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Chapter 5: Jesus the “Voice of Hope” said, “I AM the
Gate”: George Otis, whose Hope was in Jesus Christ, was Willing to Endure whatever
Suffering may come (Luke 9:23) and Picked up his Cross and Folllowed in the
Footsteps of Christ who IS the Voice of Hope and who said, “I AM the
Gate.” Like Christ, George Otis left the Borders of
Israel in the Upper Galilee and Crossed through the “Fatima Gate” at the
“Good Fence Border Crossing,” which was much more than a Secular Gate to
George Otis, and crossed over into the Borders of Lebanon even as the War was
Waging on both sides of the Border! Jesus said, “I AM the Gate” John
10:6-10 6 Those
who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what He meant, 7 so He explained it to them: “I tell you
the truth, I am the gate for the
sheep. 8 All who came before Me
were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I
am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will
find good pastures. 10 The
thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them
a rich and satisfying life. NLT Jesus
Christ who IS the Voice of Hope said “I AM the Gate”: The Fatima Gate was much more
than a Secular Gate. It wasn’t just
happenstance that George Otis hung a Banner at the “Fatima Gate” at the “Good
Fence Crossing,” the official Border Crossing between Israel and Lebanon that
read “The Voice of Hope” in honor of Jesus Christ, because it was more than
just a “Secular” Gate: for Jesus said “I AM the Gate.” The “Good Gate” where George Otis hung the Banner that read “The
Voice of Hope” was more than just a Secular Gate at the Border that he, Major
Haddad, the IDF and SLA passed through – or when I stood in the same
geographical area on October 6, 2023 and lifted up my Testimony unto the Lord
into the spiritual realm. The Lord gave Strength to George Otis and
Major Haddad to Turn the Battle at the Gate of the Enemy
away from the Gate: The Fatima Gate/Good Fence Border Crossing that
the Lebanese and the IDF passed through on a daily basis was more than just a
Border Gate that Israel shared with Lebanon – it was a Spiritual Gate and
Crossing. For George Otis and Major
Haddad the Fatima Gate was the Gate of the Enemy where the Lord turned the
battle to the gate then away from the gate.
Isaiah 28:5-6 Isaiah
28:5-6 5 In
that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of
beauty, unto the residue of His people, 6 And
for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to
them that turn the battle to the gate. KJV Isaiah 28:5-6 5 In that day the LORD of hosts will be a
crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people, 6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in
judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. ESV George Otis and Major Haddad are two of the men that Isaiah 28:6
tells us that the Lord will give strength to turn back the Battle at the
“Fatima/Good Gate – Isaiah 28:6. Even though war was raging on both sides of the Border Fence,
George Otis was willing to endure whatever suffering may come and picked up
his Cross and followed in the Footsteps of
Christ (Luke 9:23). Like Christ,
George Otis left the Borders of Israel in the Upper Galilee that extends from
northern Israel into southern Lebanon and crossing through the Good Gate went
into the Borders of Tyre and Sidon, modern-day Lebanon – hence the “Galilee
of the Gentiles.” (Luke 9:23; Isaiah
9:1-2; Mark 7:24-30) Luke 9:23 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me
[as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and
take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may
come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and,
if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. Amplified Bible Anyone who knew George Otis or has read
about him knows that he was one of those who Jesus spoke of in Luke
9:23. When George Otis crossed over into the Borders of
South Lebanon, he was not just passing through the “Fatima Gate” at the “Good
Fence” border crossing into south Lebanon – even though war was raging –
George Otis was willing to endure whatever suffering may come his way and
“Picking up his Cross, followed in the Footsteps of Christ” who had already
crossed over the Border into Tyre and Sidon over two thousand years earlier. The Borders of Tyre and Sidon, Lebanon, then
and now: Scripture reveals that the past is prologue to the
future and that history merely repeats itself. (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10). And so it was with George Otis when he
crossed over from Israel into the Borders of Lebanon.
Jesus Christ IS the Voice of Hope: Two thousand years before George
Otis crossed over from Israel’s northern border via the “Good Gate” into
south Lebanon to build a radio station to broadcast the “Voice of Hope” that
carried the good news of the Gospel to the people of Lebanon, Christ Jesus,
who IS the “Voice of Hope,” had gone to the border of Lebanon and crossed
over into South Lebanon with His glorious “Voice of Hope.” (Matthew 15:21-28
and Mark 7:24-30) And,
George Otis’ “Voice of Hope” ministry, in addition to their spiritual hope
and needs, provided much needed food, clothes, and other supplies to the
Lebanese people. James 2:14-18 14
What good is it, dear brothers
and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can
that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or
sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and
have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person
any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith
by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and
useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others
have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t
have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” NLT George Otis was a man of faith who showed it by his actions –
both he and his ministry were known by their good deeds. He ministered to their physical needs as
well as their spiritual needs. When
George Otis crossed over into the Borders of South Lebanon, he was not just
passing through the “Fatima Gate” at the “Good Fence Border Crossing” into
south Lebanon – George Otis was “Picking up his Cross and following in the
Footsteps of Christ” who had already crossed over the Border into Tyre and
Sidon over two thousand years earlier. Mark
7:24-30 24 And from thence He arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an
house, and would have no man know it: but He could not be hid. 25
For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit,
heard of Him, and came and fell at His feet: 26 The woman was a
Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought Him that He would cast
forth the devil out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said unto her,
Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's
bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered
and said unto Him, Yes, Lord: yet
the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. 29 And He
said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy
daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the
devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. KJV Biblical Tyre and Sidon were part of the
Promised Land: According to Judges 3:1-6, God used the Lebanon
Conflict to Prove and Teach the younger generation of Israelites how to fight
because God knew that Israel's enemies would always be at war with them. Biblical
Tyre and Sidon were part of the Promised Land God gave to Israel in the Upper
Galilee. Even though Tyre and Sidon
are within the borders of present-day Lebanon, they are still part of
Israel’s Inheritance. (Joshua
19:24-31) Too often the International community as
well as some Believers, for a variety of reasons tend to think of the borders
of modern-day Israel as the only portion of land that was promised to Israel
and disregard the fact that there is still land outside of modern-day Israel
that belongs to the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people. We know from Deuteronomy 1:7; Deuteronomy 3:25; Deuteronomy 11:24; Joshua 1:4;
Joshua 9:1-2; Joshua 11:16-17; Joshua 12:7; Joshua 13:1-7; Judges 3:1
and Zechariah 10:10 that Biblical
Tyre and Sidon were part of the Land God Promised to Israel. Without a doubt, we know from Scripture
that the towns of Tyre and Sidon located in present-day Lebanon were towns
that were allotted to the Tribe of Asher.
(Joshua 19:24-30) Regardless of what the International
community thinks, God’s Word is as relevant today as it was when Scripture
was written. More to the point,
regardless of what the International community believes or what resolutions
the UN may adopt regarding the nation of Israel, in the End Times God will
restore the Promised Land in it’s entirely to the nation of Israel. Zechariah 10:10 speaks of the entirety of
the Promised Land. Zechariah 10:10 10 “I will bring them (all Israel) back home again
from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria, And I will bring them
into the land of Gilead and Lebanon [the land on the east and on the west of
the Jordan] Until no room can be found for them. Amplified
Bible God's
Glorious Restoration of the Nation of Israel in its Entirety: All the Land of Promise in its entirety is
theirs, even Gilead, the utmost border eastward “Beyond the Jordan,” and
Lebanon, the utmost border northward to Mount Hor (north of Sidon) in
Lebanon. Zechariah 10:10 speaks of the
time when God will restore all the land He promised Israel and once again the
Jewish people will live in the land of Gilead “Beyond the Jordan” and within
the borders of Tyre and Sidon as their own land. In other words, when Christ left the
borders of Israel and went into the Borders of Tyre and Sidon or when He went
east “Beyond the Jordan” where He was baptized by John the Baptist, He never
left the borders of the Promised Land.
That Christ never left the borders of the Promised
Land is an important point because of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-2). Isaiah revealed that the geographical areas
that Christ’s life and ministry were tied to was within the boundaries of the
Promised Land in its entirety including “Beyond the Jordan” (Gilead) and the
“Galilee of the Gentiles” (that extended well into Lebanon). When Isaiah mentioned “Beyond the Jordan,”
we know that it was a reference to the Transjordan Tribes of Gad, Reuben and
the half-tribe of Manasseh who settled to the east of the Jordan in
Gilead. And, when Isaiah spoke of the
“Galilee of the Gentiles,” he was speaking of Lebanon that shares a border
with northern Israel in Upper Galilee. Back
to the Tribe of Asher and the towns of Tyre and Sidon: The towns of Tyre and Sidon, the
most important cities of Phoenicia (the Phoenicians were known by the Greeks
as Canaanites), lie on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the “Galilee of
the Gentiles” by the “Way of the Sea” (Isaiah 9:1-2) and are now part of
present-day Lebanon. However, these
cities were allotted to the Tribe of Asher.
(Joshua 19:24-30) Joshua
19:24-31 24 The fifth allotment of land went to the clans
of the tribe of Asher. 25 Its boundaries included these towns:
Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal.
The boundary on the west touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath, 27 then
it turned east toward Beth-dagon, and ran as far as Zebulun in the valley of
Iphtah-el, going north to Beth-emek and Neiel. It then continued north to
Cabul, 28 Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, and as far as Greater Sidon. 29 Then the
boundary turned toward Ramah and the fortified city of Tyre, where it turned toward Hosah and came to the Mediterranean
Sea. The territory also included Mehebel, Aczib, 30 Ummah, Aphek,
and Rehob—twenty-two towns with their surrounding villages. 31 The
homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Asher included these towns
and their surrounding villages. NLT Unfortunately, the Tribe of Asher failed to drive
the Canaanites who controlled the land out of their allotted territory –
instead, the people of the Tribe of Asher moved in and lived alongside the
Canaanites and over time began to intermarry and bow down to their pagan
gods. As such, this part of the Upper Galilee became known as the “Galilee
of the Gentiles” by Way of the Sea. (Matthew 4:15, Isaiah
9:1-2) Judges
1:31-32 31 The tribe of Asher failed to drive out the
residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab,
Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. 32 Instead, the people of Asher
moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land, for they failed to
drive them out. NLT Did
God use the Lebanon Conflict to Teach the Younger Generation of Israelites
how to Fight?
We know from Judges 3:1-6 that the Lord used the enemy, including the
Sidonians (verse 3), that the Israelites were not able to drive out of their allotted
lands to test the Israelites whether or not they would follow Him and to
teach the younger generations who had no experience in battle the art of
warfare. Judges
3:1-6 1 These
are the nations that the LORD left in the land to test those Israelites who
had not experienced the wars of Canaan. 2 He did this to teach warfare
to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. 3 These
are the nations: the Philistines (those living under the five Philistine
rulers), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians,
and the Hivites living in the
mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath. 4 These people were left to test the
Israelites—to see whether they would obey the commands the LORD had given to
their ancestors through Moses. 5
So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites,
Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, 6 and they intermarried with
them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were
given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods. NLT And, that begs the question: Did God use
the “Lebanon Conflict” (Sidonian Conflict) and the attacks of both the PLO
and Hezbollah from within the borders of Lebanon to teach the younger
generation of Israelites about war?
Interestingly, so many of the IDF who fought in the “Lebanon Conflict”
were just that – very young men. The
Beaufort Castle: a PLO Stronghold that God Silenced The
Younger Generation was Indeed Learning how to Successfully Win at War: In the early stages of Israel’s conflict
with the PLO, it seemed that the Beaufort Castle, a symbol of the PLO’s power
over the Galilee, was an insurmountable stronghold that the IDF would never
be able to overthrow, no matter what their strategy was. That is, until June 6, 1982 when the IDF
finally brought down the PLO’s hold on the Beaufort Castle. For Israel, the ancient Beaufort Castle
that overlooked south Lebanon and northern Israel, specifically the Jewish
town of Metulla and George Otis’ “Voice of Hope” radio station, was a PLO
stronghold. And, because of the
proximity of the Beaufort Castle, northern Israel was constantly in danger of
the PLO’s artillery barrages that they unleashed on northern Israel. From the fortified Beaufort Castle the PLO
soldiers were free to terrorize southern Lebanon and the Galilee with their
long range artillery fire anytime they pleased. Beaufort Castle overlooked George Otis’ radio station, the
“Voice of Hope,” which was located only three-plus miles below the Beaufort
Castle. As such, the “Voice of Hope”
radio station was constantly under the threat of the PLO’s never ending
long-range artillery fire directed at them from the Beaufort Castle. Beaufort Castle had become a major obstacle while
building the radio station that Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the PLO, referred
to as the “Voice of Doom,” as he was determined to destroy the radio station
before it was even completed.
The following is an excerpt from George Otis’ book, Voice of Hope,
where he quotes from a newspaper article written by the PLO – it reads as
follows: “This
man Otis is naming his station ‘The Voice of Hope,” but he should call it
‘The Voice of Doom’ because within three days we will blow it into oblivion!”
The
Beaufort Castle was “Doomed” – not the “Voice of Hope”: Why imagine such a vain thing! By human standards the PLO was positioned
to where the PLO could carry out their threats and literally blow the radio
station into oblivion – and they tried – however, that wasn’t according to
God’s Will. On June 6, 1982 the
Beaufort Castle was captured by the IDF and many of the PLO soldiers were
killed. It was the PLO’s stronghold
that came down – not the radio station. The voice of the PLO was silenced. On the other hand, to this day the “Voice
of Hope” continues to be heard on every continent around the world. George
Otis Prophesied that God would Silence the Beaufort Castle: After much prayer, and only three weeks
before the IDF captured the Beaufort Castle, George Otis prophesied that God
was going to silence the voice of the enemy that rang out from the Beaufort
Castle. And to the glory of the Lord,
it came to pass on June 6, 1982 in front of their very eyes as they watched
from the road below. Psalm 55:1-3 1 Give ear to my prayer, O
God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. 2 Attend to
me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me. NKJV God may not have removed the Beaufort
Castle itself from the face of the earth; however, God silenced the noisome
threats of the PLO. The PLO was no longer a threat in either southern Lebanon
or northern Israel. The flag of both
Israel and Lebanon were raised over Beaufort Castle in June of 1982. With the Beaufort Castle in the hands of
the Israelis, the threat of the PLO was removed. The
IDF Expelled the PLO from Tyre and Sidon:
In 1982 the IDF also expelled the PLO from their stronghold in Tyre
and Sidon as well as Beirut. However, it
was the void left by the PLO that Hezbollah was able to utilize and make
their presence in Lebanon known and felt!
The Spiritual Connections of Tyre and Sidon
with Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee, the Syrophoenician Woman,
George Otis, Elijah and the Sidonian Widow, and Major Haddad of the SLA Isaiah’s
Prophecy – By the Way of the Sea: The
Beaufort Castle was on the Trade Route by the “Way of the Sea” – located on
the Sidon-Damascus Caravan route. The
importance of this route is that this was part of a larger land route called
by the “Way of the Sea” (also known as the Via Maris) – again Isaiah
9:1-2. As a reminder, 700 years before Christ
was born, the Prophet Isaiah prophesied that Christ’s ministry was tied to
the northern regions of Israel by the “Way of the Sea” in the “Galilee of the
Gentiles.” (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-17)
Judges 3:1-6 explains why the Upper Galilee was
known as the “Galilee of the Gentiles.” Even though the land in the Upper Galilee
was allotted to the Tribes of Israel, instead of driving out the Canaanites
and the Sidonians, they lived alongside them – even intermarrying and bowing down
to their gods –becoming one with the Gentile inhabitants they had failed to
drive out, hence the “Galilee of the Gentiles.” The Canaanites, who were often referred to as the
Sidonians and vice versa, dominated the Mediterranean Sea Coast, hence, “By Way
of the Sea” that the prophet Isaiah referred to – again,
Isaiah 9:1-2. We know from Scripture that God specifically
mentioned Tyre and Sidon as part of the Promised Land. So, when Christ Jesus left the boundaries
of Israel and set foot in Tyre and Sidon we need to keep in mind that He was
still within the boundaries of the Promised Land, as the Upper Galilee
extended from northern Israel into south Lebanon. Christ’s Life and Ministry was
tied to the Geographical regions of the Galilee: The following Scriptures are important
in determining the geographical boundaries of the Promised Land that extend
into Tyre and Sidon in the Upper Galilee of northern Israel. Given that the Prophet Isaiah prophesied
that the geographical boundaries of Christ’s life and ministry would forever
bind Christ’s life and ministry to the Galilee, then it’s of the utmost
importance that we examine other historical and spiritual aspects of Tyre and
Sidon as they relate to Isaiah’s Prophecy as foretold in Isaiah 9:1-2 as well
as the following Scriptures. Scripture
Interprets Scripture:
Again, we know from Deuteronomy
1:7; Deuteronomy 3:25; Deuteronomy 11:24; Joshua 1:3-4; Joshua 9:1-2; Joshua
11:16-17; Joshua 12:7; Joshua 13:1-7; Judges 3:1 and Zechariah 10:10 that Biblical Tyre
and Sidon were part of the Land God Promised to Israel. And, we need to keep these Scriptures in
mind when we read Isaiah’s Prophecy in Isaiah 9:1-2 that ties Christ’s life
and ministry to the “Galilee of the Gentiles” that the “Galilee of the
Gentiles” extends from northern Israel into southern Lebanon. The Syrophoenician Woman Laid
Claim to the Promises of Israel:
As previously explained in detail
above, Scripture leaves no doubt
that Tyre and Sidon are included in the geographical boundaries of the
Promised Land. History as well as
Scripture leaves no doubt of the profound spiritual role that Tyre and Sidon
played in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ before and after His death,
which brings me to the Syrophoenician woman who laid claim to the Promises of
Israel. One
historical and spiritual aspect of Tyre and Sidon that will forever bind
Tyre and Sidon to the Promised Land, as well as the Church, is Christ’s
ministry to the Syrophoenician woman.
When Christ went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and personally
ministered to the people in Tyre and Sidon in the Galilee of the Gentiles,
the Syrophoenician woman, who begged Christ to deliver her daughter from the
demonic, laid claim to the promises of Israel when she addressed Jesus as
Lord. (Mark 7:24-30) Even before Christ crossed over from
Israel into Tyre and Sidon, people from Tyre and Sidon, having heard of all
the great things Christ did, travelled from Lebanon and crossed over into
Israel to witness the miracles of Christ firsthand. Surely the many who needed healing and to
be set free from the demonic hoped that Christ would do great things for them
as well. Mark
3:7-8 7 Jesus went out to the lake with
His disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over
Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan
River, and even from as far north as
Tyre and Sidon. The news about His miracles had spread far and wide, and
vast numbers of people came to see Him. NLT One can only imagine how delighted the people were when Christ
travelled to Tyre and Sidon – they had heard of Christ, now He had come to
them. The interaction between Christ
and the Syrophoenician mother whose daughter had an unclean spirit was
profound. Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30 reveal
Lebanon's unmistakable and profound role in the history of salvation. Having just confronted the Pharisees for
honoring God with their lips but whose hearts were far from Him, Christ
crossed over into Tyre and Sidon along Lebanon’s coast where He ministered to
a Gentile woman who acknowledged that He was the Jewish Messiah. And, as the Jewish Messiah, Christ set her
daughter free from a demonic spirit and made her daughter whole because of
the great faith of this Canaanite woman. While Christ did not step foot on every
part of the Promised Land inside the boundaries of Israel, Christ did cross
over the geographical boundary of Israel into the northern limits of the
Promised Land and set foot on Tyre and Sidon.
And, Christ never did anything by happenstance. Part of Tyre and Sidon’s “spiritual DNA” is
that Christ Himself went to Tyre and Sidon to personally demonstrate the
power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this Gentile nation. Elijah, the Galilean Prophet, and
the Sidonian Woman: And, so it was with Elijah, the Galilean Prophet,
who came from Gilead located “Beyond the Jordan” when God sent him to stay
with a Sidonian widow. While there the
Sidonian widow witnessed the power of God when miraculously her flour and oil
never ran out during the drought, and when Elijah raised her son from the
dead. George
Otis went into the Borders of Tyre and Sidon: And, so it was with George Otis who God
sent to the Galilee and into the Borders of Tyre and Sidon. 1 Kings 17:1 1And Elijah the
Tishbite, who was one of the
inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth
before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years but
according to my word. KJV God sent
Elijah, a Tishbite who came from a town in Gilead located “Beyond the Jordan”
that the Prophet Isaiah spoke of, to the poor Widow’s house in Sidon, a
Galilean City, located by the “Way of the Sea,” where he found her at the
“Gate of the City.” The
Gate indicates that both this town and the widow woman were of the utmost
significance in Elijah’s life, as well as the widow’s life who came to
acknowledge the God of Israel. The
interaction between Christ and the Syrophoenician woman, whose daughter Christ
delivered from the demonic, is part of the story of Salvation to the
Gentiles, Likewise, the Prophet Elijah’s interaction with the Sidonian Widow,
whose son Elijah raised from the dead, is one more example of how Tyre and
Sidon will be forever tied to the story of Salvation to the Gentiles. Both of these Gentile women living within
the borders of Tyre and Sidon acknowledged the Power and Supremacy of the God
of Israel and His Son, Christ Jesus. I want to add that the similarities
between the lives of Elijah and Christ go way beyond that of Tyre and Sidon
and are profound. See the Table of
Contents for the chapter where I bring to light how Elijah’s life, like that
of Christ’s, was tied to the geographical areas of the Galilee, by the “Way
of the Sea,” the land “Beyond the Jordan,” and the “Galilee of the Gentiles”
that the Prophet Isaiah foretold 700 years before the birth of Christ. Christ
Reminds the Israelites of the time when God sent the Prophet Elijah to the
Widow’s House in Sidon: However,
at this point I want to focus on the Sabbath when Christ went to the
Synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61 that the Spirit
of the Lord was upon Him and that the words of Isaiah 61:1-2 were being
fulfilled in their hearing. Knowing that
those in attendance, brethren from His own hometown, were astounded at His
claims and took offence – Christ reminded them of Elijah who had also been
rejected by his brethren. And, because
Elijah was rejected by his own brethren, rather than being sent to the needy
widows of Israel, God sent him to Sidon where God demonstrated His power to
the needy Sidonian widow who hid Elijah from King Ahab and Jezebel and took
care of Elijah in the latter part of the three-and-a-half-year drought in
Israel. Because the Sidonian widow
accepted Elijah as a man of the Lord, the Lord blessed her, just as Elijah
told her. Throughout the drought she
never ran out of flour or olive oil.
Then, to the glory of God, Elijah raised her son from the dead. (1 Kings 17:8-24) When
speaking to the people in the synagogue, it was fitting that Jesus reminded
them of Elijah’s ministry to the Sidonian widow of Zarephath who like
Himself, when rejected by his own brethren, went into the Gentile borders of
Tyre and Sidon where He delivered the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman
from the demonic and ministered to the needs of others in the area. (Luke
4:25-26) Luke 4:25-29 25 But
in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of
Elijah, when the sky was closed up for three years and six months, when a
great famine came over all the land; 26 and yet Elijah was
not sent [by the Lord] to a single one of them, but only to Zarephath in
the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And
there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and not
one of them was cleansed [by being healed] except Naaman the Syrian.” 28
As they heard these things [about God’s grace to these two
Gentiles], the people in the synagogue were filled with a great rage; 29
and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the
crest of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to hurl Him
down the cliff. Amplified Bible Jesus
draws their attention to the fact that when both He and Elijah were rejected
in their own nation of Israel that they both left the borders of Israel and
took the Good News of God’s mercy and kindness to the foreigners in Tyre and
Sidon where they were both welcomed.
It was here in Tyre and Sidon that both Elijah and Jesus shared the
Good News of God’s saving grace with the poor; the oppressed were set free,
the brokenhearted were healed – the time of the Lord’s favor had come. (Luke 4:25-29) Christ
reminded His Jewish brethren that God’s mercies in past times like that of
Elijah were not confined to Israel.
That Christ would even suggest that God sent their great prophet
Elijah, who they still wait for to this day (Malachi 4:5-6), to a despised Phoenician
widow woman in Sidon enraged them.
Even to this day, the Jewish people place a glass of wine on their
Passover table, open their front door, and invite Elijah to enter. They believe the coming of Elijah heralds
the coming of the Messiah. So one can
only imagine their rage at Christ’s suggestion that the gentiles would share
in their blessings. Christ
points out that God did not send Elijah to any of the widows living in
Israel, but to the widow living in Sidon. They were
so filled with indignation that Jesus indicated that God would include the
Sidonians in the promises of Israel that they dragged Christ from the
Synagogue and were determined to kill Jesus had He not escaped. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, traveled
through Tyre and Sidon currently part of south Lebanon and the soil on which
Jesus walked while in Lebanon is "Holy Ground.” So, we should not be surprised that the
Lord placed it on George Otis’ heart to put the roots of his radio station
the “Voice of Hope” down in south Lebanon on the holy ground that Christ
Himself, who IS the Voice of Hope, walked on.
The roots of the “Voice of Hope” planted on Lebanese soil now
broadcast the Gospel of Jesus Christ on every continent in the world. History Merely Repeats Itself: We know
from Ecclesiastes 1:9 that history merely repeats itself – that there is
nothing new under the sun. And, when
Jesus crossed over into Tyre and Sidon, He was setting foot on Holy Ground –
ground already taken by Joshua – land that marks the northern boundary of the
Promised Land. Joshua
1:1-5 1 After the death of Moses the
LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He
said, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come
for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into
the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses:
‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on
land I have given you— 4 from the Negev wilderness in
the south to the Lebanon mountains in
the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea
in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ 5 No one
will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you
as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. NLT And, so it was with George Otis. Every time George Otis left the northern
boundary of Israel and crossed over into the borders of south Lebanon to
broadcast his radio program “Voice of Hope,” George was still within the
boundaries of the Promise Land – he was still on Holy Ground. Every time George Otis crossed over into
Lebanon to broadcast the “Voice of Hope” he was simply picking up his Cross
and following in the Footsteps of Christ,” who over two thousand years ago
crossed over into the borders of south Lebanon with His “Voice of Hope,” the
glorious message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus acknowledged the faith of the
Syrophoenician woman from Tyre and Sidon who acknowledged that He was the Son
of David – the Jewish Messiah (Matthew 15:21-22) by healing her daughter. By faith, this Syrophoenician mother laid
claim to the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She readily acknowledged that Christ was
the Son of David – the Messiah of the Jews and was Lord of her life. And, Jesus healed her daughter because of
her faith that He could heal her daughter.
Major
Haddad and the SLA, like the Syrophoenician woman, they too laid claim to the
promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob:
Isn’t this the same faith that we saw in Major Haddad and his
Christian Militia – they too laid claim to the promises made to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. Surely, Major Haddad
and his Christian Militia were the spiritual offspring of this Syrophoenician
woman. And, history bears witness that
Major Haddad had the same faith that she did – Major Haddad and the south
Lebanese Christians acknowledged that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and that He
was their Lord as well. Israel
meant so much to Major Haddad and His Christian Militia: Read the words of Francis Rezik, Major Haddad’s spokesman, as he
explained why Major Haddad and his troops were truly loved by Israel and why
Israel meant so much to Major Haddad and His Christian Militia. Pause and meditate on his words as you read
them: “Israel is our double
savior. First, she gave us the Messiah who saved us spiritually. Then she
saved us from physical destruction. The roots of our Christianity are with
the Jews. Why should we not be Israel’s ally?” The words of Francis Rezik are a Living
Testament to the spiritual truths of Ephesians 2:14-18, that Christ's death
on the Cross broke down the dividing walls of hostility between the Jews and
the Church making them one body. Gentiles
are now fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise
in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Like Major Haddad and his Christian
Militia, the Spirit-led Christian will always be Israel’s most faithful ally! Pause and think about the reality of
Matthew 15:21-22 and Mark 7:24-30 and how that relates to George Otis and the
“Voice of Hope.” Over two thousand
years ago Jesus Christ crossed over the border into south Lebanon with His
glorious message of hope – the same south Lebanon where George Otis built his
radio station to broadcast the glorious hope of Jesus Christ from. And
History bears Witness that to this day that Christ still has a Faithful
Remnant in Lebanon It was not just happenstance, but
according to God’s Will, that Jesus left the northern boundary of Israel and
crossed over into south Lebanon over two thousand years ago. South Lebanon will forever be known as land
allotted to the Tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:24-31) and as a geographical area
that Christ chose to travel to and show mercy to the Gentiles, just as God
used Elijah to show His mercy and power to the Widow living in Sidon. Even though Christ had made it known that
He came for the Jewish people, He purposely crossed over into south Lebanon
where he found the unsurpassed faith of a Canaanite woman who would not take
no for an answer because she knew that Christ was her Jewish Lord as well as
the Messiah of the Jewish people. And, it was not just happenstance that a
Lebanese mother came to the border of Israel seeking help for her child
during the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
I can’t help wondering if she was one of the Christians living in
south Lebanon and was either the spiritual
offspring of the Syrophoenician woman who fell at the feet of Christ over two
thousand years ago and worshipped Him as Lord, or a descendant of the
Phoenician Widow who Elijah stayed with while in hiding from King Ahab and
Queen Jezebel who told Elijah, “Now I
know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is
truth” after God used Elijah to raise her son from the dead.” (1Kings17:24) While reading the account of the
Syrophoenician mother it’s hard not to think of the mother from south Lebanon
who went to the “Good Fence” at the border between northern Israel and south
Lebanon begging the Israeli soldier for help for her sick child. It’s hard not to read the account in
Matthew 15 and Mark 7 without seeing all the similarities between the
Syrophoenician woman of old and the Lebanese woman who came to the Good Fence
at the border of Israel. Like the
Canaanite woman that fell at the feet of Jesus begging him to heal her
daughter, so did the Lebanese woman who came to the Good Fence at the border
and beg the young Israeli soldier to help her child. No doubt, Lebanon has a special place in
the heart of Christ. And, wasn’t His
Father’s house constructed out of Cedar from Lebanon? That too was not just happenstance – it was
prophetic. Again,
too often we tend to think of modern-day Israel as the only portion of land
that was promised to Israel and we forget that there is still land outside of
modern-day Israel that still belongs to the Jewish people. We need to be mindful that Scripture
teaches us that God specifically mentioned Tyre and Sidon as part of the
Promised Land. Christ’s Faithful Remnant in Lebanon – Lebanon’s Profound Role in the History of
Salvation:
Just as Elijah crossed over into Sidon, Christ Jesus also went to the
border of south Lebanon and crossed over into Tyre and Sidon, modern-day
cities in south Lebanon. And, I
believe that is why there is still a faithful remnant in south Lebanon – a
remnant that was and is still faced with many trials and tribulations in a
country where they were killed because of their witness unto Jesus Christ
when the PLO had set up a stronghold in south Lebanon during the
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. I
believe Major Haddad, his Christian Militia, and those Christians living in
south Lebanon today are all the spiritual offspring of the Syrophoenician (Canaanite)
woman from south Lebanon whose faith was great and whose daughter Jesus
healed and the Sidonian Widow who told Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man
of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth” after
God used Elijah to demonstrate His power and goodness by raising her son from
the dead.” 1 Kings17:24.” Without a
doubt, the death of her son was for the glory of God! Pause,
and consider that the Lord could have sent Elijah to one of the many widows
living in Israel, yet God chose to send Elijah to the home of a Gentile woman
living in Sidon. Surely those of us
who are not of Jewish descent must realize the great love that both God the
Father and His Son Jesus Christ has for the Gentiles! Zechariah
10:10 reveals that in the end times the Lord will resettle the Jewish people
in Gilead and in south Lebanon on the other side of Israel’s northern border. Zechariah 10:10 10
I will bring them back from Egypt
and gather them from Assyria. I will resettle them in Gilead and Lebanon
until there is no more room for them all.
NLT The Amplified Bible
reads: I will bring them (all Israel)
back home again from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria, And I
will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon [the land on the east and
on the west of the Jordan] Until no room can be found for them. The
Prophet Zechariah describes the whole of the Promised Land by two of its
boundaries on either side of the Jordan: Gilead and Lebanon. In the End Times, the Lord will bring the
Jews back to their ancient dwellings, east and west of Jordan – they shall be
restored to the possession of their own land.
All the land of promise is theirs, even Gilead, the utmost border of
it eastward, and Lebanon, the utmost border northward. Needless to say, Israel’s roots go far beyond those of a country
whose present-day borders were defined as a result of the arbitrary dividing
up of the old Ottoman Empire by England and France after World War I. Because England and France redrew God’s
preordained boundaries, their actions are at the heart of the ongoing
Palestinian Israeli Conflicts in which many, many lives have been lost. In the end times the
spiritual boundaries as well as the geographical boundaries will, without a
doubt, be reestablished by the Lord.
There will be no question as to where the geographical boundaries are
between Lebanon and Israel. The Lord
may well use the United Nations to establish the geographical boundary, but
it will be because their hearts are in the hands of the Lord, and they will
draw the geographical boundary as the Lord leads them, whether they
understand that or not. The
Relationship between George Otis and Major Haddad: Knowing the Biblical significance of the
relationship between both sides of Israel’s northern border helps us to
understand why the relationship between George Otis and Major Haddad was so
profound. Their relationship with one
another and their own personal walks with the Lord have an eternal outworking
that have produced much fruit for the Kingdom of God. George Otis and Major Haddad were a Type of
Joseph who, like Joseph, had the Voice of Hope for
the Jewish People: Just as God put Joseph in the position he was in,
God brought both George Otis and Major Haddad to the Positions they were in
for His Higher Purposes. And, history
bears witness that few men were their equals. Genesis 50:20 20
You intended to harm me, but God
intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the
lives of many people. NLT Many lives were lost on the battlefields
of war-torn Lebanon. However, I know
that a primary reason God brought George Otis and Major Haddad to the
positions they were in was so the Lord could save the lives of many people
via the Gospel of Jesus Christ that was broadcast and continues to be
broadcasted around the world via the “Voice of Hope” Radio Station whose
roots are in Lebanon. The
Providence of God:
God often brings good out of evil – not that God promotes evil, far be
it that God would ever approve of man’s evil.
And, it does not make the evils of what happened during those long 18
years of war in south Lebanon or along Israel’s northern border any less painful,
but it reminds us of the Glory of God’s wisdom, and in that we can have hope.
There is no doubt that God sent George
Otis to meet Major Haddad who asked George for a radio station to be able to
communicate with the people of southern Lebanon who had almost given up all
hope. And, Major Haddad was known from
time to time to personally share his faith in Christ Jesus over the radio –
how powerful his testimony must have been in a Muslim country! Genesis
45:5 5 And now do not be distressed or angry
with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to
preserve life. ESV God used The Voice of Hope to bring down walls of hostility
between the Jews and the Gentiles – enemies became friends. God used the “Voice of Hope” to bring about
His purposes concerning the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ that was being
broadcast not only throughout southern Lebanon, but to every continent – to
humanity itself. And, the Lord also
used George Otis and his ministry, “High Adventure,” to provide food and
other supplies not only to the widows and orphans, but to many other people
in south Lebanon. |