by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. As Israel began to start its observance of the 7-day Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) last Wednesday, October 16, two events occurred: for the first time, US long-range B2 stealth bombers struck 5 underground, hardened missile and weapons storage sites of the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen; and the top leader of…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 25:8-19, Yom Kippur and the Jubilee Year
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Israel has now been at war for over a year. It now fights on multiple fronts: against the remnants of Hamas in Gaza; Hamas and other terror groups in Judea and Samaria (West Bank); against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, against various Iran-sponsored Shiite militias in Syria and in Iraq, against…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 25:1-7
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. The US Department of Justice announced last September 3 the “unsealing of terrorism, murder conspiracy, and sanctions-evasion charges against senior leaders of Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization” (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-terrorism-charges-against-senior-leaders-hamas). The Hamas defendants are held directly responsible for the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in southern Israel which resulted in the…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 23:22, 31, 39, 40-43
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Negotiations for a hostage-prisoner exchange deal with a 6-week ceasefire conducted by expert negotiators from the US, Egypt, Qatar and Israel have floundered as Hamas continues to reject it. Meanwhile, a 52-year old Israeli Bedouin hostage, Qaid Farhan Al-Qadi, has been rescued by the IDF last August 27. Al-Qadi is…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 22:24; 23:3, 10, 14, 17, 21
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Israel had just launched a preemptive strike against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in reaction to Western intelligence information that some 6,000 rockets were going to be fired at Tel Aviv and other locations in Israel. Even after the destruction of these ready-to-be-fired missiles, Hezbollah still launched 300 drones and…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 20:2, 4, 22, 24
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. The expected retaliation from Iran, Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies is still being awaited even as the US and other allies create a protective, defensive umbrella over Israel. The US, UK, France, Germany and Italy issued a Joint Statement on the Middle East last August 12 reiterating their full support…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 19:23, 29
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. The death of the 12 Druze children killed in a Hezbollah rocket attack in Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights last July 27, 2024 has brought about Israeli retaliation in terms of targeted assassinations of top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. Israeli and international attention are now focused on Iran’s and…
The Land Promised – Leviticus 14:34; 18:24-28
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. At least 12 Druze children and youth were killed in a Hezbollah rocket attack while playing in a soccer field in Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights below the southern foothills of Mount Hermon last Saturday, July 27. The AllIsrael News agency says that at least 40 people were killed…
The Land Promised – Exodus 34:11, 24, 26
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Negotiations for a temporary ceasefire deal are on-going even as the Knesset recently voted by a 68 – 9 margin to reject a 2-State solution with the Palestinians and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu prepares to fly to the US to speak before the Congress. The Houthis bombed Tel Aviv with…
The Land Promised – Exodus 33:1-3
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Some 120 hostages (alive and dead) are still held somewhere in Rafah or elsewhere in Gaza. Negotiations for their release and a temporary ceasefire are on-going. They are in captivity for over 9 months since the attack, massacre and hostage-taking perpetrated by Hamas and its allies occurred in southern Israeli…