“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well””
Matthew 6:33 NIV
As Sukkot comes to an end, let us continue to recognize God’s provision and pray according to His will. To do this, we must seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
Thank you for your prayers on behalf of Israel and her people. Just this week, the coronavirus infection rate is beginning to go down – after a few weeks of record-high numbers that forced the country into another lockdown.
Please continue to pray for all of the virus numbers to keep going down – from infection rate to critical patients to deaths. Also, I would ask you to pray for wisdom for Israel’s leaders as they make decisions regarding their exit strategy from the current lockdown.
Another significant news item is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identifying locations of Hezbollah missile sites in Lebanon in his speech to the United Nations. He also pointed out that the locations of these sites mean the terror group is using citizens as human shields. He appealed to both Israelis and Lebanese people to stand against Hezbollah and Iran.
Please read more information about these news items here.
Netanyahu resists pressure to lift virus restriction
As the coronavirus infection rate appeared to stabilize early this week, many top officials called for easing of restrictions. But Netanyahu resisted pressure and said he would wait until at least 10 days of full lockdown to reassess the situation.
After record numbers of infections the past few weeks, Israel has seen several days of declining numbers of daily confirmed carriers. Health officials have expressed “cautious optimism” that the curve of infection has begun to flatten.
At the same time, the number of seriously ill from the virus continued to climb, reaching 900 on Sunday night, according to The Times of Israel.
“There are those who already say they have ‘cautious optimism’ that the lockdown is starting to work, to flatten the curve,” Netanyahu said in a video released to social media on Sunday.
“I’m more cautious than the cautious. I want to wait at least until 10 days have passed, at least 10 days. That means that decisions on continuing the lockdown after Simchat Torah [which ends October 10] in the evening] will only be made on Thursday,” he said.
Long-term exit from lockdown being discussed
This week the coronavirus cabinet met to discuss the first phases of an exit strategy as the Health Ministry reported a lowering infection rate.
It is still unclear when any exit strategy will begin. The Health Ministry, in consultation with the National Security Council and a team of internal and external health experts presented a tiered plan that contains several steps that could last more than four months.
If at any time the infection rate spikes, the country would wait or revert backwards with restrictions.
Five patients are coronavirus free after clinical trial
After taking part in the first clinical trial of an innovative treatment developed by Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem, five patients were recently discharged coronavirus free, according to The Jerusalem Post.
All five patients had been hospitalized in serious or critical condition.
The drug used in the clinical trial, Allocetra, was developed with the Enlivex Company based on research conducted by Professor Dror Mevorach, director of Hadassah’s Internal Medicine and Coronavirus departments.
Israel Defense Forces identify two alleged Hezbollah missile sites
Last Tuesday evening, the Israel Defense Forces identified two alleged Hezbollah missile sites in Beirut. These are in addition to another site Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed to reveal during an address to the United Nations (UN) earlier that evening.
All three sites are tied to the terror group’s precision-guided missile project, an effort to convert its massive arsenal of simple rockets into highly accurate missiles, according to the military. This presents a far greater challenge to Israel’s air defenses, according to The Times of Israel.
The military also said one of the sites is an underground facility built beneath four seven-story apartment buildings where 70 families live, located east of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport. A church and medical center are also located nearby.
The second site is also an underground facility below five apartment buildings where 50 families live. A mosque is nearby.
The third site is in one of Beirut’s neighborhoods near civilian homes and adjacent to two gas companies and a gas station.
In his remarks to the UN, Netanyahu warned of the possibility of another catastrophic explosion. He called on the Lebanese people to protest against Hezbollah and its Iranian sponsors.
In UN speech, Netanyahu provides examples of Hezbollah use of human shields
Netanyahu’s address to the UN last Tuesday and associated material released the same day by Israel specifies three detailed examples of Hezbollah’s use of Lebanese citizens as human shields, which is a war crime.
The three locations in which Hezbollah, with help from Iran, has located missile sites are directly under or adjacent to civilians.
The evidence supports imposing sanctions on Hezbollah pursuant to the Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act, which passed the U.S. Congress unanimously and became law in December 2018.
This latest strong evidence should prompt the Trump administration to act, according to The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington, D.C. based nonpartisan research institute.
Let us pray together
Please pray with me for:
- The coronavirus infection rate to continue the current trend of going down
- Wisdom for Israel’s leaders regarding an exit plan for the lockdown
- Healing and recovery for coronavirus patients and continued success of clinical trials
- Protection for the citizens of Israel and Lebanon regarding the Hezbollah missile sites that have been identified
- Jewish people to recognize as Sukkot comes to an end that Yeshua (Jesus) is God’s ultimate provision for us and accept Jesus as their Messiah
