Inside View May/Jun 2023
On our tours to the Holy Land, I teach each group about modern Israel. Many Christians don’t realize what it took to bring a country into existence…
ISRAEL'S HISTORY
Bethlehem
A short bus ride from Jerusalem lies the city of Bethlehem. It is located a mere six miles south of Israel’s capital in what traditionally was Judea and today is called…
Joppa
On the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, in an ancient section of what is now Tel Aviv, lies one of the oldest cities in the world: Joppa (also called Jaffa and Yafo)…
Masada
Spectacular. Mighty. Imposing. Remarkable. All these words aptly describe this desert plateau that rises more than 1,400 feet above the shores of…
En Gedi
The landscape surrounding the Dead Sea looks like something from another world. Barren mountains of rock, crystalized salt formations, and sinkholes…
Happy Birthday, Israel!
In a small room in faraway British Mandate Palestine, Jewish statesman David Ben-Gurion rose to his feet before an assembly of Jewish dignitaries…
The Witness of Joshua’s Altar
Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal as a place of worship and witness (Josh. 8:30–31). He constructed…
Jewish World Update May/Jun 2023
The concepts of “Palestinians” and “Palestine” are political tools used to subvert, demonize, and destroy the Jews’…
Archaeology and Jericho (Conclusion)
Previously, we looked at two of four issues (the ban and morality) that clarify God’s controversial actions in the…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2023
It is written in Jeremiah 6:14, “‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.” It is also written, “I will give you assured peace in this place” (14:13)…
Archaeology and Jericho (Part 3)
God commanded Joshua to destroy the Canaanites and conquer Jericho. This account has sparked ethical debates…
Archaeology and Jericho (Part 2)
One of the best-known accounts from Scripture is the miracle of the walls that came tumbling down…
The Unlikely King
It was a scandal many find hard to stomach even today. The king God chose to govern His people committed adultery with another man’s wife…
The Richest Man on Earth
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” These words of wisdom, falsely attributed to…
Solomon’s Temple
King Solomon’s reign has been called Israel’s Golden Age. Under him, the Israelites possessed almost all of the land God promised them…
When Everything Went Wrong
When people think of King Solomon, they usually recall his great wisdom and the magnificent Jewish Temple he built…
The Beginning of the End
God is not to be trifled with. He warned Israel’s kings not to worship other gods, and He meant it. Because He knows the end…
A Taste of Tomorrow
On October 25, 2021, shares of Tesla spiked almost 13 percent, surpassing the $1 trillion market cap and making the electric car company’s CEO…
The Curse
God made many promises that are now fulfilled and others yet to be fulfilled. But He always gets around to fulfilling them, no matter how long it takes…
Archaeology and Jericho (Part 1)
Bible critics love to attack the conquest of Jericho. Disproving or questioning its historicity undermines Israel…
Jewish World Update Sep/Oct 2022
A Boston BDS group is promoting a “Mapping Project” that places a target on American Jews. It declares…
The Woman Clothed With the Sun
As you study the book of Revelation, you might not notice Israel’s presence much. In fact, a number of commentators say…
Jewish World Update Jul/Aug 2022
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressuring Israel to stop sharing its concerns about the adverse impact U.S. policy…
Standing on the Lord’s Side
It was a dark time in the history of God’s ancient people, the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty king of the Babylonian…
Israel: Trip of a Lifetime
Pick up a tour brochure touting journeys to places far or near and you’ll likely see the claim, “The trip of a lifetime!” A promise…
From the River to the Sea
Throughout history, hatred of the Jewish people has surged and subsided but never disappeared. In the late 1800s..
Coming Home
For millennia, the Jewish people have held a hope in their hearts, a dream embodied in the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah.” That dream is “to be a free nation…
Let’s Make a Deal
In 1963 the American television game show Let’s Make a Deal came on the air. It became famous for awarding prizes based on choices the contestants made…
The Truth about Eutychus
It is common to hear people mention the Eutychus incident in Acts 20:6–12 to hint that some men preach too long…
From Snake to Savior
One of the most dramatic events in the Israelites’ wilderness wandering involved the fiery serpents in Numbers 21. The difficult journey bypassing…
An Ancient Witness to the Messiah
Many people wonder what the ancient Hebrews thought about the coming of the Messiah. Some see the…
From the Root of Jesse
When my friend and colleague Steve Herzig lived in Chicago many years ago, he issued a challenge to some of his friends. The challenge seemed simple enough, but…
Balaam: Fact or Fiction?
As Moses and the Israelites camped on the Plains of Moab, Moabite King Balak devised a plan to defeat them. Knowing he could…
The Seven Biblical Feasts
Of all the holidays celebrated throughout history, only these seven were given by God to His people Israel…
Behold the Lamb!
Many non-Jews think Hanukkah is every Jewish person’s favorite holiday. But they would be wrong. Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas…
The Four Faces of Shavuot
Have you ever gone to the grocery store and found the shelves empty? Until the recent pandemic, that would have been…
Tekiah, Shevarim, Teruah
Growing up, I had an annual August ritual of asking my parents two questions: When is the first day of school? Are the…
Holiday Under the Stars
Many years ago, a pastor and I visited a friend who is a rabbi at a local synagogue. Sukkot was approaching, and Rabbi offered to…
‘Remember the Sabbath’
When my wife and I lived in Minnesota, we enjoyed visiting the Minneapolis Institute of Art where more than 90,000 beautiful…
Inside View Jul/Aug 2021
I’ve had the privilege of visiting Israel 28 times since my first trip in 2003, most often to lead tours. It has been a rich blessing to see the land of the Bible…
The Real Friend of Israel
Many Americans are still reeling from the results of the 2020 presidential election. According to two surveys, between 76 and…
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…
Inside View May/Jun 2021
The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry is devoted to sharing the gospel. Gospel is part of our name; and since our inception in 1938, we have lived…
Q: What Does ‘Crucified With Christ’ Mean?
Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live…
The Strange Story of the Scapegoat
A strange ceremony is recorded in Leviticus 16:7–10 as part of the observance of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)…
‘Do This in Remembrance of Me’
At sundown on March 27, Jewish families the world over will gather in homes as they have for thousands of years to instill…
Are God’s People Really Distinct?
When I was a child, the most memorable instruction my father gave me was “Don’t do as I do; do as I say do!” After I became…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2021
In the spring we celebrate Purim here in Israel. Not everyone knows the meaning of this great day. Many think it is merely a festival of joy…
Goodbye, Year of the Virus
People the world over are probably relieved to say, “Happy New Year!” There is sheer jubilee in knowing the books on 2020 are…
Meditating on God
Health experts agree that walking 10,000 steps a day is a good thing. So I do this “good thing” regularly, and I can tell you that my Oy veys grow louder every time I start walking. But I can also tell you that…
The Father Knows Best
In 1949, a show called Father Knows Best debuted on the radio. It made the transition to television in 1954, starring Robert Young, who played Jim Anderson, the father of three children…
The Future-Teller
A peculiar industry has been growing in America. It generates $2 billion in revenue a year and employs roughly 85,000 people who are primarily mediums, astrologers, palm readers, and fortune-tellers…
Cyrus, ‘My Shepherd’
Bible scholar Harold Willmington once wrote, “Bible prophecy is simply history written in advance!” In the case of Cyrus, king of ancient Medo-Persia, God wrote the…
Why Animal Sacrifice?
In our modern world, many condemn animal sacrifice. In Florida, a religious group was sued for practicing it. The plaintiff defined sacrifice as “to unnecessarily kill…
The Shekinah Glory
As I look at the world and the terrible things people do, I will never understand why God loves us and wants to dwell among us. The fact that a Jewish virgin bore the divine…
The Priests: Keeping Israel Holy
Ancient Israel’s three great offices were prophet, priest, and king. Of these, the most enigmatic to people today is that of priest…
From Moses to Jesus
Eclectic is how I would describe my mother’s taste in furniture. Nothing really matched when I was growing up. Furniture was not her thing…
The Sanctuary’s Sweet Cover-up
Many people today use diffusers to disperse essential oils into the air to promote physical health and freshen a room…
Israel’s Will to Remember
I am more of a doer than a thinker. It takes discipline for me to think before I act. Spending two weeks in Israel…
Q: What Are the ‘Times of the Gentiles’?
The phrase times of the Gentiles is unique to the Gospel of Luke. Jesus said, “And they [the Jewish people] will fall by the…
The Altar of Sacrifice
Most people today are familiar with the concept of blessing. But they know little about the idea of sacrifice, particularly on an altar…
From the Editor May/Jun 2020
As I write this column, I’m looking at two miniature Israeli flags on the windowsill of my office. When the degenerate empire of Nazi Germany surrendered May 8, 1945…
Relentless
“I felt so alone,” my Israeli friend said with tears in her eyes. We had just finished a delicious Shabbat meal in her home with her family when…
Q: Are the 10 Tribes of Israel Lost?
One of the most asked questions concerns the status of the 10 northern tribes of Israel. These tribes of the…
The Lamp of the Lord
The menorah was an important component of the Tabernacle. It had two purposes: to furnish light and to remind all Israel that God is light…
From the Editor Mar/Apr 2020
Do you believe in miracles? It’s a simple question, but the answer has far-reaching implications. Two people groups we’d expect to believe in miracles are…
Elisha: God’s Miracle Man
Elijah and Elisha were among Israel’s most important prophets. Some people confuse them, but they were extremely different men…
Important Events & Miracles
God performed 28 miracles through Elisha that affected people, prophecy, and politics and are recorded in the book of 2 Kings…
Q: Why Did Elisha Curse Youths for Mocking Him?
After performing a miracle in Jericho, the prophet Elisha went to Bethel…
A Great Woman, A Great Miracle
Some people spend a lifetime trying to acquire a great name or leave a great legacy. There is a special woman in the Bible…
Portrait of Grace
She was merely a little Jewish girl. Yet God in His sovereignty positioned her where her faith and grace would touch the highest echelons of military power…
Chariots of Fire
WAR. The very word conjures up horrific images of mass destruction, fleeing innocents, pain, and suffering. But another dimension of warfare exists…
God’s Home on Earth
When God exiled man from the Garden of Eden, humanity no longer had access to God’s presence. This access was not restored until the Lord prepared a…
All That Glitters Is Not God
The incident of the golden calf looms large in Israel’s history. Moses’ long stay on Mt. Sinai convinced some Israelites that…
Dispute Over Temple Mount Intensifies
Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan recently called for changing the status quo on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount…
Archaeology and the Ark
The Ark of the Covenant was largely introduced to people outside biblical circles through the Hollywood movie…
Q: What Does ‘The Apple of God’s Eye’ Mean?
People often use the phrase the apple of my eye to express how precious a loved one is in their sight…
The Big Ten
Many people are familiar with Cecil B. DeMille’s film The Ten Commandments. In a famous scene, Moses receives the Ten Commandments on stone tablets…
Is Israel’s ‘Left’ Dead?
When Benjamin Netanyahu squeaked out his fifth victory in April, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history, eclipsing even legendary leader David Ben-Gurion…
What Heathenism Wrought
Without any announcement, the prophet Elijah appeared in Israel and boldly confronted his generation with a strong warning from God…
Q: Should Christians Always Obey Civil Government?
God instituted civil government in the Noahic Covenant after the universal flood (Gen. 9:6, 8–17) to protect human life and…
Israel’s Evil Kings
The northern kingdom was plagued with evil kings, beginning with Jeroboam (931–910 BC), who intentionally caused Israel to sin by erecting golden calves…
Confrontation on Carmel
The scorching sun beat down on Obadiah as he walked the arid path, each step sending a swirl of dust upward…
Passing the Mantle
It’s so important to teach the younger generation. Elijah mentored Elisha for almost eight years. Then Elisha made an unusual request…
‘I Will Send You Elijah’
Elijah has always been a bit of a puzzle. An iconic figure among the Old Testament prophets, he appears center stage, bigger than life—and then disappears…
Did Moses Write the Torah?
The Bible says explicitly Moses wrote the Torah. Exodus 24:4 states, “Moses wrote all the words of the LORD”…
From the Editor May/Jun 2019
“When that plane touches down at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv,” someone told me recently, “I know I’m in a country that’s a miracle…
Inside View May/Jun 2019
Each year in May, Israel celebrates its rebirth. Established on May 14, 1948, modern Israel is now 71 years old. The fact that the Jewish nation arose from the ashes and has come back to life…
Who is a Jew?
For centuries, Jewish people have been asking themselves, “Who is a Jew?” Today a new wrinkle has developed, and it involves Christians…
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…
Israel’s Broken Political System
Many Americans scratch their heads trying to figure out Israel’s political system. Here’s an overview of it from someone who truly understands it…
What’s in a Name?
When Moses encountered God for the first time, he asked Him, “When I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you..
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2019
Israel’s Independence Day is fast approaching. That is when we celebrate our independence in the land. I fought in the War of Independence in 1948 so that we, the Jewish people, could live in our homeland…
The Hate That Won’t Die
A friend of mine told me a story recently that I think you’ll appreciate. A few years ago, her daughter Andi attended an event at Disney World that called for audience participation…
Assessing the Return of Haman
People visiting Israel during the annual Purim celebration in March, when masses of costumed Israelis joyously parade through the streets, might liken the event to…
The Truth About Who Killed Christ
A few months ago, I met with a high-profile Jewish leader who was giving a talk about his journey from poverty to entrepreneurial success. As a boy growing up in the slums of Boston…
Casting Down Serpents
Exodus 7:8–12 records the account of Moses’ and Aaron’s first miracle before Pharaoh: turning Aaron’s staff (a symbol of authority) into a serpent that swallowed those produced by Pharaoh’s magicians…
The Gold-Box Idol
During the closing period of the judges, the Israelites embraced wicked beliefs in their worship and view of God. God had confirmed Samuel as His spokesman and true prophet, but the Israelites refused to obey….
A Hearing Heart
I have many fond memories of my mother from my childhood, but there is one memory that is far from fond. I still get a knot in the pit of my stomach when I think about it. When I was around 11 years old, we were…