Saturday the 7th October 2023 will, forever, be etched on the corporate memory of both Israel and the world. More Jews were killed on this one day than at any other time since the holocaust. As I write this, the world is sitting on the edge of its seat, as cataclysmic events unfold in Israel, the epicentre of spiritual earthquakes.
I don’t actually remember the establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948, but I’m old enough to have vivid memories of the 1967 six-day war, watching my father listening to the radio with his Bible in his hands, as the extraordinary events of June 5-10 resulted in a seemingly “impossible” Israeli victory. And who can forget the Yom Kippur war of exactly 50 years ago?
Israel is, and always has been, the focal point of world history. These wars are modern-day marker points in the history of the land and its people, the place to which God sent His Son, the Messiah, and to which the Messiah will return when God calls ‘time’ on the pages of history and Satan’s time is over – a day that Satan dreads.
The first coming of Jesus shook the foundations of Satan’s Kingdom. The second coming will bring his reign as the god of this world to an end. Satan did everything he possibly could to eliminate the threat of Jesus coming to be the Saviour of mankind, by having all the baby boys in Bethlehem killed. But Joseph heard the warning voice of God and he, Mary and baby Jesus escaped as refugees to Egypt. We must not be surprised that the second coming will be preceded by Satan’s vicious attempts to stave off the inevitable. As it was for Joseph, being able to hear the voice of God in the midst of the turmoil will be vital for God’s people.
Jesus warned us in clear and uncertain terms that His second coming would be preceded by “great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again” (Matt 24:21). He said there would be “wars, rumours of wars . . . famines and earthquakes in various places” Simultaneously with the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists on the 8th October, an earthquake struck Afghanistan, killing over 2000 people.
Living as the People of God
For some time now, I have been planning to restart my earlier series of blogs on living as the people of God in the end-times. But I did not anticipate that the chosen day to resubscribe my data base for this purpose, would coincide with what I believe will be the most significant end-times event since the foundation of Israel as a nation in 1948. No-one, believer or unbeliever alike, can look at today’s news and ignore the global significance of what is happening. Believers who read and know their Bibles cannot look at today’s news and ignore its spiritual significance. Jesus IS coming again.
Between now and when Jesus returns, spiritual warfare will increase as Satan battles to keep believers deceived and blinded, so as to keep them from playing their part in an end-time harvest for the Kingdom of God (Matt 13:37-39 and 24:14), and so extend his time. In Daniel 10:12-13, the prophet describes how a demonic prince and the archangel Michael battled it out as Daniel was waiting for God to answer his prayers.
For Daniel, persistence in intercession was the key to answered prayer and having revelation from God himself. And, similarly, intercession is vital for God’s people today, for these are the days of Daniel, whose end-time prophecies will soon unfold. It was for these times that Daniel said “the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Daniel 11:32).
It is this that burdens my heart for today’s church. It is those who really know their God who will be strong. It is those who have learned to recognise His voice in the secret place who will be able to discern what He is saying in the heat of battle. It is those who are seasoned in the ways of God, whom God will use to bring about His end-time purposes. It is these who will be motivated to bring in the end-time harvest for the Kingdom of God. What is happening in Israel today is a massive wake-up call for the church – time is running out.
Wake Up!
While the battle rages on the ground in Gaza, there is a different battle being fought in the spiritual realms. In effect, at the Fall, Satan, the arch-terrorist of the spiritual realms, invaded the hearts of man and took the whole of mankind hostage. God’s eternal plan, that the generations of mankind should become the citizens of Heaven, was contended for by the enemy from the beginning. Satan is jealous for what belongs to God. He wants to take God’s place, above the Almighty (Isaiah 14:12-14).
It is only Jesus who can set Satan’s hostages free, to fulfil God’s original plan and purpose for men and women, to be citizens of Heaven. John 3:16 succinctly describes God’s rescue plan. how He sent Jesus, the sinless Son of God to triumph over death and hell. To be a believer in Jesus is to be ‘in Christ’, and in Him we share in His victory over sin and death.
Just as mankind had a choice about choosing sin in the first place, mankind can now choose to reach out to the Saviour, the Messiah, to Jesus. Jesus is the only way of escape. We are living in dark days of spiritual deception, but they are days which God will use to bring many to salvation – there is an end-time harvest to be reaped for the Kingdom, by those who know their God and know how to proclaim “the Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matt 24:14). The harvesters must be ready, for the day of the Lord is coming soon. Peter said, “It will come like a thief” (1 Peter 3:10) and Jesus warned, “Keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matt 25:13)
But, such will be the increase of deception and oppression from the enemy in the days leading up to the return of Jesus that, as Jesus said, “many will turn away from the faith.” and “the love of many will grow cold” (Matt 24:10 and 12). Sadly, this has already been taking place, as the cutting edge of the gospel has been watered down in exchange for a sanitised version of Christianity which Satan is happy to leave alone. Satan only becomes interested when the purposes of God are stirred up and his territory is threatened.
In parallel with this, however, there is also a rising up of believers who do know their God and who have been awakened to the real situation. They may or may not be part of an established church structure, but, together, they are the end-time church, passionate about Jesus and desperate to bring salvation, healing and deliverance into this fallen and very broken world. A world where the sheep have been left to wander and have become victims of the enemy’s trashing and thrashing (see Ezekiel 34:1-10).
Believers in today’s world need the ministry of healing and deliverance more than ever before, so that the world can see the truth of Jesus as prophesied in Isaiah 61:1-3. We have a message for the hurting, the broken, the grieving and the traumatised – Jesus is the healer and the deliverer. He sets the captives free.
Today’s events in Israel are a wake-up call – not just for Jewish people, but for believers throughout the world. They are not days for the faint-hearted – for there is a war on. The pure hatred in the heart of Hamas towards Jews, is simply a reflection of the hatred there is in the heart of Satan – not just towards Jews, but also towards believers in the Messiah. No wonder Paul found it necessary to describe the essential spiritual armour that is available to believers (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Where the Lord Walks
But, as Joshua discovered, the Captain of the Lord’s Host is with us in the battles (Joshua 5:13-15). It was His presence that made the ground holy. We need not fear. Jesus said, “See to it that you are not alarmed” (Matt 24:6). To be in Christ is everything. With Him we can walk on ground made holy by His presence. Jesus said, “Be sure of this, the Kingdom of God is near” (Luke 10:11). Without Him we are lost – not just in time, but for eternity. With Him both our time and our eternal future are secure.
We may not be able to avoid the traumas of living in these end-time days when, whatever happens in one place is, instantly, relayed around the world for all to see and hear. But, in Christ there is an eternal answer which transcends all things, a peace which truly is beyond human understanding.
Early in my ministry the Lord had me teach from the book of Nahum – which I discovered to be a unique treatise on spiritual warfare. Verse 3 of Chapter 1 reads: “where the Lord walks, storms arise, the clouds are the dust raised by his feet” (GNB). By the end of the message we knew that the Lord was walking with us in the meeting. The Captain of the Lord’s Host was present – we were on Holy Ground.
Storms arose as His presence convicted hearts, baptised some in the Holy Spirit, brought forgiveness, repentance, deliverance and healing to others. For three days God moved amongst us in unprecedented ways. He was teaching us that while we may go to war, it is He who will fight the battles and bring victory.
As spiritual darkness covers man’s understanding with a blanket of deception and his spiritual eyes are blinded by the enemy, our prayer must be that the darkness of these days will drive people to seek out the Light – Satanic darkness can never extinguish the Light of the World. The darkness only makes His Light shine brighter. It is harvest-time and He is the Lord of the harvest and as the darkness deepens, the innermost heart of man will cry out for help. Who will hear and answer those cries?
While our prayers today are especially with the people of Israel, as they negotiate the traumatic events that are unfolding hour by hour, this is what we read In Jeremiah 32:26 and 27.“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ‘I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?’” He is the God of all mankind – even of those who don’t yet recognize or know Him. My prayer is that there will be many who, in these desperate days, will seek Him and find Him.
In these ‘days of Daniel’ God is raising up a people to do His exploits in the extraordinary season we are all now passing through. As we study the Scriptures, and watch the news, let us not forget the words of the Apostle Paul, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have HOPE” (Romans 15:4).
As we pray for Israel, the families of those who have lost loved ones, all those that have suffered injuries and trauma, and everyone who has been caught up in the war, “let us fix our eyes our eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
These are urgent days for the Kingdom of God. More to come very soon in succeeding Blogs.
Peter Horrobin – October 11th 2023
In these days of turmoil one thing is plainly evident and that is that Truth cannot be found in the World except in the Bible , God’s inspired word to us. One man, the Head of the Church of all Born again believers, Jesus, is the only one we can Trust. God doesn’t lie, He is Truth, and what He says we can put our Trust in. What a comfort to us in these end times with the Deceiver abroad polluting minds, and corrupting society. We can say No, Enough, this is What God says, this is Truth.
This is excellent! Thank you!
As a former missionary to Israel the events of Oct 7 were heart wrenching. Kids I had in Shabbat school and camp, close personal friends of the family and 19 from the Beersheba congregation are deployed in this fight. My heart longs to be with them in their time of need.
I too noticed the earthquakes that happened the same day. It got very little attention here.
I’ve sensed the Lord has been saying a similar thing, that we must all learn to regularly hear his voice so that we recognize it in times of trouble when fear and other voices seem loud and daunting.
Thank you again for this
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem May those who love you be secure! Ps 122:6
Merilyn
Dear Peter & Fiona many many thanks for your wake up call and spirit filled message to us all who are watching the situation unfold in Israel. It was so heartwarming to read your comments which has given us all strength to keep watch and prepare. Looking forward to you next blog, God bless you both richly for your unwavering dedication
Peter, I was just so very pleased to hear from you, after an extended period of not hearing from you. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with all who want to hear it. I certainly do agree with all that you shared in this blog – and all of your blogs. I trust that both you and Fi Shalom keeping well, in order to continue with the work that God has planned for you.
Shalom !
Thank you Peter for your timely insights into the terrible events in Israel. Surely, what has happened is not only a wake up call to Israel to turn to the Lord again, but also for the church to turn back to God and fulfil her end time destiny of reaching the lost with the Gospel whilst there is still time. Lord help us to be prepared for the days ahead!
Thank you Peter for these insightful passages. Sadly the world always blame Israel for the atrocities taking place, despite her being the victim. God has helped Israel in miraculous ways in past conflicts and we can only continue to pray that Israel will turn to the Lord again and abandon its reliance upon its military might and the paganism and secularisation that has infiltrated the country. I think it is only as real hardship affects people in this nation will they be open to respond to the Gospel.
Thank you for your encouragement and timely wisdom. So appreciated ????
Thank you Peter for the timely scriptures … using these to pray for the present season we are in, for ourselves, for God’s chosen people and His land. Fixing my eyes on Jesus.
Thank you Peter for sharing your thoughts and insight! It’s much appreciated! ????
Blessings
Thank you Peter. Inspiring words of wisdom for such difficult days. My Christian walk has never been an easy one but I cling to the cross of the Lord and I refuse to ever let go. I pray that others on both sides of this awful situation will come to find Him and also cling to the rugged cross finding salvation and hope.
Thanks Graham. Good to hear from you. Yes, an impossible situation. Of course there is huge compassion for the consequential suffering now in Gaza. No-one can rejoice in that – except, perhaps, the Hamas militia who have no respect for their own citizens and use the backlash as publicity for their cause. But how does one respond to Golda Meir’s timeless question: “If our enemies laid down their arms there would be peace. But if we laid down our arms we would no longer exist?” On our knees before the Lord.
Blessings
Peter
Retiring to bed last night I was reminded of the parable of the ten virgins. Matt.25:1,13
So many parallels! May we be watching, waiting, alert and ready. So help us Lord.
Praying for our brothers and sisters in Israel. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.Is.26:1
Thank you Henrietta
While no one can condone the atrocities committed by Hamas, why is there no mention of the atrocities being committed by Israel in indiscriminate bombing of the dense population of Gaza – so far 450 children and 300 women killed in 5 days. Are the children responsible for what Hamas has done?
Also the removal of all fuel, food and water supplies from 2.3 million people, and the banning of urgent medical supplies hardly sounds like the compassion that Jesus taught us to show to our enemies.
Thank you Peter for the encouragement in persistence in intercession
Much needed wisdom
Thank you
“Godincidentally” I have started reading (and meditating on the truths in) Dr Glenn Arekion’s book, based on Dan 11:32: “Provoking Exploits through the force of Imposing Aggressive Faith” which, as well as your blog, I’m finding encouraging.
I must read Nahum.
John 14:2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
How do we reserve a room in our Father’s House…what is the payment for our reservations? Do we just put in the least amount, or do we commit to the whole amount knowing that our reservation is fully covered. As we arrive, we see a welcoming light, and we bring nothing …no burdens, no failures, no condemnation…thank you for clearly showing us how we are welcomed into the House of the Lord…
Thank you so much, we need Godly people to remind us of where we are at.
Bless Your work
Ann and Brian Settle
Thank you Peter for this blog.
The Lord has given you much wisdom and revelation, may it long continue. May the Lord strengthen you and Fiona and protect you both.
Thank you so much for a sound biblical view on the situation. It helps in knowing how to pray.
Bless you for your continuing desire to serve the Lord and bless others.
Thank you Peter for sharing yours and the Lord’s heart in your blog. My wife and I are both distressed at the sanitisation of the gospel that you describe. Even though what’s taught on a Sunday morning in church may well be sound in doctrine, so often it’s the silence and avoidance of certain subjects that can be most distressing. God’s word has something to say to those who struggle in such areas as the guilt of abortion or the pain of gender confusion yet we hear no mention of such subjects, for fear it seems of arousing opposition or causing offense. We hear much of God’s grace but hardly anything of His holiness and the terrible consequences of rejecting that grace. Like you we long to hear the full gospel proclaimed in the love and power of the Holy Spirit that will deliver those in darkness from satan’s dominion into God’s marvellous kingdom of forgiveness, healing and freedom. God bless you as you continue to write.
Dear Peter – this was so spot on – everything we had been thinking ourselves, even the same verses that have been coming to our attention constantly lately.
I must admit to being very dismayed, troubled, unable to sleep because of the encrouching darkness, the monstrous evil, injustice, depravity, the lies in the media and then closer to home the horrifying dwindling of the church, departure from Bible teaching etc.
But your message has exceedingly heartened me.
We must join together with the true believers (if you can find any), pray to the Lord, contend for the faith and not ‘fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor’ (Is 51)
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled neither be afraid’
‘Though gross darkness covers the land … the Lord will arise upon you and his glory be seen upon you’ (Isaiah 60)
Thank you Peter – I recently read your book ‘Strands of Destiny’. Wondrous!! Can’t find adequate words actually. I honour you for your obedience and faith. How God used you!
I have been to Ellel Grange and wish I could do more.
Very warm greetings and Christian love
Really appreciate your words which gives us something to think upon and consider. Many blessings to you.
Al.
Thank you Peter
I thank God for your continued ministry and words of wisdom and encouragement. Prayers continuing ????
Thank you! That fed my soul!!!
Last night I was kept awake by the very loud sounds of rutting deer. If you don’t know what the sound is it can be quite frightening! If you were to approach the deer they would just vanish quickly and silently into the forest.
We know who our enemy is. We know the times. We have been warned, prepared, kitted out, and can stand in His real and tangible peace.
It was painful but so good to hear you speak of the trauma and savage loss in Israel. The “church” seems more intent on saving the planet!
Peter and Fiona – THANK YOU!
“Cutting edge of the gospel exchanged for a sanitised version” profound, thought- provoking words. We pray Lord that we may always be faithful to your true gospel and the price you paid Jesus. ????
Hi Peter
Thankyou so much for writing to us and sharing from your heart. It is clear there are two ways of looking at these ending times and times ahead, and most Christians will fall in one of these two categories I highlight below:
1 – Those who are just trying to survive and hold on, hoping to make it safely through to the end, but only looking at all the BAD and cannot see any GOOD. They are just looking at everything that happens and cannot find God in it. They will grab onto any way out, which Satan will offer them, with plenty of options inside churches and Christian groups
2 – Those who see God’s hand and rejoice, and grap the oppurtunity as the Light is shining even brighter in the darkness, to go out and reap the harvest together with Jesus, which God says is ripe. They see the oppurtunity from God’s perspective and align themselfves with His end time army.
Thankyou for continuing in sharing wisdom from your heart, so valuable in this time
Thank you for sharing this wisdom
What a blessing, to read the the words, thoughts, I believe.
Like a light shining in a dark place.
Thank you for releasing this v powerful blog Peter.
I had this verse come to me in the bathroom in the morning hearing the dreadful reports coming from Israel…
“How awful that day will be!
No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,
but he will be saved out of it.”
Jeremiah 30 v 7
Thank you so much. Stirring and encouraging. You have been a mentor in the past. I appreciate your labour of love and encouragement to the body of Christ
Melanie x
A very timely reminder of events to take place before the coming of the King. Thank you Peter, for you are a ‘modern Joseph’ discerning the times we live in.
Bless you.
Thank you Peter for your words of encouragement. I have been so blessed to be on the receiving end of God’s goodness and mercy through the ministry of Ellel and I know that what He has done will be used in these darkening days ahead. I can look back at miracles in my life, His sustaining and wondrous provisions in times of need and His blessed healing of broken-ness in my life. He will put all these things to good use for His kingdom and His glory.
So good to hear from you once again though! I look forward to your posts. Your days of service are clearly not over! 🙂 bless you!
Thank you Peter and Fiona for contining the Blogs. I am also very restless and Thank you so much for wanting to help us be prepared. The harrowing events last Saturday have shown us how things can happen in an instant and our guard can be down.