Category Archives: Middle East

June 15, 2024 · 9:00 AM

Christians against Antisemitism

I have been pondering the touching story in the New Testament about the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant (Luke 7:1–10). As the story progresses, we discover this centurion was noteworthy for his surprising love for Jewish people, which led him to build a synagogue for the Jewish community of Capernaum (Luke 7:5).

Perhaps the centurion saw the dimming spark of God’s presence in the Galilean city, which Jesus Himself chided for its lack of spirituality (Matthew 11:23). Conversely, Jesus commended the words and actions of this centurion who had come to love the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I find the Roman centurion to be an inspiration! He loved the God of Israel, the Messiah of Israel, and the people of Israel.

While Jewish people today do not usually require Christian help to build synagogues, we do need help fighting the increasingly virulent antisemitism not seen since the Holocaust. Additionally, our not-yet-believing Jewish people need to hear the gospel message so they, too, can powerfully encounter Jesus the Messiah, the Prince of Peace.

A PROMISE

We live in a world overwhelmed by spiritual, moral, and political confusion, which is why it is so important to see life through the lens of Scripture. For example, though more than 60 percent of Christians above the age of fifty believe the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, our younger generation of future leaders in the church are not as certain. The number of those believers under forty who support Israel drops down to below 50 percent! However, when we read about God’s assurances to Abraham and his descendants and the Abrahamic promise to create a people destined to live in the Promised Land, we are clear on this fundamental truth: God gave the land of Israel to His chosen people.

In Genesis 12:1–3, we learn this promise is without conditions and free of time parameters. The fulfillment of the promise depends upon the power of God rather than the capabilities of humankind. Jewish people were created for a holy purpose and mission to bless the world. God said directly to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, emphasis added). God created Jewish people for the sake of the Gentiles!

A PEOPLE

The very creation of the people was a miracle. Abraham and Sarah were beyond childbearing age, yet God supernaturally intervened to create Isaac, who was the first fruits of God’s promise to Abraham.

God promised no one would ever destroy this people. Numerous nations tried to destroy the people of Israel, but God would not allow it and kept His mighty hand upon them (Jeremiah 31:35–37).

A PLACE

The boundaries of the land given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are outlined in Genesis 15:18: “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.’”

The answer to those who question if Jewish people have a right to the land is to believe this passage and take it literally—as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.

The cry of anti-Israel protesters, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” opposes what God promised in His word. As faithful followers of Jesus and those who believe the Bible, we reject the slogan entirely as it displaces Jewish people from the very land God Himself promised!

The tension in the Middle East will never subside until those involved in the conflict recognize the biblical promises of God to Jewish people and take them to heart. God pledged ownership of the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Any efforts toward reconciliation apart from this promise will ultimately fail.

We do not wish to debate whether 1948 was a human act or accomplished by the power of God. We understand the current conflict is complex, yet at the heart of the issue is the question of whether the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel by virtue of God’s covenant with Israel. If we read the Bible literally and come to the conclusion that He gave this land—with the Genesis 15 boundaries—to Jewish people, then we must support the right of Jewish people to live in the land God established for His chosen people.

A PURPOSE

God promised Jewish people would live in the Holy Land and be a blessing to the nations. Isaiah predicted shalom (peace) would come to the Middle East: “In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth” (Isa 19:24).

Jewish people will enjoy an enduring peace when the Prince of Peace reigns on His rightful throne. This hope reminds me of the temporary nature of all earthly conflicts, which the Messiah Himself will one day resolve.

A PRAYER WITH A PROMISE

The prayer we should pray throughout the Israel-Hamas conflict is the one for peace the psalmist penned in Psalm 122:6–7: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.’”

This prayer includes a promise: Those who love Jerusalem will prosper. The Hebrew word shalah, which is translated as “prosper,” refers to a sense of inner peace, as those who pray for peace will experience peace in their lives as well.

The peace we enjoy in our relationship with God is a foretaste of the global peace God will bring to the world when His Son returns to reign on His rightful throne. He is the Prince of Peace and will remove the curse of sin at the heart of the current conflict. He will bring humanity back to the peace Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden of Eden. The prophet Ezekiel mentioned a future day when the nation of Israel will turn to the Lord, and the land will be “like the garden of Eden” (Ezekiel 36:35).

A PLEA: FOR CHRISTIANS TO OPPOSE ANTISEMITISM

I am hoping both local churches and individual Christians will boldly pray against and actively oppose the rising global antisemitism. Our 130-year-old ministry is here to inspire you to pray for, support, and act on behalf of Jewish people by opposing antisemitism.

Jewish people need our help today!

SEE SOMETHING . . . SAY SOMETHING: A CALL TO ACTION

How can we stand by and watch Jewish people suffer at the hands of modern-day Hamans and Hitlers? Antisemitism is anti-gospel and anti-God. It is antithetical to God’s promises found in Scripture. The problems in the Middle East cannot be solved by removing Jewish people “from the river to the sea.” The beginning of any diplomatic solution must be to allow Jewish people to live safely and peacefully in the land God promised to His chosen people.

Let me be clear: We believe the gospel is the only ultimate hope for Jewish people, Arabs, and all who seek authentic and enduring peace.

So, how can we be part of the solution to this seemingly insoluble problem?

The first step is to turn to the Lord in prayer and intercession and then view the conflict through the lens of Scripture. Our actions must begin with prayer because this battle is a spiritual one, and prayer puts us in the right relationship with the One who made these promises. The Scriptures provide the understanding we need to propose workable solutions because they are in sync with God’s eternal purposes.

Then, like the centurion, we ought to find ways to bless Jewish people, as blessing the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will lead to blessings for the world. If we support those working toward the destruction of Jewish people and their removal from the land of Israel, then we are working against the eternal purposes of God (Acts 5:39)!

Let us join the Holy One in blessing Israel, Jewish people, and all men and women who are created in the image of God and for whom Jesus died.

Thank you for caring, praying, and supporting the 130-year-old work of Your Mission to the Jewish People.

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June 1, 2024 · 9:00 AM

Ministry in Israel Continues during War

Grace and peace in our Messiah, Jesus. We praise God for your faithful support and pray you will continue to be a friend to Israel. When surrounded by enemies, one’s friends become clearer and dearer. 

I do not need to remind you of the more than 3,000 Hamas terrorists who stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering, raping, and kidnapping innocent Israelis living near Gaza as well as young people attending a music festival—all crimes against humanity. Many Israeli soldiers and Gazan civilians whom Hamas used as human shields have since lost their lives due to the ensuing war. 

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) called up 360,000 reserve troops to join this fight against the terrorists and eliminate the threat against Israel. The IDF is also searching for 130 hostages taken on October 7 who are still held in captivity. 

In addition to Hamas’ brutal assault, Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon continue to threaten Israel. Hezbollah is firing rockets daily into northern Israel, preventing 60,000 Israeli evacuees from returning to their homes. On Saturday, April 13, 2024, Iran launched more than 360 missiles and drones into Israeli territory— targeting mostly civilian areas! Thanks to Israel’s air force, the Iron Dome, and help from the United States, Jordan, and the United Kingdom, 99 percent of these missiles were eliminated. 

I heard from our staff about all they went through during the Iranian attack. We praise God for His protection, but as one of our staff members told me, “It was terrorizing for hours, knowing the attack was coming because we had hours to think about it and prepare.” I saw the pain on our staff member’s face when she told me how she felt during our call. Thank God all our staff are safe. We consider it to be a modern-day miracle there was no loss of life and minimal destruction of property. 

By God’s grace, our staff in Israel continue to proclaim the gospel and do all they can to meet the needs of suffering Israelis.

MINISTRY IN ISRAEL DURING WAR

Thank you for supporting Israel and Jewish people around the world. Please continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). By God’s grace, our staff in Israel is doing more than ever to reach “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). They discovered new ways to proclaim the good news to Israelis hungry for the Word of God. Many turned to the book of Psalms for comfort and hope while waiting for the drones to arrive.

Our wonderful staff worked with other ministry partners in Israel to bring food, clothing, hygiene items, and various necessities to soldiers and Israelis evacuated for their safety from their homes near the northern and southern borders. 

Chosen People Ministries—Israel continues to proclaim the gospel of Jesus in these difficult times. Our Bible studies, prayer meetings, and outreach events are filling with seekers and believers needing help through the challenges of daily life. Our staff are finding Israelis more open to the Lord as they seek answers to life’s deepest questions. 

Here are a few great stories about how God is working through our staff during this critical time in Israel’s history! 

SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUNG ADULTS

One young Israeli man, wanting to grow spiritually, began asking one of our staff serious questions about the Bible and his relationship with Jesus. He felt he was losing the spiritual excitement he experienced early on as a believer when he sensed God’s peace. Previously, he had multiple opportunities to proclaim the gospel, but his zeal had worn off and was replaced with such emotional pain and spiritual struggle he even began to weep. His passion to grow in the Lord during difficult days moved our Israel staff!

ISRAELI SOLDIER COMES TO FAITH

Oren* first connected with our staff on social media late last summer. Although he grew up in an atheistic family, he found himself increasingly pondering the existence of God. After starting his mandatory military service, he began reading the Tanakh (Old Testament). He was surprised by Isaiah chapter 53 and how it predicted the life and ministry of the Messiah, Jesus. Oren wanted to know more and asked one of our staff to meet with him.

During the meeting, Oren took notes and expressed delight when our staff member gave him a Hebrew copy of my book, Isaiah 53 Explained. He met with this staff member several times, and then October 7 happened. At the beginning of November, Oren reached out again. He told our staff how he miraculously survived during the initial terror attack in southern Israel. Because he was saved while so many others were killed, his hunger for the truth about God continued to grow. 

When the situation in southern Israel improved, Oren asked to resume meeting with our Israel staff. During one of these meetings, they read together from John chapter 3. When he reached verse 16, Oren—in his own words—told us he finally realized the depth of Yeshua’s love for him. He asked our staff to pray with him to confess his belief in Jesus as his Savior. Oren is now baptized and growing in his faith!

AGNOSTIC ISRAELI WOMAN ATTENDS BIBLE STUDY

Someone invited Rotem,* a formerly religious and now agnostic Israeli woman, to an event at our Tel Aviv Messianic Center. She arrived late, fatigued, and had missed most of the program, but bounced back to life as she spoke with our staff. Our staff invited her to an upcoming women’s Hebrew Bible study, and she eagerly accepted.

The Bible study took place at our Tel Aviv center a few days later, and Rotem was the first to arrive. As others trickled in, one young lady asked what it meant to be created in God’s image and likeness. This launched a vigorous discussion even before the Bible study began. Once the study started, Rotem was obviously excited as the group was studying the life of Joseph (Genesis 39–40), which “happened” to be her favorite Bible story! Rotem volunteered to read and then engaged in the discussion. 

When they closed in prayer, she made a prayer request, and our staff could hear her faintly praying under her breath. Afterward, she told a staff member she had not prayed in months, certainly not since October 7. She thought God would not and could not hear her prayers. However, as our staff prayed, she sensed God was listening and prayed along! 

Rotem accepted a Hebrew Bible, which also listed Messianic prophecies. Two weeks later, at our women’s brunch, she told our staff she was reading the Bible regularly! Please pray for Rotem; God is at work.

PSALMS OF HOPE

Aside from all the wonderful personal ministry with Israelis, our staff members are also seeing success in our online approach to evangelism. We learned the term “Psalms” was the primary Google search in Israel over the last few months—especially on Saturday, April 13. I was stunned, as most Israelis are quite secular. This tells me Israelis are open to a relationship with God at this critical time in Israel’s history. 

We plan to initiate a “Psalms of Hope” campaign this month, using the Psalms to turn the eyes of Israelis toward the Messiah of Israel. We will start with a budget of $75,000 to provide the advertising punch for this campaign. We will advertise online through Facebook, YouTube, and other sites, as well as through brochures and newspapers. We hope to distribute a new booklet based on a selection of Psalms with some devotional and evangelistic thoughts included as well. 

Since we know Israelis are currently seeking for answers and turning to Psalms, we hope to encourage their search as we prayerfully try to reach as many as possible with God’s Word. We cannot wait for Israelis to discover Psalms 2, 16, 22, 110, and other Messianic psalms. We will begin by inviting them to read Psalm 23, which is familiar to most Jewish people, then introduce them to psalms speaking of the comfort we can have through the Messiah, Jesus.

We know God’s Word never returns void! 

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May 15, 2024 · 9:00 AM

Say “No” to Antisemitism!

As the war in Israel continues, our hearts go out to those suffering due to the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah! The impact of the conflict now stretches across the globe. It has caused the rise of new challenges for the worldwide Jewish community and for Your Mission to the Jewish People, as you can see from the following reports about the growing number of antisemitic incidents in the United States. Sadly, I am certain further events will have transpired by the time my letter crosses your desk or kitchen table. Yet, the pro-Hamas protestors act as if October 7 never happened!

THE CHILLING TRENDS

The Anti-Defamation League, the world’s leading organization tracking and opposing antisemitism, reported in early January, 

In the three months since the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, U.S. antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed, reaching a total of 3,291* incidents between Oct. 7 and Jan. 7, according to ADL’s (the Anti-Defamation League) preliminary data. This represents a 361-percent increase compared to the same period one year prior, which saw 712 incidents.

The preliminary three-month tally is higher than the total number of antisemitic incidents tracked in any year in the last decade, except for calendar year 2022, when the total number of incidents reached a historic high of 3,697. Since Oct. 7, there was an average of nearly 34 antisemitic incidents per day, putting 2023 on track to be the highest year for antisemitic acts against Jews since ADL started tracking this data in the late 1970s.1

Although these statistics are from the United States, this dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents is global, especially affecting Western countries where you might not expect this dramatic rise in Jewish hatred.

I am especially astounded by the antisemitism currently raging in England. According to the Community Security Trust, which gathers information on antisemitism in the United Kingdom, there were 3,328 incidents of abusive behavior, 266 assaults, 305 threats, and 182 acts of damage and desecration throughout 2023. The charity said there was a total of 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom in 2023, up from the previous annual record of 2,261 in 2021.2

Similar occurrences of antisemitic hatred were recorded in Canada and Australia, home to hundreds of thousands of Jewish people.

MY FAMILY’S STORY

My maternal grandparents emigrated from Belarus to the United States to escape the everyday horrors of antisemitism. Little did they know the most extreme, diabolical, and destructive expression of antisemitism would soon come from Germany, one of the most sophisticated and Christianized countries in Western Europe.

My grandparents left their homes and families behind because of the attacks against Jewish people (called pogroms), which motivated them to make the dramatic move to an unknown country! Like so many Jewish people, they were desperate to get away from those who sought their destruction and build a better life for their children. They willingly left the land, language, and life they knew to live in a land built upon freedom of religion.

The United States still had some restrictions prohibiting or limiting Jewish people at colleges and fraternal organizations and in certain professions. But my grandparents could still own property, get a better education, and enjoy opportunities in their new homeland they could not get in Europe.

COUNTERING THE CURRENT WAVE OF ANTISEMITISM

So much of the current wave of antisemitism is rooted in the belief in Israel and Jewish people in general as aggressors. We would not suggest every criticism of the policies and actions of the State of Israel, valid or not, springs from the poison of antisemitism. Yet, from what we have seen taking place across the United States, anti-Zionism and the belief Israel is an illegitimate state is often fueled by antisemitism.

I am sorry to say Jewish students on our university campuses are feeling the brunt of a growing, unreasonable anger and hatred. They are often targeted by Hamas sympathizers, who are abetted by administrations at various—and not just “elite”—schools, which seem to look the other way and tolerate targeted protests.

One of the groups countering the growing antisemitism on campuses across our country is the Brandeis Center in Boston—part of the enduring legacy of the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, the late Louis Brandeis. He was a staunch supporter of Jewish rights and the State of Israel. The Brandeis Center plays a vital role in opposing antisemitism on campus.

Let me give you a couple of examples of what they are doing:

The Brandeis Center and Jewish on Campus (JOC) filed a joint complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on behalf of numerous Jewish students at American University (AU) who have been assaulted, threatened, harassed and intimidated in dormitories, classrooms and campus spaces. According to the complaint, AU was fully aware of the pervasive and hostile environment for Jewish students, and not only ignored it, in some cases, it chose to subject Jewish whistleblowers to harassment and disciplinary proceedings.3

And further,

In another story, on the downfall of Harvard’s and UPenn’s presidents and the double standard applied to Jewish students by campus Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, Marcus [president of the Center] stated: “DEI offices have often acted as if Jewish Americans were outside their scope of responsibility.” When Jewish students go to DEI offices seeking support, “they will receive a cold shoulder from administrators who are quicker to support members of other groups such as African American, Hispanics, or gay or lesbian students.”4

Whereas we hope all those who feel the pain of discrimination and prejudice will find help, the overt dismissal of Jewish student concerns is intolerable and unfair. I believe followers of Jesus need to spring into action on behalf of Jewish people.

SHOULD CHRISTIANS OPPOSE ANTISEMITISM?

We must ask ourselves the question: “Is opposing antisemitism a spiritual duty for all believers in Jesus?”

Today’s antisemitism, seen in synagogue shootings, attacks on a kosher market in France, the taking of hostages at a synagogue in Dallas, and through the growing presence of antisemitism on social media, is no longer merely latent. To a large degree, tensions in the Middle East have exacerbated this growing antisemitism.

However, we would be mistaken in thinking this “oldest hatred” did not exist prior to October 7 or before Israel became a modern state.

After October 7, it did not take long for antisemites to begin targeting Jewish people in the United States, Germany, England, and across the globe. It is apparent their hatred of Jewish people was not new, and the events of October 7 simply sparked what was already there, causing it to rise to the surface. Really, the opposite should have been the case. It is also remarkable how quickly Hamas sympathizers swept the atrocities committed by the terrorist organization on October 7 under the rug.

Jewish people worldwide are now the objects of anger and contempt by these same sympathizers. It seems as if any Jewish event on campus and in various communities is subject to the wrath of radical and violent advocates who believe their mission is to remove Israel “from the river to the sea.”

This terrible surge of global antisemitism needs to be stopped. First, by our prayers, followed by our actions.

THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF ANTISEMITISM

The roots of antisemitism remain deeply woven into our culture and those of many Western countries, as well as those nations part of the Arab world. Yet, the problem goes deeper than this!

As I have mentioned in the past, the root of antisemitism is profoundly spiritual.

We affirm God chose Jewish people to be His people and to accomplish His purposes (Genesis 12:1–3). At the exact moment God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, the devil chose Jewish people as his target throughout the ages. The devil hates God, our Messiah, the Bible, and Jewish people.

As believers in Jesus, we must support Jewish people globally, even if we have political disagreements with the modern State of Israel. Affirming God’s chosen people is a personal duty for all Christians and requires our standing against antisemitism.

In light of God’s far-reaching purposes for the global Jewish community, we have no option other than to find ways in this hateful environment to defend and protect Jewish people and to oppose antisemitism wherever we see it today.

Thanks for your love, prayers, and support for Israel and Jewish people—and all who are oppressed by Hamas—especially for the hostages held in Gaza since October 7. The next section of the newsletter will offer some practical suggestions for ways Christians can support Jewish people and oppose antisemitism.

Endnotes

*Note: This is preliminary data. An earlier version of this press release was updated on January 17, 2024 to reflect the latest findings.

1 “U.S. Antisemitic Incidents Skyrocketed 360% in Aftermath of Attack in Israel, According to Latest ADL Data,” ADL, January 17, 2024, https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/us-antisemitic-incidents-skyrocketed-360-aftermath-attack-israel-according.

2 Yoni Gordon-Teller, “Antisemitic Incidents 2023,” Community Security Trust, 2024, https://cst.org.uk/data/file/9/f/Antisemitic_Incidents_Report_2023.1707834969.pdf.

3 “February 2024 Brandeis Brief,” Brandeis Center (blog), February 8, 2024, https://brandeiscenter.com/february-2024-brandeis-brief/.

4 “February 2024 Brandeis Brief.”

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March 1, 2024 · 9:00 AM

A Report from Our Staff in Israel

This month, I want to honor the selfless work of our team in Israel, especially since October 7.

The barbaric Hamas massacre traumatized the nation and changed Israel forever. The bloodbath shattered Israelis’ trust in their leaders and defenses. Given Israel’s relatively small size, virtually everyone in Israel knows someone who was murdered, injured, or taken hostage.

Our staff immediately sprang into action. Though they, too, grapple with grief, fear, and the new normal of running to bomb shelters, they are doing all they can to serve others.

The following are just some of the ways our brothers and sisters in Israel are bringing practical aid and the hope of the gospel to Israelis enduring these horrific trials.

SERVING ISRAELI SOLDIERS

Some soldiers, like those stationed near the northern border, are facing harsh, cold conditions. Our staff gave out hundreds of packages of supplies to these Israeli soldiers, including socks, thermal underwear, watches, water packs, sleeping bags, and lights to wear on their helmets to see at night. Some of our staff met with believers at different army bases and distributed these essential items.

After a few weeks, we knew we needed more help as we did not have enough people to drive to every base. We partnered with those in the Messianic community who could deliver the resources we gathered for the 500–600 Israeli believers scattered among the various army bases. Since we knew believers in most units, we asked them to distribute the items to their fellow soldiers.

Among the most meaningful aid we provided was fresh, home-cooked food. On one occasion, we brought this nutritious food to soldiers guarding the Lebanese border. We had the privilege of reaching a unit on the very outskirts of the border area. Our staff member described the encounter:

The commander kept shaking my hand, and he said, “You have no idea how much this means to our soldiers. Yes, we have food, but it’s tuna fish in a can.” Home cooking means so much for the soldiers. Everyone was really grateful, and we took time to pray.

Shortly after October 7, supplies became hard to find. But, somehow, God opened doors of provision. Here is just one story from our staff about God’s faithfulness:

We needed to find battery packs to give out to soldiers. I called around and couldn’t find any. But, after looking and praying, we found one of the larger stores in Israel had 200. So, we bought 100 of them. Then, by God’s grace, we were able to contact an importer and get wholesale prices for the same items. We were very grateful for the ability to meet real needs and also do it in a way that exercised good stewardship of the funds we had. Each item was distributed with a warm smile and, of course, when asked, we told them clearly we were Jewish believers in Jesus who loved them! 

SERVING EVACUEES, CHILDREN, AND HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS

In the months following October 7, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon continued to fire rockets into Israel. As the Israeli Defense Forces fortified these borders, more than 120,000 Israelis living in those areas were displaced. 

We reached out to Israelis forced to evacuate their homes on the northern and southern borders. By partnering with other faithful, Bible-believing organizations in Israel, we had the opportunity to minister to individuals living in hotels. One of these ministries covered the expenses of this work. We assigned one of our young staff members to serve in a hotel filled with evacuees. 

Our hearts were especially broken over the condition of the children who fled their homes and had to abandon all their normal routines. Most of these children lost a couple of months of school! This loss not only slowed their education but added to the sense of instability both parents and children felt. The need for someone to stay home with the kids interrupted parents’ work schedules. Other households temporarily had only one parent as Israel mobilized much of its reserve force. These sudden changes wreaked financial and mental strain on numerous Israeli families. 

A few new opportunities arose to assist families and children impacted by the war. For example, we received the blessing of providing dozens of tablet devices for kids to use for their education. These children were staying at the Baptist Village in the city of Petah Tikva so they could attend school online, but there were not enough tablets for all the children. We also bought and gave toys to the kids as gifts. Additionally, we organized food distribution for dozens of Holocaust survivors too afraid to leave their houses, either because of the constant rocket attacks or the trauma from Black Saturday, as the Israelis call October 7.

Practical aid often led to the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. The assistance our staff provided stimulated many great conversations about the Lord, and our team encouraged many Israelis during this harrowing time. Most of the Holocaust survivors are in their 90s and full of anxiety and fear. Having us visit, talk, and pray with them greatly ministered to their shattered hearts. Too many of these precious elderly Israelis lost friends to the brutality of the Hamas terrorists who stormed their villages on October 7. Would you please pray for them as well?

Despite the immense, ongoing hardship, we praise God for what we accomplished. However, there is still so much more to do!

SERVING A TRAUMATIZED NATION: NEXT STEPS

We are ready to continue and expand these ministries to all the people we serve in Israel, as the Lord guides us. There are many needs, which we believe we can meet with your help.

I received this note from one of our most experienced missionaries who described the displacement of Israelis as a result of the war:

Hi, everyone!

Due to the outbreak of war, more than 120,000 citizens have been displaced and are currently seeking temporary housing. The evacuees can be categorized as follows:

    • those from the war zone near the Gaza Strip who face long-term displacement due to the destruction of their homes
    • evacuees from communities near Gaza with a higher probability of returning home once the war ends
    • evacuees from the north who left their homes in haste

    I write this letter after conversations with social workers from different hotels, each housing hundreds of evacuees from the south and north. While there is no immediate shortage of necessities like food, clothing, toys, and hygiene products, their prolonged stays in hotels have led to increased aggression and adverse social phenomena, including violence between individuals, and vandalism.

To address these issues, Chosen People Ministries Israel proposed a number of projects last year: 

  • organizing activities for evacuees (including children and Holocaust survivors) in hotels, like do-it-yourself crafts, music classes, and clubs to help alleviate their restlessness and provide a sense of purpose 
  • scheduling events with musicians, artists, and games to bring some joy and entertainment to the evacuees
  • conducting seminars with Christian psychologists who can provide much-needed emotional support
  • assisting individuals with special needs, who are not adequately supported by the state, by providing transportation for medical appointments or catering to families with children with specific requirements 
  • organizing fun-filled days for children to help create a positive atmosphere and bring some normalcy to their lives during this challenging time

We already have shown the love of Jesus through some of these activities and through the opportunities to speak to those who ask about Him.

I am so grateful for your love, prayers, and sacrificial support.

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January 15, 2024 · 8:30 AM

Transformed by His Grace

Thank you for your prayers for Israel during these difficult days. I recently spent a week in the Holy Land visiting with our staff. The entire nation is mourning over those murdered by Hamas and the many hostages yet to be found and released.

During my trip, I witnessed our staff serving the displaced and evacuated, helping to provide food for the elderly who are unable or frightened to go out of their homes to shop. The sirens were blaring during most of my time in the Holy Land as Hamas fired hundreds of rockets into Tel Aviv neighborhoods and many other cities within Israel.

Despite this, we are still progressing with our new Messianic center in Tel Aviv. Though delayed because of the war, we hope to complete the work by the end of this summer.

TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF GOD

Our Israeli staff told many stories about Israelis turning toward heaven for answers to life’s most profound questions. They have lost trust in their leaders, especially in Israel’s military and intelligence agencies, leading to a number of Israelis coming to faith in Jesus, the Messiah. We baptized one young woman who recently became a believer within a week of the October 7 attacks!

I well remember the day when Jesus came into my life. I was raised in a traditional Jewish home in New York City. At the age of nineteen, I ran out of answers to the deeper questions of my heart and turned to the Messiah Jesus. Ever since then, the Spirit of God began transforming my life! The Bible describes this change, in the words of the apostle Paul: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I never tire of hearing the stories of others, both Jewish and Gentile, who have been transformed by the power of God. Helping Jewish people find eternal life through the Jewish Messiah remains the focus of Chosen People Ministries as it has from the very beginning of our ministry 130 years ago.

May I share some testimonies of Jewish people who recently came to faith in Jesus?1

Leah, for example, found Jesus when facing a dangerous medical condition:

In 2018, I was diagnosed with a rare heart condition causing abnormally fast heartbeats due to an extra electrical connection in my heart. While recovering from surgery, I was stuck at home and depressed. My mother encouraged me to read the Bible. One day, following the voice of the Lord with a deep feeling that repentance would save me, I decided to go to the beach to repent before God, and at the beach, I had an encounter with the Lord and was filled with His peace.

A few days later, I woke up with a new “spiritual” heart. Words could not describe the joy. Though my faith was so new, and I often thought my physical heart would fail me, it did not because God was so faithful. I give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Yeshua (Jesus). He enables me to stand firm today, encouraging others, loving others, and sharing my story of salvation. Though the journey has started, it is not over until He returns.

Anya, who came to Israel from Eastern Europe in 2014, discovered hope as she saw believers helping people like her flee from Hamas rockets:

A couple of months ago, when the war started, we were running away from rockets in the city where we lived. Days later, I saw some people coming to help us, giving us a place to live and some food . . . but, it was not just physical food they gave us as we began to talk about spiritual matters. They helped us sacrificially without asking for anything in return, and this caused me to think about what made them different.

I looked at their lives, relationships, how they related to one another, and I thought I wanted to be like them. Over time, I came to understand Who was behind this. I came to love not only this community of believers but the God they loved and the Messiah they worshiped. I see the change not only in me but in my ten-year-old daughter too. She has become not just more friendly but is starting to pray and understand more about the Lord. Before, I believed in myself, but now I know God exists and wants us to follow Him.

God used logic to reveal Himself to Miriam, who now has a passion for sharing her faith:

Though I grew up in a secular, atheistic Jewish family, God showed Himself to me in a special way. He had to get hold of my intellect before He captured my heart. One of my teachers in high school was a Messianic Jewish believer. He did not make a big deal about it, but I remember one of the students pressing him about what he believed one day, and he said, “Yes, I’m a Messianic Jew; I believe in Jesus.” Later, I dated a guy who also said he was a Jewish follower of Jesus. We had lots of theological arguments.

By then, I was more open and wanted to learn about his point of view. At first, I tried to prove him wrong. He gave me a Bible (including the New Testament). I remember reading the Gospels and writing my questions in a notebook. My boyfriend later invited me to attend a congregation with him. I was glad to because I had all these questions I wanted to ask. I was not convinced of everything at first, but then it made sense to me, and I put my trust in the Messiah Jesus. I was baptized soon after.

Reading the Gospel of Matthew changed the life of Doron, a former Orthodox Israeli:

My family moved to Israel from Russia in 1998. After I joined the army, I became Orthodox. I followed a religious lifestyle for about three years—observing the Sabbath, eating kosher, and reciting the daily prayers, but I was never fully convinced. I wanted more evidence than just taking someone’s word for it. So, I continued searching, and after slowly abandoning religious Jewish practices, I led a secular lifestyle for about six years.

I still believed in God and was always interested in spirituality. I read books about Jewish mysticism, Buddhism, Japanese philosophy, etc. Then, I began listening to sermons on YouTube about Jesus. Though I knew very little about the New Testament then, I found what this “preacher” said was extremely powerful, and I wanted to hear more. The videos helped me connect a lot of the dots about how Jesus fits with the Old Testament. So, I started reading the Gospel of Matthew and soon became convinced Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and gave my life to Him.

I hope these testimonies touched your heart as they did mine. We pray many more Jewish people will join the remnant of the redeemed the apostle Paul described in Romans 11:5: “a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.”

Your prayers and financial support are essential to us, and we know we could not fulfill our calling without you. One quick way to proclaim the message of the Messiah to Jewish friends is to send them a link to one of our testimonies on http://www.ifoundshalom.com.

Please keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem and for our work among Jewish people in Israel and beyond. Your gift today encourages us to proclaim the gospel, and God is answering your prayers and filling our dedicated staff with power from on high to be His instruments of grace, leading Jewish people to Jesus.

1 These stories are based on personal interviews and were lightly edited for clarity. All names changed.

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January 5, 2024 · 9:00 AM

We Are Helping the Hurting in Israel

Shalom in the wonderful name of Jesus our Messiah. My wife Zhava and I, and the entire global staff of Your Mission to the Jewish People, wish you a happy New Year and pray 2024 will be a joy-filled and fruitful year of service for you and your family.

We cannot thank you enough for your generous prayers and support over the past year. 

I just returned from a week’s ministry in Israel. It was difficult but also a privilege to hear about the burdens and suffering of our staff and the many Israelis who needed to evacuate their homes. There are still more than 200,000 displaced Israelis who could not remain near the southern and northern borders because of the constant bombardment of rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon. 

 Our staff has been active 24/7. They are bringing food to hungry Holocaust survivors, initiating children’s programs for those kids unable to attend school in person, and meeting the emotional and spiritual needs of Israelis. 

I spent quite a bit of time praying with our staff for the hostages and their friends and family, elderly Holocaust survivors, young adults, and soldiers. We especially prayed for those with friends and family who lost their lives or were seriously injured on and since October 7. 

After spending a week talking to Israelis on the ground, I am more convinced than before my trip they are now looking toward heaven more than ever before for the answers to life’s deepest problems and for the comfort they seek. 

THE FUTURE OF THE HAMAS-ISRAEL WAR

 We know the conflict will continue but expect it will de-intensify over the next few months, though some say the overall operation might take as long as a year. These precious Israelis, especially the younger people, will now face many years of difficult recovery. It might be decades—if not longer—before they will feel like they can trust the Israeli government, military and intelligence services, and their next-door neighbors. If there is one common theme uniting Israelis today, from young adults to elderly Holocaust survivors, it is the overwhelming sense of insecurity. They cannot overcome their now-apparent vulnerability! 

Israelis do not really know where to turn to regain the sense of stability they felt before October 7. In some ways, I feel the same way about October 7, 2023, as I do about September 11, 2001! That day changed my life and transformed an entire generation of Americans. As someone who lived and ministered through this tragedy, I met many in Israel, including members of our staff, who felt like life would never be the same after October 7. I imagine it is similar to how I cannot look up at the New York City skies when I hear the roar of a plane without feeling just a little twinge of anxiety in the depths of my soul. For me, the skies were friendly and New York City skyscrapers, including the Twin Towers, were signs of America’s strength, not weakness. Yet, planes flying gracefully over Manhattan remind me how easily a seemingly harmless event can turn into an attack in a matter of seconds. 

God did bring healing to our country, and I believe He will do the same for Israel! I know the sting of defeat and death will grow slightly dimmer as time goes by, and many Israelis will return to a somewhat tenuous normal. They will return to work, go to school, celebrate the holidays, get married, have babies, and improve their lives. It will take time, but it will happen, as God made our people so very resilient. 

We hope, pray, and strive to introduce Jesus as Messiah, Savior, and Comforter to Israelis as they persevere through this challenging future. Therefore, we are taking four significant steps in the days ahead. We have our eyes on the future of ministry in Israel. 

  1. We are increasing our staff in Israel as the events of October 7 have caused some younger Israeli believers to make serving Jesus more of a priority than ever before.
  2. We are continuing to build out and furnish our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center and hope to have it done in the next six months, as God provides the funding and labor!
  3. We are placing more online ads than ever before, and you can see at the end of this letter some examples of our Hebrew Facebook campaign through which we are connecting with hundreds of hurting Israelis looking for answers.
  4. We are nurturing our staff families by providing counseling opportunities, family retreats, and much more to help them develop coping skills for themselves and for helping others.

Please pray for and support these efforts. Especially pray for our beloved staff in Israel during the difficult days of healing ahead, as well as for those innocent among the people of Gaza who are suffering because of the actions of Hamas.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS AND COUNTING!

By the way, did you know Your Mission to the Jewish People is entering our 130th year of ministry? Hallelujah! I often meet believers who think Chosen People Ministries started within the last few decades. A few months ago, I was even introduced as the founder of Chosen People Ministries. I told the group I was a “well-preserved” founder! 

Actually, I am the seventh leader of this great mission to Jewish people, and I am privileged to continue our founder Rabbi Leopold Cohn’s vision of reaching God’s chosen people with the gospel. 

Remembering God’s hand throughout our history gives us strength in tough times. 

Chosen People Ministries persevered through two world wars, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, the wars following Israel’s establishment as a modern nation, the fall of the Soviet Union, and many more life-changing events. We not only survived hard times but thrived! Why? Because God is faithful to His people and always keeps His promises. God Himself wants Jewish people to come to know Him through Jesus! We will endure the war with Gaza and the terrible events of October 7, 2023, but we will need your prayers and support to do it!

Since the founding of our Mission in 1894, our love for Jesus and our theology have not changed, nor have we veered off course from our mission to reach Jewish people with the gospel. We continue to field new missionaries, plant new congregations, establish centers for outreach, and we now have ministries in twenty countries around the globe. 

What a thrill to be part of God’s covenant faithfulness to Jewish people!

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Romans 1:16, written by the apostle Paul. I like to remind our greater Chosen People Ministries family—including you!—of this passage every January. We begin the new year by rededicating ourselves to the task of bringing the message of Jesus to Jewish people first, and also to the Gentiles. As the apostle wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16).

I am excited and optimistic during these difficult days because the Lord uses times like these to open the hearts of Jewish people. We cannot and must not slow down or reduce our ministry because times are hard. 

We must press forward, with hearts resting in His grace and filled with His Spirit. Through Him, we will continue this great work of reaching His chosen people for His Son in Israel and around the globe.

LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTEST IN DARKNESS

Thank you so much for being part of Chosen People Ministries through your prayers and financial support. As the Lord promised, He has been faithful to His chosen people. Just think—we are still less than a century past the horrific decimation of the Jewish people in the Holocaust. But as God promised in the Scriptures, Jewish people survived, and over the last several decades, tens of thousands have come to know Jesus as their Messiah. 

Praise God—Chosen People Ministries staff members are praying with many Jewish people each year to receive the Lord! I believe the future is bright because the promises of God are true! So, rejoice with me as you see your prayers answered, and please continue to pray for and partner with Your Mission to the Jewish People as we look toward advancing the future of evangelism to God’s chosen people. 

Thanks for being part of Chosen People Ministries and for praying for the peace of Jerusalem.

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November 15, 2023 · 8:30 AM

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

The last several weeks have been incredibly difficult as we grapple with the violence and conflict in Israel. This crisis began on Saturday, October 7. Because it was the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and it was the Sabbath, the Israelis were thoroughly unprepared to fight as they were resting and celebrating the holiday. It was also the fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, when Arab invaders chose Yom Kippur in 1973 because they knew the Israelis would be fasting, attending synagogue, and ill-prepared for the attack. 

On October 7, 2023, at 6:30 AM, more than 1,500 Hamas terrorists broke through the Gaza border into Israel and began slaughtering more than 1,400 innocent men, women, and children, including almost 300 soldiers. 

Hamas fired missiles into southern Israel and killed and kidnapped the Israelis in their path. At the southern kibbutz of Kfar Aza, the terrorists murdered more than 100 civilians, decapitating some, including babies! They murdered at least 260 young people at a music festival. Though our staff are safe for the moment, they personally know people, including Holocaust survivors and young adults, who were killed. Some of our volunteers, staff, and their children are now on the front lines of the war. 

This unprecedented massacre of Israelis reminds me of the dire need to pray for Israel and work toward peace for all people in the Middle East. In Psalm 122:6, we are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I hope we all take this mandate for prayer seriously. Please pass this along to your family, Bible study groups, and local congregations. The more we pray, the greater we will experience God’s blessing. 

Psalm 122:6 is an often-quoted verse, but the entire psalm has a richness and depth I invite you to explore with me. 

THE PSALMS OF ASCENT

Psalm 122 is considered one of the psalms of ascent. These psalms are known by this term 

because the children of Israel probably sang them as they climbed the craggy and dangerous paths toward Mount Zion to celebrate the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles. King David is usually recognized as the author of this beautiful piece of divinely inspired poetry. 

The psalms of ascent include Psalms 120–133. Thematically, this section of Psalms begins with repentance and concludes with the psalmist extolling the virtues of community. You might be familiar with the beginning of the last psalm in this group, “How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Ps 133:1). 

There is a pattern to interpreting the Psalms. Most commentaries or Bible studies on the Psalms identify the central theme as worship. Indeed, there is much in Psalm 122 about worship, as in verse 1, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Ps 122:1). Then we read, “To give thanks to the name of the Lord” (Ps 122:4b), which could specifically refer to the offering of thanksgiving sacrifices at the Temple, not simply to singing songs of thanksgiving. 

However, a closer reading of the psalm reveals the real focus is the destination of the pilgrims— Jerusalem. The great theme of Psalm 122 is Jerusalem: where their feet are standing (v. 2), built compactly (v. 3), to which the tribes go to give thanks (v. 4)! This city is the home of the Temple, where sacrifice and all other forms of worship took place. David’s intent was to highlight the city. There is no reason for us to do any differently or read other meanings into the words of the text. 

THE FIRST FIVE VERSES

There is much to learn from the first five verses of Psalm 122. They set the scene by describing a pilgrimage whereby members of the tribes of Israel were obedient to God and traveled to Jerusalem to worship the Lord—probably on one of the three great pilgrimage festivals. The phrase “give thanks” may very well refer to the thanksgiving offerings outlined in Deuteronomy 16:16–17: 

Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.

Then, in verses 3–5, the psalmist refers to the tight-knit construction of the city, thrones of judgment (referring to the courts), and thrones of David (referring to the role of the Davidic kings). All these images lead to the appeal for prayer in verse six. 

A FOCUS ON VERSE SIX

The psalmist instructs the pilgrims: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you’” (Ps 122:6).

The psalmist calls upon the people of God to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The very name Jerusalem includes this hope for peace. The English term -salem in “Jerusalem” comes from the Hebrew word shalom—peace, wholeness, and completeness.1

When we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are praying not only for the cessation of temporal hostilities (such as terror and missile attacks, the enmity between Israelis and Palestinians), but most of all for the return of the Messiah—the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Our hope is for the personal peace of those who live in the Holy Land!

A COMPARISON BETWEEN PSALM 122:6 AND GENESIS 12:3

The blessing attached to this call to prayer is important and harkens back to the Abrahamic Covenant, in which God promised blessings to those who bless Israel and Jewish people. As the Lord told Abraham, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

God’s promise to Abraham is clear: The reward for blessing Israel is blessing! However, the benefits God had in mind are not primarily materialistic. The fulfillment of this promise comes to us in many shapes and forms and should not be limited to what this world offers. When we are in a right relationship with Him and obedient to His Word, the blessings we receive will be myriad! 

Psalm 122 parallels the Abrahamic Covenant as David promises those who pray for the peace of Jerusalem will “prosper.” Curiously, the promise is for those who “love Jerusalem,” and therefore, we understand the prayers are motivated by love for God’s holy city, as the psalmist writes, “May they prosper who love you” (Ps 122:6b).

The Hebrew term for “prosper” is shalah, which can easily be translated as “have peace and quiet.”2 The prosperity described is a quality of soul and life. This calmness enables those who love Jerusalem to enjoy a similar personal peace as enjoyed by God’s chosen city. 

If we bless Israel, we are participating in unfolding God’s promises to Jewish people, directly impacting Gentiles. One of the ways we can bless Israel and Jewish people is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. When we do, we will receive what money can never buy—God’s presence in our lives—the very source of peace and prosperity! 

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING

Thank you so much for joining us as we pray for the Prince of Peace to reign in the hearts of individuals in the land of Israel and worldwide to experience the abundant life the Messiah promised so many years ago (John 10:10). This prayer would include the Jewish people who live in Jerusalem, Israel and around the globe as Jerusalem is often used in Scripture as a stand-in to refer to the entire nation. We must also pray for the Palestinian victims of Hamas who have suffered terribly for many years, especially in Gaza. Join us in praying for those who live in all the lands promised by God to Jewish people—including what is now known as Gaza (Joshua 15:47). 

Please remember to pray for the work of Chosen People Ministries in Israel, especially as the country mourns the tragic deaths of more than 1,400 Israelis and enters what might be a long and complex military conflict. The nation of Israel is in shock, grieving for her lost children and traumatized by the insecurity of living in the Holy Land. Our people desperately need the gospel, and we pray for many Israelis to be open to hearing about the Messiah Jesus. 

As we provide food, needed items for displaced families, love, and counsel for those who have lost loved ones and have family members in harm’s way every day, we already have many opportunities to proclaim the love of Jesus to Israelis. 

We are grateful for your support and prayers, as we could not continue this work without your sacrifice and generosity. 

Thanks for caring.

1 William Lee Holladay and Ludwig Köhler, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament: Based upon the Lexical Work of Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, 12. corr. impr. 1991, reprinted (Leiden: Brill, 2000), 371, 73.

2 Ibid, 370.

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November 8, 2023 · 8:30 AM

Israel War Update

I remember the day I started writing this letter. It was during the fall Jewish holiday season, and I was filled with hope and excitement for the Jewish New Year, which usually falls in September or October on the Gregorian calendar. I wrote the letter in good faith, and, as usual, I asked God to lead me as I wrote to you. I was satisfied with what I wrote and sent the letter to our Chosen People Ministries publications department for further editing and review.

Then, the world as we know it changed dramatically.

On October 7, more than a thousand Hamas terrorists broke through Israeli defenses. They attacked innocent civilians while the country observed the Sabbath and the last day of the final fall holiday, the Feast of Tabernacles. It was supposed to be a day of rest and rejoicing. But no one on the Israeli side was prepared for what would happen next. By Sunday, October 8, Israelis realized 1,400 men, women, children, babies, and elderly Jewish people were brutally slain by Hamas terrorists, and—horror of horrors—about 200 Israelis were kidnapped and brought to Gaza. Thousands were also injured—many seriously so!

I do not need to go into gruesome detail about what the terrorists did to the individuals they killed and captured. We know the torture and pain were indescribable and inhumane, often leading to death. October 7, 2023, was a day of primal brutality against Jewish people, the likes of which we have not seen since the height of Hitler’s reign of terror.

These atrocities still weigh heavily on my heart each moment of every day. Israelis are grieving lost loved ones, and the families of the abducted are hoping and praying for their release.

THANKFUL AMID TRAGEDY?

It is almost hard to believe we are entering the season of Thanksgiving. It seems so inappropriate to be thankful at this moment in time. I will admit I am having trouble thanking God in light of these last several weeks. I know the apostle Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), but I find it hard to be thankful given the events of these days. I continue to ask the Lord for a deeper biblical understanding of suffering. The pictures of little children and babies kidnapped and killed by Hamas haunt my every waking moment. These are my people—a nation called by God for His holy purposes—yet the sovereign and all-powerful God allowed evil people to perpetrate crimes of the most repugnant nature against my Jewish people.

I am not trying to find some good from what happened. Yet, after what I would call “forced reflection,” I have found some reasons to be grateful amid tragedy.

First, we discovered some friends and family we knew as ordinary people became heroes when Israel needed them. We are only now hearing some incredible stories of heroism during the events of October 7. Parents protected their children and sacrificed their lives in the process. A mom and dad hid their children and distracted the terrorists, but were shot and killed in the process. I am grateful for their love, their sacrifice, and their exemplary actions!

It will take time to uncover all the stories of bravery and heroism we must hear and tell. Jewish people honor their heroes, and I am thankful for this part of my culture, where we remember our heroes for years to come. One example is how we still commemorate those—Jewish and Gentile—who died at the hands of the Nazis for saving others.

I am thankful today for our Israeli staff’s courageous and compassionate response to the tragedy. For instance, one of our staff families heard there was a dire need for baby supplies among those who evacuated southern Israel. They promptly purchased pacifiers, baby food, and other resources to help these people who had to flee their homes at a moment’s notice. They have continually provided emotional, spiritual, and practical support for hundreds!

How can we come to grips with what happened and be thankful? How can we keep ourselves from being consumed by hatred and a desire for vengeance? How can we be grateful during this season of Thanksgiving in light of these tragic events? The answers are all the more elusive because of the graphic nature of the crimes appearing so often on social media, the news, and websites replaying the horrors, not letting us forget. The images stick in our minds, and I, for one, find them impossible to shake!

Yet, I know God wants me to be grateful—not for what happened, of course—but for His grace and mercy we find on the path of suffering. I am so moved by Jesus’ example described in the book of Hebrews:

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2, emphasis added).

His example is so powerful. Not only can we be thankful, but we can even find joy as we suffer because we know He overcame this world and, one day, all suffering will cease. He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and we will live with Him forever. This hope transforms the saddest experience into a moment of sober joy, knowing one day He will return, reign as King from the land of Israel, and take back His world. We long for His return. Today’s tragedy drives me to the cross to find the comfort and hope needed to live a thankful life.

I can also tell you I am grateful for my fellow followers of Jesus who have called, texted, emailed, and written notes asking if I am okay and if our Chosen People Ministries staff are safe. I cannot believe the generosity of individuals and local churches who have sent funds for ministry in Israel to express their love for the Lord, the Jewish Messiah, and Jewish people. Tragedy often leaves us feeling helpless, so we do what we can to alleviate the suffering and grief of Israelis, for whom Jesus died!

I believe giving to our ministry, especially during this season, is motivated by the noblest of Christian motives. I am grateful to be part of the body of Messiah, which is capable of such great love, compassion, and sensitivity.

We are still renovating a new space near our current Messianic center in Tel Aviv, which will enable us to expand our fruitful ministry to young Israelis. This facility is more than twice the size of where we are now. With so many young Israelis being called up to serve in the military during this crisis, ministering to young adults in Israel is more important than ever! I believe we are building this new center to handle all those who will seek the Lord as a result of the tragedies of October 7. We pray it becomes a haven of hope for Israelis.

To learn more and discover how to be part of the new Tel Aviv Messianic Center, go to http://www.chosenpeople.com/telaviv.

THANKFUL FOR YOU

As I consider how God has blessed Chosen People Ministries, I am humbled by the passion and generosity of those like you who pray for and support this historic ministry, which begins our 130th year of Jewish ministry in January.

On behalf of the entire Chosen People Ministries family, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Remember, your family at Chosen People Ministries is thankful for you!

We need your continued prayers for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), especially for those who lost loved ones and for those who are seriously injured or being held captive by the terrorists in Gaza. Let us also remember to pray for Palestinian noncombatants whom Hamas put in harm’s way and who need His mercy and grace as well.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and generous support for this historic work among the Jewish people—in Israel and beyond!

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October 20, 2023 · 8:30 AM

How Can a Good God Allow Human Suffering?

Horror and war have erupted in Israel.
 
Our entire team, including our dedicated staff and missionaries, is profoundly saddened and shocked by the terrorist acts.

However, we can find comfort when tragedy strikes as we look forward to the day when our Lord will “wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain” (Revelation 21:4).
 
Our hope does not mean we do not face suffering before the wondrous day mentioned in Revelation 21:4 (John 16:33). Brutality like what the Hamas terrorists did may stir us to cry out, “Why, God?! How could You allow such crimes to happen?”

Our evangelistic newsletter this year seems especially timely—“Purpose-Filled Suffering.”

Many think a good God would never allow people to suffer because suffering hurts, and a good God should alleviate pain. If removing pain is beneficial, and an all-good, all-powerful God exists, it would make sense for this God to eliminate all pain, right?

Religious and non-religious alike have posed this question. For some, it is the reason they abandon their beliefs. For others, this question is why they commit themselves more deeply to faith. Those who turn from faith see the matter as a logical argument either against the existence of a good and powerful God, against the existence of God at all, or both. They reject the idea of worshiping the God of the Bible in the face of excruciating suffering. Those who embrace biblical faith despite the existence of suffering view the dilemma as resolved by the presence of a good and powerful God. They find peace and solace in following Him.

How do we reconcile these divergent views? One key could be to differentiate between suffering caused by moral failure and suffering caused by other reasons. However, no matter what the cause, pain and suffering are always emotional situations, which adds to the complexity of the problem.

Consequences of Moral Evil

Some suffer because of moral evils like theft, murder, and rape. Yet, people also suffer from cancer, miscarriages, and hurricanes destroying homes. Moral evil is when humans intentionally cause suffering. However, not all suffering is the result of moral evil.

Sometimes, when we consider the problem of evil and suffering, our own experiences can easily blind our hearts and bend our logic. So often, we cannot find the reasons for our suffering or the pain of a loved one. We seek comfort in the answers but find little help making suffering sensible.

Maybe suffering causes us to run from God when we should consider running toward Him instead. Divine help and wisdom are always available by simply reading the Bible. The Psalms have long comforted those who have faith in God and those who do not. The psalmist’s words eloquently mirror our pain and lead us to a God who identifies with our suffering. Knowing this often provides some relief from the loneliness of suffering—we are not alone.

The Intellectual Problem

The Bible and our shared experiences indicate God created humans with self-determination—the ability to choose and perform evil acts. Those choices are ours. Our poor decisions do not stain the One who made us. For example, two virtuous parents can give birth to a child who becomes a murderer, but the child’s evil acts do not mean the two righteous parents are not virtuous.

Why would God create humans and permit them to do evil deeds? It could be because God also wants us to experience love. Love, by definition, can only be freely given. No one can program a robot to love genuinely. No one can force someone to love another person. Love must be a freely chosen decision. Since love cannot be compelled, human beings must have the freedom of choice to experience it.

We should also reconsider whether God abolishing all moral evil is desirable. Choice is a significant theme in the Hebrew Scriptures. If God were to take away the possibility of making the wrong choice, making the right choice is no longer a choice at all. The Bible considers the consequences of bad choices when we are told, “I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity” (Deuteronomy 30:15). Yet, God still tells us to “choose life in order that you may live” (Deut 30:19). He gives us the ability to choose so we can choose to love.

Suffering and the Existence of God

Now, regarding the problem of suffering not caused by the evil of others, we must ask if human suffering and the existence of a good God are mutually exclusive. Can we show how human suffering does not necessarily negate the existence of an all-good and all-powerful God? Is it possible to show how suffering can produce good?

It is understandably challenging to see how good might come from suffering while we are still going through it. As a result of our circumstances, we may see suffering as an argument against God’s existence or His goodness. We can be prone to viewing suffering as always evil. But if we can show how the experience of suffering might produce something more meaningful than the suffering itself, it might produce the very solace those hurting are seeking. Discovering faith in the midst of suffering takes reflection and courage, especially when you may not have been brought up in a home where God was part of your everyday life. Sometimes, we simply need to see the good suffering can produce when viewed through the eyes of faith.

Good Can Arise from Suffering

We have all experienced temporary pain, especially physical pain, producing some good, including necessary surgery, physical exercise, or a dental visit. Emotional discomfort can also lead to good results when we, for example, forgive someone. Pain and suffering do have obvious benefits at times.

If suffering were inherently incompatible with goodness, then there would not be any benefit from these sources of pain. However, we know this is not the case.

Not only can these discomforts produce positive outcomes, but they may also prevent greater suffering later. The pain endured following heart surgery is inconsequential compared to dying without the surgery. Pain experienced when exercising sometimes helps prevent future injury and sickness. The uncomfortable interactions we endure when apologizing and forgiving sustain relationships and families. Persevering through suffering can sometimes prevent greater suffering later on.

When Suffering Seems Pointless

What about pointless and involuntary suffering?

It is impossible to know precisely why we or our loved ones suffer outside of some obvious physical ailment or disease. We may never find the key to unlock the door to those unfathomably dark moments of personal suffering. The reasons for suffering often remain mysterious.

We often live with doubt, uncertainty, and the temptation to declare life’s greatest struggles meaningless. But we must fight these temptations. Faith while suffering is a much healthier response to our painful situation than logic and an over-analysis of what, in all probability, will remain shrouded in mist. We are the created—not the Creator—and therefore, we do not know everything, even about ourselves. We need to look to One who is above and beyond ourselves and has greater wisdom, understanding, and power than we do.

In the New Testament, the great Messianic Rabbi Saul (the apostle Paul) cried out in one of his letters, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). As difficult as it may be to believe, the Scriptures encourage us to trust God and seek His presence for the healing of our souls during times of suffering. He has a greater purpose for our pain than we realize. As the Hebrew prophet Isaiah wrote, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isa 55:8–9).

The Ultimate End of Suffering

Still, it is fair to say, “If an all-good and all-powerful God exists and suffering exists, then God should provide a solution to my suffering.” According to the Scriptures, God is our rescuer and redeemer. So much suffering in this world arises from human failure, which the Hebrew Scriptures call “sin”—my sin, your sin, others’ sin, and even our collective sin. Thankfully for us, God provides a way for our sins to be forgiven (Jeremiah 31:34) and for us to be transformed and begin the long process of being remade in His likeness—spiritually, morally . . . and from the inside out. As predicted by Isaiah,

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (Isa 53:5–6)

This prediction of a suffering Messiah who bore the sins of the world was fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah. He is the ultimate example of meaningful suffering as His death and resurrection provide forgiveness for the sins of all humanity—both Jews and Gentiles—by faith. If we submit our lives to Him, Yeshua also invites us to become like Him—someone who brings comfort and compassion to others experiencing suffering, enabling us to show God’s love to those who are suffering. We await His return, when He will wipe away every tear, and suffering will be no more—what joy awaits those who follow Him.

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June 15, 2022 · 8:30 AM

Gog and Magog: Will Russia Attack Israel?

ARE WE THERE YET? 

Shalom in His grace! Thank you for giving me a few moments to address a question that so many of us are asking at this critical point in time.

Do you recall in the Gospel of Matthew when the disciples were sitting on the Temple steps? They simply could not contain their curiosity about the coming of the kingdom. So they asked Jesus, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matt 24:3).

At this point, He had not yet been crucified nor raised from the dead, and, of course, He had not yet ascended to the right hand of the Father. But they were so eager for the establishment of the Davidic kingdom that they could not muster the patience needed to join Jesus on His journey to the cross and beyond.

We have the great advantage of looking back at these events. After a couple of thousand years of waiting, we have either developed the godly virtue of patience or perhaps, sadly, grown complacent about God’s coming kingdom. We might also have become too attached to a world that is passing away and tempted to try to hold on to what we have.

When I was a new believer, all I could think about was the return of Jesus. I was so eager for His appearing. But time can slowly diminish your hope until the burdens of this life suddenly awaken a more urgent desire to know when He will return: it could be sickness, the loss of a loved one, or a bitter disappointment. Yet, our faith teaches us that the Lord is gracious and uses the trials of life to remind us that something far better is coming!

Then again, God can also remind us of His return through His Word. The passage in Matthew commonly known as the Olivet Discourse reminds us that, as the return of the Lord grows near, we will see signs of increasing intensity, likened to childbirth. According to Matt 24:5–13 (as well as Luke 21 and Mark 13), these signs will include:

  • False prophets and messiahs
  • Wars and rumors of wars
  • Nation rising against nation
  • Kingdom against kingdom
  • Famines
  • Earthquakes
  • Other types of plagues and natural disasters

But all these signs are merely the beginning. As believers, we will be persecuted, killed, hated, and tempted to fall away. We may even betray our fellow followers of Yeshua! Lawlessness will increase, love will grow cold, and soon after that, the end will come!

The Gospel writers record Jesus telling His disciples much more, as the Lord answers with far more detail than they might have expected. For example, Jesus told His disciples that He expected them to pay attention to the signs of the times (Matthew 16:2–4) but that no one, not even He, knew the exact date of His return.1

ROAD SIGNS TOWARD THE FUTURE

We might not be there just yet, but the signs are beginning to look like we are getting close!

Here are some of the most widely accepted indicators of the Second Coming that believers today hold:

  • The Jewish people will return to the land of Israel in unbelief before Jesus returns (Ezekiel 36:22–24).
  • All the nations of the earth will threaten Israel and gather to destroy her at the very end of days (Zechariah 12:3, 9–10).
  • The end-time remnant of the Jewish people will accept Jesus (Zechariah 12, 19; Romans 11:25–29).

There are multiple other prophetic issues to discuss, including the timing of the rapture of believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). Godly and faithful believers take various positions as to when this event will occur—before, during, or after the Great Tribulation (Jeremiah 30:7). Other believers affirm a general resurrection, but not the concept of the rapture. The literalness of the kingdom described in the Hebrew Scriptures and the book of Revelation (Rev 20:1–3, 7) is also highly controversial. Chosen People Ministries’ staff affirm that God will fulfill His promises to Israel, but we also consider the evangelization and discipleship of Jewish people to be our mission’s priority.

GOG AND MAGOG: WHO, WHEN, AND WHERE?

Many also ask me today, and for good reason, if I believe the war that Russia initiated with Ukraine will one day bleed over to Israel and be the fulfillment of the biblically expected war between Gog and Magog?

Again, this is a fair and reasonable question. As mentioned, Jesus wants us to study the Bible and determine the signs of the times to ready ourselves for His return and be passionate about finishing the task of world evangelization. If He is coming soon, we need to follow His final marching orders to each of us: to make disciples of the nations—to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles (Matthew 28:19; Romans 1:16).

His coming should motivate us to make the Great Commission our life’s greatest priority!

The text inspiring the question of whether the war between Russia and Ukraine may lead to the final battle between Gog and Magog and Israel is in Ezekiel chapters 38–39.

And the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia [Cush] and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you.”’”
(Ezek 38:1–6, emphasis added.)

The other passage that is relevant to our search is Revelation 20:7–8: “When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.”

I believe this war to end all wars is coming! I am not sure we can prove that Rosh (“head” in Hebrew) is Russia, as we must work through entirely different languages to come to this conclusion. We know that Persia, or Iran, is an ancient and current enemy of Israel. Cush refers to Ethiopia, which is not currently an enemy. However, Put, which is Libya, could very well become more of an enemy in the days ahead. The Bible refers to territories that are north of Israel, which could include Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq—traditional enemies of the modern State of Israel. Russia has not been an outright enemy of Israel, although Vladimir Putin has sided with Syria and claimed some months ago that Israel stole the Golan Heights from Syria and should return it.

One point that makes me seriously think that this war will one day turn against Israel is the description of Israel’s security measures in Ezekiel 38:8 and 11: “After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. . . . And you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates.’”

One only needs to visit Israel today to see that it requires some of the most obvious and intensive security measures of any nation in the world. All you need to do is count the young soldiers on the streets of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

So, is it possible that this war is coming soon? Perhaps. But it seems to me that the table is not yet fully set.

I am sorry that I cannot provide a more definitive answer for you; I can pray that the Lord leads you to a deeper understanding of a complex biblical truth and offer a few suggestions for your personal study. I hope these suggestions help you on your journey:

Identify the key players by starting with a good Bible dictionary and an ancient world map.

  • Read through Ezekiel 35–39 slowly, carefully, and at least a half dozen times to get the complete picture of what God is doing in these last days. Then do the same with Revelation 20. 
  • Draw a timeline for yourself and see if you can plot the various events of these days.
  • Read through Zechariah 12–14, Romans 11, and Matthew 23:37–39 to see if these passages shed some light on the topic.

So, are we there yet? Only God knows, but the road signs indicate we are getting close! As Jesus said, “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:32–33).

1 Matthew 24:36, 42, 44, 25:13; Mark 13:32–37; Acts 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–2.

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