COURT RULES AGAINST MESSIANIC GUEST HOUSE

Just east of Jerusalem, is moshav called Yad Hashmona. This enclave is the only all village in the Land that is run by believers with the purpose of being a living testimony to their fellow Israelis in the Name of Yeshua.  Some of you have travelled to Israel and may have stayed at Yad Hashmona in the guesthouse, enjoyed the Biblical Gardens, attended a conference or other such gathering. 

The challenges they have faced since inception in 1979 include boycott, threat of all kinds, overt bureaucratic delays, near burning by wild fire, as well many personal battles that would shut most of us in the West down. This latest challenge is one that will permeate the globe and is coming to the West sooner than we may want to think.

Several months ago two women approached the guesthouse representatives to plan a wedding on sight. They didn't reveal at that time the wedding was for them and not a conventional man and woman matrimony. As the truth was revealed, Yad Hashmona had to inform them they could not fulfill their wishes as it contravened their mandate and witness of scripture.  A law suit was filed against Yad Hashmona with the outcome that the judge rules against them.  

The judge ruled that their refusal to allow gay marriage in the Yad Hashmona guest-house is against the law. They were fined 80,000 shekels and together with their legal expenses, it might not be possible to keep the doors open. This is a quote from the ruling:

"“Every person who opens a public business in Israel should know that they must serve the whole public equally, without discrimination... which covers sexual orientation as well. As soon as the defendants opened their doors to all, they cannot close them for those who they believe do not meet the requirements found in the Bible or New Testament."

Needless to say, they were shocked by the ruling and its implications. The Lesbian couple's lawyer claims that the verdict is a precedent in the sense that "the court decided that the principal of equality trumps the argument for freedom of religion and beliefs”.

Immediately upon advertising the verdict as a lesbian victory in the main page of YNET, the Israeli on-line news page, and Ha'aretz, tens of responses appeared praising the couple and calling us many names. No one even considers the small community in this village and its rights, the right to hold on to scriptural principles, the right to be respected and not violated in your own home. 

No one approached us for responses or wanted to hear our side, because the media was not interested in our "primitive stand". When I tried to write a comment to the article, like hundreds of others, it was not posted! 

I received phone calls by religious people, praising our courage to stand on God's word, some even said they wished they had a stage to respond to this gay issue abuse of society. I had a chance to share with some that I believe God sees and hears and He will bring blessing from this.

Very soon major decisions will have to be made now in regard to our small little hotel's future. We need to redefine what it is that we serve and what is the name of our business. And if this case means to close the hotel and make it something else..a Bible campus, or a Messianic retreat place... I don't know what, but we will have to do it. We are carried in Yad Hashmona on wings of grace, I know that. I pray for guidance, clarity of direction and much peace in the process for the people who live here.

Continue to pray for our nation who is so much in the dark, continue to pray for the light to shine in Israel, continue to pray for the "messenger of good news" to do their work. Thank you for your prayers!