Volume 47 | Number 3
JEWISH VOICE TODAY MAGAZINE
Is Christian Support of Israel Waning? May/June 2013 | Iyar/Sivan/Tamuz 5773 | zwmt/!wys/ryya
JEWISH VOICE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 2013 MEDICAL OUTREACH DATES
F
ical first-ever med ollowing our une J Zimbabwe in outreach to 5,791 e witnessed 2012, where w Zimbabwe, ba of Mposi, em L s u io c pre siah, a as their Mes receive Yeshu sianic ed a new Mes h s li b ta es e w d training identifying an congregation, joint through the s er ad le w ne and the ewish Voice efforts of J titute ish Bible Ins ew J c ni ia s es M eading year we are h (MJBI). This history engwa. Make er b M to k ac rough b e minister th w as s u h it again w f Yeshua the Gospel o d an e in ic ed m me to re Lemba co o m y an m ee and s essiah! know their M
e! w b a b im Z in d l Wor e h t o t r e t t e L Be God’s Love : s l a n o i s s e f o r P l a ic d e M l l A r o f r e f f O y 1st l a M y b s Specia e h c a e r t we ou b a b im Z H T O B r Sign up fo count! is d 0 0 2 1 $ a e and receiv mission r medical e h t o n a r o oin us f imbabwe, tribe of Z a b m e L e to th t boasts munity tha m o c h is w bers a Je ,000 mem 0 0 4 e iv s s outhern an impre ntries in s u o c l a r ve e ws, spanning s emenite Je Y e r a a b m e Le ndants Africa. Th , or desce im n a h o C s your identified a on’t miss D . t s ie r P the n aid and of Aaron umanitaria h e d vi o r p of chance to the Lemba o t a u h s f Ye the love o imbabwe. Buhera, Z
J
NEW!
h
rg /outreac .o e ic o v h is w e .j w tion, visit ww For more informa ESHUA. or call 800-299-Y 2 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
M]L[ SHALOM Dear JVMI Partners and Friends,
The story of the nation of Israel is still being written and each of us must decide which part we will play in that story— as protagonist (for) or antagonist (against). This is not a political issue—it is, at its heart, a deeply spiritual one.
In fact, a quick read of Genesis 12:3 and Psalm 122:6 make it very clear which side we should stand for: We must bless Israel if we want to be blessed in return. But what does that blessing look like? How do we truly stand for God’s Chosen Nation? And what can we learn from those who have chosen to turn away from Israel? This month we are privileged to keep our finger on the pulse through our highcaliber Washington Correspondent William Koenig and in-the-know journalist Carrie Hart, our beloved Staff Evangelist Jack Zimmerman, and our friends with a heart for Israel, Norm Franz, Kevin Geoffrey, and many others. Plus, I am excited to offer my article “Seven Reasons to Bless Israel,” which I believe will jumpstart your spirit and challenge you to find new ways to support Israel. But before you read this magazine, I just want to take a moment to thank you for your continual support for both Israel and the ministry here at Jewish Voice. We covet your prayers, your financial gifts, and your boldness in stepping out in faith to join us on an outreach as a volunteer. The fields are white unto harvest and the fruit of our labors is within reach. Let’s align ourselves with God’s will in these Last Days. When we choose to sacrificially bless Israel, then the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will prosper us in return. And that’s a promise!
Jonathan Bernis, President & CEO Jewish Voice Ministries International
Jewish Voice Today
3
CONTENTS
12
7 On Topic 7 UP FRONT Seven Reasons to Bless Israel By Jonathan Bernis
10 PERSPECTIVE Pro-Israel Supporters Can Help Win Wars By Carrie Hart
12 PERSPECTIVE The Blessing or the Curse? By Jack Kinsella
14 WASHINGTON UPDATE Theological Error Greatly Endangering Israel By William Koenig
18 PERSPECTIVE God’s Reciprocal Blessing of Israel: As We Bless Israel, We Will Also Be Blessed By Norm Franz
4 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
Jewish Holiday & Observance 24
JEWIS H HOLIDAY Shavuot, The Sequel By Jack Zimmerman
20
14
Regulars 3 SHALOM By Jonathan Bernis
5 NOTEWORTHY 6 PRAISEWORTHY
20 PERSPECTIVE The Decline of the British Empire
16
RESOURCES
By Doug Preudhomme
22 PERSPECTIVE Remain in the Root By Kevin Geoffrey
26 PERSPECTIVE Praying Prayers That Get Answered By Paula Walberer
Where to Watch! 30 BROADCAST GUIDE Join us monthly for our 60-minute live, interactive webcast, and get your questions about Israel, Bible prophecy, current events, and theology answered on the show. Please visit www.jewishvoice.org/webcast for the latest information.
NOTEworthy As Believers, it is essential for us to stand for those things that God has already placed His stamp of approval on, and one of those things is His heart for the nation of Israel. We know that God loves His Chosen People, but sometimes we aren’t sure why we should also cherish this specific population—
Todah Rabah, thank you, to: Publisher
Executive Editor Jonathan Bernis Director of Communications Mary Ellen Breitwiser
other than we just simply should. And in a world that is increasingly hostile to the nation of Israel, we need to know specifically why we should support our Jewish brothers and sisters and how to support them in a tangible way.
Jewish Voice Ministries International P.O. Box 31998 Phoenix, AZ 85046-1998 USA 602-97l-850l 800-299-YESHUA www.jewishvoice.org Jewish Voice Ministries Canada P.O. Box 476 Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3P2 855-7-YESHUA www.jewishvoice.ca
Assoc. Ed./ Social Media Specialist Laura Peck Art Director Evie Kriegbaum
Magazine questions or comments: magazine@jewishvoice.org
Graphic Designers Evie Kriegbaum Jennifer Nelson Production Supervisor Kathleen Johnston
reading perspectives from Jonathan and our key contributors, you will recommit with greater knowledge to Beloved Israel, knowing that God honors your solidarity. —The JVMI Publications Team
And that’s why we bring you this edition of Jewish Voice Today magazine. It’s our hope that after
Jewish Voice Ministries UK Admail 4224 London W2 4UN 855-9-YESHUA www.jvmi.co.uk
Senior Writer Jenni Keast
About This Issue
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from the New International Version.
www.facebook.com/ JewishVoice
www.youtube.com/ jewishvoicetoday
www.twitter.com/ jewish_voice
jewishvoice. wordpress.com
Search for "JVMI" under Groups
Jewish Voice Today
5
PRAISEworthy
Comments from Our Readers
Dear Jonathan Bernis and JVMI Staff, I had the privilege to participate in the Festival outreach in Mexico City this past August. What a pleasure! I just received the amazing photo journal of the experience and I wanted to personally express my appreciation. It does not go unnoticed that JVMI is a ministry of high caliber, integrity, and vision. Thank you for being outstanding in all that you put your hands to do. You set the bar high and are a beautiful witness to the Body of Messiah and the world.
MEXICO CITY FESTIVAL PHOTO BOOK Photos from the 2012 Festival in Mexico City.
Gracias, In Messiah, Tiffany Thompson
BOOK | ORDER #8650 | $23.00 GIFT
I came across your television program back in December 2012, and in this short time, it has really changed my life as a Believer. Through your program, God has opened my eyes to so many things with renewed understanding and appreciation for my faith. I thank you for educating me that my faith is a Jewish one. The more I connect with that reality of my faith, the more I have been changed, enlightened, and fulfilled. I feel like the light bulb in my head and heart has finally come on, and I am growing ever deeper toward God and my understanding of what it means to be a Christian.
Watch past episodes of our television program on the web! •
jewishvoice.org/tvshow
•
youtube.com/jewishvoicetoday
6 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
I just wanted to say thank you to Jonathan Bernis, his entire family, and the crew at Jewish Voice. May God continue to richly bless you as you continue on with His mission. In Yeshua’s Love, Paula Rizner, Illinois
U P F R O N T | J O N AT H A N B E R N I S
Seven Reasons to Bless Israel A
while back, I happened upon an essay written by the winner of Israel’s national “Why I Love Israel” essay contest. I was struck by the writer’s poignant—and surprisingly prophetic—words: “For thousands of generations we Jews have known that our destiny lies in the Holy Land . . . I can picture in my mind’s eye her very streets, thronging with Jews singing and dancing, rejoicing in the redemption of our nation as Jerusalem waits longingly for her glory to return. God . . . we’re here and we’re waiting.” As I read this, I couldn’t help but wonder: Did this Jewish writer derive her inspiration from the traditional Sheva Barachot (Seven Blessings) read at Jewish weddings: “. . . Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom. . . .” (Jeremiah 33:10-11). Or, was it just divinely downloaded into her imagination? Surprisingly, most Jewish People are not waiting for a literal Messiah or expecting the establishment of a Messianic Kingdom. In fact, many Jews in the generations following the Holocaust don’t even believe in God. Faith in Jewish Voice Today
7
God and the Holy Scriptures has been replaced by a commitment to social justice and the preservation of the Jewish People. This is where you come in. As a follower of the Messiah who knows the God of Israel, you have a debt of responsibility to the Jewish People. After all, it was the Jewish People who penned the Scriptures, the Jewish apostles who carried the Good News throughout the world, and the Jewish Messiah who died for your sins. The apostle Paul provides us a list of the spiritual contributions given to us through the Jewish People (see Romans 9:4-5) and then links the salvation of the Nations (Gentiles) to their rejection. He then commissions us to win them back to the Lord by “provoking them to jealousy” (Romans 11:11 NKJV).
3. Your Debt of Gratitude Jesus was a Jew. He came first for His own people. If you were not born of Jewish parents, you are, by faith, a wild olive branch grafted into the natural olive tree, which is Israel. As I’ve already mentioned, the spiritual foundation of our faith came through the Jewish People. Paul, as the apostle to the Gentiles, sought to impart a heart of gratitude to the Church when he warned them not to be arrogant toward the Jewish People, but grateful . . . “Do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you” (Romans 11:18).
4. Your Salvation
Seven Reasons To Bless The Children Of Israel
Salvation is not only to be proclaimed first to the Jews, “salvation is also from the Jews” (John 4:22). While Gentiles who have, by faith, become “spiritual sons and daughters of Israel” and have been made partakers of this New Covenant, this in no way negates the original terms of the Covenant itself. In other words, Gentile Believers do not “replace” the Jewish People, but become joint heirs of the promises given to Israel, including the forgiveness of sin. (See Jeremiah 31:31-34.)
1. Your Obedience to His Word
5. Your Prophetic Promise
First and foremost, you need to love, bless, and share your faith with the Jewish People because God commands us to do so in His Word. From Genesis to Revelation, the Lord continually declares His love and faithfulness to the Children of Abraham. Even in the midst of their disobedience, God remains faithful to them and promises to never forsake them. He commands us to bless what He blesses and love what and whom He loves.
God has promised to restore Israel in the last days (Amos 9:14), and we are contemporary witnesses to this miracle. The fact that Israel has been re-gathered to their ancient homeland after nearly 2,000 years of wandering is a sign and a wonder to the world that testifies of God’s faithfulness. And if God is that faithful to Israel—despite their rebellion as well as centuries of persecution—this should leave no doubt in your mind that His promises to you will be fulfilled as well. This includes personal promises that He has spoken over your life.
God has given you and all Believers the all-important ministry of reconciliation—a ministry that has unequivocally always been prioritized to “the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). Sadly, over the last 2,000 years, the Church has been grossly remiss in fulfilling that commission.
2. Your Exceedingly Great Rewards God tells us, “I will bless those who bless you [Abraham] and whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). Blessing Abraham and his descendants honors God and His Word. History has repeatedly borne out the truth of this decree. Not only individuals but Nations have been blessed and cursed by God in response to their treatment of the Jewish People. Moreover, we are commanded to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” and are further told that we shall prosper if we do so (Psalm 122:6 NKJV). Do you want to be blessed and to prosper? Then bless the Jewish People and pray for Israel. 8 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
6. Your Time of Refreshing The Bible links your salvation to Israel’s rejection of the Gospel. In Romans 11:11 we are told that “because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.” Paul then goes on to reveal in verse 15: “For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” In other words, just as their rejection is linked to the salvation of the world, an even greater blessing is linked to their return,
world revival. We see this same linkage in Acts 3:19 when Peter admonishes his Jewish brethren in the temple courts to “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” The return of the Jewish People back to God will release revival upon the earth, the likes of which have never been seen throughout history. Do you want to see revival in your life, your family, your city, and your nation? Then do your part to reconcile Israel back to their God.
7. Your World to Come In the Olam Habah (the world to come) you will serve a Jewish Lord and worship in a New Jerusalem. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel will be inscribed on the city gates (Revelation 21:12), and you will experience the great delight of enjoying communion with the patriarchs and heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11). Can it get any more exciting—or Jewish—than that?
As a follower of the Messiah who knows the God of Israel, you have a debt of responsibility to the Jewish People.
Jewish Voice Today
9
PERSPECTIVE | CARRIE HART
PRO-ISRAEL SUPPORTERS
CAN HELP WIN WARS A
majority of Americans support Israel. Still, the Jewish State is losing its place among the nations. .Israel is being maligned by an international community that will not recognize its sovereignty, yet claims to care about its security. Because of Israel’s refusal to withdraw to the 1967 Green Line; to give up its towns in the biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria; and to divide its holy city of Jerusalem, the nations are angry and forcing Israel into isolation.
This is evident by the global backlash Israel endured after two military operations in Gaza to stop rocket attacks; and after the UN vote by 138 members for Palestinian statehood. Following that political maneuver by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel would build in the E1 corridor between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem. This is a narrow land area that Israel needs for housing growth. However, the Palestinians contend its part of their territory. Pressing for full membership in the United Nations for the “state of Palestine,” the Palestinians have threatened 10 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
to bring Israeli settlement activity to the International Criminal Court. The diplomatic war against Israel is intensifying; as is the public relations war due to media bias that contributes to an anti-Israel atmosphere worldwide.
OCCUPIED OR DISPUTED TERRITORY? Contrary to popular belief, the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) is not “occupied” Palestinian territory. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inaccurately stated in January 2013 that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. During the British Mandate (1922), Palestine was called the national homeland that belonged to the Jewish People. After the 1967 Six Day War and until today, the area of the West Bank that Ban is referring to is legally considered “disputed,” not “occupied” territory. Yet, Ban’s false declaration has become an accepted norm internationally. The European Union (EU) has stated that Israel’s settlement expansion is the main obstacle to regional peace. EU leaders have also adopted the position
that Jerusalem must be divided. Palestinian tactics are to get the world (through the UN, EU, and other diplomatic forums) to set the terms for peace, and then impose those terms on Israel.
construction to natural growth around settlement blocs—areas that Israel expected to retain in a future peace deal. But, the Palestinians have objected to any Israeli housing construction beyond the Green Line. Today, when Israel builds in contested areas, including east Jerusalem, there is an immediate outcry.
who want to see the Jewish State eliminated. With the presence of Al-Qaeda, Salafists, and other radical Islamists on Israel’s borders, Netanyahu has taken steps to build walls to keep infiltrators out. He hopes this will decrease terror attacks originating from Islamic Sunni and Shiite extremists.
U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to the Middle East gave him an opportunity to speak directly to the people of Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. e He could offer his own proposal for defining the borders of a Palestinian state by the In Palestinian end of this year Netanyahu’s centrist incitement against government may concede to American Israel, which is evident pressure on Israel to accept Palestinian in their maps and pre-conditions in order to jump school textbooks that Benjamin Netanyahu, start the peace process. Netanyahu’s show no evidence Israel’s greatest photo by Carrie Hart decision to include Tzippi Livni in of the Jewish State, adversary is Iran. his government, as Justice Minister they have adopted Its leaders want to and Chief Israeli negotiator in talks an extreme Islamic ideology. This see the annihilation of Israel. Despite with the doctrine contends diplomacy, and in spite of sanctions Palestinians, that the land is part and demands for it to stop, Iran is shows he is of the Wakf (Muslim enriching uranium at a fast pace, willing to trust), and therefore, getting closer to building a bomb. appease Obama should be returned to in trying to end the keepers of Islam. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe the IsraeliThe actual land that Ya’alon is faced with the increased Palestinian Islamic scholars are demand on Israel’s military forces to conflict. referring to is all of thwart terrorist actions on all fronts, Israel, not just Judea including the reality of 200,000 Tzippi Livni, photo by Carrie Hart For years, the and Samaria. missiles aimed at the nation’s citizens. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) In Israel’s wars and HOSTILE has declared that Israel is occupying rumors of war, not NEIGHBORS Palestinian territory in the West Bank; everyone can come to and the media has, overwhelmingly, the Land and join the Israel is surrounded adopted this position. The ICRC sees IDF; nor become an by enemies Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria official ambassador including Hamas as a violation of the Fourth Geneva on Israel’s behalf; and Hezbollah, Convention, and has promoted this Moshe Ya'alon, photo by Carrie Hart but, supporters can who are sworn bias in UN forums. Meanwhile, the play a vital role in adversaries of the 2012 Israeli Levy Report provides a enhancing Israel’s public image. Jewish State. Despite Israel’s peace strong case for the legitimate rights treaty with Egypt, Cairo’s President of the Jewish People to settle in their WHAT CAN BE DONE Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim contested heartland. There’s hope Brotherhood are known for their antithat Netanyahu will adopt this report The Arab Revolution has brought Semitic tirades against Jews. in order to make Israel’s land case radical Islamists to power causing stronger globally. Middle East instability. The turmoil In Syria’s civil war, both President Bashar Assad’s forces and the Sunni During his previous term in office, (Continued on page 28) rebels fighting him are foes of Israel Netanyahu limited building Jewish Voice Today
11
PERSPEC TIVE | JACK KINSELLA
The Blessing or the Curse? T
he restoration of the Jews to the Promised Land is one of the most staggeringly overt fulfillments of Bible prophecy to occur in the last 2,000 years. The Hebrew prophets all foretold an eventual restoration of Israel, even addressing the future state by name—in some cases, centuries after Israel had ceased to exist. Jesus said, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened”(Matthew 24:32-34). In his book Personal Witness, Ambassador Abba Eban, one of Israel’s Founding Fathers and Israel’s first Foreign Minister, wrote: “In accordance with our plan, a letter from [Chaim] Weizmann to [President] Truman had been sent on May 13 asking him to recognize our new state. The expected infant state was still nameless, since the Zionist leaders were still characteristically arguing over the name (Should it be “Judea?” “Zion?” What about the name “Israel”?). Weizmann, for the first time in history, was asking for a nameless state to be recognized . . . .” Although Ezekiel confidently wrote of the restored Jewish State as “Israel” 2,500 years before, those who
12 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
actually served as midwives to the rebirth did not decide on the name until the very day before!
Shah to the sixth-century mullocracy (rule by Islamic religious leaders, also termed mullahcracy) it is today.
The miraculous nature of Israel’s rebirth impressed Harry Truman, who officially recognized the Jewish State despite the opposition of his closest advisors, who failed to appreciate the prophetic significance of the event.
For the next sixty years, the United States remained Israel’s closest and most dependable ally and friend. Until just recently, that is.
Secretary of State George Marshall told Truman in blunt terms, “If you give this recognition, Mr. President, I may not vote for you in the next election.” Despite the opposition, President Truman became the first head of state to recognize Israel’s independence. It is a little known fact that while Truman was the first head of state to recognize Israel, responding with de facto recognition within minutes, the Soviets were the first to grant Israel official de jure recognition within two days. America withheld official de jure recognition for more than a year. (During that same year, the Soviets caught up with America’s atomic program and passed America in the space race. Coincidence? I don’t think so.) The first Muslim country to grant de jure recognition to Israel was Iran. When the Soviets realized Israel was looking to the West, they withdrew recognition and began cultivating relationships with the Arab Middle East. Soviet fortunes wavered accordingly until it collapsed in 1991. Iran withdrew recognition of Israel following the Islamic Revolution. Iran’s fortunes also began to waver as it degenerated from a prosperous Westernized monarchy under the
According to the CIA World Factbook, some 22.6 percent of Israelis are listed as being Europe/ American born, forming the largest immigrant group in the country.
turned the thumbscrews tighter, telling Israel to stop building more settlements, dismantle existing outposts, and allow Palestinians freedom of movement. A week after that, the administration said it would pressure Israel into signing the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty, which would force it to dismantle its nuclear arsenal. By mid-June, the number of Israelis that viewed the Obama
“And I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). For many Americans, and especially many Christians, Israel is practically the 51st state—when something bad happens to Israel it is almost like it happened to us. In 2001 the United States was attacked by al-Qaeda. Osama bin Laden cited American support for Israel as a principle reason for the attack. Shortly thereafter, America began to quietly rethink its position. In 2009, when President Obama took office, U.S. foreign policy toward Israel abruptly changed. In May the White House let it be known that efforts to stop Iran hinged on peace talks with the Palestinians. The Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported that National Security Advisor James Jones sent a telegram to his European counterpart saying United States, European Union, and moderate Arab states must redefine ‘a satisfactory endgame solution.’ Israel was not mentioned as a party to the talks. Later, Vice President Joe Biden and current Secretary of State John Kerry
administration as pro-Israel plummeted from 31 percent to just 6 percent. Since then, “Obama Throwing Israel Under the Bus” has become a common headline on the Internet. Mitt Romney pointedly accused the President of “throwing Israel under the bus” during a campaign speech on May 19, 2012 after the administration insisted that the new starting point for negotiations with the Palestinians be the pre-1967 borders! It is important to remember that the pre-1967 borders are pretty much the same as the 1948 borders, so with that as a starting point, what is left for Israel to negotiate? During the same week that Obama articulated America’s new position—a position so anti-Israeli that it prompted Israel’s Prime Minister to throw caution to the winds and directly criticize the policy while standing in the well of the U.S. Congress—America
(Continued on page 28) Jewish Voice Today
13
WA S H I N G TO N U P D AT E | W I L L I A M K O E N I G
Theological Error Greatly Endangering Israel
A
s our biblically significant times continue to unfold at a breathtaking pace, theological error is endangering Israel.
The replacement theology part of the Church, which believes the Church has replaced Israel and that there is no biblical significance to the State of Israel, is damaging Israel through its statements. Approximately 100 million U.S. church attendees—and 1 billion worldwide—have no understanding of the biblical and prophetic significance of the modern state of Israel. Leaders of these church organizations continue to state publicly that they believe Israel has no right to make biblical claims to the Land of Israel. The Vatican, the World Council of Churches, and the National Council of Churches continue to make statements, take positions, and sponsor peace conferences that are in total opposition to the Bible. This error continues to spawn Jewish persecution and anti-Semitism, which is alive and active in Europe and gaining momentum in other parts of the world. 14 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
The church is rapidly dying in Europe, but a few pastors— such as Steven Sizer, the incumbent of the Anglican parish of Christ Church, Virginia Water, in Surrey, England—is obsessed with chastising Christian supporters of Israel, continues to call on Israel to leave the occupied land, and supports an Arab state in Judea-Samaria with a capital in East Jerusalem. Sizer is doing this through his books, videos, and speeches in Europe and the United States. He is also one of the cosponsors of the Christ at the Checkpoint conferences with Bethlehem Bible College. Rather than addressing the very serious level of Christian persecution in the Middle East and attempting to stop the collapse of the Christian church in his country, Sizer continues to interfere with God's Land and His plan for the Jewish People. The following are several of the main points of the “Christ at the Checkpoint Manifesto”1 that are completely inaccurate: • Any exclusive claim to land of the Bible in the name of God is not in line with the teaching of Scripture. • For Palestinian Christians, the occupation is the core issue of the conflict. • Any challenge to the injustices taking place in the Holy Land must be done in Christian love. Criticism of Israel and the occupation cannot be confused with anti-Semitism and the delegitimization of the State of Israel. The World Jewish Daily wrote in “Vatican Synod: Jews Are Not ‘Chosen’ and Have No Promised Land” that Monsignor Cyril Salim Bustros, Greek Melkite archbishop of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Boston, Mass., said at a Vatican press conference on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010: “The Holy Scriptures cannot be used to justify the return of Jews to Israel and the displacement of the Palestinians, to justify the occupation by Israel of Palestinian lands. We Christians cannot speak of the ‘promised land’ as an exclusive right for a privileged Jewish people. This promise was nullified by [Yeshua HaMashiach]. There is no longer a chosen people—all men and women of all countries have become the chosen people.” The Times of Israel wrote in the article “At Interfaith Meet in Jerusalem, a Grim Picture of Jewish-Protestant
Relations” that Jewish-Protestant relations are currently undergoing a severe crisis after senior leaders of Mainline Protestant churches in the United States in October 2012 accused Israel of “widespread” human rights violations and urged Congress to reconsider military aid to Jerusalem. “I am completely pessimistic in terms of believing that I, we, are going to overturn 2,000 years of erroneous theology that has manifested itself in all kinds of diatribes and anti-Semitic factions,” said the Rev. Paul Wilkinson, the associate minister at Hazel Grove Full Gospel Church, a small pro-Israel congregation in Stockport, England. “I believe we'd be fooling ourselves if we believed that we can overturn and change what I perceive to be a Goliath of theology in the church. The Goliath we face is the Goliath of replacement theology, the Goliath of Christian Palestinianism that taunts Israel, that goads Israel, that accuses Israel, that condemns Israel and those Christians who stand with Israel,” said Wilkinson. Wilkinson was speaking on Monday, Nov. 4, 2012, at the opening session of a consultation organized by the B'nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem and the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel (ETRFI). Founded in 1966 by Jerusalem-based clergymen and theologians, ETFRI seeks to promote Jewish-Christian relations. In closing, the Abrahamic Covenant is an everlasting agreement that the God of Israel made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants, and no earthly political leader or church leader has the right to divide the Promised Land. And as shown in my book Eye to Eye: Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel, those who have attempted to divide or conquer the Land of Israel have suffered enormous consequences as well as their countries and will continue to do so in the future. 1 You can read the “Christ at the Checkpoint Manifesto” online at http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com/
William Koenig is the director of “Koenig International News” (http://watch. org), an Internet news service with readers and e-mail subscribers in 50 states and 105 countries, and has been a White House correspondent since January 2001. Koenig publishes an online weekly news report called “Koenig’s Eye View from the White House” that focuses on biblically relevant world news and White House news from a Christian perspective. He has authored Eye to Eye: Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel, which is in its 14th printing, and published the book in Hebrew. Jewish Voice Today
15
RESOURCES
Show Your Support for Israel
STAR OF DAVID WHEAT LAPEL PIN This beautiful silver and gold-plated lapel pin features the Jewish Voice logo, and is a great conversation starter—a way to open the door to speak to someone about your faith. (Dimensions: 1 1/16” sq. inches) ORDER #2851 | $45.00 GIFT
GATES OF BLESSING DECORATIVE PLAQUES Gates of Blessing Decorative Plaques will inspire you to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. They are a unique and attractive set...each is 7” tall x 4” wide, with a wire stand on back. The set makes a perfect gift.
ORDER #1124 | $45.00 GIFT
ISRAEL AND USA FLAG LAPEL PIN The vibrant colors of the flags of Israel and the USA are juxtaposed in this lovely lapel pin.
ORDER #9984 | $5.00 GIFT
"GRAFTED IN" JERUSALEM KEYCHAIN Use this keychain to stir up conversations with your Jewish friends of how Yeshua is the Light of the world!
ORDER #2803 | $10.00 GIFT
THE ROLE OF ISRAEL IN LAST DAYS PROPHECY In this in-depth teaching series, Rabbi Jonathan Bernis provides answers to many End-Time questions: Why do ancient rabbis believe in two Messiahs? What does Satan know that Christians don’t know? What one single great event must take place before the return of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus)?
2 CDs | ORDER #8167 | $18.00 GIFT
GOD’S PLAN FOR ISRAEL Applying Romans 9, 10, & 11, Rabbi Jonathan Bernis provides a powerful and compelling teaching about God’s eternal faithfulness to His Chosen People, Israel. This presentation will increase your knowledge and confirm your conviction concerning the role of the Jewish People in God’s End-Time plans.
2 CDs | ORDER #8009 | $18.00 GIFT
A RABBI LOOKS AT THE LAST DAYS Jonathan's surprising insights, drawn from both Old and New Testaments, will challenge almost everything you thought you knew about the End Times—and show how you can actually help to usher in God’s Kingdom.
BOOK | ORDER #9141 | $40.00 GIFT BOOK (AUTOGRAPHED) | ORDER #9142 | $100.00 GIFT
MEXICO CITY FESTIVAL PHOTO BOOK Photos from the 2012 Festival in Mexico City.
BOOK | ORDER #8650 | $23.00 GIFT
16 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
Guest Authors MESSIANIC DAILY DEVOTIONAL Presented from a distinctly Messianic Jewish perspective, the Messianic Daily Devotional is a collection of devotional writings unlike any you have ever read before. Join Messianic Jewish teacher and author Kevin Geoffrey as he encourages believers in Yeshua to develop the lifetansforming, daily discipline of devotion.
BOOK | ORDER #9300 | $20.00 GIFT
MONEY & WEALTH IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM Money and Wealth in the New Millennium is an easy-to-read biblical exposé about the global economic problems of the Last Days and how God plans to deliver His people.
BOOK | ORDER #9078 | $25.00 GIFT
PREPARE FOR MORE FINANCIAL CRISIS The second round of the financial crisis is about to hit Main Street with crashing retail sales, mammoth unemployment, massive personal and corporate bankruptcies, record-setting foreclosures, plunging real estate prices, and more. In preparation for this next installment of intense economic shaking, this financial update lays out six immediate steps for protecting your finances.
CD | ORDER #8033 | $15.00 GIFT
ISRAEL'S CALL If you want to reach out to Jewish People, but don't know how, this book is for you. See the Bible through Jewish eyes and learn how to reach your Jewish relatives, friends, and neighbors with the Good News. Written by Shira Sorko-Ram.
BOOK | ORDER #9153 | $12.00 GIFT
YOUR PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE Don Finto's Your People Shall Be My People reveals God's purposes for His covenant People in these times—and how this revelation is impacting the Church.
BOOK | ORDER #9360 | $18.00 GIFT
To
Order
Gift pricing includes shipping & handling.
Call toll free:
1-888-921-4582
Or shop our secure webstore:
www.JewishVoiceToday.org Jewish Voice Today
17
PERSPECTIVE | NORM FRANZ
GOD’S RECIPROCAL BLESSING OF ISR AEL
AS WE BLESS ISRAEL, WE WILL ALSO BE BLESSED
I
n His covenant with Abraham, God swears to “bless those who bless [Israel], and whoever curses [Israel] I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). Therefore, how we respond to today’s events surrounding Israel and the Jewish People will determine how God responds to us. Clearly, it has been “The LORD – the Holy One of Israel” who has been gathering and keeping Israel in their Promised Land ever since May 15, 1948. Consequently, those who have come against Israel’s restoration have come against God Himself, and they have been cursed for it (Psalm 83:1-18). However, in the same way that He curses those who attempt to thwart His restoration of Israel, He also promises to bless those who work with Him to restore Israel. This is God’s reciprocal oath to us today, courtesy of being grafted in to the blessings of Abraham. I believe there are five major ways we can participate in God’s restoration of Israel and the Jewish People. And when we do, we will obtain specific blessings from the Lord in return for our obedience to His plan.
18 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
Tell Jewish People about Yeshua (Romans 1:16) Through the Prophet Jeremiah, God pledges to “make a new covenant” with all Israel that takes away their sin (Jeremiah 31:31-33). Although the Gentiles of Western Christianity have claimed this New Covenant largely for themselves, it is clear that this New Covenant is to Israel first. Paul clearly understood this principle when he boldly declared that he was “not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). Hence, there is no better way to bless Israel than to share the Gospel with the Jewish People and lead them to salvation in Yeshua (Jesus). As we do this, the reciprocal promise is that our households will be blessed with a greater measure of God’s salvation in spirit, soul, and body.
Comfort God’s People Israel (Isaiah 40:1-2) Through the prophet Isaiah, God tells a people, who belong to Him, to comfort His people Israel: “Comfort, comfort my people [Israel] says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2). In this prophetic mandate, God appears to be telling “His people the Church” to comfort “His people Israel.” This mandate appears to come forth in the Last Days when Israel’s judgment has ended and she is being restored back to Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) with Jerusalem as her capital. In other words, God is telling His New Covenant people to comfort Israel during this time when He is physically gathering the Jews back to their land. The reciprocal blessing is that God will comfort us in these Last Days as He brings about the restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21). Consequently, we all desperately need this reciprocity if we are going to overcome the great end shaking of God (Hebrews 12:26-29).
Help Jews make aliyah to Israel (Isaiah 60:9) One of the greatest signs Israel’s spiritual redemption is at hand is that God has begun gathering them back to their Land. Once they are back in the Land, God pours out His Spirit on them, which is when the majority of Israel comes to know that Yahweh is their God (Ezekiel 36:24-28).
The prophet Isaiah gives us some good insight as to how they will return when he says, “in the lead are the ships of Tarshish [representing the Gentiles], bringing your children from afar, with their silver and gold” (Isaiah 60:9). Here, God moves the Gentiles to help the Jewish People make aliyah (return) to Eretz Yisrael. Consequently, one of the best ways to bless and comfort the Jewish People is to help them migrate back to Israel. The reciprocal blessing for us is based on the fact that, when God gave the Gentile nations their own Land inheritance, “he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8). So as we help preserve the Jewish People and restore them back to their Promised Land, God will establish the physical boundaries that He has promised to us individually and corporately in whatever nation we are from.
Build up Israel’s Walls (Isaiah 60:10) Isaiah also says that, “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you” (Isaiah 60:10). This means that the same Gentiles that help the Jews make aliyah will also help build up Israel as a nation. This would include building up and supporting public infrastructure, hospitals, orphanages, food banks for the poor, wounded soldiers’ associations, and so on. The reciprocal blessing for this is that God would build up and support the walls of our nation’s society in the same way. Unfortunately, most of the nations, including America, are backing off their material support of Israel.
(Continued on page 29)
Jewish Voice Today
19
PERSPECTIVE | DOUG PREUDHOMME
THE DECLINE OF THE
BRITISH EMPIRE W ill A merica Ignore t he Lessons of Hist ory?
20 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
I
was born in England and was brought up to be proud of my rich national heritage. In the glory days when “the sun never set on the British Empire,” the British crown ruled fully 25 percent of the population of the world. I took great pride in our long history of sending forth those who did so much to take the true message of Christian love to the far corners of the globe; heroes of the past such as David Livingstone, Florence Nightingale, and William Wilberforce, just to name a few. I remember the pride I felt when I learned of the vital role that Christian Zionists in England had played in establishing the modern state of Israel. The contributions of leaders such as David Lloyd George, Lord Arthur Balfour, and Sir Winston Churchill are generally accepted to be a vital part of the story of how the present state of Israel came into existence. These men and many others recognized that the Jewish People had to be given a homeland, and that it made no sense for that homeland to be located anywhere else than in the land God promised and gave to them—the Land of Israel. Yet my pride was tempered when I read of the countless thousands of lives lost during the Holocaust because the British, who had assumed control over Mandatory Palestine following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the end of World War I, refused to allow Jewish immigration, which would have given these persecuted people a safe place to escape from Hitler. This failure was compounded following the end of World War II, when the British government again refused to allow the Jewish refugees who had survived Hitler’s attempt to exterminate them to enter their ancient homeland of Israel. My heart broke as I heard the story of the Exodus, blocked by the British Navy from entering Israel with more than 4,500 survivors of the horrors of the Holocaust. The British government refused to help the fledgling Israeli government prepare to defend their people following independence in 1948, and washed their hands of the death and fighting that resulted. Some say that Britain’s refusal to do the right thing was based on a desire to curry favor with the Arab nations that then largely controlled the flow of oil to the West. However, the discovery of massive reserves of oil in the North Sea and the change of the United Kingdom to become an oil-producing nation did not restore moral courage or change the attitude of the British government to be any more favorable toward Israel. Today, the UK often has a prominent part in the chorus of nations loudly condemning the acts of the Jewish state.
Educational and even religious bodies are pushing for punitive steps against Israel and anything Jewish. It is not only condemnation of the political acts of a government that are the focus of criticism; anti-Semitism is again rearing its head. Radical Islamists have great power in England. They demonstrated that power on July 7, 2005, when through a series of coordinated suicide bombing attacks they killed more than 50 and left more than 700 injured. Yet, the spirit of political correctness and fear of further attacks has kept the problem from being addressed in any serious way.
There is no doubt in my mind that if America turns her back on the Jewish People now, her days of greatness are numbered.
Today the British Empire is gone, and the United Kingdom is just a shadow of her former self. As an observer of history and a student of Scripture, I have no doubt that the change is, at least in part, a direct result of the judgment God foretold in His promise to Abraham. Not only are the blessings of Genesis 12:3 still in effect, but His curse is as well. England did not stand boldly with Israel and the Jewish People in their hour of need, and I believe that she has suffered as a result.
There is no doubt that my adopted country, the United States, has experienced a great measure of God’s blessing, and I believe that is in part because she has been such a close friend and staunch supporter of God’s Chosen People. Sadly, though, that appears to be changing. There is no doubt in my mind that if America turns her back on the Jewish People now, her days of greatness are numbered. If our leaders fail to remember the past and learn those lessons of history, the United States too, will be condemned to endure the same consequences that other once-great nations have suffered when they turned against Israel. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” —George Santayana Doug Preudhomme is CEO of dpc&s inc., a company that provides a range of services to ministries. Doug was born in England and, with his wife Denise, moved to the United States more than 35 years ago. They have four children and four grandkids. Jewish Voice Today
21
PERSPECTIVE | KEVIN GEOFFREY
Remain in the I say, then, did [Israel] stumble [so] that they might fall? Let it not be! . . . For I speak to you—to the , Goyim [Gentiles]—inasmuch as I am indeed an emissary of , Goyim: . . . if [Israel’s] rejection is a reconciliation of the world, what will their reception be if not life out of the dead? And if the first-fruit [from the dough] is holy, then the whole batch is also; and if the root is holy, then the branches are also. But if certain ones of the branches were broken off, and you [Goyim], being of a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and became a fellow-sharer of the root and of the richness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, [remember that] you do not carry the root, but the root [carries] you! (Romans 11:11-18 modified from YLT)
~yIAG
~yIAG
T
he internal conflict between Jewish and Gentile Believers in the Body of Messiah is an ancient one. Almost from the beginning, Jews and Gentiles were mistreating one another within their new, ethnically diverse spiritual communities. This was exactly the issue Paul was dealing with in his letter to the believing community in Rome— to correct the arrogance and judgmentalism that had infected and separated the Believers along ethnic lines. Paul had plenty of choice words for his fellow Messianic Jews, calling them out for their ugly conceit and failure to accept equality with their Gentile counterparts—both in sin (Romans 3:9) and in Messiah (Romans 10:12). But Paul famously turns his attention
22 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
branches [are] also.” It is in the context of this second metaphor that Paul drives his point home.
Root explicitly toward the Gentile Believers in Rome (“Goyim”), not just for the haughtiness aimed at their Jewish brothers, but specifically toward unbelieving Israel. In Romans 11, Paul uses two metaphors—the batch of dough, and the cultivated olive tree—to demonstrate the Gentile Believer’s spiritual reliance upon the Jewish People as God’s covenantal collective. The physical people of Israel (meaning, all Jews everywhere) were originally—and are still today—the natural-born inheritors through whom God passes on His legacy of salvation to the world. In Romans 11:16, Paul makes an allusion to Numbers 15:17-21, stating that “if the first-fruit [from the dough] is holy”—that is, the portion to be set aside as an offering to God—“[then] the [whole] batch is also.” In other words, by setting apart the Remnant of Israel (which is, “in the present time,” Messianic Jews; see Romans 11:5-7) as His holy, chosen, first-fruit of the Jewish People, then all Israel (“the [whole] batch”) is holy, too. Similarly, Paul says in the parallel metaphor, “if the root [of the olive tree] is holy, [then] the
In the olive tree metaphor, the tree represents the covenants and promises of Israel (See Romans 9:4, 11:28; Ephesians 2:12ff.), the root is Israel’s faithful Remnant (i.e. Messianic Jews), the brokenoff branches are Jews who reject Messiah, and the grafted-in branches are Gentile Believers in Yeshua. (While other understandings of “the root” have been suggested—such as the Patriarchs, or even Yeshua Himself—space does not permit a thorough exploration of these possibilities.) Paul says that Gentiles become “grafted in” among the branches of the tree by faith, becoming “a fellow-sharer of the root and of the richness of the olive tree”—in essence, co-inheritors of the promises God covenanted only to Israel. The Gentiles’ mistake, however, is boasting in their esteemed position, thinking themselves more secure or highly favored than the “branches [that] were broken off”—unbelieving Jews. Paul’s point? The grafted-in branch has no cause for boasting, because it is carried by the root. To trample upon broken-off Israel is to despise the source of Messianic nourishment— the Gentile Believer’s spiritual supply depends upon his connection to a wholly Jewish root. For Christians to fail to support Israel—be it Jewish People in general, Messianic Jews in particular, or specifically the inhabitants of the modern State of Israel—is to reject the reality of our faith in Yeshua. One who turns his back on the Jewish People is “ignorant [and] wise in [his] own conceits” (Romans 11:25), thinking, like the Believers did in Rome, that the flow of God’s promises now bypass the holy, set apart people to whom they were made. Christian support for Israel will ultimately wane if it is based primarily on emotion related to Jewish persecution, or as a path to personal blessing, or as a means to an eschatological end. Instead, may our firm, unshakable attitude toward the Jewish People be based upon the foundation of God’s Word, and what Scripture teaches us about Israel’s continuing role in God’s plan for the world. For indeed, “if [Israel’s] rejection is a reconciliation of the world, what will their reception be if not life out of the dead?” (Romans 11:15). Kevin Geoffrey is the principal laborer of Perfect Word Ministries, a Messianic Jewish equipping ministry. Visit Perfect Word online at www.PerfectWordMinistries.org. Jewish Voice Today
23
J E W I S H H O L I D AY | J A C K Z I M M E R M A N
SHAVUOT THE SEQUEL
24 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
Seen any good movies lately? Me neither. Not too long ago, it seemed that some filmmakers had a tough time coming up with original ideas for movies, so they opted for plan B—create a sequel for an already existing flick that did well. Brilliant idea! Grease 2? Dumb and Dumberer? You’re kidding, right?
Want to check out a good sequel? Go to the Bible. There’s a great story in Leviticus 23 about a Festival called Shavuot, which means “weeks,” referring to a seven-week period following Passover. You may be more familiar with the term, Pentecost, which refers to a 50-day period following Passover and recorded in Acts Chapter 2. The traditional teaching is that Pentecost began when the Holy Spirit descended upon the people and about 3,000 people came to Yeshua on that day. Great story line!
But here’s the thing: Pentecost is the sequel. The plot didn’t start there. Way back in Exodus, on Shavuot, fifty days after the first Passover from Egypt, let’s take a look at the experiences of the Israelites when they got to Mount Sinai: Exodus 19:10 tells us they went through an immersion of preparation. Exodus 19:2 says they were all gathered together, in one place. Exodus 19:16-18 says fire came down and then the Word came forth. Exodus 32:7 indicates that not everyone believed, and . . . Exodus 32:28 tells us that about 3,000 souls were lost.
And now, in Technicolor, we present, Shavuot, The Sequel: Fifteen hundred years later on the same day . . . Acts 1:5 tells us they went through an immersion of preparation. Acts 2:1 says they were all gathered together, in one place. Acts 2:2-4 says fire came down and then the Word came forth. Acts 2:13 indicates that not everyone believed, and . . . Acts 2:41 tells us that about 3,000 souls were . . . saved! Great sequel, right? In Levitcus 23, we’re told that Shavuot was also to be the time when the Israelites would harvest wheat. Ever since then, wheat has been symbolic of souls. On that first Shavuot, nearly 3,000 sheaves of wheat were lost, but oh, the sequel 1,500 years later; nearly 3,000 souls saved! This year, Shavuot begins at sundown on Tuesday, May 14. So, how do you observe this Festival today? Grow some wheat and harvest it? I’ve got a more practical idea for you: Help us to carry on our mission to share the Good News with Jew and Gentile, so that when the time comes for Yeshua to return, the harvest of souls will be all the more plentiful and the Kingdom will be glorified! Jack Zimmerman is a staff evangelist at Jewish Voice, and an ordained Messianic Jewish rabbi. To invite Rabbi Jack to speak at your church, congregation, or event, please visit www.jewishvoice.org/speakers.
Jewish Voice Today
25
P E R S P E C T I V E | PAU L A WA L B E R E R
Praying Prayers That Get "I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and answers them. Because He bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!” —Psalm 116:1-2 Living Bible
M
ost of us believe in prayer, but we sometimes get discouraged with the results, or lack thereof! How can we pray in such a way that we are confident not only that our prayers are being heard, but being answered? Here are a few principles to help us hit the mark. As you apply these to your life and make the related Scriptures your own, you will grow in faith, and see a new power, confidence, and effectiveness in your prayer life.
Pray with Confidence When we are assured of God’s love for us, we grow in our ability to pray with confidence and trust. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
Believe The troubles of the world and of our daily lives can be overwhelming, and our conversations with God are sometimes reduced to a faithless recitation of woes. However, regardless of the perceived challenges, we must believe that all things are possible with God and that all things are possible for us if we believe when we pray (Mark 9:23, 11:24). 26 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
Motives We need right motives if we want to align ourselves with God’s character and will. Searching our hearts and being honest with God is sometimes the hardest part of prayer, but it is invaluable in transforming us into the image of His Son and aligning our will with His (James 4:2-3, Psalm 139:24).
Authority We gain a new identity and authority when we become Believers. We have a part to play; the King has commissioned us. Because He has delegated His authority to us and He knows that our prayers actually make a difference, we can step out in faith to pray in His Name and the authority with which He has commissioned us (Mark 13:34, John 14:13-14, James 4:7).
The Spirit We sometimes feel like we have to come up with eloquent words or muster the right fervor in order to move God's heart and hand. When we realize that the Holy Spirit is the One Who brings supernatural life to our prayers, the pressure is off us, and we can relax and follow His promptings in how and what to pray (Ephesians 1:17, Romans 8:26-27).
God’s plan
will be fulfilled in His timing.
Answered The Word Getting to know God and what He has to say about the matters on our heart gives dynamic power to our prayers. Like He did for Jeremiah, He has given us His word to speak forth in prayer, and He watches over it to ensure it accomplishes His will (Jeremiah 1:9,12; Isaiah 55:11; Numbers 23:19). Our God is the One Who hears and answers prayers! He designed prayer so that we would obtain results and bring about His will in the earth. We see mountains move and His kingdom come. As we pray, He reveals Himself as the ultimate Answer to our deepest needs. Knowing Him in this way is the best result of all! Want to jump-start your prayer life? Join your faith with ours in prayer by becoming a Jewish Voice Prayer Partner. Visit: www.jewishvoice.org/prayer. Together we will see results as we trust God to do what only He can do. Paula Walberer is Prayer Center Coordinator at Jewish Voice Ministries International in Phoenix, AZ.
Will you be part of it? F
ew topics captivate our minds, or fill our hearts with fear, like the End Times. Books and sermons on the book of Revelation are plentiful. Yet uncertainty and misunderstanding continue to abound. Now, with a perspective that is both startling and hopeful, Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, a prominent leader in the Messianic Movement, unpacks the mysteries of this cryptic time. Jonathan's surprising insights, drawn from both Old and New Testaments, will challenge almost everything you thought you knew about the End Times—and show how you can actually help to usher in God’s Kingdom.
A RABBI LOOKS AT THE LAST DAYS This revised and expanded edition unpacks surprising and life-changing insights on Israel, the Last Days, and the Messianic hope of every Believer. Hardcover.
ORDER #9141 | $40.00 GIFT AUTOGRAPHED | ORDER #9142 | $100.00 GIFT
To
Order
Call toll free:
1-888-921-4582
Or shop our secure webstore:
www.JewishVoiceToday.org Jewish Voice Today
27
(Continued from page 11)
(Continued from page 13)
has uprooted governments, but has little to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite efforts by the international community to create a linkage. Israel should not be pressured to concede land for peace in the midst of regional chaos.
suffered the deadliest tornado outbreak in sixty years.
Israel, as an independent nation, should be able to freely defend its citizens, which is the essence of statehood. Israel should not be coerced, pressured, or threatened by boycotts, sanctions, and fears of criminal prosecution in international courts. Israel’s sovereignty in the Promised Land is biblical and rooted in Jewish history going back 4,000 years. While other nations occupy lands, God, Himself, occupies Israel. He has given the Land to the Jewish People in an everlasting covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants. This is the kind of sovereignty that transcends politics.
About four thousand years ago (somewhere around 2013 B.C., give or take), the God of Israel gave the patriarch Abraham the following blessing:
To help Israel, supporters should stop questioning the tactics of Israeli leaders, and, instead, become activists on behalf of the Jewish State. They can write op-eds in their local newspapers and lobby their state representatives, providing historical and biblical information that explains Israel’s rights. They should question inaccurate media reports, as well as dis-information presented against Israel in diplomatic forums and on college campuses. In order to be most effective, pro-Israel supporters must examine every point that weakens Israel’s position, globally, and demonstrate Israel’s redemptive purpose as a “light to the nations.” Congress has the authority to withhold funds designated for UN forums that are anti-Israel. It can threaten to stop U.S. aid to the Palestinians because of continuous rioting against the IDF in West Bank cities. Congress needs to reevaluate its yearly military aid to Egypt because of Morsi’s hatred of the Jews and his ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Supplies of jet fighters to Arab countries that are technically at war with Israel should be re-considered. With the intervention of Israel’s friends, the Jewish State can win diplomatic and public relations wars. This will relieve some pressure on Netanyahu’s government. Israel’s Prime Minister is looking for those willing to help fight Israel’s battles among the nations. Carrie Hart is an Israel-based news correspondent for Jewish Voice, reporting on current issues affecting Israel and the nations.
28 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
So how does the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East affect you? That all depends on whether we stand with Israel when the time for standing has arrived.
“And I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). Since 2009 Washington has made turning its back on Israel in favor of ‘outreach’ to her bitterest enemies a matter of U.S. foreign policy. It does so at our extreme peril. God takes such things seriously.
This was the last article that Jack Kinsella wrote for Jewish Voice Today magazine. In Memoriam: Jack Kinsella 1952-2013 Our friend and frequent contributor to our Jewish Voice Today magazine, John “Jack” Michael Kinsella, went home to be with the Lord March 14, 2013, at the age of 60. Jack was the founder and publisher of The Omega Letter and was the head writer of The Hal Lindsey Report television program and former head writer for This Week in Bible Prophecy. He was the author of more than two thousand columns on current events and Bible prophecy, and he will be greatly missed by those who knew his poignant writing, his humble spirit, and his deep faith in God. President and CEO of Jewish Voice, Jonathan Bernis, said, “I so admired Jack. He was a humble man, deeply dedicated to the Lord and to espousing biblical truth. His Omega Letter was one of the few emails I read daily. I will miss him, as will the many who loved him and his ministry.” John is survived by his wife, partner and best friend Gayle Kinsella (Snyder). He leaves behind six children and nine grandchildren.
(Continued from page 19) Consequently, the reciprocal curse of a deteriorating infrastructure and an overall decay of society among the nations are rapidly increasing. In the midst of the world’s abandonment of Israel, God’s New Covenant people must continue to support Israel by building up the walls of her society. I believe that helping to provide for Israel’s material needs releases the reciprocal blessing of God that will help to provide for our material needs in these Last Days.
Pray for the Peace O Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9) Of the cities in the world, Jerusalem is the city where God has chosen to put His name (1 Kings 11:36). This makes it the eternal Capital of Israel, to which Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) will return and rule from for 1,000 years (Zechariah 4:14; Revelation 20:1-6). Although Scripture commands us to pray for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9), it also says peace will not come to Jerusalem until the Prince of Peace (Yeshua) returns. When we combine this with Isaiah’s instructions to “speak tenderly to Jerusalem” during her restoration (Isaiah 60:1), a more inclusive translation of Psalm 122:6 would be, “Ask how Jerusalem is doing.” During Jerusalem’s desperate situation that was about to befall her with King Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah cries out, “Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn
for you? Who will stop to ask how you are?” (Jeremiah 15:5). In other words, Psalm 122:6 is not just commanding us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but to take an interest in what’s happening in Jerusalem and get involved with her restoration. This connection causes us to develop a real relationship with the Land and the People of Israel so we can truly understand how Jerusalem is doing and what we can do to bless and comfort her during this time. As we get involved with promoting Jerusalem’s welfare, the reciprocal blessing is that others would take an interest in how we are doing and that God would fill our lives with peace and prosperity.
Supporting Israel Together As we move toward the end of the age and the return of Yeshua the Messiah, it is clear that one of the best ways of invoking God’s blessing is to bless and comfort His ancient Jewish People as He restores them to Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, I encourage every born-again Believer to get involved with a ministry that is supporting Israel in one or more ways listed above. I believe these actions by Christians will help “arouse [them] to envy” for their Messiah and “in this way all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:14-27). Selah! Norm Franz is a pastor and Bible teacher with noted authority on what the Bible says about money from an End Times prophetic perspective. He is the founder of the Denver-based Ascension Ministries International, which seeks to minister the Gospel of Yeshua from a Hebraic perspective. For more info, go to www. ascensionministries.net.
Jewish Voice Today
29
Where to Watch!
JEWISH VOICE WITH JONATHAN BERNIS | BROADCAST GUIDE
Jewish Voice with Jonathan Bernis
BROADCAST
GUIDE
www.jewishvoice.org/TVshow | Check with your local service provider for the most current information.
NATIONAL
TV STATION
Orlando, FL WACX-TV 9 National Angel One National NRB Network National GEB National GEB National Angel One National TCC-Church Channel National Cornerstone National TBN Orlando, FL WTGL National WHT National TCC-Church Channel National NRB Network National WHT National Angel One National Daystar National NRB Network El Paso, TX KSCE-TV 38 Orlando, FL WACX-TV 9 Cleveland, OH WGGN-TV 52 National NRB Network National GEB National Angel One National National National National National National
TCC-Church Channel Angel One NRB Network GEB GEB Cornerstone
Orlando, FL WACX-TV 9 Cleveland, OH WGGN-TV 52 National TCC-Church Channel National Angel One Phoenix, AZ KPAZ-TV 21 National GEB National Daystar National Cornerstone Orlando, FL WTGL National NRB Network El Paso, TX KSCE-TV 38 National Angel One National Cornerstone National WHT Orlando, FL WTGL National Daystar
30 JewishVoiceToday.org | May/June 2013
TIME PERIOD
Mon 12:00am (EST) Mon 4:00am (EST) Mon 3:30am (CST) Mon 3:30am (EST) Mon 6:00am (EST) Mon 7:00am (EST) Mon 7:30am (PST) Mon 7:30am (EST) Mon 10:30am (PST) Mon 1:30pm (EST) Mon 7:30pm (EST) Mon 9:00pm (PST) Mon 10:00pm (CST) Tue 1:30am (EST) Tue 8:30am (EST) Tue 10:00am (CST) Tue 7:30am (CST) Tue 7:30pm (CST) Tue 9:00pm (EST) Tue 7:30pm (EST) Wed 5:30pm (CST) Tue 7:00pm (CST) Tue 10:30pm (EST) Wed 4:30am (PST) Wed 8:30am (EST) Wed 5:30pm (CST) Wed 1:00pm (CST) Wed 2:30pm (CST) Wed 7:00pm (EST) Thu 7:30am (EST) Thu 8:00am (EST) Thu 8:30am (PST) Thu 8:30am (EST) Thu 9:30am Arizona Thu 11:00am (CST) Thu 12:30pm (CST) Thu 5:30pm (EST) Thu 9:00pm (EST) Fri 3:00am (CST) Fri 8:30am (CST) Fri 9:00am (EST) Fri 11:30am (EST) Fri 2:30pm (EST) Fri 12:30pm (EST) Fri 6:00pm (CST)
NATIONAL
Orlando, FL National Orlando, FL National National Philadelphia, PA National National National Orlando, FL El Paso, TX National National National Cleveland, OH
TV STATION
WACX-TV 9 Angel One WTGL Angel One CTN WFMZ Cornerstone WORD TCC-Church Channel WACX-TV 9 KSCE-TV 38 WHT NRB Network Angel One WGGN-TV 52
TIME PERIOD
Sun 12:30am (EST) Sun 1:30am (EST) Sun 7:00am (EST) Sun 10:00am (EST) Sun 11:00am (EST) Sun 9:30am (EST) Sun 12:00pm (EST) Sun 2:00pm (EST) Sun 3:00pm (PST) Sun 4:30pm (EST) Sun 5:00pm (CST) Sun 12:00pm (EST) Sun 6:00pm (CST) Sun 8:30pm (EST) Sun 9:30pm (EST)
INTERNATIONAL TV STATION Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Miracle (CJIL) Canada Grace TV Canada Grace TV UK KICC TV UK KICC TV UK REVTV UK REVTV UK INI
International God TV (US) Global God TV Global International God TV (US) Global God TV Global India/Asia/Israel Miracle Net (MNET) Russia CNL Russia Russia LIFE TV Russia Russia LIFE TV Russia Russia LIFE TV Russia South America & SE Texas La Familia/Nacion
TIME PERIOD
Mon 2:00am (MST) Mon 10:00pm (MST) Tue 9:00pm (MST) Tue 10:30am (MST) Fri 5:00am (MST) Sat 8:00am (MST) Sun 2:00am (MST) Sun 2:30pm (MST) Sun 9:00pm (MST) Tue 5:30pm (EST) Thurs 5:30pm (EST) Thu 12:30pm (UTC) Fri 10:30pm (UTC) Mon 7:30am (UTC) Wed 10:00am (UTC) Mon 1:00pm (UTC) Tue 12:00pm Tue 12:00pm Thu 12:00pm Thu 12:00pm Wed 7:30am India Sun 11:55am Tue 8:00pm Wed 12:00pm Wed 3:00am Various
JEWISH VOICE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 2013 MEDICAL OUTREACH DATES
T
of h e h is t o ry l o u r m e d ic a b e ga n o u t re a c h e s t h io p ia , in G o n d a r, E in 19 9 9 , w h e re e re w 1, 30 0 p e o p le e s o h T t re a t e d . in gs s m a ll b e gi n n h a n k s t h a ve gr o w n , s in gs o f t o t h e b le s h f u l, it God, our fa and , f f s k il le d s t a n t e e rs . lu o u r lo y a l vo y e a rs 13 N o w , s o m e t re a t in g re a e la t e r, w 5 ,2 0 0 as many as ie n t s p e r 9 ,7 0 0 + p a t e d ic a l m s h o rt - t e rm ! p ri c li n ic t
r e t t e L e v o L s ’ d o G Be ! d l r o W e to th h
rg /outreac .o e ic o v h is w e .j w tion, visit ww For more informa ESHUA. or call 800-299-Y
Invited
YOU ARE INVITED
Are you interested in joining us as a member of our live studio audience? We tape in the studio every month at the JVMI Messianic Media Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Please contact our Events Department at 800-299-YESHUA or email audience@jvmi.org for more information and to reserve your seat! Jewish Voice Today
31
Alaskan CRUISE
WITH
JONATHAN BERNIS
July 13 - 20, 2013
Join Jonathan Bernis, his family, and featured musical guest Maurice Sklar on our July 13-20, 2013 Alaskan cruise. You won't want to miss our teachings, praise and worship, and beautiful, breathtaking scenery! For more information, visit our website at www.jewishvoice.org/events, email events@jvmi.org, or call 800-299-YESHUA.