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Biblical Israel: Arbel

By Marc Turnage

Arbel sits high upon the sheer limestone cliffs along the northwest corner of the lake of Galilee, northwest of Tiberias, overlooking the fertile plain of Gennesar. The Arbel Cliffs form the southern boundary of the plain of Gennesar and provide a striking visual landmark along the northwest shores of the lake. From here, visitors can see the geography on the northern shores of the lake of Galilee where 95% of Jesus’ ministry recorded in the Gospels took place.

Arbel could be identified with Beth-Arbel mentioned in the prophecy of Hosea (10:14). The current site of Arbel, however, began at the end of the second century B.C. The settlement most likely started as part of Hasmonean settlement of the Galilee when Jewish immigrants from Judea moved into the region. Rabbinic tradition identifies a Sage, Nittai, who lived in the second half of the second century B.C., as from Arbel (m. Avot 1:6-7). He served as the head of the Sanhedrin (m. Hagigah 2:2). His prominent position within Jewish society indicates a significant Jewish religious presence in Galilee at the end of the second century B.C.  

After the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in A.D. 70, the priestly division of Yeshua, the ninth priestly division, settled at Arbel. Arbel was principally known for the growing of flax from which the inhabitants produced linen (Genesis Rabbah 19:1). The Arbel Valley was also known for its agricultural fertility, especially the production of grain (y. Peah 7, 4, 20a). Excavations uncovered wine and olive presses, as well as large pools, probably used for the processing of flax.

Arbel was the location of a clash between the Hasmonean forces of Antigonus and Herod (c. 39-38 B.C.). After Herod gained control of Sepphoris, he sent his force “to the village of Arbela,” and after 40 days, Herod’s forces fought the supporters of Antigonus (Josephus, War 1:305-313). Herod’s forces won the battle, and Antigonus’ supporters fled some taking refuge in caves “very near the village” of Arbel (Antiquities 14:415). There are three groups of caves in the cliffs of Mount Arbel, and most likely the rebels sought refuge in the western group of caves, which are the closest to the village of Arbel (approximately 400 meters). 

Herod eventually dealt with the rebels held-up in the caves. His forces could not make a direct assault on the caves due to the sheerness of the cliffs. His engineers constructed baskets to lower soldiers down the cliff face by machines anchored to the summit of the hill. The soldiers, armed with grappling hooks, fished the brigands out of the caves hurling them to the rocks below. Soldiers hurled fire into the caves to force the rebels out of them. Some of the rebels threw themselves along with their families down the cliffs while Herod watched from a fortified position on an opposite hill.

During the First Jewish revolt against Rome, Josephus fortified the “cave of Arbel” (Life 188; see Life 311; and War 2:573). Josephus likely fortified the eastern group of caves on the Arbel Cliffs where there are remains of actual fortifications. He also quite possibly utilized the western group of caves previously used by the supporters of Antigonus against Herod.

Today visitors can hike to the overlook from the cliffs of the Gennesar Valley and the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. They can also see the remains of a limestone synagogue built in the fourth century A.D., which continued in use until the eighth century A.D. Renovations were made in the late sixth or early seventh century A.D. 

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

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Weekly Devotional: Are You Only the God of the Past?

“God, we have heard with our ears—our ancestors have told us—the work You accomplished in their days, in days long ago: to plant them, You drove out the nations with Your hand; to settle them, You crushed the peoples. … Why do You hide Yourself and forget our affliction and oppression? For we have sunk down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up! Help us! Redeem us because of Your faithful love” (Psalm 44:1-2, 24-26 HCSB).

Have you ever found yourself frustrated reading the Bible? Not confused, but frustrated. Frustrated because in its pages you read about God’s mighty acts, His deliverance of His people, His signs and wonders, but then you look to our world, to your life, and the thought comes: “Where is God, why do we not see Him act as we heard Him do of old?” 

The psalmist felt the same way. He found himself frustrated because of God’s mighty acts in the past, but in the present, the psalmist feels that God has rejected His people. The psalmist cannot even console himself by acknowledging Israel’s sin (44:17-22). He declares that the people have not forgotten God’s name or turned back from Him, yet because He does not act, the people suffer and are distressed. 

It is such a raw and honest psalm. Most of us would not have the audacity to pray in such a manner. But the psalmist does. He recognized that in a covenantal relationship, both parties have responsibilities. God held Israel to their obligations to the covenant, and so, too, they could hold Him to His promises. 

The psalmist’s appeal to God’s steadfast covenant love called upon God to remember the covenant He made with Israel. Amid the psalmist’s frustrations, however, he recognized that the God of Israel kept His covenant. Reminding God of His covenant responsibilities had merit because God was faithful to His covenant with Israel. 

We often speak about relationship with God, and we sometimes even criticize the “religion” of the Bible. Yet true relationship allows for the visceral frustrations expressed by the psalmist. True relationship enables both parties to remind the other of their commitments, and it stands upon the confidence that the weaker party can trust the stronger party to remain true to the obligations of the agreement.

The Bible presents God as a covenant-keeping God. He keeps His promises and obligations to His people. Within the Old Testament, this acts as the basis of His love, the covenant. Even when He became angry with Israel, He still acted in faithfulness to the covenant He made with them; He did not give in to His emotions because He keeps His covenant.

He is the same for us. He is faithful. And He is big enough to handle our deepest questions and frustrations. We can trust Him to redeem us for the sake of His steadfast love.

PRAYER

Lord, we know about Your mighty deeds of the past, but at times we feel frustrated and forsaken in our present. Please rise up for the sake of Your steadfast love to us. Amen.

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A Quick Hebrew Lesson: Aliyah and Diaspora

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Israel is a small nation with a big presence in the modern world. In fact, its significance far outweighs its size and its population. During ancient times, God revealed Himself to His chosen people, the Jews. Israel’s 3,000-year-old capital, Jerusalem, is mentioned 800 times in the Old and New Testaments. In rabbinic literature and in biblical references, Jerusalem is considered the center of the world. Certainly, since October 7, 2023, Israel and the Jewish people are dominant in world news, with both truth and lies fighting for attention.

Amid the backdrop of wartime, why are Jews living in other countries now “making Aliyah”—immigrating to Israel? The Hebrew word aliyah means “ascent” or “going up.” In ancient times, ascent described the Pilgrim Road walk up to the Temple Mount for the annual Jewish festivals. Aliyah remains the word used for Jewish immigration, which now takes place primarily via flights to Israel. These immigrants are enacting Israel’s Law of Return, passed in 1950, that allows Jews, their children, and grandchildren to become citizens in their ancestral homeland.

In Genesis 17:8, God promises Abraham, “The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

Worldwide, the Jewish population is now nearing 16 million, with 7.3 million living in Israel. To gather more firsthand information, I interviewed Gary Cristofaro, vice president of Ezra International (EI) at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in February. Since 1996, Gary’s organization has made Aliyah possible for 120,000 Jews from Central Asia, Latin America, and the former USSR. During 2024 and into this year, EI has helped upwards of 6,000 Jews make Aliyah.

Explaining their reasons for wanting to make Aliyah, even after October 7, 2023, Gary says, “Many say they want a better life for their children; others want to be with their brothers and sisters in Israel since the attack.” Gary adds that growing antisemitism is widely mentioned as an important factor. In the last two years, due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, an Aliyah surge of Jews from both nations have begun living new lives in Israel. The numbers of French Jewish Aliyah are rising. As Gary mentioned, “We are seeing off-the-charts antisemitism in a Muslim-majority country, which I cannot disclose.”

Israel’s i24NEWS reports that since the October 7 invasion and massacre, 35,000 Jews have immigrated to Israel. They came from 100 different countries and a third of them are between 18 and 35 years old.

Since Ezra International’s founding, Gary told me, the organization has extended help to 30 different nations considered part of the Jewish Diaspora. Currently, they have teams on the ground in 14 nations. In the context of the Greek translation of the Bible, diaspora means “scattering” of the Jewish people outside of Israel, their homeland. In Hebrew the words golah (exile) and t’futzah (dispersion) are used, noting the Babylonian, Roman, and other exiles.

After the Holocaust—and the modern establishment of the world’s only Jewish state on May 14, 1948—Aliyah has grown in waves. No matter where they lived across the world, Jews went about building their lives yet yearned for their ancestral homeland. The phrase “Next Year in Jerusalem” has resounded countless times at Shabbat tables in the Jewish dispersion worldwide.

Christian organizations that help with Aliyah for diaspora Jews are not uncommon. They cooperate with Israel to help sponsor flights. However, Ezra International’s main contribution occurs before flights take off for the Holy Land. 

“Where we shine, and what we do differently, is to help Jews navigate the process prior to flights by focusing on poorer Jewish communities that have limited manpower and limited budgets,” Gary explains. “We work with the indigenous leaders in each of the nations through their Jewish Agency.” Since its establishment in 1996, Ezra International has earned lasting trust through decades of assistance cooperating with The Jewish Agency in Israel and diaspora nations.

On the ground, Gary’s staff emphasizes Israel’s Law of Return with the Jewish communities and sets into motion the research that will provide detailed, accurate documents. These must be presented to Israeli Consul General offices in each nation. Ezra International not only provides research to validate the facts of candidates’ Jewish heritage, but they help them navigate the bureaucracies.

Gary offered an insightful example of the process for a Ukrainian family. After Ezra International researched and gathered the documents for the family, he drove them for five hours on “pothole-filled roads” and put them up at a hotel. The next day, the entire family appeared as required and presented their documents to the Israeli Consulate in Ukraine. Afterward, he drove them back to their home—another five hours. Gary observed, “They can’t afford that type of thing without some help, and that’s where Ezra International comes in.’’

In emergencies like the war between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian families can exit their country with the help of teams in Romania or Moldova. “A lot of Russian Jews came out of Russia through neighboring countries,” Gary explains, “because they saw the writing on the wall.”

Gary comments that their research doesn’t look like a miracle. For instance, some of the research requires verifying the Jewish identity of Holocaust survivors whose parents undertook Gentile names for reasons of survival. Yet a miracle it is. “It’s amazing what the folks on the ground are doing. They are not in the limelight, but they are parting the ‘Red Sea’ of essential research and proof of Jewish identity.”

He refers to Romans 15:8, where the Apostle Paul wrote, For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed.

Gary embraces this passage as “a description of the work that our people on the ground are doing.” The teams are coming beside God’s people, humbly serving them. They often hear that they’re “the first Christians ever to show them kindness.”

Ezra International is devoted to doing its part to help fulfill the promises that God has made to the Jewish people for their homeland, Israel. For 2,000 years, it seemed impossible. But now it’s happening, and Scripture also promises that you can be a part of it! Learn more about Ezra, a Christian charity helping impoverished Jewish people who live outside the U.S. to make Aliyah.

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to pray with us recalling Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring [or seed] I will give this land.”

  • Pray for Ezra International’s ongoing ministry to aid Jews making Aliyah.
  • Pray for safety in nations that are dangerously enacting Jew hatred.
  • Pray with thanks for the love Ezra’s staff is showing to God’s chosen people.
  • Pray for IDF members defending their ancestral homeland.

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.

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Purim Gifts for Holocaust Survivors and the Elderly

In the weeks leading up to Purim, the staff at CBN Israel were busy bringing traditional Purim gifts to Holocaust survivors and elderly people across the Jewish state, visiting them in their homes during the festive holiday. This is all thanks to the generosity of caring people like you.

Purim commemorates the story of Esther and celebrates the miraculous survival of the Jewish people who were slated for annihilation. Israelis celebrate by dressing in costumes and bringing gifts to family and friends. 

The CBN Israel packages were catered to their elderly recipients. Instead of candy and other sweets, the gift packages contained a warm blanket, tea, dried fruits, nutritious food, and also the traditional Purim cookies, Hamantaschen (Haman’s ears!).

And the CBN Israel outreach involved more than just gifts. Staff members personally delivered the packages to the homes of Holocaust survivors in the north and in the Jerusalem area. 

“They were so happy to receive the gifts, not because of the gifts—they are hungry for company. They wanted to make us tea and to talk,” said Yulia, a CBN Israel project manager. 

“One man cried so much because he was so happy to have visitors,” Yulia said. 

Many of the survivors, who were children at the time of the Holocaust, recounted their stories of loss and survival during those dark days. One couple, who are both 92 years old now, met in the third grade after having survived a concentration camp in Ukraine. They have been together ever since. 

“This outreach was just the beginning of building long-term relationships and support from CBN Israel for these people in need,” Yulia said. “The personal touch of visiting these people met another critical need beyond the Purim gift.”

And your gifts to CBN Israel can be a godsend to so many who are struggling to survive. You can be there for new immigrants, single moms, Holocaust survivors, war victims and more—offering help and hope.

The war in Israel has brought a host of challenges throughout the Holy Land. Your support can reach out to those in need with hot meals, groceries, finances, housing, and essentials.

Please help us extend a lifeline of compassion today!

GIVE TODAY

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Biblical Israel: Masada

By Marc Turnage

Masada, a palace-fortress built by Herod the Great (Matthew 2), sits on the south-western shore of the Dead Sea, fifteen and a half miles south of Ein Gedi. The fortress sits atop an isolated rock plateau that overlooks the Dead Sea Valley below. This naturally fortified rock was first built on by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus (ruled from 103-76 B.C.). Herod the Great made it into a palace fortress that could provide protection if he needed to flee Jerusalem, as well as protecting the balsam industry at Ein Gedi, which provided the cash crop for Herod’s kingdom. 

Herod built two palace complexes on top of Masada, one on the western side (the oldest), and one on the north, which boasted three levels cascading down the northern slope of the rock scarp. Both had functioning Roman style baths, living quarters, storerooms, and decorations fitting for a king. Herod also had a pool on top of Masada, as well as gardens. 

Masada receives on average only an inch to an inch and a half of rainfall annually. The need for water of Herod’s luxuries on Masada required an ingenious water catchment system using gutters, the natural slope of the plateau; he also captured the rainwater that fell to the west of Masada diverting it into channels, which flowed into cisterns along the slopes of Masada. The cisterns on Masada held millions of cubic liters of water ensuring that the residents of Masada could survive along the arid shores of the Dead Sea, as well as enjoying the luxuries of the pool and bathhouses. 

Masada’s popularity derives from the story told by Josephus about the defenders of Masada during the First Jewish Revolt (A.D. 66-73). According to Josephus, a group of Jewish rebels, Sicarii, led by Elezar ben Yair held up in Masada through most of the revolt. A couple of years prior to the fall of Masada, which took place on Passover of A.D. 73, this group of rebels slaughtered the Jewish community at Ein Gedi. 

Josephus tells a tale how the Tenth Roman Legion laid siege to Masada, built a ramp up its western slope (the remains of which visitors can still see), yet when they stormed the mountain, they found that the defenders had killed their families and then themselves instead of facing slavery at the hands of the Romans. Josephus provides our only account of this story, and while it offers a daring and captivating tale, it most likely did not happen in exactly that manner. Nevertheless, visitors to Masada see evidence of the lives of the Jewish rebels. 

Not needing the luxury of Herod’s royal palace-fortress, the rebels converted portions of the palaces into more serviceable and functional purposes. The room that served as the stables for the donkeys used to bring water from the cisterns below, the rebels converted into a synagogue. Archaeologists found ancient scrolls fragments from the remains of the Jewish rebels. Some fragments preserved portions of biblical books, like Ezekiel; other fragments contained portions of other ancient Jewish literature, like Ben Sira. 

Masada offers a fascinating window into the changing political landscape of the land of Israel in the first century. In this way, it enables us to understand themes and trends that we find within the New Testament.

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

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Weekly Devotional: Be Prepared

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them; but the prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps. Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and began to sleep.

But at midnight there finally was a shout: ‘Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish virgins said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ However, the prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:1-13 NASB).

A Jewish sage, a contemporary of Jesus, told his disciples, “Repent the day before you die.” His disciples responded with the question: “Who knows the day of his death?” To which their master replied, “Yes, therefore, one should repent every day.”

A number of Jesus’ parables called upon His listeners to be ready, for no one knows their final day. He contrasted the wise and foolish maidens as those who were ready and those who were not prepared. His point: Be like the wise maidens—be ready. 

We don’t like to think about our final day, but we will all have one. Our society often does everything it can to avoid thinking about our end. Jesus didn’t seek to scare His listeners, but like His contemporary, He sought to remind them that this life is short and it’s not the end. 

How we live in this life is preparation for the next. And at any moment, on any day, we could meet the Judge of the universe. Are we ready? How can we be ready? 

By daily seeking to live our lives in obedience to God. By choosing daily to repent and trust in His gift of salvation. It’s not complicated. It’s not scary. But it is real. How will you live today? Will you live with eternity in view? Be prepared and live each day as if it is your last. 

PRAYER

Father, we humble ourselves before You. Forgive us when we fall short of obeying You. May we always be ready to stand before You. Amen.

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Israeli Weddings and Babies: Joys in Wartime

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Ever since the onset of Israel’s defensive war—530 days ago—love has beautifully interrupted the fighting with weddings taking place on and off the battlefield. Evil cannot stop love, marriages, or the births of Jewish children.

While the Islamic Regime and its proxies are shouting “death to Jews,” Israel is focused on love and life! During wartime, with hundreds of thousands of men and women serving in the IDF, Jewish couples are rearranging their wedding dates to suit the changed circumstances. IDF army bases and other locations are now chosen as substitute wedding venues. Here are some examples.

In northern Israel, at a kibbutz near an IDF base, one groom’s unit planned the entire event by arranging for flowers, catering, a wedding cake, and a traditional chuppah, or Jewish wedding canopy. When his future wife voiced concern about missile attacks, the groom told her, “If something happens, we’ll go into a bomb shelter, and then hopefully come back and finish the wedding. We can’t let ourselves be overwhelmed by what-if scenarios.” A famous Israeli singer showed up at the wedding and sang for the assembled group at no charge. Such things are becoming commonplace.

After October 7, 2023, a reservist called up for duty decided to get married right away. The bride and groom were dressed in their IDF uniforms and surrounded by excited soldiers. The radiant bride sported a beautiful wedding veil.

After he saw an IDF wedding photo, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett observed, “Lately I find myself more and more urging young couples … to get married and have kids. I have already set up 4–5 weddings for injured people, or bereaved family members.” He described victory as not just “hell … on the battlefield” but with optimism: “building a new generation, with faith, and with growth from the horrible pain.”

Many weddings had already been planned for October 2023, following the Jewish fall festivals. After the horrors of October 7, each couple decided to either delay or proceed with inventive new plans. A quote from the Talmud reflects part of traditional Jewish culture: “If a funeral procession and a wedding procession meet at an intersection, the wedding procession goes first.”

Weddings frequently go viral on social media. Celebrated on those platforms, the joyful events bless Israel’s national family, which has been so traumatized by brutality, and boost their wedding joy, whether people know the happy couple or not. The re-planned, spontaneous, or scaled-down celebrations are often financed and supported by the local communities.

One couple had planned for their wedding to be held in a lovely venue on October 9, 2023, and they invited 400 guests. After October 7, the bride and groom opted for a much smaller wedding in a community garden across the street from their parents’ apartment. Social media began to fill with excitement and offers to help amid Hamas rockets falling. Bomb shelters could be accessed nearby. A klezmer music group showed up ready to play. Friends and strangers brought food and set up the necessary chuppah, where the bride and groom stood as if under a prayer shawl. Neighbors watched from their balconies as a rabbi pronounced beautiful prayers. Here’s one of my favorites:

“Blessed are you, Adonai, our God, Ruler of the universe, Who created joy and gladness, loving couples, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, loving communities, peace, and companionship.”

At the ceremony’s end, the groom stomped on a glass, part of Jewish weddings that recall Jewish tragedies for thousands of years. Joyous music and dancing followed.

The next day, in the paradox of Israel’s joys and sorrows, these newlyweds flew to London for a shiva, a time of mourning. Hamas had murdered a 20-year-old friend of theirs, a lone soldier. When the newlyweds shared news about their wedding with the lone soldier’s mother, the bereaved woman experienced a moment of joy. Important to note about lone soldiers programs: Friends of the IDF (FIDF) currently offers 7,000 young men and women help while serving in the IDF. Lone soldiers have no immediate family in Israel. Half of the lone soldiers volunteer from abroad, while others are Israeli orphans or are from broken homes.

Another couple moved forward with plans for an elegant wedding in May 2024. They kept their location in Jerusalem, complete with décor and food. However, they made their day one of beautiful remembrances, with Israeli flags flying, gifts for their guests, and prayers for IDF soldiers, hostages, and the state of Israel. As bride and groom stood under the chuppah, a shofar sounded as if going out to battle. Most of the guests had family members who were serving or had served in the IDF.

One couple kept their previous wedding date, October 12, 2023, although family and friends had their flights to Israel canceled. The ceremony was held on a Tel Aviv rooftop with a smaller number of guests. One of the hosts suggested taking the overage of delicious food to an army base. Everyone loved the idea! The bride commented, “We just wanted to have one day where there was happiness. We wanted to show the world that we have a love for each other in these dark times.” She is glad they made the decision.

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread (Exodus 1:12).

It’s hardly surprising that an Israeli baby boom is well underway, with a 10 percent rise in births over the same period a year earlier. Some compare this jump to the U.S. post-World War II baby boom (1946–1964). In Israel, thousands more babies were born between September and November 2024, much higher than predicted. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics shows that the trend is continuing into 2025. Maternity wards are overflowing.

This information came out in a report requested by Knesset member Pnina Tamano-Shata, chair of the Committee on the Status of Women. “Despite the unimaginable hardship of the past year, we see how the people of Israel choose to grow from grief,” she observed. “The rise in births is proof of our inner strength and our ability to create new life even in the most difficult times.” One statistic indicates that in 2023, 172,500 births were recorded compared to 181,000 in 2024.

Couples have decided to have their first child or another child even in the difficulties of war. “It gave us some light and sanity in a dark time,” one mother explained. “After October 7 took so many lives from us, bringing a life into the world felt like the right thing to do.”

We welcome you to our CBN Israel team to pray from Psalm 127:3, “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from Him.”

Prayer Points:

  • Pray with thanks for the beautiful Jewish babies born in their ancestral homeland.
  • Pray for mothers at home caring for children whose fathers are IDF soldiers.
  • Pray for Israeli children, that their parents in the IDF will return home safely.
  • Pray for Hamas to finally release remaining hostages, whether alive or dead.

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.

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Helping to Restore a Broken Community

Kibbutz life is a vital part of Israel’s foundation. These farming villagers became the building blocks of a new nation as it welcomed thousands of immigrants who had barely survived the Holocaust and World War II.

But on October 7, 2023, that existence came under threat when Hamas terrorists attacked Southern Israel. On Kibbutz Nirim, a tight-knit community near the Gaza border, five civilians and three soldiers were killed, and five others were kidnapped. Many houses and buildings sustained severe damage, forcing families to find other places to live.

Since then, CBN Israel has spent time with residents who were displaced from their homes by the tragedy—listening to their stories and learning about their needs. And now, thanks to the caring gifts of donors, CBN Israel is helping this community of 400 people rebuild.

“We received an amazing gift from CBN Israel, and we are constructing a new dining room,” said Dafna Ben Ami, Nirim’s community relations director. “We are going to have a beautiful place to gather together for the holidays and the Sabbath.”

“The dining room is the heart and soul of the kibbutz,” explained Adele Raemer, a Nirim resident. “This will literally be the hub of the kibbutz.”

Support from generous donors also helped build new safe rooms, plus a grocery store that will serve the wider region. 

Members of Kibbutz Nirim are looking forward to returning to their homes and becoming a community once again—a crucial element of their healing process.

“Community builds resilience. So, we invest in the community and are doing things that are for the betterment of the community,” Adele told us. “Without community you don’t have a kibbutz.”

Your gifts to CBN Israel can make a way for Israelis who have suffered so much to move back to their homes with a sense of security and support. Thank you! 

GIVE TODAY

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Biblical Israel: Jordan River

By Marc Turnage

The most dramatic geographical feature of the biblical land of Israel is the scar of the Rift Valley. Created by the tectonic plates, this forms part of the Syro-African Rift, the longest scar on the face of the planet. Within the land of Israel, the Rift Valley is referred to as the Jordan River Valley because the Jordan River flows through a large portion of it. Within this valley, Lot chose to settle in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God destroyed (Genesis 13:10).

The Jordan River begins south of Mount Hermon where three headwaters flow together to form the Jordan River. The Jordan River flows south through the upper part of the Jordan Valley, known as the Huleh Valley, then into the Sea of Galilee. It exits the lake on its southern end traveling south over sixty-five miles into the Dead Sea. Over its journey from the Sea of Galilee (656 feet below sea level) to the Dead Sea (1310 feet below sea level), the Jordan River carves a deep and winding course and meanders roughly two hundred miles over its sixty-five-mile journey. 

The Jordan River played a significant role in a number of biblical stories. The Israelites crossed the Jordan River, when it was at flood stage, to enter the promised land and began their conquest of the land (Joshua 1-4). Biblical Israel spanned both sides of the Jordan River, its east and west bank, so too did kingdoms that the kingdoms of Israel and Judah interacted with, like Ammon and Moab. 

Thus, characters in the Bible crossed the Jordan often traveling to the land on the eastern and western sides of the river (Judges 7:22-8:17; 1 Samuel 11; 31; 2 Samuel 2:24-32; 15-19). Elisha followed Elijah on his final day before being caught up into heaven across the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:6-13). After Elijah’s departure, Elisha crossed the river dividing it with Elijah’s coat. Elisha sent Naaman the Syrian to immerse himself in the Jordan River seven time (2 Kings 5:14) to cure him from his skin ailment. 

In the region of the Jordan, John the Baptist baptized Jesus (Luke 3:3). Modern pilgrims today visit a location identified as the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism near Jericho, and just north of the Dead Sea. The identification of this site began in the Byzantine period (4th-6th centuries A.D.) to enable Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem to also visit the Jordan River, which is a day’s walk from Jerusalem. The Byzantine Christians, however, did not know that Jewish ritual purity laws of the first century considered the waters of the Jordan River south of the Sea of Galilee impure for ritual immersion (Mishnah Parah 8.10-11). 

It seems unlikely, then, that John would have baptized anyone in the Jordan south of the Sea of Galilee; however, the waters of the Jordan north of the Sea of Galilee are considered pure for immersion. This geographically fits Jesus’ meeting Philip coming out of Bethsaida (on the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee) the day after his baptism (John 1:43-44). Such a meeting would have been impossible in Bethsaida the day after his baptism if Jesus had been baptized near Jericho.

The Jordan River serves as one of the central geographic boundaries and features that plays so prominently in so many biblical stories. 

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

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Weekly Devotional: The Right Paths

“The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3 HCSB).

God’s name is at stake in us, and we can trust in His care for this very reason. The psalmist used the image of sheep and a shepherd to convey this reality. Shepherding in the land of Israel is challenging. The climate of parts of the land can prove extreme and inhospitable. 

The terrain can prove treacherous for both sheep and shepherd. Human and animal predators pose threats to the sheep; moreover, shepherding often takes place isolated from other people in the midst of a dry, harsh climate. If the shepherd loses his sheep, his name is at stake.

Sheep and goats forage all the time; they move constantly. The image of the shepherd causing them to lie down indicates that they have been satiated; they have enough to eat. Within the wilderness areas of the land of Israel, flash floods are common. “Still waters” offer safe water for the sheep to drink and slake their thirst in the heat. Nourishment and water bring refreshment; this is how God leads His flock. 

Within the lands east of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, where shepherds led their flocks, one finds erosional trails cut in the soil. While rain does not come often, it does come, and the soil sluffs off creating these erosional circles around the hill. This landscape sits in the rain shadow, so it doesn’t get a lot of moisture, which is essential for life. One can get lost on these erosional paths wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. 

The shepherd knows the right path to lead his flock. God knows the right paths to lead us. Shepherds lead their flock from behind or on the side. If they tried to lead from the front, they would lose their flock as sheep and goats have a tendency to wander. The shepherd leads by corralling, but he knows the way for them to go. 

Very little in our lives today bring our souls renewal and nourishment. God does. He also knows the best paths for our lives, and if we will listen and trust Him, He will lead us in the right way. 

Remember His name is at stake in us. Just as a shepherd doesn’t want to lose any of his sheep, neither does God want to lose any of us. That is a comforting thought. Rest in that today. 

PRAYER

Father, today, renew our lives, and lead us in the right paths, for Your name’s sake. Amen.

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