to halt some of its operations Friday after a crippling cyberattack on its energy infrastructure.
Christian News
Iran Releases Mistreated Christian Men
Four devoted Christian men mistreated while in detention in Iran have been temporarily released due to the coronavirus pandemic, activists confirmed Thursday.
Pakistan “Blasphemy” Youngster Freed; Other Christian Remains Jailed
A young Christian man who was falsely accused of blasphemy was released on bail after four years of solitary confinement in a Pakistan jail. Still, another Christian faced prosecution for blasphemy, activists told Worthy News.
Muslim Herdsmen Kill Dozens Of Christians In Nigeria
Muslim Fulani herdsmen have reportedly killed dozens of Christians in central Nigeria in recent weeks amid ongoing anti-Christian violence in the volatile African nation.
Laos Frees Pastor Jailed For Church Services
A pastor who was jailed in Laos for more than a year after refusing to end his church services has been released, supporters confirmed Thursday.
Worthy Watch
Biological Male Who Smashed Women’s Weightlifting Records Will Likely Represent Them in the Olympics
Israeli Startup Hopes to Use New Technology to Remove Brain Tumors with Water
Parents outraged after first grade teacher reads book promoting transgenderism to students