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Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 7:39 AM

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Shalom and Greetings from Jerusalem Edward Rene,

Stone Seal Discovery Gives Support to Samson Bible Account

The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands. (Judges 14:6)

A small seal dating back over three millenniums to the 11th century BC was recently discovered at Tel Beit (Beth) Shemesh (House of the Sun), an important city during biblical times.

It dates to the time of Samson, whose wife lived in nearby Tel Batash (the town of Timnah in the Bible).

This recently discovered seal, which was found at Tel Beit Shemesh (Bet or Beth Shemesh) and seems to depict a man fighting a large animal, has excited discussion among archaeologists. Some believe that it is evidence that supports the Bible account of Samson.

The seal, which measures a little over half an inch (1.5 centimeters) in diameter, is important because it depicts a large animal accompanied by the figure of a man.

Since the level at which it was found corresponds to the period of the biblical judges, including Samson, experts are saying that the artifact reflects the story of Samsons destruction of the lion as described in the Book of Judges.

Judges 14:56 tells how Samson, who was a judge in Israel for 20 years, was on the way with his parents to acquire a Philistine bride when he was attacked by a lion:

Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat.

Later when Samson was returning to marry the Philistine woman, he saw the lions carcass with a swarm of bees in it and honey. The Bible tells us that he scooped out the honey from the lions carcass and ate it (Judges 14:89).

The Philistines had five principal cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. Beit (Beth or Bet) Shemesh was in close proximity to Ekron and Gath. To learn more about these Philistine cities, read Amos 1:6-8 and 2 Chronicles 26: 6-8.

The tel (city mound) of Beit Shemesh was located near the border with the Philistines, and the Bible tells us that Samson warred against them and died in Gaza when he used his massive strength to bring down their

temple (Judges 13-16).

The name Samson in Hebrew is Shimshon, which has the same root as shemesh orsun, linking him to Beit Shemesh, meaning house of the sun.

Rather than associating the seal directly with Samson, excavation directors Prof. Shlomo Bunimovitz and Dr. Zvi Lederman of Tel Aviv University are saying that the date of the seal and the common geographical area being where Samson lived, suggest the existence of a legend involving a hero who fought a lion.

Beit Shemesh (also Beth or Bet Shemesh)

The tel is located near the modern Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, which is about 19 miles (30 kilometers) west of Jerusalem.

The Bible mentions Beit (Beth) Shemesh several times. Joshua 15:10 and 19:22refer to Beit Shemesh in conjunction with the boundaries of the tribes of Judah and Simeon. This was the city set aside for the Kohanim, the priests from the tribe of Levi(Judges 21:16).

In 1 Samuel 6, we read that when the Philistines returned to Israel the Ark of the Covenant, they put in on a new cart that was pulled by two cows that had never before been yoked. The cows returned the Ark to Beit Shemesh.

The Ark, which was constructed during the Israelite's wanderings in the wilderness, was considered a physical manifestation of God on earth, and God spoke to Moses from between the two cherubs (Numbers 7: 89; Exodus 25:22). In 1 Samuel 5, we also learn that when the Philistines placed the Ark into Dagon's temple, they found the idol face down before the Ark in the morning. According to Hebrews 9:4, the Ark contained the stone tablets of the law (Ten Commandments), the jar of manna and Aron's rod that budded.

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Israel and Palestinian Authority Strengthen Economic Ties

Last week, Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) reached an economic agreement that both sides believe will better the economic foundation of the Palestinian Authority.

The agreement includes creating a pipeline that will transport fuels directly from Israeli ports, instead of transporting fuel by truck, as is done currently.

Steps will also be taken to improve the collection of VAT (Value Added Tax) and customs tax, as well as communication regarding the transfer of goods and tax collection to help eradicate smuggling and tax evasion.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that the broadened economic cooperation and improved tax collection will help strengthen the economic foundation of the PA by promoting the development of a tax infrastructure in the PA and broadening tax collection. (Ynet)

Israels Minister of Finance, Yuval Steinitz, said, Its an important step in strengthening economic ties between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Israel's Minister of Finance, Yuval Steinitz

Iranian President Repeats Threat to Annihilate Israel

Last Thursday, Irans president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for the total destruction of Israel, labeling it the axis of unity of the world hegemonic powers.

Anyone who loves freedom and justice must strive for the annihilation of the Zionist regime in order to
pave the way for world justice and freedom, he said.

He was speaking at a meeting of Islamic ambassadors and embassy personnel in Teheran in advance of International Quds Day, which falls this year on August 17th.

This annual event was started in 1979 to express solidity with the Palestinians and to oppose Israels control of Jerusalem (Al Quds in Arabic)

Quds Day is not merely a strategic solution for the Palestinian problem, as it is to be viewed as a key for
solving the world problems, Ahmadinejad told the ambassadors.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Referring to the Jewish People as the horrendous Zionist Clan, Ahmadinejad claimed that Jews have been running world affairs for over 400 years through political and financial institutions and the media, according to the official state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

The Zionist regime is both the symbol of the hegemony of Zionism over the world and the means in the hand of the oppressor powers for expansion of their hegemony in the region and in the world, he said.

Possibly in response to Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romneys trip to Jerusalem last week, during which he recognized Jerusalem as Israels eternal capital, Ahmadinejad said the following:

The Zionists are the decision makers, to the extent that the presidential election hopefuls must go and kiss
the feet of the Zionists to ensure their election victory.

Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Edward Rene, as these alarming words proceed from the leader of a country that is building nuclear weapons, and that has repeatedly threatened Israels existence.

A street in Jerusalem

Click here to Bless Jerusalem and Stand with Israel as it faces Irans threats

As the Threat of a Nuclear Iran Looms Larger, Panetta says the US will Stand by Israel

There has been a flurry of high-level visits of American officials to Israel in recent days, and last week the US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also visited Israel, declaring that the US would stand by Israel if Iran developed nuclear weapons, and that military strikes are still an option.

At a joint press conference on Wednesday with the US Secretary of Defense, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said that sanctions against Iran are not working.

"You recently said that sanctions on Iran are having a big impact on the Iranian economy. And that is correct. And I am sure that the recent sanctions advanced by the president and the congress will have an even greater impact on the Iranian economy. But unfortunately, it's also true that neither sanctions nor diplomacy have yet had any impact on Iran's nuclear weapons program," he said(Jerusalem Post).

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu meets with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in Jerusalem at the PM's office.

Netanyahu said that Iran believes that the international community lacks the will to stop its nuclear program and time was running out to resolve the issue peacefully.

Panetta urged patience, as the US launched new sanctions just the day before. He reassured him that the US would not let Iran become a nuclear power.

"We will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Period. We will not allow them to develop a nuclear weapon," he said.

Prior to the meeting with the US defense chief, Netanyahu announced in an interview that Israel was serious about a pre-emptive strike against Iran, although he has not yet made a decision. He said that ultimately it would be his decision along with his top cabinet ministers.

Iran has not only been testing the reach of its long-range missiles, it has been installing thousands of additional centrifuges in underground facilities

such as Qom. It's now estimated that Iran will have nuclear weapons within a year. In the above photo, Ahmadinejad inspects Iran's nuclear capabilities at Natanz, a heavily fortified underground nuclear facility.

When asked about the objection to such an attack by the security establishment, Netanyahu pointed out that when former Prime Minister Menachem Begin launched an attack on Iraq's nuclear reactor, he had also been advised against it by the security establishment. Nevertheless, he said, it turned out to be the right decision.

"In the Israeli democracy, and in any other democracy, it is the political echelon that determines policy. The military echelon implements this policy. I've yet to reach a decision," he said (Ynet).

Netanyahu also pointed out that Iran has not hid its intentions to annihilate Israel or use nuclear weapons.

Rene, three times this year, high-level nuclear talks between Iran and the P5 plus 1 (six nation group consisting of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) have failed to end Irans enrichment of uranium to 20%, which is just a step away from bomb grade.

Months of negotiations have actually bought Iran time to not only build its nuclear stockpile, but also the number of reactors capable of creating it.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, recently gathered his top military chiefs and told them Iran would be at war within weeks.

Iran is rapidly progressing toward having nuclear weapons and likely has already obtained 65% grade enrichment. The 90% needed for bombs is closer than ever, and since sanctions and negotiations have failed to stop Iran, their nuclear ambitions continue to race forward.

Many experts agree that a Tehran-sponsored terrorist campaign against Israel has already begun, with the recent attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria being a precursor of attacks to come.

Indeed, the situation does seem to be coming to the boiling point. At the end of July, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gathered the top Iranian military chiefs for their last war council.

According to intelligence gathered by Debkafile, he told them, Well be at war within weeks.

In preparation for Americas super-weapons, Khamenei is fortifying his nuclear facilities with a thick combination of rocks, concrete and steel (Debka).

Edward Rene, as tension mounts here in the Middle East, please keep our ministry in your prayers as we bring the Word of God to Israel and the world in these End of Days. Time is Short!

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