The Lord Loves Zion
With enigmatic staccato, Psalm 87 throws assertions at its readers that at first glance seem incoherent. This Psalm seems like a bundle of fragments of thoughts that confuses rather than provides orientation.
“Psalm 87 provides a revelation, an apocalypse; it discloses a secret”
Interpreters who have studied Psalm 87 admit a prophetic quality to it. It is claimed that this Psalm explains interrelations from a perspective that is not visible to the natural eye. Psalm 87 provides a revelation, an apocalypse; it discloses a secret.
In His Sermon on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem about the last things, Jesus speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. When the disciples ask when that will happen and what the ‘sign’ will be of the end of the age, He starts off by first warning them about spiritual deceptions: false messiahs and false prophets. Only after this He mentions wars, earthquakes and famines as the beginning of birth pains. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus reports on whole series of ‘messiahs’. It was an apocalyptic time. In the years previous to the fall of Jerusalem in 7 AD, it seemed like the end times had arrived.
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The Heritage of God
How is God’s ‘Inheritance’ arranged? “And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17)
Christians are children of God. They have God as their Father. So, they are heirs of God. At the same time, that makes them fellow heirs with Christ. Together with Jesus, they inherit what God the Father has to pass. What do you, dear reader, imagine this inheritance to be? Read more
The land belongs to Israel. And within this Jewish State of Israel, which belongs to the twelve tribes of Israel, foreigners (like Arabs and Palestinians) who have lived there for generations can own trees, houses, fields, etc. They have civil rights in Israel, and therefore also humanitarian rights. However, they must respect the laws of the State of Israel, while the Israeli government in return must respect their humanitarian rights.
Israel, Light to the Nations
Rev Henk Poot - 22 December 2020Israel has been chosen by God. But as God’s chosen one the people of Israel are also God’s servant with the high calling to be a light to the world.
“In the Book of Isaiah, we read that God created Israel to proclaim His praise (Isaiah 43:12)”
In the Book of Isaiah, we read that God created Israel to proclaim His praise (Isaiah 43:12). And that is what Israel has done. We don’t always think about that, but for centuries Jerusalem has been the only place on earth where God was honoured. The rest of the world was living in ignorance and darkness. Read more
The arrival of the Bnei Menashe is a Hanukkah miracle
The group of 250 which made aliyah last week was the first to arrive in two-and-a-half years.
After a long and tiring flight throughout the night, the band of new immigrants emerged from the El Al plane and made their way slowly down the stairs, their senses heightened by the early-morning chill as well as the knowledge that their cherished dream was coming true.
Weekly Update: “Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people”
The restoration of the twelve tribes to the land continues unabated. God is fulfilling His promises.
As the articles below show, this return is being met with much opposition.
The struggles both within and around Israel can be seen as signs of the ‘birthpangs’: signs of the difficult process of giving birth to the new kingdom.
As the Christian world celebrates Christmas, we do well to remember that God is in control of history, and that He will fulfill all that He has promised.
Jesus and Israel
As Christians, we are soon going to celebrate Christmas, the coming of Jesus to this world through His Jewish mother, Mary. John teaches us that “the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And that “all things came into being through Him.” At His birth he received His name, Jesus. Before His coming to our world, He was with the Father in heaven forever as the Son of God, the Word of God, and even involved in creation. He was also deeply connected with His people Israel. Long before His coming to this world. The Old Testament often speaks about the ‘Angel of the Lord’. Sometimes an angel is just a messenger of God. The ‘Angel of the Lord’ however can also be identified as the Son of God, the Messiah. We all know that Jesus told us: “I and the Father are one” (John. 10:30). Read more
The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) has been appointed by the United Nations as the representative of the ‘Palestinian People’. The PLO was established and exists until today for the sole purpose of destroying the Jewish State, and does not seek peaceful coexistence. The two-state solution is a curse to the mind of the PLO. The Palestinian National Charter denies the legitimacy of the Jewish State of Israel, rejects every historical link between the Jewish people and the land, and is a public supporter of violently driving out all Jews to free ‘Palestine’.
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Promise and Promises
“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29
It is often said: this verse proves that the people and the land of Israel have become obsolete. What matters is, whether you belong to Christ. That makes you a true heir of the promise. Which promise does Paul mean, though? Read more
The name ‘Palestine’ does not appear in the Bible. In the Bible, the Promised Land is called ‘Canaan’ or ‘Israel’. The name ‘Palestine’ was given to this area by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the year AD 135. He hated the Jews so much that he decided to no longer call this Roman Province ‘Israel’ but ‘Palestine’ – deliberately named after Israel’s archenemies: the Philistines. He also renamed Jerusalem ‘Aelia Capitolina’.
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‘Non-stop’ food parcel delivery
Since we started our food parcel campaign at the end of October 2020, you could almost say that we have been packing and distributing food parcels non-stop.In the cities of Mariupol, Donetsk, Kiev and Vinnitsa thousands of kilos of food products are delivered every two weeks, after which they are packed and distributed by local volunteers.
From Odessa for instance we received requests for 1,720 food parcels intended for Holocaust survivors and Jewish elderly in need. Especially during the harsh winter months our support is much needed. Due to high heating costs there is little money left for food… Read more
In June this year, in response to Israel’s planned extension of sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, six European members of the UN Security Council released a joint statement calling for “Sustainable peace and stability in the Middle East.”
All countries have the right to have anti-Israel opinions and policies and express them publicly. But one would expect that democratic countries would be committed to the truth. Unfortunately, the joint statement by Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, and Norway, is a collection of hypocrisy, lies, and rewriting of history.
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Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the many restrictions of the imposed quarantine, difficulties of applying for official documents, cancelled flights and travel bans, the aliyah of the Jewish people continues.
Under normal circumstances, making aliyah is a complicated and emotional matter, fraught with the challenges of uprooting from one’s home, integrating into a new society, learning a new language, finding a job and making new friends. It is even more difficult to imagine immigration, when immediately upon arrival you find yourself in quarantine and it is impossible to buy necessities or open a bank account. The coronavirus crisis and quarantine requirements are affecting new olim (immigrants) right after their landing. Read More
Weekly Update: Dedication
This week is Hanukkah – the festival of lights. This festival reminds us that God’s covenants are not to be broken. His name alone is to be glorified. This requires dedication to Him alone.
On Thursday President Trump announced that Israel and Morocco have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations. At the same time he announced that the US would recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Read more