Day 13 - Hezbollah
Hezbollah is a political, social and military organization in Lebanon that began in 1982. THe name Hezbollah actually means 'The Party of God'. As a Shi'ite organization, Hezbollah has received strong religious, financial, political and military support from Iran. Syria has also backed Hezbollah politically and practically. The organization is very present in the Beqaa Valley, southern Beirut and southern Lebanon. It is a significant political force, and it has developed a very strong and active social services network.
Several world governments consider Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Israel, and the UK. Hezbollah condemned the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, but it has been accused of other suicide attacks (or attempted attacks) in the past. Hezbollah denies involvement in any attacks. The Shi'ite Hezbollah movement has no ties to Al Qaeda (a Sunni movement). Among Arabs generally, Hezbollah is seen as a legitimate Lebanese resistance organization that has consistently stood up to the Israeli armed forces. (65-85% of Arabs were favourable to Hezbollah according to some surveys.) However, several governments in the Middle East, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, oppose Hezbollah as an 'irresponsible and adventurous' organization. Through it's collaboration with Iran and Syria, Hezbollah has amassed great stocks of arms in Lebanon (perhaps four times as many weapons as it had before the 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon). Hezbollah considers Israel to be an illegitimate state and justifies actions against Israel as defensive Jihad.
Are the Palestinians modern-day Philistines?
The present inhabitants of Gaza have very little if any relationship to the ancient Philistines. The name Palestine is a Roman-Latin deformation of the word Philistine; however, the modern Arab Pelstinians are not Philistines.
The name Palestine was given by the Romans for Judea after the Jewish revolt of AD 135. In Arabic the word Palestine is actually spelled 'Falastin', which is similar to Philistine. There is no 'p' in Arabic. Some Arab Palestinians only say that they are Philistines, knowing that there was war between the Israelites and the Philistines during biblical times.
In reality, the Philistines originally came from Asia Minor or other Greek regions of the Mediterranean Sea, such as Crete, and settled on the coast (Genesis 10:14, 1 Chronicles 1:9-15). The Philistines were not at all Arabs. There are several biblical texts prophesying the destruction of Philistines and their civilization (Jeremiah 47L1-7, Ezekiel 25:15-17 and Joel 3:4-6). Before Christ, the invasion by Egyptians, Assyrians, babylonians, Persians and the Greeks under Alexander effectively decimated the Philistines. later, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Crusaders, Turks and the British occupied the are. The Philistine people, culture, government, language and religion have disappeared.
Prayer Ideas:
Several world governments consider Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Israel, and the UK. Hezbollah condemned the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, but it has been accused of other suicide attacks (or attempted attacks) in the past. Hezbollah denies involvement in any attacks. The Shi'ite Hezbollah movement has no ties to Al Qaeda (a Sunni movement). Among Arabs generally, Hezbollah is seen as a legitimate Lebanese resistance organization that has consistently stood up to the Israeli armed forces. (65-85% of Arabs were favourable to Hezbollah according to some surveys.) However, several governments in the Middle East, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, oppose Hezbollah as an 'irresponsible and adventurous' organization. Through it's collaboration with Iran and Syria, Hezbollah has amassed great stocks of arms in Lebanon (perhaps four times as many weapons as it had before the 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon). Hezbollah considers Israel to be an illegitimate state and justifies actions against Israel as defensive Jihad.
Are the Palestinians modern-day Philistines?
The present inhabitants of Gaza have very little if any relationship to the ancient Philistines. The name Palestine is a Roman-Latin deformation of the word Philistine; however, the modern Arab Pelstinians are not Philistines.
The name Palestine was given by the Romans for Judea after the Jewish revolt of AD 135. In Arabic the word Palestine is actually spelled 'Falastin', which is similar to Philistine. There is no 'p' in Arabic. Some Arab Palestinians only say that they are Philistines, knowing that there was war between the Israelites and the Philistines during biblical times.
In reality, the Philistines originally came from Asia Minor or other Greek regions of the Mediterranean Sea, such as Crete, and settled on the coast (Genesis 10:14, 1 Chronicles 1:9-15). The Philistines were not at all Arabs. There are several biblical texts prophesying the destruction of Philistines and their civilization (Jeremiah 47L1-7, Ezekiel 25:15-17 and Joel 3:4-6). Before Christ, the invasion by Egyptians, Assyrians, babylonians, Persians and the Greeks under Alexander effectively decimated the Philistines. later, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Crusaders, Turks and the British occupied the are. The Philistine people, culture, government, language and religion have disappeared.
Prayer Ideas:
- Pray for the Hezbollah leaders: Sheikh Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah, Hassan Nasrallah, Naim Qassem and other lesser leaders, that they may discover the life that is only in Jesus (John 1:9-14, 1 John 1:4). These men need to discover God's plan to really bless the world through Abraham's seed (Galatians 2:13-14 and 26-29).
- There are possibly 7,000-10,000 Hezbollah volunteers and fighters who are ready for armed conflict with Israel. Pray that the light of God would come among them. May they discover the Messiah. Jesus is the only one who can ultimately fulfill their aspirations of a just world ruled by the true God of Abraham (Isaiah 65:17 and 2 Peter 3:13).
- All text from 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World
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