In Isaiah 9:1 we find the words:
Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.
Years before this was written, the Israelites had once again fallen away from their God. In time, Assyria was used to discipline them. Assyria ravaged and depopulated much of the north, mainly the Galilee, leaving it pretty well destroyed and desolate. The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were hit especially hard. At the coming of the Messiah, it was the Galilee that was first to receive the blessing of His presence with them. Isaiah’s narrative goes on:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.
It was the crippled, the sick, the lepers, the sinful, the outcast, and defiled and broken who found Jesus and were healed by His touch. In a dark land, they found a great light. Galilee was a picture of God’s mercy. God went as far as having Jesus be raised in Nazareth, of all places. “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Galilee was a perfect picture of God’s mercy and compassion for a broken human race. Even for those who fell into sin and rebellion. Compassion even for those who, through twisted religious theology, are guilty of committing atrocities upon the innocent. It is these that the House of Blessing missionaries have been sacrificing their lives to reach with the Gospel. No matter who we are, where we were raised, or what station we have in life, we are all Gentiles of the Galilee.
“…Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind…Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:21b, 23
On to the House of Blessing…
Message received from Dr. Nibras on June 19, 2026
Brother Jack, peace be upon you. There is an important thing that I’ve noticed: Many people focus on the sheer number of believers being reached. This is a grave mistake, because it’s not just about “numbers,” but a written record of events with the people at their center. God knows we are human and we cannot know every single individual who has believed and been mentioned. Each, however, is under the responsibility of an HOB missionary that does know them personally. In the HOB community, religious affiliations do not divide us after becoming a Jesus follower. There is one goal: sharing the love of Jesus. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians provides us with important guidance for the Christian life. It reads as follows:
1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4
We are approaching the end of the age. Everything we wish to have recorded in God’s books about how we have lived our lives and how we have demonstrated our commitment and obedience to Christ, we must do now. Our lives should not be based on religious zeal, as in mere piety, but on love — love of God. We love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength…and we love our neighbor as ourselves. Thus, this love that unites us with our Heavenly Father encompasses all humanity, especially believers.
People often wonder if the Middle East will ever have peace again. No, it will not — at least not until the Prince of Peace Himself comes. Jesus Christ, as God/King, will remove the fallen Lucifer, who inherited his power on earth from Adam when he disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. This is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is called the Second Adam in the Bible.
Many reasons are offered for what is happening in the Middle East, and many of them have some basis in reality. The events unfolding in this region of the world today are multifaceted, but the core of the conflict lies in the fact that Israel has become a nation once again, surrounded by enemies who have sworn to destroy it. In Bible prophecy, God sees the world and Israel at its center, Jerusalem at its point of focus, and the Temple Mount as the primary target. Jerusalem is the only city on earth that bears God’s name. Because of God’s eternal commitment to Jerusalem, Satan will do everything in his power to thwart God’s plans for His holy city and the inhabitants of the earth. The struggle for control of the Middle East will continue until the end of time, culminating in the famous Battle of Armageddon.
What does all this have to do with the latest developments in the Middle East? It is amidst these turbulent circumstances that the HOB missionaries find themselves today. We may hear through the media about the cities of Aleppo, Idlib, and Damascus in Syria, and about the cities of Baghdad, Mosul, Fallujah, and Ramadi in Iraq. The same is true in Iran, but there is a media blackout in Isfahan and other areas, east, west, and north within the nation. We often think that what is happening there doesn’t affect us. But these brave and dedicated missionaries are on the front lines, facing death daily. Even those who have the opportunity to move to safer areas choose to stay. Their motivation is that tens and hundreds of thousands of people face an eternal and merciless fate after their deaths. These missionaries are willingly sacrificing their lives for the lost. All they ask is that we raise them to the throne of grace in our prayers.
Aleppo remains under siege, as do several other areas in Syria where missionaries are active. The mainstream media is not adequately covering the situation, but alternative media outlets can reveal the truth about what is happening. Hundreds of thousands of people are trapped, and many are suffering from hunger. Missionaries are deployed throughout the region to be in the areas most in need, where the situation is also extremely dangerous. Since the last attack, 72 new believers have been lost, 68 of them women. Entire families of those who had been converted have also been lost.
But despite the losses, at least 81,000 believers continue to find ways to meet and connect with God! Sister Mufida and her widows have been able to provide assistance to at least 6,900 other people suffering from serious illnesses. Ferial, Fadwa, and Hafiza, as is often the case, have each led many to become followers of Jesus, and Sheikh Zakaria is working to strengthen the community, along with the brothers and sisters of the Kalani community of believers and their companions.
Sister Fatima continues to lead the Communion services. Due to the pressures of life, they have not been able to meet in large numbers, but at least 3,000 people attend every week whenever and wherever they can. In Mosul, the situation remains extremely difficult and is even getting worse. This is also true in Kirkuk, Baghdad, and elsewhere.
Given the deteriorating conditions in much of the Middle East, missionaries are approaching people in a slightly different way than before. Most people live in constant fear, expecting death sooner or later, and see no way out. Therefore, the missionaries of the House of Blessing are direct in their message. They tell people that since they expect death, they must make their arrangements with the true Christ, and do so immediately. This life may not hold much value for them, but eternal life in God’s paradise is guaranteed. This guarantee is only secured through the blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. People are responding by the hundreds and thousands, not so much to escape hell as to accept the opportunity to live in the presence of their Creator and the glorious eternal life that will be their inheritance. This makes it easier for us to understand that everything in this world is fleeting, and therefore, they truly understand the eternal value given to them if they surrender themselves completely to the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Or are we simply being satisfied? By merely repeating words without doing anything of note? On the contrary, there is complete surrender to the Lord of the universe. My brother Jack, you and I both know that we are drawing very near to the coming of the Lord.
Your brother,
Dr. Nibras, servant of the Lord
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This second report is also from Dr. Nibras and was received on June 21, 2026.
Brother Jack, peace be upon you. It continues to be true, that the HOB missionaries, through tremendous effort, continue to sacrifice their lives daily to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, fulfilling the Great Commission mentioned in Mark 16:15-18:
15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18they will take up deadly serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
We are living in a time unlike any other in history. It is not that war, disease, famine, and human misery are new; they are not. But the convergence of events today indicates that humanity is facing the end times, which the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied long ago and which Jesus Christ, the awaited Messiah, confirmed in detail.
The annual Islamic Hajj season of 2026 and the Eid al-Adha observance have concluded, and the missionaries of the House of Blessing, once again, made a special effort during this annual Islamic religious festival to reach as many people as possible with the only true Gospel available for a planet heading towards its destruction. This Gospel centers on Jesus Christ and His great sacrifice for the salvation of the world.
The HOB organization offered a special prayer to the Lord of the harvest, asking him to provide them with 2,000 copies of the Bible. They could not supply the Bibles this time but did print inexpensive educational pamphlets for their missionaries to use in evangelism and teaching, and to distribute to the multitudes of new believers who accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Thanks to God’s mercy and the generosity of the believers, the booklets were obtained and transported across the border from Syria into Iraq. Unfortunately, for the first time, the couriers were caught by the authorities. They were viciously beaten and the booklets were burned, along with the truck HOB used for delivery. Now, they are planning a new route to transport them once another truck can be obtained.
The recent most severe attacks occurred in the cities of Zahedan, Kerman, and Shiraz, where educational centers for widows, teachers, and leaders were targeted simultaneously.
Despite the continued news of the tragic events, many positive reports are emerging from the region. In the past few days, missionaries from the House of Blessing have been able to pray with more than 17,000 new believers in their area and surrounding regions. In the north and neighboring areas, approximately 11,000 people have converted to Christianity. In the Isfahan region, the number has exceeded 4,000. What a miracle that has happened again!
While the communion services were being held, sisters Ikhlas and Khawla, despite the pain and suffering inflicted upon them by the enemies of the Lord, and those who were assisting them, continue to oversee the communion services in their homes. More than 30,000 men and women received communion. The Spirit of God was present, and people were healed, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and strengthened and encouraged. As had been the case throughout the past months, people found themselves praising and worshipping God until the early hours of the morning.
Thanks to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, people prayed together, shared their meager food, and celebrated in their ability to share a single copy of the Bible among 100-130 people due to the scarcity of copies. These Bibles were passed from person to person, each person recognizing the blessing of having a copy to read, even if only for a short time before giving it to someone else who was waiting for it. Everyone was encouraged to share their copy with their family, and the Gospel message reached most of these large families as well.
Sister Khawla continues to provide daily medical care to dozens of wounded individuals, including brothers Omar, Mortada, Shahbandar, Aylout, and Ma’touq. Most of the injured have no options for care other than through the House of Blessing community of believers including HOB’s “Widow Sisterhood.” Along with the good news of thousands who have found Jesus as Lord and Savior, the HOB missionaries continue their work of helping the people in every way they can.
According to the teachings of Islam, the line of prophets sent by God to the world began with Adam, followed by men like Noah, Abraham, Jesus, and John the Baptist. But after Muhammad, this line was broken. Why would God have severed all connection between Himself and the human race after Muhammad? Many Muslims will soon find themselves following a man called the Mahdi, meaning “The Guide,” who will claim to save the world from darkness. According to Islam — or at least one of its schools of thought — the Mahdi will be assisted by Jesus Christ, who will kill all infidels, especially Christians and Jews — the people of the Book! What a theological distortion! For millions of Muslims around the world, there is something even more troubling. They see Muslims not only killing non-Muslims, but when they can’t find any more non-Muslims, they turn on each other.
Can you imagine the astonishment they feel when they learn that Jesus Christ was indeed crucified, even though Islam denies it? Is there any way for us in the West to grasp the relief Muslims feel when they discover that the true God, Yahweh — not Allah, who is not God — has provided a genuine means of complete and eternal forgiveness? The Quran offers nothing of the sort. Can you imagine the excitement a Muslim feels when they begin to learn about the Kingdom of God, which is only mentioned in the Bible? Can you imagine the impact Muslims have when they experience God’s true love for them? The Quran offers nothing like this!
Which “holy” book was written first? Of course, the Bible was written first. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible thousands of years before Muhammad was even born. It is no wonder, then, that many former Muslim scholars are interested in understanding how the Gospel interprets the prophetic events unfolding on this earth. God alone knows the end from the beginning, and His account differs entirely from what Islam teaches. What He prophesied through His truthful prophets is recorded in the Gospel — not in the Quran, nor in any other “holy” book. Allah is not the true God. He is a false god, like the other false gods who demand the worship of humankind. Who are these gods? They are the fallen angels and their demons who serve Satan, the fallen Lucifer.
Most Muslims are ignorant of the good news contained in the Bible. The missionaries of the House of Blessing live for one purpose only: to spread this good news about Jesus, the only true sacrifice, the only Lamb of God, who gave His life as a ransom for the sins of the whole world.
Please keep the brothers and sisters in your prayers.
Your brother,
Dr. Nibras, Servant of the Lord
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We know that one of the things that has worsened the persecution of the missionaries is the amount of people being reached with the Gospel. It is causing great anger, with the attacks only becoming more vile. I have only received a little information about the latest attacks but the debauched ways of humiliating and injuring the missionaries, both male and female, defy the imagination. It deeply saddened and broke the hearts of those in the HOB community that were aware of the sadistic means used.
The conversion of Sheikh Zaquoqa that was described in the previous Mideast Update has caused quite an earthquake among those that knew him — especially his vivid vision of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse circling the earth. Reports are that it has caused a major reaction among his former religious associates. Many have already been reached with the Gospel because of his testimony and vision, and many more are going to be reached, even though Zaquoqa himself is now in the Lord’s presence.
Thank you all for your prayers and financial support. The House of Blessing print shop is doing everything they possibly can to provide Bibles and teaching booklets to as many as possible. The fields have never been riper for harvest. Your prayers and financial generosity are very much appreciated by all of HOB. Thank you!
Forever in His Service,
Jake (aka Jack)