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PEACE OFFERING: Conciliation in Christ

Mankind has done much talking about peace, but experienced little of it throughout the centuries. Someone estimated that in the last 5,600 years there have been 14,531 wars and only 292 years of world peace.

I Do Set My Bow In The Cloud

There are a number of covenants that God made in the Old Testament. Most of these covenants are concerned with the people of Israel (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, and the New Covenant).

Joel of Jerusalem Aug/Sep 1982

Two of my sons and my daughter are not at home these days. They have gone to the north (Lebanese front) with the army. And now I have received a nice letter stating that the army wants me to go also, but I said, “Not this time!”

THE MEAL OFFERING: Character of the Crucified

When the term Levitical offering is mentioned, blood sacrifice flashes across the mind of most people. True, the offerings in the the Levitical system were blood sacrifices, with one exception.

Judgment in Jezreel

In the land of Israel a broad valley stretches thirty-six miles from the port city of Haifa on Mount Carmel southeastward to the Jordan River. This fertile plain separates the mountains of Galilee to the north from those of Samaria to the south.

Holocaust Fact or Fiction

The English word holocaust comes to us through Latin and is derived from a Hebrew word meaning a sacrifice taken to the altar to be burnt before God. The Old Testament Jews were familiar with this concept of total burning…

Joel of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1982

It is hard to live between the hammer and the anvil. In times such as this it is hard to know what to do in certain situations. There are people all around us with many troubles…

PSALM 2

In light of the present world situation, many thinking men and women are asking a critical question. They are asking it with increased frequency and greater intensity. They are asking it of statesmen and educators…

THE BURNT OFFERING: Complete Consecration

The sacrificial worship of Israel is detailed in the first seven chapters of Leviticus. Every step was minutely revealed to Moses concerning the five offerings, from the animals to be offered to the duties…

PSALM 22

Little did David know when he penned Psalm 22 that he would record more details about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus than are recorded in any other chapter of the Old Testament.

From A Mountain To The Valley

We have seen Elijah as the man of the hour on Mt. Carmel. Thus far, Elijah has shown himself to be a mighty man of God who was brave, fearless and committed.

PSALM 24

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, mankind is oblivious to the sovereignty of the divine King of kings. The world, and its problems, seems to continually turn with no answers to the dilemmas.

PSALM 110

Long ago a church father articulated a most important truth about biblical study: “The New Testament is in the Old concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New revealed.”

Joel of Jerusalem Apr/May 1982

Here in Israel we have a special situation. There is much pressure from the north, south, east, and west. The wind is blowing from every direction, and we are in the center of the storm.

5 Minutes with the Director

If one thinks about it — and I am writing this editorial to encourage you to do so — the birth and death of Jesus are uniquely ironic.

THE LAMB Typified in The Law…

Since the dawn of creation man has sought to worship by offering sacrifice to his deity. Sometimes the sacrifice was from the fruit of his own hand, and sometimes by animals which he slew (Gen. 4:3-4).

THE LAMB Personified in the Prophets…

The Supreme Court had not yet banned Bible reading in the public schools, so there was nothing unusual about a Jewish teen­ager telling his parents that his teacher had read from the Bible.

Armed for Armageddon or/When Will The Lamb Come For His Own?

There are a growing number of Christian “survivalists” in our country claiming that the Church of Jesus Christ must go through the Tribulation. However, it should be noted at the outset that not all post-tribulationists…

The Contest on Carmel

There were two kinds of Old Testament prophets: prophets of words and prophets of deeds. Of the former, the greatest is doubt­less Isaiah. Of the latter, there has not been a greater than Elijah.

PASSOVER: Redemption through the Lamb

Paramount to all other thoughts in the Passover is the one of redemption. As Jew­ish people the world round sit at the Pass­over table every year, they remember God’s faithfulness in delivering His people Israel.

Joel of Jerusalem Feb/Mar 1982

I would like to tell you about our Passover celebration last year. As in every other year, my home was completely full on the Passover evening. Ii was expecting about ten people, but many more than that came.

God Has Spoken . . . In His Son

Christians commemorate December twenty-fifth as the day more than nineteen hundred years ago when the eternal Son of God was clothed in human flesh. That the day and month are almost certainly in error is of no great consequence.

1 Kings 17:2-16

In the last issue, we were introduced to a man who came roaring out of the mountains of Gilead – a “rustic renegade from the rural regions”. This wild looking character marched into the palace of Ahab…

A Word of Hope

For many people, ‘hope’ is simply the balancing of probabilities. A man wants to play golf. He looks out the window and says, “I ‘hope’ it doesn’t rain today” – but he knows it might.

God Keeps His Promises . . .

God’s promises are always enough – His Word is truth. He is not a man, that He should lie (Num. 23:19). What God’s mouth has spoken, His right arm of power will always perform.

The Priest: Christ’s Supplication

The Passover was concluded with the chanting of the Hallel Psalms. Slowly the small group made their way down the narrow stairs from the upper room, through the winding streets of Jerusalem…

Joel of Jerusalem Nov/Jan 1981/1982

Sometimes we see things which are hard to believe, but we know they are so. It is also funny to see how grown people can be as children and speak like them. They can confuse folklore and Bible truths.

JERUSALEM . . . thy KING cometh!

Jerusalem is a city suspended between Heaven and earth. Her spires stretch out from the hilltops to the skies; her ancient massive stones reach down to the very rocks out of which she was hewn.

VIEW FROM OLIVET second coming & the kingdom

It was near the conclusion of His earthly ministry that Jesus confirmed the certainty of a future kingdom upon the earth. Intertwined with that truth was the promise that He himself would return to establish and maintain this earthly kingdom…

Elijah: A Person Like You

We live in a time when people are conscious of sports heroes. There’s a Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, a Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and a Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

When Can We Expect The Messiah?

Messianic expectation in Israel was reaching a climax. The people of Israel had chafed under Roman domination for many years – suffering, waiting, hoping for the promised Deliverer, the Messiah, to come and set them free and establish His kingdom over Israel.

God and Satan In Conflict Through The Ages

The battle lines have been drawn. God and Satan are in conflict. The sphere of that conflict is Heaven and earth. The subjects of that conflict are angelic and human. The outcome of the conflict is certain.

The High Priest: Christ In The Sanctuary

The Tabernacle stood in its simplistic beauty, a pillar of smoke resting upon it by day and a pillar of fire by night, symbolizing the presence of God. So significant is the small building that thirty-seven chapters…

Should Jews Believe In Jesus?

These were the words emblazoned on the front of a flyer printed by the Hillel Union Of Jewish Students and distributed on the Arizona State University campus.

Joel of Jerusalem Aug/Oct 1981

A few weeks ago I was thinking that I would like to go to the religious school, which is not far from my home, and give a witness about the Lord. Of course, I realized that this was impossible;

The Church: Its Station, State, and Strategy

The planet Earth is replete with “pedigree” organizations. Membership within them is often predicated upon political, educational, social, economic or philosophical qualifications. Many of these organizations exist for commendable reasons…

…your loins girded… with TRUTH

The old campaigner was hard-bitten, crafty and arrogant. His question was a cynical response to Jesus of Nazareth’s straightforward answer to a query: “Art thou the King of the Jews?” (Jn. 18:33).

…having on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Paul was certainly familiar with the armor of the soldier. Rome had control over Palestine in his day. As a young Pharisee in Jerusalem, he had often taken notice of the military…

…your feet shod with the… GOSPEL OF PEACE

The above advertisement is not a gimmick! How would you like to wear a pair of these shoes? Fine, now that we have your interest, may we give you the pertinent information and explicit details concerning them?

…taking the SHIELD OF FAITH

Shoes are to the feet . . . toothpaste is to the teeth . . . and clothes are to the body, as the shield of faith is to our spiritual lives.

…take the HELMET OF SALVATION

Handley Moule was a godly scholar-preacher who ministered in Great Britain around the turn of the century. One day, as he was walking along Princess Street in Edinburgh, he approached a corner where Salvation Army workers were conducting an open-air meeting.

THE PRIEST: Christ the Superior Sacrifice

The sun was rising over the Mount of Olives, casting its golden glow on the Temple altar, as priests busied themselves preparing for the morning sacrifice. A priest, standing on the roof of a Temple building…

…the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

The ancient Roman soldier was called upon to fight in many and varied circumstances. Because of the privations of a long campaign, he would sometimes have to fight without part of his regular armor.

Joel of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1981

Here in Israel it seems we are paying taxes even for the air we breathe. The more we earn, the more taxes they take and, as if this is not enough, I was recently called to the tax office for an audit.

A Date With Destiny

The time had arrived. The event for which He was born was about to occur. His hour had come (Jn, 12:23; 13:1). The donkey was secured — He mounted it — He reached the crest of the Mount of Olives…

Follow the Leader

The one who first suggested that “a man only has to do two things in life — pay income taxes and die,” no doubt spoke in jest. But, he underscored the certainty of paying taxes by placing it beside…

Caiaphas: Inner Portrait of Israel’s High Priest

The City of Gold, Jerusalem, had not fully lifted herself from slumber. Some industrious shopkeepers were just beginning to set up their wares in the bazaar. The pungent odor from the fishmonger’s booth seeped heavily into the dawn.

“Show us a sign…”

The persistent cry of the leadership of Israel in response to Jesus’ message was for a sign which would confirm His claim of messiahship. Their demand was consistent with the prevailing view that Israel’s promised…

A Quiet Sunday Evening In Jerusalem

A warm gentle breeze is blowing in from the sea; spring has arrived once more. Dusk, too, has come, and while darkness takes its grip on the city, the birds roost for the night. All is quiet.

The Stigma of The Cross

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;…But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18,23).

The High Priest Covenant of The Savior

The streets of Jerusalem were deserted. A quiet hush had fallen over the city which on other days was bustling with activity. Families had gathered in their homes to commemorate the Passover.

Messiah’s Resurrection Foretold in The Old Testament

The Old Testament declares the bodily resurrection of Christ. This doctrine is normally understood because of New Testament teaching. What is not commonly understood is that the Old Testament substantiates this same truth.

Before Abraham Was I Am

The Sadducees were cocky and confident as they approached Jesus on that momentous day. They had engineered a question based on the unimpeachable footing of Mosaic law and a superstructure of irrefutable logic.

Joel of Jerusalem Apr/May 1981

We often say that no ill is without its good, but until the good news comes we must usually go through many troubles. Even the worst people have some good in them, and I would like to tell you about one such person.

He’s Got The Whole World…

There comes a day among men and nations when the cup of iniquity is filled full — when the mercy of God repeatedly flaunted issues in the judgment of God (Gen. 6:5-7; Jer. 9)

The Purging of Planet Earth

The Apostle John had both a unique opportunity and a heartrending experience as he watched God’s prophetic program of redemption for mankind brought to its culmination.

THE HOLY WAR Holocaust II

Holocaust, Just the word strikes terror in the hearts of millions as they recall the television documentary by that name. Paraded before their eyes was a destruction of people unparalleled in the annals of human history.

The Last Blasphemer

The world is searching for a leader. After centuries of confidently striding toward a day when humanity could deliver all of the systems necessary for a Utopia, man is crying for help.

Triumphal Re-Entry

On Sunday, April 6, 32 A.D., the Messiah rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. That event has come to be called “The Triumphal Entry”, and is celebrated annually on Palm Sunday.

The High Priesthood: Christ is Sovereign

The ministry of the priest was the focal point of Judaism. He was held in high esteem among the people as the one who represented them before God, made atonement for sin, and instructed them in righteousness.

Joel of Jerusalem Feb/Mar 1981

I would like to tell you about an opportunity I had just a few days ago. On my way home from work, for some “unknown” reason I went by a different way than I usually take.

God’s Gift to YOU

“Why” is one of mankind’s most searching words. It is the word of the seeker — the word of the individual who wants to understand the “cause” of human events.

The High Priest: Christ is Superior

The high priest, clothed in the beautiful dress of his office, moved gracefully through the Tabernacle ministering in behalf of Israel. None was held in higher esteem among the people than he!

The Incarnation

During the course of human history, there have been many great men. A few, like Washington and Lincoln, have their birthdays remembered because those days have become national holidays.

How Dark The Night

Anti-Semitism is an ugly word. Just men have always abhorred it. But, like a bad dream, it refuses to go away. Historians, social scientists, philosophers, theologians — all are hard pressed to explain this perpetual…

Joel of Jerusalem Dec/Jan 1980/1981

Here in Israel, people are thinking about the political situation more than ever, and many people are leaving the country because of fear. They are wondering what will happen next.

The Time of the Gentiles

“The times of the Gentiles” is the biblical designation for a period of time beginning with the Babylonian Captivity (606 BC) and ending with the physical return of Christ to the earth at the end of the Great Tribulation.

Seven Minutes with the Director

To say that we are living in perilous days is no longer newsworthy or shocking. Honest and informed men realize that the planet Earth is coming unglued. Traditional foundations are no longer eroding…

The Priesthood: Conduct in Service

The priest did not come into his position by choice, spiritual astuteness nor personal qualities which he possessed, but by birth into the Aaronic family. Yet to be accepted for service in the Tabernacle he had to meet the stringent regulations set forth by God.

Joel from Jerusalem Oct/Nov 1980

I have been called up to the army once again and since I have been here I have received a nice new nickname – “revolutionary”. I didn’t know why they were calling me this…

Seven Minutes with the Director

Moses had a pedigreed education. He was raised in the home of the Pharaoh of Egypt, and the Bible points out that he was…

The Priest: Consecrated for Service

A hush fell over the congregation of Israel as they gathered before the Tabernacle. One could sense the unspoken excitement which pounded deep in the heart of each Israelite as he anticipated the events which were about to unfold.

Joel of Jerusalem Aug/Sep 1980

I want to thank all of you for the wonderful time I recently had in America and for the friendships I made while there. It was so good to be in a place where people can openly sing “What a friend we have in Jesus”…

Seven Minutes with The Director

It must have been with quivering hands and tear-filled eyes that Horatio Spafford read the telegram. It was from his wife. It contained only two words: “Saved alone.”

THE PRIEST: Clothed for Service

The high priest, arrayed in the stately garments of his office, methodically entered into the tabernacle to begin his day of ministry. Did it really make any difference how he dressed when representing the nation…

And They Shall Know!

“My greatest personal concern is what the Russians are doing under the table about all of this.” These words were spoken to me by a well-known Israeli government official shortly after Anwar Sadat’s historic visit to Jerusalem.

The Four Horsemen are Coming

Every informed Christian should view the future with an attitude of ultimate optimism. Of all earth’s peoples, they alone have “. . . an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away…

Joel of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1980

I don’t know how it is that so many people know about me here in Israel, but one evening as my family and I were returning home, two people stopped me…

The Man with the Answers

“He seems to have an answer for everything.” “He always has the last word.” These comments are often heard today. Usually they describe some individual who is a “fast talker” — one who has a way with words.

The Priesthood: A Call To Service

Put yourself in an Israelite’s position as you contemplate coming before the Lord to worship. Would you be able to enter into the tabernacle, kill the animal you have brought as a sacrifice, offer its blood upon the altar…

Joel of Jerusalem Apr/May 1980

Recently I was in Hebron where I met many tourists. They were looking at the graves of our forefathers, but their guide was not giving them the right information about the place.

The Glory Of God

“Why was I born? Why am I living? What have I got? What am I giving?” These questions are not new — men have asked them since time immemorial.

Victory In Prayer

Daniel was a man of prayer. He learned early in life how to lay hold of God and be able to get answers from Him. He won many spiritual battles on his knees…

Conversion

Proselytism. Now there is a word that will quickly overheat the emotional systems of multitudes of Jewish people. It was the culprit instrumental in putting the much misunderstood “Anti-Missionary Law” on the books in Israel.

The Mercy Seat: Christ Our Propitiation

The high priest having meticulously followed all the required steps for ceremonial cleansing, left the holy place and slowly made his way to the brazen altar to offer the appropriate sacrifices for the Day of Atonement.

GLOSSARY OF PROPHETIC TERMS

This glossary is not exhaustive. Many prophetic terms, because of space considerations, could not be included.

Seven Minutes With The International Director

The year 1979 is tumbling uncontrollably toward its end. For America, it was anything but a good year. Nor does 1980 hold out hope for a new horizon of opportunity and change.

World Crisis and The Church

Heads swung quickly about as searching eyes swept the room. Noises rising from narrow streets crowded with religious pilgrims were suddenly inaudible before the rushing sound of a celestial wind that invaded the upper chamber.

World Crisis And The Second Coming of Christ

One of the most exciting studies in Scripture is the Second Coming of Christ. This topic is the most written-about doctrine in the Scriptures. In fact, there are twice as many verses on the Second…

World Crisis and The Millennial Kingdom

For centuries poets, novelists and musicians have written and sung about a “golden age” – or kind of “Utopia” when the problems, pains and conflicts of this world will disappear and all will be happiness and peace.

Joel of Jerusalem Dec/Jan 1979/1980

Here in Israel the people are looking forward to seeing the promises of Camp David become real. But where is the peace? War seems very near. Will the promises ever be kept?