- Romans 1:16: To the Jew First
There should be no question as to the priority of the Church in the absence of her Head. Jesus made this very clear in His final thoughts, yea command, to those who belong to Him. His last words were, “. . .ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, ...
- JEWISH MISSIONS AND ZIONISM
“Death to the Jews!!!” “Kill the traitor!!!”
The vitriolic cries of the mob were a haunting sound in the ears of the journalist. They would have a profound effect on him and the Jewish people which reverberates to this very day.1
In 1897 Theodore Herzl, the journalist, stationed in Vienna, Austria, chaired the first Zionist Congress in ...
- JEWISH MISSIONS AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
“‘Baptism or death,’ had too often been the cry of the church, just as the ‘Koran or the sword’ had been of Islam.”1
Rev. W. T. Gidney, secretary for the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, summarized centuries of the church’s message to the Jewish community in the above statement. Fortunately, things slowly began ...
- JEWISH MISSIONS AND MESSIANIC JUDAISM
There are those who believe that the Messianic Movement is the natural alternative to Christianity for saved Jewish people; one whose members effectively reach other Jewish people with the Gospel. Most who hold this view also believe that the Messianic Synagogue is a Jewish church; a nurturing environment where Messianic Jews express ...
- THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
The student of Scripture is confronted with a maze of ideas when trying to understand the Bible. It can be a daunting task to decipher which religious understanding is the correct understanding of Scripture. Fortunately, God has given to the student of Scripture a framework for interpreting the Word of God. This framework is the ...
- Obadiah 1-9: The Destruction of Edom
Obadiah 1-9: The Destruction of Edom
1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art ...
- The Glory of God: Ezekiel Chapter 1
The glory of God has been manifested in many ways throughout the course of history. The Hebrew word for glory means heavy or weighty and is most often used to express honor or impressiveness. Upon examination of many scriptural references to God’s glory, it can be readily seen that they are indeed impressive.
Consider first the ...
- Romans 1:16: To the Jew First
There should be no question as to the priority of the Church in the absence of her Head. Jesus made this very clear in His final thoughts, yea command, to those who belong to Him. His last words were, “. . .ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, ...
- PSALM 45
Psalm 45 is a glorious psalm extolling the virtues of the king and his glorious triumph over his enemies. It is majestic in its grace, solemn in its pronouncements, and exhilarating in its promises as it reaches the peak of hope for the war torn, suffering people of Israel. How fitting this psalm is after ...
- Psalm 110
Of all the Messianic Psalms perhaps none surpasses the glory and magnificence of Psalm 110. This brief psalm of seven verses takes us from the heights of the divine and human nature of the Messianic king, to his ministry as a priest after the order of the mysterious king/priest Melchizedek, to the splendor ...
- The Church and Anti-Semitism
The arrival of the first day of Passover in the year 1096 was eagerly anticipated. The Jews of Trier had celebrated the night before in their homes with a Seder. Trier was a city on the Moselle River in Germany. What had been a joyous event in the Jewish community soon took on dark ...
- ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE NAME OF CHRISTIAN LOVE?
“Be aware that replacement theologists are gathering in Bethlehem for a 4-day conference to be unbelievably called “Jesus at the Check Post. The main aim of this event is to drive a wedge between Christian Zionists, Evangelicals, and Israel. Incredible as it sounds, Christians are gathering under a Palestinian regime that has killed, threatened their Christian ...
- Dispensations and Israel
When dispensational teaching and Israel in the future are considered, we are primarily talking about the coming kingdom age of 1,000 years (Millennial Kingdom). The still future Tribulation period, in the dispensational motif, is considered part of this present dispensation of Grace. Dr. Charles Ryrie notes, “The dispensation will end at the second coming ...
- 100 Years: The Balfour Declaration 1917 to 2017
One hundred years ago (from 2017), a brief 67-word statement, within a short letter, laid the foundation for the birth of the nation of Israel. Since the sending of that letter, this statement has reverberated down through the corridors of history. There has been no more important brief document in modern Middle East history than ...
- The Four Surrenders of Jerusalem
Edmund Allenby, Field Marshall General of the British forces that captured Jerusalem in 1917, was thrust into history through the events surrounding the surrender of Jerusalem – four times. The story is told by Major Vivian Gilbert of the British Army, eyewitness to most of the events, in his book “The Romance of the Last ...
- Israel: The Sign of the Times
The billboard was the most controversial the city center had seen in years, and maybe ever. People had a myriad of opinions on its purpose and message. The message was brief – “It IS Coming!”
Some thought it was a hoax. Sure, they recognized the reality of the billboard’s message, but these people believed there ...
- Is Israel God’s Elect Nation?
As the sands of time unfalteringly continue their flow, so is the history of the Jewish people. Week after week, year after year, century after century the people of Israel march on. No Pharaohs or Fuhrers, Crusaders or Muslims, persecutions or pogroms could wipe them out. Greater nations have arisen. Stronger powers have graced the ...
- JERUSALEM: CENTER OF WORLD REDEMPTION
The world was shattered with the entrance of sin. Wars, famines, diseases, holocaust, murders, rapes, broken homes, abandoned children, sickness, and death all lie at the doorway of Adam’s sin. The collective heartache of all humanity throughout all history is the result of one seemingly innocuous act of disobedience to God; nevertheless, Adam’s sin does ...
- ISRAEL’S BIRTH AS A NATION
Birth or labor pains is the beginning of the end of a long process. Some nine months earlier the expectant mom becomes aware of the promise of a birth. Suddenly, and in some ways unexpectedly, the first labor pain grips the body. Time is short – but, the pain will only come more rapidly and ...
- PROPHET, PRIEST, AND KING: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ANOINTED
Throughout the millennia, the heartbeat of the Jewish people has been the hope of the Messiah – the Messianic king who would bring peace and prosperity to not only Israel but the entire world. Moses Maimonides, known as the RamBam, an acronym for Rabbi Mosheh ben Maimon, was a rabbi, philosopher, and physician in Egypt ...
- PASSOVER: The Cup of Acceptance
The long evening of the Seder was winding down. A few hours earlier family and friends had gathered for the beginning of the annual tradition of the Passover Seder; it seemed as if the reading of the Passover Haggadah would never get to the place where the meal is served. The first and ...
- THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AFIKOMEN
The highlight of the entire Passover Seder is the drama surrounding the afikomen. At the beginning of the evening the leader of the Seder will lift up the tri-compartment matzoh bag, and remove the middle board of matzoh. This middle piece is then broken and the larger part is wrapped in ...
- Chanukah and Redemption Light
The glow of the light from the Temple Menorah, piercing through the windows of the Temple, illuminated the court-yard of the Temple area. The crowds mingling in the courtyard this winter day were reminded by the menorah light of the ever present reality of the God of Israel. The light was a physical brilliance ...
- The Feast of Tabernacles
The Temple of God had been completed. More than 150,000 men had labored for seven years in the building of what became known as Solomon’s Temple. The finest wood, the purest gold and silver, and the best materials had gone into the construction of this house of worship.
At the dedication of the structure, the place ...
- CHRISTMAS IN LIGHT OF JEWISH SENSITIVITY
Excitement was in the air as the crowd started to grow. It was a Friday night. The guest speaker was a man with outstanding credentials and exemplary speaking skills. My wife and I were blessed to be a part of this evening coming together. The occasion was the first public meeting of a new ...
- Of Whom Does the Prophet Speak?
Isaiah 53 is perhaps the pivotal chapter in the Jewish Bible in helping determine the identity of the Messiah and the work he would do. With the possible exception of the seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, the grandeur of this chapter certainly surpasses all other messianic texts. It is sublime in its content; pointed in ...
- THE LAMB AND THE LION
I noticed the individual approaching from a distance. There was a confidence in his steps, along with a desire for interaction. He had seen our sign asking, “Can you be Jewish and Christian?” Probably no older than 25, Steven brashly proclaimed to me, “I have just come from a seminar refuting your belief that ...
- PSALM 45
Psalm 45 is a glorious psalm extolling the virtues of the king and his glorious triumph over his enemies. It is majestic in its grace, solemn in its pronouncements, and exhilarating in its promises as it reaches the peak of hope for the war torn, suffering people of Israel. How fitting this psalm is after ...
- Messiah as the Branch
In considering the person of the Messiah, His work and character are illustrated for us in the names given to Him throughout the Scriptures. The different names of the Messiah paint a beautiful portrait of the promised One of Israel.
One of these names is Branch. One dictionary definition of branch reads: “a line of family ...
- Psalm 110
Of all the Messianic Psalms perhaps none surpasses the glory and magnificence of Psalm 110. This brief psalm of seven verses takes us from the heights of the divine and human nature of the Messianic king, to his ministry as a priest after the order of the mysterious king/priest Melchizedek, to the splendor ...
- Jerusalem and the Reign of the True King
The future of the city of Jerusalem is of vital concern to the three main monotheistic religions of the world—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each has a compelling interest in this city. The present-day Middle East conflict between Israel and the Arab nations is primarily a religious problem. The United States has taken the lead ...
- Will The Temple Be Rebuilt?
The spring day was typical in many ways for Jerusalem. The sun was shining and the air was crisp, but there was one notable difference. Hundreds were anxiously awaiting the sacrifice. It was April, and the celebration of Passover was at hand. There were voices of anticipation as the lamb was brought for the ...
- Is the Rapture Pre-Trib?
“Pre-trib”, “mid-trib”, “post-trib”, “pre-wrath”. Perhaps you have heard these terms—perhaps not. They refer to the timing of the Rapture of the Church. “Trib” refers to the seven year Tribulation period prophesied in the Bible that will occur just before Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom on earth. While all rapture positions agree, based on Daniel ...
- A 1,000 Year Kingdom? Or Not?
As I sat in the office of the Minister of Evangelism of one of the largest and best-known churches in the United States the discussion turned to the Millennium. When asked what he believed he responded, “I am a pro-pan-mill.” Initially, I was confused by his statement. Then it dawned on me. He was ...
- THE FOUR POWER BASES OF ANTICHRIST’S RULE
Tyrants have graced the world’s stage oftentimes throughout history. Some have been world rulers whose ruthlessness knew no bounds. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the Babylonian empire and ruled for 43 years. He was known as “the wicked one.” He made a covenant with the king of Judah and when convenient, broke the covenant and ...
