For several days now, over 250 fires have raged throughout Israel, a nation the size of New Jersey.  The weather in Israel right now is much drier than normal and very windy in places, making for critical fire danger.  While some of the fires may have started by other causes, it is reported that Israeli officials believe well over half are the work of arsonists.  At least 13 Arab-Israelis (Arabs living freely in Israel) have been arrested.

However, I want to focus on three things regarding the situation:

1. Tiny Israel is often the very first to respond to emergency situations around the world.  In fact, the IDF Medical Response Team was recently recognized as the #1 medical response team in the world by the World Health Organization.  Israel also sets the standard when it comes to non-medical help in the face of natural disasters.
2. Much of the world is responding now to Israel’s need!  Help has arrived from Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, the United States, and elsewhere.  Praise God for the humanitarian efforts, even by Israel’s enemies.  A Greek pilot, who has flown other firefighting missions over Israel, assured Prime Minister Netanyahu, “We [Greece] are your friends, and we are always here for Israel.”  (See short video footage of some of the air missions here.)
3. Israelis care for their own.  When disaster strikes in Israel, Israeli hospitality shines brightly.  Many across the nation have opened their homes to evacuees, some even providing long-term shelter to those who have lost their homes.  When one man contacted officials in Haifa to offer his network of establishments, he was told to ‘get in line’ behind the 700 or so who had already called to offer housing assistance to those in need.  This man apparently owns many hotels, guest houses and BnB’s, yet refused to mention his company name because “I am not doing this for publicity.”  I encourage you to read Israelis Open Their Homes to Shelter Evacuees from Wildfire.  Tikkun olam (acts of kindness intended to perfect or repair the world) is a Jewish concept found in the Mishnah (rabbinic writings).  Indeed, tikkun olam is once again on display!

I hope you will continue to pray for Israel.  Pray for the safety of citizens and firefighters, for the fires to be extinguished, and for God’s holy angels to stand in protection of the land and its people.  From all reports I can find, there have been no casualties or injuries, so I believe the hand of God has proven faithful so far!

This is a spiritual battle, however, and as Christians, we must take up our spiritual weapons to fight the battle.  Prayer is the most obvious weapon at the moment, but please remember that the battle is fought by the way we live our lives as well.  Jesus is returning soon…will we be found faithful when He comes?