From the Editor Nov/Dec 2026
My young children receive books from a mailing service each month. The budding bibliophiles keep their eyes glued to the pages…
article
Inside View Nov/Dec 2026
As the Festival of Lights approaches, my thoughts turn to one of The Friends of Israel’s special initiatives: our Hanukkah gift box ministry…
In 2026, Israel Is on the Ballot
I hope this editorial reaches you before you head to the polls. If you’re like most Americans, you’ve had plenty on your mind…
Making Sense of the Mecca Agreement
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan recently signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a historic trilateral collective security pact…
The Friends of Israel in Action Nov/Dec 2026
Any second a missile can fall on my children’s preschool, and they don’t have a bomb shelter….
Detroit Synagogue Under Siege
“This is the largest gathering place for Israelis in the state of Michigan in the United States. I have booby-trapped the car…
250 Years in the Goldene Medina
The first time I visited Philadelphia, I was elated to walk the same cobblestone streets that Benjamin Franklin had walked….
The Hanukkah Backstory
Although Hanukkah is considered a minor feast on the Jewish calendar, it is not minor in Jewish history. To understand…
A Miracle in Jerusalem
Surprisingly, Alexander the Great’s marauding forces never invaded Jerusalem, even though they passed the city en route to conquering Egypt…
Hanukkah: History and Hope
There is a moment in the Gospel of Matthew that reads almost too casually if you don’t pay attention. Jesus and His disciples had…
Jesus by Menorah Light
Growing up in a Gentile home, I knew almost nothing about Hanukkah. I was far too focused on Christmas traditions…
Why Is Israel Called ‘God’s Chosen People’?
In Deuteronomy 7, Moses reminded the Israelites of their position before God as they prepared to enter the…
A Lot Can Happen in 400 Years!
In most of our printed Bibles, Malachi (the last book of the Old Testament) and Matthew (the first book of the New Testament)…
Fry It Up in Oil!
When I was young, I always laughed when my parents and their friends discussed what they would eat for dinner while they were still eating lunch…
How to Make Potato Latkes—Yum Yum!
What is Hanukkah without potato latkes (pancakes)? If you’d like to try your hand at making this traditional Hanukkah food…
How Tall Was Goliath? (Part 2)
In the previous issue of Israel My Glory, we considered evidence that supports the contention that Goliath was a genetic giant…
Christ’s Great Deliverance
With the prospect of the Revolutionary War looming, American Founding Father Patrick Henry famously stated, “Is life so dear…
A Tale of Two Visitations
It must have been a terrifying and overwhelming sight. There, sheathed in the blinding radiance of an otherworldly light…
Jewish World Update Nov/Dec 2026
The 36th NATO summit convened in Ankara in July—the first time in 22 years that Turkey hosted the alliance on its own soil…
Apples of Gold Nov/Dec 2026
We have a saying in Israel: Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. But a curse cannot rest where a blessing has been pronounced…
From the Editor Sep/Oct 2026
The end-times are in vogue today—though, to be fair, they’ve been perpetually popular throughout history. People believe a myriad of sensational claims…
Inside View Sep/Oct 2026
Never was I more grateful for our ministry Down Under than after last year’s horrific antisemitic slaughter during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach…
The Jew Among the Nations
The late David Bar-Illan was a brilliant Israeli pianist, journalist, and adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…
Turkey Vows ‘Liberation’ of Jerusalem
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sharply escalated his rhetoric against…
The Friends of Israel in Action Sep/Oct 2026
Earlier this year, Cameron Joyner, The Friends of Israel’s (FOI’s) assistant director of Ministry Mobilization, met his Israeli friend…
Jew-Hatred in the Streets
The Internet has consistently been a breeding ground for antisemitism, with a particularly dramatic surge…
Secrets, Spies, and Special Operations
From its iconic opening line, “Good morning, Mr. Phelps,” to each high-stakes mission, the 1960s TV series Mission: Impossible…
The Olivet Discourse
The Olivet Discourse represents the Lord Jesus Christ’s largest, most detailed prophetic discourse. On the Mount of Olives overlooking the historic Jewish Temple…
Signs of the Times
Following what could only be described by His disciples as a shocking declaration that the Temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed, the Lord Jesus Christ sat down…
Waiting for the King
As a kid, trying to catch the morning school bus was a constant concern. Each day I’d try to time everything so that I had to do as little waiting as possible…
Israel or the Church?
In 1972, popularity for the pretribulation Rapture received a boost with the film A Thief in the Night that showed what life on Earth might be like…
Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables?
One of the notable ways in which Jesus taught His listeners was by speaking in parables. A parable is an allegorical story…
What Did Jesus Mean?
The Bible is God’s Word. Every single part of it is inspired, authoritative, and important. But it’s fair to admit that not every verse is equally clear.
How Tall Was Goliath? (Part 1)
Exactly how tall was Goliath, the Philistine giant slain by David the shepherd boy (1 Sam. 17:1–54)? While the…
Complete in Christ
In 1858, Aaron Robarts Wolfe contributed seven hymns to Thomas Hastings’s Church Melodies. One of those hymns was “Complete in Thee.”
Loving God’s Chosen People
My teacher plainly explained, “The Israelites are God’s Chosen People.” She also called them “the children of Israel.”
Jewish World Update Sep/Oct 2026
I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard the questions, “Why does the United States give Israel $3.8 billion in military aid?”
Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2026
During the Christian holidays, the ultra-Orthodox are very busy. They come to people’s houses and tell them, “Do not listen to people who…
From the Editor Jul/Aug 2026
Growing up with my father as my pastor provided me many unique experiences. For example, I had access to our church facilities beyond the…
Inside View Jul/Aug 2026
Did you know that The Friends of Israel (FOI) staff regularly prays for you? When you contact FOI and share prayer requests with us…
Balak’s Bidding
In the book of Numbers, Balak, king of Moab, was terrified of Israel. He saw the Israelites not as a people under God’s care, but as a threat…
‘Turkey Is the New Iran’
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently said that Turkey “may be forced” to acquire nuclear weapons to…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jul/Aug 2026
When war comes knocking at our doors, how should we Christians live out our faith? Although most of us Westerners have…
The Cross as Bludgeon
A historic Jackson, Mississippi, synagogue was set on fire earlier this year by a young man who claimed to be a Christian. Unfortunately, many people…
Don’t Look Back
My friend recently told me he felt discouraged because of several personnel changes at his workplace. Many of the people with whom he…
Solomon’s Temple
Jerusalem is often called a holy city, but its holiness does not come from the events that happened within it. It comes from God Himself, who made it…
From Babylon to Rome
Like bookends, sorrow frames the history of the Second Temple. When its foundation was laid following the return of some of the Jewish exiles from…
The Nearness of God
Believers in Messiah Jesus constitute a different type of temple and can worship God any time and any place because of a special gift: the indwelling Holy Spirit…
What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh?
The apostle Paul wrote, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations…
The Tribulation Temple
In the future, a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem will become the site of the horrific “abomination of desolation.”…
Prepping for the Coming Temple
Since 1967, when Israel regained control of the Temple Mount, and 1987, when the Temple Movement…
The Amazing Prophecy of the 70 Weeks of Daniel
When the Jewish prophet Daniel was taken into exile in Babylon in 605 BC, Solomon’s…
The Fourth and Final Temple
Although our great God and Creator is everywhere all the time, He has chosen throughout history to…
God Is With Us
When David became king, one of his first acts was to usher God’s presence into Jerusalem. In this context, the Lord stated, “I have not dwelt in a…
Paul’s Concern for Converts
The apostle Paul cared deeply for his fellow believers. He labored in ministry not only for people he personally led to the…
When ‘Why’ Goes Unanswered
I consider Job 4:1 to be one of the saddest verses in all of Scripture. It begins, “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and…
Jewish World Update Jul/Aug 2026
Tehran’s aggression against Gulf nations—including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and even Qatar…
Apples of Gold Jul/Aug 2026
We in Israel who are believers in Jesus are surrounded by people who come to make trouble for us. There are many of them, and they are loud…
From the Editor May/Jun 2026
As I write from my desk in New Jersey, I am at peace. Strangers aren’t picking fights with me. Soldiers aren’t lying in wait to kill me. I have no reason to…
Inside View May/Jun 2026
If I had met Eli Sharabi before Hamas’s massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, I might have had a much different story to tell you. Perhaps he…
From One Hostage Crisis to Another
Israel turned a painful page in January when it received the body of Ran Gvili, the final remaining hostage Hamas…
Israel and Saudi Arabia Rapidly Drifting Apart
Prospects are fading for a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Over the past several years…
The Friends of Israel in Action May/Jun 2026
Tom Simcox, a representative with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry (FOI), lives by a simple conviction: Every moment…
Antisemitism in the Big Apple
From lox and bagels to Broadway to the sitcom Seinfeld, the Jewish people and New York City go hand…
The Love of God Above
On my dining room wall hangs a framed canvas featuring the artistically arranged words of the third verse from the beloved, well-known hymn…
‘They Shall Inherit the Land Forever’
For 4,000 years, Israel has been surrounded by those who hate it. Even after God scattered the Jewish people among…
The Mysterious Land of Egypt
Egypt is a majestic land with an astonishing history. Much of antiquity can be traced through this ancient homeland of the…
Jordan: A Bright Spot—So Far
Of the four countries that directly border Israel (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt), Jordan appears to have the best…
Syria: Israel’s Implacable Adversary
Israel’s relationship with Syria has been a rocky one, to put it mildly. Though the modern iterations of both countries have…
The Confusion That Is Lebanon
How does a country like Lebanon—once known as the Switzerland of the Middle East, with a cosmopolitan capital that…
The Story of Yemen’s Jews
Prior to 2023, few Westerners probably heard much about the Houthis—or the country of Yemen. About 25% larger than…
Iran’s Islamic Crusade
Although Iran does not border Israel and is located approximately 1,000 miles to the east, it is one of Israel’s fiercest enemies, with an established timeline of…
What Does Matthew 24:13–14 Mean?
Before leaving the Temple for the final time, Jesus chastised the Jewish leaders, saying, “See! Your house is left to you desolate”…
Tuning the Song of Songs
While King Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs (1 Ki. 4:32), only 800 of his proverbs (book of Proverbs) and…
The Priority of Paul’s Ministry
Before the apostle Paul’s salvation, he was continually “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord”…
The Sanctification Paradox
The apostle from Tarsus was a man single-minded in his pursuits. To know Jesus Christ and to be like Him…
Jewish World Update May/Jun 2026
For years, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has pretended to halt its pay-for-slay program in order to hoodwink international donors…
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2026
High school administrators have called me many times over the years to ask me to speak to the students. They want to know how I…
From the Editor Mar/Apr 2026
When I was in Bible college, I had a professor who taught about the Jewish patriarchs in the line of the Messiah. As we studied the missteps of each of…
Inside View Mar/Apr 2026
It was the spring of 1990 when I first set foot in Israel. As a teenager, I spent 16 unforgettable days with The Friends of Israel…
Exposing the Great Shapeshifter
I have often heard evangelicals insist that antisemitism is more than prejudice—that it is spiritual warfare, a satanic assault…
Israel and Lebanon Begin Direct Negotiations
Israel and Lebanon recently held their first direct diplomatic talks in more than three decades…
The Friends of Israel in Action Mar/Apr 2026
As we do each year, our Friends of Israel (FOI) ministry teams in Poland and other Eastern European countries will…
Terror in the UK
Muslim migration to the United Kingdom (UK) has made Islam the second largest religion there. Muslims outnumber Jews 13 to 1…
Standing on the Promises
Schoolteacher Dr. Everek R. Storms once set out on a quest to discover how many promises were given in Scripture…
The Unusual Suspects
When Jesus took on human form, humanity received a glimpse of heaven on Earth. The sinless Son of God had descended to dwell among the sinful…
Abraham: The Friend of God
If Moses is the lawgiver of the Jewish people, then Abraham is the trailblazer of their faith and the foundation of their monotheism…
Jacob: The So-Called Deceiver
The court of public opinion can be a harsh critic. This observation seems particularly true in the case of the patriarch Jacob…
Judah: The Sinner’s Scepter
Lying on his deathbed, Jacob gathered his 12 sons, each distinctly identified from the others. One by one, he blessed them…
Rahab: The Harlot of Jericho
I am sometimes amused at the Bible’s ability to shock people. Although it’s often perceived as a religious book chock-full of pious…
David: The Strikeout King
2,597 strikeouts. Two thousand, five hundred ninety-seven! How can a hitter who struck out more than 2,500 times be considered great?
Solomon: Wisdom and Folly
You would hardly expect a wise king to embrace madness in his search for meaning, yet this enterprise was part of…
What Is a Christian’s Hope?
Hope, when defined generally as an optimistic desire or wish for something to happen, is shared in some form…
Uzziah and Manasseh: Pride and Apostasy
Two kings. Two lives. Two legacies: one marked by pride, the other by apostasy. Both kings stand in the Messiah’s lineage…
Jeconiah: The Cursed King
The apostle Matthew began his Gospel by detailing Jesus’ Messianic credentials as “the Son of David, the Son of…
Hezekiah and Josiah: The Importance of Depending on God
Hezekiah and his great-grandson, Josiah, were godly kings of Judah…
Mary and Joseph: A Special Couple
Most of the things written about our Lord’s earthly parents have been positive, and for good reason!
The Tolerance of Idolatry (Part 2)
In the 21st century, idolatry takes many forms. Whether through technology, industrialization, or hedonism…