One of the Oldest Blessings in the Bible
In Numbers 6:22–27 the Lord told the high priest how to bless national Israel: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make…
ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
Inside View Mar/Apr 2020
Is the church becoming ignorant or arrogant when it comes to Israel? A LifeWay Research survey of evangelical Christians found that 76 percent of those…
Frame, Reframe: The Battle for Truth
I witnessed an attempt to reframe theology during our Canadian Friends of Israel Prophecy Conference…
Israel & the Church
We believe the unconditional covenant God made with Abraham is still in force today, and God will not cancel it. God made the unconditional covenant with Abram (Abraham), recorded in Genesis 15…
The Battle for Biblical Truth
Modern Israel is a miracle. When Mark Twain visited there in the 1800s, he left thinking it was the most miserable place on the face of the earth…
Who Doesn’t Want a Blessing?
Nostalgia. That’s the emotion fans of the iconic 1960s TV series Star Trek feel when they hear the words live long and prosper. The character of Mr. Spock…
The Divine Distribution
When God confirmed a covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1), He issued a divine proclamation: He vowed to give all the land He was promising Abraham to both Abraham and his descendants forever (13:15). God bequeathed the land through…
Five Facts You Should Know About Israel
Have you ever wondered why the 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 specifically targeted the Jewish people for genocide in the…
How to Spell Blessing: Israel
We live in a world of widespread redefinition. Some people view the practice as a positive modification to an old, outdated understanding of certain terms and practices, while others…
On the Judah Road
Sometimes we make one decision that changes our lives forever. That’s what Ruth did, and God blessed her. I’d like to tell you about a girl who grew up 30 centuries ago and made a decision so momentous it not only secured her place in history but…
Inside View Jul/Aug 2017
Have you ever noticed the world’s fascination with hating the Jewish people? It’s nothing new. Anti-Semitism has been around since the days of the Old Testament. However, its growth today is alarming, particularly in the United States and Europe.
Sweet Beulah Land Isaiah 62
For centuries the Jewish people have waited for their Messiah to come and set up His Kingdom in Israel. At that time, Israel will receive the Land God promised them in perpetuity. That is when redeemed Israel will experience the fulfillment of…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2017
The Lord said in 1 Kings 21:19, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” People are still killing and trying to take Israel’s land. The Arabs constantly seek to destroy us and demand that we compensate them for war…
From Bethel to Bethel
Many people struggle through life. Every day brings them something new to worry about. Some have illnesses. Others have grief. The list of troubles that shape a person is endless. The patriarch Jacob knew all about trouble…
The Reason for Hope Micah 4
The prophet Micah’s message of doom must have troubled Judah’s leaders. After all, if Judah were destroyed, how would God fulfill the vows He made to the children of Israel in the…
Israel: The Forever Nation Romans 11:1–10
From a purely human perspective, the Jewish plight over the past 2,000 years might lead some to assume God has turned His back on His Chosen People. Key Bible passages, however, prove otherwise.
Two Boys, Two Mountains, Two Covenants
In our modern or postmodern world, the narratives of the Old Testament frequently slip from a vibrant canvas of deep theological truth into shallow “stories” from which believers draw…
The Far-Reaching Abrahamic Covenant
Imagine, if you can, an “appearance” by the God of glory to an idol worshiper named Abram living in Mesopotamia. He gave Abram a command and an extraordinary promise…
Shout, O Israel! God Loves You!
They are a minority. They always have been a minority. Moses, their first national leader, described them as “the least of all peoples” (Dt. 7:7); and that assessment remains true today…
The Jewish Family Promise
The call of Abraham in Genesis 12 is one of the most significant events in the biblical record. Although there is no way to know when the patriarch was born, scholars place his birth around…
The Seven Keys to History Part Four
The first three keys to history are found in the first 2,000 years of the world, from Genesis 1 through 11: creation, corruption, and catastrophe. Genesis 12 holds the fourth…
The Love and Mercy of God Part One
The key Old Testament word for God’s mercy is hesed. Scholars have translated it frequently as “mercy” or “lovingkindness.” Hesed appears 245 times…
Israel’s Primacy in God’s Program
For the past 4,000 years, Satan has incited hatred and persecution of the Jewish people with the objective of annihilating them. This article explains why.
The Dispensation of Promise
The fourth dispensation, the dispensation of promise, extended from God’s call of Abraham to the giving of the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai. The Scripture portion that covers this dispensation…
The Unpopular Truth
I’ve been to many churches during my lengthy ministry with The Friends of Israel. Most have welcomed me warmly. But I spoke at one recently that did not. Even the pastor…
His Eye is on the Sparrow
In the spring of 1905, Civilla Martin and her husband, Pastor Walter Martin, visited their friends the Doolittles in Elmira, New York. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for 20 years…
The Promise
Have you ever thought of this? If God did not fulfill His promises literally, we would never have Christmas. See for yourself!
The Rainbow Connection
Many years ago my wife and I were on our way to the Jersey Shore in a driving rain. As we drew closer to our destination, the rain began to subside…
Learning to Wait on God
A biblical prophecy is not merely a prediction. It is a sure promise about the future. God is ever faithful to keep His promises, even though He often does so many years down the road.
Israel: Still the Apple of God’s Eye Part One
Three men played key roles in Israel’s ancient history. Each man reveals an aspect of God’s work with the nation and His special blessing on it.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk May/Jun 2007
Reports from many areas of our worldwide ministry indicate a resurgence of an errant teaching best described as Replacement Theology. Deviating from a literal interpretation of God’s prophetic Word, Replacement…
It’s All or Nothing
In 1960 Christian entertainer Pat Boone wrote lyrics for the theme song of a movie based on Leon Uris’s popular novel Exodus. Exodus told the epic story of the Jewish…
The ‘Main Thing’ is Israel
My youngest daughter has just completed her sophomore year at a secular university. It took her almost the entire two years to find a church where she could worship that did not consider…
The Millennium
The Millennium is the term used to refer to the final dispensation in human history, when mankind’s stewardship will be to live in harmony with the risen, glorified Savior. Despite Jesus’ physical…
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.
Zvi Jul/Aug 2005
It is written in Deuteronomy, “You shall not pervert justice;…You shall follow what is altogether just” (16:19–20). What organization on Earth should be the best example of this command? The biggest organization: the United Nations…
Moses for You, Jesus for Me?
Gentiles need Jesus to get to heaven; Jewish people only need Moses. A synagogue teaching, you say? No, this Dual Covenant doctrine is in churches.
The Root of Every Blessing: The Abrahamic Covenant
God made specific, unconditional promises to Abraham. Learn exactly what these promises were and how they affect you.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Sep/Oct 2003
Recently The Friends of Israel joined the Jewish community in a solidarity rally for Israel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. By our presence we sought to demonstrate that, as Bible-believing Christians, we are loyal friends…
I Am That I Am
What is the Tetragrammaton? Ancient Jewish sages considered it too holy to utter. Yet it is God’s covenant name— and belongs to Him alone.
The Promise Continues
God never makes promises He doesn’t keep. And He will keep these.
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…
The Zion Connection: The Biblical Mandate
When God called Abram to leave Ur of the Chaldees, He was demanding that he strip himself of his identity. Abram was to leave all that made him who he was—his family, his possessions, and the land that he had known as…
Israel’s Right to Peace And Security
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…
Ezekiel 36: Among The “Great Chapters” of the Bible
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.
A Fruitful Land for A Redeemed Nation Ezekiel 36:8–15
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.
Seeing the Big Picture
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.
Prophecy And Politics
Throughout the negotiations carried on by both the Rabin and Netanyahu governments in Israel with their Arab neighbors, a persistent question has been raised by many Christians.
Salvation in the Old Testament
Our feature articles for this issue of Israel My Glory examine salvation in the Old Testament. Indeed, the basis upon which God justifies sinners has, since the fall of Adam…
The Faithful Remnant
Among the material possessions Maxine and I hold dear is an old oak dining room table. It was the object of a rescue effort launched years ago when we discovered the table…
We Will Hope
In what may be called a conservative expression of what has taken place between the Israelis and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, a “historic breakthrough” was announced on August 31, 1993.
The Abrahamic Covenant
It would not be appropriate to ask which is the most important Old Testament covenant. Each of the covenants plays its own unique role in God’s marvelous plan of redemption and is therefore very important.
The Land of Israel or Ishmael?
“This land is mine. God gave this land to me,” is the opening line of the beloved song “Exodus.” Although deeply moving lyrics to the ears of an Israeli, they are inflammatory words…
Two Types of Sons Galatians 4:19–31
The joys of giving birth are great, but so can be the agony in guiding that child to maturity. What is true in the physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm.
Brit Milah
The birth of a boy into a Jewish family is cause for great joy and celebration (simcha). On the eighth day after his birth, a ceremony takes place that unites him with all other Jewish…
Once For All Set Free Galatians 3:15–29
Earlier in Galatians chapter 3, Paul demonstrated that Abraham was justified by faith centuries before the Law was given. In like manner, all who follow in the faith of Abraham—Jew or Gentile—are declared justified without…
My Son! My Son!
In the last article in this series, we saw that Abraham desperately wanted the heir God had promised to him. He realized that Eliezer of Damascus was not the one (Gen. 15:2).
I’ll Do It My Way, Lord!
The very mention of the name Abraham causes multitudes of people to perk up their ears. Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike look to this patriarch as the founder of their religion.
Abraham: “Blessings on You, My Friend!”
Blessing—what does the word mean? We use it so freely: “Bless you, my brother,” “Bless you, my sister,” and, when someone sneezes, “God bless you!” It is not uncommon to use phrases…
The Regathering of Israel
One of the most debated questions of our day is whether or not present-day Israel is the Israel of the Bible. Menachem Begin, when he was Prime Minister of Israel, ran his government…
Abraham: The Man Blessed by God
A promise is only as good as the one who makes it. We have all had promises made to us that we knew would never be fulfilled. Conversely, other promises have been made…
Abraham: The Man Who Couldn’t Wait
Abraham was a man who couldn’t wait! The result of his impatience has been a conflict that has spanned the millennia and, even at the present moment of history, is far from being resolved.
The Seed of Abraham
Abraham—the very mention of his name stirs the hearts of multitudes of people the world over. Three religions, each spanning the globe, trace their origins back to him.
Israel: The Nation of Destiny Amos 9
Israel is an enigma to the world. She was miraculously created from the loins of a couple long past the age of childbearing. She was endowed with divine privileges and covenant promises…
I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked
Our world appears to be infinite. The more scientists measure the universe, the more they realize it is immeasurable. The more they seek to describe it within boundaries, the more they realize it is boundless.
The Grace Administration of God’s Moral Absolutes
The previous article presented biblical evidence for two major conclusions. First, the Mosaic Law is an indivisible unit; therefore, if a person places himself under the moral aspect of the Mosaic Law,
The Beginning and Nature of The Church
Covenant Theology and Dispensational Theology disagree concerning two major matters related to the Church. Those two matters are: first, the time that the Church began, and, second, the nature of the Church.
Christ’s Atonement and Animal Sacrifices In Israel
How does the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ relate to the animal sacrifices which God gave to Israel through Moses? What did the blood of these animals accomplish during the days of the Old Covenant theocracy?
Blessing or Cursing
Few would deny the truth of this beloved hymn. We need God’s mercy drops falling around us, but we need the outpouring of His showers of blessing perhaps even more. But what is God’s blessing?
Where Is The God Of Justice Malachi 2:17-3:6
When Judah returned to her land, she expected to experience prosperity and glory as in the days of Solomon. But such was not the case! In fact, the opposite was true. Their wicked enemies lived in prosperity while Judah suffered privation.
David And His Children – Tragedy!
Children are a blessing from the Lord. A happy home with little ones filling it is a delight that is beyond description. Many childless couples would give all of their resources to have youngsters of their own.
Israel: A People Divinely Loved Malachi 1:1-5 Part one
Malachi was the last Old Testament book to be penned, about one hundred years after Cyrus decreed that Judah could return to their land (538 B.C.). During this time the Jewish faith was reformed under Ezra and Nehemiah…
The Effects of The Abrahamic Covenant Upon Israel
The previous article examined the biblical evidence for the unconditional nature of the Abrahamic Covenant. The present article will consider the effect of that covenant, particularly upon the nation of Israel.
Elohim:
William Shakespeare immortalized the question, “What’s in a name?” Let’s attempt an answer. The Apocrypha states, “A name endures while beauty wanes.” A famous rabbi wrote, “No monument gives such glory as an unsullied name.”
The Unconditional Nature of The Abrahamic Covenant
The previous article indicated that the most crucial issue related to the Abrahamic Covenant is this: the nature of that covenant. Is the covenant conditional or unconditional in nature?
The Abrahamic Covenant
It is not hyperbole to say that every spiritual blessing which the child of God possesses can trace its origin back to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Dispensationalism
The fourth dispensation extended from God’s call of Abraham to the giving of the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai. The Scripture portion which covers this dispensation is Genesis 12 – Exodus 18.
An Evaluation of Covenant Theology
In the previous article concerning Covenant Theology, several aspects of that system’s Covenant of Grace were considered. In this present article further aspects of that same Covenant of Grace will be examined.
An Evaluation of Covenant Theology
In the two previous articles of this series, the system of thought which is known as Covenant Theology was examined in survey fashion. Now that that examination has been completed…
I Do Set My Bow In The Cloud
There are a number of covenants that God made in the Old Testament. Most of these covenants are concerned with the people of Israel (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, and the New Covenant).
THE LAMB Typified in The Law…
Since the dawn of creation man has sought to worship by offering sacrifice to his deity. Sometimes the sacrifice was from the fruit of his own hand, and sometimes by animals which he slew (Gen. 4:3-4).