The Water Crisis in Israel    08.2009

The Water Crisis in Israel

"The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. …so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it." (Isa 41:17-18,20)

Owing to drought and over-consumption, Israel is facing the worst water crisis in more than 80 years. Between the natural aridity of the region and demand that far exceeds the supply provided in the annual recharge of Lake Kinneret and the coastal and mountain aquifers (Israel’s only sources of fresh water), Israeli faces the constant threat of a dramatic water emergency.

“Israel’s water sources can supply only 200 cubic meters per year, only 40% of what the UN considers minimal”

During the last decade, Israel experienced an unprecedented series of diminished annual rainfalls. This drought cycle has caused a dramatic dwindling of Israel’s fresh water supply. By year's end, the Kinneret’s level will likely drop below the so-called "black line," when pumping will have to stop as the machinery will no longer be submerged. When the water levels of Lake Kinneret and the mountain and coastal aquifers are lowered, it causes serious detriment to water quality and the destruction of ecosystems.

According to the UN water index, Israel suffers from a severe water shortage. UN criteria define the minimum quantity of water necessary as 500 cubic meters per person per year. Israel’s water sources can supply only 200 cubic meters per year, only 40% of what the UN considers minimal.

By the year 2020, the population of Israel is expected to grow by another three million people. This means that the country will require another 300 million cubic meters of drinking water in order to cope with this population growth and the ever-rising standard of living. Without water, the essence of life, Israel can’t survive.

Our Water Project and the Blessing over Joseph

God has revealed to a brother in Norway that there is plenty of water under Israel beneath the coastal and mountain aquifers. We are talking about rivers of water with an unending supply. More than Israel will ever need.

It is written about the blessing over Joseph in Genesis 49.

"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below." (Gen 49:22-25)

This blessing is repeated in Deuteronomy, "About Joseph he said: 'May the LORD bless his land with the precious dew from heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below.'" (Deut 33:13)

“The Greek translation of this promise to Ephraim is the exact same words that Paul uses in Romans 11:25 referring to the Gentile believers in Yeshua!”

There is a special blessing promised to Joseph in the area of "blessings of the deep that lies below," specifically regarding water! We want to explain why this blessing over Joseph is a powerful encouragement for us to pray for the water project in Israel.

Joseph and David are the main prototypes of the Messiah. Yeshua is the Messiah, Son of Joseph, the suffering Servant, as well as Messiah, Son of David, the conquering King. Throughout the Scriptures we can see that the Eternal's work of redemption runs along two parallel lines through the tribes of Judah and Ephraim, the son of Joseph.

Ephraim as well as Manasseh were born by a Gentile mother when Joseph was separated from the rest of his brothers. Later on Joseph's two sons, born outside of Israel, were adopted by Jacob as his sons. We read this touching story in Genesis chapter 48.

"Jacob said to Joseph, 'God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.' Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. …May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth."

"When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." He blessed them that day and said, "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh." (Gen 48:3-5,16-20)

'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh" is the blessing that a Jewish father pronounces over his sons at the beginning of every Sabbath. Jacob prophesied that Ephraim's descendants will become "a group of nations," literally in Hebrew "melo ha goyim," which means "a fullness of Gentiles." The Greek translation of this promise to Ephraim is the exact same words that Paul uses in Romans 11:25 referring to the Gentile believers in Yeshua! This is nothing less than amazing!

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles [Hebr. "melo ha goyim"] has come in. And so all Israel will be saved." (Rom 11:25-26 NKJV)

It is when "the fullness of the Gentiles has come in," i. e. when the full number of the Gentiles have been grafted into Israel, that "all Israel will be saved!" Ephraim, who was one of Joseph's sons born in Egypt, was adopted by Jacob as one of his sons and destined to become "a fullness of Gentiles." It is not difficult to see that Ephraim is a prophetic picture of Gentile believers, being grafted into Israel. The picture is so clear.

Ephraim and Judah Working Together

In Ezekiel we find an exciting prophecy concerning Ephraim and Judah being joined together in the last days.

"The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, 'Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, 'Ephraim's stick, belonging to Joseph and all the house of Israel associated with him.' Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.

"When your countrymen ask you, 'Won't you tell us what you mean by this?' say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph — which is in Ephraim's hand — and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah's stick, making them a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.'" (Ez 37:15-19)

Throughout history there has always been a deep hostility between Ephraim and Judah. Even though Gentile believers in Yeshua have been grafted in to Israel, over the past two millennia there has been great animosity between them and Judah, the Jewish people. Isaiah 11 also speaks about a time when this animosity will cease,

"Ephraim's jealousy will vanish, and Judah's enemies [or enmity] will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim." (Isa 11:13)

We know through history that Ephraim's jealousy of Judah quickly gave rise to replacement theology in the church and there has from the very beginning been much hostility from the Jewish people towards Christians. We read here in Isaiah that Gentile believers will one day no longer be jealous of the Jewish people, trying to take their place as God's chosen people and the Jewish people will no longer be hostile towards Gentiles who believe in the Messiah of Israel. There will be one flock and one shepherd.

It was this unity that Yeshua prayed for in John 17. When Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in the Messiah, the whole world will believe that Yeshua was sent by the Father! The passage in Isaiah 11 says, "In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious." (Isa 11:10)

The water project, supplying Israel with its acute need of water for survival, is a prophetic sign of the blessing of Ephraim and Judah being joined together in the Lord's hand as one in these end times. God has said that Joseph (Ephraim) will be blessed with "the deep water that lies below." It is no coincidence that God has given revelations about water flowing deep under Israel to Gentile believers!

It is God's strategy and plan, that Judah and Ephraim will be joined together in the end times. We can also see that it was prophesied thousands of years ago that the house of Joseph will be blessed with the deep water that lies below. Israel needs this water now! Let us pray in faith for the success of this water project that God will be glorified. We believe that it is fulfilling end time prophecy.

• Pray that God will bless this water project to find water for Israel!
"the Almighty, who blesses [Joseph] with …blessings of the deep that lies below." (Gen 49:25)

• Pray that Israel's water needs will be met, that the ecological crisis will be averted and that God will receive all the glory!
"I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. …so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it." (Isa 41:18-20)

• Pray for blessings and protection over the Norwegian team!
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Num 6:24-26)

• Pray that God will supply all the finances!
"I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." (Isa 45:3)

"Prepare the Way for the LORD"