Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
An international research team has located a tunnel in Lithuania used by Jewish prisoners to escape Nazis during World War II, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday.
The team from Israel, the U.S., Canada and Lithuania used mineral and oil exploration scanning technology to pinpoint the 100-foot-long tunnel located in the Ponar forest about 10 kilometers from Vilnius, Lithuania.
Since 1944, the Ponar site has held the remains of 100,000 people executed by the Nazis, including 70,000 Jews shot and buried from July 1941 through July 1944.
The prisoners dug for 76 nights using their hands, spoons and improvised tools to make the tunnel.
"As an Israeli whose family originated in Lithuania, I was reduced to tears on the discovery of the escape tunnel at Ponar. This discovery is a heartwarming witness to the victory of hope over desperation," said Jon Seligman of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "The exposure of the tunnel enables us to present, not only the horrors of the Holocaust, but also the yearning for life."
Eighty Jewish prisoners attempted an escape from the Nazi extermination pits at Ponar on April 15, 1944, the last night of Passover. About a dozen survived the trek out of the tunnel and made it to the forest and river past the camp. Eleven prisoners survived the war and gave testimonies.
"This project represents the new frontier for the study of archaeology and the Holocaust and the integration with national histories," said Richard Freund, professor of Jewish History at the University of Hartford. "Geoscience will allow testimonies of survivors—like the account of the escape through the tunnel—and many events of the Holocaust to be researched and understood in new ways for generations to come."
Israeli security forces have uncovered the largest tunnel yet discovered leading from Gaza into southern Israel. This tunnel, the fourth discovered in the past eighteen months, reaches hundreds of meters into Israeli territory and is up to twenty meters underground at some points. Tunnels such as this one have been used to smuggle weapons into Israel, as well as enabling people bent on violence and destruction to be able to enter the country. (Jerusalem Post)
Praise God that the Israeli Defense Forces found the tunnel and can prevent it from being used for future acts of violence and aggression against Israel's citizens.
Israel's Embassies Close for Global Strike
Workers at Israeli embassies and consulates have gone on a global strike after a two-year dispute for better wages and working conditions. This means that Israel will not be represented in any global gatherings or forums, its ambassadors in 102 countries will not be working, visas will not be issued, new immigrants will not be processed, and employers who wish to bring in foreign workers will not be able to do so. High-profile visits from leaders might be cancelled as well, such as Netanyahu's major visit to South America and the Pope’s visit in May.
Pray for a quick and fair resolution to the issue of compensation for Israel's diplomatic workers.
Connections Made at Banquet for Holocaust Survivors
A short-term missions team recently came to serve with Chosen People Ministries' staff in Israel. A banquet was organized for sixty Holocaust survivors, most of whom are atheists, although they knew that our staff and volunteers are believers. The short-term missions team greeted the guests, talked with them at their tables, and led an uplifting time of music - both Jewish traditional melodies and songs about the Lord. Even though many on the team did not speak Russian or Hebrew and the Holocaust survivors knew only a precious few words in English, it was an amazing evening of ministry. Holocaust survivors are becoming older and frailer, so Chosen People Ministries seizes every opportunity to share with them about the Messiah.
Abbas Says "No" to Peace Talks
During a recent meeting with President Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas openly rejected Secretary of State John Kerry's framework for continued peace talks. He said "no" to three core issues that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says are crucial for peace - "no" to recognizing a Jewish State of Israel, "no" to a Palestinian Right of Return that would drastically alter Israel's demographic balance by allowing in millions of those who claim to be descendants, and "no" to seeing a commitment to the end of the conflict and an end to the Palestinians' demands of Israel. Israel has refused to release the fourth and final set of terrorists held in Israeli jails, which was a previously agreed-upon condition for starting the peace talks, unless Abbas agrees to extend the talks further. (Times of Israel)
Please pray for these leaders, who need the Lord's wisdom and direction.
Arab League Denounces Israel
After a two-day summit of the Arab League in Kuwait, Arab leaders stated that they will never recognize Israel as a Jewish State. They also blamed Israel for the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace Process. The League's announcement directly rejects one of Prime Minister Netanyahu's key points in the peace talks; Netanyahu believes there cannot be peace without such a recognition. Netanyahu has performed goodwill gestures for the peace process by releasing many known Palestinian criminals and terrorists, although he has not stopped the controversial building of settlements in the West Bank. (Haaretz)
Please pray for divine wisdom and clarity in this complicated situation regarding the peace talks.
Palestinian Authority Budgets Support for Terrorism
Despite having a massive debt of 4.8 billion dollars, the Palestinian Authority has promised to continue financially supporting terrorism by helping the families of terrorists. Families of terrorist "martyrs" will receive part of 74 million dollars that was pledged towards the cause by an official of the Palestinian government. Families of those killed in the course of carrying out attacks on Israel and their supporters abroad will receive full financial support. Due to the Palestinian Authority's considerable debt, it is speculated that international monetary aid is being used to support terrorists' families. (Israel National News)
Please pray against such incentives for terrorism, which reward those who seek to harm and kill others.
Record-Breaking Shabbat Dinner Planned
In an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record, a free Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner for 1,000 people is being planned. The dinner will be for Israelis, new immigrants and public figures. The aim of the group organizing the event is to bring spirituality to Tel Aviv, which is a very secular city and the center of economic and cultural happenings in Israel. The largest Passover Seder on record was held in Nepal with over 1,000 Israelis. (Israel National News)
Please pray for more than spirituality... pray for people to move towards belief in Jesus the Messiah!
Israel to Provide Security Drones to Brazil
An Israeli firm has won the contract to provide 900 security drones for the World Cup soccer games in Brazil this summer. These unmanned drones are highly advanced and will provide intelligence gathering for the police. The firm has provided such drones for other highly-attended international events, as well as to the U.S. Navy. (Israeli National News)
Praise God that Israel has developed this cutting-edge technology for protection and safety.
When I prayed for this coming year, I was shown a roller coaster. This means we will have ups and downs this year. I realize that hardly takes a prophet to predict, but the encouraging thing about this vision was that the ride ended at the highest point. We're going higher this year! So don't be discouraged by the dips. Hang on, and know that we will be going up again soon.
Our prophetic friend Bob Jones told us several months ago that it was going to be a very hard winter. I think this one has already qualified for that. As I am writing this in South Carolina, it is 8 degrees outside. I don't remember it ever being that cold here. However, the great thing is that spring will certainly follow. The point is that we must hang on during any dips or hard times. They will come to pass, but they will pass! As Winston Churchill once said, "When you're going through hell, keep going." Keep going.
The roller coaster I saw was very rickety. It did not seem that it could make it through another turn or the ups and downs. It held together, though. I love roller coasters, but this one was not the kind I would get on voluntarily. We don't have a choice; we are on it. Even the strongest systems of this world are very shaky, and most can only make it through another day because God is holding them together. He is doing this for our sakes, so we should never stop praying for them.
A Glistening Train
In the vision, there was a platform at the end of this roller coaster ride. It did not look any stronger than the roller coaster, but as we walked across, it became stronger and stronger. On the other side, there was a beautiful, brilliantly glistening train, which we boarded. It was the most beautiful and well-appointed train I've ever seen.
However, as I boarded, I saw that when it left the platform, it would enter a long, dark tunnel that I could not see the end of. Even so, the tunnel was going up, and this was a powerful, mountain-climbing train.
We're going up. It may be dark and a bit scary for a while, but we are going higher. That was the end of this vision.
Trains often speak of training in dreams and visions. We may still be on a rickety old roller coaster, but the vehicle that is going to take us to where we must go will be training. This speaks to me of Ephesians 4—the equipping of the saints to do the work of the ministry. Even though it may take a while for us to see where we're going (the long, dark tunnel) we will be going up. This is the vehicle that will get us to where we must go.
The City God Is Building
It is the nature of the faith walk not to be able to see where you're going, but you should know what you're looking for. The one who started the walk of faith, Abraham, did not know where he was going, but he did know what he was looking for—the city that God is building, not men.
The cities that men have built are impressive, but once you see what God is building, you can no longer be impressed with anything man is building. It takes revelation to see what God is building. John saw Babylon until he was carried to a high mountain. Then he saw the New Jerusalem, which is the city that Abraham saw. It is still being built. Being a part of it is the highest calling we can have. Do you see it?
As we see in the book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem is the bride, the wife of the Lamb. As Don Potter recently remarked, it is an amazing thing how a bride can look like she is in shambles just minutes before the ceremony. However, in those last few minutes, she comes together and emerges so beautifully and so perfect that you know you have witnessed a great miracle.
This may well be just the way it happens with the bride of the Lamb. We may look like a disaster right up to the end and then, miraculously, we come together without spot or wrinkle. Never give up.
Rick Joyneris the founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and Heritage International Ministries and is the senior pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church. He is the author of more than 40 books, including The Final Quest, A Prophetic History, and Church History.
He is also the president of The OAK Initiative, an interdenominational movement that is mobilizing thousands of Christians to be engaged in the great issues of our times, being the salt and light that they are called to be. Rick and his wife, Julie, have five children: Anna, Aaryn, Amber, Ben and Sam.
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Tunnel used by Jewish prisoners to escape Nazis found in Lithuania
