Chapter 40:  The Spiritual Aspects of the Fatima Gate and its relationship to the Gates of Hell and Hassan Nasrallah

The Focus of Chapter 40 is on the Spiritual Aspects of Lebanon’s “Fatima Gate” ITSELF in relationship to both the “Gates of Hell” and Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah who traced his lineage back to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad through the line of Muhammad’s daughter “Fatima” for whom the “Fatima Gate” was named. 

The Gates of Hell and the Fatima Gate are Two Gates of the Enemy Located in the Galilee where Jesus’ Ministry Began

As you read this book, hopefully it will become clear why I stress “Gates” and “Borders” over and over again in my writings.  I repeat myself for the same reason the Apostle Peter did:  like the Apostle Peter I will always remind others about these things.  That it is only right that I should keep on reminding others as long as I live – so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone. They were things that the Apostle knew needed to be repeated – they were things of the utmost spiritual importance.  2 Peter 1:12-21  See Chapter 26 for a more complete chapter on gates.

Because of my sons and daughters and a people not yet born that will be called by God to be “Spiritual Warriors” (Ephesians 6) and stand in the Gates of the Enemy that I want to record the Biblical Truths about the “Gates of the Enemy” and the Boundaries that God Determined for all nations and peoples.  And, I am not the only one that repeats myself – history repeats itself! 

Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 is a good reminder that History merely repeats itself and there is nothing new under the sun.  And, all too often people forget what happened in the past – verse 11. 

Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 ⁹ History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. ¹⁰ Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. ¹¹ We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. NLT

Before going to the Fatima Gate and the Spiritual Aspects of the Gates of our Spiritual Enemies I want to point out that there is a “Gate of Heaven.”  It’s interesting that Satan counterfeits everything that God does – hence the Gate of the Enemy.

Spiritual Gates:  Spiritual gates or gateways are just as real as physical gates only they are discerned (seen and understood) spiritually.  There are several spiritual gates mentioned in the Bible, however, the one I want to include in this chapter is the “Gate of Heaven” because God revealed to Jacob that he was in the Gate of Heaven through a dream.

Gate of Heaven.  In Genesis 28, the LORD appears to Jacob in a dream and it was through a dream that the Lord revealed that the place where Jacob had spent the night was a Gateway of Heaven.

Genesis 28:10-17 ¹⁰ Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹ So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. ¹² Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. ¹³ And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. ¹⁴ Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. ¹⁵ Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." ¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." ¹⁷ And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" NKJV

Notice that this spiritual gate was shown to Jacob in a dream.  Spiritual gates are not discerned in the natural, but rather, they are revealed spiritually (e.g., dreams, visions, words of knowledge, etc.).  This gateway was a portal or entryway between heaven and earth where God’s angels ascended to heaven and descended to earth and where the Lord Himself stood.

And, we know from Daniel 10 that the spirit prince and kings of ancient Persia travelled back and forth from the heavens to earth as well as Satan. ( Job 1:6-12)

The Spiritual Aspects of Gates:  As previously discussed, “Gates” in the Bible are places of “Spiritual Authority” and represent cities or spiritual locations.  The exception to this is Christ Jesus who is the Gate we are to enter through on our road to God the Father.  Christ is the Gate to heaven itself.

Jesus said “I AM the Gate” (some translations read “door”) – He is the Gatekeeper of all Gatekeepers.

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

It is important to understand that there are many different gates in the Bible and gates have several different dimensions.  Not only are gates a physical reality, they also have both spiritual and prophetic dimensions. 

The “Gates of Hell” and the “Fatima Gate,” both Gateways of the Enemy, are located in the Borderlands of the Galilee of the Gentiles, specifically the “Land of Naphtali” and the “Land of Zebulun,” in the north of Israel where Christ lived for 30 of His 33 years here on earth.  Both the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Matthew tell us that the people living in the Galilee of the Gentiles were walking about in darkness in the “Land of the Shadow of Death” – a reference to the “Gates of Hell.”

Matthew 4:11-17 ¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. ¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ¹⁵ "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: ¹⁶ The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned." ¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." NKJV

Isaiah 9:1-2 ¹ Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. ² The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. NKJV

The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry in the Galilee was Isaiah’s Prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-2) coming to Pass:  We know from Matthew 4:11-17 that Christ was the “Great Light” that those walking about in darkness in the land of the shadow of death saw!    More to the point, Christ was standing in the gates of His spiritual enemies.  When Christ confronted Satan and the hordes of hell in Caesarea Philippi He was standing in the gates of His spiritual enemies.  Matthew 16 and Genesis 17

And, it is not just happenstance that the “Fatima Gate” is located in the same geographical region as the “Gates of Hell.”  Located only 30 minutes apart, both the “Gates of Hell” and the “Fatima Gate” are located in the land of the “Shadow of Death” where people who walked around in darkness (Isaiah 9:1-2) saw a Great Light (John 8:12) and where Jesus, the light of the world, lived for 30 of His 33 years here on earth.  It was here in the Galilee that Jesus began His ministry and the Church was born. 

John 12:46 ⁴⁶ I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.  Amplified Bible

John 8:12 ¹² Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  Amplified Bible

Darkness and the “Shadow of Death” (Isaiah 9:1-2)

are the spiritual cords that binds the “Fatima Gate” to the “Gates of Hell” (Matthew 16).

Both the “Fatima Gate” and the “Gates of Hell” are Gateways of the Enemy that God told Abraham that his seed would possess (Genesis 22:17).  It’s obvious from its name that the “Gates of Hell” is a Gateway of the Enemy.  And, because the “Fatima Gate,” so named in honor of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, founder of Islamism, it is obvious that the Fatima Gate is also a Gateway of the Enemy.

Islamism is Opposed to the Teachings of Judaism and Christianity:  The “Fatima Gate” is not just a Border Gate between Lebanon and Israel – the “Fatima Gate” is the Namesake of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad the founder of Islamism which is opposed to the teachings of Judaism and Christianity.  Hence, the darkness in which the people were walking in the Land of the Shadow of Death.

When Isaiah referenced by “Way of the Sea” (Isaiah 9:1), he was speaking of the ancient highway and the land routes that led to the Mediterranean Sea Coast – hence by “Way of the Sea.”  The Way of the Sea connected Israel to the Gentile World and this route would play an important role in the spread of the gospel.  From Caesarea Philippi to get to the Mediterranean Sea travelers would have to go through the Biblical town of “Abel-Beth Maachah” and present-day Metulla, which is only 1½ miles from Abel Beth Maachah. 

Which begs the question:  When Christ left the borders of the Galilee and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon,  Lebanon where He ministered to the Syrophoenician mother whose daughter was demon possessed (Mark 7:24-30), did Christ cross over the border into Lebanon through the same geographical area where the Fatima Gate is located because the “Fatima Gate” is only 20 miles from Tyre and 30 minutes from the Gates of Hell?  The point I want to make is that Christ was familiar with the area and we know from Scripture that Christ went throughout all of the Galilee (Matthew 4:23-25) which would have included present day Metulla on the border with Lebanon. 

According to the Scriptures, the answer seems to be “yes.”  We know that Christ would have gone through present-day Metulla and ancient Abel Beth Maachah at some point because Matthew 4:23 reveals that Christ went “throughout all Galilee.”  Located only 1½ miles from Abel Beth Maachah, there is no doubt that present-day Metulla would have been part of Abel Beth Maachah.

Matthew 4:23-25 ²³ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. ²⁴ And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them. ²⁵ And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. KJV

People from Tyre and Sidon came over the border into the Galilee to hear Jesus teach:  In the context of this book, its not just happenstance that the “Gates of Hell” and the “Fatima Gate” are both located in the Galilee.  And, its significant that many people from Tyre and Sidon came over into the Galilee to hear Jesus teach and to be healed of their diseases. 

Luke 6:17 ¹⁷ And He came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of His disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; KJV

Given that Metulla is located on the border Israel shares with Lebanon, I have no doubt that when Christ left the borders of the Galilee and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24-30) that He went through the same geographical area where the Fatima Gate is located.

The Spiritual Significance of the Geographical Location of the “Gates of Hell” in the Galilee

Reading Scripture from a “Geographical” Perspective:  Geography is fundamental to our understanding of the Bible; otherwise the Prophet Isaiah would not have placed the focus on the geographical areas where Jesus would live and minister throughout His lifetime.

We know from Scripture that the geographical boundaries of the Promised Land have not changed – the boundaries of the Promised Land as defined in Scripture are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  And, so it is with the geographical location of spiritual gateways.  The only thing that changes is who possesses the spiritual gateway at any given time.

The Spiritual Aspects of Geography:  For many people, religion and geography seem to have little in common with one another.  However, quite the contrary!  Upon a closer examination of the Scriptures, since the creation of time, beginning with Genesis 1 when God created the “Heavens and the Earth,” God has been weaving His Kingdom purposes and plan of salvation into the geography of the world – hence, the importance of the spiritual aspects of the historical events that take place inside each particular geographical area

God is Creator of Heaven and the Earth:  Genesis 1:  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth:  From the beginning God made a connection between the “Spiritual” (the heavens) and “Geography” (the natural features – the characteristics of the earth).

The “Shadow of Death” (Isaiah 9:2) that the Prophet Isaiah spoke of 700 years before Christ was born was a foreshadowing of the “Gates of Hell” where Christ would confront the Hordes of Hell, Darkness and Death. 

Matthew 16:13-21 ¹³ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? ¹⁴ And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. ¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? ¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹ And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ²⁰ Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ. ²¹ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. KJV

Verse 21 reveals that it was at that time that Jesus began to tell His disciples in a way they could now understand that He must go to Jerusalem where He would be killed, but on the third day He would be raised from the dead. 

Which begs the question: Why” make such a profound prophecy at the “Gates of Hell” and not in the Temple at Jerusalem?

When Jesus walked up to the “Gates of Hell” (Matthew 16) in Caesarea Philippi in the Upper Galilee and declared into the Spiritual Realm that the Gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church that had its beginnings in the Galilee – He possessed the gates of His enemies just as the Lord told Abraham. (Genesis 22:17)

Genesis 22:17 ¹⁷ blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. NKJV

Just as God told Abraham that his seed would possess the Gates of their Enemies, Jesus Christ stood in the “Gates of Hell” – the Gateway of His Enemy at Caesarea Philippi:  For example, had the “Gates of Hell” where the goat deity Pan was worshipped not been a Gate of Authority and demonic activity, then why would Jesus have gone to Caesarea Philippi to confront Satan?  Why would Christ make the most profound prophecies of His ministry here at the “Gates of Hell” and not in the Temple at Jerusalem?

The answer: What better place than the “Gates of Hell” to confront the devil that holds the fear of death over people?

The last enemy that Jesus must put under His feet before He comes back is “Death” 1 Corinthians 15:25-26.  Up until His death and Resurrection, Satan held the fear of Death and the grave over the human race (Hebrews 2:14-15).   

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 ²⁵ For Christ must reign [as King] until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be abolished and put to an end is death. Amplified Bible

Hebrews 2:14-15 ¹⁴ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵ And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. KJV

Hebrews 2:14-15 ¹⁴ Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. ¹⁵ Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. NLT

Death and Hell and the devil, “who hath the power of death,” are all doomed to be thrown into the lake of fire by Christ who, by His death and resurrection, broke the power of the devil who had the power of death.  2 Timothy 1:10, Hebrews 2:14, Revelation 20:14

The “Gates of Hell” at Caesarea Philippi was the perfect place for Jesus to tell His Disciples about His upcoming death and resurrection.  It was by His death and resurrection from the dead that we will never have to fear a spiritual death.  We know from 1 John 3:8 that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil – and the work that Christ undertook to destroy Satan, who had the power of death, was to be accomplished by Christ’s own dying on the Cross at Calvary. 

The Gates of Hell:  The Pagan Deity that was the Guardian of Caesarea Philippi was “Pan,” the goat deity who guarded the entrance to the cave that the locals believed were the Gates of Hell.  In the ancient world it was a well-known practice for cities to invoke a pagan god to protect their cities.  Then they would place an image of that particular deity at the entrance to their city to identify the particular deity that they considered the guardian and protector of their city.

Acts 14:11-13 ¹¹ And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ESV

Judges 5:6-8 ⁶ In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. ⁷ The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. ⁸ They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? KJV

Going on the Offensive, Christ confronted the Devil at the “Gates of Hell”:  Going on the offensive, Christ Confronted Satan and the Hordes of Hell at the “Gates of Hell,” and without a doubt, some of the most profound proclamations made by Christ are found in Matthew 16:13-19.  For example,

• ¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” ¹⁵ Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
• ¹⁸ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),
•  and upon this rock I will build my church,
• and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
• ¹⁹ And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

When Jesus confronted Satan at the “Gates of Hell” it’s important to keep in mind that Caesarea Philippi was a Roman city ruled by Philip the Tetrarch, son of Herod the Great.  Geographically, Caesarea Philippi was located at an ancient pagan site located at the base of Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel.  The local residents were known as the guardian of the “Gates of Hell” where they had built shrines to the pagan god “Pan,” which is where we get the word “Panic.”

The Hordes of Hell:  It was here at the “Gates of Hell” that the darkness and demonic had been worshipped for a very long time.  Scripture speaks of Baal Hermon and it was here that the pagans dedicated many shrines and temples to the pagan god Baal, as well as Pan.

Mount Hermon:  In this respect, the “Gates of Hell” was the perfect location for Christ to confront Satan and the hordes of hell.  Mount Hermon itself is significant for multiple reasons.  For example:  

• It was the northern border of the Amorite kingdom (Deuteronomy 3:8; 4:48)
• It marked the northern limits of Joshua’s victorious campaigns (Joshua 11:17; 12:1; 13:5)
• Caesarea Philippi (Gates of Hell) at the base of Mount Hermon was only four miles from the city of Dan, near the northern limit of Israel’s ancient boundaries
• Mount Hermon has always been regarded as a sacred mountain.
• And, given that the Transfiguration took place shortly after Christ confronted Satan at the “Gates of Hell” – it is believed that the Transfiguration occurred at Mount Hermon (Matthew 17:108; 2 Peter 1:16-18)

More to the Point:  There was no more of an appropriate geographical location than Caesarea Philippi for Jesus to confront Satan and the Hordes of Hell located at the base of Mount Hermon. That is why to understand the significance of the “Gates of Hell,” we have to understand the significance of the “Geographical” location of Caesarea Philippi.

Spiritual Warfare:  What we Bind and Loose on Earth is Bound and Loosed in the Heavens.  It was at the “Gates of Hell” that Jesus gave us the spiritual authority and power to “Bind” and “Loose” the enemy.  To bind and loose in the name of Jesus is a manifestation of “Spiritual Warfare” as described in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Following is a picture of me standing at the entrance Cave of the “Gates of Hell” at Caesarea Philippi.

I’m Standing at the Entrance Cave of the “Gates of Hell” at Caesarea Philippi

The Historical Perspective of the Fatima Gate and Metulla: 1896-2000

Before going further, its important to note that even though the “Fatima Gate” is located on the Israeli side of the Lebanon-Israeli Border within walking distance of Metulla – at one time both Metulla and the “Fatima Gate” were located on Lebanon’s side of the border.  More to the point:  Hezbollah and the Lebanese Authorities believe that the “Fatima Gate” and Metulla, Israel where the “Fatima Gate” is now located both belong to Lebanon and that the Israelis living in Metulla are on Lebonese soil.

By Way of History:  As a Jewish community, present-day Metulla had its start in 1896.  Prior to 1896 Metulla was a Lebanese settlement whose owner, a Lebanese Christian, sold Metulla to Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, a staunch Zionist, who wanted to establish a Jewish settlement in the Promised Land.  If you visit Metulla you will find that many of Metulla’s present-day residents are descendants of the original settlers who established Metulla as a Jewish settlement in 1896.  The land had been abandoned by Druze tenant farmers during an ongoing civil war in Lebanon.  At this time, both Lebanon and the newly-established Jewish Metulla were still under Ottoman rule.

However, Israel didn’t take possession of the “Fatima Gate” until after they came under the authority of the British Mandate after the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I.  Britain and France, recognized as the Super Powers of the World at the time, took it upon themselves to redraw the boundaries in much of the Middle East under the Sykes-Picot Agreement.  Needless to say, the French and British Mandates caused a tremendous amount of damage in the Middle East when they redrew the boundaries between Lebanon and Israel, etc.  The current conflicts between Lebanon and Israel over boundaries can be traced back, in part, to the French and British Mandates.

A Borderland is considered as a geographical area where different political, economic, social systems and religious beliefs intersect often marked by international treaties such as the Sykes-Picot Agreement between England and France.  Unfortunately, France and England did not take into consideration the different political, economic, social systems and religious beliefs of either Lebanon (a Muslim nation) or Israel (a Jewish nation) when they haphazardly redrew the borders between Israel and Lebanon after the end of World War I that still have a bearing on the wars between Lebanon and Israel.  France and England were only interested in their own political agendas.

After World War I and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, Metulla was placed under the French Mandate which was given authority over Lebanon.  Later, a “Border Adjustment” was agreed upon in 1923, and the residential areas of Metulla were placed under the British Mandate which was given authority over land that now is part of the State of Israel.  However, much of the farmland that the residents worked on to earn their living remained in Lebanon under the French Mandate, which was not a problem until Israel won their independence in the “1948 War of Independence” at which time Lebanon closed the border to all residents living in Metulla, even though they owned farmland in Lebanon.

When the boundaries between Kfar-Kila (Lebanon) and Metulla (now a Jewish Settlement) were Redrawn under the Paulette-Newcomb Agreement of 1923 to comply with the previous Sykes-Picot Agreement, a lot of Confusion and Resentment was caused between Lebanon and Israel that still has a bearing on the boundaries.  In fact, to this day Lebanon does not recognize the current land boundaries between Lebanon and Israel. 

From 1982-2000 the Israeli Defense Forces, alongside the South Lebanon Army, a Christian Militia led by Major Saad Haddad who came to the aid of the Israeli Defense Forces in their battles with the PLO and Hezbollah, manned a “Security Zone” just inside Lebanon’s border.  And, because of Kfar Kila’s geographical location along the border, Kfar Kila was one of Lebanon’s border villages that fell within Israel’s Security Zone.

From the outset, the main purpose of the Security Zone was to prevent the infiltration of terrorists from crossing over the Lebanon-Israeli border into Israel and wreaking havoc on Israel’s northern villages.  The goal of the IDF and the SLA in creating a Security Zone was to prevent the PLO, Hezbollah or any other resistance group from setting up a stronghold along the border and creating infrastructures along the border that would be a threat to northern Israel’s security.  It was a preventive measure created to keep the enemy terrorists from infiltrating northern Israel and provided a measure of security for the South Lebanon Army and their families who, like the Israelis, were being persecuted for a variety of reasons, but mainly because they were Christians.

And, the joint efforts of the IDF and the SLA worked! 

That is, until the IDF left the Security Zone in May 2000 and the SLA was forced to lay down their arms as a result.   It was only after the IDF withdrew from the Security Zone in May 2000 and crossed through the Fatima Gate back onto Israeli soil that Kfar Kila, no longer under the control of Israel, became a formidable stronghold of Hezbollah.

During the 1982-2000 Lebanon Conflict, until Israel withdrew their troops from the “Security Zone” they held inside south Lebanon in 2000, Israel had control of the gate as to who came in and who went out.  And, it was the “Fatima Gate” that the Israeli Defense Forces themselves would go through when going back and forth to the “Security Zone” inside Lebanon then back onto Israeli soil.  Israel’s “Security Zone” they manned inside Lebanon provided the towns along the border Israel shares with Lebanon with a buffer zone created to push Hezbollah away from Israel’s northern border. 

The “Fatima Gate” was given the nickname “The Good Fence Crossing” by the Israeli Defense Forces who opened the border crossing to allow the South Lebanese Army, and their families who came to the defense of the IDF in their battles with the PLO and then Hezbollah to cross through the “Fatima Gate” into Israel to seek the medical help and jobs that the PLO and Hezbollah denied them because they were Christians.  The Israeli Defense Forces that now possessed the “Fatima Gate” used the “Gate of the Enemy” for good.  (Romans 8:28)  The border crossing was a bridge for the South Lebanese Army and their families.  On the other hand the border crossing at Metulla made it a target for the PLO and later, Hezbollah. 

In all the years the Israeli Defense Forces and the South Lebanon Army were in control of the Security Zone, the Security Zone was a military success – there was a sense of security not only among the residents of northern Israel but among the South Lebanese Army and their families.  Unfortunately, Hezbollah moved into the “Security Zone” the moment the Israeli Defense Forces withdrew in May 2000 and have harassed the Israeli residents living in the border towns ever since.

The following pictures show the Good Fence Crossing/Fatima Gate prior to the withdrawal. The inscription on two of the postcards is from Isaiah 2:4 and speaks volumes.  The inscription reads:  “And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning Hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nations neither shall they Learn War any more”  That there would be no more war between the Jews and Gentiles was truly the heart of Major Haddad, the Christian Leader of the South Lebanon Army. Israel will never have a more faithful ally than the Spirit-led Believer in Christ like that of Major Haddad and George Otis (founder of the Voice of Hope radio ministry).

In the context of Joshua 24:26-27 and Luke 19:40, the imagery of the Stones in the Good Fence Border Crossing as a Witness to the Truth crying out from the Good Fence Border Crossing is meant to convey that the stone in the Good Fence Border Crossing is able to speak – to bear witness because of the inscription chiseled upon it.  In this instance, we “See” the Wisdom that cries out from the Good Gate whereas when wisdom cries out from either the “Voice of Hope” or the “Star of Hope,” we hear Wisdom crying out.

Joshua 24:26-27 ²⁶ Then Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. ²⁷ And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God." NKJV

Luke 19:40 ⁴⁰ But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." NKJV

God gave a Voice to the Stones in the Fatima Gate at the Good Fence Border Crossing:  Isaiah 2:4 speaks of international peace – a Prophecy that will be fulfilled at the Second Coming of Christ that will be realized in the Millennial Kingdom.  Hence, the “Fatima Gate” will not always be a “Gate of the Enemy.”

It was here at the Borderland of the “Galilee of the Gentiles” – By the Way of the Sea at the “Gate” of the “Good Fence” the Official Border Crossing between Northern Israel in Upper Galilee and Lebanon that the Lord used the 1982-2000 Conflict between Israel and Lebanon to bring down the Walls of Hostility Between the Jews and Gentiles living on either side of the “Good Gate” in the Galilee – Ephesians 2:14-18

Stones at the Good Fence in Metulla, Israel

Flags of Israel and Lebanon at the “Good Fence Memorial” in honor of the IDF and SLA Cooperation During the 1982-2000 War with Hezbollah

Standing at the Good Fence Memorial on September 29, 2023

Metulla and the Fatima Gate in 2024

Following is an excerpt from the Times of Israel website (www.timesofisrael.com/as-northern-israel-comes-back-to-life-hezbollah-strongholds-over-the-border-lie-in-ruins/l) on 16 December 2024 by Lazar Berman that describes the Fatima Gate at the present time (December 2024):

“The Fatima Gate has witnessed the key chapters in Israel’s involvement in southern Lebanon.

In the 1970s, the border crossing — also known as the Good Fence Crossing — was the focus of Israel’s humanitarian efforts towards its northern neighbor. Israel opened a military health clinic at the gate for residents of southern Lebanon, including Shi’ites. Over time, the effort expanded, as Lebanese traders were allowed to drive into Kiryat Shmona for business, and Lebanese laborers crossed through the gate to reach their jobs in Israeli farms and factories.

When Israel invaded Lebanon to fight Palestinian Liberation Organization terrorists in 1978, and then again in 1982, IDF troops and intelligence officials moved back and forth through the gate. As Israel set up its security zone in southern Lebanon in the ensuing years, fighters from the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and their family members used the crossing to work, shop and receive medical care in Israel.  ……..

…..In recent weeks, Fatima Gate witnessed a dramatic change. After years of maintaining a defensive posture that allowed Hezbollah fighters to build an extensive network of tunnels, weapons caches and fighting positions along the border, the IDF finally went on the offensive in October. The devastatingly effective operation drove Hezbollah back from the border, as Israeli troops methodically searched the border villages and detonated any building used by Hezbollah for military purposes.”

Metulla is Part of the Promised Land:  Originally, Metulla was not slated to fall within the boundaries of the British Mandate and definitely was not slated to become part of a Jewish homeland.  However, Scripture tells us that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.  So we know that the confusion over the boundaries in the Middle East that has caused so many conflicts, including today’s conflicts, is the work of the devil – the confusion as to who owns Metulla and the Fatima Gate is just one example.  1 Corinthians 14:33

However, “Spiritually” there is no confusion as to who owns Metulla.  According to Scripture, present-day Metulla is part of the Promised Land and in another chapter I provide the Scriptures that confirm that the land of Metulla, located in the allotment given to the Tribe of Naphtali, is part of the Promised Land.  

God knew exactly on which side of the boundary He wanted the “Fatima Gate” to be on because being on the Israeli side means that Abraham’s seed possesses that particular gate of the enemy!  The “Fatima Gate” is not just a physical gate – the “Fatima Gate” is a spiritual gateway of our spiritual enemies.

The following picture of the “Fatima Gate”/”Good Fence” shows just how close the Lebanese Village of Kfar Kila is to Metulla.  It is with walking distance.  The “Good Fence Memorial” that was built in memory of the soldiers who served in the South Lebanon Army and who died because they came to the defense of the Israeli Defense Forces during the Lebanese Israeli Conflicts is also within walking distance of the Border Crossing.

I’m pictured standing at the former Border Gate Crossing on October 2, 2023.  The Lebanese Border Village of Kfar Kila is directly behind me and the Israeli Border Village of Metulla is directly in front of me.  This particular fence is not the original fence; however, it is located in the same geographical area where the original fence stood.

Israel’s Possession of the “Fatima Gate” is Prophecy coming to pass:  At the present time Israel has possession of both the “Gates of Hell” and the “Fatima Gate” as both are located inside Israel’s Borders.  Just as God told Abraham that his seed would possess the gates of their enemies – when France and England redrew the boundary lines between Israel and Lebanon at the end of World War I, they placed Lebanon’s “Fatima Gate” just inside the Israeli Border – much to the chagrin of Hezbollah and Lebanon, Israel is now in Possession of the “Gate of their Enemy.”  This is a manifestation of Genesis 22:17.

Genesis 22:17 ¹⁷ That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; (KJV)

In the context of Genesis 22:17, to take possession means to “Occupy the gate of their enemies by force.”  And, that is exactly the situation at the “Fatima Gate” today.  And, Hezbollah and the Lebanese who named the Gate the Fatima Gate in honor of Mohammed’s (Islam’s Prophet) daughter want the “Fatima Gate” back because it is a “Spiritual Gate” that honors Islam’s Prophet.

Spiritual Gateways are Gateways of Authority:  The Lebanese Authorities and Hezbollah Terrorists who claim that the “Fatima Gate” is located on land that rightfully belongs to Lebanon and not Israel are willing to wage war with Israel to get Metulla back and repossess the “Fatima Gate,” a gate of spiritual authority!  And, the only way Hezbollah and Lebanon can repossess the “Fatima Gate” is to take Metulla away from Israel.  The “Fatima Gate” is a Gateway of the Enemy and the Enemy wants the Gate back!

And, that brings me to Hassan Nasrallah, a Descendant of Muhammad through the line of his daughter, Fatima. 

Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah: Archenemy of Israel

Hassan Nasrallah, archenemy of Israel who led Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terror group, through decades of conflict with Israel and is credited with transforming Hezbollah into one of the most powerful paramilitary organizations in the Middle East, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon on September 27, 2024 by the Israel Defense Forces.  Nasrallah was the perfect leader for Iran to back in their quest to destroy Israel.  Because of their mutual hatred for Israel, Nasrallah and Hezbollah were able to form an alliance with the Ayatollahs in Tehran as well as with the Palestinian militant groups, such as Hamas.     

Nasrallah was a Religious Leader of Islam as well as the Secular leader of Hezbollah.   Idolized by his Lebanese Shiite followers and respected by millions of others across the Arab and Islamic world because he was a descendant of Fatima, Nasrallah held the title of “Sayyid,” an honorific meant to signify the Shiite cleric’s lineage dating back to the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, via the line of Fatima.

The Border Gate between Israel and Lebanon that was named the “Fatima Gate” in honor of Muhammad’s daughter was Nasrallah’s Front Line of Attack in his Holy War against Israel.  It is believed that it is through Fatima that Muhammad’s family line has survived even to the present day.  Shiite Muslims like those in Iran and Hezbollah believe that Fatima’s sons were and are the hereditary and legitimate heirs of the authority of the Prophet Muhammad. 

Nasrallah claimed that he was a direct Descendant of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad the Founder of Islam.  Nasrallah’s claim to be a direct descendant through Muhammad’s daughter “Fatima” is what separates the Shiite Muslims from the Sunni Muslims.  Shiite Muslims believe that only descendants from the direct line of Fatima and her husband Ali can be Islam’s religious leaders, making this a key distinction from Sunni Muslims who believe the Religious Leaders of Islam can trace their lineage back to Muhammad through any of Muhammad’s sons and daughters.

The belief is that those like Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, who wore a black turban that identified him as a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad via Fatima, are:

• the legitimate religious leaders of Islam,
• have the spiritual authority of Muhammad, and
• are divinely appointed. 

Thus, Nasrallah’s followers called him Sayyid, the honorific title reserved for the direct descendants of Muhammad through the line of his daughter Fatima.

Nasrallah and Iran Showed their Contempt for Israel by the Throwing of Stones at Israel while at the Fatima Gate

It comes as no surprise why to this day the Lebanese people as well as visiting dignitaries who, on an ongoing basis, go up to the “Fatima Gate” and throw rocks over the fence into Israel to express their wrath.  When France and England redrew the boundary lines between Lebanon and Israel they did not take into consideration the cultural nor religious beliefs of either country, had they done so they would have ensured that the “Fatima Gate” would have remained on the Lebanese side of the border.  It’s because France and England redrew the boundary lines based on what benefitted their countries the most is one of the reasons Lebanon and Israel, to this day, have never settled where the boundaries are and cannot agree to who owns the land. 

According to the following News Article, “Nasrallah Expresses Dismay over Hoopla Surrounding Throwing of Stones,” published on the KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) website on August 13, 2000, throwing stones at Israel from the Fatima Gate “… is a symbolic manifestation in front of the World’s media that our women and children are not afraid of the Israeli Army.”

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Planned to Throw Symbolic Stones at the “Fatima Gate”:  In 2010 several well-known news outlets ran articles that it was here at the “Fatima Gate” that, like their Proxy Hezbollah, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was planning on throwing Symbolic Stones from the “Fatima Gate” over onto Israeli Soil in Metulla, Israel.  Like Hezbollah, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Message was clear:  The “Fatima Gate” located on the Border that Lebanon shares with Israel in Metulla was Iran’s “Front Line” in their battles against Israel via Hezbollah.  The following are excerpts from a Newsweek article, “Iran’s Ahmadinejad Throws Stones in Lebanon,” that was published on October 7, 2010, and speaks volumes: 

“In New York at the United Nations last month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spouted his usual conspiratorial vitriol, announcing that the U.S. government may have carried out the 9/11 attacks. Now he's bringing the road show to Lebanon. An official two-day state visit next week, the first since he was elected president in 2005, has Lebanon's fractured political parties up in arms. It would be controversial enough if Ahmadinejad were just going to do a round of meet-and-greets in Beirut, but he's reportedly planning to head south and visit the Fatima Gate, one of the border posts with Israel.  …………

Unlike in the U.S., where his inflammatory provocations are now met with an exasperated shrug, in southern Lebanon, Ahmadinejad has the potential to actually spark a fury. There are reports in the Arabic press that he may throw a few rocks over the border into Israel as a symbolic gesture. Tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv are at an all-time high over Iran's nuclear program, and just two months ago, Lebanese soldiers clashed with the Israeli Defense Forces at the same border. "Ahmadinejad, through this visit, is saying that Beirut is under Iranian influence and that Lebanon is an Iranian base on the Mediterranean," Fares Soueid, a coordinator for the March 14 Alliance, a coalition of political parties often critical of Iranian and Syrian influence in the country, told Agence France-Presse. ‘The message is that Iran is at the border with Israel.’"

Excerpts from another news article published by Naharnet Newsdesk:

KFAR KILA Residents of southern Lebanon are brimming with excitement ahead of a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is expected to tour the border area with his arch-enemy Israel in a message of defiance.

“I can’t wait to see Ahmadinejad get close to the barbed wire and show the Israelis that he has them by the throat,” said Abdullah, of the border village of Kfar Kila, who refused to give his real name.

“Can you imagine? He is going to stand barely a metre (yard) from Israel and that’s so symbolic,” added Abdullah, who runs a restaurant at Fatima Gate, just beyond the border fence between the two countries.

Hezbollah’s throwing of stones from the “Fatima Gate” towards Israel demonstrates their deeply rooted hatred and hostility against the Jewish state and their ongoing threats to annihilate the Jewish state that Iran, Hezbollah and Lebanon unwaveringly refuse to recognize. 

The article also included the following picture depicting a convoy of Hezbollah supporters:

Again, Psalm 2:1-4 says it best: 

Psalm 2:1-4 ¹ Why do the nations plot, and why do their people make useless plans? ² The kings of this earth have all joined together to turn against the LORD and his chosen one. ³ They say, "Let's cut the ropes and set ourselves free!" ⁴ In heaven the LORD laughs as he sits on his throne, making fun of the nations. CEV

Why does Iran and Hezbollah make useless plans – plans that they now know were foolish – plans that have come to naught?  Like those in Psalms 2, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and their allies all want to be free from the spiritual cords that Israel has them bound up in.  Nasrallah taunted Benny Gantz – however, in the end it was Nasrallah who was the “Total Failure.”  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob laughs at the vain and futile efforts of men who want to destroy Israel.

Prophecy coming to pass:  General Benny Gantz was the last soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces to withdraw from Lebanon’s Security Zone in 2000.  And, the keys that Benny Gantz used to lock the “Fatima Gate” behind him were symbolic of the “Keys to the House of David.”  Not only does Israel possess the Gate of their Enemy – Israel has the spiritual authority of the “keys of the House of David” to lock the gate of their enemy. 

Israel – not Hezbollah nor Lebanon – has Possession of Lebanon’s “Fatima Gate” that was placed inside the borders of Israel after World War I when France and England, the powers that be at time, redrew the boundary lines between present-day Lebanon and Israel.  And, Israel possesses the “Fatima Gate” Spiritually as well as here on earth.  The keys that Benny Gantz used to lock the “Fatima Gate” behind him after all the Israeli Defense Forces had withdrawn from Lebanon in May 2000 were Spiritual keys, not just a key that someone would use to lock the door to their house. 

It’s important to remember that even though the last of the Israeli Defense Forces to withdraw from the Security Zone they manned inside Lebanon locked the Fatima Gate behind him after he crossed through the Fatima Gate back into Israel in May 2000 – the Spiritual Aspects of the Fatima Gate remained.  And, that is precisely why Hezbollah considered the “Fatima Gate” as their “Front Line” of attack in their “vain imaginations” on invading and conquering Israel’s Galilee. 

In other words, it was not just happenstance that Hezbollah chose this particular gateway of the enemy the “Fatima Gate” as their “Front Line” of attack in their plans for their Holy War to “Conquer the Galilee.” 

The key that Benny Gantz used to lock the “Fatima Gate” behind him was symbolic of the Keys to the House of David that the Prophet Isaiah spoke of (Isaiah 22:22), the same keys that the Apostle John tells us that Jesus, the Son of David, has the “Keys to the House of David (Revelation 3:7).  And, the Keys that Jesus gave to His Disciples to bind and loose as He stood at the “Gates of Hell” in Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16) just thirty minutes away from the “Fatima Gate” in the Galilee are a manifestation of the “Keys to the House of David.”  We also know from Matthew 16 that whatever is bound and loosed on earth is bound and loosed in the spiritual realm and Jesus tells us that the gates of hell will not prevail.

Revelation 3:7 ⁷ “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What He opens, no one can close; and what He closes, no one can open. NLT

The Point is:  Israel has the “Keys of the House of David”:

Not only does Israel have Possession of the “Gate of their Enemy,”

Israel also has the Spiritual Keys to lock and unlock the “Fatima Gate!”

However, the Symbolism of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) leaving the Security Zone in Lebanon and crossing through the “Fatima Gate” for the last time in May 2000 never to return was profound for Hezbollah.  The symbolism was twofold:  (1) that Hezbollah forced the IDF to bow their knee and withdraw from Lebanon without any concessions made by Hezbollah and (2) when withdrawing, Hezbollah forced the IDF to bow their knee to Islam and withdraw through the “Fatima Gate” that was named in honor of Fatima the daughter of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.  At least that was their perception – however, it wasn’t the truth!  Hence, the “Fatima Gate” is Iran and Hezbollah’s “Front Line” in their ongoing battles with Israel.

Nasrallah’s “Holy War:”  “Conquest of the Galilee” going through the Fatima Gate (the Broad Gate) and travel on the Highway to Hell (the Broad Path) to Conquer Jerusalem

Deuteronomy 32:8 and Acts 17:26 tells us that God determined the Boundaries of all nations and the times and places where we should live.  These Geographical Boundaries established by God are “Spiritual Boundaries” that were meant to separate the 12 Tribes of Israel from the 12 Nations of Ishmael.  The Geographical Boundaries established by God (Deuteronomy 32:8) between Israel and the nations of Ishmael were established by God to separate the Ideologies and Religious Beliefs of Islam from Judaism as well as Christianity.

The Ideologies and Religious Beliefs of both Lebanon and Gaza, their bitter revenge, their long-standing contempt, and their desire to see Israel to cease to exist, are the same ideologies and religious beliefs of their forefathers that we read about in Ezekiel 25, Ezekiel 27, Genesis 21:9-21 and Galatians 4:25.  Hence, Israel’s Cross-Border Wars with Lebanon (Hezbollah) are Spiritual Wars that go back thousands of years.

Psalm 83:7 speaks of Philistia (Gaza) and Tyre (Lebanon) as among the nations forming an alliance against Israel to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.  And, just as the people of Philistia and Tyre were “Mercenaries” when Psalm 83 was written, both Hezbollah and Hamas are modern-day Mercenaries.  Neither terrorist group have roots in Lebanon or Gaza – nonetheless, they represent the nations they now have strongholds in.

Psalm 83:1-8 ¹ O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God.

² Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies? Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?

³ They devise crafty schemes against your people; they conspire against your precious ones.

⁴ “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”

⁵ Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you—

⁶ these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites;

⁷ Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre.

⁸ Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. NLT

However, Ezekiel 28 reveals prophesies against Tyre and Sidon, (both in Lebanon):

1. The Tyrians:  Verses 1-10 – In their great pride the people of Tyre claimed “I am a god!”  And, because they claimed to be a god the Sovereign Lord told them He would bring a foreign army and the terror of the nations against them.
2. The Sidonians:  Verse 20-24 – God told the people of Sidon that He was their enemy and that He would bring judgment against them because they were Israel’s scornful neighbors who prick and tear at Israel like briers and thorns.

Nasrallah’s “Holy War”:  For Nasrallah, a Religious Leader of Islam as well as the Leader of Hezbollah, the “Fatima Gate” was not just a Border Crossing – it was a Spiritual Gate and a Spiritual Border Crossing that he must cross through on his way to capture The Temple Mount – Islam’s third holiest site.  More “holy wars” have been fought by those opposed to Judaism over Jerusalem than any other place in the world.  Just “Vain Imaginations!” 

Nasrallah’s Religious Goal was to Restore the Honor of Fatima and her Namesake – the “Fatima Gate” named in honor of his Foremother – by taking the “Fatima Gate” back away from Israel.  Nasrallah, as well as the Lebanese, believe that both the “Fatima Gate” and Metulla belong to Lebanon and the Lebanese people along with Hezbollah wanted the “Fatima Gate” and Metulla back even if it meant to go to war with Israel.  By taking the “Fatima Gate” back away from Israel, Nasrallah could restore the honor of both Fatima and her Namesake – the “Fatima Gate” that was named in honor of his Foremother Fatima.

I said that to say this:  You need more than physical weapons to fight spiritual foes because the spirit beings that want control over that gateway are the spirit prince and spirit kings of ancient Persia – modern-day Iran whose control Hezbollah is under.  Daniel 10; Ephesians 6

Daniel 10:12-14 ¹² Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. ¹³ But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.” NLT

The spirit prince (ruler) over the kingdom of Persia (modern-day Iran) is the spirit being ruling the kingdom of Persia for Satan who is recognized in Scripture as being god and ruler of this world until Christ returns to establish His Righteous Kingdom.  These santanic beings are geographical in nature and are responsible for influenceing people serving in the various governments to carry out Satan’s will in their governments and specifically to oppose Israel’s right to exist.  (See the Chapter on the “Politics of Hell) 

We know from Matthew 7:13-14 that there are two “Spiritual Gates” and two “Spiritual Highways;” and man must choose one or the other: 

• The Narrow gate that leads to eternal life with the road that is difficult that only a few ever find or
• the Wide Gate that leads to the Broad Highway to hell

Matthew 7:13-14 ¹³ “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many that choose that way. ¹⁴ But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. NLT

Matthew 7:12-14 ¹² “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. ¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. ESV 

There are but two ways: right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven, and the way to hell;

The “Fatima Gate” is the “Broad Gate” that Jesus tells us leads to the Highway to Hell:  And, it is through this “Broad Gate” (the Fatima Gate) that Israel’s spiritual enemies must go through to reach the “Broad Path” that Jesus tells us leads to Destruction and Eternal Loss that the Evil Spirit Prince and Kings of Ancient Persia and modern-day Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Terrorists who are under their influence, must travel.  Matthew 7:13-14; Daniel 10 

Psalm 78:49-50 is an interesting Scripture:

Psalm 78:49-50 ⁴⁹ He cast upon them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and trouble, A band of angels of evil.  ⁵⁰ He made a path for His anger; He spared not their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence, ASV

The point I want to make is there is a path that God makes for evil angels to travel on.  We need to keep in mind that Satan and evil angels are still God’s devil and fallen angels – neither Satan nor the fallen principalities can operate without God’s permission.  Job 1-2

The “Fatima Gate” was Nasrallah’s “Front Line” of attack on his way to Invade and Conquer Jerusalem:  The “Fatima Gate” was Hezbollah’s “Front Line” – it was here at the “Fatima Gate” that Nasrallah and Hezbollah would begin to execute their plans to “Conquer the Galilee” on their way to “Conquer Jerusalem.” 

For example, Iran and Hezbollah let the entire International Community know that the “Fatima Gate” was their “Front Line” in their ongoing battles with Israel and their goal to invade and conquer Israel’s Galilee.  In a post on the Haaretz website on August 17, 2012, Avi Issacharoff wrote about a staged procession by Nasrallah near the Fatima Gate (excerpt below).

Conquest of the Galilee:  Hezbollah dubbed their plan to conquer the Galilee, “Conquest of the Galilee.”  In their “vain imaginations” to conquer the Galilee where Jesus spent 30 of His 33 years here on earth, Hezbollah envisioned that their elite Radwan Forces, whose specific goal was to launch offensive attacks into Israeli territory, would storm the border and cross through the “Fatima Gate” that Metulla shares with Lebanon.  Then after crossing through the “Fatima Gate,” their plan was to capture Israeli communities throughout Israel’s Galilee beginning with Metulla, which was their “Front Line” of attack.  Crossing through the “Fatima Gate” the Radwan Forces plan was to invade and capture Metulla.  Then after killing and taking residents of Metulla as hostages as Hamas did in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah would continue their Holy War throughout the Galilee.

The Ultimate Goal: Conquer Jerusalem.  After conquering the Galilee, Nasrallah’s real goal was to advance towards Jerusalem and take control of the “Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site that is located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem.  It is here at the “Dome of the Rock” that Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended into heaven.  The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is a shrine that commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's ascension into heaven and was Nasrallah’s ultimate goal of leaving Lebanon and crossing over into the border of Israel through the “Fatima Gate.”

Following are pictures of me standing in front of the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock in the Old City of Jerusalem.

I’m standing in front of the Western Wall at the Old City of Jerusalem.  Directly above the Western Wall is “Mount Moriah” where King Solomon built his Temple  for the Lord (2 Chronicles 3:1) and where the third temple (Ezekiel 40) is to be built.  Mount Moriah is the Biblical name for The Temple Mount that is presently occupied by followers of Islam who consider this Islam’s third holiest site. 

I’m standing in front of “The Dome of the Rock” on the Temple Mount that sits above the Western Wall. 

It’s important to note that after crossing through the “Fatima Gate” in Metulla – Hezbollah’s goal was to invade and conquer the entire Galilee and then advance to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. 

The Temple Mount and Mount Moriah are the same place, just different names.  Mount Moriah is the Biblical name for The Temple Mount that is presently occupied by followers of Islam who consider this Islam’s third holiest site.  Muslims believe that the Old City of Jerusalem where the Temple Mount sits on a Platform above the Western Wall belongs to the Palestinians – and they will go to war with Israel in their endeavors to get Jerusalem back as their Capitol. 

It was not just happenstance that Hezbollah and the Muslims in southern Lebanon chose to name the border gate Lebanon shares with Israel as the “Fatima Gate” as this particular border gate was the closest that Hezbollah and Lebanon came to Israel – only a half mile from Metulla.  Nor was it just happenstance that the “Fatima Gate” was Hezbollah’s “Front Line” of Attack – the closest Hezbollah could come to Israel.

Turning the Battle Back at the Gate: Spiritual Warfare on October 7, 2023 at the Fatima Gate.

I am led by the Holy Spirit and am bound to follow the Holy Spirit wherever He leads me.  As the Apostle Paul declared:

Acts 20:22-23 ²² “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me,
²³ except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. NLT

Like the Apostle Paul, there are times I come under the power of the Holy Spirit to the point that I know I have no choice but to go where and when He tells me go and I have stood in many, many spiritual gateways.   Two of those spiritual gateways were the Iranian Embassy in Washington, DC and the Fatima Gate in Metulla, Israel – both were connected to the Fatima Gate.

Spiritual Warfare on May 22, 2000 at the Iranian Embassy in Washington, DC: On the morning of May 22, 2000 Israel’s Military Intelligence and Mossad informed Prime Minister Barak that Hezbollah was planning an “inferno” at the Fatima Gate as the IDF withdrew on what they thought would be July 7, 2000.  Their plans were thwarted by the Prime Minister of Israel after he received an intelligence report on the morning of May 22, 2000 concerning Hezbollah’s plans and began the withdrawal on May 22, 2000 while I was standing in the Gate of the Enemy at the Iranian Embassy.  Needless to say, it was not just happenstance that the Lord had me standing in the Gateway of the Iranian Embassy on May 22, 2000 praying for the safe withdrawal of the IDF!  Further details and documentation are included in Chapters 2, 6 and 7.

Spiritual Warfare on October 6/7, 2023 at the Fatima Gate: As the seed of Abraham, Israel is standing in the Gate of their Enemy – both their Spiritual enemy (the prince and kings of Persia (Daniel 10) and those here on earth (Iran and Hezbollah) that their spiritual enemy is operating through.  And, on October 6, 2023, the day Hamas decided to execute their plans to invade Israel from the south after ten years of planning, and October 7, 2023, when they actually did attack Israel, I stood at the “Fatima Gate” and in the Name of Jesus bound the spiritual prince and kings of Persia from operating through Hezbollah and putting boots on the ground in Metulla, Israel.

It is because God called me to stand in spiritual gateways that I was standing in the “Fatima Gate” in Metulla on the border Israel shares with Lebanon on the day Hamas attacked Israel and a convoy of Hezbollah Terrorists on motorcycles attempted to cross over the border to Metulla where I was staying.  It is because I was led by the Holy Spirit to leave America and travel to the Gateway of the Enemy:  the “Fatima Gate.”  The Holy Spirit quickened me to be there on the border during the Feast of Tabernacles which was when Hamas attacked Israel on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

It was on the Highway of Holiness, that Narrow Road that Jesus tells us leads to Eternal life that I travelled on in October 2023 that took me up to the Border Israel shares with Lebanon to the Front Line of Lebanon’s Fatima Gate known by the Israelis as the “Good Fence Border Crossing.”  After putting on the Whole Armor of God I went up to the “Fatima Gate,” the Spiritual Gateway of Israel’s Enemy that God told Abraham his seed would possess.  As a Spiritual Seed of Abraham and in the Name of Jesus I took authority over and bound the Evil Spirit Prince and Kings of Ancient Persia and those under their influence that Operate through Hezbollah to Vex and Torment the Israeli’s living along the Northern Border Lebanon shares with Israel. 

In the Name of Jesus I bound the prince and kings of Persia (Daniel 10) from crossing over Metulla’s Border and putting boots on the ground and wreaking havoc in Metulla and taking hostages, which was their plan while I was in Metulla (Matthew 7:13-14).   And, to this day, even though Hezbollah has destroyed the Village of Metulla with their rockets, they never put boots on the ground nor took hostages, which was what they had been preparing for – for many years.  The Village of Metulla can be rebuilt, but the trauma of being held as a hostage of Hezbollah is a whole other matter.  

The following screenshot is from a preview pane in Windows File Explorer and documents that I made an hour-long  video on October 7, 2023, the day Hamas attacked Israel, at the “Good Fence Memorial.”  In the picture displayed on the Preview Pane in Windows File Explorer you can see Lebanon behind where I am sitting.

The above picture of me at the “Good Gate”/”Good Fence Memorial” just feet away from the “Fatima Gate” was taken on October 7, 2023 the day Hamas attacked Israel. 

Needless to say, the day I made the hour long video was not just happenstance.  When I made the video everyone in Metulla was inside their houses in their safe rooms in case Hezbollah attacked Metulla.

I’m including the following image posted October 7, 2023 on X the same days Hamas attacked Israel in the south.  The Post is video of a convoy of Hezbollah terrorist on motorcycles.  According to the Jerusalem Post, the convoy that was approaching Metulla’s borders was acting in solidarity with Hamas.  On earth as in heaven:  the spiritual aspects of the road that we see the Hezbollah terrorist are travelling on is the “Broad Road” that leads to destruction and eternal loss – it is the “Highway to Hell.”

The following two screenshots are of the same video but were taken from an interview posted online by CBN News Dateline that was conducted inside Metulla’s War Room where they monitor incoming fire coming from the hillside of Lebanon. 

From the Captions on the two screenshots following this image there is no doubt that the Mayor and Overseers of Metulla believed that Hezbollah was planning an invasion of Metulla on October 7, 2023 on the same day Hamas attacked Israel on their southern border. 

I wanted to include this particular image because of the underground monitor.  On the day Hamas attacked Israel while we were out walking in Metulla two men stopped us and during the conversation they let us know that they were aware of our movements ever since we arrived in Metulla.

After locking the Fatima Gate in May 2000 – in 2024 the IDF unlocked the Fatima Gate and took their battle with Hezbollah to the battleground inside Lebanon and enforced UN Resolution 1701 pushing Hezbollah away from the northern border to north of Lebanon’s Litani River – the Fatima Gate was now Israel’s Front Line of Attack.

The “Fatima Gate” was Iran and Hezbollah’s “Front Line” of Attack to Invade and Conquer Israel’s Galilee

on their way to “Conquer Jerusalem.”  That is, until October 27, 2024 when Hezbollah was Defeated by the Israeli Defense Forces and was Forced to End its Involvement in the October 7, 2023 War started by Hamas

The Israeli-Lebanon Conflict that began on October 8, 2023 is much more than a border war, it is an “International War” being fought along a border:  the Israeli-Lebanon conflict is a Religious “War with Iran” that is being fought via Hezbollah on the borders that Israel shares with both Hamas and Lebanon.  The Unrighteous Road from Iran to the “Front Line” of Lebanon’s Fatima Gate is the Road that has led to the “International War” that is being fought on the Israeli-Lebanon Border that began on October 8, 2023.

On October 8, 2023 Hezbollah, in support of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, began to attack Israel in the north!  One year later, 2024, Metulla has been totally destroyed.  Metulla is a ghost town all their residents had to leave Metulla within the first few weeks of the war.  The following picture is from the New York Times and is only one of many such pictures.

Destroyed Home in Metulla – New York Times

War was Inevitable:  On October 1, 2024 Israel declared that the war with Hezbollah would be decided on the battleground, in essence, “Trial by Combat.”  Israel crossed over Lebanon’s boundary and took the battle to the battleground inside Lebanon’s borders to enforce UN Resolution 1701 passed in 2006 – diplomacy that was meant to end hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.  However, because the UN failed to enforce Resolution 1701 that was passed 18 years previously – then Israel had no choice but to take the battle to the battleground inside Lebanon’s Borders and enforce UN Resolution 1701 themselves.  After 18 years, the time for “Diplomacy” was over – War with Lebanon was Inevitable!  The Battle would be settled on the battleground – in essence “Trial by Combat.”

The United Nation and International Community’s inability to enforce UN Resolution 1701 bears witness that Spiritual Battles and Religious Wars cannot be Settled via Diplomatic Means!  That is why the UN was unable to enforce Resolution 1701 and why Hezbollah refused to abide by UN Resolution 1701.  Spiritual Battles can only be Settled via “Spiritual Warfare,” hence, “Trial by Combat” by taking the Battle to the Battlefield!  Israel could not settle the boundary dispute with Lebanon through Diplomatic means (UN Resolution 1701) anymore than Jephthah was able to settle a land dispute with the Ammonite king (Judges 11).  Thus, like Jephthah, the IDF was left with no choice but to cross over into enemy territory and settle the land dispute between Israel and Hezbollah/Lebanon via “Trial by Combat!”

The Scriptural Basis for “Trial by Combat” is Judges 11: Trial by Combat is an ancient belief dating back to the days of Jephthah who judged Israel for six years.  When the Ammonite King accused Israel of stealing land from the Ammonites and Jephthah was unable to settle the disagreement via Diplomatic means – Jephthah appealed to Israel’s Judge, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to decide whose cause was righteous – Israel’s claim that the land in question belonged to Israel or the Ammonites who were accusing the Israelites of stealing their land.  (Judges 11)

Judges 11:26-27 ²⁶ “Israel has been living here for 300 years, inhabiting Heshbon and its surrounding settlements, all the way to Aroer and its settlements, and in all the towns along the Arnon River. Why have you made no effort to recover it before now? ²⁷ Therefore, I have not sinned against you. Rather, you have wronged me by attacking me. Let the LORD, who is judge, decide today which of us is right—Israel or Ammon.” NLT

Thus, to fight a battle via “Trial by Combat” means that Jephthah believed that the battle between Israel and the Ammonites was a spiritual conflict that could only be decided by the God of Israel.  Jephthah believed that God would decide the outcome of war on the battlefield and if Israel’s cause was a righteous cause, then God would rule in Israel’s favor.

Like Jephthah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried in vain to settle their disputes with Hezbollah via diplomatic means – specifically UN Resolution 1701 – to no avail.  Hezbollah has refused to comply with UN Resolution 1701and move 18 miles away from Israel’s borders beyond the Litani River where they would be less of a threat to the northern villages in Israel and the UN has refused to enforce their own Resolution, UN Resolution 1701 and make Hezbollah comply.   Diplomacy has been to no avail! 

October 27, 2024 was a turning point in Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah:  Much to Hezbollah’s shock, the Israeli Defense Forces took the battle to the battlefield and put boots on the ground in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah’s military established their base in 2006 following their conflict with Israel, despite UN Resolution 1701 that stated that Hezbollah could not remain in the area near the border with Israel and were to move north of Lebanon’s Litani River.   If the UN would not enforce UN Resolution 1701 – then that left Israel no other choice than to enforce the resolution themselves!

UN Resolution 1701 Boundaries (2006)

Because the UN did not enforce UN Resolution 1701 and make Hezbollah move 18 miles away from Israel’s border north of Lebanon’s Litani River Hezbollah was able to transform Lebanon’s border village of Kfar Kila into a fortified stronghold, posing the gravest of threats to Israeli security.  Now after 19 years, and a month long battle on Lebanese soil, the Israeli Defense Forces “Retook” Control of the “Front Line” of Lebanon’s “Fatima Gate”:  Kfar Kila. 

In October 2024 the Israeli Defense Forces entered a New Phase of their War with Hezbollah.  By putting “Boots on the Ground in Lebanon” the Israeli Defense Forces moved from the phase of just Tit-for-Tat Exchanges with Hezbollah to Crossing over the Border Israel shares with Lebanon and Defeating and Destroying Hezbollah on their own soil – hence “Trial by Combat.” 

On October 27, 2024, with boots on the ground, the Israeli Defense Forces “Retook” control of Hezbollah’s most formidable Stronghold:  Lebanon’s Border Village of Kfar Kila, once the home of the “Fatima Gate.”  It was here in Kfar Kila that the IDF discovered and destroyed infrastructure that Hezbollah had built up in preparation for an even more devastating invasion than the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023.

Kfar Kila was key to Hezbollah’s success in invading Metulla and the Galilee.  It was from Kfar Kila that Hezbollah planned to storm the border and invade and capture Metulla, take captives, kill residents, much as Hamas did in the south, then spread out through the rest of the Galilee in their quest to conquer the Galilee.  The IDF found thousands of weapons, launchers, and tactical equipment belonging to Hezbollah soldiers in every house in Kfar Kila as well as in the underground tunnels and bunkers Hezbollah spent years building in preparation for their “Conquest of the Galilee” that was only their “Vain Imaginations.”        

Hezbollah was Defeated and driven north of Lebanon’s Litani River by the Israeli Defense Forces where they were no longer a military threat to the Galilee.  On October 27, 2024 Hezbollah was Forced to bow their knee and end its the “Front Line” of Lebanon’s Involvement in the October 7, 2023 War started by Hamas.  Israeli Defense Forces had come full circle and gone back up to Fatima Gate and crossed back over the border to the Security Zone that they withdrew from in May of 2000 and  had RETAKEN control of Hezbollah’s stronghold:  Kfar Kila.

The IDF took Possession of the Fatima Gate – the Gate of their Spiritual Enemies.  The Fatima Gate was now Israel’s Front Line of Attack:  On October 7/8, 2024 when the Israeli Defense Forces took the battle with Hezbollah to the battlefield and put boots on the ground inside Lebanon, it is then that the IDF took possession of the Fatima Gate and the Fatima Gate was the IDF’s Front Line of attack.  It must have been a Rude Awakening and Stark Realization for Hezbollah when they realized that the “Fatima Gate” was the “Front Line” for the Israeli Defense Forces who crossed over the border and put boots on the ground in southern Lebanon in October 2024. 

Victory for Israel:  Israel has suffered tremendous losses since Hamas attacked Israel – but Israel has also achieved significant victories against those seeking to destroy the Nation of Israel.  Putting boots on the ground and taking control of Kfar Kila before Hezbollah could infiltrate into Israel from Kfar Kila was a SIGNIFICANT victory for Israel.  No one can deny that on October 28, 2024 when the IDF took control of Kfar Kila and “destroyed” Hezbollah’s ability to conduct a ground infiltration of Israel from Kfar Kila that this was a significant victory and a momentous moment for Israel. 

Hezbollah and Iran’s Plans to Invade and Conquer the Galilee and Jerusalem were nothing more than “Vain Imaginations” and Futile Thinking.

Hezbollah’s intent was to take the necessary steps to implement their “futile plans” to invade and “Conquer the Galilee on their way to Invade and Conquer Jerusalem.”  However, Hezbollah wasted so much time and so many years on futile plans that would never become a reality. 

Hezbollah’s plans to Conquer Jerusalem were futile!  For the Lord declares that Jerusalem is His holy hill and God’s holy hill belongs to Israel and no other nation!  (Psalm 2:6, 2 Chronicles 6:6)  Needless to say, it must have been a rude awakening and stark realization for both Hezbollah and Iran when the IDF killed Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s Supreme Leader for over thirty years, on September 27, 2024.

Psalm 2:1-6 ¹ Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? ² The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. ³ “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” ⁴ But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. ⁵ Then in anger He rebukes them, terrifying them with His fierce fury. ⁶ For the Lord declares, “I have placed My chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on My holy mountain.”

2 Chronicles 6:3-6 ³ Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing: ⁴ “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise He made to my father, David. For He told my father, ⁵ ‘From the day I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor My name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead My people Israel. ⁶ But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over My people Israel.’”

Hezbollah began attacking Israel in solidarity with its ally Hamas, the Iranian-backed Terrorist Organization and Palestinian militant organization whose base is in Gaza that led the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Later, on September 27, 2024 in response to Hezbollah’s attacks, Israel retaliated by assassinating Hezbollah’s Leader Hassan Nasrallah, Israel’s archenemy who led Hezbollah for the previous three decades and is credited with transforming Hezbollah into one of the most powerful paramilitary organizations in the Middle East. 

The IDF also killed many of Hezbollah’s leaders and drove the rest of Hezbollah’s military north of Lebanon’s Litani River in September/October of 2024.  How shocked Iran and Hezbollah must have been when Syria, an ally of Hezbollah, fell and Israel successfully weakened Iran with their air attacks.  Surely both Iran and Hezbollah came to the stark realization that their plans to cross through the “Fatima Gate” and invade and conquer Metulla then invade and conquer the rest of the Galilee on their way to conquer Jerusalem were nothing more than Vain Imaginations. 

What!  Hezbollah planned to “Conquer the Galilee?”  Such a “Futile Plan!” 

What!  Hezbollah thought they could “Conquer Jerusalem!”  How could Hezbollah have imagined such a vain thing!  Such “Futile Plans” were nothing more than “Vain Imaginations.”  For the Lord declares that Jerusalem is His holy hill and God’s holy hill belongs to Jerusalem and no other nation!  Psalm 2    

Why is Hezbollah so angry?  Why has Hezbollah wasted their time with futile plans?  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob laughs at them.  And, in His anger the Lord rebuked Hezbollah terrifying them with His fierce fury.  After their walking talkies and pagers exploded in their hands – injuring thousands – Hezbollah and their families were terrified, afraid that their cell phones and appliances in their homes would explode.  And, what about the assassination of Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah for over thirty years, and the destruction of Hezbollah who is no longer a military threat to Israel? 

What!  Iran was one of the nations that made plans with Hezbollah to invade Israel? 

Why is Iran so angry?  Why has Iran wasted so much time by plotting together with Hezbollah to Conquer the Galilee and Jerusalem?  Such futile plans!  Did Iran really think they could “Conquer the Galilee” and after conquering the Galilee, advance towards Jerusalem through their proxy Hezbollah?

How could Iran and Hezbollah have imagined such a vain thing!  Such “Futile Plans” are nothing more than “Vain Imaginations.”  For the Lord declares that Jerusalem is His holy hill and God’s holy hill belongs to Jerusalem and no other nation!  Psalm 2   

What!  Iran threatened Israel that they were Coming to take Israel? 

The following Jerusalem Post Newsletter article posted on June 28, 2017 (updated on June 29, 2017) by Seth J. Frantzman reads in part: “…On a hill overlooking houses being constructed in Metulla is another huge poster with a photo of the Dome of the Rock.  The face of Ayatollah Khomeini glowers down over the dome and Hezbollah has written: ‘We are coming’ in Hebrew and Arabic.’”

The threatening message was clear.  Such a Vain thing to imagine!  Why did they waste their time with their plans that proved to be futile?  Why try and break the chains from them that Israel has used to bind them with?

Psalm 2 reveals that the angry nations were preparing for battle – that they were plotting against the Lord and His anointed one.  And, so it was with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.  In the same Jerusalem Post article Nasrallah  boasts of bringing thousands of foreign fighters to help him attack Israel.  A copy of the Jerusalem Post Newsletter article follows:

What!  According to the above article posted by the Jerusalem Post:

• On a hill overlooking houses in Metulla Hezbollah had placed a huge poster with a photo of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem with the Ayatollah Khomenini looking down from the Dome of the Rock with a caption that read “We are coming” in Hebrew and Arabic. 
• And, just a stone’s throw away from Metulla, Israel Hezbollah placed a banner featuring the “Iranian Flag.”  The message was clear:  the visible presence of Iran is hovering over Israel’s northern border.
• In the same article Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah boasts of the collation that is coming together to join in Hezbollah’s plans to invade and conquer Israel including Jerusalem – God’s holy hill.
• What!  The Shia Muslims planned to “Conquer the Galilee” and Jerusalem!  Such a “Futile Plan!” 

Like their Ancient Forefathers, Modern-day Lebanese would Rejoice in the Destruction of Israel:  The Sin of Lebanon’s Forefathers was that the Ancient Tyrians Rejoiced in the Destruction of Jerusalem, which was the Gateway to the rich trade routes to the east.  And so it is with the present-day Lebanese. (Ezekiel 26:1-3)  Like their forebears before them, the modern-day Tyrians believe that the demise of Israel would be to their advantage.  Like their forefathers, they also believe they would once again become a world leader in maritime trade and would possess the “Gateway to the Rich trade routes to other nations.”

Ezekiel 26:1-3 ¹ And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ² "Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, 'Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.' ³ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up. NKJV

Ezekiel 26:1-2 ¹ On February 3, during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the LORD:  ² “Son of man, Tyre has rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Ha! She who was the gateway to the rich trade routes to the east has been broken, and I am the heir! Because she has been made desolate, I will become wealthy!’ NLT

The Israeli Defense Forces have come Full Circle:  Now, after a long series of events, including the 2006 conflict with Hezbollah and Hamas and Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel in 2023 the same situation that existed when the IDF withdrew from the Security Zone inside Lebanon in May of 2000 still exists.  And, for those reasons, much, much to the surprise of Hezbollah, the IDF has come full circle and once again put boots back on the ground in Lebanon and much to the surprise of Hezbollah has the resolve to settle their conflicts with Hezbollah via “Trial by Combat” with “Boots on the Ground.”  Although, there has been a long period of changes since 2000 when the IDF withdrew from the Security Zone inside Lebanon the same situation that existed in 2000 still existed in 2023 when Hezbollah attacked Israel. 

More to the point:  Putting Boots back on the Ground inside Lebanon’s Border was “Inevitable!”  Just as God told Abraham that his seed would stand in the gate of their (spiritual) enemies – the IDF took Possession of the Fatima Gate by force “before” Hezbollah could cross through the Fatima Gate onto Israeli soil.

How did Hezbollah come to such a Wrong Conclusion?

The Israeli Defense Forces did not withdraw from Lebanon in May 2000 because they won the war, nor via a cease fire agreement nor diplomacy.  The IDF withdrew from Lebanon because Prime Minister Barak was persuaded by anti-war activists known as the “Four Mothers” who convinced both the Israeli government and the public at large that the IDF’s presence in Lebanon’s Security Zone was no longer necessary for Israel’s safety.  Needless to say, that wasn’t anywhere near the truth.  Both the Israeli-Lebanon conflict of 2006 and 2023 bears witness that the ideology of the “Four Mothers” was wrong. 

The “Four Mothers” Slogan was “Leaving Lebanon in Peace”:  What!  Prime Minister Barak’s decision to withdraw from Lebanon in May 2000 was to appease the “Four Mothers” antiwar movement.  Bowing down to “Leaving Lebanon in Peace” only encouraged Hezbollah’s aggression lat led to the Israeli-Lebanon 2006 conflict as well as the current conflict that began in 2023.

Hezbollah came to the conclusion that Israel no longer had a tolerance for war and was convinced that, in any future war, that Israel would rely heavily on air and artillery precision weapons and limit its use of ground forces.  After the manner the IDF withdrew from the “Security Zone” inside Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah only deceived themselves that Israel would have no desire for casualties in any future conflict.  Hezbollah deceived themselves thinking that Israel would not put boots on the ground even if it meant the preservation of the State of Israel.

The desires of Hezbollah and the Lebanese to take the “Fatima Gate” back have proven to be in vain.  The Israeli Defense Forces have control of Kfar Kila where the “Fatima Gate” was once located.  Israel will continue to keep control of the “Fatima Gate” not only in the natural realm, but in the spiritual realm as well.   

Again, the Spiritual Significance of this new phase of the war is that the Israeli Defense Forces have gone up to Lebanon’s Fatima Gate which is a Gateway of the Enemy that God told Abraham his seed would stand in, and have “Retaken” possession of the Fatima Gate that they withdrew from in May 2000. 

When we stand in the Gate of the Enemy (Genesis 22:17) – we are standing on the “Front Line” of a battle being fought in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6, Revelation 12).  In essence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is giving the order that the Israeli Defense Forces are to Retake possession of the gates of their enemies.  Unlike Prime Minister Barak, Netanyahu will not tell the IDF to turn their backs and withdraw from Lebanon’s “Fatima Gate” – this time the IDF will go back up to the border they share with Lebanon and Repossess the gate of their enemies: Hezbollah.

Peace only existed when the IDF had possession of the “Fatima Gate” from 1982-2000:  When the IDF took possession of the Fatima Gate from 1982-2000, God used it for the saving of many lives; Genesis 22:17 and Romans 8:28 became a Living Word.

From 1982-2000 during the Israel-Lebanon Conflict, God used Lebanon’s Fatima Gate, the Gate of Israel’s enemy who was seeking the destruction of both Israel and the SLA, a Lebanese Christian Militia who came to the aid of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), for the good of those that love Him.  We know from Genesis 22:17 that God told Abraham that his seed would possess the gate of his enemy and Romans 8:28 reveals that all things work together for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose.

From 1982-2000 when the IDF had possession of the Fatima Gate during the Israeli-Lebanon Conflict – the people on either side of the “Fatima Gate” co-existed in peace.  Then in May of 2000 when Prime Minister Barak bowed to the antiwar pressure of the “Four Mothers” movement whose Campaign slogan was “Leaving Lebanon in Peace” and made the decision that the IDF would withdraw from the Security Zone back onto Israeli soil through Lebanon’s Fatima Gate – the people on either side of the gate no longer co-existed in peace.  Unfortunately, the Four Mothers did not understand that Israel’s enemies do not want peace – they want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth!  How could the Israeli Defense Forces leave in peace when their enemies do not want peace? 

When the IDF withdrew in May 2000 it was interpreted by Hezbollah and Iran as a sign of Israeli weakness – more to the point it was interpreted as Israel’s submission to terrorism – as the IDF bowing their knee to Iran and Hezbollah.  The IDF has learned their lessons well from their withdrawal from the Security Zone inside Lebanon in May 2000 – a withdrawal that only emboldened Hezbollah.

The war between Israel and Lebanon cannot end in a cease fire or UN Resolutions that the UN will not or cannot enforce – the war cannot end until Israel fully dismantles all of Hezbollah’s capabilities and the threat from Hezbollah is gone.

As a note:  as of November 2024 both Hezbollah and Hamas have been “Militarily” not just defeated, but destroyed.  However, Biblically speaking, neither have been destroyed as an organization and will at some point, again from a Biblical standpoint, even if it is decades from now, once again prove to be a force that Israel will have to reckon with Judges 3:1-7; Ezekiel 25:15-17.  And, once again God will intervene and bring His covenant people victory over their spiritual enemies – over those Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon and the Philistines who have a Perpetual Enmity for the Israelites.  Judges 3:3; Ezekiel 25:15-17

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 w ere 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

The Lord used the enemy, including the Sidonians (verse 3) who were living in ancient Lebanon that the Israelites were not able to drive out of their allotted lands, to test future generations of Israelites whether or not they would follow Him and to teach the younger generations who had no experience in battle – to teach them the art of warfare.  It’s not just happenstance that so many of the IDF who fought in the “Lebanon Conflict” were just that – very young men.  If we consider Judges 3:1-6, then we know that God used the “Lebanon Conflict” (Sidonian Conflict) and the attacks of both the PLO and Hezbollah from within the borders of Lebanon (Judges 3:3), to prove and teach the younger generation of Israelites about war.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah will always regard the State of Israel as an illegitimate nation occupying land that belongs to the Muslim nations including the holy land of Jerusalem.  Like, Hezbollah, Hamas is opposed to even the existence of Israel and wants a nation based on Islam to replace the State of Israel.  And, for those reasons, at some point in time after this present-day conflict is determined, the Israeli Defense Forces will once again have to cross over the border and confront Hezbollah or Hamas or whoever comes after them on the battlefield again because, according to Scripture, their hatred for the Jewish people is “Perpetual.”

And, that means the Fatima Gate will always be there until the end of time – and Israel must always possess it throughout all generations.  Again, it is not just happenstance that the Fatima Gate is on the Israeli side of the border.

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