From Rome to the Turks
For hundreds of years, the Roman Empire ruled much of the known ancient world. Most of that time, Jewish people remained in their land. Then two major events occurred that resulted in their…
Israel: Past and Present
Buying Back Their Land
Whether or not the Jewish people were faithful to God, their behavior never invalidated their rightful ownership of the land of Israel. Disobedience cost them possession of it from time to…
The British Mandate
World War I (1914–1918) changed the map of the old Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. The region was split into two great sections. The northern half went to France (the French Mandate)…
The Hadassah Hospital Massacre
In November 1947, the UN General Assembly passed a plan to partition what was left of British Mandate Palestine and establish separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem an international…
The Continual Jewish Presence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convinced the phrase “2,000 years of exile” is inaccurate. It is used to describe the almost 2,000-year dispersion of the Jewish people between…
The Division and Desecration of Jerusalem
On November 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly approved Resolution 181, a plan to partition what was left of British Palestine into two states: one Arab, one Jewish. Seventy-seven percent…
Jewish East Jerusalem
Is a ruin still a ruin when it is rebuilt? It is when the ruin is a synagogue located in the Old City in what today is called East Jerusalem. The Hurva (Hebrew, “ruin”) Synagogue was dedicated on…
Judah’s Fatal Decision Jeremiah 40—43
In 586 B.C. the Babylonians captured Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, and deported the Jewish people to Babylon. Only a remnant of poor Judeans were left in the land to…
Why Two Kingdoms?
People frequently become confused between the northern and southern kingdoms. Although both were Jewish, only one was Davidic. Originally, all the tribes of Israel were united throughout…
Israel: Thriving at 65
Golda Meir, Israel’s fourth prime minister, once joked, “Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us forty years through…
Mechina Academies: Israel’s Gap-Year Phenomenon
It’s still dark in Upper Nazareth as Nadav Cohen, 19, delivers a pithy, inspirational talk to his comrades—choosing Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’…
Discovering Our Biblical Roots in Modern Israel
Israel is a thoroughly modern country with major cities, modern highways, and mass transit. But have the picturesque sites and ancient customs from…
Wingate the Zionist
An aircraft suddenly plunged to earth and burst into flames. The cause for the crash near Imphal, India, on March 24, 1944, has remained a mystery. All nine men aboard…
Israel’s Legal Right to Its Land
Based on international law, April 24, 1920, was when modern Israel was given the legal right to become a nation. As Bible-believing Christians, we all believe that…
When God Steps In
A rapidly rising tide of aggression is aimed at Israel, and the West seems impotent to stem it. But there is One who is omnipotent, and He has made promises He intends to keep.
Before the Silence
To understand the Intertestamental Period, it’s important to look at Israel’s postexilic history and see what happened to God’s Chosen People before the silence fell.
Has the Dream Lost Its Luster?
When Zionism first appeared, it bore the dreams of a persecuted people and had the blessing of much of the Western world. A lot has changed over the years, as you’ll see here.
Where Is the Ark of the Covenant?
There has been much speculation over the location of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark—whose design was given by God to Moses—was constructed of acacia wood plated with gold and contained…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jan/Feb 2012
The world is filled with travesties of justice, and among the worst is the demonization of Israel. Yet Israel wants peace, and almost all its neighbors want…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Nov/Dec 2011
“Thus says the Lord Gᴏᴅ: ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her’” (Ezek. 5:5). Every trip to Israel is a life-impacting…
The Jewishness of the Temple Mount
So prolific is Muslim propaganda that many Westerners today question the Temple’s historicity. So it’s time to review the evidence.
The Beginning of PA Denial
The Palestinian Authority’s (PA’s) political denial of the Jewish Temple’s existence first came to international attention at the Camp David II Summit in July 2000. In a final effort to resolve…
Muslim Backpedaling
Muslims today vociferously deny a Jewish Temple existed on the Temple Mount (Haram). However, their own literature affirms this fact and shows how they have changed their position to accomplish…
Rebuilding the City of Gold
Surrounded by trouble and enemies, Nehemiah forged ahead to repair and rebuild Jerusalem. If you think times have changed, you’re in for a surprise.
Archaeology Backs the Bible
In 2008 building remains from the first Temple period (eighth and ninth centuries B C.) were discovered in the northwest part of the Western Wall plaza that runs adjacent to the Temple…
Why the Waqf Rules
When Israeli statesman Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in 2000, he was surrounded by 1,000 Israeli police. His visit, along with the announcement that the complex would…
Ezra and the Restoration Period
When Ezra the scribe returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, he led a mar- velous revival. So why does he seem underappreciated? Read on!
Silver and Taxes: So What Else Is New?
According to Bible prophecy, an inferior empire (symbolized by silver in Daniel 2:31, 39) would replace the gold kingdom of Babylon. The Medo-Persians conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. According to fifth-century…
Islam Rewrites the Bible
Millions of people today fail to grasp the differences between Jewish and Muslim claims to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. But the differences are enormous. Jewish claims are based on Scripture…
Anti-Jewish Church Edicts
The following is a sampling of the edicts and canon laws the organized church issued against Jewish people. This order is intended to keep Jews and Christians apart. It forbade…
The IYA Salvage Project
We woke up early Tuesday morning, grabbed our coffees, packed our lunches, boarded the bus, and headed for Tzurim Valley National Park located atop Mount Scopus, northeast of the Old…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jul/Aug 2008
Over the years, many people who have traveled “Up to Jerusalem” with us have told me about the sites and experiences on our tour that affected them the most. The list usually includes our boat…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk May/Jun 2008
Widespread “Israel at 60” celebrations in Jewish communities this year are reminders of the certainty of God’s promises to the Jewish people. Christians who have been participating in these events realize they are expressing…
Men Who Believed
Replacement Theology, which strips Israel of God’s promises, has been around a long time. But in every generation, there also have been men who believed, long before 1948, in Israel’s national restoration.
Israel’s Long and Hard War of Independence
Despite its military victories, Israel still does not enjoy peace. So the country’s anniversary celebration took a different turn this year—for a significant reason.
Religion and the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel
Israel, once so secular, is becoming more religious. Plans are afoot to build a third Temple, and several interesting events are confirming the truths of Bible prophecy.
The New Sanhedrin
In 2004 on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, a new Sanhedrin arose after an absence of more than 1,400 years. Staffed by Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox rabbis who want Israeli life…
Inextinguishable Israel
In a world stricken by the compulsion to forget and plagued with perpetually erratic behavior, it is not surprising that some people no longer see Israel as a little David struggling for survival…
A Christian View from the Temple Mount
Muslims now claim the Western Wall was a hitching post for Muhammad’s horse! Their claims are preposterous, but they will stop at nothing to rewrite history. And they have two main reasons for doing so.
Milestone
It happened against all odds. Sixty years ago this month, on November 29, 1947, in a building left over from the 1939–1940 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens, the fledgling…
Happy 40th Birthday, Jerusalem
Forty years ago in June, Israel recaptured its city of cities in a six-day war that stunned the world. But things haven’t turned out as anticipated.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Mar/Apr 2007
We have experienced a little taste of heaven on earth.” This comment, shared toward the end of our recent Christian/Jewish journey to Israel, struck a responsive chord in all our hearts…
Eye on the Middle East Mar/Apr 2007
Speaking in December 2006 at a Holocaust memorial ceremony in Berlin, Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said: We have learned and memorialized the lesson: the weak and defenseless are doomed. Doomed…
Is Israel an Apartheid State?
Even before the State of Israel was established, Jewish leaders consciously sought to avoid the situation that prevailed in South Africa. As David Ben-Gurion told Palestinian nationalist Musa Alami in 1934…
The Rebirth of Israel Ezekiel 37
In Ezekiel 37, God asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?” The answer so far is the story of a nation’s resurrection to physical life. But even more lies ahead.
War: What Is It Good For? Ezekiel 38:1—39:16
God’s prophetic Word reveals much about war, particularly the great, future battle involving Gog and Magog.
Great Cities of Jesus’ Day
With Christmas around the corner, we invite you to tour four cities in firstcentury Israel that testify to the Savior’s power. Two of them are still there today.
Herod the Not-So-Great
Herod murdered infants yet built a magnificent Temple Mount. What type of man was he? A brilliant madman whose life is a remarkable study in contradiction.
Jerusalem Vs. Rome: Jewish Life in the Time of Christ
Although idol worship saturated Rome, the Jewish people had rights that many of them did not want jeopardized. Thus arose a difficult conflict for Judaism.
The Politics of Sacred Space
Speaking from firsthand experience, Dr. Price explains why archaeology and the Temple Mount will always take center stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jul/Aug 2006
Much more than a trip—an experience of a lifetime! That’s the way it is when you travel to Israel with The Friends of Israel. And that’s the way all 128 of us felt during…
Judah’s Inheritance: The Dead Sea, En Gedi, Qumran, Hebron
Many of King David’s words were inspired by the animals at En Gedi. Visit En Gedi, the Dead Sea, Qumran, and Hebron through this excellent article.
The ‘Heart’ of the Promised Land: The Shephelah, Jezreel Valley, and Jordan Valley
The Shephelah, Jezreel Valley, and Jordan Valley are key areas in Israel. Learn what’s happening there today, as well as what happened thousands of years ago.
Touring Northern Israel
Let a well-known journalist, whose home is Israel, take you on a wonderful tour of what he calls the most beautiful part of the Holy Land.
Praying at the Wall
Editor’s Note: The Western Wall in Jerusalem is the holiest site in all of Judaism. Historian Nancy Ceperley has a profound love for Israel and the Jewish people, imparted to her by her late…
The Ottoman Legacy
The Muslim Ottoman Turks pillaged the land when they controlled it. Today it’s blooming like a rose. Is there a reason why? There certainly is.
How the JNF/KKL Makes the Desert Bloom
For years The Friends of Israel has planted trees in Israel through the Jewish National Fund, or Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (JNF/KKL). With each tree purchase comes a certificate that lists the activities…
A Hero Named Janusz Korczak
God loves children. His heart especially goes out to orphans, and He commands us, “Defend the fatherless” (Isa. 1:17). During the Holocaust, one man in particular did just that. He was born…
Scrolls, Souls, and the ‘Da Vinci Effect’
Dan Brown’s novel has been on The New York Times Best Seller list for two years now, contradicting Scripture. Is it accurate? See for yourself.
The New Wall of Jerusalem
A top Jerusalem Post writer gives you an insider’s look at Jewish life in Israel’s City of Gold and what many feel is the only viable way to protect it.
A Lawyer Looks at God’s ‘Contract’ With Israel
What do words like inheritance, descendants, and forever mean to you? They mean a great deal to God. More, in fact, than most people realize.
O Jewish Town of Bethlehem
This time of year these are the thoughts most often associated with the birth of the Lord Jesus. Pastoral little Bethlehem, in the midst of shepherds and their sheep, peaceful and tranquil before the appearance…
Beware of Today’s ‘Canaanites’
In 1929 a fantastic archaeological discovery was made in the ancient port town of Ugarit on the Syrian coast. Hundreds of ancient tablets were found, providing a wealth of information about Canaanite culture.
Why Israel Is Unique
As far as the nations of this world are concerned, Israel stands apart. Scripture teaches that the nations were “made [not created] from one blood” and so may be, and quite often are…
Jerusalem: The Missing Link
When the pundits look back on 2004 and the attempts at an Israeli-Palestinian solution, the word disengagement will probably top…
The Babylonian Captivity
God always keeps His promises, even the unpleasant ones. The issues surrounding this captivity will take you from mere history to important theology.
The Second World Empire
After the Babylonian Empire, Media-Persia took over. This outstanding article sorts out that kingdom’s rulers and what they accomplished.
Daniel and Darius
Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan. 6) is probably one of the best-known accounts in the Bible. It’s the encouraging, satisfying triumph of faith, righteousness, and justice over wickedness and evil in high places.
The Exiles Return
God may have removed the Jewish people from their land, but He faithfully brought them back. Learn how He did it and who He used.
The Ten ‘Lost’ Tribes Weren’t Lost
The phrase the lost tribes of Israel emits a certain ring of mystery that romanticizes the disappearance of the Israelites taken captive by Assyria in 722 B.C. Although the phrase is nowhere in Scripture…
The Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem
From the moment the Lord formed the nation of Israel after the Exodus, He desired to dwell with His people as their King. Hence, the Tabernacle was built; and the Lord’s Glory indwelled it…
The Eastern Gate
The ground in front of the Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount was still soft from the heavy rains. Confidently, the archaeology student stepped back from the gate to capture its entire view…
Anti-Zionism or Anti-Semitism—By Any Name, The Game’s the Same
No matter how attractively you wrap garbage, it still reeks. And despite clever repackaging, “anti-Zionism” still smells like Hitler’s “final solution.”
Archaeology Confirms the Walls ‘Fell Flat’
In 1997 two Italian archaeologists hired by the Palestinian Department of Archaeology excavated for one month at ancient Jericho. Their conclusion was not surprising, considering who hired them: No evidence supports the Jewish conquest…
The Significance of Shechem
In Hebrew shechem means “shoulder,” an apt description of the town’s location in the narrow valley between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal, approximately 40 miles (65 km.) north of Jerusalem. Today the world calls it Nablus…
Is the Quartet Fiddling the Same Old Tune?
Despite Israel’s unfaltering devotion to America, some feel Bush’s Road Map plan is selling Israel down the river.
Timeline of Modern Israel
From San Remo to Nazi Germany 1918 British General Edmund Allenby defeats the Ottoman Turks and occupies all of Palestine. 1919–23 Third wave of Jewish immigration arrives, mostly from Russia. 1920 Britain receives League of Nations mandate over Palestine at San…
Reliving the Thirties
The struggle over suppressing discrimination in Western societies is an ongoing problem that will grow with the ever-increasing influx of third-world minorities into more affluent nations. Additionally, judicial decisions that grant…
Standing Firm for God
The Jews called him a madman. He called himself a god. And his determination to eradicate Judaism led to the Maccabean Revolt.
Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem
Jerusalem was one of the largest cities in the ancient world. And its destruction in A.D. 70 involved one of Judaism’s greatest tragedies.
Israel’s Falling Star
Some called him Simon, “son of a star.” They thought him the Messiah. But Bar Kokhba’s victories didn’t turn out as they had anticipated.
Masada: The Final Fortress
Herod’s desert hideout was so lavish and self-sufficient that it appeared impenetrable. But appearances can be deceiving.
Israel: Still a Miracle
The world thought it impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible. And if you don’t believe that fact, you don’t know the history of little Israel.
The War of Independence
When the British received their League of Nations mandate over the Holy Land at the San Remo Conference in 1920, they were told to implement the Balfour Declaration that called for “the establishment…
Who Took Whose Lands?
Although the British were instructed in 1920 to help the Jewish people resettle into land that had been designated for a Jewish national home, they did just the opposite. Instead of facilitating Jewish…
The Six-Day War
Surrounded by 250,000 enemy soldiers, 2,000 tanks, and 700 jetfighters, Israel again defended herself. The outcome? Another miracle.
The Yom Kippur War
Anwar Sadat replaced Nasser as Egypt’s president after Nasser’s death in 1970. Sadat believed he had to regain the Sinai taken by Israel in 1967. Israeli intelligence warned the government that war…
The Terrorists
When it comes to terrorists, it is sometimes difficult to tell the players without a program. Although the secular press of late has taken to calling them militiamen, freedom fighters, militants, and other such misleading…
Status of Jewish Holy Sites
Under Jordanian occupation (May 28, 1948—June 7, 1967), all Jewish holy sites in East Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria were off-limits to Jews. In East Jerusalem, 58 synagogues were destroyed or desecrated. Jordan built…
When Was the Holy Land an Independent Arab State?
For years Yasser Arafat has referred to Israel as “our country, Palestine” and has talked about retaking the land, “restoring its freedom,” and restoring the State of Palestine with “holy Jerusalem” as its capital…
A History of the Holy Land
2126 B.C……………………..God calls Abraham to the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1–3).
Exodus: Ship of Misfortune
The war was over, but the heartache was not. Tired, homeless, and hurting, the Jewish people aboard the Exodus found themselves victims yet again.
Home at Last
Israel was reborn and Jewish people were dancing in the streets when this magnificent article appeared in Israel My Glory.
The Miracle of Israel
Israel was still an infant when Victor Buksbazen toured the country and wrote this report, which is amazingly relevant today, fifty-two years later.
Five Facts You Should Know About Israel
Have you ever wondered why Jewish people have been scattered throughout the nations of the world more consistently than any other people? Why anti-Semitism persists in rearing its ugly head repeatedly throughout history? Why Nazism…
Israel’s Quest for Peace
What happened to the Oslo “peace train”? Did it even leave the station? Ride the rails of inquiry for a look at why there still is no peace in the Middle East.
Syria: Certain Foe, Uncertain Future
Take a trip through the history of Syria and learn how a country that once embraced Christianity has become a home for despotism and terrorists.
Downsizing the State of Israel
Going, going, gone? Learn why what’s being done to Israel today contradicts everything earlier Christian Zionists believed.
History by The Wishing Well
The ugly tentacles of revisionism are spreading over the Temple Mount. And if Arafat has his way, they eventually will reach all the way to Christ Himself.
Israel at the Epicenter
Did you know the Quran does not mention Jerusalem even once by name? Why, then, is that city so important to Muslims? The explanation is eye-opening.