September 18, 2019 SnyderTalk—Yahweh is Preparing the Israeli People for Something Big

“My holy Name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel.  I will not let My holy Name be profaned anymore, and the Gentiles will know that I am Yahweh, the Holy One in Israel.”

Ezekiel 39: 7

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Yahweh is Preparing the Israeli People for Something Big

See “Israel’s Netanyahu appears to suffer election setback”.

At this point, I think it’s fair to say that the winner of yesterday’s Israeli election is Avigdor Lieberman.

Lieberman was Prime Minister Netanyahu’s defense minister until he had a falling out with the prime minister in November 2018 over Netanyahu’s handling of the Gaza/Hamas situation.

Lieberman thinks Netanyahu has been too soft on Hamas. He said that Netanyahu was “surrendering to [Hamas] terror”, and he resigned in protest in November 2018 leaving the prime minister a few votes short of a ruling majority in the Knesset.

Lieberman’s resignation precipitated last April’s Israeli election. Following that election, Netanyahu could have been prime minister again and Lieberman could have been defense minister again, but Lieberman refused to accept the post because of what he said was excessive influence from ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

Rather than give in to Lieberman’s demands, Netanyahu called for another election thinking that he could strengthen his position and weaken Lieberman’s position.

The results of yesterday’s election indicate that Netanyahu’s gambit failed. He did not win a ruling majority. His party, Likud, is in a virtual dead heat with Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party, but Lieberman’s party, Yisrael Beitenu, nearly doubled its strength.

Lieberman is determined to see a secular unity government in Israel formed by Likud, Blue and White, and Yisrael Beitenu parties. The ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas, have no place in the government Lieberman envisions.

Following yesterday’s election, Lieberman stated his position succinctly. He said, “We have only one option: a broad, liberal, national government made up of Yisrael Beitenu, Likud and Blue and White.” He also said that a new government could be formed quickly if the three parties could reach an agreement.

These are Lieberman’s basic conditions for joining a unity coalition:

  1. “We will not concede on passing the ultra-Orthodox enlistment law, in its original format, we will not concede on [the demand to] repeal the mini-markets’ law, we will not concede on [demands for] public transport on Shabbat, we will not concede on [demands for] civil marriage, and we will demand the inclusion of core curriculum studies into the ultra-Orthodox education system.”
  2. “We want a normal country in which the citizens will live in accordance with the principal of live and let live. I don’t ask to open grocery stores on Shabbat in [the predominantly ultra-Orthodox city of] Bnei Brak, and I am not prepared for stores to be closed on Shabbat in Ashdod, period.”
  3. “A national unity government, a broad liberal government. We will not join any other option. From our point of view no other option exists.”
  4. “A precondition for our entry into the government is also core curriculum studies in the ultra-Orthodox education system. We will give only full governmental support to the ultra-Orthodox education system with the introduction of core curriculum studies.”

It’s Complicated

Gantz said that he won’t join a coalition with a Netanyahu-led Likud, because he thinks the prime minister is about to be indicted on corruption charges.

Netanyahu thinks he can rally support, include UTJ and Shas in a coalition, and form a government.

Lieberman will not support Netanyahu’s plan, because it includes ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

UTJ and Shas are at the center of the battle. Avigdor Lieberman is the potential kingmaker. Netanyahu’s continued leadership of Likud may be in jeopardy.

It’s complicated, and it won’t be easy.

A Non-Israelis’ Perspective

I have been exploring Israel for more than 2 decades. I have traversed the country many times from north to south and from east to west, but I’ve spent most of my time in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the center of ultra-Orthodox Judaism in Israel. Ultra-Orthodox Jews say that they study the Torah, but they don’t. They study the Talmud and other religious writings by Jewish sages.

In reality, those writings are commentaries. Ultra-Orthodox Jews see those commentaries as being more authoritative than Yahweh’s word.

The Talmud and other religious writings contain the Oral Law.  The Oral Law is also called the traditions of the Jews. Those traditions lay out Halacha or Jewish religious law (i.e., the traditions of the Jews).

In Judaism, Halacha carries more weight than Yahweh’s commands. Ultra-Orthodox Jews revere Halacha above everything else, including the Torah, so how can they claim to be “Torah observant”?

For example, in the Torah, Yahweh commands us to declare his Name to the world, but Halacha prohibits the use of Yahweh’s Name.  In fact, according to Halacha, saying Yahweh’s Name is the definition of “blasphemy”, and the penalty for saying His Name is death.  (See His Name is Yahweh: Revised Edition.)

Both can’t be right.  Halacha contradicts Yahweh’s word.  If Halacha contradicts Yahweh’s word, Halacha is wrong.  It’s as simple as that.

How wrong is Halacha?  The Messiah said that it is not the truth and that it comes from the devil.  (See John 8: 39-47.)

Halacha is a Serious Problem

Halacha is a serious problem.  The Messiah said, “Neglecting the commandment of Elohim, you hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7: 8)

He was talking about Halacha, “the tradition of men”.

The Messiah went on to say that Jewish religious leaders were not just neglecting Yahweh’s commands.  He said that they were invalidating Yahweh’s commands by holding fast to their traditions. (Mark 7: 13)

Invalidating Yahweh’s commands means reducing them to naught by declaring that they are meaningless.  So, in effect, prohibiting the use of Yahweh’s Name is profaning His Name.

In Matthew 16: 6 the Messiah gave this warning: “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

The Messiah referred to Halacha as “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. In Yahweh’s word, leaven represents sin.  It must be removed completely, because if any leaven remains, it will infect everything around it.  Jewish people who celebrate Passover can relate to that.

The Israeli Election and Removing the Leaven

In the Israeli election, we are witnessing an attempt to remove the leaven from Israeli politics.  Avigdor Lieberman is leading the charge.  As things stand now, Prime Minister Netanyahu can’t hold onto power without the support of the Hasidim, ultra-Orthodox Jews.

The Hasidim in Mea She’arim, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem, will physically attack other members of their group if they join the IDF and walk down the streets in their uniforms.  Most of the Hasidim believe the State of Israel should not exist, but they form political parties, UTJ and Shas, to lobby for shekels to support the Hasidim.

The Hasidim are the welfare class in Israel.  Most of them couldn’t make ends meet without Israeli government handouts.  Since most of them think Israel shouldn’t exist, their involvement in Israeli politics is hypocritical.  They are biting the hand that feeds them.

Avigdor Lieberman was Israel’s Defense Minister while members of the Hasidim who joined the IDF were being attacked by their “friends and neighbors” in Mea She’arim.  If I were in his shoes, I would feel the same way he does.

One More Example

I love going to the Old City of Jerusalem.  I particularly enjoy the Jewish Quarter.

Most evenings while we are in Jerusalem, Katie and I walk to the Jewish Quarter and sit in the plaza area in front of Hurva Synagogue.  It’s called Hurva Square, and it is beautiful.  The picture below was taken in Hurva Square.

Not far from there is the path leading to the Kotel/Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism.  I walk in that direction when I have to, but unless I have to, I avoid it like the plague.

Why?

Ultra-Orthodox Jews line the path.  It’s like a gauntlet.  They accost visitors to the Kotel as they walk by and try to sell them blessings.  They see themselves as pious Jews, as ultra-pious Jews, but they are trying to sell blessings for a few shekels.

I have often wondered why the religious leaders in Jerusalem don’t step in and stop that sacrilege.  As far as I am concerned, the fact that they haven’t intervened speaks volumes.

Yahweh is doing things in Israel right now that are difficult to understand.  Part of what He is doing is playing out in the Israeli election.  He is preparing the Israeli people for something big.  If it’s big for Israel, it’s big for the whole world.

Caroline Glick

Caroline Glick is an Israeli journalist.  Her perspectives are always enlightening.  This is what she had to say about the Israeli election: “A note on Tuesday’s elections”.

Like I said, it’s complicated.

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“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17: 22-24)

See “His Name is Yahweh”.

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