Tag Archives: israel

July 15, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Hineni! Isaiah’s Call and Ours

We live in turbulent times, which is why it is so important that we put our trust in the Lord and make ourselves available for service. We have an inspiring example of this in the ancient Hebrew prophet Isaiah. There is no place where the character and commitment of the prophet are more clearly seen than when God Himself called him to ministry (Isaiah 6).

Isaiah’s call came around 740 BCE, when the kingdom of Judah stood at a crossroads. King Uzziah, who had reigned for fifty-two years, was dead. With his passing came uncertainty, fear, and the looming shadow of Assyrian aggression on the horizon.

For Isaiah, this was not just a national crisis—it was personal. He had lived and prophesied during Uzziah’s reign, warning of God’s judgment upon a people whose hearts had grown cold. Now, as political stability crumbled, so, too, did any illusion that his words had made a difference. The vineyard of Israel, as he would later describe it, was about to be trampled and laid waste (Isaiah 5:5–6).

In this moment of profound despair and seeming failure, God revealed Himself to Isaiah in a way that would forever transform the prophet’s life.

A Vision of Glory

Isaiah described his extraordinary divine encounter as follows: “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple” (Isaiah 6:1).

Amid earthly loss and uncertainty, Isaiah was granted a glimpse of the true King who would never die, seated on His eternal throne, lifted above all others in the heavens. 

The terms used to describe God’s posture are “high and lifted up,” which also match the prophet’s description of the Messiah in Isaiah 52:13, “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” These words offer a further hint of the divine nature of the coming Servant of the Lord.

The imagery is striking as the train of God’s robe filled the entire Temple. This vision provides our first glimpse into the heart of Isaiah’s message—amid human frailty and failing kingdoms, God’s sovereign rule remains unshaken and all-encompassing.

Above this throne were the seraphim, fiery angelic beings whose very name recalls the “fiery serpents” of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Numbers 21:4–9). Their thunderous chorus echoed through the Temple, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

The Hebrew word for “holy” (kadosh) means set apart. Three times, the seraphim declared God’s utter otherness—His complete separation from sin and creation. This repetition is not mere poetry but a profound expression of God’s triune nature, although Isaiah himself may not have fully comprehended this mystery. As the seraphim proclaimed God’s holiness, the very foundations of the Temple thresholds trembled, and smoke filled the sanctuary. 

The Cleansing of a Prophet

In the presence of this overwhelming holiness, Isaiah could only see one thing clearly—his own unworthiness, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). The Hebrew word for “ruined” (damah) means utterly destroyed. Isaiah recognized that his prophetic lips were unclean (tamey), the same term used throughout Leviticus to describe ritual impurity. 

Isaiah may have wondered how a man with unclean lips and an unclean heart could speak God’s holy word. How could he condemn Israel’s sin when he himself was so deeply flawed? Yet, God’s response to Isaiah’s confession reveals the core of the gospel message:

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven” (Isaiah 6:6–7).

The coal was not just any coal, but one taken from the altar of sacrifice—drenched in the blood of atonement. The seraph’s touch did not just cleanse Isaiah’s lips for prophetic speech. It provided comprehensive forgiveness. His iniquity was taken away, and his sin atoned for by the shed blood of the sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11).

Again, we see a foreshadowing of the Messiah. Just as Isaiah received cleansing through sacrificial blood, we receive forgiveness through the ultimate sacrifice of Yeshua (Jesus). Additionally, like Isaiah, our cleansing is not just a one-time event from years ago but a daily reality that enables us to be intimate with God and prepares us for service. 

Saying Yes to God

Encountering God’s holiness and experiencing His cleansing grace positioned Isaiah to hear God’s call: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8).

The Hebrew phrase, “Here am I” (hineni) is far more than a statement of physical presence. It is a declaration of complete availability and readiness to follow orders. Throughout Scripture, this response marks moments of profound encounter with God: Abraham said, “Hineni!” when God called him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:1); Moses said it when God spoke from the burning bush (Exodus 3:4); and Samuel said it when God called him as a boy in the Temple (1 Samuel 3:4).

Each of these instances represented a turning point—a moment when ordinary people made themselves fully available to an extraordinary God. 

The Challenge of Faith

What makes Isaiah’s story so remarkable is what happened after he said, “Hineni.” Isaiah received perhaps the most discouraging commission in Scripture:

Go, and tell this people: “Keep on listening, but do not perceive; keep on looking, but do not understand.” Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed. (Isaiah 6:9–10)

God was essentially telling Isaiah he would preach, but the people would not listen, and his preaching would make their hearts harder. No wonder Isaiah responded with the anguished question: “Lord, how long?” The answer was equally devastating: “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate” (Isaiah 6:11).

The Hebrew prophet teaches us some great lessons in evangelistic patience, which is what many of us who serve with Chosen People Ministries have learned. We know that the day is coming when the Lord will turn the hearts of the Jewish nation to Jesus (Romans 11:25–29), even though we are eager and pray for our Jewish people to come to know their Messiah right now. 

The Promise of the Remnant

Even amid this dire commissioning, God offered Isaiah a glimmer of hope about a faithful remnant, “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump” (Isaiah 6:13).

This doctrine of a remnant runs throughout Scripture. The prophet predicts that even though Israel might be cut down like a tree, the stump—a faithful remnant—would remain, preserving the possibility of new growth. The apostle Paul would also later write: “In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice” (Romans 11:5).

This remnant doctrine allows us to redefine success in evangelism. We are called to faithfulness, not visible results. We proclaim the gospel to all, knowing some will reject it while others—the remnant God has prepared—will receive it. The Lord has called us to faithfully proclaim the good news and let Him bring the good result!

Our Hineni Moment

What does Isaiah’s experience mean for us today? Like him, we live in uncertain times. Like him, we may feel our witness falls on deaf ears. Like him, we are painfully aware of our own unworthiness.

Yet Isaiah’s vision offers us hope. The same commission—difficult though it may be—comes with the same promise of a remnant who will believe.

Therefore, knowing His forgiveness and in obedience to His call:

  • We preach whether people respond positively or not.
  • We preach until the opportunity is no longer available.
  • We preach, confident in God’s promise to preserve a faithful remnant for Yeshua.

We do not measure our success by visible results but by our faithfulness to the gospel. Our motivation comes not from confidence in our own abilities but from a vision of God’s glory and grace through Jesus.

Are we ready to say hineni—to be available to God and to serve Him in bringing the message of Yeshua to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16)? May we, like Isaiah, be transformed by a vision of God’s holiness, cleansed by His grace and compelled by His call to say with sincere hearts, “Hineni, send me.”

Thank you for your love, faithful support, and prayers for our global staff who call on the Lord for His holy purposes while reaching Jewish people for the Messiah.

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June 2, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Prophecy and Politics in the Middle East 

Shalom, in the name of the Prince of Peace—Jesus the Messiah. I am now in Israel, and we are touring the country with two busloads full of faithful prayer partners and watchmen for Jerusalem (Isaiah 62:6–7). We are also celebrating the dedication of our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center. What a joyous occasion! 

The Lord is moving powerfully in the Holy Land! Young adults are coming to faith in Jesus as Messiah, and the entire body of believers, tempered by suffering, is growing by leaps and bounds. The number of people coming to the Lord is more than I have ever seen, and the maturity of leaders and congregants is remarkable. It is so true that we grow the most through adversity. 

I can also confirm that the entire nation of Israel is under incredible stress. Political tensions are virtually intolerable, and there are still dozens of hostages and hostage families who have not seen their loved ones for almost two years. 

So again, please pray for our staff, many of whom are quite young and are going through hardships that are causing them to grow up more quickly than we would wish. So many of the believers in the land are still running in and out of bomb shelters and back and forth between reserve duty in the Israel Defense Forces and civilian life. They desperately need our love, support, and, most of all, our prayers. Please join us in begging the Lord for the peace of Jerusalem by praying for the local Israeli believers and, especially, for the Israel staff of Your Mission to the Jewish People. 

PROPHECY AND POLITICS

As believers, we must also understand that today’s events were predicted in the Bible. This helps remind us that we serve a God who knows the beginning and the end and holds Israel in His covenantal grip. 

When praying for the Jewish people and for Israel, it is very helpful to understand the landscape of the modern Middle East through the eyes and words of the Jewish prophets.

The biblical prophecies about the nations surrounding Israel provide a framework for understanding current geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The prophet Zechariah speaks of Jerusalem becoming “a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around” (Zechariah 12:2), and that there will come a time when all nations will gather against Jerusalem: “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:3). 

These verses seem to describe the current tensions with Israel as she is surrounded by nations with varying degrees of hostility. These developments, which suggest the prophetic scenario of nations gathering against Jerusalem, may very well be unfolding before our eyes.

The Bible, through the prophet Zechariah as well as Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, assures us that God will act on behalf of His chosen people Israel and prevent the nation from being destroyed. The Messiah Jesus will return in glory and majesty to rule on David’s throne and rescue His people who will recognize Him in His coming. The main text to keep in mind as you read the remainder of this president’s prayer letter is Zechariah 12:9–10:

And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”

ESCALATING THREATS IN THE REGION

Let us take a few moments to find out the major Middle East players and assess what Israel might face today and tomorrow from her neighbors. We will look at the current Middle East through the lens of Scripture by learning more about some of Israel’s neighbors: Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Russia, Iraq, and Yemen. The escalating threats from Iran and Lebanon in particular represent a serious concern for Israel’s security for several reasons at this present moment.

Iran

Iran maintains openly hostile relations with Israel, with its leadership continuing to threaten Israel’s existence. The country actively supports armed proxies across the region, including Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, the Houthis, and various militias in Syria and Iraq. Iran’s nuclear program represents an existential threat to Israel, and Israeli leaders have repeatedly stated they will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Israel has increased cyber and intelligence operations targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and supply chains in response to these threats.

Syria

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria is now under a transitional government led by Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir. It has a temporary constitution signed in March 2025, placing the country under Islamist rule. Israel continues to conduct airstrikes targeting Iranian supply lines and militia bases inside Syria. The northern border remains volatile, especially following the recent Hezbollah conflict.

Lebanon

After a devastating recent war with Israel, Lebanon formed a new government under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, aiming to implement reforms and reduce Hezbollah’s influence. However, Hezbollah, while pushed back during the 2024 war, was not eliminated. Israel continues to hold Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah’s actions. While the new Lebanese government has pledged reform, Israel remains wary and continues heavy surveillance and occasional cross-border operations.

Russia (Gog/Magog)

Russia’s continued involvement in Middle Eastern affairs, particularly its support of Iran’s nuclear program, potentially places it in a position to fulfill the prophetic role described in Ezekiel 38–39 (Gog/Magog) of leading a coalition against Israel. Russia’s threat to Israel has been evolving through its growing alignment with Iran and continued influence in Syria. Despite the fall of Assad altering some dynamics, Russia still coordinates its Israel posture in sync with Syria. While diplomatic channels remain open between Russia and Israel, especially regarding air operations over Syria, Russia’s deepening relationship with Iran poses a threat. Israel walks a careful line, avoiding open alignment with NATO to preserve its operational freedom near Russian military assets in Syria. 

Iraq (Babylon)

The prophetic significance of Babylon (modern Iraq) keeps this nation relevant and could be part of the potential end-time coalition that will gather against Israel (Jeremiah 50–51; Revelation 17–18). While Iraq does not pose as direct a threat to Israel as Iran or Syria, it remains a concern due to the presence of Iranian-backed militias operating in the country. Israel monitors these groups and has allegedly carried out covert strikes against them. Iraq’s constitutional opposition to normalization with Israel and strong pro-Palestinian public sentiment create a hostile environment. 

Yemen

Yemen represents a more complex case. The country has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels controlling significant territory. The Houthis have demonstrated hostility toward Israel, particularly during the Gaza conflict. The Houthis continue to launch missiles and drones toward Israeli territory.

OUR ROLE AS JESUS FOLLOWERS IN THESE LAST DAYS

These escalating threats from nations that will rise against Israel in the end times align with biblical prophecies. This current grouping of nations hostile to Israel underscores the importance of standing with Israel, both spiritually and practically. As these prophetic scenarios potentially unfold, Israel will need support from those who understand God’s promises regarding His people. We need to pray for the Jewish people during this heart-wrenching season, especially for the hostages and for the leaders of the nation. 

We can also take some joy in knowing that the number of Israelis who follow Jesus as their Messiah is growing. For example, our Psalms of Hope Campaign, where we offer a free download of a modern Hebrew version of the Psalms, has crossed the 5,000-download mark, which is incredible. To think that so many Israelis are seeking a more intimate relationship with God through reading the Psalms is encouraging. Those who downloaded the Psalms are now one step closer to finding Jesus, who often quoted the many prophecies about Himself in the Psalms. 

After spending time with our staff for the last two weeks, I am again impressed with their love and dedication for the Lord and our Jewish people. 

We believe now is the time to reach Israelis with the gospel, as we see the storm clouds rising and the vision of the Middle East envisioned by the prophets of Israel beginning to take shape. 

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May 1, 2025 · 10:00 AM

Reaching Jewish Students on College Campuses: A Call to Stand and Serve

College campuses are some of the most spiritually open places in our society. It is no exaggeration to say that many young people, including Jewish students, make life-altering decisions during these formative years. 

A STRATEGIC AND TIMELY OPPORTUNITY

The Jewish student population in the United States exceeds 400,000. New York University (NYU) alone has over 6,000 Jewish undergraduates, making it one of the largest concentrations of Jewish students outside of Israel. Columbia and Barnard College (its affiliated women’s college) are not far behind. Together, they represent a vital mission field. 

THE CRISIS ON CAMPUS: THE GROWTH OF ANTISEMITISM

In recent months, the surge in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents on college campuses has been unprecedented. In the 2023–2024 school year, the Anti-Defamation League recorded over 1,400 antisemitic events linked to higher education institutions—a fivefold increase over the previous year.1 At Columbia, Jewish students have been labeled “Zionist aggressors,” with their photos and names posted publicly. Others have found their dorm room doors vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti. One Columbia student told the press, “I’m scared to wear a Jewish star here.”2 Protesters have stormed campus buildings shouting slogans like “From the river to the sea,” which many Jewish people understand as a call for the eradication of Israel. 

At NYU, students wearing Jewish symbols have been verbally harassed, and one Jewish student was assaulted during a protest. In November, Students for Justice in Palestine organized a rally outside the Stern School of Business that blocked entrances and featured chants praising “resistance” in the name of Gaza. Some students reported being spat on. In another case, flyers were distributed accusing specific students of supporting “genocide” because they expressed pro-Israel views. These incidents have created a climate where many Jewish students feel isolated or afraid to speak. 

Despite national media attention, administrative responses have often lagged and incidents ignored, leaving Jewish students feeling abandoned. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched investigations into both NYU and Columbia. 

THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO JEWISH MINISTRY ON CAMPUS

For many years we have conducted a more traditional approach to Jewish ministry on campus and continue to do so, setting up book tables and trying to start spiritual conversations. God has used these efforts to impact students on campus—especially in the current environment where so many students are exhibiting antisemitic behavior. 

For example, a staff member in Boston gives the following testimony, 

In response to the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, especially in Boston, I felt called to stand with Jewish students. In response to the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, especially in Boston, my team and I set up book tables at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University, Northeastern, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMASS-Amherst).

At UMASS, we set up our book table right outside of the student union, and immediately the Lord opened many conversations with Jewish students. At one time I had five Jewish students standing around my table. One student was a regular at the Hillel House [a Jewish student group with chapters nationwide], another girl was more secular, then a young Jewish kid came to join us from Long Island, NY, and finally two more Jewish students joined in — one being from Israel and the other coming from a traditional Jewish home. Each took an evangelistic pamphlet, and two left with a copy of the New Testament, which I always carry with me. 

A RESIDENTIAL MINISTRY TO JEWISH STUDENTS: THE HOUSE OF LIVING WATERS

Hostility toward Jewish students and Israel makes our ministry of on-campus presence more important than ever. The idea is simple but powerful: young adults live in community near a major campus, host regular outreach events, and form deep, personal relationships with Jewish students. In contrast to pop-up evangelism, the House of Living Waters creates stability and trust. The model has proven effective, as the following testimonies from some of the program leaders indicate! 

Henry 

House of Living Waters in the past months has seen extraordinary growth in what can only be understood as the Lord ’s provision. We had an event on the NYU campus, an interfaith Purim party, and students were engaged and desiring more events from our team. We continue to have our Sabbath dinners and Bible study, which has built up a community of believers and not-yet-believers who are excited to see the community provided through the program. We are partnering with many student groups to continue reaching the campus, engaging with students, and building a lasting community within these campuses. 

Sergey 

“So, what is House of Living Waters doing?” This was the question that two rabbis asked me at Rutgers University while we hosted a Purim event on campus. I had an amazing conversation with them about who we are and what we do on campuses, and I told them that we would love to connect in the future and maybe do something together. Please keep praying for our work in Columbia while we establish the ministry there and specifically for our upcoming events with both Jewish and non-Jewish students. 

Charlene 

House of Living Waters has seen incredible growth this school year. We are hopeful about the connections we are building at NYU, and as we launch at Columbia and even Rutgers. It has been an encouragement to see Jewish and non-Jewish students engage with us at our weekly Sabbath dinners and events. At NYU, one student leader said they were happy to partner with us given all the antisemitism and unrest that has been taking place on university campuses. As a result, Christian students are excited about connecting their Jewish friends with us, and Jewish students have shown an interest in our effort to create a community for Jewish-Christian dialogue. 

NYU, COLUMBIA, BARNARD. . . AND TO THE UTTERMOST CAMPUSES!

NYU is not only in the heart of a Jewish population center, but it also houses over twenty active Jewish student organizations. These groups represent not only strategic access points for Jewish engagement but also spiritual battlegrounds where Jewish students are searching for truth. 

Christian groups are present and active as well. At NYU, InterVarsity, CRU, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), and others have welcomed partnership with our House of Living Waters team. We are working to strengthen collaboration with these groups so they can more confidently reach out to their Jewish friends and classmates. We hope to begin a House of Living Waters program at Columbia in the fall. 

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR OUTREACH

Evangelism: The men at our current House of Living Waters program based at NYU engage students in dorms, coffee shops, and at public events. Through partnerships with CRU, InterVarsity, RUF, and others, our staff are invited into conversations with Christian students who long to reach their Jewish friends. 

Sabbath Dinners: These are the heartbeat of the program. Every week, students come for a home-cooked meal, warm conversation, and spiritual reflection. These Friday evening meals and Bible studies often lead to further questions about the Messiah and what it means to be Jewish and believe in Jesus. 

Discipleship: Those who serve as part of the House of Living Waters are often recent college graduates themselves, so this wonderful outreach program also serves as a powerful tool of training and discipleship for this next-generation team of dedicated, Jesus-focused young adults. The team members are trained in apologetics, theology, and pastoral care, with ongoing personal mentorship by more experienced Chosen People Ministries staff. 

FUTURE PLANS AND THE CALL TO MULTIPLY

We believe God is calling us to replicate the House of Living Waters in other strategic university cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Toronto—to name a few. Each city has a dense Jewish population and major university presence. With the success we have seen at NYU and growing relationships at Columbia and Rutgers, we are eager to build. Each participant receives a stipend each month and free housing in exchange for a year-long commitment to outreach and discipleship. Their week includes a Friday night Sabbath dinner, Bible studies, Jewish holiday celebrations, and strategic evangelism. 

Thanks for caring and for building the future of Jewish evangelism on campus together with Your Mission to the Jewish People.

  1. “Anti-Israel Activism on U.S. Campuses, 2023-2024,” ADL, updated February 7, 2025, https://www.adl.org/re-sources/report/anti-israel-activism-us-campuses-2023-2024.
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  2. Ali Bauman and Christina Fan, “Columbia University Protesters Taken into Custody after Day of Unrest on Campus,” CBS News, updated on April 18, 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/columbia-university-pro-palestinian-pro-israeli-protests/. ↩︎

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April 15, 2025 · 9:00 AM

The Resurrection of Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures

Shalom and Happy Resurrection Day!

I still remember the day when, as a young, nineteen-year-old Jewish man, I realized that Jesus was the Messiah and that He died for my sins and rose from the dead. Boy, was I surprised! 

I had a somewhat secular upbringing with elements of Modern Orthodox Jewish tradition. I knew what I should believe and observe, but my mom and dad did not believe or follow it all, and neither did I. Yet, for some reason, my parents wanted me to have a traditional bar mitzvah (coming-of-age ceremony) at the age of thirteen. 

To this day, I am grateful they made that choice because the preparation gave me a much stronger education in Jewish life and faith than most of my friends. As a Jewish believer in Jesus, having this background has been a great blessing throughout my decades of walking with the Lord. 

Before accepting Jesus as my Messiah, I was growing more and more secular every day as my peers had tremendous influence over me! I do not remember ever thinking seriously about the Jewish belief in resurrection—aside from a vague understanding that, when the Messiah comes, He would raise the dead. 

My two best friends had come to faith in Jesus and challenged me to believe as well. I began reading the Hebrew Scriptures, but only to challenge their new-found faith. I considered belief in Jesus to be quite unkosher, but I found that “my Bible” spoke to my heart, so I asked God to show me the truth. Most importantly, I asked God, “How do I get to You? Show me the way.” 

That evening, the Lord gave me exactly what I needed. By God’s grace, I found a New Testament in the most extraordinary way—in a phone booth in the middle of the redwood forest in Northern California, where I was working as a camp counselor for an outdoor education program. I read through the Gospels and discovered a Jewish Jesus who fulfilled the Old Testament Messianic prophecies and hope of the Jewish people—and a big part of that involved His resurrection. I believed the gospel—that Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead, conquering death. 

Further, since Jesus rose, I will, one day, rise as well! It is a glorious hope, and if we need anything today in this world, it is hope. My hope is built upon His rising from the dead, and it endures the most difficult circumstances. I cannot wait to see Him face to face! 

As Paul so eloquently wrote in his introduction to his epistle to the Romans: 

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:1–4, emphasis added) 

I fervently pray that my Jewish family and community will recognize that resurrection is a very Jewish belief, and it should not be strange for a Jewish person to believe the Messiah would rise from the dead. 

There is a group of Jewish people called the Lubavitch Hasidim who believe their rebbe, who died decades ago, will, one day, rise from the grave. They even base this view on Isaiah 53! Though I know this is a minority position, it still gives me hope that my Jewish people can be persuaded of the magnificent truth of the resurrection.

RESURRECTION IN SCRIPTURE

Let us briefly walk through Scripture, and maybe you will have the opportunity to share these passages with a Jewish friend during this wonderful resurrection season. 

First, we learn from the apostle Paul’s chapter on the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15, that Jesus’ resurrection was predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures: 

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1–4, emphasis added) 

We might ask where the resurrection of the Messiah was predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures, as Paul proclaims. We can turn to one of the most well-known prophecies about the Messiah in Isaiah 53: 

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:8–9, emphasis added) 

This passage is important, as the Servant of the Lord must have died to rise, of course! Isaiah’s words in the final verse of this chapter speak clearly of the Messiah’s death for our sins: “Because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). 

Old Testament prophecy predicted Messiah’s suffering and death for the sins of the Jewish people and the nations, as well as His resurrection. Isaiah wrote: 

But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10) 

We also see the hope of the resurrection predicted in the Psalms, where King David spoke prophetically. In Psalm 16, David referred to the afterlife: 

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:10–11) 

This passage refers to someone greater than King David. The Jewish apostle Peter confirmed that David was speaking about the risen Messiah: 

Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. (Acts 2:29–31, emphasis added)

Immediately after quoting from Psalm 16, Peter proclaimed the promise of the resurrection once again through the mouth of King David by quoting another of his psalms, “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’” (Psalm 110:1). 

The Lord of King David is, of course, Jesus—the Messiah and the greater Son of David! 

There is another prophecy of Messiah’s resurrection that is more of a prophetic picture of a future event than an explicit prophecy. In the Passover story, the smeared blood of the perfect lamb during the first Passover in Egypt points to a greater “Lamb of God” and a more powerful redemption from the bondage of sin: “ For Christ our Passover [lamb] also has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). 

Paul also envisioned a prophetic picture of Messiah’s resurrection embedded in the Festival of First Fruits. 

Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, “When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.” (Leviticus 23:10–11) 

Paul linked the waving of the sheaf of grain (the first fruit) from this festival mentioned in Leviticus, which takes place on the day after the Sabbath—Sunday. Therefore, this picture of the Festival of First Fruits alludes to the Passion, when Jesus died as the Lamb of God and rose as the first fruits of the coming resurrection. He was the first to rise, and all those who accept Him as their Savior will follow. 

Paul, a well-trained first-century Pharisee, understood these parallels and pointed them out under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, especially to his Jewish readers. 

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming. (1 Corinthians 15:20–23, emphasis added) 

If Jesus died on a Friday and rose on a Sunday, then the resurrection may well have happened on the Festival of First Fruits. 

With so much written in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish people should have been expecting the atoning death and resurrection of the Messiah. We have the joy of reminding our Jewish friends and family of the Jewishness of the resurrection and that Jesus perfectly fulfills these predictions. 

May the Lord fill you with His power and hope, and please pray for the Jewish people during this Passover and Easter season. The Jewish people desperately need hope in this post-October 7 environment. 

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April 1, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Passover: Holding On to Hope

There is just something about Passover that brings hope to the Jewish soul. Maybe it is because the entire Passover service looks forward to a greater day of redemption.

Throughout the Passover Seder (ritual meal), we are reminded of that dramatic moment when God, through Moses, commanded each Israelite family in Egypt to take an unblemished lamb, slaughter the animal, and apply its blood to the doorpost of their home. According to Exodus 12:1–13, those who obeyed the Lord and smeared the blood on their doorposts would be spared from the Lord slaying their firstborn sons.

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)

During today’s Passover meal, we raise the shank bone of a lamb as a symbol of the slain lamb. Jewish people throughout the ages acknowledge this historic act of redemption and look forward to an even greater day and more robust culmination of this prophetic pattern.

Passover is a celebration of hope in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who will never allow His chosen people to be destroyed. The Passover points us forward and annually reminds us of the God who parted the sea and led the Jewish people through forty years of wilderness wanderings.

Today, we also reflect upon a modern miracle—that this same God, after centuries of dispersion, has been bringing the children of Israel back to the Promised Land. He will not allow His chosen people to remain separated from the Land of Israel (Genesis 15:18–21) as He is a promise-keeping God who spoke through the prophet Jeremiah:

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36)

The Jewish people have hope for the future because of the faithfulness of God!

“HATIKVAH”: THE ANTHEM OF HOPE

The hope of the Jewish people is reflected in the lyrics of Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah”:

As long as deep in the heart,
The soul of a Jew yearns,
And forward to the east.
To Zion, an eye looks
Our hope will not be lost.
The hope of two thousand years
To be a free nation in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem

“Hatikvah” began its life as a nine-stanza Hebrew poem entitled “Tikvatenu” (“Our Hope”). Its author was a nineteenth-century Hebrew poet, Naftali Herz Imber (1856–1909), who was from eastern Europe. Inspired by the early Zionist movement, Imber wrote the poem in 1878 while still living in Europe.

Imber settled in Israel in 1882 when it was part of the Ottoman Empire. He worked as personal secretary and Hebrew tutor to Sir Laurence Oliphant (1829–1888), a British author, politician, world traveler, and Christian Zionist. Oliphant even launched various efforts to encourage Jewish resettlement in the historical Land of Israel.

Imber dedicated “Tikvatenu” to Oliphant. The poem became a song and was embraced by many early Jewish pioneers to Israel before the start of the modern Zionist movement in 1897.1

The anthem reminds us that hope has always been central to the Jewish story.

WHAT IS HOPE?

Hope, or tikvah in Hebrew, is more than a mere wish; it is a confident expectation tied to the promises of God, similar to its description in the New Testament (Hebrews 6:18–19). Tikvah carries rich meanings, including expectation, longing, and trust. Hope is more than a feeling; it is a lifeline. It is derived from a root word meaning “to bind together,” much like a rope that connects us to something secure.2

The same word appears in Joshua 2:18, where the scarlet rope (tikvah) hanging from Rahab’s window symbolized the hope of deliverance. Just as that rope represented salvation for Rahab and her family, hope connects us to God’s promises and secures our future.

Imagine that rope—God holds one end, and we hold the other. Life may pull us into pits of despair or storms of uncertainty, but this rope keeps us tethered to God’s faithfulness. We need to hold on to hope and remain fastened to God’s fidelity and His promises to the Jewish people.

OUR GLORIOUS HOPE

The prophet Isaiah describes this hope for a peace-filled world in chapter two of his prophetic book: 

And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:4b–5)

Our hopes for peace and a world without war and pain is anchored to this glorious promise—a future where peace and justice reign under God’s rule through the greater Son of David, Jesus the Messiah (1 John 3:2–3).

HOPE FOR TOMORROW IN ISRAEL TODAY

This cherished hope was yet again tested for the Jewish people on October 7, 2023, and continues to today.

It is heartbreaking to see Israeli families suffering from a lack of hope. Even if peace is somehow made with Hamas, Hezbollah, and other jihadist groups—and even if the threat from Iran is tempered—it is still a great challenge for families to enjoy any sense of normalcy after going through what Israel has endured for the past eighteen months.

Yet, we do see some sparkles of light through the ministry of Your Mission to the Jewish People in Israel today.

A couple of months ago, I met three new Israeli believers who came to faith within the last nine months, and we have an ongoing discipleship ministry to each of them. I met them at our Friday night monthly Sabbath outreach dinner at our current rented center in Tel Aviv!

We also launched a Facebook campaign called Psalms of Hope that has led to more than 4,000 Israelis downloading our modern Hebrew version of the Psalms. It has been exciting to see God working in this way.

More than 150,000 new immigrants entered Israel these last few years. Many of them speak either Russian or Ukrainian as their first language, and we continue to have the opportunity to present the good news to nearly 1,000 of these precious and hurting new Israelis. We provide practical and spiritual help, assist them in buying needed appliances, and other essentials for their new homes. We accompany them to state and medical institutions as many of our staff speak both Russian and Hebrew. In general, we play a crucial role in their integration into Israeli society. We organize Sabbath meals and Jewish holiday celebrations, family retreats, kids’ classes, practical seminars, Bible studies, and more.

We blessed more than 2,000 soldiers around Israel by providing personal hygiene products, flashlights, chargers, and other items. We organized barbecues with concerts on military bases for hundreds of soldiers. These are excellent opportunities to share our faith and demonstrate our commitment to supporting all members of Israeli society, including our brave soldiers. We work closely with the believing soldiers as well.

We also continue to assist evacuated families and Holocaust survivors from the north and south of Israel—especially in towns near the borders with Gaza and southern Lebanon—by providing practical and spiritual help and by organizing concerts and events.  

God’s work in Israel today gives us hope for tomorrow.

HOLDING ON TO HOPE

Hope is our lifeline, securing us to the promises of God. Like the scarlet rope in Rahab’s window, it signifies deliverance and a future filled with peace and joy. As we cling to this hope, we find comfort, direction, and the strength to live godly lives. Let us hold firmly to the rope of hope, knowing that God is faithful to fulfill every promise.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

  1. Erin Parfet, “Hatikvah,” Shalom Learning Center, May 31, 2024, https://shalomlc.org/dance-and-song/hatikvah. ↩︎
  2. 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, (Leiden: Brill, 2000), 394. ↩︎

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March 14, 2025 · 9:00 AM

How Then Should We Pray

Shalom in the wonderful name of our Messiah, Jesus! May I share some of my recent experiences in Israel? These days are dark and difficult for Israelis, and they need your prayers. 

I spent some days on the ground recently and still remember standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Israelis in Hostage Square, listening to ambassadors, military leaders, and the parents of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. The event was deeply painful. I recall one mother who began speaking calmly about her beautiful daughter held captive by Hamas terrorists. As she spoke to the crowd, her grief and rage overtook her, and she began screaming, leading the crowd in a desperate chant: “Bring them home. . . bring them home. . . bring them home NOW!” 

I tried to grasp their suffering, imagining how I would feel if my own children were taken by a group of violent, cruel, and apocalyptic murderers with no respect for human life, who abuse, torture, and use the hostages as pawns. My dear Christian friend, the thought alone is unbearable. Many of those taken hostage were so young, barely in their twenties, and all they did was attend a music festival or visit their parents at one of the Gaza border towns. When I think about the hostage deal, I think about these parents and the young people who did not deserve to be treated with such agonizing cruelty. 

The singular redeeming feature of this hostage deal is that some families have been or will be reunited with their loved ones. But the cost is staggering. The ratio of convicted mass murderers and criminals released from Israeli prisons to the few Israeli hostages freed is grossly unbalanced. In a sense, Israel was forced to mortgage her future for the sake of the present. Now, the future looks even darker as convicted terrorists will once again roam free and be able to strike again someday. How can we possibly weigh the life of a freed hostage against the lives that may be lost in the future at the hands of those released? 

The consequences of these impossible decisions will be felt for years to come. Every Israeli remembers that Yahya Sinwar was once just another prisoner like those who were released in this deal. Years ago, he was freed in a similar exchange—one that secured the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza. No one at the time could have foreseen that Sinwar would go on to mastermind the atrocities of October 7, 2023. Was the deal worth it? There is no consensus. For Shalit’s parents and family, the answer is clear—he came home. But if Israel had known then what it knows now, would its government have made the same decision? These are impossible choices.

A MORAL DILEMMA ROOTED IN JEWISH VALUES

This hostage deal, in many ways, reflects deep Jewish values. There is nothing more precious to a Jewish person than the life of a family member. Their safety and well-being are paramount. But it is impossible to fully judge the morality of these choices. We know our enemies are seizing control of the narrative and manipulating these events for their own purposes. Every Israeli now lives with an even more uncertain and dangerous future. Whether this deal was worth it will ultimately be determined by those who welcomed their sons and daughters home—and by those who, in the days to come, may lose their loved ones to future violence. Fairness and justice will remain elusive until the One True Judge rules among His chosen people.

PRAYING FOR ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE

Very few Israelis are turning to Jesus—the One who sees their suffering, who knows their pain more intimately than anyone. Jesus is not a stranger to betrayal, injustice, and grief. He weeps with His people. Let us pray that both secular and religious Israelis recognize the One who says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Pray especially for the families who live with the daily agony of loss. Pray for the children who have been scarred by what they have seen, for the soldiers who risk their lives every day, and for the leaders who make impossible decisions. Above all, pray that they come to know the One who gives life, who restores the brokenhearted, and who alone can bring the kind of peace that the world cannot offer. The world searches for political, military, and diplomatic solutions, but true peace is found only in the Messiah of Israel (Isaiah 9:6–7).

We must stand in the gap, interceding on their behalf so that, in their pain and searching, they may encounter the only One who can bring healing, comfort, and eternal hope.

Let us also remember those released from captivity in recent months. The first ones freed after being held by Hamas for more than 470 days were four young Israeli female soldiers. Now reunited with their families, they face the long journey of healing from the physical and psychological scars of their ordeal. We must also keep in our hearts and prayers any who remain in captivity by the time you receive this newsletter.

As we lift these precious individuals and their families in prayer, we must ask the Lord to comfort those mourning the loss of loved ones and provide strength for those awaiting the return of their family members. May they come to know the One who offers true peace and rest for their souls.

TAKE ACTION AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

Besides praying for those Israelis suffering such pain and loss, we must also mobilize to oppose antisemitism. We cannot simply stand by. Let us take action. We will continue to hold rallies, speak to our government officials, and raise the banner of concern about antisemitism. 

Our new division of Chosen People Ministries, the Coalition Against Antisemitism (opposeantisemitism.com), is directly addressing the growth of global antisemitism by producing teachings, videos, and various resources you can use to better understand and counter antisemitism when you witness it, which is a Christian duty as I see it. After all, God said to Abram, “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). 

The apostle Paul, himself a Jewish believer in Jesus, wrote to the Roman Christians expressing God’s heart of concern for His chosen people:

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. (Romans 15:26–27; emphasis added) 

What could be more critical today than caring for the physical, material, and spiritual well-being of the Jewish people? Your Mission to the Jewish People is doing all these things to serve the Jewish people worldwide, especially in Israel.

OUR NEW OUTREACH CENTER

We are also opening our new Tel Aviv center this month in time for the celebration of Passover when we will honor the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. I am thankful for the generosity of our prayer partners and supporters, who enabled us to move into the new Center without any debt. Praise be to God for His provision. We are excited and believe the Lord will use this larger space powerfully for our outreach events. We are teaching Bible studies, holding concerts, comforting the grieving, and doing everything we can to bring the love of Jesus to Israel. Thank you for your prayers, your support, and for standing with us as we bring the message of Jesus the Messiah—the Prince of Peace—to Israelis and Jewish people around the globe.

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January 15, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Israel and Jewish Evangelism Today

Happy New Year! I hope and pray 2025 will be a fruitful year as you and I serve the Lord. 

There is a wonderful story about the relationship between John Wilkinson, a Gentile missionary who founded the Mildmay Mission to the Jews, and J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission (now OMF International). Every January, Taylor would send Wilkinson a gift with a note attached, “To the Jew first.” Wilkinson would then send the same amount back as a gift to Taylor for his work among the Chinese with a note that read, “And also to the Gentiles.” This true story nicely captures what we will learn in this letter: how we can prioritize reaching Jewish people and still reach the world as commanded by our Messiah prior to His ascension.

There is no doubt that Jewish people need to consciously accept Jesus to obtain salvation and have access to God the Father (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). This saving faith grows out of a Spirit-enlightened understanding of the gospel brought about by embracing Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah (John 3:16–17, 16:8).

It is also clear God made promises to the nation of Israel. While these promises do not guarantee the salvation of every Jewish person, they do assure us that the people of Israel will play an important role in the final chapter of the drama of redemption outlined in the Scriptures.

Believing what the Bible tells us about Israel’s guaranteed role in the future should not dampen our enthusiasm to proclaim the gospel among Jewish people today. Our hearts should be inspired to fervently proclaim the gospel to Jewish people, knowing the time is near and that the salvation of the Jewish remnant is linked to the second coming of the Messiah Jesus.

An End-Times Motivation for Jewish Evangelism

Until recent days, a key factor in motivating many Christians to reach Jewish people with the gospel was the belief that the salvation of the Jewish remnant was connected to the coming of the Lord. The wide acceptance of this end-times inspiration for Jewish missions was also broadly understood among churches throughout the world.

Today, Jewish people and Jewish evangelism have somewhat fallen out of favor among Christians as Israel and Jewish people are not as noticeably needy of redemption. Many Western Christians have sided politically with Palestinians, viewing Israel and Jewish people more negatively, and have directed their “mission impulse” toward social justice issues and evangelizing Arabs, particularly Muslims. I applaud proclaiming the gospel among all people groups. However, many Christians passionate about evangelizing Muslims have embraced a one-sided view of Israel that conflicts with the facts of what is happening in the Middle East and with the Bible itself.

This shift in sympathies is now commonplace in the United Kingdom, northern and central Europe, and it is rising in North America, too. Those who do not take the biblical prophecies about the land of Israel in a literal sense are fueling these shifting sympathies, leading to a declining interest in Jewish evangelism.

This is why understanding the end-times rationale for Jewish missions and the role of Jewish people in the plan of God is critical. It is my hope that Gentile Christians will be moved by the Scriptures to bring the good news to God’s chosen people.

“To the Jew First” (Romans 1:16)

There are several critical passages which should undergird an end-times motivation for Jewish missions. One of the most important is Romans 1:16: “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.”

Those engaged in Jewish evangelism are familiar with this passage and understand its importance in motivating the church toward Jewish evangelism. This brief verse has been interpreted in a number of different ways, but more often than not, it is used to emphasize the importance of Gentile Christians reaching Jewish people with the gospel.

I would suggest that one of the reasons the apostle Paul believed the gospel should go to Jewish people first was because of his understanding of the events of the last days. When Romans 1:16 is viewed in this way, the urgency of Jewish evangelism becomes evident. One cannot fully understand Romans 1:16 without understanding Paul’s conclusion in Romans 11, where he speaks about the end-times repentance of the remnant of Israel and their reception of Jesus as Savior. If we look closely, the priority described in Romans 1:16 is founded on Romans 11:25–27 (and more fully on 11:11–29) and must be viewed in light of the role Jewish people play in the second coming of Christ.

Paul is not suggesting that the Roman believers withhold the gospel from the Gentiles until every Jewish person in the world is reached. Neither is the apostle implying that the gospel has already come to Jewish people first and that this priority no longer applies to the mission of the church today. Romans 1:16 was written in the present tense. Therefore, if the gospel is still “the power of God for salvation” and is still for “everyone who believes,” then the gospel is still “to the Jew first.”

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, focused his ministry on reaching non-Jewish people with the gospel message. Yet, this did not lessen his concern for the salvation of Jewish people. Wherever Paul went in his ministry among the Gentiles, he also preached the gospel to Jewish people living in that area (Acts 13:13–52, 14:1–5, 18:7–11, 19:8–10). He would make sure this was his first evangelistic effort in a particular city before he spoke to the Gentiles. The salvation of Jewish people was an ever-present concern for Paul, and his actions described in the book of Acts reveal his understanding of what he penned in Romans 1:16.

The apostle’s argument may be summarized (and connected with Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:39) as follows: When Jewish people are successfully evangelized, then Jesus the Messiah will return. There was an end-times urgency in the tone of Paul’s preaching and in his letter to the Roman believers, encouraging them to prioritize outreach to Jewish people. His theology was enacted in his own strategy for mission. And this is why we should follow suit. In effect, Paul argued that if the church desired to witness the second coming of Christ, Jewish people must be evangelized.

The church cannot neglect Jewish evangelism: Jewish evangelism should not become the great omission of the Great Commission, and the church must make Jewish evangelism a priority because of Romans 1:16. 

“All Israel Will Be Saved” (Romans 11) 

Paul connected the priority of reaching Jewish people with the end times, and he argued that God has not cast off His people Israel despite their national rejection of Jesus the Messiah (Romans 11). His concluding statement proving God is not finished with Israel is that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:25–27). Furthermore, he wrote:

Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Rom 11:12, 15).

God has not rejected Jewish people (Rom 11:1) but rather has preserved a remnant within the nation (Rom 11:5) until the remnant becomes the nation. In this passage, the apostle tells us that in the end, God will save “all Israel,” which I believe refers to the entirety of the nation of Israel alive at that time.

This monumental end-times event takes place after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. It is evident from this passage that prior to the salvation of national Israel and the end of days there is a time when God will be at work among the Gentiles in a special way—grafting numerous “wild branches” into the olive tree as described in Romans 11:16–24.

In summary, Jewish people will return to the God of our fathers by accepting the Messiah. The nations will then witness the return of the Lord Jesus. God has not rejected His people because He is always faithful to His promises (Rom 11:29).

Reaching Jewish people with the gospel must become a priority for all Christians as, ultimately, the salvation of Jewish people ushers in Jesus’ second coming and releases the fullness of God’s blessings to the whole world. 

Outreach to Jewish people begins with you! Through your prayers, giving, and witnessing to your Jewish friends, the plan of God will go forth in power! We cannot allow Jewish evangelism to become the great omission of the Great Commission.

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January 6, 2025 · 9:00 AM

The Enduring Call of Romans 1:16

I am writing this brief letter to you right before I visit Israel this month. This is going to be a very significant trip, and I hope you will pray for me.

I cannot easily describe the level of suffering and anguish the last sixteen months have brought upon Israelis, Palestinians, Chosen People Ministries—Israel staff, and for Jewish people globally because of the wave of antisemitism that has erupted since the beginning of this horrible war.

Life in Israel During Wartime

As I write, quite a few of our staff are still moving in and out of bomb shelters on an almost daily basis. The missile sirens seem to be going off day and night, even though the Israel Defense Forces have destroyed so many of the missile launchers in Gaza and southern Lebanon. There are usually between twenty and one hundred (sometimes even more!) explosives fired every day. A number of civilians, both Arab and Jewish, are killed within Israel because the missile defense systems cannot shoot down every projectile or drone.

Israeli soldiers—most of them in their early twenties—are also dying daily both in Gaza and Lebanon . . . more than 800 so far! May I also remind you that there are still more than one hundred hostages held by Hamas in Gaza? As of November, Israeli intelligence has assessed that half the hostages are still alive. Mothers and fathers, husband and wives, and children continue to be distraught and spend hours shedding tears of grief because of the extreme adversity their loved ones continue to endure in the dark underground tunnels of Gaza.

Pray for My Trip to Israel

I will admit that it is a bit dangerous for me and for the two other godly men joining me on this trip to Israel, yet we really do not spend our time thinking about it. Our beloved staff endure this stress day in and day out, and all I want to do is support them. I do hope that you will pray for fruitfulness and safety for our little team as well as for our staff.

We hope to meet and pray with our staff members individually and with their families. We love them so much, and I am personally inspired by and grateful for their bravery during this difficult time. They not only care for their own family, but they are out and about each day meeting the needs of suffering and displaced Israelis. If you have given a gift already to our work in Israel, I want to assure you that it is being used well, as our staff continue their ministry amid ongoing danger.

I will also be reviewing the progress of our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center. I am so grateful for the huge outpouring of support for this new and much-needed center. We are now able to celebrate the completion of our two-year, $6.5 million campaign, which means we now own this beautiful new center in the heart of the Holy Land—debt-free. Thank you so much!

The construction has continued miraculously and should be completed by mid-February. Even our elevator, needed to ensure everyone can participate in our ministry activities, has come six weeks earlier than thought after being fabricated in Germany. All I can say is hallelujah!

The Enduring Call of Romans 1:16

Throughout the month of January, we emphasize the theme of Romans 1:16, where the apostle Paul wrote, “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” (emphasis added). This text is foundational to our ministry of 131 years. We are still unashamed; the gospel is still God’s power for salvation, and the message is still for everyone who believes—“to the Jew first” and also to the Gentiles!

We are praying for an outpouring of prayer and financial support during this month as we begin the year with a deep concern for the well-being of Jewish people. I cannot tell you how much your prayers, encouragement, and generous support mean to us.

The psalmist wrote, “pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6). It is love which is at the heart of our generosity, and this new center was built with the love of faithful Jesus-followers for Jewish people.

The time of salvation is NOW, and your support and prayers are needed NOW . . . and the need to bring the gospel to Israelis and Jewish people around the globe is NOW.

May I also ask whether your local church has invited a Chosen People Ministries speaker? If not, please talk to your pastor and let them know that we are available. You can call our Church Ministries department at (561)-737-1431 or email us at churches@chosenpeople.com. We would be honored to send someone to speak at your church. Your pastor might especially consider a “Messiah in the Passover” presentation during the Easter season.

My wife Zhava and I pray you will know the power of His resurrection and the joy of His presence in the new year.

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November 15, 2024 · 9:00 AM

A New Approach to Reach Traveling Israelis

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you will enjoy some delicious food and fun times with your family and friends this month. There is nothing like a bountiful Thanksgiving meal to remind us how God uses food and hospitality to unite families and friends. 

Thanksgiving is not the only holiday with special foods intended to help us remember the past. Every Jewish holiday has its unique cuisine. For example, we eat a dish at Passover called tzimmes, usually made with carrots and dried fruits. The secret ingredients to excellent traditional tzimmes are honey and cinnamon. Why? Because redemption from slavery is always sweet! Our Jewish culinary customs encourage us to find joy despite life’s difficulties because God is a mighty deliverer. We are alive today to eat the sweet mixture on Passover only because of His covenantal faithfulness! 

Inviting others to our homes and tables is rewarding and can also be a powerful ministry strategy, especially among our Jewish friends and neighbors. Food is central to Jewish life. There is a well-known saying within the Jewish community when summarizing the history of the Jewish people: “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat!” 

Food is a stunning reminder of God’s love and care for us! Jesus said it Himself in the Sermon on the Mount: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

Throughout the years, I have found that one of the most fruitful ways to show God’s love and proclaim the gospel with others is through the ministry of hospitality, which—you guessed it—involves lots of food! 

This month, I am delighted to explain how you can become part of God’s great plan to redeem Israel by showing hospitality. But first, let me describe how this innovative ministry began and recount a few good stories of how God works through believers when we bring His love to life around the table.

REACHING ISRAELIS THROUGH HOSPITALITY

One of the pioneers of our hospitality ministries to traveling Israelis is a Jewish believer who grew up in the Washington, D.C., area and eventually led one of our Chosen People Ministries Messianic congregations in Maryland. Scott describes why and how he left a thriving congregation to move early 9,000 miles to serve Israeli backpackers in New Zealand:

My wife and I motorcycled throughout New Zealand’s wild South Island to celebrate our thirtieth anniversary. We discovered scores of young travelers—Israeli and otherwise—everywhere we went who seemed primed and ready for spiritual conversation.

We moved to the South Island the very next year to test the idea of a hospitality ministry. We soon discovered evangelistic opportunities were even better than we initially thought! I remember one night, it took me four hours to finish a forty-five-minute cleaning chore at the campground where we had planted ourselves. No, I was not slacking off, and my sponge was not broken. Young Israelis at the camp kept stopping me, wanting to talk about God, Jesus, and the Bible! 

The ministry in New Zealand grew, and with some help from the United States, our New Zealand team bought a beautiful fifty-plus-bed youth hostel in Wanaka, one of the most beautiful places you have ever seen. We call it the Zula Lodge because, in Hebrew, the name implies a place of rest and relaxation. Young Israelis come to this charming town by the thousands each year after getting out of the army. 

Our hospitality ministry in New Zealand, which is a natural wonderland for young Israelis, is still going strong! Michael and Teresa, our current directors there, had this to say:

Zohar, a native-born Israeli on our team, frequently checks the New Zealand “Israeli Travelers WhatsApp group” to see if Israelis need a place to stay in the visually spectacular town of Dunedin. He asked us if we could host two women for just a day. “We would be delighted!” Teresa responded. The next day, Maya* and Shoshanah* arrived! They met at the Zula Lodge and decided to travel for a few weeks together.

One night turned into three, and on the third night, we all had dinner together. Luckily, Teresa is used to cooking plant-based meals, as both were vegan! The usual question came up: “Why do you host Israelis?” We talked for two hours, during which I had the opportunity to share our testimonies and our love for the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua!

THE HOSPITALITY MINISTRY EXPANDS

One of our newest guest houses, Beit Samurai (“House of the Servant”), is in Tokyo, Japan. The couple who leads this ministry has already hosted hundreds of Israelis!

Ori* and Abigail* stayed with us for a few days in December. As they walked up to our house from the train station, Abigail told Ori, “I am really craving challah1 right now after being away from home for so long.”

One of our staff offered the some challah she had baked the night before. Abigail could not believe her eyes. She marveled at how crazy and unexpected it was because she never imagined eating challah in Japan! The offer of physical bread opened the door for her to receive spiritual bread as our staff embodied the love of Jesus. Stories like these illustrate why our hospitality ministry to Israelis has blossomed among mission-minded believers worldwide. We now have hostels in New Zealand, India, Japan, and Australia. We also have hosts ready to welcome Israelis in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and now, the United States. 

We cannot have hostels or rent apartments everywhere. However, God is drawing people from every nation whom He is eager to use to provoke Israel to jealousy—and here is where you come in!

INTRODUCING OUR “HOST ISRAELIS” PROGRAM!

This month, I am delighted to announce the official launch of “Host Israelis,” a program in which God can use you in young Israelis’ lives by inviting them to your table! 

There is no need to speak Hebrew or know much about Israel—though it might help. Most important is having a heart for blessing Jewish people everywhere with hospitality, friendship, love, and the good news of the Messiah. 

Your Mission to the Jewish People provides training and resources on Israeli culture and how to recognize opportunities for spiritual conversations. When you connect with “Host Israelis,” you join a global network of like-minded believers overseen by seasoned Chosen People Ministries missionaries. 

A few American hosts have already welcomed Israelis to their table! I was amazed to hear what God did while we were still beta testing the program. If the following story can happen with just a few host families, imagine what can happen when we have a nationwide network of Christian hosts passionate about the salvation of Israel!

One Israeli family traveling across the United States stayed with eleven hosts on our network. Our host families are all reporting they had an amazing time. This Israeli family is very open to the gospel. They are reading the New Testament and listening to Christian worship music! They like Jesus. The husband believes He is the Messiah. The wife is also very warm and open to Jesus, but she has questions.

HOSPITALITY AND JESUS

Showing love through hospitality can be a powerful way to draw Jewish people to the Messiah! We see it through stories like the one above and in the Scriptures. The Gospels often depict Jesus dining with people. He broke bread not only with His disciples but also with outcasts and members of society not accustomed to sitting with rabbis. He was known for “eating with the tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:11; cf. Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30). In many cases, a communal meal provided the context for revealing Himself as the Messiah.

HOW IT WORKS

It is simple! Go to chosenpeople.com/host and click the link to fill out the online application. We request two references from people who know you well and will set up an interview to get to know you better and answer any questions. Once you are approved, you will have access to our many training videos to help you understand how to navigate the app, create your listing, engage Israeli culture, and talk about Jesus with your guests. As soon as your listing is made active, Israelis can contact you through WhatsApp and view your profile.

WILL YOU JOIN US?

We hope you will partner with us in this exciting work of reaching Israelis traveling worldwide—including in your backyard! At the same time, we understand not everyone can host guests overnight. You can still play a key role by being a day host or supporting this ministry in prayer and financial support. 

If you are seeking a spiritual adventure, you can even come to help us at some of our international hostels on a short-term mission trip.

Whether you invite Israelis to your table, support this outreach, or pray for us, we know the Lord will use you with your Chosen People Ministries partners to reach Jewish people around the globe.

Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving!

* Names changed

  1. Challah is a braided bread traditionally eaten on the Sabbath. ↩︎

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October 15, 2024 · 9:00 AM

Never Again, Never Alone

NEVER AGAIN

We thought the world had learned its lesson. We thought humanity had grasped the gravity of antisemitism. We thought we had friends who stood with us. We held onto the hope we would never again witness this amount of senseless brutality. But on October 7, 2023, Hamas’ savage attack on innocent Jewish people shattered those illusions. The subsequent upswell of antisemitic rhetoric has been hard to believe and even more hurtful to experience.

“Never Again”—the Jewish community’s determined vow against another genocide after the horrors of the Holocaust—now feels like a hollow echo. It is natural to feel helpless in the face of enormous evil and shattered dreams. It is normal to wonder how something like this could happen again, despite all the Jewish community’s efforts to build a safe haven for ourselves. But in a world with shattered hopes, we now wonder if there is any lasting hope left to grasp.

NEVER ALONE

However, even as our hopes seem shattered, there is an unbroken promise—a promise enduring the test of time—which has seen Jewish people through the darkest moments of history and can carry us through despite the growing intensity of attacks on Israel and global antisemitism.

This promise is not given by man but by the God of Israel. In the Torah, He made an eternal covenant with our ancestors, a covenant binding Him to us and to the land of Israel forever (Genesis 15). This covenant is not based on the worthiness of Jewish people but founded on God’s love and faithfulness for His chosen people.

As Moses, our lawgiver, wrote,

The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)

According to Moses, God promised to be our God and called upon us to be His people. He vowed to dwell among us, guide us, protect us, and defend us, and despite our failures and shortcomings, He has remained faithful to His promises.

Throughout history, God has proven Himself to be a shield of protection around Jewish people. Whether our persecutors were Haman, Hitler, or Hamas, He has intervened on our behalf countless times—often in miraculous ways—to deliver us from harm and danger. Even when Jewish people felt abandoned or forgotten, He was always present, working behind the scenes to bring about redemption and restoration.

He is still deeply engaged today, even amid the interminable suffering Jewish people have endured over the last year, especially Israelis who lost loved ones on October 7 and during its aftermath.

UNEXPECTED FRIENDS

We are not alone in another sense as well. There are countless followers of Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah, who believe the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, and they also believe Jewish people still play a significant role in God’s plan for the ages. In a world where Jewish people seem to be losing friends and are feeling increasingly isolated, we might remember how Christians also used to be viewed as enemies and persecutors. However, times have changed, and today’s sincere, Bible-believing Christians are now some of our greatest supporters.

As one Anglican Christian said recently, “If antisemites want to harm the Jewish people, then they have to get through us first!” How powerful! What an expression of love and support. This amazing show of support and backing by Christians may open us up as Jewish people to take a new look at the claims of Yeshua to be the Jewish Messiah.

Yet, the support we as Jewish people receive today from the Christian community can sometimes be confusing because of an uncomfortable history of “Christian” persecution. The Crusades, pogroms, and even the Holocaust are often believed to be the cumulative result of a long history of Christian antisemitism.

This is why it is so critical for Christians and Jewish people to understand there are many beliefs tying us together. One of them is a mutual understanding of how God made a covenant with Jewish people, which He will never repeal. Consider this biblical promise:

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36)

The continued existence of the sun, moon, and stars—and even the waves hitting the Tel Aviv seashore—is evidence of God’s continued preservation of the people of Israel. Many followers of Jesus recognize this fact, passionately insisting anyone who is opposed to the Jewish state and people is opposed to God Himself.

A DEEPER REASON

However, there is an even deeper significance behind the advocacy of Christians on behalf of Israel. Christians often view the modern State of Israel as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy and believe God will fulfill His remaining promises of bringing a lasting peace to Israel when Yeshua returns.

The Christian commitment to Israel and Jewish people stems from a profound understanding of Yeshua’s identity as the Jewish Messiah. Yeshua identified as a Jewish person; He was one of us. He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). He came to Jewish people first, and only later did His message have an impact on Gentiles all over the world.

Followers of Yeshua see Him as the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, as central to the redemption narrative throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, and the embodiment of God’s love for His people. Yeshua also came to bring unity between Jewish people and Gentiles and to reconcile humanity to God. As Messianic Jews, we believe Yeshua came to offer forgiveness of sin to all who put their trust in Him: to our Jewish people and to Gentiles alike. The Jewish prophet Isaiah foretold the Messiah’s atoning death for our sins:

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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. (Isaiah 53:3b–6)

By forgiving our sins, Yeshua provides us with a true and lasting hope nobody can ever take away or destroy. He said,

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28–30)

Yeshua gives us a peace transcending the troubles and horrific terrorist acts of this world. When all else fails, including our calls for “Never Again,” our Messiah remains faithful and true. We are never alone when we trust in Him. We know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be faithful to keep His promises to His chosen people—forever!

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