The Kingdom of God Concept In The Scriptures
The last five articles have surveyed the history of millennial views within organized Christendom. They demonstrated the fact that Premillennialism was the original view of the Church.
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Jude
Jude called himself “the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James” (v. 1). The name Jude is derived from Judah and pronounced Judas in Greek; it was a very common name in the first century.
Security in An Age Of Apostasy
Lina Sandell Berg was no stranger to affliction. At the tender age of twelve, she lay stricken with a paralysis that confined her to bed. Although physicians had all but given up on her…
Joel of Jerusalem Apr/May 1987
What a wonderful feeling it is to be one of the Chosen People of God and to live in the Promised Land which He has given to us as His people.
Busyness In The Service Of The King
We live in a world that rushes like a car with the accelerator jammed to the floor and the body thrown back in the seat. Life exists at a high rate of speed, a dizzy blur to the passengers on board.
“I am the light of the world”
The Jewish holiday of Chanukkah originated in the year 165 B.C. It commemorates the victorious struggle of the Jewish people against Syrian oppression for national survival and religious freedom.
The Holiness Of Places Where God Is Uniquely Present
The previous article concerning the holiness of God indicated that holiness is the quality of being different, distinct or unique from the common or ordinary. In light of this concept of holiness…
The Day of The Lord Unveiled
Judah had asked, “Where is the God of justice?” With sarcastic skepticism, the nation had questioned whether God was even available to take just action against the wicked and provide justice for the righteous.
The Shepherd of Israel
When the New Testament presents the Lord Jesus Christ as our Shepherd, it does so in a threefold manner. The writer to the Hebrews calls Christ “that great Shepherd” who is risen from the dead…
Moses – From A Sword to A Staff
It was not easy being on Pharaoh’s list of the ten most wanted men. Moses’ path of flight from the king led him to the land of Midian. He was finally safe from the long arm of this powerful ruler.
The Grace of God In The Life Of A Twice-Born Jewess
What a privilege to share what God has done in my life! The oldest of three children, I was reared in a Jewish home by good, loving parents. Although we rarely attended synagogue, we celebrated the holidays.
Joel of Jerusalem Feb/Mar 1987
I was recently walking along the street in the old city of Jerusalem, and I saw two young orthodox Jewish students carrying what appeared to be a very heavy package.
Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
Every year in the Hebrew month Kislev (December), on the 25th day of that month, Jewish people the world over celebrate Chanukkah.1 It is “nonbiblical” in origin and emerged as a result of events that occurred during the intertestament period.
The Holiness of God
When people sing, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, what are they singing about? What is the holiness of God? Some think that the sum total of God’s holiness is His sinlessness; however, that is not so.
A Word About Words
Philippians 1:27 states, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ . . .” The word conversation, used so often in the New Testament, literally means manner of life. It is more than your talk.
The Two Faces of Judah
A deceitful person is called two-faced or a hypocrite. This was a word used in the Greek theater to describe actors who put large painted masks in front of their faces to denote the characters they were playing…
MOSES: The Man of God
Long before the birth of a child, Christian parents often pray for the one that will be born. Many invoke their Lord for the early salvation of the baby soon to bless their home.
The Shepherd of Israel: The True Shepherd John 10:6-10 – Part Two
There are about 162 different animals mentioned in the Bible. But when God describes His people’s behavior patterns and lifestyles, He uses the imagery of sheep more often than any other animal, and there is a good reason for that.
The Rejection of Amillennialism and Development of Postmillennialism
Augustine’s Amillennialism remained the dominant view of organized Christendom until the seventeenth century. During that century a major change in western thought took place. This change developed into an intellectual revolution.
Joel of Jerusalem Dec/Jan 1986/1987
We read many times in the Bible that the people of Israel are God’s chosen people, His peculiar treasure. The people of Israel consider this to be a great honor, but most forget that there are some conditions involved…
The Importance of A Premillennial Theology
Millennium, like aluminum, has a nice resonant ring to it. Say it aloud and hear the reverberation MILLENNIUM.
These Are the Twelve Tribes of Israel
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is that which their father spoke unto them, and blessed them; every one, according to his blessing, he blessed them. Genesis 49:28
The Shepherd of Israel: The True Shepherd John 10:1-5 – Part One
The tenth chapter of the Gospel of John is one of the most beloved and popular chapters in the Bible. It is special to God’s people because it presents the Lord Jesus Christ as the Shepherd of His flock…
How have we robbed you, God?
With the exception of organized crime, robbery is the most prevalent and costly crime in America. Many are surprised to find that shoplifting and employee theft rank together as the number one type of robbery.
David: The Man and His God
The biography of a man’s life can be written chronologically, by subject or by events that trace the course of that life. We can study his background, upbringing, marriage, family and even his death.
The Service, Silence and Song of Zacharias The Priest LK. 1:5-25, 57-80
As the golden glow of the morning light streaked through the eastern sky, the priests, clothed in white linen, pressed the silver trumpets to their lips and delivered the familiar threefold blast.
Rejection of Premillennialism & Development of Amillennialism
Premillennialism is strongly based upon the literal, historical-grammatical interpretation of those Old Testament passages which the prophets wrote concerning the future Kingdom of God…
Joel of Jerusalem Oct/Nov 1986
There is a saying here in Israel, “What the eye does not see the heart does not grieve for.” But I do see, and therefore I grieve and cannot be silent.
Blessing or Cursing
Few would deny the truth of this beloved hymn. We need God’s mercy drops falling around us, but we need the outpouring of His showers of blessing perhaps even more. But what is God’s blessing?
THE LIFE OF DAVID: The Later Years
How swiftly the years pass! For a person over fifty, it seems only a short time since graduation from high school or college. Twenty-five or thirty years of a good marriage pass by swiftly…
Where Is The God Of Justice Malachi 2:17-3:6
When Judah returned to her land, she expected to experience prosperity and glory as in the days of Solomon. But such was not the case! In fact, the opposite was true. Their wicked enemies lived in prosperity while Judah suffered privation.
A Word About Words
A proper understanding of the words of Scripture is essential to a proper understanding of the message of Scripture. Misunderstanding, or lack of understanding, robs many Christians of a true appreciation of their riches in Christ.
The Tribes of Israel In The End Times
Jacob’s series of deathbed blessings on his twelve sons in Genesis 49 were also prophecies of what would characterize the tribes that came from each son. All of these prophecies have been fulfilled…
The Millennial View of Early Church Leaders
The previous article began to examine the history of the different Millennial views which have been held by the organized Church during its time in the world. That article noted that numerous historians declare that Premillennialism…
Joel of Jerusalem Aug/Sep 1986
Recently I had to pay a visit to the local medical clinic, and, as I am sure is the case ail over the world, I had to wait a very long time before I could see a doctor and receive treatment.
Faith
Some crucially important questions are being directed at you. They have to do with faith. Do you want to please God? The Bible says, “. . . without faith it is impossible to please him [God] . . .” (Heb. 11:6).
David And His Children – Tragedy!
Children are a blessing from the Lord. A happy home with little ones filling it is a delight that is beyond description. Many childless couples would give all of their resources to have youngsters of their own.
Breaking The Marriage Covenant Malachi 2:10-16
The United States has the highest divorce rate in the world at almost fifty percent. Many more who are emotionally divorced from each other would like to terminate their marriages, but they stay together because…
The Ten Lost Tribes
In December, 1984, astounding news leaked to the World Press. For over a year the Israeli government had been secretly flying over ten thousand Ethiopian Jews out of their refugee camps in the Sudan…
A Description and Early History of Millennial Views
During the history of the Church three major views have been held concerning the future Kingdom of God foretold in such passages as Daniel 2 and 7. Today those three views are called Premillennialism, Amillennialism and Postmillennialism.
Joel of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1986
“Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?” (Ex. 15:11). Not many people know this truth; therefore they live their lives hoping that better times will come. They live in fear of the situations that surround them.
Jehovah Sabaoth
“The crowd came nearer and nearer. The eleven young men, concerned for my safety, formed a ring around me. If anyone was going to get hurt, they determined it would be them first.
The New Covenant
Another significant biblical covenant which will determine important issues related to Israel and the future Kingdom of God is the New Covenant. According to the Old Testament the parties of this covenant would be God and the nation of Israel.
THE PRIESTHOOD: Despising The Lord
What was the highest office in Israel? The king? Not so! The highest office was to serve as a priest, for the priest was a mediator between God and man, the highest calling in life.
It Took A Miracle
My dad obtained a position in a shoe store, but the working conditions there were uncomfortable, and this resulted in his becoming dissatisfied with life. One day a Jewish lady walked into the store and requested to see my father.
DAVID AND HIS WIVES!…Too Many Women!
Marriage is ordained by God. He planned it, blessed it and millions of people have enjoyed the courtship, companionship and love of their mates down through the centuries. From marriage often comes the privilege and blessing of children…
Joseph Faithful and Fruitful
When the bedridden old Jacob was pronouncing a prophetic blessing on each of his sons by Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, he must have looked forward with anticipation to what God had in store for his two youngest sons.
THE CHURCH: Its Station, State and Strategy In The World
The planet Earth is replete with “pedigree” organizations. Membership within them is often predicated upon political, educational, social, economic or philosophical qualifications.
Joel of Jerusalem Feb/Mar 1986
I was recently asked to visit an elderly man whose son is my friend. When I arrived at his home, I could immediately tell that he was very sick and that I had arrived in the last hours of his life.
A Theology For The Remnant
It is never easy to swim upstream – to buck the tides and resist the currents. But, by the very nature of the case, true Christianity calls for an upstream lifestyle.
David and His City
Almost everyone has a home town. For many of us, it is the city of our birth. For others, it is the place where much of their lives has been spent.
The Major Issues Related to The New Covenant
In the previous article it was noted that, although the Old Testament promised the New Covenant specifically to the literal nation of Israel, the Church also has a relationship to the New Covenant…
THE PRIESTHOOD: God’s Ekg of Israel Malachi 2:1-9
What child has not heard the stern voice of his father, “Son, you must be disciplined for what you did!” The word discipline struck fear in the son’s heart as big tears poured from his eyes, for he knew the punishment that awaited.
BENJAMIN: A Ravenous Wolf
Occasionally the Authorized Version employs a word which current in English usage. This is due to the fact that it was produced in 1611, and the language has undergone changes in over three and a half centuries.
Joel of Jerusalem Feb/Mar 1986
It seems that there is always something new coming upon the scene, and in Israel our something new is a new holy one. He is a rabbi whose father, a very famous rabbi himself died about a year ago.
El Shaddai: The Almighty God
One of the most popular Christian songs of recent years is entitled “El Shaddai.” El Shaddai is one of the compound names for God. It occurs seven times in the Bible.
Gad Warrior Asher Provider Naphtali Communicator
The aged Jacob followed the prophecy on his son Dan (Gen. 49:16-18) with three brief but significant words about the other three sons of Bilhah and Zilpah -Gad (49:19), Asher (49:20) and Naphtali (49:21).
Friends to the End
A person with a true friend is most fortunate. He has one with whom he can share his innermost thoughts – one with whom he can rejoice – one with whom he can weep when deep trials and testings come.
The World’s Hatred of Believers John 15:18-27
When I became a believer in Christ, I expected that those closest to me would also accept Him. Once they have the truth about Jesus, I reasoned, they will immediately open their hearts to Him.
Israel: A People Divinely Loved Malachi 1:1-5 Part one
Malachi was the last Old Testament book to be penned, about one hundred years after Cyrus decreed that Judah could return to their land (538 B.C.). During this time the Jewish faith was reformed under Ezra and Nehemiah…
The Fulfillment of The Davidic Covenant
In the previous article it was noted that Amillennial and Pre millennial Bible scholars disagree concerning when and how God’s promises regarding David in the Davidic Covenant are to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Joel of Jerusalem Nov/Jan 1985/1986
As we all know, we are living in very interesting times, and here in Israel people are beginning to be interested in things which before they never thought about. The Jewish people have always followed after the faith of their fathers.
EL ELYON: The Most High God
El Elyon is one of the truly exquisite names for God found in the Bible. Each of the divine names is given to reveal to man some quality or characteristic of God that cannot be found…
DAN
“Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord” (Gen. 49:16-18).
The Davidic Covenant
After David had become firmly established as king over the entire nation of Israel (2 Sam. 7:1), he expressed the desire to build a permanent house of worship for God in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 7:2-3).
THE PROPHET’S PRAISE: Memory of God’s Justice
Memory is a wonderful gift from God, but it can be a burden or a blessing. A burden it was when Habakkuk recalled the injustice taking place in Judah and God’s seeming complacency to judge it.
God’s Answer to Skeptics
The nation of Israel and her people the Jews are an enigma to this world. The preservation of the people of Israel is a contradiction of all historical trends. The uniqueness of this people is captured in an essay Mark Twain authored in 1899.
Jesus Christ Offers A Superior Sacrifice
Monotony can often become a way of life. So often the same things are repeated over and over again. The woman faces that seemingly endless pile of dishes to clear, another meal to prepare…
Joel of Jerusalem Aug/Oct 1985
There are all kinds of people in the world. Some are happy – very happy – and some are very unhappy. And even some people who were happy a long time ago are now confused and don’t know what to do.
ADONAI: The Sovereign Master
Adonai is the third of the three primary names for God. It is the least used of the primary names, occurring about three hundred and fifteen times. But its significance and application to man cannot be overstated.
ZEBULUN ISSACHAR: Merchant and Servant
The aged patriarch, Jacob, continued his series of prophetic blessings on his twelve sons with brief but significant statements about Zebulun, Leah’s sixthborn, and Issachar, her fifthborn.
Run for Your Life, David
Several years ago the Shah of Iran went into exile trying to save his life from his foes. Hunted down, he moved from Iran to Europe, to the United States, to Mexico and finally to Egypt.
THE PROPHET’S PRAYER: Meditating on Justice
While going through a trying circumstance one will often hear, “Just pray about it, for you know prayer changes things!” One is left with the impression that God will alter the circumstances for good when prayer is offered in faith.
The Palestinian or Deuteronomic Covenant
Earlier it was noted that a number of the biblical covenants determine the final outcome of several important issues related to Israel and the future Kingdom of God. One of those covenants, the Abrahamic, has been examined already.
Joel of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1985
Everyday I thank the Lord that I can go on the streets with a smile on my face rather than thinking, as so many people are doing, how I can take revenge on the people who made trouble for me so long ago.
THE FIRST TEMPTATION – The Final Sin
Let me say it up front – unadorned – without apology and accurately. Man, without God, is hopelessly lost. He is like a blind man, in a dark room, looking for a black cat that isn’t there.
Back to The Sheep
David! The very mention of his name will captivate the mind of any Jewish person. This shepherd-king is the hero of Israel. Every Jewish mother would love to have a son like him.
THE PERVERSE PEOPLE: Manifestation of Justice
History is punctuated by nations who spread themselves like a green bay tree, and with imperial precision subjugate the world under their feet.
JEHOVAH: I Am That I Am
Jehovah is the second of the three primary names for God. It is the most prevalent name for God in the Bible, occurring more than seven thousand times. And as with all of God’s names…
JUDAH: Tribe of King Messiah
If a poll were taken as to which of Jacob’s twelve sons is the most famous, certainly either Joseph or Judah would be the favored one. Although more space is given to the personal history of Joseph…
The Effects of The Abrahamic Covenant Upon Israel
The previous article examined the biblical evidence for the unconditional nature of the Abrahamic Covenant. The present article will consider the effect of that covenant, particularly upon the nation of Israel.
Joel of Jerusalem Apr/May 1985
There is a very big competition raging in Israel at this time. It is not a competition in the business world, but something which has never been seen before in this nation – a competition to see who can bring more people to repentance.
Elohim:
William Shakespeare immortalized the question, “What’s in a name?” Let’s attempt an answer. The Apocrypha states, “A name endures while beauty wanes.” A famous rabbi wrote, “No monument gives such glory as an unsullied name.”
THE PATIENT PROPHET: Message of Justice
“Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, seldom found in a woman and never in a man,” wrote a perceptive person. There are those who would disagree, especially that women are somewhat patient and men never are.
They Made The Sepulcher Sure . . .
What folly, that men should think that they could entomb and hold fast the Son of God! Repeatedly during the Lord’s public ministry, the Jewish leadership kept demanding that He give them a sign (Mt. 12:38; 16:1; Lk. 11:29).
He Is Risen. . .
Three simple words: “He is risen.” And with that reality, light dispelled darkness – righteousness bested sin – truth destroyed error – life conquered death – and God defeated Satan. The consummation of that statement is still future – but immutably certain.
He Is Not Here. . .
Following the crucifixion of the Son of God, Joseph of Arimathaea went before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to beg for the body of Jesus. Who would have thought it?
Come See Where He Lay. . .
True faith is not belief without evidence – but trust without reservation. It is neither blind nor unreasoning. Faith – the biblical kind – rests upon the revealed Word of God. Abraham is repeatedly set forth as a man of faith…
The Unconditional Nature of The Abrahamic Covenant
The previous article indicated that the most crucial issue related to the Abrahamic Covenant is this: the nature of that covenant. Is the covenant conditional or unconditional in nature?
SIMEON – LEVI: Partners In Crime
The twelve sons of the aged patriarch had arrayed themselves about his deathbed, most probably in the order of their births. Jacob had issued to Reuben his portion, i.e., because of Reuben’s sin he would forfeit the double blessing of the firstborn (Gen. 49:34).
Joel of Jerusalem Feb/Mar 1985
There are many countries in the world, some big and some small, but there is only one country on earth where you can see signs all over, written in big letters, “WELCOME TO THE HOLY LAND.”
Wonderful Counselor The Mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince Of Peace
Occasionally a package leaves the shipping department of The Friends of Israel carrying this printed message: One of two. It is the Mission’s way of saying, You have not received everything yet — another package is still to come.
Reuben Unstable as Water
“Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel, your father” (Gen. 49:2). The twelve sons dutifully assembled. They arranged themselves in a semicircle around their aged father as he sat on the edge of his deathbed.
The Perplexed Prophet Misunderstanding God’s Justice HABAKKUK 1:12-2:1
Perplexed had to be the feeling of Habakkuk when God answered his cry for justice in Judah. Most likely he sat in stunned silence contemplating the unexpected revelation from God.
Hebrews What God Demanded What God Provided
God has chosen to base His relationship with the nation of Israel on covenants. There are basically four unconditional covenants that He made with His people. The first is the Abrahamic Covenant, which promised them a land…
The Abrahamic Covenant
It is not hyperbole to say that every spiritual blessing which the child of God possesses can trace its origin back to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Joel of Jerusalem Dec/Jan 1984/1985
Many times I ask myself why I must move so often in my work. It is certainly not by my own choice, but it has been happening for years. One advantage to this constant changing of jobs…
Once More With Feeling
The women of Israel came out to welcome their returning, victorious army. They cried, “… Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam. 18:7).
THE PROPHET’S PROBLEM: God’s Means of Justice
God, where is justice? Why are You insensitive, indifferent, and inactive to the cry of the righteous? How long will You remain silent? cried Habakkuk, as he sat overwhelmed by the social and moral corruption flooding the land.