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By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Among Israel’s friends—600 million evangelicals worldwide—good news surrounding Israel’s 75th anniversary is keeping pace with the bad: deadly rocket barrages from Iran’s terror proxies in Gaza. Among the good news is this: countless Christian-organized celebrations are taking place in Israel, the United States, and other locations across the globe to recognize the rebirth of Israel on May 14, 1948. 

Last night, I attended a gala in Washington, D.C., hosted by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem’s U.S. branch, to celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary. Fifty ministries joined in as sponsors, including CBN Israel. Hundreds of us enjoyed renewed longtime friendships built while networking together in the pro-Israel movement. Inspiring speakers and music motivated us to become even stronger advocates for the world’s only Jewish nation, our spiritual homeland.  

Each anniversary is a miracle engineered by the promise-keeping God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus. Recognizing Israel’s modern independence, followed by Jerusalem Day on May 18 in Israel’s united capital, is a flag-waving signal to Israel’s enemies and critics that Israel is not alone. It’s also a signal that Israel, on the 75th anniversary of its modern founding, stands strong.

Another sign of strength is tourism. I am relieved that mass cancellations of Christian tours are not happening, at least for the time being. Rev. Dr. Tony Crisp remarked that thus far no one has canceled on any of his TLC Holy Land Tours. He added, “It seems tourists understand the risks/rewards and are making deliberate choices to go.” They choose walking in Jesus’ footsteps, an unforgettable experience in the small country that is only 290 miles long and a scant 85 miles at its widest point. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reports that between January and April of this year, 1.35 million foreign visitors entered Israel. Some tourists are understandably nervous, especially first timers, yet a recent study ranks Israel as the fifth-safest country in the world, safer than the UK, U.S., and most European countries.

Today’s ongoing tourism amid coalescing enemy attacks and mounting Jew hatred is a welcome contrast to the 2000–2005 Second Intifada (uprising). Instigated by Palestinian terrorists, the intifada resulted in Christians and Jews canceling numerous tours. A few of us kept our Christian tour schedules and hoped our Jewish friends were aware of our friendship and support when they saw us walking on the streets, eating in closely guarded restaurant entrances, and visiting Holocaust survivors. We remained vigilant yet felt safe. However, Israelis suffered dreadful losses during the Second Intifada, with more than 1,000 Jews murdered.

Likewise, tour cancellations during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 left the streets of Israel practically empty, with millions of citizens tucked away in bomb shelters and safe rooms. Nevertheless, some Christian tours took place anyway. Forty of us organized a tour in a week’s time—a process that involved passports for several of our travelers being renewed within a few days! We agreed with Israel Always founder Earl Cox, who was compelled to launch the trip.

Cox, appointed by Prime Minister Netanyahu as his Israel Goodwill Ambassador to Jews and Christians, declared, “Friends stand by friends in times of trouble.” The staff of Jerusalem’s Red Cross (Magen David Adom) expressed surprise when about 30 of us showed up to donate blood. Some in our group prayed on and off for hours at the Western Wall, while others traveled up to the Israel-Lebanon border to give out small American flags to the IDF soldiers. They were astonished but encouraged to see American Christians visiting them while rockets fell.  

That modern Israel even exists is an act of God as foretold by the prophet in Isaiah 43:5-6 (NIV): “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” 

For 2,000 years, during the Jewish dispersion worldwide, the Hebrew language did not completely die out. It survived in its scholarly and liturgical form until Eliezer Ben-Yehuda immigrated to Israel in 1881 from the former Russian empire. He devoted himself to fashioning Hebrew into an everyday language. Ben-Yehuda’s restoration of Hebrew, and the Jewish immigration (Aliyah) to their ancestral homeland, began in the late 1800s. It signifies Israel’s unique destiny as the world’s only ancient land and language to be restored in modern times. 

It is important to emphasize good news while the mainstream media reports its own barrages of bad news. Israelis go on with their lives as best they can. For example, an estimated 40,000 Israelis attended a May 11 outdoor rock concert at HaYarkon Park near Tel Aviv. The IDF allowed it to go on and sent text messages to ticket holders with these instructions if the rocket alarms sounded: “Do not run (dangerous in a large crowd) but drop to the ground and protect your heads with your hands for 10 minutes.” Israel’s countrywide alarm system with military innovations like the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system helps Israelis to feel safer. Another innovation, David’s Sling, was recently used successfully for the first time to shoot down rockets fired from 62 to 124 miles away. Israel’s cyber security expertise also saves lives in every conflict. 

May we remember the words of Micah 5:8 (NLT) as God promises, “The remnant left in Israel will take their place among the nations.” Let us make sure we remain part of the Christian remnant praying and actively advocating for Israel. 

Please join CBN Israel in praying for Israel and her people this week: 

• Pray with thanks for the valuable Christian tourism to Israel.
• Pray for wise decisions by Israel’s leaders to halt Iran’s influence. 
• Pray for more Christians to spread facts about Israel by forwarding and posting trustworthy sources like CBN Israel News. 
• Pray for Israeli security’s safety as they protect their country. 
• Pray for Israel to remain unified as they face existential challenges.

Arlene Bridges Samuels pioneered Christian outreach for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). After nine years on AIPAC’s staff, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her part-time as Outreach Director for their project, American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, guest columnist at All Israel News, and has frequently traveled to Israel since 1990. She co-edited The Auschwitz Album Revisited and is a board member for Violins of Hope South Carolina. Arlene attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summit and hosts her devotionals, The Eclectic Evangelical, on Facebook.

The immediate aftermath of a terror attack presents enormous challenges for the victims and their families. These can include an urgent need for childcare while a family member is hospitalized, having to take leave from work, and the pressure to replace essential belongings destroyed by rockets and other weapons of terror.

Fortunately, through CBN Israel and our local partners, compassionate friends like you are there with immediate relief to help meet the urgent critical needs of Israelis whose lives have been torn apart by terror, violence, and post-traumatic stress. 

What’s more, through our special partnership with The Jewish Agency for Israel, caring donors are making it possible for survivors to receive the ongoing care they need to recover from trauma and rebuild their lives—care that includes psychological counseling, job retraining, and more. Within 48 hours of an event, a representative visits the victims and provides comfort and emergency financial aid. 

Danielle Mor, who is with the Jewish Agency, describes just how critical CBN Israel’s support is for victims of terror: “According to studies in recovery and resiliency, people who have suffered terrorist attacks often succumb to the feeling that the world is a cruel place and their trust in people is shattered. The experience often tests a person’s faith.”

Mor goes on to explain, “As Jews, they expect to receive support from their people and government. But when support and kindness is extended from an unexpected source—and in this context, a gift from Christians—it helps to shift the scale to having their faith reaffirmed.”

Because of you, we can counter these vicious attacks with tangible expressions of love and compassion. You can make it possible to respond quickly as new threats arise, protecting the vulnerable and aiding the victims.

Please help us reach out and make a difference! 

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There are a number of archaeological findings in Israel connected to the Old Testament, but three specific examples are especially worth highlighting here: (1) the Ketef Hinnom Scrolls; (2) the Tel Dan Inscription; and (3) the Mesha Stele.

Ketef Hinnom Scrolls: Archaeologists excavating a tomb complex from the seventh to sixth century B.C. discovered two small silver scrolls. Both contain the earliest biblical text discovered anywhere. One preserves a portion of the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26, although with slight differences. The other shares language parallel to several passages within the Old Testament. These scrolls served as amulets worn around the neck of the deceased. Archaeologists dated them to the sixth century B.C. They reside in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Tel Dan Inscription: Excavations at the ancient site of Dan uncovered three fragments of a stele dating to the ninth century B.C. Dan sits in northern Israel on the largest of the three headwaters of the Jordan River, the Dan Spring. The site received its name from the Tribe of Dan, who was forced to relocate from their allotted land in the Judean Shephelah and conquer the city of Laish, renaming it Dan. The inscription was in Aramaic and was likely erected by Hazael the king of Aram-Damascus who defeated the kings of Israel and Judah.

Within the inscription, the Aramean king boasts of his defeat of the king of Israel and the king of Judah, which he refers to as the king of the House of David. This part of the inscription is important for a couple of reasons. First, it shows that the kings of Judah traced their dynastic lineage back to a figure named David. Second, the Old Testament refers to the royal house of Judah as the House of David on many occasions. Within the biblical story, this language derives from God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7, to give him a “house” meaning a dynasty to sit on the throne in Jerusalem.

Mesha Stele: Also known as the Moabite Stone, this stele dates to the time of Jehoahz (c. 810-805 B.C). Written in Moabite, a Canaanite language akin to Hebrew, Mesha, king of Moab, tells how Chemosh, his god, helped him throw off the yoke the king of Israel and recover Moabite lands. Mesha references the end of the House of Omri, the dynasty of the northern kingdom of Israel to which Ahab belonged and was overthrown in the coup of Jehu. Mesha also liberated his lands from the House of David.

The Mesha inscription refers to the ruling dynasty of Judah as the House of David, like the Tel Dan Stele. It was discovered at Dhiban, Jordan (biblical Dibon). Researchers made a squeeze of the inscription, which is housed in the Louvre in Paris. Shortly after the squeeze was made, Bedouin destroyed the stele. While many of the pieces were recovered and are also housed in the Louvre, it affected the ability of researchers to read the inscription from the stone itself.

Archaeological discoveries like the ones mentioned above shed light on the world of the Bible. They provide crucial information for us to understand the past. These and other archaeological findings add new evidence and information to help us reconstruct the biblical world.

Marc Turnage is President/CEO of Biblical Expeditions. He is an authority on ancient Judaism and Christian origins. He has published widely for both academic and popular audiences. His most recent book, Windows into the Bible, was named by Outreach Magazine as one of its top 100 Christian living resources. Marc is a widely sought-after speaker and a gifted teacher. He has been guiding groups to the lands of the Bible—Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy—for over twenty years.

Website: WITBUniversity.com
Facebook: @witbuniversity
Podcast: Windows into the Bible Podcast

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

In the current era of lawlessness, inflation, soaring mental illness, and appalling number of fentanyl deaths, it is easy for Americans to overlook news about world-altering events. However, an event on May 4 is worth noting. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi flew into Syria for a two-day meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. This may not sound momentous, yet when Raisi deplaned he stepped onto a red carpet and was welcomed by al-Assad. 

That official, deadly handshake marking the Islamic regime’s total takeover of Syria occurred right there on Israel’s northeastern border. The expanded reality bodes ill for Israel, called the “little satan” by Iran, which has dubbed the United States the “big satan.” I now call Syria “little Iran.” Most mainstream media overlooked or downplayed the gravity of Raisi’s visit.

Bashar al-Assad is a dictator whose cruel policies have shredded his country for 12 years. The results of this tyrant’s autocratic leadership are staggering. A horrific personal toll has been exacted since the civil war began in 2011. Upwards of 400,000 civilians are dead, 12.3 million have fled to other countries, and of the Syrians remaining in the country, 90 percent live in poverty.

Iranians call Raisi “Ayatollah Mass Murder.” As a judge in the 1980s, Raisi willingly oversaw the executions of some 3,000 political prisoners following fake trials. He remains a monster to more than 88 million Iranians, many who have bravely revolted against their oppressors in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests. The ayatollahs and their enforcers in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) wield the tools of unjust murder and imprisonment against millions in their own population who crave freedom. 

Not only is Iran’s elite IRGC embedded in Iran, but these military units are also entrenched in Syria and beyond. For years, the regime has shipped strategic weaponry and troops into “little Iran,” resulting in an ever-more-dangerous country next door to Israel. Raisi and the Supreme Ayatollah are Hitler-like in their hatred for the Jews.

However, times have changed since the birth of the modern State of Israel. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has kept His promises to His chosen people to reestablish their ancient Holy Land into a modern Jewish nation 75 years ago on May 14, 1948. 

Zechariah 9:16 (NIV) reminds us: “The LORD their God will save His people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown.”

Israel is not helpless. The Israel Defense Forces are among the world’s best. No one should question Israel’s repeated attacks on Iranian weapons convoys and depots in Syria. The Islamic regime frequently announces its goal to destroy Israel. Jews absolutely understand the hateful mentality of genocide after the unending tragedy of the Holocaust.

Many Americans hear about Iran, Israel, and the Middle East—a complex region that changes sometimes by the hour. However, there are aspects of the Iranian threat that directly affect the United States of America in three ways. 

First, I daresay most Americans are unaware that the U.S. deployed our soldiers to northeast Syria in 2015 as part of the fight against ISIS. Some 900 American troops are still there, working with Kurdish forces that control this part of Syria. U.S. officials report that Iran has launched “80 attacks against U.S. forces and locations in Iraq and Syria since January 2021,” mostly in Syria. President Biden responded, ordering retaliatory air strikes and saying he will “forcefully” protect our soldiers. An Iranian drone killed a U.S. contractor and injured five U.S. troops and another contractor on March 23. 

In addition to the despotic rule in Iran and Syria, Venezuela is ruled by dictator Nicolás Maduro. He has carried out the destructive policies of the former tyrant, Hugo Chavez, leading to the ruination of this once- prosperous country. Maduro’s policies have brought Venezuelans to their knees in a food and jobs crisis, and 5 million have fled their country since 2015. Maduro and the Islamic Ayatollahs are closely aligned. IRGC’s elite military personnel are posted in Venezuela, and Iranian embassies are scattered throughout South America to help promote Iran’s plan to create another caliphate, this time worldwide. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a U.S. research group, confirms in a report that the Latin American branch of Iran’s al-Mustafa International University is Iran’s main institution for recruiting, indoctrinating and training foreign converts to Shi’ite Islam. 

Indeed, of grave concern on our open southern border, rivers of illegals are flooding in from more than 100 nations. Not all of the illegals are friendly, and thousands of Venezuelans are among them. Many would be considered refugees because they are targets of their dictatorship. Nevertheless, a bigger problem exists for Americans. The overwhelmed U.S. Border Patrol cannot adequately determine who is an Iranian or Iranian-trained Venezuelan terrorist. 

Accomplices to dictatorships are not confined to one region. Iranian, Syrian, and Venezuelan leaders are bent on no good toward their own populations. An accomplice “actively participates in a crime, even if they take no part in the actual criminal offense.” Accomplices, for instance, like the European Union, have increasing trade with Iran—€5.23 billion in 2022, a 7.95 percent rise over the previous year that helps fund their IRGC. The U.S. administration is still attempting to revive the failed Iran deal from the Obama/ Biden administration in 2015. If enacted, it would result in aiding Iran’s nuclear weapons quest.

During the last 44 years, the Islamic regime has vaulted itself into the position of being the world’s worst terror-subsidizing country. When Raisi visited Syria, he met with leaders of both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In April 2023, IRGC commander Hossein Salami said, “Invisible hands [Tehran’s clerical regime] have armed the West Bank, and you [now] see modern automatic rifles and automatic weapons in the hands of the Palestinians.” With Iran’s regime now installed in the West Bank (Israel’s biblical heartland), it is clearer than ever why Israel is forced to defend itself against Palestinian terrorists plus Hamas, Hezbollah, and Syria. 

Tremendous prayer and advocacy for Israel among the World’s 600 million evangelicals is broadcast by CBN Israel and other ministries to gather one million believers for the Isaiah 62 Global 21-Days of Prayer and Fasting (May 7-28, 2023). We invite you to join us! 

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the both the U.S. and Israel during the 21-day call to prayer. 
• Pray for our American soldiers stationed in northeast Syria.
• Pray for citizens in Iran, Syria, and Venezuela who are suffering oppression.
• Pray for wise decisions from leaders in the U.S. and European Union about how to stop Islamic hegemony. 
• Pray for Israeli security and unity.

Arlene Bridges Samuels pioneered Christian outreach for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). After nine years on AIPAC’s staff, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her part-time as Outreach Director for their project, American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, guest columnist at All Israel News, and has frequently traveled to Israel since 1990. She co-edited The Auschwitz Album Revisited and is a board member for Violins of Hope South Carolina. Arlene attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summit and hosts her devotionals, The Eclectic Evangelical, on Facebook.

“We had to leave our city with rockets flying overhead,” Oleg remembered. He and his wife Victoria, both 59, have two teenagers—one with a disability—and an elderly mother who was ill. The bombings left their Ukraine apartment in ruins, destroying what they owned. 

As the Russians invaded their country, the family fled Ukraine, shaken by living in the crossfire. Escaping by train, they had to sleep on the hard floor. They headed for Israel, and upon arriving, stayed in a refugee absorption center.

Eventually, they were able to rent an apartment, but it had no refrigerator, and a very old stove. Like most refugees, they were alone in a new country with no possessions—only what they could carry with them. Where could they find help to feed their kids and get established? 

Fortunately, friends like you were there for this family through CBN Israel. Donors provided them with groceries and essentials—along with a new refrigerator and stove! Oleg exclaimed, “You have no idea how much this helps. Back in Ukraine, we would have had to work hard to buy this. And you just said, ‘This is for you.’ This is a precious gift for us, and we are grateful!” 

We live in a time when many who are fleeing war and poverty seek refuge in the Holy Land. Your gift to CBN Israel can be a blessing to those in need who call this land their home. You can be there with food, basic necessities, financial aid, job training, and more. 

The needs are great everywhere—from elderly Holocaust survivors and terror victims, to single mothers and new immigrants. Your support can offer them compassionate relief—while reporting crucial frontline news and stories. 

Please let us hear from you today!

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Archaeology by itself can neither prove nor disprove the Bible. But archaeology does help us understand the world of the Bible, daily life, culture, and religious practices. The field of archaeology makes it possible to discover and study the material culture of people in a specific time and place.

The Bible conveys peoples’ interaction with God in time and place, which does not show up in the archaeological record. Archaeology can help us interpret details of the Bible. It can widen our understanding of the biblical world. It can even offer correction to our interpretations. But it cannot prove the faith claims of the Bible. That’s not its purpose.

Archaeology has advantages and limitations. Yet archaeological discoveries must be interpreted. Archaeologists do not excavate an entire site. Finds undergo comparison with other excavations, and the material remains are interpreted, just as a written text.

Archaeology adds new evidence and information to help us reconstruct the biblical world. It helps us understand the daily lives of ancient peoples. It can enable us to visualize objects mentioned in the Bible and life as described by the Bible. It can assist us in illuminating sections, sometimes difficult, within the Bible. We can see the people of the Bible come alive as real people who used tools, weapons, farmed, raised families, buried their dead, and worshipped their God/gods. Archaeology does supplement written records, like the Bible.

At the same time, archaeology has limitations. The physical artifacts excavated by archaeologists are fragmentary. More artifacts remain buried than have been uncovered. Even if we uncovered everything to be found, archaeology could not find enough material remains to fully reconstruct daily life in the biblical world.

When excavators uncover artifacts from the earth, they are mute and silent. They must be interpreted, and all interpretations are subjective. For example, someone setting out to prove his or her theory about the Bible has a built-in bias one way or the other, which can impact how they interpret the finds. Because archaeology deals with physical remains, it cannot prove or disprove theological statements.

Archaeological methods continue to change as technology and archaeological processes improve and evolve. Archaeologists can study things today within a site they could not twenty or thirty years ago. This allows new study and questions. But archaeology is a science of destruction; therefore, once something has been excavated a certain amount of data has been destroyed. Future generations cannot return and rediscover or restudy what was destroyed. For this reason, older excavations have inherent limitations and should be used with care.

Archaeology sheds light on the world of the Bible. It provides crucial information for us to understand the past. We should not overstate its possibilities, however. Neither should we use it as a tool to prove or disprove the Bible. But as a tool to enter the world of the Bible, it is invaluable.

Marc Turnage is President/CEO of Biblical Expeditions. He is an authority on ancient Judaism and Christian origins. He has published widely for both academic and popular audiences. His most recent book, Windows into the Bible, was named by Outreach Magazine as one of its top 100 Christian living resources. Marc is a widely sought-after speaker and a gifted teacher. He has been guiding groups to the lands of the Bible—Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy—for over twenty years.

Website: WITBUniversity.com
Facebook: @witbuniversity
Podcast: Windows into the Bible Podcast

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The recently released book, Every Generation’s Story: 75 Years of American Christian Engagement with Israel, is a banquet of first-person insights and inspiration gleaned from 18 multigenerational Christians. Eighteen stories in 18 different voices reflect the symbolism of the number 18 in Jewish practice: It represents life or luck with regard to donations or gift giving.

Every Generation’s Story is indeed a gift of life (chai). It recognizes modern Israel’s 75th anniversary through the eyes of those who have invested their hearts and activism in their spiritual homeland. God’s words, engraved into their lives through the Old and New Testaments, also serve to assure the Jewish communities in Israel and elsewhere that they are not alone.

Without divulging too much of each uplifting account, I can say that the generational view covering 75 years is intriguing. Many of the 18 stories mention historic moments about and in the land that built their commitments into permanence.

From what is called the “Silent Generation” (born 1925–1945), JoAnn Magnuson recalls her grandmother’s repeated certainty that the Jews would return to their homeland. She vividly remembers the day she came home from school and saw the May 14, 1948, newspaper headline: “State of Israel Declared.” In JoAnn’s pro-Israel career she has led 69 tours to Israel and served on the staffs of five organizations, including Christian Friends of Yad Vashem, and has helped to expand each organization’s influence.

Evangelical biblical scholar Dr. Marvin R. Wilson, professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Gordon College, experienced a shocking arrival in Israel on his first trip in 1972. Landing in Tel Aviv’s Lod Airport—now Ben Gurion International Airport—he learned that three Japanese terrorists working for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine had murdered 26 passengers and wounded 80 others just hours before he landed. Walking into the terminal, smelling the disinfectant used to clean up the blood, and seeing the bullet holes in the walls implanted a lifelong motivation in Dr. Wilson. “My entry into the Holy Land remains a powerful reminder of the ubiquitous nature of anti-Semitism and the fact that Jews are not safe in their own country.”

From the Baby Boomer generation, Tim King, now vice president of the University of the Holy Land, was part of the small founding group of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) in 1980. They prayerfully presented a proposal to establish a Christian embassy in Jerusalem and approached Mayor Teddy Kollek, Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and Rabbi Maurice Jaffe at Jerusalem’s Great Synagogue. Forty-three years later, ICEJ oversees a substantial outreach with branches in 90 nations representing many millions of Christians. Through its supporters, ICEJ has paid for and helped 170,000 Jews make Aliyah (immigrate) to their ancestral homeland and has placed portable bomb shelters in vulnerable Israeli towns.   

Born as a member of Generation X, Pastor Dumisani Washington is founder and CEO of Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI). He traveled to Israel in 2012 on a trip for pastors. Leaning against the Western Wall for the first time, he felt compelled during his prayers to create IBSI to help his community understand the importance of Zionism and set the record straight that Israel is not an apartheid nation. He makes his case in his latest book, Zionism and the Black Church.

The 10 stories from Millennials and Generation Z highlight the imperative need for their generations’ advocacy for Israel. Already, their contributions to the pro-Israel movement grow ever more important. Allison Ngo Griffin describes herself as “a thirty-year-old Chinese Vietnamese millennial girl.” Growing up in a Buddhist family, then graduating from college, Allison became a legislative director in the Texas House of Representatives. Beset with a deepening depression, one day in the State Capitol (and alone) she experienced a radical conversion to the Lord. As a new Christian, Allison initially encountered the erroneous teaching of Replacement Theology—that the church has replaced Israel and the Jews. However, on her first trip to Israel in 2019, the Lord “replaced” those wrong concepts with the truth that God’s promises to the Jews and Israel are unbreakable. Allison is now on the staff of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast and ICEJ USA.

Hannah Delamarter is a Generation Z nursing student at Northwest Nazarene University. Her initial understanding of modern Israel developed in college through Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), an Israeli humanitarian organization. Then in 2021 she joined a trip to Israel sponsored by Christians United For Israel (CUFI). At 20, she was markedly impacted by Israel’s religious freedom and “feeling safe and welcome as a woman.” She is now the president of CUFI’s college student group. She expresses her outlook “not as a temporary love but I will always support and invest in Israel.” She hopes to join the staff of SACH.

The impact and influence of Christian Zionists for the last 75 years is immeasurable, both individually and organizationally. Christian innovations have grown alongside the innovation nation, blessing Israel in magnificent ways. I recommend Every Generation’s Story as a prompt for any believer, from any place and any background, to read this remarkable set of stories. Edited by Dr. Susan Michael, director of ICEJ USA, it is a product of Embassy Publishers, yet another among numerous ICEJ startups. It may be purchased though Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Embassy Publishers.

Every Generation’s Story: 75 Years of American Christian Engagement with Israel is the perfect theme for two upcoming gala dinner events in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 7 followed by a gala in Washington, D.C., on May 17. International Christian Embassy Jerusalem’s U.S. branch (ICEJ USA) initiated a celebration in 2018 with a gala dinner hosted at the Museum of the Bible to recognized Israel’s 70th. Four hundred leaders joyfully celebrated the U.S. Embassy’s move back to Israel’s capital in Jerusalem with more than 40 organizations cosponsoring the beautiful event. Fifty organizations are sponsoring the May 2023 galas—among them, CBN Israel. For tickets, click here: https://icejusa.org/israel75. 

May we give thanks today as Romans 11:17 reminds us that Christians are “grafted in … and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root” (NIV).

Please join with CBN Israel this week in prayer for the Jewish nation and people:

• Pray giving thanks for this important book and the leaders highlighted.
• Pray for many to read the book and inspire them to become advocates for Israel in both large and small ways. 
• Pray that the Jewish community worldwide will accept our sincere friendship.
• Pray for the numerous fine Christian organizations, their leaders, and staff in their efforts to combat rising Jew hatred worldwide. 

Arlene Bridges Samuels pioneered Christian outreach for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). After nine years on AIPAC’s staff, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her part-time as Outreach Director for their project, American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, guest columnist at All Israel News, and has frequently traveled to Israel since 1990. She co-edited The Auschwitz Album Revisited and is a board member for Violins of Hope South Carolina. Arlene attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summit and hosts her devotionals, The Eclectic Evangelical, on Facebook.

The Russian invasion had begun—and Lyuba was terrified. Living in Ukraine with her husband Michael, she recalled, “When we heard the bombs in the morning, we knew the war had come. We saw how brave our men were as they defended our city.”

At 70 years old, Lyuba felt trapped in her own home. She and Michael hid in their dark, frigid basement to stay alive, and wore as much clothing as possible to keep warm. Ten days later, the couple decided to flee to Israel. Escaping under gunfire, they could only take one suitcase. Crossing into Moldova, they had to stay in a camp, with a dozen people in each room.

Eventually, they were able to land in Israel by way of a rescue flight and settled near Nazareth. Lyuba was relieved to be in a safer place. But how would they survive?

Thankfully, friends like you were there. Through CBN Israel, caring donors gave them food vouchers, appliances, and other essentials. “We were so happy to be received warmly in Israel. Everything we have was donated to us,” Lyuba exclaimed. “We are so thankful for the washing machine, refrigerator, and vouchers to buy groceries. We are grateful for so much support and kindness!”

Your gifts to CBN Israel can provide support and kindness in so many ways to those who are struggling in the Holy Land. You can offer them food, shelter, financial aid, job training, and more. You can be a friend to those with nowhere to turn.

More and more people across Israel desperately need our help. Your support can bring compassionate relief and encouragement to elderly Holocaust survivors, terror victims, single mothers, new immigrants, and others.

Please join us in blessing those in need today!

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Replacement theology refers to the faulty belief that God replaced Israel as His chosen people with the Church. According to those who hold this view, God’s promises to Israel now belong to the Church, and His plans no longer extend to the Jewish people or Israel. The origins of this belief are ancient. They stem from social and theological forces.

Ancient Judaism attracted non-Jews. Most chose not to identify fully with Judaism, which required a man to undergo the rite of circumcision. So too, the Jewish commandments proved too hard for non-Jews and alienated them from their families and civic identities. Non-Jews attracted to Judaism were called God-fearers (or God-worshippers).

The Jewish followers of Jesus attracted non-Jews as well. The Jewish followers of Jesus decided non-Jews could remain non-Jews, but they had to avoid meat sacrificed to idols, prohibited sexual unions, and bloodshed. Jesus’ community required them to adopt a Jewish morality without fully converting to Judaism. They lived Jewishly without being fully part of the Jewish community. This was Paul’s position as well.

Non-Jews stood on the edge of the synagogue, not fully part of the community. This created an inferiority complex, a sense of being an outsider. Such feelings can produce resentment over time. They can be overcome by the outsiders concluding they represent the true faith. Jews failed, and God rejected them. Their laws were null and a hinderance to salvation. Scattered evidence of this logic appears among non-Jews prior to the rise of Christianity, but with the rise of Christianity, these ideas became more widespread as Christianity showed itself as the true religion and Israel’s replacement.

An apocryphal work known as Fifth Ezra reflects this belief. This work likely dates to the second century A.D. Preserved in Latin, it was originally written in Greek. The author proclaims, “What can I do about you Jacob? You would not listen to me, Judah. I will turn to another nation and give it my name in order that they may keep my decrees. Because you have forsaken me, I will forsake you…I am going to deliver your houses to a coming people who, though they have not heard me, believe; [those] to whom I showed no signs will do what I decreed. They did not see the prophets, yet they will keep in mind their time-honored [admonitions]” (1:24-25, 35-36).

Justin Martyr (about A.D. 100-165) also embraced this belief. In his Dialogue with Trypho a Jew, he interpreted Genesis 9:27 as, “Accordingly, as two peoples were blessed—those from Shem, and those from Japhet—and as the offspring of Shem were decreed first to possess the dwellings of Canaan, and the offspring of Japhet were predicted as in turn receiving the same possessions…so Christ has come calling men to…a living together of all the saints in the same land whose possession He promised, as has already been proven.

Whence men from all parts, whether slave or free, who believe in Christ and know the truth in His and the prophets’ words, know that they will be with Him in that land, there to inherit the things that are eternal and incorruptible” (139:4-5). Justin elsewhere described Gentile Christians as the “true Israel” (Dialogue 11:5; 120:5). The idea emerged quite early within Gentile Christianity that God had rejected the Jews, and their laws were not relevant.

It is critical that Christians understand the dangers of these distorted beliefs. For centuries, sermons and writings espousing replacement theology have planted the seeds of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism. Not only did this lead to widespread discrimination and violence against the Jewish community in much of Western society; it left the door wide open for six million Jews to be murdered in the Holocaust. 

While not all Christian groups accept this theology, it has seen a resurgence in recent years within many Christian circles, and it is absolutely imperative that we oppose and root out this toxic thinking. 

Marc Turnage is President/CEO of Biblical Expeditions. He is an authority on ancient Judaism and Christian origins. He has published widely for both academic and popular audiences. His most recent book, Windows into the Bible, was named by Outreach Magazine as one of its top 100 Christian living resources. Marc is a widely sought-after speaker and a gifted teacher. He has been guiding groups to the lands of the Bible—Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy—for over twenty years.

Website: WITBUniversity.com
Facebook: @witbuniversity
Podcast: Windows into the Bible Podcast

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Celebrations are taking place across Israel this week, as the world’s only Jewish nation remembers its dramatic beginnings 75 years ago. Based on the Hebrew calendar, Independence Day is the fifth day of Iyar and originally took place on May 14, 1948. 

That day, David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, stood up in a simple Tel Aviv art gallery and read the new nation’s Declaration of Independence. As Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall tour guide Isaac Dror recalled, “Ben-Gurion was standing here as the voice of 11 million Jews around the world who had no voice, who had no address and nowhere to go to.”

Ben-Gurion declared “Israel” to be the official name of the modern Jewish state—a national comeback according to Isaiah 66:8 (NIV): “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.”

Not only has this nation been birthed; it has exhibited tremendous progress and growth. Such progress can be seen in the strength of Israel’s military—today one of the most powerful in the world—with tremendous advantage over its enemies in technology, training, and know-how. 

The Times of Israel reports that Israel’s population is near 10 million, a 12-fold increase since the nation’s founding, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. And by 2048, Israel’s centenary year, the population is predicted to hit 15.2 million.” 

Israel has enjoyed solid economic growth, too. Reuters reported in February that Israel’s economy grew 6.5 percent in 2022—much stronger than most Western countries, according the Central Bureau of Statistics, which cited the nation’s growth in exports, investment, and consumer spending. In fact, this country—just the size of New Jersey—has the highest concentration of new businesses per capita in the world, earning it the nickname of “Startup Nation.”

Plenty of media are covering Israel’s current chaos: the ongoing demonstrations against the proposed reforms of Israel’s judiciary, the synchronization of proxy attacks by Iran’s Islamic regime on the Jewish homeland, and the reemergence of anti-Semitism—which has burgeoned from benign growths into dangerous melanomas worldwide. 

Nevertheless, today, I am sharing—and rejoicing—over how Israel remains one of “The Best” nations for innovations across sectors of scientific and medical discovery and implementation. You will find information that might help you, your family, or friends. 

First, join me in revisiting some of Israel’s past accomplishments and innovations, a tiny sample indeed! (Check out www.Israel21c.org—an excellent resource.) Motorola in Israel developed the cell phone technology leading to our smartphones. The global leader Watergen is the first to create a machine that makes drinking water from the air—a remarkable machine to witness in action. Our taste buds delight when we visit Israel, as personal proof that this tiny nation maintains the strictest food quality and nutrition standards in the world. 

Environmentalists will appreciate that Israel is the only country that has more trees today than 50 years ago. For such a small country, Israel has absorbed more immigrants than any other country, with Jews from over 100 countries. In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted 22,000 Ethiopian Jews to safety, making it the only country in the world to bring a black population into freedom.

Israel’s innovations are fueled by its high number of scientists and technicians. Ranking third highest in the world for entrepreneurial initiatives, Israel boasts the highest rate globally of women entrepreneurs and those over age 55. 

Several medical innovations include an emergency bandage that enables self-application to wounds and staunches blood flow so successfully that it’s used by armies in the U.S., Germany, Australia, and other countries. Good news for physical therapy comes in the form of an Israeli-created glove-like device that helps restore paralyzed hands and arms. Millions have benefitted from fingertip monitors for sleep disorders and cardiac issues. 

Seeing one product demonstration was an emotional time for thousands of us at an American Israel Public Affair Committee (AIPAC) policy conference. We gasped and kept applauding when a paraplegic walked out on the stage aided by ReWalk, a robotic exoskeleton. It is one of Israel’s most famous inventions. The kibbutz-owned company Netafim invented smart drip and micro-irrigation that is improving crops in 112 countries. 

Switching toward several more recent innovations, Believer Meats, a food technology company, addresses increased concerns about food shortages. As it says on its website, the firm creates cultured meats by growing “animal cells in fermentation tanks into actual meat without harm to animals, and at a fraction of the environmental cost, to transform our planet and secure nutrition for generations to come.”

Israelis also remain focused on water. In Mayu, for example, this startup aims to “fix” existing water by adding minerals—with a swirl. Their first product, Mayu Swirl, is on Amazon. Sports lovers should check out this Artificial Intelligence (AI) ability from an Israeli sports-tech company, WSC Sports. They won an Emmy at the 74th Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards, which curates real-time sports highlights. For children with dyslexia, Singit is an app that uses songs kids like and includes questions to learn vocabulary and meaning. It makes learning a foreign language easier. OrCam invented wearable devices equipped with high quality cameras for the visually impaired, helping them read text and recognize faces. 

This brief tour of Israel’s significant presence in this world is summarized from God’s words in Isaiah 49:6. “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob always included us non-Jews in His beautiful, redemptive plan first through Jewish scribes as vessels for His Word, and the most profound love the world has ever known through Jesus. However, the millions of lights exemplified among the Jewish people to bless the world are beyond measure. It is my hope that after you have read this small sample, you will look for ways to advocate for Israel amid the Jew hatred raising its evil head, especially everywhere it is ignored. Silence and inaction from Christians will only feed the evil. Together, let us advocate for Israel, our spiritual homeland. 

I am a Christian Zionist who is delighted to extend my appreciation and honor for all Israelis who have died defending Israel—which rebounds in a blessing for me and many millions worldwide fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3: “And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 

Join our CBN Israel team with thanks to God for blessing our world with Israel:

• Pray with thanks to God for honoring His promises to bring Jewish people back to their homeland. 
• Pray for Israel military’s vigilance and safety amid intensifying threats. 
• Pray for the development of workable policies for Israel’s judiciary. 
• Pray that Christian advocacy for Israel will increase exponentially.

Arlene Bridges Samuels pioneered Christian outreach for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). After nine years on AIPAC’s staff, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her part-time as Outreach Director for their project, American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, guest columnist at All Israel News, and has frequently traveled to Israel since 1990. She co-edited The Auschwitz Album Revisited and is a board member for Violins of Hope South Carolina. Arlene attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summit and hosts her devotionals, The Eclectic Evangelical, on Facebook.