WHY SHOULD
ISRAEL
BE IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS? Discover What Ministry Leaders Have to Say Page 20
NEW
DISCOVERIES AT THE CITY OF DAVID
In the Steps of Jesus from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount
Page 26
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BIBLICAL REASONS
Why Christians Should Support Israel
BY
E
verything Christians do should be based upon the Biblical text. Here are seven s o l i d B i b l e r e a s o n s w h y Christians should support Israel.
1.
Genesis 12:3 “And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed.” Point: God has promised to bless the man or nation that blesses the Chosen People. History has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the nations that have blessed the Jewish people have had the blessing of God; the nations that have cursed the Jewish people have experienced the curse of God.
2.
St. Paul recorded in Romans 15:27 “For if the Gentiles have shared in their (the Jews) spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.” Christians owe a debt of eternal gratitude to the Jewish people for their contributions that gave birth to the Christian faith. Jesus Christ, a prominent Rabbi from Nazareth said, “Salvation is of the Jews!” (St. John 4:22) consider what the Jewish people have given to Christianity: a) b) c) d)
The Sacred Scripture The Prophets The Patriarchs Mary, Joseph, and Jesus Christ of Nazareth e) The Twelve Disciples f) The Apostles It is not possible to say, “I am a Christian” and not love the Jewish people. The Bible teaches that love is not what you say, but what you do.
PASTOR JOHN HAGEE
(1 John 3:18) “A bell is not a bell until you ring it, a song is not a song until you sing it, love is not love until you share it.”
3.
While some Christians try to deny the connection between Jesus of Nazareth and the Jews of the world, Jesus never denied his Jewishness. He was born Jewish, He was circumcised on the eighth day in keeping with Jewish tradition, He had his Bar Mitzvah on his 13th birthday, He kept the law of Moses, He wore the Prayer Shawl Moses commanded all Jewish men to wear, He died on a cross with an inscription over His head, “King of the Jews!” Jesus considered the Jewish people His family. Jesus said (Matthew 25:40) “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren (the Jewish people… Gentiles were never called His brethren), ye have done it unto me.”
4.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee.” (Psalm 122:6) the scriptural principle of prosperity is tied to blessing Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
5.
Why did Jesus Christ go to the house of Cornelius in Capernaum and heal his servant, which was ready to die? What logic did the Jewish elders use with Jesus to convince Him to come into the house of a Gentile and perform a miracle? The logic they used is recorded in Luke 7:5; “For He loveth our nation, and He hath built us a synagogue.” The message? This Gentile deserves the blessing of God because he loves our nation and has done something practical to bless the Jewish people.
6. Why did God the Father select the
house of Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts Chapter 10) to be the first Gentile house in Israel to receive the Gospel? The answer is given repeatedly in Acts 10. Acts 10:2 “a devout man, (Cornelius) and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.” Who were the people to whom Cornelius gave these alms? They were the Jews! Again is Acts 10:4 “…thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” Again in Acts 10:31 “…and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.” The point is made three times in the same chapter. A godly Gentile who expressed his unconditional love for the Jewish people in a practical manner was divinely selected by heaven to be the first Gentile house to receive the Gospel and the first to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These combined Scriptures verify that PROSPERITY (Genesis 12:3 and Psalm 122:6), HEALING (Luke 7:15) and the OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT came first to Gentiles that blessed the Jewish people and the nation of Israel in a practical manner.
7. We support Israel because all other
nations were created by an act of men, but Israel was created by an act of God! The Royal Land Grant that was given to Abraham and his seed through Isaac and Jacob with an everlasting and unconditional covenant. (Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-18, 15:1-21, 17:4-8, 22:15-18, 26:1-5 and Psalm 89:28-37.) Article Source: Christians United for Israel Website: http://www.cufi.org/images/learnwhy/ SevenBiblicalResons.pdf
THE MESSAGE IS OUR MISSION! BY
CHRISTOPHER M. GOULD
Vice President of National Program Development
NEW
PROGRAM UPDATES FAITH IN PRACTICE -- NEW ON WTBN Dr. A. R. Bernard: Monday - Friday 12:30 PM
The Reverend A.R. Bernard encourages viewers with biblical insights on practical faith. Dr. Bernard is the Founder, Senior Pastor and CEO of Christian Cultural Center (CCC) located in Brooklyn, New York that currently has over 33,000+ members and sits on an 11-acre campus.
Dr. A. R. Bernard
ROAD TO REALITY - GOSPEL FOR ASIA with K.P. Yohannan: Sundays 8:30 AM
Each day, followers of Christ are called to die to themselves and their flesh. The Road to Reality asks people to seek a deeper walk with Christ, to live a life wholly centered on Him and to reach out to those who are lost. Hundreds of radio stations across the nation air K.P. Yohannan's thought-provoking Road to Reality messages on how to die to yourself daily, live for Christ and develop a passion to reach the lost and dying.
K.P. Yohannan
THE UNIVERSE NEXT DOOR
with Dr. Tom Woodward: Saturdays 5:00 PM Where does the evidence lead? Find the answers to your most pressing questions about design and evolution with C.S. Lewis Society & Apologetics.org founder Dr. Tom Woodward.This program was formerly known as “Darwin or Design?”
PATHWAY TO VICTORY -- NEW ON WTBN Dr. Tom Woodward
with Dr. Robert Jeffress: Monday - Friday 7:30 AM
Established in 1995, Pathway to Victory, the broadcast ministry of Dr. Robert Jeffress, empowers believers around the world, through radio, TV, and online programming, to walk in newness of life. While satisfying the spiritual hunger of seasoned believers by digging deep into God’s Word during each program, Pathway to Victory, also aims to reach those who may not know Christ, making the program relevant to all who listen.
Dr. Robert Jeffress
spring 2012 | 11
CHRISTIANITY.COM
FAITH IN GOD & JESUS CHRIST
CROSSWALK.COM
THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH & LIFE
“For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest...” Is 62:1
Teaching the Hebrew Roots
tion of the Christian Faith orma f n i e r o For m go to .net Sabbath Services on a ise .topr w w Saturdays at 12:00 (noon) & 6:00pm w
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Dear Pastor... BY
RON WALTERS
• In an early translation of the Eskimo Bible, Matthew 24.7 had a one-letter typo, changing “Nation shall rise against nation” to “A pair of snowshoes shall rise up against a pair or snowshoes.”
T
ranslating one language to another has never been an easy assignment. What’s easily said in one man’s tongue could be a nightmare in another. But nowhere is that more true than when translating the scriptures. When dealing with God’s word, close enough isn’t good enough. Truth doesn’t have versions. Accuracy matters. Therefore, typesetting and proofreading — just like teaching and preaching — is critical. For example: • In 1631, during a reprinting of the King James Bible, the printer omitted the word “not” from the 7th commandment, causing it to read, “Thou shalt commit adultery.” The printer was fined 300 francs for his mistake. • In 1515, Psalm 91.5 was printed 1 6 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
William Tyndale lived as a fugitive from British justice for translating scripture into English. with a typo. Instead of reading, “Thou shalt not be afraid of terror by night,” it read, “Thou shalt not be afraid of bugs by night.” • In 1702, Psalm 119.161 was published saying, “Printers have persecuted me,” rather than “Princes have persecuted me.” • In 1801, Jude 16 was published calling people “murderers” instead of “murmurers.” • In 1717, the introductory headline of Luke 20 read, “The Parable of the Vinegar,” instead of “The Parable of the Vineyard.”
We can only imagine how that passage preached! But not to translate scripture isn’t the answer either. For centuries the Bible existed only in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and those rare copies were sequestered by priests who operated deep within the recesses of a fortified church. There was no such thing as a personal copy of the scriptures, or personal Bible study, or “My time in the Word.” But all that began to change when John Wycliffe, the brilliant linguist of the 14th century, began to translate scripture into English allowing citizens of Great Britain to read God’s word in their native tongue. You’d think he’d be hailed as a hero. He was not!
The few handwritten copies of Wycliffe’s Bible were considered a blasphemous affront to the church and were quickly confiscated. And, in 1408, the archbishop of Canterbury led a crusade against translating any part of scripture into English. Failure to comply was a crime punishable by death. Even as late as 1519, seven Lollards (a derisive term used by church leaders to describe untrained ministry volunteers) were burned at the stake for teaching their children the Lord’s Prayer in English. It was in this world and under these conditions that William Tyndale went to work. Tyndale, a linguistic expert, proficient in eight languages, lived a self-imposed exile in France, a fugitive from British justice for translating scripture into English. During the last twelve years of his life, before he was captured and killed, he gave his countrymen the entire New Testament and half the Old Testament.
Six thousand copies of the illegal Bibles, hot off the mechanical presses, were smuggled inside cotton bails back to England. Each cost three shillings two pence—a week’s wages for a skilled laborer. And yet, even with the hefty price tag, demand quickly outstripped supply. The archbishop of Canterbury was livid at this biblical invasion and devised a plan to counter Tyndale’s efforts. He purchased all remaining copies of Tyndale’s New Testaments and had them quickly destroyed. However, the infusion of new money enabled Tyndale to produce a much needed revised 2nd edition which included four thousand changes and corrections, cross references, marginal notes, and a much larger print run. By doing so, the archbishop unwittingly financed a project that advanced God’s words into hungry hearts throughout Great Britain.
to the great forfeiture of others who loved His teachings. Their sacrifice to “rightly divide the word of truth” in our language deserves honor from those of us who teach that Word. Martin Luther said, “The only perpetual and infallible mark of the church is always the Word of God; it must come first.” This Book, and the journey it took to get to us, is worth being first in our lives and foremost in our teaching. Blessings,
Ron Walters Senior Vice President Ministry Relations RonW@salem.cc
© Copyright 2012 by Ron Walters These stories are part of our heritage. When we teach God’s word it’s due
Pastor’s Corner
You can find encouraging words from Ron Walters, Vice President of Church Relations for Salem Communications, as well as other helpful resources for Pastors every month on our “Pastor’s Corner” page at www.bayword.com. Log on today and find a caring community to love and help you as you do the work of the Lord on the front lines every day!
WTBN’s Monthly Newsletter
Don’t miss monthly updates from your favorite Christian Teaching and Talk station; get them delivered right to your door! WTBN’s Monthly Newsletter keeps you informed about all of our most current events and keeps you motivated with special letters just for the pastor. To receive our newsletter in the mail, contact our Promotions Director, Denise Shreaves by email at dshreaves@salemtampa.com and provide you mailing address. To receive our Pastors Newsletter via email, log on to www.bayword.com/newsletters.
spring 2012 | 17
Rallying Central Florida to STAND with ISRAEL An Evening to Celebrate Israel Sat. April 28 6 pm - 10 pm
Suncoast Cathedral St. Petersburg Learn more about this dynamic event featuring the heritage and culture of Israel on page 22.
WHAT CAN EACH OF US DO TO STAND WITH ISRAEL? Pray Attend & partner with ‘Celebrate Israel 2012’ on Sat., April 28 Tell your Pastors, family and friends about this opportunity to stand as a Community for Israel Support elected officials who vote for and voice support for Israel P l e d g e s u p p o r t f o r needy Israeli Community Service Organizations. 2 0 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
Current Threats And Actions Against Israel
“As Americans, Jews and Christians together, we must support the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel. Every Jew is a Holocaust survivor. The intention was to wipe us all out. However, with the support of Jews and Christians, ‘Am Israel Chai’ (The nation of Israel lives!)”
>> Constant threat of attack from Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Gaza and West Bank
Dr. Norman Gross, Founding President of Tampa Bay PRIMER “Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting”
>> Ongoing border clashes with Gaza, Egypt, and Lebanon >> Call for the destruction of Israel by leaders of Iran, and terrorist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Hamas >> Nuclear bomb threat from Iran >> Worldwide demand for Israel to give up land >> Economic boycott proposed against Israeli and Israeli companies, including by the Methodist Church and others in the U.S. and worldwide >> Unprecedented media bias against Israel, and lack of balanced reporting and media accountability >> While the United Nations played a pivotal role in the creation of the State of Israel, for decades the U.N. has had a one-sided, hostile approach to Israel and a history of bias and marginalization.
DID YOU KNOW? “Israel is the 100th
smallest country with less than 1/1,000th of the world’s population, and yet it can lay claim to fourteen discoveries that have blessed the world.” PASTOR KEN WHITTEN
Senior Pastor of Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church Lutz, Florida
>>
Read Pastor Ken’s article on page 39 to learn more.
(Event details, next page) spring 2012 | 21
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As
THE UNIQUE NATURE OF JEW
many of the nations of the world align themselves against Israel, this is a good time to be reminded of the unique nature of anti-Semitism, hatred of the Jews because they are Jews. And while few people would claim that the modern state of Israel is flawless in its conduct or that the Jewish people are above moral reproach, there can be no question that there is something irrational, even diabolical, about Jew hatred. Consider the evidence.
BY
DR. MICHAEL BROWN
1 2 3
spring 2012 | 23
JERUSALEM BY SHAHAR SHILO
On
the slope of the City of David hill, where the Kidron and Ben Hinnom Valleys meet, the Ancient Shiloah Pool was discovered just a few years ago. This magnificent pool was constructed 2,000 years ago during the days of King Herod in Jerusalem’s glorious building tradition. This grand pool served as an important meeting point for Jerusalem’s pilgrims, who would arrive in the city to visit the Temple Mount on the three major Jewish holidays: Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth), and the Festival of Weeks (Shavuot). An impressive road once c o n n e c t e d t h e S h i l o a h 2 6 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
Pool to the Temple Mount and served as the central axis for all of Jerusalem’s pilgrims and visitors. Shops and businesses once lined the length of the Herodian Road and enjoyed the road’s centrality and the wide exposure that they had to the many pilgrims who filled Jerusalem on the holidays. The way that leads from the Shiloah Pool in the direction of the Temple Mount reached 600 meters into the valley whose Greek name once was the “Tyropoeon,” which means the Valley of the Cheese Mongers. During the Hellenistic Period the road was lined with the shops and factories of dairy product
manufacturers, so that when the winter rains would come, the valley would be washed clean of the refuse and smells that were a byproduct of the dairy industry. During Jerusalem’s Herodian Period the road was paved and at its foot, the Shiloah Pool was formed in order to store water for drinking and for the bathing purposes of the visiting pilgrims. The road became more central and important because of the increasing pilgrimage phenomenon and because of the importance of the Shiloah Pool in the culture of the pilgrims. Specifically, the Shiloah played a critical role in the Libation Ritual ceremony
Tunnel Beneath Shiloah
The Tower of David
The Herodian Road
in the steps of Jesus from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount
“
The Pool of Siloam (Shiloah) has a very important place in the Christian world, for it is the place where Jesus healed the blind men as we can read in John 9 :7 in the New Testament.
during which the waters of the Shiloah Pool were brought as an offering at the Temple Mount itself. The Pool of Siloam (Shiloah) has a very important place in the Christian world, for it is the place where Jesus healed the blind men as we can read in John 9 :7 in the New Testament. The excavations of the Herodian Road began just a few years ago and little by little that road has been revealed to us in all its glory. Abutting the road, a major drainage channel from the days of Herod has also been uncovered. The Herodian drainage channel, which runs beneath the Tyropoeon Valley, was first discovered at the end of the 19th century by the British Palestine Exploration Fund (P.E.F.). The channel was rediscovered during excavations conducted at the City of David by the Israel Antiquities Authority, under the direction of Prof. Ronny Reich from the University of Haifa. The drainage channel is over 700 meters long from the Western Wall in the north to the Pool of Shiloah down south. It was essentially a manmade tunnel built underneath the Herodian Road whose ceiling was made up of the rectangular paving stones of the road above. Its purpose was to channel the water that flowed down the slopes of Mount Zion and the Temple Mount and to gather the water into a reservoir at
“
the bottom of the valley. The drainage channel thus protected the road from flooding during the pilgrimage holidays and kept the pilgrims to the Temple Mount clean and dry. One of the most impressive things about the drainage channel is that it is not quarried out of stone, but rather, constructed at a standard that was unusual for its time—a tribute to a king for whom the quality of construction was everything. The impressive tunnel was recently cleaned as far as the Western Wall of the Temple Mount, and today, it is possible to walk through it from the pool of Siloam to the Western Wall, and feel as the pilgrims of the second temple period felt 2,000 years ago. Sections of the Herodian Road itself have been excavated, and unique steps have been revealed along its length. These steps appear in a few places along the valley between the Shiloah Pool and the Temple Mount. The entire road is paved with smooth, wide, stone steps, which alternate between short and long in length. This design was intended to create a distinguished ascent to the Temple Mount for pilgrims and to prevent running and indecent conduct when ascending to the Temple. Additionally, the unique arrangement
The Temple Mount of the steps allowed pilgrims to see both the Holy Temple and the steps in front of them intermittently during their ascent, creating a walking experience that was both safe and inspiring. In the drainage channels beneath the from the time of the Great Revolt against Rome. The channels themselves and the rare artifacts discovered bear a striking resemblance to the description of Josephus in his book “Wars of the Jews,” Volume 6, which tells the story of the Jews who hid “in the tunnels beneath the Shiloah.” Thus, this new excavation was able to authenticate Josephus’ moving historical description of the aftermath of the Revolt in Jerusalem. Today, the tunnel reaches the western wall itself and the way out is under Robinson’s Arch in the Davidson Archeological Park around the Kotel (Western Wall of Temple Mount). It is possible to walk the route from the Pool of Siloam, up through the Herodian ancient road, and continue along the whole tunnel underground. A thrilling adventure that will take you back in time.
Shahar Shilo is a Researcher and Expert Tour Guide for Ancient Jerusalem allaboutjerusalem.com spring 2012 | 27
TALLAHASSEE 2012
Bill Bunkley is the President of the Florida Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and a familiar voice throughout Florida. A native of Tampa, Bill brings his experience to today’s current spiritual, political, and cultural issues. Tune in to Drive Time with Bill Bunkley weekdays from 4-6 pm on WTBN AM 570 & 910. 2 8 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
Israel and evangelIcal
Jewish relations Marvin r. Wilson, Ph.D.
If Christians have a biblical mandate to support Israel (and I believe they do), what range of meanings do the biblical writers employ when using the term “Israel?� How might this understanding enlarge our vision of caring for Israel and developing stronger Christian-Jewish relations?
26
the torch
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spring 2012 | 31
Why is it essential for evangelical Christians to build positive friendships with the local Jewish community? There are a number of critical reasons why evangelicals should engage in this task...
www.SarasotaLovesIsrael.com
The Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative was created to: - Advocate for peace and security in Israel through education and awareness. - Raise awareness of and actively confront anti-Semitism and radical Islam. - Directly address anti-Israel activities.
3 2 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
.
s p rFiALL n g 22001121 || 33 33
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Want to be featured on the Christian Schools Resource Guide? Starting with the Fall 2012 edition, we are revamping our schools resource page for both print and online access. If you would like to ensure your school remains on this directory, please contact:
813-349-8249
Christina@salemtampa.com
to find out more information.
spring 2012 | 35
C
areless language, reflexively recycled from Pa l e s t i n i a n p ro p a g a n d a , co n t r i b u te s to contemporary confusion about the stalled Middle East peace process. In the light of ongoing frustration about the lack of progress toward renewed negotiations it’s worth examining how certain words and phrases distort the debate. Major media, for instance, regularly cite Israel’s “creation” in 1948—as if the Jewish state came into existence like an oddball lab experiment—through a sudden, arbitrary top-down process, rather than emerging through gradual, bottom-up development, like every other new nation. Commentators also frequently mention the “displacement” or “uprooting” of Palestinians, suggesting that the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland resulted in ethnic cleansing of the indigenous inhabitants—rather than recognizing the dramatic increases in the area’s Arab population due to the economic development and improved living standards that the new Jewish immigrants brought with them. Both these mindless distortions appeared in the same sentence of an Associated Press report 3 6 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
“
“
spring 2012 | 37
3 8 | W T B N Fa i t h Ta l k
BY BY PASTOR KEN WHITTEN
BLESSINGS 1. The cell phone was developed in Israel by Israelis working in Israel’s branch of Motorola. 2. V o i c e m a i l t e c h n o l o g y was developed in Israel. 3. The technology for AOL InstantMessenger ICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis. 4. Israel has the highest percentage of home computers per capita in the world, plus the highest ratio of University degrees per capita. 5. It was a Jew, Hyam Solomon, who financed George Washington in the Revolutionary War. 6. Ever take an aspirin? Bayer, who developed the aspirin, was a Jew. 7. Ever been vaccinated for Polio? Dr. Salk and Dr. Sabin were Jews. 8. Ever had a heart condition? The doctor who first prescribed Digitalis was Dr. Trebo, a Jew. 9. Ever been to the dentist and had your gums deadened before drilling? You can thank Dr. Strucker, a Jew. 10. E v e r b e e n s i c k a n d y o u r doctor prescribed Streptomycin? Dr. Waxman was a Jew.
11. Ever been helped by the Salvation Army? Its founder William Booth’s mother was a Jew. 12. Are you Roman Catholic? The first Pope was a Jew. 13. Mathematics and the theory of relativity—how about Albert Einstein, a Jew. 14. Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, n o r a d i a t i o n , d i a g n o s t i c instrumentation for breast cancer. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Israel and her people. They are a country sovereignly blessed by God’s grace, and we are a recipient of that blessing.
OBEDIENCE God’s Word says in Psalm 122:6 to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” The Jews have known insurmountable persecution and heartache under many ungodly rulers – Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Nero, Hitler; under the Turks, Russians, and Arab nations, and even by some who name the
name of Christ and call themselves Christians. But God made a promise, and that promise He made to David says, “I will not lie to David; My covenant will I not break” (Psalm 89:33-35). God prophesied the Jews would be disobedient, dispersed, discredited, but He promised the Jews would not be destroyed. The King of Egypt could not defeat them. The Red Sea could not drown them. Jonah’s whale could not digest them. The fiery furnace would not disintegrate them. A lion could not devour them. Haman’s gallows could not destroy them. The nations of the earth could not assimilate them, and this world cannot annihilate them. Why should we stand with Israel? Because God Almighty does, and He promises blessing to those who will.
Ken Whitten is the Senior Pastor of Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Florida
spring 2012 | 39
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