THE GREAT FIRE:

Yesterday, the first day of Hanukkah, a huge wildfire started at about 11:30 am (Israel time) in several spots on Mount Carmel. Well over 30 hours have passed, and the fire is still raging and spreading, mainly due to severe aridity, and unusual, unseasonal strong and dry eastern, desert-winds! These winds are both strong and whirly: their direction constantly keeps changing, fanning the fire, and confusing the fire fighters.

This awful fire has consumed 41 lives so far. The majority of this number consists of 37 Prison Cadets from the Prison Services School. The cadets were called to help rescue the prisoners of a small local mount Carmel prison. The bus they were arriving on was nearly overtaken by the fire, the driver lost control because of the winding, narrow roads, and collided with a burning tree. The cadet-passengers couldn't find an escape route, and they all perished. The others that perished were from the security & rescue services, and the police force. They perished while on duty, trying to help evacuate people from built up areas. So far, over 15,000 people have been evacuated from their homes!   

Remains of Cadet Bus

Even though most of the area afflicted by this disaster is considered one of Israel's biggest, prettiest and most lush National Parks - there are plenty of urban & semi-urban settlements there, of all denominations: Jewish, Druze and Arabs (both Muslim and Christians). Kibbutz Beit Oren (ßClickable), founded in 1934 in one of the most exquisite areas of Mount Carmel (the area is locally known as "Little Switzerland") - was for all intents and purposes destroyed almost completely!

The 1½ days, of uncontrolled fire, is considered Israel's biggest and most devastating National Disaster - in terms of lives lost in the catastrophe and in scope of damage to the environment and natural treasures.

This devastating catastrophe(ßClickable) started just at the beginning of a festival which commemorates God's Miracles and Light in a time of National Disaster. More than this: Hanukkah is considered to be a Winter Festival, yet - there is no sign of rain on the Horizon, not even from the same locale on mount Carmel, where Elijah's servant spotted a cloud, the size of a man's hand. That small cloud, seen from Mount Carmel, was a sign of God's Grace & Mercy towards the Nation of Israel, after 3 years of severe draught. "Elijah's little cloud" was a symbol and a sign, that God's living, refreshing and vitalizing waters from above were coming soon, to heal the battered nation! (See 1Kings 18:42-45)

THE SOLUTION:

Yet! "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Ch. 7:14).

Our beloved, suffering nation of Israel, is still blind to the connection between this Godly Cause and Effect, of God saying: "Come to me, repent before me and love me instead of turning away from me - and these disasters will not befall you!".

PRAYER POINTS:

So today, dear ones, as you stand with us in this National Day of Mourning, please pray:

• For Israel's eyes and heart to be opened to the God of Israel, and to Yeshua - Israel's Messiah, Savior & Redeemer!
• For repentance in Israel - not only as individuals, but as a Nation; we are the only nation on earth required to do this as a corporate body!
• For the Believers in Yeshua in this Land, to be true witnesses for Him at such a time as this; to be able to speak the truth with love, and to be comforters in Israel, on His behalf: "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32).

God's Words of Encouragement:

But thank God, He always gives a way out of trouble, even to the Nation of Israel! The God of Israel is also a Restorer of ALL Things - even of Mount Carmel National Park. If, after repentance, we call on Him, and ask Him:

"Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands - in Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago" (Micah 7:14), He will surely answer!