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…
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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/Jun2026
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…
The Supremacy of Christ
If Jesus’ life had begun when He was born in Bethlehem, He would have been merely a human being, like all other men….
The Fixer of the Broken
One evening, as the story goes, the Smith family hosted the Johnson family for dinner in their home. While the parents…
Jewish World Update Mar/Apr 2026
Newly released documents reveal how Hamas exploited international humanitarian organizations in Gaza…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2026
Some of the ultra-Orthodox, mostly young boys, come to my house to persecute my family and me because of our faith in Jesus…
From the Editor Jan/Feb 2026
It took more than two years; but, finally, Israel has won the war in Gaza. The Jewish state decisively trounced Hamas, which ravaged southern Israel…
Inside View Jan/Feb 2026
For many years, “Inside View” has been a place for Friends of Israel (FOI) President Jim Showers to share his heart and vision with you…
Even Hitler Knew When the War Was Lost
Before taking his own life on April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler appointed…
Iran Opens New Front Against Israel
The Israeli security agency Shin Bet recently foiled an attempt by Iran to smuggle large amounts of advanced weapons to…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jan/Feb 2026
Life in Alaska teaches you always to expect the unexpected. For Friends of Israel (FOI) representatives Luke and Sarah Stewart…
The Crime of Singing in Hebrew
A chilling video circulating online shows a young woman being pinned against the floor of an airport as Spanish police…
‘I Will Never See Her Again!’
My wife’s cousin Peggy was a cherished member of our family and a dear friend. As Peggy approached her senior years…
Amos: The Man and the Message
The best of times had finally descended on Israel and Judah—and not a moment too soon. Ever since the Jewish kingdom’s…
Punishing the Punishers (Amos 1:2—2:3)
Today’s world is quick to hate Israel. Anti-Israel forces continuously make false accusations against the Jewish nation…
The Point of No Return
On the bank of the American side of the Niagara River, in the state of New York, an ominous sign stands guard. Large letters proclaim, “Danger….
The 5 Visions of Amos (Amos 7:1—9:10)
Amos provided a picture of divine judgment to induce national repentance. Chapters 7 through 9:10 in the book of Amos…
What Does It Mean to ‘Work Out Your Own Salvation’?
In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, my beloved…
Raise Up, Rebuild, Restore (Amos 9:11-15)
One of the clearest, most precious promises in the Old Testament appears in the book of Amos…
The Church Is Not Israel
The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 was a watershed event for God’s fledgling church. Thousands had come to faith in Christ…
The Tolerance of Idolatry (Part 1)
The current culture seems to do all it can to replace God with things that are not God. The trend toward artificial intelligence…
Christ’s Preeminence
If you were to ask a group of Christians which passage in the Bible best describes Jesus Christ, you would receive many different answers…
A Quiet Life Speaks Volumes
“Mom, what’s a YouTuber?” The question came from my 9-year-old son as I was busy making dinner one night…
Jewish World Update Jan/Feb 2026
October 13, 2025, was a day of great celebration. Twenty Israelis who had spent two years as hostages…
Apples of Gold Jan/Feb 2026
I will never forget my first days serving with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Those days were 50 years ago, but they still feel like yesterday…
From the Editor Nov/Dec 2025
Panic covered my young daughter’s face. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the monkey bars above her head, her legs dangling beneath her…
Inside View Nov/Dec 2025
In my 13 years leading The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry (FOI), I have enjoyed communicating my insights and perspectives…
The Failed Experiment in Palestinian Democracy
In August 2005, Israel made a decision that ultimately reshaped the Middle East…
Burying the Idea of a Palestinian State
The Israeli government recently announced plans to implement a long-delayed building project that would split the West Bank…
The Friends of Israel in Action Nov/Dec 2025
Europe’s Muslim population has risen steadily for years, and some researchers estimate that the population of more…
Ivy League Bigotry
Deborah Lipstadt, formerly the United States’ Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, was invited to teach at Columbia University for a semester…
Are Birthday Celebrations Biblical?
Most people love birthdays. But some abstain from celebrating them—even Jesus’ birthday. What does the Bible have to say…
He Rules the World With Truth and Grace
When it comes to God’s sovereignty, the Enemy peddles two great lies—and people believe them…
How Can a Good God Use Evil?
The patriarch Joseph told his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to…
How Antisemites Are Turning Good News Into Bad News
Christ is King! That joyful statement of truth for the faithful in Jesus has been…
More Valuable Than Sparrows
God cares about every detail of our lives, and submitting to His sovereign plan leads to life everlasting…
Why Shouldn’t I Live the Way I Want?
My 11-year-old son sat in the corner of the room, eyes down, disengaged from the family, while music and new toys…
Who Is Melchizedek?
The author of the book of Hebrews presented Christ as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 7:17). Much controversy has revolved around…
No Higher Power
A cursory look at the world might suggest that Satan, not God, controls everything. Wars, human trafficking, rampant crime and exploitation—to name just a few…
Absalom in Archaeology (Part 2)
Skeptics have tried to disprove the Bible’s historicity, including the account of Israel’s King David, in many ways…
Paul’s Principles for Prayer
“Exclusive of the Psalms, which form a prayer-book on their own, the Bible records no fewer than 650 definite prayers…
Becoming a Bondslave
How do you respond to surprises? A late-night knock on the front door, a sudden job termination, or an unexpected marriage proposal…
Jewish World Update Nov/Dec 2025
When Zohran Mamdani entered into the New York City mayoral race, some doubted whether a party that still…
Apples of Gold Nov/Dec 2025
There are many stiff-necked people in Israel (Isa. 6:9–10). But the Lord calls us who follow Jesus to go to them so they may hear with their own ears…
From the Editor Sep/Oct 2025
As is practically a birthright for American boys, I grew up watching superheroes on TV. Even now, I look fondly on those shows from decades past that portrayed a…
Inside View Sep/Oct 2025
Since Hamas’s slaughter of some 1,200 Jewish people and kidnapping of hundreds more on October 7, 2023, the Lord has allowed me to lead five solidarity trips…
How Am Yisrael Chai Drowned Out ‘Death to Israel’
Two slogans ring across the Middle East, capturing the existential crisis that has…
Strategic Bridge Between Asia and Europe?
President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently pledged to…
The Friends of Israel in Action Sep/Oct 2025
On a recent trip to Argentina, a team of workers from our ministry’s U.S. headquarters visited FOI’s medical…
Antisemitism Down Under
Israeli influencer Max Veifer regularly engages with people who hold anti-Israel views. But one encounter he had in…
Can You Ace the Israel Test?
Do you know the movers and shakers of the State of Israel’s history? Let me challenge you to a test—no grades, no prizes!
From Wicked to Worst to Wonderful (Zechariah 10—11)
A look at Israel’s shepherds: what was and what is to come. Victory, deliverance…
Glorious! (Zechariah 9)
Some of the clearest, most abundant Messianic prophecies on the Lord’s First and Second Advents appear in Zechariah 9—14. These chapters consist of events…
Israel Faces the Nations (Zechariah 12:1-9)
Like a divine magnet, Jerusalem will someday draw all the Gentile nations to fight against it—to their great detriment.
The 8 Stages of Armageddon
1. The world’s armies gather at Armageddon. 2. God destroys Babylon, the Antichrist’s capital…
Looking to Jesus—for Everything (Zechariah 12:10-13:9)
Israel doesn’t understand who Jesus truly is. But the day is coming, . . . and it will…
Can People Who Rejected Christ Before the Rapture Be Saved After It?
In biblical terms, the word Rapture…
The Return of the King (Zechariah 14)
Zechariah pulls back the curtain of time to give us a glimpse of the glory that awaits. Zechariah 14 forms the pinnacle…
The Problems of Preterism
Have we somehow unknowingly slipped into the new heavens and new earth? Not a chance! Did you know that some…
Absalom in Archaeology (Part 1)
King David’s beloved son Absalom was an important figure in the biblical narrative of his father’s life. The Israelites esteemed…
Paul’s Thankfulness
The Bible admonishes believers to be constantly and consistently thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will. Jesus’ brother James wrote, “My brethren…