To the Jew First
Jesus made it clear while He ministered near the Galilee and in Jerusalem that He came to minister first to … Read More
Category: Opinion
Will God Judge the Nations?
God makes it clear in His Word that He will bring into judgment any nation, America included, that forces the … Read More
Israeli Supreme Court Declares Messianic Bakery Kosher
Following a lengthy legal battle, Israel’s Supreme Court on June 29 ordered the Chief Orthodox Rabbinate to grant kashrut certification … Read More
Lessons From the Red Sea
One of the most fascinating demonstrations of God’s unmatched power is the biblical account of the parting of the Red … Read More
Christians to Show Support for Israel at D.C. Summit
Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is headed back to the nation’s capital for its fourth annual Washington Summit July 20-22. … Read More
Waking Up to Iran
In recent weeks, the world seems to have finally awakened to the true nature of Iran’s Islamic regime. First, Iran’s … Read More
Did Obama Edit History?
Even four weeks later, President Barak Obama’s Cairo speech is still reverberating in Washington, D.C. To his credit, the president used the speech to shatter an ugly myth when he confronted Holocaust denial.
But unfortunately, President Obama’s speech actually reinforced other dangerous myths about Israel’s history and the true obstacles to peace in the Middle East.
Last Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stepped up to set the record straight. And last week, two Democratic senators—Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada and Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey—added their voices to the chorus of correction. Taking on a popular president from your own party is never easy. It is therefore of great significance that these two Democrats felt the need to clarify that when it comes to the specifics of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the president does not speak for the party.
Meeting God at the Winepress
In biblical times, a winepress represented joy, singing and rejoicing. Farmers would harvest their grapes, place them in a pit hewed from a rock called a winepress, and crush the fruit to get the juice. They would use the grape juice to make wine and serve it at weddings, dinner and other gatherings. But according to Isaiah, the winepress is also symbolic of God’s wrath. To learn more about the ancient winepress, click below to watch the video.
Israeli Basketball Player Selected in NBA Draft
The Sacramento Kings selected forward Omri Casspi at the 23rd pick of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft held in New York City’s Madison Square Garden last week. The 6-foot-9-inch 21-year-old is the first Israeli ever to be drafted by an NBA team in the first round of the selection process.
Casspi watched the draft from his home in Yavne so he could share the experience with his family.
Messianic Judaism Recognized in Israel and Elsewhere
The Messianic Action Committee (MAC) led the fight against two proposed laws meant to make Messianic Judaism illegal in Israel, and both of these proposals failed to become law in the land. Now, the MAC (under the name Action Committee for Messianic Judaism in Hebrew) has been officially recognized as an Israeli not-for-profit organization. This means that the government of Israel now officially recognizes Messianic Judaism!
This is really incredible news! Now, because Messianic Jews have stood their ground, Israelis will be faced with a decision. Is whatever type of Judaism they practice (or don’t practice) more true than our form of Judaism—Messianic Judaism?
Recently, several books have been published describing Messianic Judaism in a rather positive light. A new book, written by a rabbi and yet to be published, describes Messianic Judaism as a branch of Judaism. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw a sketch of a seven-branch menorah that included our brand of Judaism along with Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist.
Poll Shows Israelis Losing Trust in Obama
The latest poll of Israeli public opinion shows that a mere 6 percent of the Jewish population consider President Barack Obama to be a friend of Israel, down from 31 percent a few weeks ago.
According to the Smith Research poll conducted for The Jerusalem Post, exactly half the people surveyed believe Obama’s administration is more pro-Palestinian than pro-Israeli, and 36 percent said the policies were neutral.
A View From the Top
Standing atop Mount Olive, I got a panoramic view of Jerusalem and the Old City during my pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I could see the Temple Mount, the City of David, and the “pinnacle” or the place where the Bible says Satan told Jesus: “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you’” (Luke 4: 9-10, NKJV). To see the Holy City, click below to watch the video.
Building a Bridge Between the Church and the Synagogue
Tevye, the papa in the play/movie Fiddler on the Roof was surveying his sad situation—four unmarried daughters, a dry cow, a lame horse, Russian pogroms—he looked up to God and said,
“God it’s nice that you chose me to be one of your chosen people, but would you mind choosing someone else for a change?!”
Obviously, Tevye thought being chosen meant he wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. But God chose the Jews for something else. Through the Jewish people, he planned to teach the non-Jewish world about himself. Moses said to his people:
Look, I have taught you laws and rulings, just as Adonai my God ordered me …. Therefore, observe them … for then all peoples [nations/gentiles] will see you as having wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws, they will ask, “What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?” (Deut. 4:5-8, Complete Jewish Bible, CJB).
Finding Jesus in the Promised Land
People who visit the Holy Land generally fall into one of two categories: tourists or pilgrims. Tourists go to see various sites, buy souvenirs, take photos and videos, and then return home to share with family and friends their pictures, purchases and adventures. Pilgrims go to experience God—and their lives are transformed in the process.
Peter Miano, executive director of the Society for Biblical Studies, made this observation: “Tourists pass through places. Pilgrims let places pass through them, allowing their hearts to be changed.”
During the last 30 years, I have taken many people to the Holy Land, most of whom decided to go as pilgrims. Each one experienced a unique encounter with the Lord at some point during the trip.
Will God Judge America?
In the Old Testament book of Joel 3:2, the Word says: “I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, they have also divided up My land.”
God makes it clear that He will bring into judgment any nation, America included, that forces the division of the land of Israel. That also includes the division of Jerusalem.
Recently, the Washington Post published an editorial titled “Israel’s New Government.” It emphasized what the Israeli’s must concede to continue to have support from the U.S.
What was lacking in the article was what Israel’s neighbors must do before they have acceptance by Israel and the U.S. for a two-state solution. Pressure should not be put on Israel alone, as the editorial attempted to do.
First Century Holy Land Artifact Popularized in U.S.
A Holy Land artifact that dates back the time of Jesus is expected to draw Christians’ interest in celebrating the roots of their faith.
Dubbed The Jesus Boat, the 27-foot wooden fishing boat was discovered by two brothers in 1986 in the Sea of Galilee after a drought. The vessel, officially dated to the first century, was preserved and put on display at the Yigal Allon Museum in Israel.
Although no one knows whether Jesus or His disciples ever used the boat, Christians helping promote the Jesus Boat believe it can “stir the imagination” and “inspire the faith of people.”
Discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls
Considered the lowest surface area on earth, the Dead Sea lies 410 meters below sea level. Located northwest of its shores is one of Israel’s most spectacular, ancient sites—the Qumran caves. Qumran was home to a sect of Jewish zealots who penned what has come to be known today as the Dead Scrolls. The members buried their precious scrolls deep in the crevices of the caves, where they remained until they were discovered thousands of years later. To see the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, click below to watch two videos.
Why Israel Still Matters
The fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 shook international Jewry and greatly influenced the thinking of the Christian world. The Jews had resisted the power of Rome for years, but the Romans ultimately responded with unprecedented slaughter and cruelty, carrying out what was described by the early historian Josephus as a terrible holocaust.
The gentile church fathers interpreted this devastation as an indication of God’s rejection of the Jewish people—in spite of the statement in Romans 11:28 that Israel was elect or chosen because of the patriarchs. Some church fathers still believed in Israel’s final conversion at the end of this age, but the general thrust in Christian theology at that time was toward “replacement”—the idea that, under the new covenant, the church is the replacement for Israel.
A Course Correction for President Obama
Last week, President Obama gave a major speech in Cairo. There he made a number of important points, including issuing a strong rejection of Holocaust denial in front of an audience that has been far too sympathetic to it. Yet while confronting this one myth, President Obama unfortunately helped to perpetuate two other dangerous myths concerning Israel’s right to exist and the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
This week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave what was, at least in part, his response. In a major policy speech at Bar Ilan University, Netanyahu not only set out his proposal for peace in the Middle East, but he provided a quick and cogent rebuttal to the two myths President Obama appeared to embrace in Cairo. It was good that he did so.
