The Promised Land

There is much understandable fuss today concerning the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel last year.  Most of what we read and hear is of course nonsense.   Ignorant and deliberate propaganda from both sides, and a great many other sides with something to say or a benefit to gain from this conflict, shout loudly to all around.  Israel has many backers, the US and UK amongst many others, supplying weapons and diplomatic and other support.  The Palestinians have support, much from Arabs all around them but also these same Palestinians have grieved neighbouring states with their war.  Not all Arabs supported Palestinians in the past, most just wish to get on with their lives and end their own wars.  

For as long as man has trod these lands war has been the main employment during the Spring and summer.  Raiding and warring has enlarged and destroyed the states all around.  The Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians then the Persians alone conquered and lost this land.  Since then Greece and Rome and Ottoman Turks have ruled and passed on.  War is a constant, therefore war is to be expected when the Hebrews return to a land they believe was given to them by the only God way back in Abraham's day.  

Either this was true, or this was a lie.

If it was a lie and the Jews deceived we can forget about this and move on.  

If it was true, and the only God Yahweh, gave this land to the Hebrews while working out his plan for eternity in this world, then we must look again and choose carefully what we say and do.

Either way, it would be fair to say that politicians on all sides have little understanding of how the Living God works out his purposes, and Bibi Netanyahu is probably not one to acknowledge Yeshua Messiah as Lord.

Thousands have died in this last 12 months, some cruelly, some from bomb or bullet, some from hunger, others from lack of medicine and care.  Some soldiers have enjoyed killing, many have grown up with hate filling their hearts on both sides.  Few have been raised with peace in mind.

I have no answer to the present Israel/Gaza war.  The human cause is possibly Netanyahu attempting to avoid coming before the courts for charges of corruption.  Israel have jailed similar men for corruption before now.  His desire to kill those in Gaza being an excellent excuse to avoid the courts.  As I understand it, he cannot be tried while Premier.  Years of conflict, thousands untold dying along the way, have prepared Israel for this outbreak.  It may last a  while longer.  Many more will die.  

Politicians will talk of peace while providing arms and support all the while.  Israel must be supported, even though few of these men understand what the Lord God is doing here, and that one day they will stand before him in judgement!

I do not understand the workings here, but I know God is working his purposes out.  He is shaping the middle east for Jesus return.  Can we understand this clearly from scripture?  You may be able to, I struggle with the clarity bit.  

Is the Israel in Israel the nation to be surrounded by enemies?  Or does this mean the church of God, the people following Jesus until he returns is surrounded and opposed?  I know not.  

Does Yahweh rejoice in the death of the wicked?  

Certainly not, that is why judgement on us all has not fallen yet.  

He cries out as always that he gave his Son so that you could live with him for ever!  

Our corrupt nature cannot be saved, yet Jesus died for us so a way is open to meet and live with God.

He suffered for us.  

He took our sin.

Turning to Jesus, accepting his death on our behalf, and living for him brings life.

No riches or wealth in human terms, but life everlasting and worth having.

Somehow all this is involved in Gaza today.  

Many there have already met Jesus, they are not all Muslim.  

Many continue to suffer for their belief in Jesus, and not just in the Middle East.  

Let us learn from the conflict there that Jesus is till in control, he remains Lord of all, in spite of our own troubles and what we see in our biased media.  

Let us put our trust in him.

Two Small Cemeteries.

During the Great War British Empire forces attacked Gaza three times before it was taken.  This cost many lives on both sides as the defence was strong and thorough.  Many 'British' were buried in two graveyards now run by the CWGC.  The work on the ground is covered by 6 trained gardeners, often following on from their forefathers in the work.  As you can see from this picture the grounds are kept to a very high standard and the workmen deserve their wages.

Some comment has arisen however, as the two CWGC cemeteries have not been touched by the Israeli's during the present conflict.  This is unusual as during two previous wars the stones were damaged and gardeners had a dangerous time.  Israel paid compensation at least for the first war as far as I know.

I did have a question regarding the presence of the gardeners at the moment and it appears 5 out of the 6, plus their families, are now in Egypt where once settled they will work on the CWGC cemeteries there.  The fate of the 6th man, Yacoub Ismali aged in his 50s is as yet unknown.

The UK support of Israel has produced some benefits however, the population of Gaza wonder why these cemeteries are worth more than their own which have been uprooted and destroyed by Israel. 

I wish I had an answer for this situation but that has not come.  While the killing has eased no real end is in sight.  Changes in Israel's parliament may occur soon, but there again maybe not.  This is just one small incident in the situation.

Monday Moping

 

Every time I log on at the moment I get an extra browser page.  Microsoft offering me an expensive and unwanted 'Outlook' when I already have similar and find I do not require most of what is there now.

'AdBlockPlus' tell me they have updated and I can contribute on this page.  I like this, and sometimes contribute when I can.  It is a good way to block ads on laptops.  This does not work on mobile phones unfortunately.  'Mozilla' itself logs on to tell me the name is changing from 'Firefox.'  They also tell me how to stop their ads appearing, which is good.  'Open Source' is always good.

The problem with all this is that the new additions are always larger than previous.  This means when operating sometimes things clash, and dead screens appear.  Facebook is appalling for having too much space, mostly for things I do not want, or to grab all my information.  

It also becomes a problem when the numpty working the laptop does not know what he is doing.   

This is a position I have often found myself in.  I am becoming confused between different log-on's. This is because many are the same colour and I canny change them.  So , I click the blue one just to unclick it and click the other blue one over there.  Why can there not be more variety in the colours?  Bah!  

The cables do not help.  I have several black cables, and I had to try them all before I found the right one, the one already in the laptop, to fill the battery of the Kindle.  I have them all hanging from the tree beside me now.  I may join them if this continues!

So it goes on.  Artillery from the border, bombs from aircraft, rockets from far off.  Around 5000 dead in Gaza, all terrorists I expect, and a couple of thousand dead in Israel itself.  Over 300 soldiers apparently included.

So what do we do?

Has God returned the Jews to the land he gave them?  Are Palestinians living out an age old enmity with God?  What about the Christian ones among them?  The third oldest known church has been hit by Israel, erected around 425 AD, yet not safe, many killed.  

If the land invasion goes ahead thousands will die, including the Israeli armed forces.  Iran may attempt to get involved via proxy.  Others by negotiation.  The whole thing is a mess.  

What should we do?

One Hundred Years Ago Today...

A hundred years ago today the 3rd Battle of Gaza began, amongst those who failed to return were three men from the local area, all members of the local Territorial Force serving in the 1/5th Battalion Essex Regiment.  

On 23rd July 1915 some 20 officers and 649 'other Ranks' of the 1/5th Battalion Essex Territorial Force sailed on the S.S. 'Grampian' for Gallipoli in the 161st Brigade as part of the 54th (East Anglian) Division landing on Suvla Bay on the 10th of August 1915 to face their introduction to the Great War. Here the battalion fought through the heat of the summer into the snow of winter departing to Mudros on the 27th of November 1915. Six officers and one hundred men had remained in position throughout their time on the peninsula, twenty seven had died in action plus ten from disease and one hundred and thirty three had been wounded including the Commanding Officer who never returned to action.
From the cold of Gallipoli the battalion served in the warmth of Egypt, much of the time being bored while guarding the Suez Canal. By March 1917 however the battalion saw action at the first battle of Gaza where they attacked the 'Green Hill' successfully in spite of advancing over 4000 yards of open ground, heavy casualties resulted but all were recalled because of misunderstandings regarding the position elsewhere.
The 5th participated in successful action during the early morning of November 2nd 1917. At five minutes to three in the morning the 5th Battalion attacked Zowaid Trench and the Rafa Redout from their positions on the beach to the west of Gaza.  Darkness, smoke from the guns, dust thrown up from the beach, desperate and deadly efficient Ottoman defending plus the general 'fog of war' caused confusion and the battle was not won for many hours. The cost was terrific as an entire Turkish Division had been brought in to defend the position leaving the battalion losing 2 officers and 73 other ranks killed and having 7 officers, including the replacement Colonel wounded for a second time and 172 other ranks wounded. 

Among the dead lay Serjeant William George Ambrose who fell attacking Zowaid Trench. Also there were two more Braintree and Bocking men Private Arthur William Gosling and Private James Joseph Willis.
William George Ambrose was born in Braintree in1896 and by 1911 lived in Woodfield Road. His father worked at Crittalls and William found employment as an office boy, possibly a rather tedious job for an energetic young man. With his father also being a serjeant in the 1/5th Battalion Essex Territorial Regiment it is no surprise to see William enlisting at the Drill Hall in Victoria Street when he was fifteen years of age. His photograph shown here reveals him to be a man of action and it is no surprise that he was serjeant also by the time he was 18 in 1914. For many men the Territorial Force was the only way to get away from the daily routine, meet mates and have a bit of excitement. The Battalion was dedicated to 'Home defence' however when volunteers for 'overseas action' were called for many were keen to answer that call.   Nineteen was the enlistment age and many who volunteered for overseas service were below that age, some well below!  William George Ambrose was an experienced fighting man of 21 years of age when he died leading his men attacking Zowaid Trench at Gaza. His body was recovered and now lies in the well cared for Gaza War Cemetery. 

Private Arthur William Gosling off similar age to Ambrose was the son of a milkman living in Stine Cottage, Panfield Lane. Arthur had been employed as a painter with Gobbold and Millbank before the war.  He too had joined the regiment possibly full of excitement and sharing the patriotism of the crowd but he also fell during this battle and was said to have died of his wounds, unfortunately however his body was never recovered.  The damage from artillery often making identification impossible.  He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Private James Joseph Willis was 19, he lived in Maltings Lane of Bradford Street and worked for Baileys the grocers in the High Street on the corner of Sandpit Road. James had left his job when 16 years of age and enlisted (by lying about his age probably) in the 5th Essex and was early in the war. He too fell somewhere during this third battle of Gaza and died of his wounds, his body also was never recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

Now I'm Not One to Complain, But....

I awoke this morning, eventually, to a gray sky.  This is becoming a bit wearing now.  I also noted the bug lingered on, also wearing in every manner.  On top of this I decided to pull a muscle or strain some part of my calf on Saturday morning while crossing the road outside Tesco. (By 'calf' I mean 'calf' in my leg, not 'calf' in a field somewhere accompanying a cow!)  This means I now limp even slower than before, and as I took a perambulation around yesterday I toddled up a slight slope and made it worse!  So most of my time I sit here letting it 'rest.'   Bah!  How something so simple can ruin life.  If I were the complaining sort instead of the always cheerful type I may well get irked by this and form a protest movement.  However I will just grin and bear all my troubles with never a word of grumbling, as always.

During my few lucid moments today in between limping around attempting to find a cure for may ache, I researched (which means read a lot) the battles at Gaza in 1917.  This is because I require one short paragraph about some chaps who died there.  Since Saturday, in between pawing my aching leg and watching football I have been reading pages of this stuff.  How far have I got with the scrawl?  About one line......

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