God makes his presence known in the land of Israel – even to this day, and even in the midst of WND's annual Israel tour.
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, who led the recently completed tour, witnessed a remarkable sign while he was in the Holy Land with tour participants.
"Israel is the land where the spiritual and the physical come together, in signs, in miracles, in revelations, and in the incarnation of Messiah Himself," Cahn said. "Even as recent as our tour this November, people were remarking at what they saw.
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"On our last day, we were standing on the roof of the Upper Room where, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples. I was doing a special anointing with oil of the people on the tour while we worshiped, and I prayed for an outpouring from heaven. While I was praying for that outpouring, people began noticing that something striking was taking place over our heads. The heavens were opening up and an outpouring of light was manifesting above us."
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"However one takes it, it was certainly an encouragement to God's people," Cahn concluded.
The rabbi, who has written several books, including "The Book of Mysteries" and "The Harbinger," claimed it wasn't the first time he has encountered a divine sign while leading the WND Israel tour.
One year he was at the Jaffa shore, speaking about St. Peter's vision of a large sheet coming down from heaven, when a large sheet appeared in the sky.
Another time, Cahn was in the wilderness at night, thinking about the fire on Mount Sinai, when lights started appearing on a distant desert mountain. On another occasion, he was in the desert talking about the pillar in the wilderness when a pillar of dust appeared.
It was only last week that dozens of amazed Israel Defense Force soldiers captured another mysterious pillar on video. Israel News Online posted a video of what appeared to be a gigantic pillar of cloud, dust and rain hovering over the border between Israel and Syria in the very same area where ISIS militants had attacked IDF troops for the first time four days earlier.
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The cryptic cloud hung over the Syrian side but ended right at the border, sitting like a barrier between Israel's Golan Heights region and the ISIS-held territory on the other side.
Cahn said the amazing occurrence is consistent with what God has always done.
"In the Scriptures, God repeatedly used such things as a pillar of fire, a cloud by day, to show His presence and power to Israel," Cahn told WND. "He even used such things to protect them from their enemies.
"The story of modern Israel is filled with such stories, miraculous signs and interventions in the midst of her wars, the amazing stories of protection in the face of Iraqi missiles, etc. So it shouldn't be surprising, but it is no less amazing."
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Take the first step on a journey which will transform your life. The keys to spiritual knowledge are presented as you embark on an incredible yearlong quest in "The Book of Mysteries," the latest can’t-miss book by messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn. Makes an incredible gift! Available now at the WND Superstore.
Carl Gallups, a nationally known Baptist pastor and radio host, acknowledged many scoffers and naysayers will discount the most recent event as a weather phenomenon and nothing more.
But the timing and location of the cloud were significant, and it appeared to serve a specific purpose – protecting Israel from its enemies across the border. The pastor, whose most recent book is "When the Lion Roars: Understanding the Implications of Ancient Prophecies for Our Time," said there have been many supernatural interventions on behalf of God’s people throughout history.
"Even in Israel's most recent history, specifically within the last 70 years, there are several books and movies that meticulously catalogue the numerous and astounding 'natural' occurrences that actually served as 'just-on-time and at the right place' kind of events," Gallups told WND. "These were events that literally saved Israel from ultimate and utter destruction. There are simply too many unexplainable happenings that involve providing for Israel's survival necessities to be labeled as mere coincidences. It appears that this particular astounding phenomenon might also be added to that list of 'unexplainables, except for the hand of God.'"
Bill Cloud, the founder of Shoreshim Ministries and author of "Esau Rising: Ancient Adversaries and the War for America's Soul," has no trouble at all believing God would intervene in this way on behalf of Israel.
"Throughout history, He has shown that He protects and defends the seed of Abraham," Cloud told WND. "Furthermore, He demonstrates His power to His people and to their enemies. While I'm sure that the scoffers will say that this was a natural occurrence, I would be willing to bet that the members of ISIS who were attempting to harass the Israelis might have a different opinion.
"That this cloud remained on the Syrian side of the border, rendering ISIS ineffective, is fascinating. That coupled with the fact that 'Isis' was an Egyptian goddess, it's not hard to imagine the Creator intended to provoke a recollection of what He did when he brought Israel out of Egypt.
"I strongly feel that we will see more and more of these so-called 'natural occurrences' as God moves on behalf of His people."
Pastor Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries and author of "God's Day Timer: The Believer's Guide to Divine Appointments," said there is no doubt in his mind the hand of God was at work in the cloud over the border.
"Who knows what the enemies of Israel may have been attempting to do?" Biltz asked. "But the timing and the precision with which the occurrence took place was a definite sign to those who oppose Israel that the land of Israel is under divine protection. Concerning God's oversight of His land, the Bible states in Deuteronomy 11 that it is 'a land which the LORD your God cares for' and that 'the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.'
"May this be a warning to all the nations of the world who oppose Israel's complete sovereignty over their own land and want to divide Israel by supporting a disastrous 'two-state solution.'"
Gallups said the bottom line is the Lord works in mysterious ways, and sometimes those mysterious ways involve natural phenomena.
"For those of us who know the Word of God and have experienced his Hand of protection time and time again in our own life's journey, we understand how the Lord intervenes for His people in these seemingly 'natural' ways," Gallups said. "They are ways which we clearly see as God's ways, yet are designed to be 'missed' by the unbeliever. They will be described by the skeptic as a mere 'act of nature,' when in fact they have just witnessed an act from the Hand of the One who created the natural realm."
Take the first step on a journey that will transform your life. The keys to spiritual knowledge are presented as you embark on a remarkable yearlong quest in "The Book of Mysteries," the latest can't-miss book by messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn. Makes a great gift! Available now at the WND Superstore.