What’s So Special About Christmas?
When it comes to the holidays, and I’m asked to name a favorite, it’s not difficult. Thanksgiving is the day. It’s a time when the air is crisp and clear…
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Never Miss an Opportunity
Was Gaza enough? Not on your life. Now Abbas is beating the drum for a move on Jerusalem, while archaeologists uncover something wonderful.
Israel: Inside the International Pressure Cooker
Years ago, few thought Ariel Sharon would ever give up Gaza. The reasons for his dramatic U-turn, however, aren’t that difficult to understand.
They Must Start Over—Again
Nisanit was the second largest of the 21 Gaza Strip Jewish communities destroyed in August. The oldest was Kfar Darom, erected in 1946, two years before Israel became a state.
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.
Traveling the Fence Route
On a hot, dry, Friday morning in July, my wife, Lisa, and I traveled the entire length of the route of the fence that will envelop metropolitan Jerusalem. Starting in Gilo, we headed east toward…
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…
Islam? Which Kind?
You’ve got your Sunnis and your Shiis and your Fivers and your Seveners. And the list goes on. All are Muslims. Yet all are not alike.
What I’d Tell My Dad
I’ve never known a time when there was not an Israel. As a child I’d look up at the big map on my Hebrew School wall and knew it was the country that belonged to…
Jordan’s Disengagement Connection
As the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in August forcibly evacuated Jewish settlers and their families from the communities where they had lived, many of them for more than 30 years…
They Cry in Silence Nov/Dec 2005
Good news and bad news are coming out of Indonesia. As you may know, this is a country dominated by Muslims (88 percent), many of whom are radically opposed to Christians…
The Staggering Cost of Disengagement
The cost of family relocation alone is estimated to be nearly $1 billion of the country’s annual $59 million state budget. In addition, the Israel Defense Forces will spend some $500 million to remove military…
Israel’s Messianic King
Zechariah 9:9–17: When Alexander the Great conquered the Middle East, he did not lay siege to Jerusalem. The Jewish people survived his conquest because God kept His promise to protect the city (9:8).
God is Moral Part Two
The previous article concerning God presented implications for mankind concerning the fact that God is a moral being. It indicated that God created humans in His image as moral beings.
Eye on the Middle East Nov/Dec 2005
For Israelis, Gaza is history—it’s over. The tears have been shed, and lingering, bitter memories still distress many of the displaced. For example, the evacuees from Kfar Darom will not forget the heavy price exacted…
Just Like Jezebel Conclusion
What does it take to convince someone that he believes a lie? Cold, hard facts? A visible, bona fide, supernatural occurrence? Sometimes even these don’t work. They didn’t work with Jezebel even after the greatest
Israel in the News Nov/Dec 2005
ARUTZ-7—As the Israeli flag was being lowered over Gaza to mark the end of Israel’s 38-year-presence in the area, teenaged Arabs threw rocks at Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops near the demolished Neveh Dekalim community.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2005
This time of year Christians think about the birth of the Messiah. We know what the Bible teaches, and we understand who He is. But in Israel there is great confusion about the Messiah.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Sep/Oct 2005
On September 11, 2001, Muslim terrorists hijacked airliners and used them to destroy the massive twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and severely damage the Pentagon in Washington…
Myths/Facts: Israel & the Middle East Sep/Oct 2005
In March 2005, Israel announced the intention to build 3,500 homes on a strip of territory that has been declared state land between the community of Ma’aleh Adumim and Jerusalem (Jerusalem Post, March 20, 2005).
A Grave for Israel?
In light of the situation in the Middle East, the poet’s words are hauntingly prophetic. Not only do they carry refrains from Israel’s ancient prophets, but they echo the Holocaust, pogroms, and the perpetual anti-Semitism…
What Kind of America Do You Want?
An important issue went before the Supreme Court recently. America is head- ing where it’s never been before. And you may be the decisive factor.
Red Skies Over the Temple Mount
The most hotly contested piece of real estate in the world is the Temple Mount. Today three ominous trends threaten the area.
Outrage at Gibeah: A Spiritual and Societal Breakdown
The story of the Levite and his concubine is one of the grimmest in all of Scripture. And its relevance for today may surprise you.
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.
Conquering Spiritual Paralysis
Have you ever thought God let you down? Perhaps you’re simply looking at things the wrong way, as Gideon did before he fought the Midianites.
Jephthah: Faithful but Flawed
Jephthah was the man of the hour to deliver Israel, going from outcast to tribal chief. But when he was on top, a grave error cost him dearly.
Jephthah’s Vow: Did He or Didn’t He?
For centuries scholars have debated the fate of Jephthah’s daughter. Did Jephthah sacrifice her as a burnt offering (Jud. 11:31) because of a foolish vow he made to Jehovah, or did he constrain…
The Samson Syndrome
Millions of Americans are experiencing the “Samson Syndrome.” Nearly 20 million have purchased Rick Warren’s book The Purpose-Driven Life, attesting to the fact that this generation desperately seeks purpose and meaning.
Slated for Destruction: Life in Gush Katif
When Israel abandons Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip, it will walk away from 21 communities that house schools, businesses, farms, and 900 acres of high-tech hothouses that yield nearly 70 percent of all Israel’s…
They Cry in Silence Sep/Oct 2005
It is hard for those of us in freedom-loving countries to imagine being thrown in jail for teaching children the things of God and the love of Jesus. But this is precisely what is taking…
The Grecian Conqueror
Zechariah 9:1–8: The six remaining chapters of Zechariah’s prophecy consist of events pertaining to God’s eschatological program for Israel. They cover a vast period that extends from the Grecian era under Alexander the Great…
God is Moral Part One
An earlier part of our study noted that God created the universe with a twofold, fixed, unchanging, inflexible order. That order conforms to and embodies the ultimate wisdom that God created and used to…
Eye on the Middle East Sep/Oct 2005
In the quest for peace and survival in the Middle East, a little history and a few questions may be to our benefit. Following Britain’s defeat of the Muslim Ottoman Turks in 1917, the Mandatory…
Just Like Jezebel Part One
Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes fame has never been my favorite television reporter. He always seems a little too arrogant—too sure of himself. But after the Pentagon and World Trade Center tragedies of 9/11…
Israel in the News Sep/Oct 2005
ARUTZ-7—An outstanding issue in the ever-so-complicated disengagement/expulsion is what to do with the residents’ property. “What-ever we can fit into two large containers, we will take,” army Brig.-Gen. Guy Tzur told the people of Gush…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2005
In Deuteronomy 31 it is written, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lᴏʀᴅ your God, He is the One who goes with you.
Jewish and Christian Tradition Get It Right
The biblical explanation of the origin of man and the world around him should satisfy Jewish people as well as Bible-believing Christians. Yet some in both groups reject the Genesis creation account.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jul/Aug 2005
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Ps. 122:6–7). Jerusalem. The very word stirs the hearts of Jews and Christians alike.
What Darwin Did Not Know
We now know that if Darwin could have foreseen coming scientific developments, he would have had good reason to be concerned that his theory might one day be proved wrong. In particular, Gregor Mendel had not…
A Hand of Help for Gaza
Although the context is far removed from the essence of that ancient encounter, if you have ever ventured into the Gaza Strip you have likely thought something similar. On my last visit…
Myths/Facts: Israel & the Middle East Jul/Aug 2005
Long before 1967, when Israel captured the West Bank, Arabs used violence to try to first prevent the establishment of a Jewish state and then to destroy Israel. Anti-Jewish riots began in 1920 and were…
The Flip Side of Disengagement
Israelis are being expelled from the land they worked so hard to cultivate. Will this bring peace to the region? You be the judge.
The Truth About Creation
Modern science is almost completely com- mitted to evolution. But the bona fide data shows the theory is definitely fiction, not fact.
A Special Kind of Miracle
There is one special miracle of creation that God still performs today: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Evolution’s Deadly Theology
Does the theory of evolution involve more than “science”? You may be surprised what this view actually encompasses.
Darwin’s Turn From Christianity
Charles Darwin was born February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury, England. His grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, was an evolutionist/naturalist, poet, and philosopher. His father, Robert, was a successful and wealthy physician. His mother died when he was eight.
Turning ‘Greeks’ into ‘Jews’
The Jewish people of old knew much more about God than did the pagan Greeks. Learn what it takes today to reach the new pagans with the truth.
What Happened to the Dinosaurs?
It explained that something from outer space, perhaps a gigantic asteroid, comet, or other space-born object, collided with our “evolving” planet, which led to massive changes in the climate, atmosphere, and topography and ultimately signed…
The Table of Nations After the Flood
The Table of Nations (Gen. 10:1–32) is the first part of the fourth section of the book of Genesis (each section is introduced by the word toledot, “this is the genealogy of”).
The Monkey Trial
It was called the “trial of the century.” Eighty years ago this month the Scopes trial brought evolution to the forefront in American education.
Creation vs. Evolution: The Battle for Truth
Richard Dawkins, noted scientific scholar, ethologist,1 and author, describes someone who does not believe in evolution this way: “It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in…
Have you an Answer?
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? (Job 38:4–5) .
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…
They Cry in Silence Jul/Aug 2005
In 1936, Kazakhstan, a state just south of Russia, was incorporated into the Soviet Union. With the Soviet breakup in 1991, Kazakhstan became an independent nation, which allowed for a religious renewal and the freedom…
Israel’s Glorious Restoration
Zechariah 8:1–23: In the previous chapter, a delegation from Bethel questioned the necessity of continuing to fast over the destruction of Solomon’s Temple. Zechariah did not address the issue directly; instead, he used the question to reflect…
God and Wisdom Conclusion
The previous article described two wisdoms, or world-life views, that oppose each other concerning issues in modern-day society. One wisdom, or view, has as its foundation and starting point the revealed knowledge of the personal…
Eye on the Middle East Jul/Aug 2005
In this troubled world, it’s always a plus to live in a safe place where the neighbors are friendly and always ready to lend a helping hand. Good neighbors are even more important…
Hannah and the God Who Hears Conclusion
I had been a Christian only two years when a dear friend gave me a book titled Hinds’ Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. “It’s wonderful,” she said. “You’ll love it.”
Tales From a Tract
Shortly after his death on April 19, 1882, a rumor spread that Charles Darwin repudiated his “discoveries” and had turned to Christ. The story first appeared in the American Baptist journal, the Watchman Examiner…
Israel in the News Jul/Aug 2005
Police detectives searched the IDF soldier’s vehicle after they deemed his behavior suspicious. Heroin was found, and he was arrested. During his arrest, the soldier told the police officers that he was a neo-Nazi…
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…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk May/Jun 2005
The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose (Isa. 35:1). With the founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948 followed…
You Only Get One Mistake
I have a friend who spent his military career in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a sapper—a military demolitions specialist. His job was to defuse land mines and other lethal explosives. Upon being inducted…
Can Abbas Deliver?
None should have any illusions about newly elected Palestinian Authority (PA) president, mahmoud Abbas. He was the number two person in the Palestine Liberation Organization and a founder of the Fatah terrorist …
Emerging Shadows of the Hammer and Sickle
When the Soviet Union collapsed, America breathed easier. “Russia is vanquished,” we said. Well, folks, it’s time to reevaluate our thinking.
Perusing the Future Matthew 24:1–14
Some people believe the Olivet Discourse has already been fulfilled. This excellent article explains why they are wrong.
Understanding the Olivet Discourse
Jesus’ instruction to His disciples from the Mount of Olives (Mount Olivet, giving it the name the Olivet Discourse) appears in Matthew 24—25; Mark 13; and Luke 17:20–37. It is one of the Bible’s most…
The Time of Jacob’s Trouble Matthew 24:15–31
There’s no mystery about what the future holds. The Old and New Testaments fit together like a hand in a glove to reveal what is to come.
They Cry in Silence May/Jun 2005
And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure (1 Cor. 4:12). In a strikingly significant way, this verse expresses what Indonesian Christians practiced in the aftermath…
Illustrations From the King Matthew 24:32–51
Learn what Jesus meant when He answered the question, “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
The Judgement and Return Matthew 25:31–46
What will happen when Christ returns to Earth? A lot. And not everything will make everyone happy.
Finding Eden
Long ago, in the misty echoes of ancient time, there was a first man and a first woman. They walked in the cool, green shade, surrounded by lush, fruitful trees and benevolent beasts. The region…
The Lamb in the Apocalypse
Students of Scripture have long observed that the central message of God’s Word is reflected in the motif of the Lamb, who is Jesus. The Lamb in the Old Testament is seen on the altar. In…
Making the Wrong Assumptions
Never assume anything.” This well-known adage works particularly well when applied to the science of biblical interpretation. Assuming too much about a scriptural text can lead to inaccurate conclusions that miss…
Staying Alive
In answering their questions regarding future events, Jesus gave His disciples a ray of hope: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Mt. 24:13). What did He mean? The key is the phrase…
False Teachers
False teachers can pose a health hazard. Perhaps you remember some from our own time. On November 19, 1978, 913 followers of Jim Jones committed suicide at the People’s Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, by drinking…
Fasting Without Fidelity
Zechariah 7:1–14: A delegation from Bethel arrived in Jerusalem seeking counsel from priests and prophets concerning fasting. They asked whether the annual fast commemorating the destruction of Solomon’s Temple should be continued since a rebuilt…
God and Wisdom Part Two
The Scriptures indicate that the revelation God has given to mankind is wisdom. The statutes and judgments that God gave…
Eye on the Middle East May/Jun 2005
The Palestinian leadership has proven its ability to keep the situation under control. It has also proven its ability to coordinate the activities of all Palestinian organizations, including those who hold tough positions…
Hannah and the God Who Hears Part One
Our greatest tragedies in life sometimes produce our greatest triumphs. And when our answer more clearly than ever and to use our sorrows to draw us infinitely closer to Him. I know from firsthand experience. After…
Israel in the News May/Jun 2005
Two sisters who had not seen each other since the start of World War II have been reunited through the Yad Vashem database. Hannah Katz, 78, and Klara Blire, 81, were separated in 1939…
Zvi May/Jun 2005
Not long ago I got together with some of the men I served with in the army. We first met 56 years ago when we were young. And we served together in all of Israel’s…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Mar/Apr 2005
Joyce Shoff found herself in a quandary. perhaps it’s one that is familiar to you too. She had a God-given love for the Jewish people and believed He wanted her to reach out to them…
Eye on the Middle East Mar/Apr 2005
Late last year a number of positive developments appeared to be taking place in the middle East. For starters, Egypt’s president Hosni mubarak freed an Israeli druze who had been convicted of spying for Israel…
When Forgetting Is Unforgivable
It is the choice of the educational system on both sides of the Atlantic. The West buries the grim realities of historical atrocities beneath a gloss of contemporary superficiality. Our obsession to pursue pleasure…
Myths/Facts: Israel & the Middle East Mar/Apr 2005
“Hamas as a political organization does not mean that every member is a militant and we do not do political vetting and exclude people from one persuasion against another.” Although Hansen makes specious distinctions between…
Playing the Blame Game
In today’s upside-down world, right looks wrong, wrong looks right, and the good guys are getting the short end of the stick. If you don’t believe that, read this.
From Throne to Scrub Mop Lamentations 1
Sin has dire consequences, both for individuals and nations. This insightful article on Lamentations 1 examines what Judah’s sin wrought.
Structure of Lamentations
The book of Lamentations is one of six Old Testament books of poetry. Three are didactic (teaching): Proverbs teaches wisdom; Ecclesiastes, the futility of life apart from God; and Job, patience under trials.
Suffering God’s Wrath Lamentations 2
Lamentations 2 reveals three areas of Judah’s destruction and paints vivid word-pictures of the torment the Jewish nation endured as it went into captivity.
How We Got Easter Sunday
Christians originally observed the Jewish passover, which begins at sundown on the 14th day of Nisan. Thus they were called Quartodecimans, Latin for “fourteeners.”1 However, instead of feasting on lamb, they fasted until dawn…
The Measure of Success
They called it the dungeon of malchiah, but it was actually an abandoned cistern near the center of the prison courtyard in Jerusalem (Jer. 38:6). The floor was a slimy quagmire covered…
Awaiting a ‘Song in the Night’ Lamentations 3
The southern kingdom of Judah was in trouble with God. About a century earlier, the Lord had allowed the Assyrians to destroy the northern kingdom of Israel. That event should have served as a graphic…
The Children Who Remain
My friend brenda Giles is no stranger to suicide bombings. An evangelical christian who spends about as much time on her knees as she does on her feet, brenda lives in the Jewish neighborhood…
Bring Us Back to You, O Lord Lamentations 4—5
You’ll feel as though you were in Jerusalem in 586 b.c. as you explore Lamentations 4—5 and the anguish of the Roman destruction.
Shoulders to Cry On
In every nation’s history there are great disasters. Turbulent times amplify feelings of insecurity and vulnerability on a grand scale. calamities threaten the comfort of familiarities. catastrophes destabilize civilized societies. Such were the conditions in Judah…
Nebuchadnezzar: A ‘King of Kings’
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a tremendous impact on the nation of Israel and the history of the ancient Near East. He is referred to by name over 90 times in the Old Testament…
Babylon
Babylon. The very name inspires all types of hedonistic, dissolute images of not only a city, but an attitude of rebellion against God and all that is righteous and good.