It was on this day in the year 520 B. C. that the foundation of the Second Temple was laid (Haggai 2:18). It was on that very same day that the Prophet Haggai declared the downfall of gentile nations and consequently, the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. This is recorded in Haggai 2:20-22: And […]
As we approach the time of Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication, let’s look at how the story took shape. In its essence, the story of Hanukkah is about how different people responded to the edicts of a tyrant, Antiochus IV, also called Epiphanies, a title that means, “manifest god.” There were those who feared this […]
It was on this day in 1949 that the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), voted to transfer Israel’s seat of government from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This was logical seeing that Jerusalem had always been the eternal capital of the Israeli people. However, there have been very few nations who acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, […]
There’s an old Jewish adage that says something like this: “The truly penitent come nearer unto God than even those who have never stumbled or fallen into sin.” That’s a profound statement when you consider what it’s saying. And while it’s true that we don’t find this particular wording in the Scripture, perhaps we can […]
It was on this day in 456 B. C. that Ezra gathered all of the assembled inhabitants of Jerusalem and urged them to purge the community of all foreign elements, including putting away their pagan wives. It’s recorded for us in Ezra 10:9-11: “It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and […]
On the eve of His crucifixion, knowing that Judas was on his way with soldiers to lead Him away to His execution, Jesus said: “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love […]
In the advertising world, every great marketing campaign is designed to draw attention to a particular label. It is done with the intention to persuade people to buy a particular product. When you go to a store and look at a particular label if you recognize the name on the product you might decide to […]
Sometimes we have trouble with the concepts of faith and works. It’s so important to know that works don’t save us, but works follow all genuine salvations. Galatians and James use Abraham to illustrate the works-faith contrast: Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Those who rely on faith are blessed […]
It was on this day in 1947 that the UN voted to partition Palestine creating what was then called Trans-Jordan and what would become the modern state of Israel. The very next day, Arab terrorist campaigns were released against Jewish inhabitants living in the land. Nevertheless, this division led to a series of events that […]
All of us have relationships; some of them close, some of them not so close. Over the years, some of these relationships can grow stronger but some can become distant, some strained and, in some cases, can dissolve entirely. Sometimes it’s hard to discern if there is proper justification for these waning relationships. There can […]