First Chronicles 1-9 is punctuated by four clear narratives: a.   4:9, 10:  Jabez asking God to enlarge his borders. b.  4:39, 43: Simeonites seized Meunite and Amalekite territory and exterminated the population. c & d.  5: 9,10 & 5:18-22:  These two stories are separated by a brief Gadite genealogy listing, but together connects a…

Tones of a Mother The crescent moon glistened high above the Mediterranean Sea, a warship was patrolling the coastline, and within ear range I heard the tender tones of a mother telling the story of her days as a youth to her teenage daughter.  The mother ended up chatting with me explaining her conversation. She…

Rose Shoshana (Rose), 94 years old,  shared her story with us as she showed us her number that the Nazis tattooed on her arm. During World War II, Shoshana, then 21 years old, was taken to the concentration camp in Auschwitz, Germany.   She ended up weighing 50 pounds. Evil Things The SS Nazi soldiers beat…

Optimism is not hope.  Optimism is a mental positive attitude towards life in general.  Hope is more mysterious and more deep. Hope is like a tether anchored to the rock while your vessel is adrift in the sea of life.  You pull the tether until you reach the shore. It is there that you find…

“Israel is your home” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that at a time of rising anti-Semitism in Europe, Israel is the only place where Jews can truly feel safe. “This wave of attacks is expected to continue,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet. “Jews deserve security in every country, but we say to our Jewish…

(Lev. 23:34-43; Deut. 16:13-15; Num. 29:12-40) The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths, or Sukkot), begins at sunset.  It is the third major feast in which the men of Israel were required to go up to Jerusalem. Hallel Sukkot, is an eight-day festival recalling the wilderness wanderings in which Israel dwelt in temporary tents (Tabernacles, Booths). Today,…

Jewish Holy Days        The Jewish calendar is replete with celebration and reflection.  Following are a few highlights regarding some of the Holy Days. Rosh Hashanah: (September/October) Rosh Hashanah begins the celebration of the Jewish New Year and is also a celebration of the creation of the universe. The shofar (ram’s horn) is blown, special…

Q.  Based on your studies, what is your view on the timing of the Rapture? A.  First of all let’s look at the five main views on the Rapture. 1.     Partial Rapture Position: This view states that only believers who are faithfully watching and waiting for the Lord will be raptured at various times before…

Light plays an important role in some religious traditions. For example, in the tradition of Judaism lighting candles on Shabbat is to remind Jewish people of their Creator and to set apart this day from other days. Also, lighting the Hanukkah menorah is a memorial of the miracle of God’s intervention on Israel’s behalf in…

The Ancient MessageIn Exodus 19 we have the account of Moses’ encounter with God and the receiving of the Torah (Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Bible). It has been almost 2,000 years since God communicated with man in such a direct fashion. The first time was with Adam. Now Moses is chosen…