ARTICLES

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The world’s population now exceeds eight billion and continues to grow. In the Middle East alone, seventeen Arab nations account for more than 515 million people. By contrast, Israel has just reached a population of about ten million, including a Jewish majority of slightly more than seven million.

Yet this small nation, the world’s only Jewish state, faces intense international outrage over its policies concerning Judea and Samaria. That fury persists even though this region is the very terrain where Abraham walked, where King David ruled, and where Israel’s prophets proclaimed God’s word. Many of the world’s 193 nations are not merely criticizing policy decisions. They are attempting to dictate Israel’s future and, in some cases, to deny its right to exist.

The Bible’s narrative makes clear that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob established eternal promises connected to both the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Through the Jewish people, God transmitted the Scriptures and His redemptive plan to the world. Israel is the birthplace of the Christian faith. Judea and Samaria form the core of that biblical inheritance. No other nation holds that spiritual birth certificate.

Why, then, has there been such international uproar over recent decisions by Israel’s parliament, the Knesset?

As in any democracy, Israel’s policymaking process includes vigorous debate. In July 2025, 71 of the 120 Knesset members voted in favor of a declaration supporting increased Israeli sovereignty in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley. The declaration affirmed that this region is the historic, cultural, and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people, where the foundations of Jewish faith and identity were laid. It referenced ancient cities such as Hebron, Shechem, Shiloh, and Beit El as living expressions of continuous Jewish presence, not mere archaeological relics.

That same month, the Knesset passed a preliminary reading of opposition bills seeking to extend Israeli legal sovereignty to Judea and Samaria. Though contentious, the measures advanced for further deliberation in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The proposed language stated that the law, jurisdiction, administration, and sovereignty of the State of Israel would apply to Judea and Samaria.

Criticism intensified again on February 9, 2026, when Israel’s security cabinet approved measures to strengthen administrative and legal oversight in the region. These measures removed bureaucratic barriers to land purchases, allowing Israelis to buy property in areas long restricted under older legal frameworks. The stated goal was to normalize civilian life for more than 500,000 Jewish residents of the heartland.

To understand Israel’s reasoning, historical context is essential. Following the 1948 War of Independence, Jordan controlled Judea and Samaria from 1948 to 1967. During that period, Jordanian law prohibited land sales to Jews. After neighboring Arab states launched the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel regained control of the territory and reunified Jerusalem. However, many of the Jordanian legal structures remained in place for decades. The recent Knesset actions seek to address those outdated laws and align governance with Israel’s sovereignty as a Jewish state.

International reaction has been swift and severe. Jordan’s Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs warned that silence toward Israel would replace international law with what it called the law of the jungle, where the strong devour the weak. Yet historical memory complicates such claims. After 1948, Jordan controlled the region from Jenin to Hebron and Jerusalem’s Old City, expelling Jewish residents and barring Jews from praying at the Western Wall. During its rule, fifty-eight synagogues were destroyed or desecrated, and the ancient Mount of Olives cemetery was vandalized.

In 2026, Arab states have condemned Israel’s administrative decisions as a dangerous escalation and a threat to Palestinian self-determination. Hamas denounced the move as a violation of international law. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation accused Israel of targeting Palestinian existence and legitimate rights.

Yet Palestinian political history reveals deep contradictions. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, evacuating 8,000 Jewish residents. In 2007, Palestinians elected Hamas, which constructed an underground tunnel network estimated between 350 and 450 miles in length. Previous Palestinian leaders rejected multiple offers for statehood. The rise of Hamas entrenched a leadership committed not to coexistence but to confrontation.

Today, some Palestinian representatives promote a proposed 162 article draft constitution, describing their vision as democratic and based on rule of law and human dignity. However, Middle East scholar Bassam Tawil has noted that while Palestinian leaders often deny Jewish ties to the land and envision a Jew free state, more than two million Muslim Arabs live peacefully as citizens within Israel. Although Palestinian authorities pledged to reform the pay-for-slay program, financial rewards to terrorists and their families reportedly continue, with stipends reaching as high as 3,000 dollars per month in an economy where the average salary is about 1,000 dollars.

Tawil has described the proposed constitution as dangerous and delusional, arguing that Palestinian leadership has not reconciled itself to Israel’s right to exist or abandoned its long-standing goal of eliminating the Jewish state.

For many believers, the issue ultimately returns to covenant. In Genesis 15:18, God declared to Abram, later named Abraham, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” That promise forms the biblical foundation for Jewish connection to the land.

Israel’s policies in Judea and Samaria are debated fiercely on the world stage. Yet the deeper question remains whether historical reality and biblical continuity will be acknowledged or denied. In a region crowded with nations and populations, Israel stands alone as the seat of the biblical heartland.

Our CBN Israel Team welcomes you to pray with us this week.

Prayer Points:

• Pray that Christians and Jews will stand united behind Israel as it updates outdated legal frameworks in Judea and Samaria.
• Pray that believers will educate themselves and others about the biblical and historical significance of the heartland.
• Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s strength, safety, and wisdom.
• Pray for peace and for solutions that uphold Israel’s security and future. 

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

At 84 years old, Golda has endured a lifetime marked by hardship and loss. Born during World War II, she lost her father in the battle for Leningrad and barely survived the chaos that followed. Her mother, sick and destitute, carried two small children through hunger, bombings, and the devastation of war.

“The sadness of war never really left us,” Golda recalls. “My mother was always worried about how to feed us. She lost everything, even the photographs of my father.”

Years later, Golda immigrated to Israel, hoping for a new beginning. Life was difficult, but she found strength in her faith and her new home. “In Ukraine, I was bullied for my name, Golda,” she says softly. “Only in Israel did I finally feel I could be myself.”

Now a widow living alone, Golda’s challenges have only grown with age. Her small apartment was once flooded, leaving her without a working washing machine for years. She washed her clothes by hand, struggling daily with loneliness and physical pain.

When CBN Israel learned of her situation, friends like you made it possible to bring help and hope. Through the support of generous donors, Golda received a new washing machine and essential repairs to her apartment. “I’m so happy,” she says with a smile. “It’s wonderful. Something so simple has made such a difference.”

Today, in a nation still recovering from war, Golda treasures the kindness shown to her. “It is very hard to be alone,” she says. “At my age, attention and kindness mean everything. Thank you for caring.”

Through CBN Israel, you can touch the lives of elderly Holocaust survivors and widows like Golda. Your gift provides food, home repairs, and comfort to those who feel forgotten. Together, we can remind them that they are loved and never alone.

Please stand with the people of Israel today and bring hope to those in need.

GIVE TODAY

By Stephen Faircloth

Four miles north of Nazareth, in the Beth Netofa Valley of Lower Galilee, stood the bustling city of Sepphoris. In the early first century A.D., when Jesus was a boy growing up in Nazareth, Sepphoris served as the capital of Galilee. A major east west road ran through the valley, linking the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean coast at Akko. Traders, officials, soldiers, and craftsmen passed through its gates. It was a place of culture, commerce, and influence.

Sepphoris rose on a hill divided into an upper and lower city. Archaeological discoveries reveal that people lived there as far back as the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. From the Persian period onward, settlement appears to have been continuous for centuries. During the Roman era, parts of the upper city were distinctly Jewish. Ritual immersion baths have been uncovered, along with oil lamps decorated with menorahs. These finds point to a community that maintained its identity and faith while living within a broader Greco-Roman world.

The city also contained features common to Roman urban life. A theater carved into the northern slope of the hill overlooked the valley below and could seat thousands. In the lower city, archaeologists uncovered a cardo and decumanus, the main north south and east west streets typical of Roman planning. Colonnaded sidewalks lined these streets, and public buildings and markets bustled with activity. Sepphoris was not an isolated village but a thriving urban center shaped by imperial culture.

One of the most striking discoveries is a third century Roman villa adorned with elaborate mosaics. In its dining room, scenes from Greek mythology portray Dionysius and other figures associated with revelry and celebration. Nearby mosaics depict hunting scenes and images drawn from the natural world. These works reveal the aesthetic tastes and cultural influences that shaped the city in later centuries.

Yet Sepphoris was also a center of Jewish learning. In the late second century A.D., Judah the Prince compiled the Mishnah there, preserving and organizing rabbinic oral traditions in Hebrew. A synagogue discovered in the lower city, dating to the fifth century, contained a mosaic floor that combined biblical imagery with symbolic motifs common in the ancient world. Even within a cosmopolitan setting, devotion to Scripture endured.

Sepphoris reminds us that Jesus grew up near a crossroads of cultures. Nazareth may have been small, but it lay within walking distance of a vibrant city filled with wealth, artistry, politics, and competing worldviews. The world Jesus entered was not simple or sheltered. It was layered and complex, shaped by both faith and foreign influence.

This setting deepens our understanding of His ministry. He spoke of kingdoms, coins, vineyards, and banquets to people who lived amid both Jewish tradition and Roman power. He called His followers to faithfulness not in isolation but in the midst of cultural pressures and public life.

Sepphoris stands as a reminder that God often forms His servants in ordinary places near busy crossroads. We, too, live surrounded by competing values and loud influences. The challenge is the same as it was then. Will we remain rooted in faith while engaging the world around us? God’s purposes unfold not far from the noise of society, but often right beside it.

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.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).

In the ancient world, few symbols carried more weight than horses and chariots. They represented speed, strength, and military dominance. An army with powerful chariots could sweep across battlefields and overwhelm its enemies. Nations measured security by the size of their cavalry and the skill of their warriors.

Israel lived in a land that everyone wanted. Positioned between Africa and Asia along major trade routes, it was the crossroads of empires. Egypt pressed from the south. Mesopotamian powers loomed from the north. The temptation to build a formidable military force and trust in visible strength must have been overwhelming.

Yet Scripture repeatedly warned Israel not to place its confidence there. God instructed that a future king must not multiply horses for himself. The prophet Isaiah rebuked those who looked to Egypt and its cavalry for help rather than seeking the Lord. The message was clear. Israel’s security did not ultimately depend on superior weapons or alliances. It depended on obedience.

Trusting in horses and chariots meant believing that human power could secure what only God could sustain. It was a subtle shift from dependence on the Lord to confidence in strategy, innovation, and visible strength. The people might still speak about God, but their hearts would lean on what they could count, measure, and display.

The psalmist offers a striking contrast. While others place their hope in military might, we trust in the name of the Lord our God. To trust in His name means to rely on His character, His faithfulness, and His covenant promises. It is a declaration that our future rests in who He is, not in what we can build.

Our world may not rely on literal chariots, but we have our own versions. We trust in technology, influence, education, networks, and resources. None of these are evil in themselves. The danger lies in allowing them to become our source of confidence. We can easily begin to believe that our security and impact depend on our ingenuity rather than on our obedience.

God never told Israel to neglect wisdom or preparation. He called them to remember who truly preserved them at the crossroads. Victory, stability, and endurance were gifts that flowed from faithfulness. When they obeyed, He defended them. When they turned away, no number of horses could save them.

The same question faces us. What gives us peace when uncertainty rises? What do we instinctively lean on when pressure builds? If those answers are rooted primarily in our own strength, we may be trusting in modern chariots.

The greatest witness we can offer in a world obsessed with power is quiet, steady trust in God. When we remain faithful to Him, even when other options seem more impressive, we proclaim that our hope is anchored in something greater than human ability.

PRAYER

Father, guard my heart from misplaced confidence. Teach me to trust in Your name above all else. Help me to remain obedient and faithful, knowing that You alone are my true security. Amen.

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18). Read on Shabbat, February 14, 2026 / 25 Shevat 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“You shall not oppress a stranger or afflict him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child” (Exodus 22:21-22).

Parashat Mishpatim follows the revelation at Sinai with practical instruction for daily life. After thunder and fire on the mountain, the Torah turns to ordinary situations such as property, labor, responsibility, and justice. God shows that holiness is not confined to sacred moments. It is expressed in how people treat one another, especially the vulnerable.

The command not to oppress the stranger is rooted in memory. Israel is told to remember its own experience of suffering. Compassion grows when memory remains alive. God calls His people to shape a society marked by fairness and mercy, where power is restrained and dignity is protected. Justice in the Torah is not abstract. It is woven into everyday interactions, reminding Israel that covenant faithfulness must touch every corner of life.

Mishpatim also reveals that obedience is relational. The people respond together, saying they will do and they will listen. Their agreement is not merely about rules but about trust in the One who redeemed them. God invites them into a covenant that binds worship and ethics together. To know God is to reflect His character through integrity and compassion.

This portion challenges us to examine how faith is expressed in daily conduct. It is easy to separate spiritual devotion from practical behavior, yet the Torah does not allow such division. Honoring God includes honesty in work, kindness toward the overlooked, and responsibility in our commitments. Small actions carry spiritual weight.

Some may be wrestling with situations that test patience or fairness. Mishpatim encourages steady integrity even when it costs something. Others may have opportunities to show generosity or advocate for someone overlooked. In such moments, God’s heart for justice becomes visible through human choices.

As this Shabbat arrives, take time to reflect on how your faith shapes your relationships and responsibilities. Remember the compassion God has shown you. Choose one concrete way this week to act with fairness, kindness, or accountability. Let your obedience demonstrate gratitude for the freedom and mercy God has given.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for guiding me not only in worship but in daily life. Teach me to act with justice, compassion, and integrity. May my actions reflect Your mercy and Your truth in every relationship. Amen.

Just as Israelis were finally emerging from the trauma of COVID, they were suddenly thrust into the horrors of the October 7 terrorist attacks—and the war with Hamas and Hezbollah. Since then, the nation has been running on adrenaline, with families still in shock and survival mode.

And with the war winding down, most Israelis will face complex emotional, psychological, and financial challenges in adjusting to a “new normal.”

Thanks to caring donors, CBN Israel is addressing the nation’s need for healing by opening a “resilience center.” Manager Yonathan Ameida, who is also a clinical psychologist and pastor, observed, “Many resilience centers exist around the country. But we understood that after the war, the need for these was going to skyrocket.”

The CBN Israel Resilience Center will serve as a hub that matches patients’ needs to a pool of counseling professionals, including psychologists for both adults and children, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers, and financial and parenting coaches.

While the government does provide therapy for direct victims, often the victims’ family members, such as the families of hostages, are outside the loop. The Resilience Center can fill that gap for them, by reaching people who are not eligible for government therapy programs.

And since the war began, donors have already created trauma recovery groups through CBN Israel, and offered courses and private counseling. The Resilience Center will be doing that same work, but on a much larger scale, as well as offering support for the therapists themselves.

Plus, Almeida plans to assist the faith community, saying the war brought up spiritual questions for everyone about why this happened—even many believers, whose faith has been shaken.

He sums up the center’s mission, saying, “People can begin to think coherently again….We are here to help them find an explanation that will give them peace, and give them new tools.”

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

By Stephen Faircloth

Mount Nebo rises in the land of Moab, east of the Jordan River, within what the Bible calls Transjordan. From this mountain, Moses was given a final, breathtaking view of the land God had promised to Israel. He saw the Jordan Valley, Jericho, the Dead Sea, and the hills stretching toward Jerusalem. It was a moment filled with beauty, fulfillment, and also deep poignancy, because Moses would not enter the land himself.

The reason is sobering. Years earlier, in the Wilderness of Zin, Moses acted in disobedience to God and struck the rock instead of speaking to it as the Lord commanded. Because of this, God told him he would lead the people to the edge of the land, but he would not cross over with them. On Mount Nebo, Moses saw the promise clearly, but he experienced it only with his eyes, not with his feet.

Scripture tells us that God Himself buried Moses there, and no one knows the location of his grave. This detail speaks quietly of God’s care and closeness to His servant. Moses did not die abandoned or forgotten. He died in the presence of the God he had served, the God who allowed him to see the fulfillment of a promise even if he could not fully share in it.

Mount Nebo stood on the borderlands, sometimes claimed by Israel and at other times by Moab. It belonged to a region often contested, just like many moments in our own spiritual journeys where obedience and failure, hope and disappointment, stand close together. Near the mountain lay a town also called Nebo, whose preserved name helped later generations identify the site. By the Byzantine period, pilgrims traveled there regularly, drawn by the memory of Moses and the power of his final moments.

The mountain itself is framed by deep valleys to the north and south and opens westward toward the Jordan Valley. Its peaks rise more than two thousand feet above sea level, offering wide and commanding views. Two main summits, Siyagha and Mukhayyat, show evidence of human presence stretching back thousands of years. From both, the land unfolds like a living map of biblical history.

Later generations built churches and monasteries on these heights. Mosaics and stone walls remain as testimonies that Mount Nebo became a place of reflection and worship. Pilgrims came not only to see the land Moses saw, but to remember that faithfulness is not always measured by personal arrival. Sometimes it is measured by trust, endurance, and obedience to the very end.

Mount Nebo invites us to ask hard questions. Can we trust God even when we do not experience every promise personally? Are we willing to remain faithful when our role is to prepare the way for others? Moses never entered the land, yet his obedience shaped the destiny of a nation.

Standing on Mount Nebo reminds us that God’s purposes are larger than any one life. Even when we only glimpse the promise from afar, God honors faith that endures, and He remains faithful to complete what He has spoken.

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.

“Then He said to him, ‘Your offspring will be that numerous.’ Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:5-6).

The Lord invited Abram to step outside and look up into the night sky. Beneath countless stars, God spoke promises that stretched far beyond his lifetime.

Abram was told that his descendants would be beyond number and that the land before him would one day belong to his offspring. Scripture tells us that Abram believed the Lord, and that belief was counted to him as righteousness. His faith rested not in what he could see, but in who God had revealed Himself to be.

What is striking about Abraham’s story is not only the magnitude of the promise, but the timing of its fulfillment. Abraham never witnessed the fullness of what God pledged to him. He saw the birth of Isaac, but not a nation. He walked the land God promised, but never possessed it. His life ended with promises still unfolding. Yet Scripture never portrays him as disappointed or disillusioned. Instead, Abraham is remembered as the father of faith.

We often approach God’s promises with a deeply personal lens. We search Scripture for reassurance that God will act within our circumstances, solve our problems, or bless our efforts in ways we can immediately recognize. While God does care for us personally, the biblical story consistently reminds us that His purposes are larger than any single life. God works across generations, weaving obedience and trust into a plan that extends far beyond us.

Abraham understood this reality. His faith was not rooted in immediate outcomes but in confident trust that God would do what He said. He accepted that his role was to believe and obey, even if the results would be realized by those who came after him. He trusted God’s timing, even when it extended beyond his own years.

This kind of faith challenges us. Are we willing to remain faithful when the fulfillment of God’s promises does not come quickly or visibly? Can we serve God wholeheartedly, knowing that our obedience may benefit future generations more than ourselves? True faith does not demand to see the end of the story. It rests in the character of the One who authors it.

Abraham’s life reminds us that faithfulness is not measured by what we gain, but by whom we trust. He believed God, played his part, and rested in the assurance that God’s promises would stand. That same invitation is extended to us today.

PRAYER

Father, help me trust You when the outcome is unseen. Teach me to live in faithful obedience, even when Your promises are fulfilled beyond my years. May my life serve Your greater purpose. Amen.

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23). Read on Shabbat, February 7, 2026 / 18 Shevat 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“All the people saw the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking. The people saw it and trembled, and they stood at a distance” (Exodus 20:18).

Parashat Yitro brings Israel to Mount Sinai, where God reveals His presence in power, glory, and holiness. Thunder, fire, and sound surround the mountain, impressing upon the people that they are encountering something far greater than themselves. This moment is not meant to frighten them away, but to awaken reverence. God is establishing a relationship rooted in awe, trust, and obedience.

Before the commandments are given, Jethro offers Moses wise counsel. He teaches him that leadership requires shared responsibility and humility. God’s instruction arrives within the context of community, reminding Israel that faith is not lived alone. The commandments that follow are not arbitrary rules but guidance for living in freedom. God sets boundaries not to restrict life, but to protect it.

At Sinai, God speaks words that shape identity. Israel is called to be a treasured people, living with purpose and direction. The commandments address both devotion to God and responsibility toward others. Worship and ethics are held together, teaching that honoring God is inseparable from treating others with dignity and care.

This portion speaks to the balance between closeness and reverence. God invites His people near, yet reminds them that He is holy. Faith grows when we approach God with humility rather than fear, with obedience rather than resistance. The law becomes a gift that reveals how to walk wisely in a world that often lacks direction.

Some may feel overwhelmed by expectations or uncertain about how to live faithfully. Parashat Yitro reassures us that God provides clarity and structure for life. Others may feel distant from God, standing far off like the people at the mountain. This portion invites a renewed approach, not shrinking back, but drawing near with trust and reverence.

As this Shabbat comes, take time to consider how God’s instruction shapes your daily life. Reflect on one commandment or principle that calls you toward deeper faithfulness. Offer gratitude for God’s guidance, and choose one intentional way to honor Him through your actions. Let reverence lead to obedience and obedience lead to life.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself with power and mercy. Teach me to walk in reverence and trust, receiving Your instruction as a gift. May my life reflect devotion to You and care for others. Amen.