ARTICLES

By Stephen Faircloth

On the western edge of Jerusalem’s Old City stands Jaffa Gate, the traditional entry point for travelers arriving from the Mediterranean coast. Just inside the gate rises the impressive Citadel known today as the Tower of David. Despite its name, the structure has no historical link to King David. Its foundations instead preserve stories of kings and kingdoms that shaped the world Jesus entered.

The Citadel occupies the highest point of ancient Jerusalem during the late Old Testament and the first century. The city’s northern approach was its most vulnerable side, protected only by a shallow natural ditch. Because of this, the defensive wall turned sharply eastward at this point, making the location strategically crucial.

Herod the Great understood this well. When he remodeled Jerusalem as the jewel of his kingdom, he built his palace here, overlooking the Temple Mount. To guard the northern flank, he constructed three massive towers: Phasael, named for his brother; Mariamne, for his beloved Hasmonean wife; and Hippicus, honoring a close friend. The base of one of these towers still forms the core of the present “Tower of David.”

Herod was a master builder, and this palace was among his grandest creations. Colorful stone inlays decorated its walls. Two large pools shimmered inside its courtyards. The complex included the Caesareum, honoring Caesar Augustus, and the Agrippeum, for Augustus’s trusted general Marcus Agrippa. All of it was supplied by an aqueduct originating south of Bethlehem.

And it was here, in this lavish stronghold of earthly power, that Herod likely questioned the magi who arrived asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2). The contrast could not be sharper. A tyrant on a throne of stone. A newborn King lying in a manger. Two kingdoms crossing paths in one city.

After Herod’s death, Roman governors used the palace as their Jerusalem headquarters during major festivals. Scripture refers to it as the praetorium, the place where Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate. Mark calls it “the palace,” and John mentions the lithostratos, an inlaid pavement that fits perfectly with Herod’s richly decorated floors. The earliest Christian pilgrims followed a path beginning near this palace as they traced Jesus’ steps to the cross.

This means the same palace complex that framed the earliest threats against Jesus at His birth also framed the final judgments against Him at His death. Herod sought to destroy the Christ Child. Pilate condemned the Christ King. The Tower of David, standing between Bethlehem and Calvary, quietly anchors both stories.

But the Christmas message breaks through even these somber walls. Earthly rulers build fortresses to secure their power. God establishes His kingdom through humility, vulnerability, and love. No tower can prevent His arrival. No empire can hinder His purpose.

Herod tried to eliminate the newborn King. Rome tried to silence the crucified King. Yet from a manger and from an empty tomb, God declared once again that no earthly throne can stand against His salvation.

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

“It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade” (John 10:22-23).

Each winter, Jewish families around the world gather to light candles that tell a story far brighter than their flames. For eight nights the glow of Hanukkah fills homes and streets, reminding people everywhere that God sustains, preserves, and strengthens His people in their darkest moments. Though Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the New Testament records Jesus Himself in the Temple during this festival, honoring a moment of rededication and hope.

The celebration of Hanukkah reaches back to the second century B.C., when Judea was under the control of the Syrian Greek Seleucid Empire. Their ruler, Antiochus IV, attempted to force pagan practices on the Jewish people. Sabbath observance was forbidden, reading the Scriptures was outlawed, circumcision was banned, and the Temple in Jerusalem was defiled and dedicated to the Greek god Zeus. The people of Israel faced severe pressure to abandon the faith of their fathers.

In the village of Modiin, a priest named Mattathias refused to bow to these demands. He and his sons fled to the Judean hills and began a small but determined resistance. Before his death, Mattathias appointed his son Judah as their leader. Judah came to be known as “Maccabee,” drawn from the Hebrew phrase that means, “Who is like You, O Lord?” It was a declaration of trust in God’s power and a reminder that He fights for His people.

The Maccabees were greatly outnumbered, yet they won one victory after another. They eventually reclaimed Jerusalem and purified the desecrated Temple. On the twenty fifth day of the month of Kislev, in 139 B.C., they rededicated the sanctuary to the God of Israel. This act gave the holiday its name. The word Hanukkah means “dedication.”

According to a beloved tradition, the priests found only a single small container of consecrated oil, enough to keep the Temple menorah burning for just one day. Yet the oil lasted for eight full days, long enough for new oil to be prepared. For this reason, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights. Each night an additional candle is lit on a nine branched menorah called a hanukkiah, until by the final evening all the lights shine together.

The story of the Maccabees also held meaning for early Christians. Archaeologists have found evidence that believers in the Byzantine period honored the memory of these Jewish heroes. The books of the Maccabees, preserved in the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canons, reflect this early Christian respect for their courage and devotion.

Today, families celebrate Hanukkah by lighting the hanukkiah, eating traditional foods fried in oil such as latkes and jelly doughnuts, and giving gifts to children. These customs recall the miracle of the oil and the joy of rededication.

Yet the heart of Hanukkah carries a deeper message. It speaks of perseverance, faithfulness, and trust in the God who keeps His promises. It reminds us that even when the world feels hostile and uncertain, the light of God continues to shine.

As Jerusalem resident Rebecca Spiro reflected, “Civilizations have risen and fallen, yet the Jewish people are still here. No matter what happens, our candles burn bright.” The Festival of Lights assures us that God’s light has never been extinguished, and it never will be.

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

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Vayeishev (Genesis 37:1-40:23). Read on Shabbat, November 29, 2025 / 9 Kislev 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers. He was a youth with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father” (Genesis 37:1-2).

The opening of Vayeishev draws us into a family marked by love, rivalry, and fragile relationships. Joseph is young, gifted, and deeply loved by Jacob. His dreams hint at a future shaped by purpose and calling. Yet these very gifts stir resentment in his brothers. Their jealousy grows from quiet frustration to bitter anger, and what begins as a tension within the home becomes a plot that sends Joseph far from everything familiar.

Although Joseph’s journey begins with betrayal and loss, the narrative reveals that God is present even in painful moments. The dreams God placed in Joseph’s heart were not erased by hardship. Instead, the trials he faced would ultimately prepare him for the work God intended. His suffering was not meaningless. His story reminds us that God can work through circumstances that seem destructive to build character, deepen trust, and move His people toward their destiny.

This portion encourages us to consider how God might be working through the unexpected paths of our own lives. Times of disappointment, frustration, rejection, or confusion may feel like detours, but they can become seasons of growth. What looks like a setback may prepare the way for compassion, wisdom, and tools we will later need. When we cannot see the whole story, trust becomes our anchor.

Some may feel today as though they have been pushed into a pit or carried away to places they did not choose. To you, Joseph’s story speaks hope. God has not abandoned you. He is near, working quietly in ways that will one day be clear. And for those in peaceful or stable seasons, Joseph’s early story invites reflection on how we treat others, how we steward our blessings, and how we cultivate humility in times of favor.

As this Shabbat arrives, take time to reflect on the places where God may be shaping you through challenge or blessing. Look for signs of His work even in difficult moments. Then choose one act of kindness or faithfulness that reflects trust in His purpose. Let your life echo the truth that God remains present in every chapter, guiding all things toward good.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for being with me in seasons of joy and in seasons of hardship. Teach me to trust Your purpose when I cannot see the way ahead. Let my life reflect Your faithfulness as You work in every part of my story. Amen.

By Stephen Faircloth

Three miles southeast of Bethlehem rises Herodium, an artificial mountain built by Herod the Great. Its massive silhouette stood watch over the very fields where shepherds received the angelic announcement of Christ’s birth. While Bethlehem welcomed a humble child laid in a manger, Herodium proclaimed the power, ambition, and pride of an earthly king. Two kingdoms, two ways of ruling, stood face to face on that first Christmas night.

Herod built Herodium to celebrate a military victory over Mattithias Antigonus, the final Hasmonean ruler. After overcoming his enemies near this very hill, Herod transformed the landscape itself, shaping a cone shaped mountain and crowning it with a lavish palace fortress. From here, he guarded the routes that stretched from Bethlehem into the Judean wilderness and toward En Gedi. Herodium announced Rome’s dominance and Herod’s authority to anyone who passed below.

Inside the circular double walled fortress, Herod created a world of royal splendor: a private bathhouse, ornate dining halls, reception rooms, and comfortable living quarters. Archaeologists have uncovered its monumental entry gate, as well as the remains of its towers, including the great eastern tower that once surveyed the region. A lower palace and immense pool complex spread across the base of the mountain, complete with Roman style bathhouses where warm, cool, and tepid rooms reflected the luxury of the imperial world.

Herodium, however, played a role far beyond Herod’s lifetime. Rebels during the First Jewish Revolt converted his dining hall into a synagogue, and fighters in the Bar Kochbah Revolt also used the fortress. Letters from their leader, Shimon ben Kosiba, were discovered in caves near the Dead Sea, showing the strategic importance of this site long after Herod’s reign.

Josephus recorded that Herod was buried at Herodium. In 2006, archaeologists uncovered his mausoleum along the northern slope, along with the shattered fragments of his once elaborate sarcophagus. They also discovered a Roman theater nearby, likely constructed for the visit of Marcus Agrippa, a friend of both Herod and Caesar Augustus, the emperor named in the Nativity story.

Yet the most striking truth of Herodium is not its engineering or grandeur. It is the contrast between Herod’s kingdom of power and the kingdom born beneath its gaze. The fortress that boasted of human greatness towered over the fields where angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest,” announcing a Savior who would rule not by force, but by love. While Herod sought to preserve his throne through violence, even ordering the massacre of Bethlehem’s young boys, Jesus came to bring peace to the humble, healing to the broken, and salvation to the world.

Herodium reminds us that every Christmas invites a choice. Will we live by the values of Herod’s kingdom, striving for control, status, and security in what we build? Or will we follow the way of Christ, who descended in humility so that we might be lifted up? One kingdom is built on pride and fear. The other is built on hope, sacrifice, and the faithfulness of God.

The mountain of Herod still stands, but the kingdom of Jesus is the one that endures forever.

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.