Bella Davidov

Names (Part 1): God Changes Names – Man Changes Names

June 10, 2017 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

God-Elohim has many names. When Moses asked Him what His Name is, so he could tell the people of Israel that this is Who sent him, God replied: “I will be whoever I will be, אהיה ‬‬‬אשר אהיה (future tense). He calls Himself ‫יהוה‬ (Yehova, Was, Is and Is To Be). In the first name the letter ‫ה ‬ (H) appears four times, in the second it appears twice. When God changed Abram’s name ‫אברם ‬ (high father) to ‫ אברהם ‬ AbraHam, He added the letter ה (H) meaning father of many nations. In the same way, He changed Abraham’s wife’s name Sarai to SaraH ‫ה‬.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

There was a reason for both name changes. It was so that they would know that He has a purpose for the two of them as mother and father of the son of promise. However, by the time God gave Abraham the promise that his seed would be as the stars and sand (Gen. 15:5,) and that through him all of the nations of the earth would be blessed, Abraham and his wife Sarah were too old to have children. Sarah gave her Egyptian maid Hagar to her husband Abraham to be the surrogate mother of their future heir, and Ishmael was born. But he was not the Son of the Promise.

Abraham fell on his face and laughed when God told him that Sarah would bear him a child. Abraham said to himself: “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” (Gen. 17:17-18)

God made it clear to Abraham that Isaac, not Ishmael was the Son of the Promise:
Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac (will laugh – in Hebrew). I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you.“

Just as the Lord had said, a year later Sarah gave birth to Isaac. God told Abraham to send Ishmael away (he settled in Paran in Arabia,) that He would make him there a great nation also:
God said to Abraham, “Do not be grievous because of the boy (Ishmael) and because of your slave woman…For from Isaac will your seed be called.” (Gen. 21:12)

So two great nations came out of Abraham; the Arabs from Ishmael (not the Seed of the Promise) and Israel, from Isaac – the Seed of the Promise.
[Read more about the Promise on our Blog]

Where does the name Israel come from?

The name “Israel” comes from the Hebrew words Isra (verb meaning to wrestle) and El (meaning God). Genesis 32:24-30:
“And Jacob remained alone (all night). A man fought with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not prevail, he struck Jacob on the hip and threw it out of joint. The man said, “Let go of me! It’s daylight.” And he said: “I will not let you go until you bless me.” Then the man asked, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel. You have wrestled with God (Elohim) and with men and you have prevailed. Jacob said, “Now tell me your name.” “Why do you ask for my name?” (Don’t you know who I am?) And he blessed him there. And Jacob named the place Peniel (face of God), because he said, “I have seen God face to face, and I am still alive.”

God reaffirmed the change of name, the Blessing, and the Promise, in Gen. 35:9-12:
Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-Aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel and blessed him, saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel. “And God, Elohim said to him, I am El Shaddai, be fruitful and multiply, a big nation and a multitude of nations will come out of you. And kings will come out of your loins. And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and to your seed after you I will give the land.”

Modern archaeology confirms the Biblical account of ‘Israelite’ people in the land of Canaan sometime during the first Iron Age. These people differentiated themselves from the Canaanites by not intermarrying, genealogy, and religion.

In the Bible, Israel is mentioned 2566 times. Only the Name of God is mentioned more times. There are many prophetic scriptures concerning Israel including Isa. 11:12, Isa. 66:8, Ezek. 37:21, Jer. 31:3,10-11, Ezek. 34:28. It is to Israel that God says: “I have loved you with an everlasting love”, and that he is “the apple of His (God’s) eye”.

So Where does the name Israel come from? From the Lord Himself, its the name that God gave to change Jacob’s name, and use for His people and His Promised Land He gave them.

Where does the name Palestine come from?
Read part two in our next newsletter.

President Trump’s visit to Jerusalem

May 22, 2017 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

Family Prayer at the Western Wall (on the Men’s side). Read more about the History of the Western Wall.

In an interview with Israel Hayom Editor-in-Chief, Boaz Bismuth at the White house last week, Trump was asked by Bismuth whether he had a message for the Israeli public ahead of his historic visit. Trump did not hesitate for a second before saying, “I love the people of Israel, I am working very hard to finally have peace for the people of Israel and the Palestinians and hopefully that can come about much sooner than anybody has ever projected. It is a tremendous possibility. It is good for all. This is a deal that is good for all. And I would consider it one of my crowning achievements if I can do it. We have the right people on it, too.”

Trump’s plan is to visit Jerusalem after his visit to Saudi Arabia. His goal is to succeed where Obama has failed; he wants to be the US president that can do the impossible, make a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Former US Presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Obama seriously believed that they would be able to resolve the conflict, if the two sides want it. During their terms, they put quite a lot of effort, and pressure (mainly on Israel) for the two sides to come to the negotiations table and make concessions, painful ones if necessary. None of them was able to achieve the goal and end the conflict. PM Netanyahu was mostly blamed for the failure; everyone knows that the Jews are stiff-necked people. They all agreed that the solution remains: two states for two peoples, living side-by-side in peace, in the 1967 borders with slight amendments.

As Trump became president, there was new hope in Israel; he is going to be different, he will be on our side and not pressure Israel. Trump would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and allow continued building in E. Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. And not object the annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria. But Israel may be in for a surprise in the visit of Trump.

Trump will first visit Saudi Arabia before coming to Israel. Saudi is an important partner in the peace deal and business deal of the billions of dollar arms sales. The Saudis don’t object to having diplomatic relationship with Israel, at Trumps’ request, but not at the Palestinian’s expense, Palestinians come first. The most important issue at this time to Trump is the quest to fight against Islamic State terrorism and Iran’s influence, and win. To accomplish this he needs the coalition of the so-called Muslim moderate Sunni states, headed by Saudi Arabia. Then comes the Peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

On his visit in Saudi Arabia, today, Trump will join 50 heads of Arab and Muslim state from across the Middle East, Africa and Asia who the Saudi king has invited to a summit. King Salman is hoping that the summit will strengthen relations between the two countries and “enhance global security establishing a new partnership in confronting extremism and terrorism.”

The President’s schedule in Jerusalem

On Monday Air Force One, arriving straight from the US president’s visit to Saudi Arabia, will land at 12:15 pm at Ben-Gurion International Airport, where President Trump will be welcomed in a state ceremony by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, and other dignitaries.

President Trump will walk the red carpet and review an honor guard. Then, after the Israeli and American national anthems are played, Trump, Rivlin and Netanyahu will make short speeches.

In an effort to keep the ceremony short, the President will not be shaking hands with dignitaries after the speeches at the airport. The Americans will then board Marine One and fly to Jerusalem, President Trump and First Lady Melania will head straight to the President’s Residence, where they will be welcomed by President Rivlin and his wife Nechama. After the American president signs the guest book, the two leaders will hold a private meeting following which they will make statements to the press.

Rivlin and his wife will then take Trump and the first lady to the garden at the President’s Residence, where an almond tree was planted to mark the visit. A sign near the tree bears a quote in Hebrew, English and Arabic from the Song of Ascents in the Book of Psalms: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and prosperity within your palaces.”

The Western Wall, Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, The Symbol of our Relationship with the US

From the President’s Residence, President Trump will head to the Old City for a private visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. He will then visit the Western Wall, where he will be accompanied by Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch and joined by First Lady Melania and daughter Ivanka. Read more about the History of the Western Wall.

After the visit to the Western Wall, President Trump will head to the King David Hotel, where he will be staying during his visit, while First Lady Melania will join Prime Minister

Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, on a visit to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Karem. They will talk with the medical staff and meet with children in the play area for a joint artistic activity.

At 6pm, President Trump will meet in private with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the King David Hotel, following which their teams will join the meeting.

At 7:15pm, Trump, Netanyahu and their wives will travel to the Prime Minister’s Residence for dinner, which will be cooked by Israeli chef Moshe Segev. Singer Shiri Maimon will perform two songs, one of them being the Frank Sinatra version of “New York, New York.”

During the dinner, Prime Minister Netanyahu is planning on presenting President Trump with a beautiful Bible.

Following the dinner, the two leaders will give statements to the press but will not respond to questions.

On Tuesday, President Trump will arrive in Bethlehem for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

At 1pm, President Trump will hold a short (15-minute) visit at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, where he will lay a wreath, write in the guest book and make a short statement to the press.

President Trump will then head to the Israel Museum, where he will make a speech to conclude his visit. In his speech, the President is expected to present his vision for a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, and express his support to the people of Israel. At 3:40pm, the President will leave Israel for his next destination, Rome.

Israel still believes that President Trump is a true friend. He has made his support for Israel very clear; the UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has condemned the anti-Israel bias that has been going on for so long. On the settlement issue, the President does not insist on stopping all building. Netanyahu is more relaxed with him, and there is an overall feeling in Israel that Trump can restore the relationship between Israel and its main ally, the USA, and the trust that was damaged by the Obama administration.

President Trump will reassure Israel of the strong ties between the US and Israel, and the guarantee for Israel’s security, but he may also use some pressure tactics on Israel to be more flexible toward the Palestinians and even limit building in Judea and Samaria.

On the issue of transferring the American embassy to Jerusalem, the Trump administration is concerned that it will complicate efforts to renew the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Therefore, he will not make any announcements on the issue, though this remains his ultimate goal.

Read more details: An Unsolvable Conflict.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM, ACCORDING TO GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE. PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PM NETANAHU, AND FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ANY ATTACKS ON THE VISIT.

UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

May 15, 2017 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

UNESCO is promoting, among other things; regional and cultural history project, the promotion of cultural diversity, translation of world literature, international cooperation agreements to secure the world cultural and natural heritage. UNESCO is supposed to do all those things and more, but is showing complete ignorance when it comes to Jerusalem.

Last week, on Israel’s Independence Day, the organization has chosen to come up with the resolution on “Occupied Palestine” referred to Israel as the “occupying power” in its capital, indicating that it has no legal or historical ties to any part of the city. The text, approved at UNESCO headquarters, denounced “all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem.”

The resolution was submitted to UNESCO’s Executive Board by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan. Israel’s PM Netanyahu called the text “absurd”, and other Israeli politicians also condemned the UNESCO resolution, while the Palestinians commended it. The good news in Israel is that “the number of countries supporting this absurd vote in UNESCO is getting smaller. A year ago, 32 [countries supporting similar votes], half a year ago it went down to 26, and now it has gone down to 22.”

The UN is called in Israel UM (Umot Meuhadot – oom.) David Ben Gurion said once, when the UN tried to impose its will on his decisions, “oom shmoom.” With or without UNESCO, Jerusalem will not give up ownership on all parts of the city and fight any attempt to cast doubt in the mind of the world.

Israel has, and will always consider Jerusalem as the eternal undivided capital of the Jewish nation. We have returned to our old holy city and no one, person or organization can stop us from rebuilding our rightful home.

Israel’s PM, Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Strategic Affairs and other bodies are investing considerably in the campaign to show the truth to the world. However, there is still a great need for Israel to improve its efforts of educating the international community on the truth and facts about the Jewish connection to Jerusalem. Hopefully more will join the countries who voted against the resolution: the U.K., Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Greece, Germany, The U.S., Paraguay, Ukraine and Togo. Some Italians who were interviewed, said in amazement: “How can you vote against the truth?”

The Word of God is clear about the truth. He is the owner of Jerusalem and can give her to whomever He chooses. He gave the Land of Canaan (now Israel) to Abraham, who was the first Hebrew, as an everlasting possession. Later confirming this inheritance to Abraham’s son Isaac, and to his son Jacob (changing his name to Israel.) The twelve children of Jacob are called the Children of Israel. Moses led the Children of Israel from captivity in Egypt to the Land of Israel, called the Land of Promise, because God has promised it to Israel.

Read more about the History of Jerusalem and connection with Israel, in light of the Bible and history.

Please pray for Israel and the Israeli government, for wisdom and guidance on the subject of Jerusalem. And pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Please pray for the nations to understand the connection of Jerusalem to the Jewish people, according to God’s will and purpose.

O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem

May 10, 2017 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

     Before leaving this earth, Yeshua cried out: “O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37
     “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced;” Zechariah 12:10
     “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” Romans 11:26

The Hope, “Hatikva”

(Israel’s national anthem)
As long as the Jewish soul
is yearning deep inside the heart,
And looks onto the East,
with eyes watching toward Zion,
Then our hope – the two-thousand-year-old hope –
is not lost: To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

God was angry with His people for disobeying Him and turning to other gods. He had to discipline and punish them, temporarily, like a good loving father. He sent them out to exile from their homeland, Israel, to the nations of the world. But promised to bring them back to their land, the Land of Promise He gave to Abraham and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) for an everlasting possession. This promise/prophecy repeats itself throughout the scriptures more than any other prophecy.

As a loving father who has to discipline His children, He always reassures His people of His everlasting love, as He said to Israel: “This is what the Lord says: “ I will come to give rest to Israel… I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness… I will build you up again, and you, virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Jeremiah 31:1,2,3

God has always used the nations to discipline His people Israel, but they overdid it in measure and cruelty, which was not the intention of the Lord, and He is angry with them: “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster.‘” Zech. 1:14-15

Israel becoming a nation again in the Land of Israel

The prophet Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 66:8: “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.”

The rebirth of the State of Israel is truly unique. On one day— May 15,1948, one day after the declaration of Israel’s independence by David Ben Gurion, Israel was voted in the UN as the State of the Jews and became an official functioning nation with its own army, navy, air force (all very small at that time), parliament, police force, medical, education and financial systems, etc. History knows no other nation that has had a similar rebirth after thousands of years of exile. God is faithful to fulfill His promises.

Jerusalem is the most special city in all of history. Many nations and peoples have conquered Jerusalem: Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamelukes, Turks, British, and Jordanians. Jerusalem is also called: The Lord’s City, The Holy City, The Eternal City, Salem, Mount Moriah, Jebus, the City of David. There must be a deeper meaning to this than just physical. It’s a spiritual battle.

What makes Jerusalem so important?

Because God, The God of Israel has declared that Jerusalem shall be His Throne (Zechariah 8:3). He said that He will reign in Jerusalem forever. For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. Psalm 132:13-14

There are more scriptures where God is talking about Zion/Jerusalem as His chosen place to dwell and reign from. “Jerusalem” is mentioned in the Bible more then 800 times. “Zion,” which is another name for “Jerusalem,” is mentioned 152 times.

Although most of the nation was in exiled from their land, the Jews did not forget Jerusalem or the Temple Mount. Their daily prayer was for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. The traditional Jewish prayer book contains the following passage:

“Because of our sins we were exiled from our country and banished from our land. We cannot go up as pilgrims to worship Thee, to perform our duties in Thy chosen house, the great and Holy Temple which was called by Thy name, on account of the hand that was let loose on Thy sanctuary. May it be Thy will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, merciful King, in Thy abundant love again to have mercy on us and on Thy sanctuary; rebuild it speedily and magnify its glory.”

“Jerusalem,” wrote historian Martin Gilbert, “is not a ‘mere’ city. It holds the central spiritual and physical place in the history of the Jews as a people.”

For more than 3,000 years, the Jewish people have looked to Jerusalem as their spiritual, political, and historical capital, even when they did not physically rule over the city. Throughout its long history, Jerusalem has served, and still serves, as the political capital of only one nation – the one belonging to the Jews.

Jerusalem, in Hebrew Yerushalaim, meaning – Yeru (they will see) Shalem, or Salem – (peace, wholeness) The city was originally a Jebusite city called Salem. The King of Salem, who was a priest of God Most High had a Hebrew name, Melchizedek – Melch (king) Tzedek (righteousness). (Genesis 14:18)

Abraham came to Salem (now Jerusalem), to the Valley of Shaveh, just south of present-day Jerusalem. “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High….” (14:17-18) Abraham received a blessing from him there.

A few years later, God tested Abraham’s faith and told him to take his only son Isaac to be offered up to Him. Abraham had other sons from his foreign concubines, but as far as God was concerned, Isaac was his only son – the son of promise: “Through Isaac shall your seed be named,” (Gen. 21:12.) Also, Isaac, was a direct ancestor of the Messiah Yeshua. God told Abraham exactly where to go, up to Mount Moriah, known today as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (very near the place where Yeshua would be crucified.) After he passed the test successfully, Abraham called the place, Yehwa Yeraeh – the Lord will be seen, (Genesis 22:14.)

Jerusalem, is the place where the Lord, the Prince of Peace will be seen. And in the end-time, when Yeshua establishes His kingdom and will rule and reign from Jerusalem, He will bring peace to mankind and the world, as it is written in Isaiah 2:

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
“Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.
“For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.”

Read more details: History of Jerusalem.