ARTICLES

By Stephen Faircloth

The region of Galilee is one of the most beautiful and significant areas in the land of Israel. Stretching across the northern portion of the country, its hills, fertile valleys, and cool mountain air set it apart from the surrounding arid landscapes. The name “Galilee” means “circle” or “district,” and it truly served as a crossroads of peoples, trade, and ideas.

Galilee divides naturally into two areas: Upper and Lower Galilee. The high ridges and forested peaks of Upper Galilee rise above 3,000 feet and extend into what is now southern Lebanon. In contrast, Lower Galilee is made up of lower hills and broad valleys, with open farmland and easy travel routes that connected villages and towns. These routes linked the Mediterranean coast to the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley beyond.

The beauty and fertility of this region made it a thriving place for agriculture and settlement throughout ancient times. Its valleys produced rich crops, and its springs provided life-giving water even during the dry season. The peaceful hills and abundant fields of Galilee formed a setting that reflected both God’s provision and His presence among His people.

Galilee also became the heart of Jesus’ life and ministry. He grew up in Nazareth, a small village nestled among the hills of Lower Galilee. Here, He worked alongside His earthly father Joseph, learning the rhythms of village life. From this quiet place, Jesus began His public ministry, traveling through the towns and synagogues of Galilee, teaching the good news of the kingdom of God.

It was in Galilee that Jesus called His first disciples, fishermen who worked the waters of the nearby Sea of Galilee. He performed many of His miracles here: turning water into wine at Cana, calming storms, healing the sick, and feeding multitudes on the grassy slopes near the lakeshore. For those who lived in Galilee, everyday places became holy ground as the presence of God walked among them in the person of Jesus.

The landscape of Galilee still speaks to the heart of faith today. Its hills remind us that God often works through humble beginnings, and its quiet valleys echo with the message of the One who taught by the sea and prayed in the mountains.

When we think of Galilee, we are reminded that the work of God often begins in simple places and among ordinary people. Just as Jesus brought light to Galilee, He brings light to our own lives, transforming the familiar into the sacred.

Where is your Galilee, the ordinary place where God may be calling you to serve, grow, or begin something new? Like the first disciples, may we be ready and willing to follow when He says, “Come, follow Me.”

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.

By Stephen Faircloth

Set in the hills of the Judean lowlands, Lachish once stood as one of the strongest cities in the kingdom of Judah. Its position in the fertile Shephelah gave it both beauty and strategic importance, connecting the hill country near Hebron to the coastal plain toward Ashkelon. With its steady water supply and rich farmland, Lachish became known for its prosperity and thriving vineyards.

Archaeologists have discovered twenty layers of settlement at Lachish, showing that it was inhabited for thousands of years. It was a large, fortified city, mentioned as early as the eighteenth century B.C., long before it became part of Judah. Its location made it a key defensive and administrative center, second only to Jerusalem in importance.

The Bible tells us that King Amaziah fled to Lachish after a revolt in Jerusalem, but his pursuers found him there and killed him (2 Kings 14:19). Later, during the reign of King Hezekiah, the city faced its greatest trial. In 701 B.C., the Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah and laid siege to Lachish. Excavations show how the Assyrian army built a massive ramp of earth and stone to breach the city walls. Hundreds of arrowheads and sling stones have been found at the site, silent reminders of the fierce battle that took place.

Sennacherib recorded his victory on large stone panels that decorated his palace in Nineveh. These carvings depict the siege of Lachish with vivid detail: archers firing, battering rams advancing, and captives being led away. Yet despite this devastating loss, Jerusalem itself was spared by the hand of God (2 Kings 19:35-36).

Lachish was rebuilt after the Assyrian attack but fell again during the Babylonian invasion in the sixth century B.C. The prophet Jeremiah mentions Lachish as one of the final cities standing before Jerusalem’s fall (Jeremiah 34:7). Among the ruins, archaeologists discovered pottery shards known as the Lachish Letters, urgent messages written by soldiers as the Babylonian forces drew near. One message notes that the signal fires of nearby Azekah had gone dark, a chilling sign that the enemy was approaching.

Excavations also revealed many large storage jars stamped with the Hebrew word lemelek, meaning “belonging to the king.” These jars, used to store supplies for the royal administration, show that Lachish was a center of wealth and leadership in Judah’s kingdom.

The story of Lachish reminds us that even the strongest walls can fall. True security is not found in fortifications, wealth, or human strength but in the Lord who protects His people. Lachish stood tall in its day, but its ruins still speak, calling us to place our trust not in what we build, but in the One who cannot be shaken.

Where are you placing your confidence today? In your own strength, plans, or possessions? Or in God, who is your true refuge and defender?

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Vayeira (Genesis 18:1-22:24). Read on Shabbat, November 8, 2025 / 17 Cheshvan 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth” (Genesis 18:1-2).

In this passage, Abraham experiences one of the most personal encounters with God in all of Scripture. The Lord appears not through thunder or fire, but through three visitors who arrive at his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham does not hesitate. He runs to meet them, bows before them, and offers food, water, and rest. His hospitality turns an ordinary moment into a sacred encounter. God reveals Himself not in spectacle, but in simplicity.

Through this visit, God confirms His covenant promise. Sarah, though advanced in age, will bear a son. The same God who calls Abraham to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah also shows compassion to Sarah’s laughter of disbelief. In these chapters we see both divine justice and mercy, judgment and grace. God appears as the One who sees, speaks, and fulfills His word, even when the promise seems delayed or impossible.

The story of Vayeira reminds us that God’s presence often enters the quiet spaces of life. He meets us not only in the grand events, but in the daily moments of service, prayer, and compassion. Abraham’s hospitality becomes an act of worship, teaching us that faith is not only believing in God’s promises but also welcoming His presence through kindness and obedience.

Many of us long for God to appear in dramatic ways, yet His most profound visits may come through the unnoticed details of daily life. He may show Himself through the needs of another person, through an opportunity to serve, or through a moment of prayer. When our hearts are open and our lives are attentive, we discover that He is nearer than we realized.

Take time this week to look for God’s presence in the ordinary. Be ready to welcome Him as Abraham did, through openhearted hospitality, through prayer, and through acts of compassion. Let each day become a place where divine promise and human response meet, reminding you that God still appears to those who watch for Him.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself in both great and simple ways. Help me to recognize Your presence, to serve others with joy, and to live with faith that welcomes You each day. Amen.

By Stephen Faircloth

Rising above Jerusalem, the Temple Mount has long stood as a symbol of faith, devotion, and divine presence. Today, the golden Dome of the Rock gleams from its ancient platform, but beneath it lies a history stretching back over three thousand years to the time of King David.

Around 1000 B.C., David captured the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and made it the capital of his kingdom. On the eastern hill, he built his palace and brought the Ark of the Covenant to rest in a tent. His son Solomon later expanded the city to the north, building the royal palace and the First Temple—the dwelling place of the God of Israel. For nearly four centuries, it stood as the spiritual center of the nation until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.

When the exiles returned from Babylon, they rebuilt the Temple under Zerubbabel, creating what became known as the Second Temple. Centuries later, Herod the Great began an enormous renovation project that transformed the modest structure into one of the most magnificent sanctuaries in the ancient world. He built massive retaining walls that expanded the summit of Mount Zion into a vast platform, making it the largest sacred space in the Roman Empire.

Herod’s Temple was the one known to Jesus, Mary, and the apostles. Inside its courts stood the Holy Place, where the golden lampstand and the Table of the Bread of the Presence were kept, and beyond it, the Holy of Holies, entered only once a year by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. Pilgrims from across the ancient world ascended its steps to offer sacrifices and prayers, believing this was the place where heaven and earth met.

In A.D. 70, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and Herod’s Temple, leaving only portions of the retaining walls that supported the Temple Mount. Over the centuries, new structures rose upon the site—pagan shrines, Byzantine churches, and later, the Islamic monuments that remain today: the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Through all these changes, the Temple Mount has remained a place of reverence, prayer, and longing for generations of believers.

For Christians, the Temple Mount reminds us of Jesus’ words: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19). He was prophetically speaking of His body, revealing that God’s presence would no longer dwell in stone buildings but within the hearts of His people. Through Christ, every believer becomes a living temple, carrying the presence and Spirit of God into the world.

The Temple Mount, with all its layers of history, invites us to consider what kind of temple we are building. Is our faith built upon outward ritual, or upon the indwelling presence of God? The same God who once filled Solomon’s Temple with His glory now calls us to be living temples of His Spirit, reflecting His light in a dark world.

The Temple Mount stands as a reminder that while sacred spaces can be destroyed, the true dwelling of God endures in His people worldwide. How are you making space for His presence in your life today?

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.