Steve Conover: Thank you for joining us for the Friends of Israel Today. I'm Steve Conover, executive director of The Friends of Israel, and with me is our host and teacher, Chris Katulka.

Chris Katulka: Steve, you know, our listeners can actually connect with us at foiradio.org. It's there that we have more than a decade of biblical content that's all about Israel and the Jewish people, including various guests that highlight what's going on in the Middle East right now. So if you'd like to connect with us, you can go to foiradio.org. Now listen, we're wrapping up a series on Malachi. This is our fourth installment of our series: Give God the Best Because the Best is Yet to Come. Well, we've been talking about giving God the best, but all of that is predicated on understanding the hope that we have, that the best is yet to come, and that's how Malachi ends the entire Old Testament, to give us a picture that as we give our best to God, we give it because we know that the best is yet to come.

Steve Conover: Hamas recently proposed amendments to the U.S.-backed ceasefire plan, including a demand that the United Nations resume control of aid distribution to Gaza. This move challenges the newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, created by Israel and the United States to ensure aid bypasses Hamas.

Chris Katulka: Yeah, Steve, here's my take. Hamas is definitely struggling for control. The new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is aid that's distributed by the United States with Israeli security. Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire and the United Nations to distribute the food. As Witkoff said, that's “unacceptable.” It will give Hamas ample time to reload, re-arm, and steal food meant for the Palestinian people. Let's keep the pressure on Hamas for the sake of both Israelis and Palestinians. 

Chris Katulka: Today we conclude our series on the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, the final prophet to speak before the New Testament era. Our series has been titled Give God the Best Because the Best is Yet to Come. Well, in this final message, we're going to explore Malachi chapter four, focusing particularly on the fact that the best is yet to come. As we've discussed last time, Malachi is ministering to a generation of Jewish people who had returned to their homeland after experiencing one of the darkest moments in their history.

It's called the Babylonian exile. After Israel's persistent sinfulness, God allowed his chosen people to be judged severely by the Assyrians and Babylonian empires. The Assyrians conquered the northern 10 tribes of Israel while the Babylonians captured Judah in the South destroying Solomon's temple and exiling the Jewish people. And yet even during these painful periods, prophets like Jeremiah provided hope, assuring the Israelites that God would one day restore them, physically bringing them back to the land and spiritually renewing their hearts. Well, Malachi chapter four serves as the dramatic conclusion to the prophetic voice of the Old Testament, really encapsulating a powerful and poignant message to the people of Israel. The chapter stands as God's final word to his people before centuries of prophetic silence preceding the arrival of Jesus the Messiah. The core message of this chapter urges Israel and really by extension us as believers today to give God our best precisely because the best is yet to come.

The promise embedded within these verses is one of restoration, healing and assured hope of the coming Messiah. See, in Malachi's time, Israel was struggling through a period of spiritual lethargy and moral decay having returned from Babylonian exile decades earlier, the initial enthusiasm and zeal for the Lord's house and God's laws had dwindled and they dwindled significantly. The temple had been rebuilt and yet worship had become routine, shallow and crucially lacking genuine devotion. Sacrifices brought to God were supposed to be the best as was commanded in the law. But instead, the Israelites began offering animals that were blind and lame and sick, those that cost them least and meant little to them personally. This casual and careless attitude toward their sacrifices reflected a deeper spiritual issue. Israel had forgotten the immense promises of God. They had forgotten that God had promised a better future, a glorious future.

Their shortsightedness robbed them of hope causing them to live only for the moment and really dishonoring God with inferior offerings. See, Malachi's rebuke was pointed. “When you offer,” he says in Malachi 1:8, “when you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong when you sacrifice lame or diseased animals? Is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor. Would he be pleased with you?” See, their worship had devolved into mere formality, devoid of heartfelt commitment to their Creator. Malachi chapter four dramatically shifts Israel's focus from their current spiritual complacency to a future that is filled with divine promise. The prophet presents a stark contrast between judgment for the wicked and healing for those who fear the Lord. The Day of the Lord is depicted as a fierce fire, one that will consume the arrogant and evildoers completely. However, this terrifying judgment is not intended to be the end for God's faithful remnant, but a precursor to the unparalleled blessings and restoration that God had promised.

See in chapter four verse two, this verse beautifully encapsulates the promise of hope and restoration where it says this, “But for you who revere my name, the sun (that's SUN, not SON, the SUN), the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays and you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” (Malachi 4:2) See, this vivid imagery from Malachi emphasizes not just physical healing but spiritual renewal and profound joy. The Israelites who revered God's name, who remembered to give him their very best were promised a dawn of righteousness that would break forth into the darkness of their spiritual and social decay. So what Malachi communicates here is vital for them. See, the reason for Israel's spiritual neglect was their loss of vision for the future, a divine promise of restoration through the coming Messiah. Forgetting God's promises, they ceased giving God their best. Malachi's message actually reminds us that what we offer to God in worship, service, and devotion directly reflects how we clearly see and trust his promises.

When God's future promises are blurred, the quality and sincerity of our worship can diminish. I'm going to say that again. Listen, when God's future promises that are in the scriptures are blurred in our own life, the quality and sincerity of our worship can be diminished, and that goes for us as followers of Christ. The prophet urges Israel to return to faithfulness and wholehearted devotion because of the coming hope. The “best” he assures them is still yet to come. Malachi's final words serve as both a warning and a hopeful promise:“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents” (Malachi 4:5-6). See, this prophetic promise points forward actually to John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah preparing Israel for the arrival of Jesus the Messiah.

Indeed centuries after Malachi's prophecy, Jesus arrived as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies—that the best that God had planned was still coming. Jesus embodied “the sun of righteousness” with healing, restoration, and ultimate redemption for Israel and humanity as a whole. His coming confirmed God's faithfulness and reminded Israel that their sacrifices, their worship and their lives mattered immensely because they were part of a divine story unfolding toward a glorious culmination. Now listen for us as believers today, we face a similar temptation as ancient Israel—to offer God less than their best. When our vision becomes clouded by worldly distractions, disappointments, or complacency, we risk losing sight of God's promises. Malachi's words call us back to an earnest devotion, challenging us today to offer our best to God because we trust fully in the divine assurance that the best is yet to come. Malachi also teaches us that our present commitment reflects our future expectations.

A believer who truly anticipates the glorious future promised by God will inevitably strive to give God their absolute best today. Whether through our worship, our relationships, the stewardship of the responsibilities that God's given to us or our obedience, the quality of what we offer God speaks volumes about our trust in his promises. Our hope in God's future renewal, restoration, and the eternal reward that we have should directly influence our daily decisions, commitments, and worship to him. Additionally, Malachi emphasizes God's passionate concern for the integrity of our worship. Throughout Israel's history, God repeatedly reminded his people that worship was never meant to be a mere ritualistic practice. Instead, it was intended to be a profound encounter, reflective of a heart fully surrendered to him. When Israel's heart drifted, their worship naturally drifted by consistently offering their best, they would've affirmed their unwavering belief in God's character and his promises.

Malachi's prophecy also serves as a bridge between the Old Testament and New Testament, highlighting a period of expectancy and preparation for the arrival of the Messiah. His prophecy functioned as a divine reminder that Israel was to live in readiness, anticipating the advent of the promised Savior. This expectancy should have fueled their devotion, compelling them to give God nothing less than their absolute best. In essence, the prophet Malachi was summoning Israel back to their initial love and fervor for God, urging them to recognize their profound place within God's redemptive plan. His message remains incredibly relevant today. As followers of Christ, we also must be vigilant against the dangers of spiritual complacency, intentionally nurturing our anticipation of God's ultimate fulfillment. Finally, Malachi's prophecy serves as an enduring reminder of God's unwavering commitment to fulfill his promises. Think about it, even amidst judgment and correction, God's heart is clear.

His desire is restoration, redemption and renewal for his people. Malachi's final words echo into our present day, continually reminding us to remain faithful because God's greatest blessings are still ahead. Messiah's arrival was not only Israel's hope, it remains the hope of the world, assuring us that every sacrifice, an act of devotion offered to God, is valuable and meaningful in light of the glorious future he promises. So let's give our absolute best to God knowing with certainty that the best is yet to come. Now listen, when we come back, I want to highlight an editorial I wrote after the senseless murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. I really want to read this to you, so please stick around.

Steve Conover: Are you a new listener to our program? If you are, welcome. We're glad you're here. The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry exists to fuel your passion for the Word which should overflow to a compassion for God's Chosen People, the Jewish people.

Chris Katulka: Whether you're new to our program or have listened for years, we want to encourage you with our resources to help you see why God called us to support the Jewish people in Israel and worldwide. We have a free download, a digital version of our booklet, Whose Land is it Anyway? that we'd like to send you free today. Whose Land is it Anyway? takes the Jewish and Arab claims to the land and helps make sense of the common arguments surrounding the struggle. Whose Land is it Anyway? is an easy-to-read apologetic that will give you a clear answer as you think about Israel's right to the land.

Steve Conover: To get your free digital copy of Whose Land is it Anyway?, visit foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org.

Chris Katulka: Welcome back everyone, I recently wrote an editorial after the senseless murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington DC. It’s something I want you to hear, because I believe that this is a wake up call to the church. This is what I wrote:

The tragic and senseless murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim on the streets of Washington, D.C., are far more than another headline—they should stir the conscience of the global Church.

Both Yaron and Sarah were staff members at the Israeli Embassy, devoted defenders of the Jewish state. Their lives were cut short in what authorities are investigating as a blatant act of antisemitic terrorism. Let that sink in for a moment—Jewish people are being gunned down in the U.S. capital for their support of Israel.

But this tragedy reaches even deeper. Yaron and Sarah were not only emissaries of Israel; they were also followers of Jesus the Messiah.

According to All Israel News, family and friends described Yaron as “a devout Christian” and “a super solid believer.” His faith in Jesus and trust in God’s Word only deepened his passion for the people and land of Israel. His life testified to the truth that loving the Jewish people is not merely political—it is profoundly biblical.

In their deaths, we witness a powerful intersection between the Jewish and Christian communities—a moment that reveals just how deeply connected our stories truly are. These two Jewish believers in Jesus were killed for the “hope of Israel.” That’s what the Apostle Paul says in Acts 28:20. He uses this very phrase, the Apostle Paul, uses it to describe the unbreakable link between his faith in Jesus the Messiah and God’s promises to His people that go back to the Old Testament.

The Bible Christians cherish is a Jewish book. Its foundation rests on the covenant God made with Abraham: “Through you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). This divine promise weaves through every page of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, binding the destinies of the Church and the Jewish people together. To honor Yaron and Sarah is to remember that our faith as Christians is not separate from Israel—it is grafted into it.

The Jewish people have endured centuries of hatred, scapegoating, and violence. Since the horrors of October 7, 2023, antisemitism has surged with alarming boldness—even in places once considered safe. For Yaron and Sarah, that hatred crossed borders and invaded their very mission, their service, and their faith.

This has to  be a wake-up call to the Church: Yaron and Sarah were part of us, too.

Now is not the time for silence or apathy. Antisemitism is not merely a political or social issue—it is a spiritual evil that opposes the heart and purposes of God. It is the same darkness that has resisted God’s redemptive work through Israel and the Church throughout history.

The Apostle Paul warned Gentiles not to boast against the Jewish people. In Romans 11, he reminds us that the Church does not support the root—the root supports us. Our faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, is built on the promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Turning our backs on Israel is to forget the very foundation of our gospel hope.

For Bible-believing Christians, standing against antisemitism should not be controversial—it should be instinctive. Scripture calls us to bless whom God has blessed. I’m reminded of Balaam from Numbers chapter 23 when declared under divine compulsion, “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” (Numbers 23:8). God has blessed the Jewish people—and so should we.

Church, it is time to rise.

Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Let us stand with the Jewish people in love, in truth, and in solidarity. Let us speak out boldly against antisemitism in all its forms—whether cloaked in political rhetoric, academic ideology, or just plain, raw violence. And let us not grow weary in doing good, knowing that our King—the King of Israel—is coming back to Jerusalem.

Yaron and Sarah’s witness did not end in death. It now lives on as a clarion call to you, the Church. May we answer it with faithfulness, courage, and conviction.

Steve Conover: Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life and ministry of Holocaust survivor, Zvi Kalisher.

Mike Kellogg: Recently, I was waiting for the bus for Jerusalem, when two young men asked me for directions to a synagogue, which I gladly gave them. One replied, “We want to pray, but we have already been to that synagogue, and it is locked up tight.”

I asked, “If every synagogue were locked, would you not pray?”

They looked strangely at me. Then one asked, “How can you pray without a minyan?” A minyan is ten people required to conduct a Jewish worship service.

I responded, “God is not looking to see if you pray in a synagogue. He looks at your heart. If you pray to Him from your heart, your prayer will be heard in heaven.”

As we were talking, more people joined the conversation. Some of the men belonged to the synagogue that was locked, and, because they know me, one asked, “Why are you trying to brainwash these young men?”

I said, “My duty is to bring them closer to God—not according to the old traditions, but according to Zechariah 1:3: ‘“Return to Me,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I will turn to you.”’ Zechariah also refers to your old traditions: ‘Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets

preached, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.’” But they did not hear nor heed Me, says the LORD’” (Zech. 1:4).

It was like a small miracle to be able to give them facts from the Bible. It was also a small miracle the bus was late, giving me more time to share the truth with them.

Eventually the two young men said they wanted to repent, and they asked me to take them to the rabbi. I said, “If you really want to repent, you do not need a rabbi. Go before the Lord and open your hearts before Him.

Then you will know you are saved from your sins, and you will not have to wear those funny clothes. God is pleased when you come before Him and say, ‘Lord, save me!’ You can say, just as King David did in Psalm 25:1–2, ‘To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed.’”

I read the remainder of Psalm 25, along with some other passages, including Jeremiah 31:33: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

As soon as I spoke the word “covenant,” some of the older men said to the young men, “You must fear him. He is speaking from the New Testament, the book those Christians believe!” I told them how blind they were as I showed them I had read from the prophet Jeremiah. All were surprised.

This was the first time most of them had seen that the Jewish prophets spoke about the New Covenant. I then showed them some Old Testament passages that clearly speak of the Lord Jesus.

I pray I will have more opportunities to meet with them, especially the two young men, and tell them how they can truly repent by putting their faith and trust in the Messiah.

Steve Conover: Thanks for joining us for today's episode of The Friends of Israel Today. If you want to read or share Chris's statement that he read today or my reaction to the shooting, we'll link to both of those statements at foiradio.org. And don't forget to get your free digital download of our popular booklet, Whose Land is it Anyway?, that too is at foiradio.org. Chris, where are we headed next week?

Chris Katulka: Well, Steve, maybe some of our listeners don't know this, but we have an award-winning Christian publication called Israel My Glory. It's been in publication since 1942 and we love to feature some of the articles that are written in our most recent issues. And so I'm sitting down with our CEO and president Dr. Jim Showers to talk about his most recent article that he wrote called “Whose Side is God On?” Antisemitism is on the rise, so instead of looking at culture, what Dr. Showers does is he starts with the church. How faithfully are our pastors teaching what God has said about Israel and the Jewish people from his Word? So Jim's going to sit down and discuss with us his most recent article from Israel My Glory, “Whose Side Is God On?”

Steve Conover: And as we've mentioned, our web address is foiradio.org. Again that’s foiradio.org. Our mailing address is FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. You can call our listener line. That number is 888-343-6940. Again, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe. Edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Lisa Small is our executive producer. Sarah Fern is our associate producer. The late Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka, and I'm Steve Conover, executive director of The Friends of Israel. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.