The remarkable Asbury revival in Kentucky USA, had millions of Christians worldwide glued to their screens to see if this might be a new awakening
An Orthodox Rabbi Reviews the Asbury Revival
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God
The Lord Is One
When the Shema is recited by the Jewish people (and Christians), it begins with this statement: Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4) Pronouncing God’s name YHWH is considered a sin, so the Jewish people use other words to replace...
The Prophetic Yom Kippur War
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the dramatic Yom Kippur. The Yom Kippur war is not only a powerful story from the pages of history, but I believe it also prophetically foreshadows an even greater war to come—while also pointing to the means of deliverance and victory. Caught Napping On October 5th, 1973 the Egyptian army on the West bank of the Suez Canal were drawn up in full battle array with bridging equipment and rubber boats for crossing the Canal. The Egyptian side of the Suez was bristling with 100,000 troops, 1350 tanks and 2000 artillery pieces and heavy mortars. Meanwhile the Israeli side of the border barely numbered 450 aging reserve troops, 44 artillery pieces and only 3 tanks! The border with Syria was in an even worse situation with the Israeli troops and tanks outnumbered in even greater numbers. The thin line of Israeli tanks and troops on the Golan was all that separated the civilians of the Galilee region from the incoming armada of Syrian troops and tanks. The surprise attack caught Israel napping. The seemingly all-knowing Israeli intelligence community had been completely blindsided by the attack. Israel’s frontline soldiers were therefore unprepared for the […]
Needed: A Rented Office and an Australian Flag
Over the last few years, in the lead-up to the Beersheba centenary, I have actively promoted the view that Australia—in timely fashion and emulating its famed Light Horsemen—could once again lead the charge, recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and place its embassy there. In 2016, I sat in the Australian Embassy in Tel Aviv and asked then-Ambassador to Israel, David Sharma, why it was that his country would not take the initiative and do the right thing in Israel—as it had with every other one of its embassies and high commissions around the world—by placing its embassy in the designated capital. He replied that it was “not Australian statecraft” to do so. A few months later, I put the question to former Prime Minister Tony Abbott during a ‘chance encounter’ at Jerusalem’s Holocaust Memorial Museum. His response was very different: “If I was prime minister I would do it today.” Later that year, as we approached 100 years marking the Battle of Beersheba and the celebrated legacy of the 800 Light Horsemen, people around Australia responded to this voiced hope: that on this pivotal issue of the embassy move to Jerusalem, their nation might again show the maverick brand of […]
Can A Nation Be Born in one Day? Isaiah 66
Israel is celebrating her 70th birthday this year. What Israel has achieved and in 70 years is nothing short of astounding. Incredible. MIRACULOUS! That’s not a word I use much, but I use it regularly when I talk about Israel. As we celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday, remember to honour God for keeping His promises to His people and for fulfilling His Word. Many are aware of the passage in Isaiah about a nation being born in day. “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.” – Isaiah 66:8 We read that and cheer loudly; “Yes, a land was born in one day! Yes, Israel was born on May 14, 1948. Praise God!” This is a correct response, the rebirth of the Sovereign State of Israel in May, 1948 was indeed the fulfilment of Isaiah 66:8, but I want to dig a little deeper to show you something even more astounding, even more miraculous—if that’s even possible. Isaiah 66:7-8, “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she […]
Born in A Day – Israel’s 70th Anniversary
Isaiah 66:8 records the famous question ‘can a nation be born in a day?’ 2’700 years later the question was answered. Despite insurmountable odds, Israel—armed with help from above and the heroic courage of its men and women—was born in a day on May 14, 1948. In this article we are going to look at three unique heroes of Israel’s miraculous modern-day re-birth. Golda Meir – An Amazing Fundraiser Golda Meir is famous for becoming Israel’s first female Prime Minister in 1969. However, many are unaware of the pivotal role she played in 1948. Israel desperately needed modern weapons if it’s rag-tag band of Jewish fighters were to stand a chance against the impending onslaught by five modern Arab armies. However, their main funding source— the US Jewish community—was already stretched to the limit with various local projects such as schools and other Jewish institutions. They were growing tired of the incessant appeals for help from the Jews of Palestine, and it was estimated that they would only be able to raise $5 million for Israel—just a fraction of the amount needed. Zionist leader Golda Meir immediately volunteered to go to America. Two days later she was on her way […]
Masada and God’s prophetic fingerprint
Deep inside a bleak and arid wilderness, rearing up from the cracked limestone foundations of the lowest place on earth, its ragged walls aloof and separated from the mountain range behind it, the awe-inspiring natural rock fortress of Masada towers over the Dead Sea Valley floor. One thousand nine hundred and forty three years ago, at the dramatic height of its history, Masada marked the last stand of the Jewish people. Or so it surely seemed at the time. For the fewer than 1000 souls atop the mountain, as they watched the inexorable ascent of the Roman ramp that heralded captivity or death, it was all over. From Judea through Samaria, to the faraway hills and valleys of the north, their land smouldered in ruins. During five years of brutal revolt and brutal suppression, Rome had laid Israel waste. Jewish blood reddened the Mediterranean; their corpses choked the Galilee Sea; Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, had been taken, the houses rifled, the women ravished; the God of Israel’s Temple had been burned to the ground. Masada is a colossal memorial to the destruction of a nation – the tombstone of ancient Israel. That such a place, a marker of such apparent finality […]
Stringing Pearls
What exactly is ‘stringing pearls’? Yeshua taught from the Old Covenant Scriptures and He used techniques that were common practice by Rabbis and teachers for hundreds of years. One of those techniques (stringing pearls) was called ‘Gezerah Shevah’ or ‘Comparison of Equals’ which basically means that a passage of Scripture can expand on another passage of Scripture if they share the same word. In other words, Scripture interprets Scripture. Chuck Missler has referred to this as ‘expositional constancy’. So as part of their study practice, Rabbis would look for places in the Bible where the same words were used and then see if and how they might be connected. They must never contradict each other or undermine the plain meaning of the text because God would never undermine His own Word. The connection is from the Hebrew rather than the English rendering. Yeshua ‘stringing pearls’. When Yeshua was asked by a young Pharisee which was the greatest commandment in the Torah, He responded by saying: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as […]