Judah was on the verge of expiring! Her spiritual chart read: head sick, heart faint, body full of wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores. From head to toe there was no soundness in her, cried isaiah (Isa. 1:6).
The first three visions of Zechariah the prophet relate to external blessings. God told the prophet of a day when the Jewish people would be restored to their land. He also promised that the enemies of Israel would be destroyed…
For the first two hundred years of church history the relationship between Christians and their Jewish neighbors is best characterized by the phrase, an “uneasy tension.” During this period, there was no evidence of outright Christian persecution of the Jews.
When man rebelled against God, he doomed himself to a restless, unending search for meaning to life and history. Throughout most of his existence on planet Earth, man has been plagued by three major questions…
Soon we will be celebrating the most important holidays in Israel, Rosh Hashana (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). For those of us who know the Lord, this is no time to sleep.
The die was cast — the decision was final — Jesus was leaving. Israel’s tragic plight was now sealed. They had brought it on themselves. During three years of public ministry Jesus had pleaded…
In our first study in the Book of Zechariah we learned that God gave the prophet a series of eight visions in one night. These visions cover the first six chapters of the book, In the first vision the Lord did three things.
The relationships between Jews and Christians have always been characterized by an uneasy tension. This tension has broken out at times into violence of the worst kind. At other times the relations between the two have been more peaceful…
Like the keen-eyed Ezekiel, Joel was a watchman over the nation of Judah, The word of warning burned within him as a Jeremiah ready to come forth in prophetic proclamation concerning God’s wrath.
I have many friends here in Jerusalem. Some of them are believers, while others are far away from the Lord, but since I have established contact with them, I feel it is important to maintain that contact.
The disciples were crushed. Jesus was leaving. They had followed Him for three years. The way had been long, the road rough, the obstacles many and the confrontations with the Jewish leadership perplexing.
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…
The Word of God is clear. A day is coming (we believe during the first half of the Tribulation period) when Russia is going to launch an attack into the Middle East to control the world oil supply.
The Ark of the Covenant was the central furnishing in the Tabernacle and also later in the Temple of Solomon. It was a chest made of acacia wood covered by gold, 3 ¾ feet in length and 2 ¼ feet wide and high.
The Book of Joel bears its author’s name and means “Jehovah is God.” Little is known of Joel’s background with the exception that his father was Pethuel (1:1) and Luke confirms him as a prophet (Acts 2:16).
The twentieth century man can sit comfortably in his home and watch the devastation which war leaves in its wake – via television documentaries. He watches masses of humanity slaughtered and made refugees, buildings leveled…
Discouragement was the mood of the day. Disappointment was in the heart of every Jew. They were disillusioned. If God himself had let them down, where could they turn?
Upon examining the history of Jewish tradition with regard to this matter, however, one discovers that this interpretation is novel and not in accordance with what classical Judaism has taught for centuries on the subject.
Here in Israel, one of the most important places for communication is often a public bus. Many times you meet people you know as they are getting on or off, and sometimes you are very surprised at the people you meet.
The year was 1938. The place was Nazi Germany. Hitler was in control. He had forged his master plan. It included world conquest and the establishment of an Aryan master race.
Jesus is coming again. Nature impatiently awaits it (Rom. 8:19-21). Justice legally demands it (Mt. 24:27-28). Christians eagerly anticipate it (Heb. 9:28). And the Bible authoritatively proclaims it (Mt. 24:32-35).
We nearly fell out of our cushioned synagogue seats when we heard the rabbi’s answer! I had accompanied a group of believers from a suburban Detroit church to a conservative synagogue to learn more about Jewish beliefs and customs.
On a Jerusalem hillside a huge crowd had gathered to witness an event which would change the destiny of mankind. Darkness had filled the whole earth at noon, and it was drawing near 3:00 p.m.
We say that no ill is without its good. Every time a situation begins badly, I always pray, “O Lord, lead me and give me much patience so I can stand strong against the tribulations I face.”
EPHRATHAH is a tongue-twisting word. It is mispronounced every year by tens of thousands of children and not a few adults. Usually the time of the year for this phenomenon is December…
NO ROOM in the inn. so He was born in a stable; NO ROOM in Herod’s kingdom. so He was hunted;
We have no desire to be trite, or petty or build mountains out of molehills, but we do desire to be true to the Word of God.
Jewish people are filled full with a zest for life. Candid and outgoing, they are often more recognizable by expression and gesture than by facial appearance. Rarely satisfied with being spectators…
The trespass offering is the final Levitical sacrifice required of the Israelite. Although it is similar to the sin offering (Lev. 7:7), there are a number of differences. The sin offering deals with sin against God;
I was reminded recently of the shortness of physical life. But because our souls are eternal, we all must prepare for eternity. For our physical bodies, we can purchase insurance.
History will attest that nations are born in molten flame and forged on the anvil of adversity. The hotter the flame and the more severe the adversity, the stronger the nation.
Recently a new book was shown to me which has as its theme the fact that Jewish-Zionists are the secret force bringing ruination to the Christian world. The author claims to be a born-again Christian…
When Adam sinned he brought spiritual and physical death upon the human race. All die – rich or poor, strong or weak, young or old, schooled or unschooled – it is appointed unto man once to die!
Elijah’s supernatural departure from this earth (2 Ki. 2:9-11) was certainly a unique privilege afforded the great prophet. Only one other, Enoch the seventh from Adam (Jude 14), has been exempted from walking “through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4; Gen. 5:24).
He was now walking in the shadow of the cross. The hour for which He had come was soon to arrive. Jesus had utilized parables before in His teaching. They had been so enigmatic, however…
I thank the Lord, for He is so, good. After a very long time of having three of our children away in the army, we recently had the family together again around the table.
Moses the prophet and Paul the apostle are the two towering, stellar personalities of human history. No son of Adam’s race, however noble, however brilliant, however benevolent, however powerful, whether warrior or physician…
If anyone ever had a love and burden for the Jewish people, it was the Apostle Paul. He not only expresses his love and concern for them in Romans 9-11, but also God’s.
“I have never before heard a message on Ezekiel’s Temple vision,” were the words of Dr. Paul Smith of Toronto’s famed Peoples’ Church, as I stepped up to the pulpit one Sunday evening not too long ago.
The coronation of an earthly monarch usually takes place early in life and commences his reign. For the believer, however, the coronation day takes place at death when he is raised to a higher realm of glory.
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.
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).
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!”
It happened about ten years ago — when it was still fashionable to give away redemption stamps for almost anything purchased. I was walking in the downtown area of a large city and a church bulletin board caught my eye.
“What is Jesus doing now?” How would you answer that question? Most Christians have a fairly good understanding of what Jesus has done in the past and what Jesus will do in prophecy, but how many know what Jesus is doing in the present?
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.
I thank God I am not what I used to be, I fully know that I am not all that I ought to be, and I look forward to what I one day will be.
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.
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…
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…
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 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…
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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 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.
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…
Man’s redemption and reconciliation to God is the major theme of the Bible. The Old Testament reveals God’s provision for redemption through an animal sacrificial system given to the nation of Israel.
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.
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.
What’s in a name? Not much. some would say. The ancient Hebrews, however, thought that names were very significant. Oftentimes, a person’s name would describe his character.
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.
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.
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…
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’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 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…
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 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.
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…
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.
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.
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 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…
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.
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 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…
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).
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…
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?
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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…
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…
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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)