The Year of Jubilee (Part 1 of 2): Everybody needs a reset at some point. When things go wrong, we wish we could start fresh. Thanks to God’s instructions for the Promised Land, Israel had this opportunity! This week and next we’ll learn about the year of Jubilee, a uniquely identifying part of Israel’s culture. Every seven years, the Land …
IMG In Depth: Interview with David Gunn: Because God loves His people, He has dwelt among them in various ways throughout history—in the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the person of Jesus Christ. But when Jesus died on the cross to save sinners from death, God gave humanity access to Himself in a new way: within believers in Jesus themselves through …
Was Jesus a Zionist? (Part 2 of 2): Last week we studied examples from Jesus’ life that demonstrate that He was undeniably a Zionist who understood the inextricable link between the Jewish people and the land of Israel. But after Jesus’ death and resurrection, did that special connection become irrelevant? Is Jesus still a Zionist today? Chris finds the answer …
Was Jesus a Zionist? (Part 1 of 2): Anti-Zionism is spreading throughout the world. Recently, college campuses have become hotbeds for this form of antisemitism, as protesters against Israel chant, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” But the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is the nation of Israel’s. The fierce wave of …
The Shema, Part 4: What does it mean to love God with all your strength? It goes far beyond physical power! The conclusion of our series on the Shema and loving God with our whole hearts brings us to the final portion of the command in Deuteronomy 6. The word we read in Scripture translated as “strength” comes from the …
The Shema, Part 3: Are we made of body and soul, or are we one holistic being? After studying the heart last week, our study of the Shema in Deuteronomy 6 brings us to Moses’ instruction to the Israelites to love the Lord with all their soul. The Hebrew word nefesh used in Deuteronomy 6 sheds light on what our …
The Shema, Part 2: Before the call to love God “with all your heart,” the well-known Shema begins with an instruction to “hear.” While this part of the Shema is easy to overlook, it sets the tone of God’s Word to the Israelites, as it invites them to know and follow Him truly, developing a heart of loving obedience. Part …
The Shema, Part 1: In Moses’ final words to the Israelites in Deuteronomy, he told them, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.” The listening Israelites, already physically circumcised as a mark of the nation’s covenant with God, must have been taken aback. But what God intended for His people went far beyond the act …
The Lord’s Prayer, Part 3: The Lord’s prayer is brief and seemingly simple at first glance. But as we dig deeper into Jesus’ model prayer for His disciples, we understand God’s intentions more clearly by uncovering the rich context that His listeners understood. Concluding our 3-part series on the Lord’s prayer, we consider the Year of Jubilee, a year of …
The Lord’s Prayer, Part 2: Jesus prayed to the Father, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What does this Kingdom look like? The Hebrew prophets provide answers in specific, physical details. Part 2 of our 3-part series on the Lord’s prayer directs our attention to Jesus’ focus on the Kingdom of God. …
