Coming Again
Many great doctrines of Christianity appeared first in the Old Testament. Come to the Psalms for a look at Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, and return.
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Israel’s Future Redemption
Hosea 14:1-9: It is never easy for people to confess their mistakes. Whether it is a spouse seeking to rebuild a marriage or an individual seeking redemption from God, admitting blame usually is difficult. And it was difficult…
When Terror Is Not ‘Terror’
Does abhorrence of terrorism depend on the nationality or religion of the victim? Are some lives less precious than others, so much so that the word terrorism would not apply to murderous attacks on these…
They Cry in Silence Jan/Feb 2002
Saturday, October 14, was another very bad day for Christians in Nigeria, West Africa. According to a CNN report, Muslim terrorists used the cover of anti-American riots, held in protest of the bombing of Osama…
Pondering the Question of Evil
Why is there so much evil in the world? That question has challenged philosophers and scholars since time began. Spend just 30 minutes watching the national news—with its usual display of wars, man’s injustice…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jan/Feb 2002
Each day The Friends of Israel sends out hundreds of pieces of literature intended to spread God’s Word, encourage God’s children, support His Chosen People, and glorify our precious Lord and Savior. The Lord has so graciously…
Deborah A Mother in Israel
Some people are unlikely leaders. On the surface, they appear to lack the distinctives we usually associate with greatness. David, for example, was a shepherd boy, a dreamer, who wrote songs and played a harp—qualities…
Eye on the Middle East Jan/Feb 2002
According to a report in The Jerusalem Post, Israeli Cabinet minister Dan Meridor hailed a recent Palestinian statement as “a major breakthrough.” Apparently the Palestinian Authority (PA) has offered to resettle Arab refugees in the
God is Triune (Theology Proper) Part One
Our previous articles have demonstrated that God has used various means to reveal the reality of His existence and other knowledge concerning Himself to mankind. One aspect of that other knowledge is the fact…
Israel in the News Jan/Feb 2002
The deputy chairman of Iraq’s Revolutionary Command Council told about 350 Islamic clerics recently they should support a holy war against Israel to “expel the sons of apes and pigs from Palestine.” Speaking to representatives…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2002
First, I wish to express my sorrow to the many families who are suffering because of what happened in America on September 11. It was a terrible tragedy. We are familiar with tragedy in Israel…
Peace–Present and Promised
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Lk. 2:13–14).
Who Weeps for Hagar’s Children?
Two children, two promises. The road has not been easy for Isaac’s seed, but neither has it been a bed of roses for the descendants of Ishmael.
Israel’s Quest for Peace
What happened to the Oslo “peace train”? Did it even leave the station? Ride the rails of inquiry for a look at why there still is no peace in the Middle East.
Duplicity: The PA Strategy to Destroy Israel
“Say one thing, do another.” Such is standard PA procedure. This insightful article is chock-full of facts that reveal the inconsequential value of PA promises.
Israel’s Internal Battle
Religious vs. Secular. Likud vs. Labor. Hawks vs. Doves. For a country fighting to stay alive, little Israel has more than its share of domestic troubles.
Syria: Certain Foe, Uncertain Future
Take a trip through the history of Syria and learn how a country that once embraced Christianity has become a home for despotism and terrorists.
Poland Land of Memories
Hardly a Jewish person alive would fail to recognize the name Auschwitz. Although more than 50 years have passed since the Allies liberated the vile death factories of the Third Reich…
They Cry in Silence Nov/Dec 2001
Until the Al-Aqsa Intifada erupted in Israel a year ago, the Arab-Christian village of Beit Jalla, just outside Bethlehem, was a quiet place overlooking Jerusalem’s Jewish suburb of Gilo.
When You’re Dead, You’re Dead!
A number of years ago, I attended the funeral of a dear Jewish friend named Max. I had met him through mutual friends shortly after his right side had become crippled by a stroke.
Death of a Nation
Hosea 13:1-16: Although nations do not intentionally commit suicide, Israel was headed that way. Gross idolatry insulted the covenant relationship God had established with the Israelites, and their ingratitude toward Him for His grace and goodness had…
The Virgin Mary
Christmas is approaching. And as people the world over look forward to the gifts, decorations, and tinsel of the season, those of us who love the traditional carols anticipate with joy the sweet strains…
Eye on the Middle East Nov/Dec 2001
In a matter of minutes on September 11, Americans were led into the violent world Israelis have occupied in the Middle East for more than half a century. Despite the fact that terrorist murder-merchants repeatedly…
The Means of Knowing Truth About God (Theology Proper) Conclusion
Our two previous articles examined the biblical claim that nature (the universe) reveals the existence of a divine being (God) who possesses eternal power. Thus nature is one means that God uses to reveal knowledge…
Israel in the News Nov/Dec 2001
Engineers have found that sections of the southern wall of the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, are in “intermediate” danger of collapse, possibly due to the Moslem Wakf Authority’s significant construction work directly above…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2001
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote those behind thee, even all that were feeble behind…
U.S. Embassy–Closing the Door Once More
Early in June the current administration opted to follow the lead of former President Clinton, at least temporarily, by closing the door on moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Citing security interests…
When Silence Says It All
The pope’s recent visit to Syria spoke volumes. But the loudest message appears to have been what he wasn’t allowed to say.
The Feast of Tabernacles in Ancient Times
A flurry of activity, all designed to focus the Israelites on God’s faithfulness, accompanied this fascinating festival.
The Feast of Tabernacles in the Days of Jesus
You’ll almost feel as though you were there after reading this illuminating article and learning how Jesus used this feast to point people to Himself.
Camping Out Under the Stars
So you don’t like camping? You may change your mind after you get a glimpse of life in today’s sukkot.
Tabernacles in the Millennium
A day is coming when people of all nations will go up to Jerusalem for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles—and woe to them if they don’t go!
A Look at the Fall Festivals
Rosh Hashanah marks both the beginning of the Jewish high holidays and the civil year on the Jewish calendar. It’s a good time to wish your Jewish friends leshana tova (happy New Year)…
So, What Exactly is That?
Meeting new people is a regular part of my job. Usually it takes just a short time before I find myself asking the inevitable question, “What do you do?” Sometimes (not often, I hope)…
God’s Discipline of Israel
Hosea 12:1-14: Two young boys were fighting in the park. A man took one of the boys aside and began to spank him for his inappropriate behavior. An observant bystander indignantly asked the man…
They Cry in Silence Sep/Oct 2001
Indonesia is a nation splashed across thousands of miles of the Indian Ocean and Java Sea in Southeast Asia. The nation is comprised of a mind-boggling 13,660 islands and ranks as the world’s fourth largest…
Mother Rachel Conclusion
Barrenness was an extreme source of shame and disgrace in ancient Israel, and Rachel’s barrenness only worsened her relationship with her sister Leah. It was bad enough they shared a husband.
Eye on the Middle East Sep/Oct 2001
As if the world were not in enough trouble already, we now learn that Iraq has all of the basic components necessary to assemble a nuclear bomb. The Jerusalem Post reports that Dr. Khidhir Hamza,
The Means of Knowing Truth About God Part Two
Previously we examined the biblical claim that God has demonstrated the reality of His existence and uncovered other knowledge about Himself by giving revelation to human beings during the course of history.
Israel in the News Sep/Oct 2001
According to an Internet report on Yahoo!® News, the poll was conducted by the Palestine Center for Public Opinion from May 24 through 26 and showed 76 percent of respondents favored “operations like the May…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2001
Almost every Jewish home here has a mezuzah nailed to the right doorpost of the front door. A mezuzah is a small receptacle that contains a piece of parchment on which is written Deuteronomy 6:4–9.
The Voice of the Devil
It started in the Garden of Eden. His voice was soothing and persuasive; the objects of his intentions, receptive; and, as a result, we live today with some very regrettable consequences.
Downsizing the State of Israel
Going, going, gone? Learn why what’s being done to Israel today contradicts everything earlier Christian Zionists believed.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
Works cannot carry you to heaven. But that doesn’t mean they count for nothing when you get there.
The Judgment of the Nations Mt. 25:31-46
The Tribulation will be a terrible time on Earth, but not everyone who survives it will be blessed by what comes afterward.
The Seven Judgments
Not all judgments occur in the end-times. In fact, you may be in the midst of one right now!
The Great White Throne Revelation 20:11-15
If you think “Judgment Day” is just a joke, you don’t know much about the Great White Throne.
Chosen? for What?
Were you ever the first one onto the baseball diamond but the last to be chosen for a team? Or worse, maybe you were never chosen at all? Maybe, though, you were the best player…
God’s Love for Israel
Hosea 11:1-12: Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the United States Senate, once wrote, “There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, nor is there anything you can do to make God love you…
Mother Rachel Part One
They come by the thousands, bringing their prayer books, their handkerchiefs, their heartaches and tears. Some weep quietly; others cry uncontrollably. But almost all of them cry. These are the Jewish women who come…
They Cry in Silence Jul/Aug 2001
The supreme leader of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban movement warned on Monday that any Afghan converting to Christianity or promoting other religions will be executed. . . . Therefore, all countrymen are seriously notified that any…
The PLO vs. The Christians
Arafat’s war against Israel has shattered nearly as many old certainties as lives. One of the most seemingly solid of the certainties was that no one could attack Israel’s capital and live to tell the…
Eye on the Middle East Jul/Aug 2001
At the height of the recent Al-Aqsa Intifada, Palestinians and Israelis bemoaned the suffering it caused. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, determined to widen the war and force international intervention on his behalf…
The Means of Knowing Truth About God Part One
How can mankind know if God is a reality or a figment of human imagination? If God is a reality, how can His nature; thoughts; ways; actions; and relationship to the universe, planet Earth, mankind…
Israel in the News Jul/Aug 2001
At the invitation of Iran, Israel’s archenemy, members of the terror groups Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and Hamas met with parliamentary leaders of 30 Islamic countries at a two-day conference in Tehran. Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2001
The first time I received a Bible, I knew nothing about faith, especially about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was 1948, during the War of Independence here in Israel.
Transition
Among the most difficult phases in the life of any Christian organization is the transition of leadership. We all, of course, recognize that it is a necessary yet sometimes hazardous undertaking.
Living in a World Turning Upside Down
Wrong is right; good is evil; and Christianity is the world’s new nemesis. That’s what the new paganism preaches—and it’s turning the world upside down.
Give Us a King
Were the Israelites wrong to demand a king? This insightful article examines the events leading to the creation of the monarchy in ancient Israel.
Saul
God chose him, equipped him, and established him as king. But it wasn’t long before things went wrong. Learn what happened and why.
Formed in the Master’s Hand
This outstanding article takes a thoughtful, tender, and discerning look at the life of David, the sweetest psalmist in Israel.
Glory and Infamy
Solomon was Israel’s wisest and wealthiest king. Yet, despite his dazzling accomplishments, he sowed the seeds of national destruction.
Too Far Gone
Some people claim good leadership is all it takes to turn a country around. But sometimes nations can slide so completely down the sewer of moral degradation that God finally flushes the pipes and clears…
Aliyah for the People of the Book
The People of the Book.” Whom do you think of when you hear that phrase, which so clearly distinguishes a specific people? Which people and what book? The people are the Chosen People, the Israelites…
The Wages of Sin
Sin is like a moral cancer, infecting everything it touches. If you do not deal with it, it will corrupt you totally. What is true of moral corruption in man is also true in nations.
The Holocaust: Keeping Faith
Teaching about the Holocaust in conjunction with faith is often a delicate situation. It is a sensitive, difficult topic, but one with many lessons for people who want to learn about the mercy and patience…
They Cry in Silence May/Jun 2001
Their remains were found in the shallows of the Curaray River in the jungles of Ecuador. Crudely crafted lances protruded from the bodies of the men. A few days earlier, five young Christian missionaries…
The Friends of Israel Medical Clinic in Argentina
Alfredo Espinoza awoke one morning, dressed, and went to the medical clinic in Buenos Aires. The next time he saw his home was almost three weeks later. His family visited him and brought him food…
Eye on the Middle East May/Jun 2001
We have commented often in this space about the issue of revisionist history—the writing of fiction while calling it fact. The most recent blatant example is the Arab contention that the Jewish people have had…
The Study of God
Our series now comes to the doctrine of God, the formal name of which is theology proper. This division of “The Foundations of Faith” will examine the major scriptural truths concerning God and will consider…
Israel in the News May/Jun 2001
THE JERUSALEM POST—Fatah has issued a leaflet vowing to escalate the intifada and to make the lives of Gilo residents “hell.” The leaflet praised the recent killing of Israeli motorist Tzahi Sasson on the Bethlehem…
Zvi May/Jun 2001
The world has so many big countries. Russia has 6.6 million square miles of land; Canada has 3.8 million. Even Jordan has 57,354 square miles of land. We have only 7,850 square miles.
Christians and the Jerusalem Giveaway
When, during the 1967 Six-Day War, Israeli Colonel Mordechai “Motta” Gur uttered the electrifying words, “The Temple Mount is in our hands!” Jewish people danced in the streets; and Bible-believing Christians shared their unbridled joy.
History by The Wishing Well
The ugly tentacles of revisionism are spreading over the Temple Mount. And if Arafat has his way, they eventually will reach all the way to Christ Himself.
The Global Economy and Coming Chaos
The world may be “shrinking,” but financial debt is rising. The combination is a prescription for bankruptcy—and fulfillment of prophecy.
Politics and Religion in the Global Village
A new world order is indeed in the making, with summits, treaties, and agreements all prepared. And none embrace the tenets of biblical Christianity.
Israel at the Epicenter
Did you know the Quran does not mention Jerusalem even once by name? Why, then, is that city so important to Muslims? The explanation is eye-opening.
Europe, NATO and the Antichrist
They’re almost there. A “United States of Europe” is looming on the horizon with a parliament that is growing stronger every day. Just one key element is missing.
In His Hand
As fall chilled the air last year, Gwyne Campbell traveled home to New Jersey to attend a wedding. Shortly before she was to return to Word of Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, New York…
Organized for Service
In 1843 twelve Jewish men, each one an immigrant, met on the Lower East Side of New York City. Their purpose was to form an organization to help their own people in need—a type of
The Making of the Diaspora
Hosea 9:1-17: One of the greatest paintings of all time is Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment. The entire work, painted on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, reflects the despair of people who are marked for judgment.
Eye on the Middle East Mar/Apr 2001
Sheik Hassan Nashrallah has a suggestion for all Jewish people living in the State of Israel. Nashrallah is the secretary-general for the Hezbollah terrorist organization that operated against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Conclusion
We have already seen two evidences that the theocratic Kingdom has been postponed until Christ’s Second Coming. This article will examine more evidences of that postponement. The Chronology of Matthew 24—25 In Matthew 24—25…
Israel in the News Mar/Apr 2001
Israel needs 528 billion gallons of water annually to survive. But if things stay as they are, the Jewish nation will run out of fresh water in fifteen years, according to Ronald S. Lauder…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2001
Many people here live with horrifying memories of the Holocaust. They came here to find peace. But with the unrest in Israel today, the terrible fear they lived with in Europe has returned to them.
Listening for the Chariots
According to a recent report in Ha’aretz, Israel is weighing the prospect of international control over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Israeli newspaper reports that “Israel is not ruling out the possibility of acceding…
Ascending Mars’ Hill
As bizzare as it may sound, some people propose turning the Temple Mount over to God! But whose God will it be?
Jesus the Son of God
Do Christians read more into the words Son of God than the Bible intends? Examine the origin of the title and how it applies to Jesus.
The Relationship of the Son to the Father
Although veiled in flesh while on earth, Jesus was still God. This article explores how Jesus lived within the scope of human limitations.
The Son of Man
The term Son of man is used no fewer than 192 times throughout the Word of God. And it means more than you might expect.
The Eternal Sonship of Christ
Some say Jesus was not the Son of God until the incarnation because sonship implies subservience. But does it really?
Bewitched
Are you a Muggle? What! You don’t know? Then you must be one of the few people in America who haven’t read a Harry Potter book (Scholastic)—a slickly dressed, literary version of a wolf…
People for a Land
You would think that such a want ad would yield few, if any, applicants. Yet just after the turn of the twentieth century, forty thousand Jewish people made aliya (immigration to Israel)…
Reaping the Whirlwind
Hosea 8:1-14: Few things are more destructive than a tornado. Its funnel-shaped wind can swirl up to 500 miles per hour, devastating everything in its path. The mere sight of the cloud is usually terrifying…
Eye on the Middle East Jan/Feb 2001
Every now and then a story breaks that contradicts the notion that Jews and Palestinian Arabs could never live together in peace and mutual respect for one another. Recently, on the eastern…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Eleven
Since Israel rejected Jesus Christ and His offer of God’s theocratic Kingdom, the theocratic Kingdom was not established with the nation of Israel that existed at the time of Christ’s First Coming.
Israel in the News Jan/Feb 2001
Dr. Aaron Grossman of Chicago, Ill., was shocked to discover that the Associated Press had supplied newspapers with a photograph of his badly beaten son and had identified him as a Palestinian being brutalized…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2001
We have a saying in Israel: Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. But a curse cannot rest where a blessing has been pronounced. Many rabbis today are making new laws, and they claim these…
Knowing Who Your Friends Are
When a Jewish senator was interviewed on the subject of anti-Semitism, he frankly acknowledged how anti-Jewish prejudice had affected his life. “I believe,” he said, “that from time to time, every Jew looks around…
Losing the Vision?
We have entered the “post-Zionist” era. Yet God says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” What does this all mean for little Israel?