October 7th Memorial 2024

Go Here to View Our 101 Hostages

 

Candle 1: The Hostages

It is estimated that there are 101 hostages remaining in captivity in Gaza. It is impossible to know how many are still living. Negotiations have repeatedly failed and the nations have blamed Israel. But just the opposite is true. Hamas has thwarted every attempt to reach an agreement, believing that the hostages are the only trump card they have. Those hostages who have been released are suffering from severe trauma, especially those who are victims of sexual abuse. And the families of those remaining in Gaza have lived a full year in a constant state of incomprehensible anxiety, unable to sleep and for many unable to eat, terrified for their loved ones as they hear the stories of the hostages who are now home. They feel abandoned by the government and the nations, and unfortunately, some feel abandoned by God.

 

Isaiah 49:24-25

Can the prey be taken from the mighty,
  or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?
For thus says the Lord:
“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,
  and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,
for I will contend with those who contend with you,
  and I will save your children.”

 

Prayer: Mighty One of Israel who is God over all the earth, we cry out to you for your mercy. We remind you of this promise that you will rescue the captives who have been taken as prey by the tyrant; that you will contend with those who contend with Israel; that you will save Israel’s children. We plead for them as they wait in darkness for your deliverance. May your presence surround them, your love comforts them, your mighty angels protect them. We beseech you to bring them home now. And let your peace engulf their families, may they find comfort in your word and strength in your promises; may their hearts be turned toward you in faith; may their loved ones be restored to them with joy and praise. Amen.

 

Candle 2: The War in Gaza

After 365 days, the war rages in Gaza. As the nations demand a ceasefire, Hamas continues its reign of terror, using Gazans as human shields, firing on their own people as they attempt to evacuate through humanitarian corridors established by Israel; stealing food, medicine, and other supplies as they are brought into Gaza by the IDF and international aid organizations, hoarding them or attempting to sell them as the people of Gaza face starvation.

 

Israel has clearly outlined three strategic objectives: to recover all hostages, secure its borders, and destroy Hamas. After a year of high-intensity fighting, Israel has made significant progress toward or nearly achieved each of these goals. More than half the hostages have returned from Gaza, and strong defenses are in place along Gaza’s entire land border. Hamas today has a fraction of the military power it boasted on October 7. The group had already been forced to govern from the shadows before Israel assassinated its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, dealing a major blow to Hamas’s ability to rule in Gaza.

 

Israel’s degradation of Hamas’s military and political strength has put it in a position to move toward a post-conflict phase in some areas of the Gaza Strip. Victory seems within grasp but no one seems certain what a post-Hamas Gaza will look like.

 

Deuteronomy 20:4

For the Lord your God is he who goes with you

to fight for you against your enemies,

to give you the victory.'

 

Prayer: Lord of the Armies of Heaven, we declare your sovereignty over Gaza and all that is happening there. We thank you for your promises to bring victory to Israel and for the progress Israel has made toward its objectives. We pray for the total destruction of Hamas and its entire terrorist network and for a subsequent end to the fighting. We beseech you for a way forward that will mean restoration and peace for both Israelis and the people of Gaza. Amen.

 

Candle 3: The War with Hezbollah and Iran

Israel’s second front during this war is Hezbollah in the north. 67,500 Israelis have been evacuated from the north as the Iran proxy has launched 8,000 rockets into Israel and hundreds of drones. Several Israeli civilians have been killed and hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Nearly 200,000 Lebanese have evacuated to Syria, a country still living with a very tenuous peace that seems to have ended their 12-year civil war. Israel’s objectives are clear: to end Hezbollah’s assaults on Israel and implement UN Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarming of Hezbollah and other splinter groups in southern Lebanon and for their relocation to an area north of the Litani River. As of 2024, the resolution was not fully implemented. Hezbollah and other armed groups in southern Lebanon have not withdrawn at all, nor have they disarmed. In particular, Hezbollah has since significantly increased its weapons capabilities, amassing approx. 120,000-200,000 munitions. Many believe the confrontation with Hezbollah will expand into a full-blown war with Iran, which is the supplier of arms, personnel, and money for military operations to both Hezbollah and Hamas, not to mention the Houthis in Yemen, who launched ballistic missiles into Israel again this morning. Netanyahu has called an emergency meeting of the security chiefs and it seems an attack on Iran is imminent.

 

Deuteronomy 33:29

“Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your protector and helper and your mighty sword. Your enemies will fall headfirst before you, and you’ll walk atop their pinnacles.”

 

Prayer: Thank you, God of Israel, God of power and might, for this promise. We come boldly into your throne room at this time of danger, when evil would engulf the world, and remind you of your words. We call upon you, God of Faithfulness, to honor your word now as we wait upon you. We cry out for the evil of Iranian leadership to be destroyed, for their influence and support of terror worldwide to be ended, for Hezbollah to be brought to its knees never to threaten Israel again, and for peace. We beech you for peace, our God of Shalom.

 

Candle 4: The Israeli Government

Prime Minister Netanyahu has named seven fronts that Israel is facing in this war. The prime minister identified them as Iran, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Shia militants in Iraq, militant groups in Syria as well as Palestinian fighters in the West Bank. I would add two more: anti-Semitism mushrooming worldwide and the propaganda war that rages against Israel and her allies. Without unity in the government and the faith of the people in that government, victory is not possible. Although the original war cabinet was dissolved, the unity government remains, and the most recent polls show that over 80% of Israelis are supportive of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his current policies regarding the war. However, there is growing uncertainty among the people as to how long they can endure the current reality and anti-Israel sentiment aimed directly at Netanyahu is growing globally. Talk of arms embargos is being heard from several quarters.

 

Daniel 2:21

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

 

Prayer: God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who removes leaders and sets up others, we acknowledge that Benjamin Netanyahu is the leader you have commissioned for the nation of Israel at this time in her history. We pray for strength, courage, wisdom, and health as he is the lynchpin between the forces of good and the powers of evil, not just for Israel but for the entire world. We pray that unity will prevail among all Israel’s leaders and we ask you, O God, to strengthen the faith of all Israel that they remain strong and persistent until victory is achieved. We ask you to close the mouths of those who spew misinformation and Israel hatred. Amen

 

Candle 5: The IDF

The IDF has been called the most moral army on earth. Their standards of ethical behavior and their commitment to the protection of civilians are the highest worldwide. Sometimes their hands seemed tied behind their backs as they fight a ruthless enemy with no standards while maintaining their own. Yet they are vilified by the world media and painted as evil, murderous giants by the global radical Islamist propaganda machine. Still, they come from all over the world to fulfill what they believe is their responsibility to join the IDF and help defend their homeland. When reservists were called up immediately after Oct 7, every single one showed up for duty. Today, the security forces number 170,000 active members and 465,000 reserves. Since Oct 7, 728 have been killed (the vast majority of whom were under 35) and 4 576 wounded. In a country the size of Israel, where everyone knows someone who knows someone who is related to you somehow, those numbers are devastating, especially as the nation is still reeling from the Oct 7 atrocities. Literally, every family has lost a son or a daughter, a cousin, a mother, father, uncle, aunt, friend or acquaintance. And yet they come, willing to give their lives in defense of the land God calls the apple of his eye.

 

Psalm 18:31-36

For who is God, but the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God?—

the God who equipped me with strength

and made my way blameless.

He made my feet like the feet of a deer

and set me secure on the heights.

He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand supported me,

and your gentleness made me great.

 

Prayer: O Lord, our rock and our redeemer, our refuge and our fortress, Israel’s strength and deliverer, we thank you that you know the name of every member of the security forces, you have numbered the hairs on the heads of every reservist, not a drop of blood is spilled that you don’t see. We pray for each one to walk in the company of your angels. We ask you to train their hands for war and equip them with strength and courage. We beseech you to surround them with the shield of your salvation, and in the midst of the chaos of war, let your gentleness continue to make them great. Give them victory, Holy One, and send them home to their families. Amen.

 

Candle 6: The Nations

In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 atrocities, nations all over the world lifted their voices in support of Israel and their right to defend themselves. But that support was short-lived. Soon, college campuses were filled with students praising Hamas and vilifying Israel, calling out for the destruction of the Jews and the establishment of a state governed by the very terror organization that had just mercilessly slaughtered 1200 Jewish people and taken 250 into captivity. In the past year, some Western nations have maintained their support of Israel, although tenuously, and others have completely turned their backs on the tiny Jewish nation. Today, there are calls for arms embargoes, and virtually every nation, even those that support the war effort, are crying out for a cease-fire, with no thought for what will happen to Israel and the region if such a thing should happen. Disinformation is rampant and Israel has been accused of genocide while the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for PM Netanyahu. Truly, the nations of the earth are gathering against Israel in front of our very eyes.

 

Zechariah 14:12

And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

 

Prayer: Sovereign over all the earth, we cry out to you on behalf of the nations. We beseech you to extend your mercy to them as well as to Israel. We ask you, Father, to open their eyes and deliver them from deception; open their ears to hear the sound of your voice; open their hearts to receive understanding that they may know you, the God of all things, and your heart for your people Israel.  We ask that you stay your hand of judgment, forgive them of their arrogance and sin, and save your people. Amen.

 

Candle 7: The People of Israel

The Jewish people, especially Israelis, are known for their resilience, a unique kind of toughness that means more than just “the ability to bounce back.” It’s the capacity to keep moving forward, even in the midst of anti-Semitism and oppression, death and destruction, terror and war. It is an inner voice that never stops speaking, “We will not let the enemy win,” while choosing joy as their weapon. But experts worry that the trauma of Oct 7 and the war may be too much; the hostages may never really recover; trust may never be regained; we may be looking at a couple of generations marked by violent behavior, drug abuse and suicide; we may have seen the death of resilience. Today, the entire nation is in mourning, grieving the loss of so much, displaced from their homes, surrounded by the sounds of war. And yet their children go off to school, mothers play in the park with their toddlers, fathers go to work and buy flowers on Shabbat. Restaurants are full and the streets teeming with people.  Volunteerism is at an all-time high and hundreds of tons of resources and millions of shekels have been donated to displaced families; friends and neighbors huddle together in bomb shelters and pray this prayer:

 

I hope in the Lord; my soul hopes, and I long for His word. My soul yearns for the Lord more than [night] watchmen [waiting] for the morning, wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is kindness; with Him there is abounding deliverance.

 

Prayer: Merciful and Faithful One, you have told your people Israel that they are the apple of your eye, that you have engraved them on the palm of your hand, that you love them with an everlasting love, that as long as the sun, moon and stars remain in the heavens, your covenant with them, a covenant of love, will remain in place. We ask you, Father, to remind them of who you are, fill them with joy in the midst of pain and peace in the midst of chaos. Deliver them from evil, Lord, draw them with cords of kindness and keep them strong. And never allow that inner Israeli voice to be silenced, to the honor and glory of your name. Amen.

 

Let’s join together in proclaiming the following verses from Psalm 18 over Israel as 365 days of war draw to a close and with that inner Israeli voice, let us declare hope for the future.

 

I love you, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation—

the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me,

who rescued me from my enemies;

yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;

you delivered me from the man of violence.

For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations,

and sing to your name.

 

The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation—

the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me,

who rescued me from my enemies;

yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;

you delivered me from the man of violence.

For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations,

and sing to your name.