Ottoman empire
The Ottoman empire existed for almost 400 years as a ruthless and oppressive series of regimes up until the first World War.
It is a difficult and dark period at least for its lack of records.
“The ideal of gaza, holy war, was an important factor in the foundation and development of the Ottoman state. Society in the frontier principalities conformed to a particular cultural pattern imbued with the ideal of continuous Holy War and continuous expansion of the Dar ul Islam—the realms of Islam—until they covered the whole world.”Ref> The Ottoman Empire The Classical Age, 1300-1600. Halil Nalcık, (1973). Weidenfeld & Nicolson</Ref>
Gaza means a “strong city.” Azzah, which is its Hebrew name mentioned I Deuteronomy 2:23 ; 1 Kings 4:24 ; Jeremiah 25:20,
The hypothetical Mission to Israel projected by the modern Church includes:
- "My mission is only to the 'lost sheep of the house of Israel'" (Matthew 10:5-6)
- He sent his disciples to preach to the lost sheep of Israel, not to the Gentiles
- He made symbolic actions like cursing a fig tree and cleansing the temple.
But what does it mean to be Israel?
There is also the End times speculations:
He prophesied that there would be an increase in wars among the nations before his return
He prophesied that the rebirth of Israel would be a sign of the end times
Is Israel merely a blood line of Jacob or is more?
He ministered to Samaritans, and even rebuked his disciples when they wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village.