A few weeks ago I had lunch with an Israeli diplomat, a man for whom I hold great respect, in Washington, DC. We discussed, among a host of other things, the inescapable tensions that often arise between the Christian and Jewish…
Prospective pilots for major airlines are trained on flight simulators, which are designed to present them with a variety of problems they might encounter while flying. The candidates are first tested with simple challenges and are eventually…
It is all too common today to hear Christians disparage doctrine or theology as entirely theoretical, productive only of pride and division, and therefore almost entirely irrelevant to the real issues of life. The cry is for greater emphasis on…
Talk is cheap. In the minds of some people, the mention of the term politician seems to bear this out. Not only do some elected officials make promises they cannot keep, but some Christians do not practice what they preach. As a modern proverb states…
The average person speaks nearly 30,000 words each day—enough to fill a good-sized book. Do we realize that each of us is writing an unwritten book every day of our lives? As we read a book, we often form certain opinions about…
When people hear the word Jericho, they naturally think of Israelites marching, trumpets sounding, and walls falling down. It is a wonderful story of faith and victory that we enjoy reading and telling in Sunday school class, but did it…
The call had gone out nationwide to assemble at Mount Carmel. Now the peak was bustling with thousands of people. King Ahab was there. Also present were 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah. Standing before the throng…
Recently, my daily newspaper began a weekend feature page on religious events in the community, including an interfaith calendar detailing the religious holidays for the coming week for the various faiths. The faiths represented on…
Nothing is more terrifying than being in the clutches of occult activity. The demonic forces of darkness can seize a person with overwhelming intensity. The powers of Satan and his demonic hordes have led many to mental and spiritual…
There has been much talk over the last few years about the state of religious freedom in Israel. Some have accused the government and Israelis in general of being hostile toward those who believe in Jesus as their Messiah. This perception is…
On November 19, 1997, something extraordinary happened. Bobbi McCaughey of Carlisle, Iowa, gave birth to seven healthy babies. With the news of the successful septuple deliveries, the world seemed to pause and reflect in…
The Jewish writings have much to say about the Messiah. Very little, however, is written about His identifying characteristics, aside from His being from the family of David and bringing peace. Gershom Scholem agreed with this when he wrote…
The clearest declaration about the historical facts of the Christian gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures…
In this well-known carol, “Joy to the World,” Isaac Watts expressed the thrill of the Messiah’s birth by describing events that just don’t seem to exist. I still weed garden beds and prick myself on thorns. The curse has not been lifted. The nations of…
Revelation 20:11–15: On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards held the manuscript so close to his face that the congregation was unable to see his expression as…
The Jewish people had traveled a tortuous road for the better part of two millennia before Baron Lord Rothschild received, on behalf of the Jewish people, the official letter sanctioning a national home for Jewish people in Palestine. For 400 years…
To the casual observer of life in the Middle East, the real struggle there appears to be about the issue of soil. Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs are arguing over “land rights.” At times, this struggle has erupted into violence over how…
The American College Dictionary defines the word obstacle as “something that stands in the way of or obstructs progress.” In order to understand the Middle East Peace Process, we must investigate the facts surrounding the…
Israel is a thriving democracy in the heart of the mainly Muslim Middle East. The Jewish state is the only full and stable democracy in the region, although a few other countries are attempting to move in that direction. However, Israel’s rambunctious…
The year 1998 is the Year of Jubilee—the 50th birthday of the State of Israel! What is going through the minds of Israelis on the state’s 50th birthday? What are the expectations of its citizens? Since Israel is a nation of immigrants…
Hidden somewhere deep in the recesses of our memories is the record of those who, in biblical times or since, have forfeited their lives for their faith in Christ. This generation, saturated by its affluence, has forgotten the price our forefathers paid…
The mounting persecution of Christians eerily parallels the persecution of Jews, my people, during much of Europe’s history. Today, minority Christian communities have become chosen scapegoats in radical Islamic and remnant…
Early Christians probably did not fully realize how serious the persecution would eventually become. John Foxe’s classic volume, Book of Martyrs, describes in rather gruesome detail the horrors of the arena, the stake, and the wild beasts that…
The women and children clung to each other, sobbing convulsively as they watched in horror. This time it was almost a thousand men. Who knew how many it was the last time. Husbands, fathers, brothers—all sick and weakened from abuse…
Revelation 19:11–21: Christ’s Second Coming is a major doctrine throughout the Bible. It is the most dominant theme in the New Testament, next to the subject of faith. Christ’s return, put simply, is the personal, physical, visible return of…
It is increasingly clear that the major roadblock to peace between Israel and the Palestinians is not Israel’s alleged refusal to make concessions to Arab demands. In fact, the more land Israel concedes, the more strident the Palestinian…
Like a flickering candle caught in a gale, so is mankind’s attempt to fathom the depths of God’s ways. The finite mind of man is unable to grasp the ways of an infinitely more intelligent God. Yea, without His help, it is an impossible task destined for…
In 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, the Apostle Paul confidently asserts that “the gospel” he taught was that “Christ [the Messiah] died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to…
The Servant of the Lord is a major theme in the Book of Isaiah. An understanding of this term is germane in grasping the meaning of God’s redemptive program for Israel. The book identifies men such as Isaiah himself, Eliakim, and David…
In Philippians 2:7, the Apostle Paul stated that Jesus Christ “made himself of no reputation.” The verb translated “made of no reputation” is ekenosen. Theologians have used the major part of that verb to form the term kenosis. As a result…
Flying in the face of the contention that Israel must make unilateral concessions to Arab demands to relinquish land and make sweeping withdrawals from the territories are realities that, if not reckoned with decisively today, will certainly come back in…
If you ask someone to name the founder of Christianity, he or she will probably reply, “Jesus Christ.” Most people think that Jesus was His first name and Christ was His last name. The word Christ, however, is not a name—it is a title. It means Messiah. Therefore…
The beauty and grandeur of the Temple complex testified to the majesty of the God of Israel. Its intended impression on the Israelites was that God was so holy that He was virtually unapproachable. The Temple was laid out so that Gentiles, Jewish women…
Revelation 18: In the 1980s, Saddam Hussein started to rebuild portions of the ancient city of Babylon. Christians began to ask if Hussein’s project had anything to do with Bible prophecy. This in turn rekindled the often-asked question…
The English word hypostasis is derived from a Greek word meaning “essence, actual being, reality” (William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 854). Thus, it refers to the real essence of a person or thing. As applied to Christ…
I was speaking to an Israeli official shortly after the Gulf War. “We are,” he said, “deeply appreciative for all that America did during the war with Iraq. Israel is grateful. But if I could, with all due respect, I’d like to offer an opinion: I’m afraid that perhaps the…
My teenage daughter loves to look at clothes catalogues. The designers of the catalogues know this, because everything and everyone in those catalogues look fantastic. The implication is that if you wear this outfit, you too will look this great…
Sixty seconds is all it takes. When sponsors of a television program want to entice viewers to tune in next week, a one-minute preview of the most exciting scenes is all it takes. If you like what you see in that brief encounter, you will surely love the complete version…
The Apostle Peter predicted that, just as false prophets arose among the people of Israel to oppose the declarations of true Old Testament prophets, so false teachers would come among the church saints to oppose the truths of Christianity. The word for…
Ignoring warnings can result in catastrophic consequences. The Apostle Peter, in every way possible, attempted to prepare believers for the tumultuous last days and the onslaught of deception and error that Satan will launch before his final plunge…
On September 26, 1997, Russian President Boris Yeltsin brought the curtain back down. With a single sweep of his pen, he consorted with the darkest elements in Russian society to snuff the lamp of religious freedom that had flickered tenuously since the…
“He who has not seen Herod’s Temple has never seen a beautiful building.” With those deliberately exaggerated words, rabbis extolled the magnificence of the Temple that was in Jerusalem during the first century A.D. Although the religious Jews often despised…
The most volatile 35 acres on earth are undoubtedly those comprising a rectangular platform in East Jerusalem on which the ancient Jewish Temple once stood. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament affirm that a new Temple will once again occupy…
Revelation 17:1–7: Lying silently in the shifting sands of time, Babylon is destined to rise from the ashes of the past to play a major role in end-time events. The name Babylon brings to mind incredible images of a wicked city-state with an abominable…
Historically, some people and groups have denied that Christ came in human flesh. For example, some said that the Christ came temporarily upon an already existing man, Jesus of Nazareth. He came long enough to impart a secret body of knowledge…
In a few months, the State of Israel will commemorate fifty years of modern statehood. No nation in the history of mankind has been born out of such enormous suffering.
“A people considered for centuries as non-fighters carried out in June, 1967 against long odds the most nearly perfect military operation in modern history.” With these words an eminent American historian opened her…
Prime Minister Golda Meir was worried. It was that same strange feeling she had back in 1967, on the eve of the Six-Day War. Reports had been coming in since May…
The Bible pictures Lebanon as a land of towering mountains covered by tall cedars, rising above lush valleys with flowing rivers. Although few of the famed trees grow in the rugged mountains of modern Lebanon…
On July 30, two young Arab men embarked on a suicide mission with the intent to kill and maim more innocent Israelis. Their target was Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market, an open-air shopping strip jammed tightly…
The State of Israel…will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens without distinction of race, creed or sex; will guarantee full freedom of conscience, worship, education and culture…
People have it all wrong these days. Repeatedly we hear men and women talk calmly about their “near death” experiences, about seeing that inviting, great white light at the end of the tunnel.
Many successful businesses engage their employees in an annual ritual known as the “year-end formal performance review.” On those occasions, a manager sits down with an employee, report in hand, and surveys…
The recurrent hatred of Jewry throughout its existence is an enigma—a people so small in number yet so central on the pages of world history. The benefits of the Jewish people to the masses…
As long as I don’t hurt anyone, whatever I do is just fine.” Such proverbs abound in our day. Morality is defined by personal opinions. Courts pass laws based on majority vote or popular consensus.
A number of years ago I had in my library a book titled Great Chapters of the Bible. The author was the late Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, a renowned British biblical scholar and pastor.
Of the many imaginative discourses offered by the Talmudic rabbis is one based on Genesis 28:12.
Ezekiel 36:8–15 Israel is the key in God’s prophetic program among the nations of the world, for it was chosen to be His means of bringing blessing to the world.
Ezekiel 36:16–24 A few years ago a survey was taken to determine which events cause the greatest stress on a family. It was discovered that, next to the death of a spouse…
Ezekiel 36:22–38 In the beginning, God planned a beautiful creation. He created seas and a place of lush vegetation. He made creatures to inhabit the seas and the dry land.
The question is raised frequently these days regarding the wisdom of Israel’s current prime minister in signing onto the Oslo Accords and the land-for-peace formula.
Gentile rule over Judæa began in 605 B.C. when King Jehoiakim of Judæa became a vassal of Babylon. As pictured in Daniel’s visions of the image (Dan. 2) and the four beasts (Dan. 7)…
If you believe in the Lord Jesus as your Savior, I ask you the following question: Are you a Christian American, or are you an American Christian? You may answer with some perplexity…
Intense is the only way to describe an informal discussion that took place among several young students of the Bible. The topic being discussed? The Pharisees during the time of Jesus…
The four hundred years between the prophecy of Malachi and the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, are frequently described as silent or mute years; however, they were full of activity. Although no inspired prophet appeared…
When Jesus stood before Caiaphas, the high priest, at His so-called trial, it marked the climax of a battle between Him and the corrupt Jewish Temple leadership that had been escalating since Jesus began His ministry.
The Roman general Pompey laid siege to Jerusalem in 63 B.C. Having made Syria a Roman province the preceding year it was now Judea’s turn to be conquered. Twelve thousand Jews died in the ensuing melee.
“What is truth?” The words rang out like the vibration of an endless sound wave echoing through the universe. Can one know the truth? Is truth the elusive goal of man’s fertile imagination?
“For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isa. 53:8).
Attempts to identify the beast of Revelation have been numerous. Throughout church history, suggested candidates have been Judas, Nero, the Pope, Hitler, Mussolini, Kennedy, Kissinger, and many others.
The recently divulged discovery of life on Mars captivated the attention of much of the world. With the first announcement, there was a rush of anticipation fueled by visions of little green men careening…
Christmas has never been a time of rejoicing for Jewish people. The hubbub and festivities that effervesce around the holiday seem to many Jews more like a big ball of excitement that rolls…
In every parent’s life there are those timeless moments when a newborn child nestles gently into his or her arms. With large, innocent eyes, the trusting infant looks up at its reassuring protector.
There are many misconceptions about the magi who visited Jesus. The beloved Christmas carol begins, “We three kings of Orient are,” but already it has made at least three errors.
History has bestowed on him the descriptive title, “the Great.” The primary Jewish chronicler of his period, Josephus, was the first to use the actual phrase “Herod the Great” in his Antiquities of the Jews.
Satan’s attempts to annihilate the Jewish people throughout the centuries are well documented in biblical and secular history. Demonically inspired despots like Haman and Hitler, filled with fanatical hatred, have attempted genocide of Jewish people…
We seem to be hearing “Thank you” less often these days, and it’s not a good sign. Some grumpy people go so far as to complain about store clerks who cheerily urge…
On May 29, 1996, an election took place in Israel that brought about a complete reversal of policy in our nation. The left-wing government of Shimon Peres, which had been in power for four years…
This statement, made by former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Perez, may have paved the way for his failure in May to be officially elected to that position.
Extraordinary diplomatic efforts in recent years have been undertaken to resolve some of the world’s most complex, divisive conflicts—in Ireland, Bosnia, and the Middle East. The latter is no closer to resolution.
The words “Allahu Akbar!” (“God is great!”) regularly resound from the mosques of the world as a confession of Islam. Those same words were shouted loudly in Arabic to a group of elderly Greek tourists…
The long interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets is continued from chapter 10. In the last verse of that chapter, John was instructed that he must prophesy again about many peoples, tongues, and nations.
America has once again witnessed the stomach-wrenching emotion of flag-draped coffins being carried from large Air Force cargo planes. Grieving widows and their children are told by grim-faced leaders that their loved ones did not…
I have never been one to scrupulously follow a recipe. A pinch of substitution here, a dash of elimination there—it all suits me fine as long as it turns out edible.
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
It has become quite fashionable among some feminist writers and people sympathetic to the women’s liberation movement to castigate biblical writers for their “sexism.” Often biblical authors have been characterized as “male chauvinists”…
When the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, it indwelt each member of that small group of believers in Jerusalem, including the women. Among them were Jesus’ mother Mary and the other…
In the previous article, which presented the biblical view of inspiration, we saw that both human and divine factors were involved in the writing of the inspired Scriptures. This means that the Bible…
Theodor Herzl had a dream. It was a dream born of the desire of the Jewish people to have a homeland in Eretz Israel under the recognition of international law.
Thus saith the Lord Gᴏᴅ: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, to which they are gone, and will gather them on every side…
The most prominent events marking the early days of the modern Zionist movement were the publication of Theodor Herzl’s The Jewish State in 1896 and his calling of the First Zionist Congress in 1897.
So wrote Chaim Weizmann in 1919. Both God in heaven and Balfour in England viewed “with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”
Thus far in our study of bibliology (the doctrine of the Bible) we have examined the subject of divine revelation, which involves God’s uncovering of knowledge to mankind.
There are a number of interludes throughout the judgment portions of Revelation. One is presented between the sixth and seventh seals in Revelation 7, and a second is presented between the sixth and seventh trumpets…
Two thousand years ago a young Jewish woman and her husband came to the town of Bethlehem, in Jewish Judea, to be registered for taxation. Their permanent residence was Nazareth.
Some Jewish people think that Christianity is confused and splintered. They point out that there are Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics, Pentecostals, and many other divisions. Within those groups there are conservatives…
The Jewish expression “Eat kosher but think trayf [non-kosher]” encapsulates the ideology of one of the more popular branches of modern American Judaism. An attempted medium between the traditional and liberal wings of Judaism…
A Christian woman was interested in the beliefs of Reform Judaism. She asked her Jewish friend what a Reform Jew believes. The friend responded, “Be a good spouse and parent, work hard, be honest…
Within the world of Orthodox Judaism there is a group of intensely religious Jews whose influence and significance far outweigh their number. Termed ultra-Orthodox by outsiders, they are more properly known as Hasidic Jews…
When John “opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (v. 1). This seventh seal contains the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments.