Zvi Apr/May 1997
The Bible teaches that God wants us to have joy and happiness, but if you take a good look around the little country of Israel you will discover that most of the people…
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You Get One Mistake
I have a good friend who served in Israel’s fledgling army during the 1948 War of Independence. He was fresh from Europe, after having successfully run the Nazi gauntlet in Poland as a disenfranchised Jewish war waif.
Jesus Before Caiaphas
When Jesus stood before Caiaphas, the high priest, at His so-called trial, it marked the climax of a battle between Him and the corrupt Jewish Temple leadership that had been escalating since Jesus began His ministry.
The Mocking of the Messiah
The Roman general Pompey laid siege to Jerusalem in 63 B.C. Having made Syria a Roman province the preceding year it was now Judea’s turn to be conquered. Twelve thousand Jews died in the ensuing melee.
Behold the Man!
“What is truth?” The words rang out like the vibration of an endless sound wave echoing through the universe. Can one know the truth? Is truth the elusive goal of man’s fertile imagination?
No Greater Love
“For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isa. 53:8).
The Coming World Ruler Revelation 13:1–10
Attempts to identify the beast of Revelation have been numerous. Throughout church history, suggested candidates have been Judas, Nero, the Pope, Hitler, Mussolini, Kennedy, Kissinger, and many others.
The Witness of Scripture Concerning Its Inspiration: Part Three
The previous article in this series began to present the Bible’s witness concerning its divine nature. This article provides two additional examples of that witness.
The Question of Time
It is often joked about among Jewish people that whenever the time is set for an appointment or a date, the time specified will not be the actual time to begin.
Prophecy And Politics
Throughout the negotiations carried on by both the Rabin and Netanyahu governments in Israel with their Arab neighbors, a persistent question has been raised by many Christians.
Voices From The Slave Market
“I have heard their groans and sighs, and seen their tears, and I would give every drop of blood in my veins to free them.”
Zvi Feb/Mar 1997
There is a saying here in Israel, “What for me is allowed, for you is forbidden.” It can apply to anyone, but it particularly applies to the rabbis, who may do things that the rest…
Light From The Tunnel
The infamous tunnel incident in Jerusalem, which saw more than 70 people killed and scores of others wounded, shook the Middle East peace process to its very foundations. Predictably, the Western media lurched into action…
Three Appearings of the Messiah
The recently divulged discovery of life on Mars captivated the attention of much of the world. With the first announcement, there was a rush of anticipation fueled by visions of little green men careening…
Mary and Joseph
Christmas has never been a time of rejoicing for Jewish people. The hubbub and festivities that effervesce around the holiday seem to many Jews more like a big ball of excitement that rolls…
The Dedication of a King
In every parent’s life there are those timeless moments when a newborn child nestles gently into his or her arms. With large, innocent eyes, the trusting infant looks up at its reassuring protector.
The Wise Men
There are many misconceptions about the magi who visited Jesus. The beloved Christmas carol begins, “We three kings of Orient are,” but already it has made at least three errors.
Herod the Great?
History has bestowed on him the descriptive title, “the Great.” The primary Jewish chronicler of his period, Josephus, was the first to use the actual phrase “Herod the Great” in his Antiquities of the Jews.
The Witness of Scripture Concerning Its Inspiration: Part Two
Human and divine factors were involved in the writing of the inspired Scriptures. Our previous article presented the Bible’s witness concerning some aspects of its human nature. This article will begin to present the Bible’s…
Israel’s Travail and Triumph Revelation 12
Satan’s attempts to annihilate the Jewish people throughout the centuries are well documented in biblical and secular history. Demonically inspired despots like Haman and Hitler, filled with fanatical hatred, have attempted genocide of Jewish people…
Tzedaka: It Is More Blessed to Give
A story is told of the rabbi of Nemirov. His followers, all Hasidim, stated emphatically that every night their rabbi went up to heaven. Another Jewish group, Mitnaggedim (opponents), ridiculed the Hasidim about this belief.
Zvi Dec/Jan 1996/1997
It is now the time of year when we Christians celebrate the Lord’s birth and gladly sing, “Joy to the world! The Lord is come.” In Israel, the people are also celebrating a holiday.
Jesus Is Coming… Look Busy
I’ve seen my share of bumper stickers—most of them many times. The one I saw recently, however, is in a class by itself. “Jesus Is Coming,” it proclaimed. “Look Busy!”…
Don’t Forget To Give Thanks
We seem to be hearing “Thank you” less often these days, and it’s not a good sign. Some grumpy people go so far as to complain about store clerks who cheerily urge…
The Election Results and the Peace Process
On May 29, 1996, an election took place in Israel that brought about a complete reversal of policy in our nation. The left-wing government of Shimon Peres, which had been in power for four years…
Israel’s New Reality
This statement, made by former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Perez, may have paved the way for his failure in May to be officially elected to that position.
The Oppression Of Middle East Christians
Extraordinary diplomatic efforts in recent years have been undertaken to resolve some of the world’s most complex, divisive conflicts—in Ireland, Bosnia, and the Middle East. The latter is no closer to resolution.
Terrorism Moves West
The words “Allahu Akbar!” (“God is great!”) regularly resound from the mosques of the world as a confession of Islam. Those same words were shouted loudly in Arabic to a group of elderly Greek tourists…
Messengers With a Mandate Revelation 11
The long interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets is continued from chapter 10. In the last verse of that chapter, John was instructed that he must prophesy again about many peoples, tongues, and nations.
The Dynamic Of Jewish Prayer
Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lᴏʀᴅ.
Israel in the News Oct/Nov 1996
In a dramatic reversal, Swiss bankers have agreed to set up an independent commission with Jewish participation to determine what assets still in their banks belong to Holocaust victims.
Zvi Oct/Nov 1996
Over the years, the Lord has taught my wife and me to have an open-door policy in our home. People are coming and going all of the time, and some even sleep here…
Now More Than Ever
The ascent of Benjamin Netanyahu to the position of Prime Minister in Israel gave rise to a considerable amount of hand-wringing among international politicians, as well as liberal and anti-Israel elements in the news media.
The Last Word
America has once again witnessed the stomach-wrenching emotion of flag-draped coffins being carried from large Air Force cargo planes. Grieving widows and their children are told by grim-faced leaders that their loved ones did not…
The Woman’s Relationship to Her Home and Family
I have never been one to scrupulously follow a recipe. A pinch of substitution here, a dash of elimination there—it all suits me fine as long as it turns out edible.
My Mother’s Chicken
Growing up Jewish in my family guaranteed that buying chicken would be an unusual experience. Instead of going to the supermarket like everyone else in my neighborhood, we went to the shochet…
Women in Modern Israel
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Jesus and the Role of Women
It has become quite fashionable among some feminist writers and people sympathetic to the women’s liberation movement to castigate biblical writers for their “sexism.” Often biblical authors have been characterized as “male chauvinists”…
Godly Women Who Made a Difference
When the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, it indwelt each member of that small group of believers in Jerusalem, including the women. Among them were Jesus’ mother Mary and the other…
The Witness of Scripture Concerning Its Inspiration Part One
In the previous article, which presented the biblical view of inspiration, we saw that both human and divine factors were involved in the writing of the inspired Scriptures. This means that the Bible…
Siddur: The Book Of Prayer
Like so many other Jewish adults, I well remember the long and arduous process of learning the liturgy of Hebrew prayers involved in worship. It started with the simple rote learning of the Hebrew alphabet.
Israel in the News Aug/Sep 1996
The Likud-led government voted into power will continue the peace process, honor Israel’s international commitments, and strive to heal rifts in the country, Prime Minister-elect Binyamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Zvi Aug/Sep 1996
In Isaiah 2:5 it is clearly written, “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lᴏʀᴅ.” The problem is that people with their eyes wide open are walking…
A Deadly Difference
Social issuesThere is a current fascination with the Islamic religion rising in the United States, and it is being fostered at the highest levels of the current administration and political establishment in Washington.
Herzl’s Dream
Theodor Herzl had a dream. It was a dream born of the desire of the Jewish people to have a homeland in Eretz Israel under the recognition of international law.
Turning Homeward
Thus saith the Lord Gᴏᴅ: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, to which they are gone, and will gather them on every side…
Behind the Balfour Declaration
The most prominent events marking the early days of the modern Zionist movement were the publication of Theodor Herzl’s The Jewish State in 1896 and his calling of the First Zionist Congress in 1897.
The Betrayal of Balfour
So wrote Chaim Weizmann in 1919. Both God in heaven and Balfour in England viewed “with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”
The Biblical View of Inspiration
Thus far in our study of bibliology (the doctrine of the Bible) we have examined the subject of divine revelation, which involves God’s uncovering of knowledge to mankind.
Angel with a Little Scroll Revelation 10
There are a number of interludes throughout the judgment portions of Revelation. One is presented between the sixth and seventh seals in Revelation 7, and a second is presented between the sixth and seventh trumpets…
Prayer: The Service Of The Heart
Prayer is not unique to Judaism, yet Jewish prayer is unique. In synagogues around the world, congregants meet together to worship. But Jewish prayer is not confined to a synagogue.
Israel in the News Jun/Jul 1996
Hamas, the Muslim group responsible for 62 deaths in four recent suicide bombings, said recently it would rekindle its terror campaign against Israel. “We will resume the wonderful martyrdom operations and light a fire again…
Zvi Jun/Jul 1996
Many times I go to the Ultra-Orthodox yeshivas and engage the people in long discussions, trying to bring them back to their roots, back to the Bible.
Will There Be Room in the Inn?
Two thousand years ago a young Jewish woman and her husband came to the town of Bethlehem, in Jewish Judea, to be registered for taxation. Their permanent residence was Nazareth.
Orthodox Judaism In America
Some Jewish people think that Christianity is confused and splintered. They point out that there are Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics, Pentecostals, and many other divisions. Within those groups there are conservatives…
Conservative Judaism
The Jewish expression “Eat kosher but think trayf [non-kosher]” encapsulates the ideology of one of the more popular branches of modern American Judaism. An attempted medium between the traditional and liberal wings of Judaism…
Reform Judaism
A Christian woman was interested in the beliefs of Reform Judaism. She asked her Jewish friend what a Reform Jew believes. The friend responded, “Be a good spouse and parent, work hard, be honest…
Hasidic Judaism
Within the world of Orthodox Judaism there is a group of intensely religious Jews whose influence and significance far outweigh their number. Termed ultra-Orthodox by outsiders, they are more properly known as Hasidic Jews…
The Trumpet Judgments Revelation 8:1–9:21
When John “opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (v. 1). This seventh seal contains the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments.
Special Revelation
The Scriptures indicate that God has used two major kinds of divine revelation to uncover truth to mankind: general and special revelation. General revelation, which is God’s uncovering of knowledge through means…
Because It’s A Mitzvah
When people visit Mea Shearim, one of the most Orthodox communities in all of Israel, or observe the crowds gathered at the Western Wall of Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem, questions often arise…
Israel in the News Apr/May 1996
Despite calls for a boycott by fundamentalists, Palestinian voters turned out in record numbers to give long-time Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat a victory and a mandate for continuing the peace process with Israel.
Life After Death
A few years ago, I read an account in the newspaper of a lady who was celebrating her one hundredth birthday. From her picture and the interview, she seemed to be a nice person.
Americans on the Line
If the militant Islamic Mujahedeen have it their way, the tenuous position of the American peacemakers in Bosnia will be made even worse. According to a recent New York Times News Service release, black-garbed Afghan…
There Is Hope!
In case you haven’t noticed, there seems to be a great many things to be depressed about these days. The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin sent the nation into a state of national…
The Imminency of Christ’s Return
The expression the imminency of Christ’s return means that Christ could return at any moment. Nothing else has to happen before His return.
Kabbalah: Making a Mystery of God’s Word
An expert is defined as a person who displays a special knowledge derived from training or experience. Over two decades ago, as a junior in college, I was boarding with several other students—all Gentiles.
Joseph: God’s Man for a Starving World
The life of Joseph presents some very important lessons for all who care to read the chapters in Genesis devoted to him. But there is one overriding factor in the story that should overwhelm…
Joseph’s Trials
Trials and testings come into the life of every person. If you are not going through any at the moment, wait a while. Sooner or later, they’ll come.
Joseph and His Tribes
As the aged, bedridden Jacob pronounced prophetic blessings on his sons by Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah, he must have looked forward with great anticipation to what God had in store for his two youngest sons…
The Significance Of General Revelation
In previous articles, we observed the means God uses to reveal His truth to all mankind in general. This article examines the significance of general revelation.
The Tribulation Saints Revelation 7:1–17
Revelation chapter 7 opens with the phrase, “And after these things” (v. 1), indicating that John was about to receive a new vision. This vision is an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals and
Israel in the News Feb/Mar 1996
Some 57% of the population trusts that … Prime Minister Shimon Peres will be able to lead the country and continue the peace process, according to a survey of 500 Jewish adults…
Zvi Feb/Mar 1996
I was recently waiting at the bus stop to go into town, and a very old man was standing in line with me. When the bus came along…
Israel’s Darkest Day
Israel’s era of innocence died with the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Theirs was not an innocence bred by naiveté. At its core it was tough—much like the exterior of the Sabra cactus after…
The God Makers
Titillating words, these. Mankind, in the infancy of its innocence, was led to believe that being liberated from obedience to the Creator could be equated with becoming God-like. The delusion was but an extension…
The Jewishness Of Jesus
I had never seen Michael, our Israeli guide, so excited. Our Institute of Biblical Studies group was touring the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, seeing the usual sights, when Michael motioned us to join him on the other side of the church. He led us down a corridor into a small chapel. Michael explained in hushed tones that this was a very ancient part of the church, and tourist groups usually do not get to see it.
Jesus in the Rabbinical Literature
It is easy to determine the Jewish opinion of Jesus during His earthly ministry by reading the Gospel accounts. In simple terms, the common people, even if they did not accept His Messianic claims, generally…
Jesus in Josephus
Flavius Josephus was a Jerusalemite priest who lived in the last half of the first century. He also was the commander of the Jewish forces in Galilee during the war with Rome from AD 66–70.
Jesus in Modern Judaism
The name Jesus means different things to different people. To some, He is a great prophet, teacher, or leader, but others use His name as a curse. While some have never heard His name…
Six of Seven Seals Opened Revelation 6:1–17
Never in all history have men spoken so much of the end-times, yet been so shrouded in ignorance of God’s impending doomsday,” said Carl F. H. Henry.
Rambam and Rashi: Bringing the Bottom Line
Separated by time (about 100 years) and distance (several hundred miles), two men provided the means for the Jewish people to study both the Talmud and the Bible. These “helps” are still used today…
General Revelation Part Three
In the previous two articles, we studied the biblical teaching concerning God’s uncovering of knowledge to all mankind through nature. This article examines His use of history and the human conscience as two other means of general revelation.
Israel in the News Dec/Jan 1995/1996
Slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was buried (November 6), with President Clinton among world leaders who gathered amid extraordinary security. Rabin, 73, was shot (November 4) at a peace rally in Tel Aviv;
Zvi Dec/Jan 1995/1996
In these days, we are seeing more and more Jews coming home to Israel, and there is much talk of the Jewish people being united in their land again. But, in this country…
Jerusalem: Showing the Right Stuff
When Captain Scott O’Grady emerged from the Bosnian underbrush and gave a relieved America the “thumbs up” sign, Newsweek magazine hailed the young pilot as a gutsy American kid who had “the Right Stuff.”
The Peace Process
From a distance, which is where I sit, things don’t look promising for Israel. Frankly, I, along with hosts of Christians who are deeply committed to promoting Israel’s best interests…
Messianic Trends in Israel
In his essay, “The Messianic Idea in Israel,” the renowned scholar, Gershom Scholem, contrasted the Jewish and Christian concepts of the Messianic redemption. While Christianity conceives of redemption as an event in the spiritual…
The State of the State
The subject of politics can be volatile and is often avoided in polite conversation. Still, jokes about politicians, parties, and their performance permeate our society. Who among us is not interested in the various national…
Terrorism Has Taken a New Twist
Until recent years, every organization, group, or institute in Israel, along with geographic regions where there was a concentration of people, planned their defense according to the well known ways of terror attacks…
The Scroll With Seven Seals Revelation 5:1–4
In Revelation 4, John presented a description of what he saw and heard in his heavenly vision. He saw God the Father seated on His throne and heard the host of heaven offering Him continual…
General Revelation Part Two
In our previous article we examined Psalm 19:1–6, one of the biblical passages that addressed God’s uncovering of knowledge to all of mankind through the means of nature. In this article we will study two…
Hillel: The Kind Pharisee
Jewish tradition states that the oral law was transmitted from Moses to Joshua, from Joshua to the elders, from the elders to the prophets, and from the prophets to the men of the great assembly.
Israel in the News Oct/Nov 1995
For the second straight year, Israel has been named “The Most Preferred Destination in the Middle East” by the magazine Travel Trade Gazette. The award was presented to the Government Tourist Office in North America…
Zvi Oct/Nov 1995
Often I go out among people in public places. You can usually tell a little something about them by looking at their faces, but only the people themselves know what is in their hearts and minds.
Scalp-Hunting Christians
The Jewess was livid with anger. She had been approached by a man on the street in Jerusalem who had offered her a tract and tried to strike up a conversation about Jesus…
Ezekiel’s Call
What constitutes a “call” for a person of God? Is it a mystical experience that seemingly only a few receive? Is it that still small voice of God that speaks to us in our confusion?
Ezekiel’s Strange Signs
Was Ezekiel a paranoid schizophrenic? If not, he must, according to some writers, at least have had an abnormal personality. To lovers of the Bible, such a diagnosis of a biblical prophet is nothing short…
God’s Design And Israel’s Destiny Ezekiel 36–37
A few short months ago, a bill was introduced in the Congress of the United States to recognize city of Jerusalem as Israel’s national capital and move the U.S. Embassy to the city by 1999.