ARTICLES

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8). Read on Shabbat, October 18, 2025 / 26 Tishrei 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).

These opening words confront us with mystery and majesty. Before form and structure, God’s presence hovered in the darkness. Creation begins not with chaos subdued but with God speaking life into the void. The act of creation is not only about what came after but about the One who gives order, light, and purpose where none existed.

The narrative continues with days of separation: light from darkness, waters above from waters below, and land from sea, as God names and calls each into being. With each day, God surveys what He has made and affirms it as good. Humanity enters as the crowning act of creation, formed in God’s image, given dignity, purpose, and responsibility. Genesis presents a world designed for relationship, stewardship, and sacred order.

When we look at the world, we see both beauty and brokenness, harmony and chaos. This portion reminds us that God’s voice is powerful enough to bring order from confusion. We who are made in His image carry the call to reflect His creativity, compassion, and care. The world is not an accident of chance but the work of a Creator who shaped it and entrusted it to us.

Perhaps there are moments when your life feels empty or uncertain, when purpose seems distant and your spirit hovers over what feels formless. Remember that God’s Spirit hovered over the chaos too. Even then, He was present, shaping, speaking, and bringing life where there was none. And if you find yourself in a time of clarity and peace, do not forget the foundation. All that is good flows from the God who spoke in the beginning.

Let this week be one of renewed wonder. Take time to notice creation around you: the sound of the wind, the rhythm of the sea, the laughter of a child. Each moment points back to the Creator. Let your actions reflect His purpose by cultivating peace, restoring what is broken, and caring for what He has made.

PRAYER
Lord, renew in me a sense of awe for the world You have created. Help me live as one made in Your image, tending to what You have entrusted to my care. May my life reflect Your order, beauty, and purpose. Amen.

By Stephen Faircloth

Hidden beneath the streets of ancient Jerusalem lies a place that once shimmered with life and purpose, the Pool of Siloam. Resting at the southern end of the City of David, this pool was fed by the Gihon Spring through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a remarkable channel carved through solid rock. For centuries, it served as both a practical and spiritual landmark for the people of Israel.

In 2004, archaeologists rediscovered the Pool of Siloam while workers were laying a new sewage line. What they found was extraordinary: broad steps descending into a vast pool where pilgrims once gathered. Its design reflected both the rhythm of the seasons and the faith of a city that depended on God’s provision for every drop of water.

In the days of Jesus, the pool was far more than a public water source. It was a place of cleansing and preparation. Pilgrims on their way to the Temple immersed themselves there to become ritually pure before offering worship.

It was also the setting of one of Jesus’ most memorable miracles. When He healed the man born blind, He told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man obeyed, and his eyes were opened (John 9:7). That moment turned the pool into a symbol of spiritual sight and renewal, a place where obedience met transformation.

During the Feast of Tabernacles, priests would draw water from the Pool of Siloam and carry it to the Temple, pouring it out as an offering before the Lord. This act was both a prayer for rain and a declaration of trust in the God who sustains life. It was likely during this feast that Jesus cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). The true source of living water was standing among them, offering refreshment for the soul.

The Pool of Siloam reminds us that God still calls His people to come and be washed, to step into the waters of His grace and find renewal. Faith is not simply knowing where the water is but walking into it and trusting the One who makes us whole.

Are there areas in your life where you need God’s cleansing and renewal? The same Jesus who told the blind man to wash still calls us to come to Him today. His living water restores sight, refreshes the spirit, and brings life to what has grown dry.

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 the holiday portion for Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot (Leviticus 22:26-23:44; Numbers 29:12-28). Read on Shabbat, October 11, 2025 / 19 Tishrei 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and you keep My rules and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit” (Leviticus 26:3-4).

God promises blessing in the land when His people live in obedience, not as a condition of earning love but as the natural fruit of covenant faithfulness. The rains fall in their season. The harvest flourishes. The land responds to faithful stewardship. During the festival of Sukkot, Israel dwells in temporary shelters, remembering their reliance on God’s provision. The promise of rain and harvest reminds them that blessing is never to be taken for granted.

The reading for this Shabbat celebrates God’s sheltering presence and His provision during the wilderness journey. It reminds us that life itself is lived under His covering, and that the blessings of land, food, and security are gifts that call for gratitude and obedience. The festival invites each generation to pause, dwell, and remember dependence even in times of plenty.

Throughout life there are seasons of plenty, seasons of need, and seasons of waiting. God’s promise remains that when we walk in His ways, life will grow even in unexpected places. Obedience and trust invite His rain, both physical and spiritual. When we lose sight of this truth, we risk taking His provision for granted or turning to lesser sources of strength. Sukkot calls the heart back to dependence, reminding us that God alone is our shelter, our provider, and the one who sustains all things.

Those enjoying a season of abundance are called to guard their hearts against complacency. Let gratitude shape your attitude and generosity define your response. Those facing challenge or uncertainty can hold fast to the assurance that God has not turned away. His word still brings rain to the dry places. And for anyone standing between those extremes, faithfulness in the present moment becomes the seed of future blessing.

Take time each day, whether sitting beneath the sukkah or pausing in a quiet place, to reflect on God’s faithfulness. Notice the blessings that surround you, even the small ones that often pass unnoticed. Offer Him thanks. Choose one way to respond in obedience and generosity from what He has given you. Let your gratitude and your actions declare that your trust is in the Lord who provides rain in its time.

PRAYER
Lord, help me to live in dependence on You. Teach me to walk in Your ways so that Your blessing may flow in my life. May my gratitude and obedience reflect Your goodness and faithfulness. Amen.

Married just one month, Yovel planned to relax over the October 7 weekend with her new husband Mor. It had been a hectic season of wedding events and Jewish holidays. Instead, friends insisted they all go together to a music festival in southern Israel. That decision would alter Yovel’s life forever.

Ten minutes after they arrived, rockets flew overhead, and they jumped back in the car and sped north. Believing they were out of harm’s way, the road was suddenly blocked by a white Hamas truck. Mor decided to go around it, telling them to “duck and start praying.” As he swerved, bullets pounded their car. Tragically, a bullet hit Mor’s head, as the car flipped into a ditch.

When Yovel regained consciousness, asking who in the car was alive, she panicked when Mor didn’t answer. Trying in vain to revive him, she screamed, “It can’t be that you’re dead! It can’t be. We just got married—there’s no way!” And then, they realized that Hamas terrorists were roaming nearby, shooting anyone in the vehicles they had struck, and finishing off any survivors.

So for five hours, they pretended to be dead, as they heard the horrific sounds of abductions, rapes, and executions. Finally, the army arrived, and got them to a hospital. Yet now, Yovel, who is 26, is dealing with severe anxiety attacks and nightmares, and can’t go back to work.

But through CBN Israel’s partnership with the Jewish Agency, friends like you gave Yovel financial assistance to help support her until she is able to work. Donors also offered her trauma care and counseling, as she starts her life over. She says, “Thank you for opening your hearts, so that we can smile and laugh again… It is not taken for granted how you are standing with us.”

And your gift to CBN Israel can offer compassionate relief to hurting Israelis in other ways, including hot meals, shelter, and basic essentials.

Please help us bring healing to those in crisis! 

GIVE TODAY

Photo Caption: Homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza riddled with bullet holes and displaying photos of residents killed or taken hostage following Hamas’s deadly rampage.

By Stephen Faircloth

On October 7, 2023, the people of Israel endured their darkest day since the Holocaust. In a coordinated attack, Hamas terrorists crossed into southern Israel, murdering 1,200 civilians, abducting more than 250 hostages, and committing atrocities too horrific to fully describe.

Families were slaughtered in their homes. Women were abused in unimaginable ways. Even babies and elderly Holocaust survivors were not spared. For Israel, October 7 was not simply another day of conflict. It was a cruel reminder that the hatred fueling centuries of antisemitism is still alive.

For Christians, this day should never fade into distant memory. Just as September 11 became a defining moment for America, October 7 has become a watershed moment for Israel. It was not only Israel’s tragedy but ours as well, since more than forty Americans were killed that day. Their blood was shed alongside their Israeli brothers and sisters.

From the earliest pages of Scripture, God’s covenant with Abraham established a divine link between Israel and the nations: “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).

This covenant is not an artifact of history. It remains alive today, a promise that explains why the survival of Israel has always testified to the faithfulness of God. Every attempt to destroy the Jewish people has failed, and it will continue to fail, because the Lord has promised that they will never be uprooted from the land He gave them.

In the aftermath of October 7, Israel responded with extraordinary courage. Within hours, the Israel Defense Forces mobilized to dismantle Hamas’s terror infrastructure. Strikes were carried out against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian proxies in Syria and Iraq.

In cooperation with the United States, Israel struck at Iran’s nuclear facilities, dealing a decisive blow to an existential threat. These actions were not symbolic but essential to Israel’s survival. Each young soldier who defends the homeland does so knowing they are protecting not only Israel but also the values of faith, freedom, and life cherished around the world.

Yet the battle is not only military. War today is fought on the field of public opinion. In the first days after October 7, the world recoiled at Hamas’s savagery. But within weeks, the narrative shifted. Suddenly Israel, not Hamas, was accused of genocide and oppression. This inversion of truth is nothing new. It echoes centuries of antisemitic lies, from medieval blood libels to Nazi propaganda.

The truth is that Israel has gone to unprecedented lengths to protect civilians, warning residents of Gaza to evacuate, opening humanitarian corridors, and even pausing operations to allow the delivery of aid. Hamas, on the other hand, hides behind civilians, tunnels under hospitals, and uses schools as weapons depots.

The Bible warns that a day would come when people would call evil good and good evil. That day has arrived. Christians must refuse to be deceived.

October 7 also unleashed a surge of antisemitism around the world. In Europe, mobs chant “Death to the Jews.” In America, Jewish students are harassed on college campuses and synagogues live under constant threat.

Antisemitism is not merely hatred of a people. It is rebellion against the God who chose them. For Christians, silence in the face of antisemitism is complicity. To bless Israel is to bless God’s covenant. To ignore or excuse antisemitism is to oppose His purposes.

Despite the horrors of October 7, Israel still longs for peace. History shows this. Israel has made peace with Egypt and Jordan, signed the Abraham Accords with several Arab states, and reached out to nations once hostile. Peace is possible, but it will never come through appeasing terror.

No nation can coexist with an enemy sworn to its destruction. Real peace will come only when terror is defeated and truth prevails. The prophets envisioned a day when nations will beat their swords into plowshares, and while that day has not yet come, we can pray in faith that God’s promises will be fulfilled.

The question before Christians in America is simple. Will we stand with Israel? Our response must be prayer, advocacy, and blessing. We must pray for the peace of Jerusalem, speak the truth in a world of lies, and support Israel through generosity and solidarity.

The light of Israel has not been extinguished. It continues to shine as a testimony of God’s covenant-keeping faithfulness. As followers of Christ, we are called to ensure that it shines brighter still until the day He fulfills His promises in full.

In remembrance of October 7 and in steadfast support of Israel and the Jewish people, we invite you to stand with CBN Israel as we confront antisemitism, defend truth, and bring comfort and hope to those who still suffer today.

GIVE TODAY

Prayer Points for Israel

• Pray for the people of Israel, asking God’s protection over every community as they live under multifront threats.
• Pray for comfort for the bereaved who remember October 7, 2023, and for all mourning loved ones lost since then.
• Pray for emotional healing for survivors of trauma and for those battling post-traumatic stress to receive wise counselors, strong community, and lasting restoration.
• Pray for wisdom, courage, and unity for Israel’s leaders and defenders as they pursue peace and security for the nation.
• Pray for truth to prevail over propaganda and confusion, for discernment online, and for journalists to report with accuracy and integrity.
• Pray for Christians and Americans to stand in faithful solidarity with the Jewish people and to reject antisemitism and false narratives.
• Pray for a just and lasting peace that alleviates Palestinian suffering while safeguarding Israel’s right to live in security.
• Pray for the CBN Israel team serving displaced families and terror victims, and for the CBN News team in Jerusalem to report truth with boldness, wisdom, and protection.

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

At the western edge of the Jezreel Valley, beneath the slopes of Mount Carmel, lies the ancient city of Megiddo. Perched above one of the most important trade routes of the ancient world, Megiddo once guarded the crossroads connecting Egypt with Damascus and Mesopotamia. Whoever controlled this city held the key to regional power.

Archaeologists have uncovered twenty layers of settlement at Megiddo, each built upon the remains of the last. Its commanding position made it both prosperous and dangerous. Pharaohs, kings, and armies fought for control of this place. It was here that Pharaoh Thutmose III won a decisive victory in 1468 B.C., and where King Josiah of Judah fell in battle centuries later (2 Kings 23:29-30). The ground of Megiddo carries the memory of human conflict and the cost of ambition.

Megiddo was allotted to the tribe of Manasseh, though the Israelites never fully secured it. Later, Solomon fortified the city, building massive gates, stables, and storerooms. Beneath the surface, engineers carved a remarkable water system, a tunnel that connected the city to a spring outside its walls. Even in siege, the people could draw living water hidden from their enemies. Their survival depended on a source unseen by others.

This image speaks powerfully to our spiritual lives. Our strength and peace come not from what is visible, but from the hidden flow of God’s Spirit within us. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38). Like the people of Megiddo, we are sustained by what God provides in secret.

The name Megiddo appears once more in Scripture, in the book of Revelation. John writes that the armies of the world will gather for battle at Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Many assume this refers to Megiddo itself, but the Bible never mentions a Valley of Armageddon. The term likely means “the mountain of assembly,” pointing not to Megiddo’s hill, but to Jerusalem, the mountain where God has placed His name. The final conflict will not be fought in the Jezreel Valley but around the holy city, where God will establish His kingdom and bring His justice to the earth (Revelation 11:1-2; 14:20; 20:9).

Megiddo reminds us that battles and power struggles are part of history, but God’s plan is greater than any human design. His purposes reach beyond the rise and fall of nations, pointing to the day when His peace will reign forever.

When you think of Megiddo, remember the hidden spring beneath the surface, a source of life that never runs dry. In the same way, God’s Spirit is your well of strength, quietly sustaining you through every challenge. Though the world may rage around you, His living water flows within, bringing peace, purpose, and victory that cannot be shaken.

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.