Interview w/ Cameron JoynerLittle did The Friends of Israel’s (FOI’s) ORIGINS team members know when they touched down in Israel that, within hours, they would be planted in a warzone. In June, our team of young adults unexpectedly endured Iran’s nightly waves of rocket attacks on Israel, and they did it with confidence in the Lord, relying on His protection …
Clean vs. UncleanWhy were the priests such an important part of ancient Israel? This week, in part 2 of our series on the priests, we see how necessary they were in separating the clean from the unclean, as God explained in the Law to the Israelites. Did “unclean” indicate sin? Not always. Uncleanness was simply a part of being human …
Holy vs. CommonWhile leading His people out of Egypt to the Promised Land, God distinguished between what was common and what was holy. It was the only way He, being perfectly holy, could dwell among His people. This week, we begin a 2-part series on God’s requirements of Israel’s priests and His Chosen People, which shape our understanding of holiness, …
Israel’s Unprecedented War With IranOn Friday, June 13, Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran’s military and nuclear programs, as the Islamic Republic reportedly almost enriched its uranium to the point of building a nuclear bomb. Israel targeted strategic military locations and leaders, weakening Iran’s ability to retaliate at maximum strength. Still, Iran responded by launching many waves of ballistic …
Israel My Glory In Depth: Interview w/ Jim ShowersChristians who study God’s Word can easily see how much God loves Israel and the Jewish people—it’s all over Scripture! Yet, so many churches sit on the fence and struggle to endorse Zionism—the Jewish people’s right to their own state in their ancestral homeland. What’s the reason for churches’ lukewarm approach to …
The Coming MessiahMalachi’s prophecies unmistakably drive home the truth that Israel’s halfhearted sacrifices were not pleasing to God because the people were far from His heart. But in chapter 4, the prophet turned the attention from Israel’s spiritual complacency to its future filled with divine promise, the opening to God’s great blessing and restoration. The finale of our 4-part series …
God’s MessengerThe first two chapters of Malachi paint an unflattering picture of the Jewish people after returning to their land. Instead of giving the Lord their best, they offered halfhearted sacrifices to Him. But in chapter 3, God graciously assured Israel He would send His Messenger and that His presence would return to the Temple! Part 3 of our 4-part …
The Table of the LᴏʀᴅThe prophet Malachi referred to the Temple altar as “the table of the Lᴏʀᴅ,” indicating a close relationship and fellowship between God and His people. Yet, the Israelites flippantly offered unworthy sacrifices on this table, failing to give the Lord the honor due Him. Part 2 of our 4-part series on the book of Malachi examines …
Give God Your Best Because the Best is Yet to Come!In the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi warned the children of Israel that they needed to repent of their sin. Having recently returned to the Holy Land from exile, they were guilty of the same sin with which many of us struggle today: spiritual apathy, or …
Israel’s IndependenceThe state of Israel is a thriving, bustling democracy. But the freedoms Israelis enjoy today came at the expense of much pain and war immediately at its inception. A recently revealed excerpt from the diary of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, offers an unfiltered view into the tension-filled beginnings of the Jewish state and reminds us of the …
