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They lived on the frontlines. Galina and her elderly mother Tatiana resided in Mariupol, one of the first Ukraine cities bombed by Russia. Working at a supermarket, Galina heard the explosions and froze, saying, “The store was packed with people… there was panic and fear.” 

Galina’s apartment was damaged by rocket fire, so she and her mother took refuge in the basement. When their food ran out, she had to buy stale, moldy bread, so the two had something to eat. Galina admits, “I never prayed so much… I asked God to have mercy on us.” 

Eventually, a rescue bus took them to Moldova. Because they are Jewish, they were grateful to be able to fly to Israel as refugees, and new immigrants. Galina said, “We came with only the clothes on our back… We needed help.” They rented an apartment with money from a government grant—yet still needed appliances and food. And they were alone in a new country. 

But thankfully, friends like you were there. Through CBN Israel, caring donors offered them groceries, and a much-needed stove and washing machine. Galina exclaimed, “In our war-torn Ukraine, I could only dream of fresh bread. But now, I’m in a peaceful place, and you bring me food. I’m extremely grateful to you for helping us… May the Lord repay your generosity!” 

And your generous gift to CBN Israel can be a blessing to many who are fleeing dangerous situations and seeking a safe haven in Israel. You can provide food, housing, essentials, and financial assistance to them—as well as to others in desperate need. 

Your support can extend help and hope to lonely refugees, terror victims, Holocaust survivors, single mothers, and struggling families—giving them vital aid and encouragement. 

Please join us in reaching out with God’s love and compassion!

GIVE TODAY

By Julie Stahl

Yom HaAtzma’ut is Israel’s national Independence Day, and this year marks the 75th anniversary of the modern Jewish State!

“Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children” (Isaiah 66:8 NIV).

On May 14, 1948, just before the Sabbath, some 350 guests crammed into an un-air-conditioned, Tel Aviv art gallery for a 32-minute ceremony that would change the world forever.

“We, members of the people’s council, representatives of the Jewish community of Eretz-Israel and of the Zionist movement, are here assembled on the day of the termination of the British Mandate over Eretz-Israel and, by virtue of our natural and historic right and on the strength of the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel,” declared David Ben-Gurion, Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, and soon to be the first prime minister of the fledgling state.

On that historic day, Ben-Gurion spoke for 11 million Jewish men, women, and children around the world who had no voice, no address, and nowhere to go. For the first time in nearly 2,000 years, they finally had their own nation in their ancestral homeland.

“It was promised to us by God. We are the only people in the history of the world that live on the same land, speaking the same language, and believing in the same God more than 3,000 years,” says Isaac Dror, who heads the education efforts for Independence Hall, the place where the declaration was made.

Among the crowd of witnesses was Yael Sharett, whose father Moshe Sharett was on stage with Ben-Gurion and was the country’s first foreign minister and second prime minister. At age 17, Yael wrote as her father dictated one of the drafts of the declaration. She shared a chair with her aunt at the ceremony.

“It’s really epic. It’s poetry actually. The only time I was really moved I must say was when the Rabbi Levine made the old age Jewish blessing: shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu la’z’man ha’zeh,” Yael told CBN News.

That ancient Jewish prayer, which is recited on momentous occasions, offers thanks to God “who has given us life, sustained us, and allowed us to reach this day.”

Then they sang HaTikvah (“The Hope”), which is Israel’s national anthem.

The next day, which was the Sabbath, U.S. President Harry Truman became the first world leader to recognize Israel.

“He understood something that most of his top advisors and ministers failed to see. This is truly prophecy being realized,” Dror said.

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations had passed resolution 181 calling for the creation of a Jewish State and an Arab State in British-controlled Mandatory Palestine. The plan set aside land in the Galilee, along the Mediterranean and the Negev Desert for the Jewish people, while the Arabs were to receive all of biblical Judea and Samaria, later known as the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and other small portions. Perhaps the most controversial part of the plan was that an international body would control Jerusalem.

Still the Jewish people accepted the plan, but the Arabs rejected it. Less than six months later the Jewish people declared independence. The following day, the armies of five Arab nations attacked Israel.

Many countries have fought wars for their independence, but Israel’s war was not common. They had been granted independence by the sovereign, Britain; the decision was confirmed by the United Nations; and the Jewish people were returning to the historic land of their ancestors. But it was their neighbors who didn’t want them to exist.

A year later, the Jewish state was still standing and had increased its size by nearly 50 percent. Against overwhelming odds, this fledgling State of Israel not only survived but grew beyond expectation.

In honor of the 70^th anniversary of the United Nations Partition Plan, Israel’s mission to the U.N. celebrated by returning to the hall in Flushing Meadows, New York, where the U.N. vote took place.

Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said: “In this very hall 70 years ago when the United Nations declared to the modern world an ancient truth that the Jewish people have a natural, irrevocable right to an independent state in their ancestral and eternal homeland.”

Israelis celebrate Independence Day on the 5^th of the Hebrew month of Iyar. During a televised ceremony that includes Israeli leaders, Israelis make the transition from mourning on their memorial day to celebrating their independence. Later that night, in cities and towns around the country, young and old take to the streets to listen to live music and dance Israeli folk dances.

Orthodox Jews recite the Psalms (but ultra-Orthodox Jews don’t yet recognize the State).

On Independence Day, the Israeli Air Force flies over cities and along beaches to celebrate as their fellow citizens picnic and barbecue (what they call mahngal). At the close of the day, the country awards the Israel Prize to Israelis who have made a unique contribution to the country’s culture, science, arts, and humanities.

Julie Stahl is a correspondent for CBN News in the Middle East. A Hebrew speaker, she has been covering news in Israel full-time for more than 20 years. Julie’s life as a journalist has been intertwined with CBN—first as a graduate student in Journalism at Regent University; then as a journalist with Middle East Television (METV) when it was owned by CBN from 1989-91; and now with the Middle East Bureau of CBN News in Jerusalem since 2009. She is also an integral part of CBN News’ award-winning show, Jerusalem Dateline, a weekly news program providing a biblical and prophetic perspective to what is happening in Israel and the Middle East.

By Julie Stahl

“The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die” (Psalm 116:15).

A week after Yom HaShoah (“Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day”), Israelis mark Yom HaZikaron (“Israel’s Memorial Day”) to honor and remember those who died fighting for their country and those murdered in terror attacks.

A televised state ceremony is held at the Western Wall and neighborhoods throughout the country hold their own ceremonies in public places, with the participation of the youth. 

Israelis stand in the streets for an hour or more as the people who died from those neighborhoods are honored.

Since Israel is frequently under attack—whether by rockets or terror attacks or infiltrations—the day is very real and relevant for most Israelis. Many visit cemeteries and attend other ceremonies on the day. Schools are in session but have special programs to honor the fallen.

Twice, on the evening before Israel’s Memorial Day and the following morning itself, Israelis collectively stand in silence as a siren sounds calling to mind the sacrifices that were made by family and friends for Israel’s freedom and security. 

“I was thinking about all the soldiers from the beginning of the modern State of Israel up until today who had to fight on the frontlines and on the home front,” said Shai Yosipov, a former IDF combat medic.

“It’s so important that everyone understands the price and the responsibility we have for living in this country. We not only remember our fallen loved ones, but we also acknowledge that there has always been a sacrifice that needed to be made so that we could be here today,” says Yosipov.

“During the siren, I was praying for families who’ve lost so many, and I prayed that God would give them comfort from the pain,” says Sarah Rivka Yekutiel, who moved to Israel from Boston many years ago.

“It’s an emotional time for everyone, whether you’ve lost family or not. This day is very heavy and intense,” said Orital Saban, who recently moved to Israel from Canada.

More than 23,000 Israeli and Jewish soldiers and more than 3,100 terror victims have fallen since 1860. 

At sundown on Israel’s Memorial Day, Israelis make an incredible leap from mourning those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, to celebrating Yom HaAtzma’ut (“Israel’s Independence Day”).

Julie Stahl is a correspondent for CBN News in the Middle East. A Hebrew speaker, she has been covering news in Israel full-time for more than 20 years. Julie’s life as a journalist has been intertwined with CBN—first as a graduate student in Journalism at Regent University; then as a journalist with Middle East Television (METV) when it was owned by CBN from 1989-91; and now with the Middle East Bureau of CBN News in Jerusalem since 2009. She is also an integral part of CBN News’ award-winning show, Jerusalem Dateline, a weekly news program providing a biblical and prophetic perspective to what is happening in Israel and the Middle East.

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you” (Philippians 1:27-28 NIV).

What does your life say about your relationship with the Lord? Do you live each day in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ?

Paul wrote to the Philippians one of his most joyous letters. After being run out of Philippi, unable to fully establish the community there, he heard that the Christians there were thriving. This news precipitated his joyous letter. He knew of the struggles that they faced from their opponents, but he encouraged them in the midst of hardships to live their lives worthy of the Gospel of Christ.

It’s interesting that while Paul enjoins them to live their lives in a manner worthy of Christ’s Gospel, he immediately transitions to his desire for the Christian community of Philippi: “I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.”

We can easily focus on the individual injunction—live your life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ—and because we are so individualistic in our society, that’s where we leave it. But Paul called upon each individual person to live in such a way that the community might stand firm in one spirit, striving side by side.

Our individualism often separates us from the worldview of the Bible, in which the “we” is always more important than the “me.” The “we” is composed of individuals called upon to do their duty, but that duty serves the “we,” the group.

Paul reflects this idea. He expected the individuals within the community of Philippi to live their lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that the community could stand in one spirit and not be intimidated by their opponents.

Do I see my lifestyle of discipleship as significant to my Christian community? We should not separate Paul’s call upon the individual in how they live their life as separate from the testimony of the believing community. One makes up the other. So, how are you living?

PRAYER

Father, let us daily live our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. Through our lives and obedience, may Your community be unified in one spirit. Amen.

The Jewish revolts against Rome (A.D. 66-136) scattered the Jewish community outside the land of Israel. Judaism never lost its connection to the land because the land was part of God’s covenant with Israel. Jewish families recited, “Next year in Jerusalem,” every Passover in the Diaspora (the Jewish community outside of the land of Israel). So, Jerusalem and the Jewish ancestral land remained part of Jewish faith and hope.

The Jewish community did not entirely leave the land of Israel after the Jewish revolts. Jewish communities resided in the land during both the Byzantine and early Muslim periods. However, the Crusaders slaughtered all inhabitants of Jerusalem upon their conquest of the city in 1099 A.D. Jews, eastern Christians, and Muslims were put to the Crusader sword.

The Medieval Jewish Sage, Nachmanides (Ramban), played an instrumental role in reestablishing a Jewish presence in Jerusalem following this period. He immigrated from Spain to Jerusalem in the thirteenth century and settled in Jerusalem on the western hill, where the Jewish Quarter of the Old City presently resides.

Another immigration of Jews occurred in the eighteenth century. These Jews came from North Africa, belonging to the Sephardic or Mizrahi branch of Judaism. They were religious. They settled in Jerusalem, Hebron, Bethlehem, Tiberias, and Safed. The ancient land of Israel belonged to the Ottoman Empire at this time and was part of Syro-Palestine.

The Jewishness of these cities made the Jewish populations the greatest of the various people groups inhabiting them. When Europeans began to enter the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century, the censuses they took showed the Jewish population as the largest in these cities. As a result, the Ottomans began resettling Arabs into Syro-Palestine from elsewhere in their empire in the 1850s to 1870s. This way, the Arab populations of these cities would exceed the Jewish populations.

The rise of nationalism in Europe in the nineteenth century impacted European Jewry. Some identified with nationalist sentiments in Europe; others came to express a desire for a Jewish nationhood in their ancestral homeland. This movement became known as Zionism. The growing anti-Semitism in Europe, especially eastern Europe and Russia, and the pogroms in these regions led to the beginnings of Jewish immigration into Ottoman Syro-Palestine at the end of the nineteenth century.

Many of the Jews who came to settle in Syro-Palestine were not religious, nor necessarily motivated by religion. Jewish families, like the Rothschilds, and Jewish agencies, like the Jewish National Fund, provided funding for Jews to acquire land from the Ottomans. These waves of Jewish settlers, which stretched into the early twentieth century, bought agricultural tracks of land.

Though they were not natural farmers, they learned farming establishing schools for farming and farming communities, some of which became the first kibbutzim. The Jews legitimately purchased land from the Ottomans, but this did occasionally lead to the displacement of local Arab farmers. The Ottomans did not care, as long as they were well compensated. But herein lies the beginnings of the Jewish-Arab conflict.

Jewish immigration into their ancestral homeland occurred over centuries. The deep connection of Jews to the land of Israel fueled the hope of millions to return.

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

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

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

From sunset to sunset on April 17-18, Israelis marked Holocaust Memorial Day. The customary countrywide alarm sounded, announcing two solemn minutes of silence. Jewish citizens froze in remembrance, stopping everything—including their cars on busy highways and city streets where they got out and stood. 

Fewer than 150,000 Holocaust survivors remain in Israel. Six survivors always light the flames of six torches at the official state ceremony at Israel’s Yad Vashem National Holocaust Memorial. Jewish communities mend the torn tapestry of their history by their sheer will to live, using endurance, innovation, holy festivals, and family to honor those lost—still securing Israel’s safety 8,760 hours each year for the only Jewish country in the world. 

Seventy-eight years have passed since American, British, and Soviet forces liberated surviving Jews in the concentration camps. The worldwide Jewish community has developed countless educational and inspiring ways to remember and honor the men, women, and children who perished—ways that always proclaim the resounding motto, “Never Again.” 

I recently saw a creative idea that gave me fresh insights into such steadfastness. During a weekend with our close friends Rev. Dr. Tony Crisp and his wife Karen in Kingsport, Tennessee, we were their guests at Dr. Crisp’s excellent event, Jesus and the Passover. The next day we visited his office, where I gravitated toward a large book, the biggest I had ever seen. Displayed on an elegant wooden accent table, it opened in the center. I asked, “What is this, Tony?” 

Tony then picked up the heavy book, titled And Every Single One Was Someone. He explained that he had received it, gratefully, as a gift from a Jewish friend and then highlighted facts about the unusual book. “There are 1,250 pages in this book. It has only one word, JEW, written six million times.” He pointed out that “each page is imprinted with the word JEW 4,800 times.” 

In my research, I learned about Phil Chernofsky, the author of this 2013 book. He designed it as a teaching tool for his math and Jewish studies students at a Jewish day school. In a New York Times book review in 2014, Chernofsky described his concept of the stark volume, observing, “That’s how the Nazis viewed their victims: These are not individuals, these are not people, these are just a mass we have to exterminate.” In the foreword, Chernofsky invites readers to step back from the pages to note that it looks like “nothing more than a design.” Then he invites readers to look closely, and focus on one word, JEW, then a column of JEWS, realizing it may represent a family, or a page of JEWS representing a small town. 

His foreword concludes, “They are gone but we remember them.” 

Remembering the Holocaust (Yom HaShoah) is a message not only for Jews. It is for Christians. If we take God’s word seriously in the Old and New Testaments—which emphasize His eternal covenants with the Jews—clearly, we must remember! The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob commissioned us non-Jews to pray not just for the “peace of Jerusalem” but to act. The Jew hatred is no longer appearing in the margins. It has become a panorama of propaganda infecting minds globally. 

Among evangelicals, steadfast pastors are leading the way to oppose this reincarnated evil. They express their advocacy for Israel, the birthplace of our faith, in a broad range of outreaches. It may include tours to Israel, humanitarian aid to Holocaust survivors, teaching, pulpit preaching, speaking up for Israel in world governments, authoring, and funding bomb shelters. Rev. Dr. Tony Crisp is one of them. 

Born into poverty in McMinn County, in Tennessee’s Appalachian Mountains, Tony was an unlikely candidate for Israel advocacy. However, since Dr. Crisp’s profound encounter with Jesus at almost 20, then biblically understanding Israel’s importance, God has vaulted him into relentless advocacy for the last 40 years in pastorates from California to Tennessee. Tony serves as Lead Elder and Teaching Pastor at Remnant Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. His leaders and congregation are fully supportive of him, as he spends as many as four months of travel annually to teach hundreds through his company TLC Holy Land Tours. To date, he has led some 100 tours to Israel. Impacting thousands of lay people and pastors, he proclaims that the Bible is a Jewish book, written by Jews for Jews—and for us. 

Tony’s unforgettable teaching combines a brilliant biblical understanding of Israel’s ancient and modern history with extensive geographical, cultural, and archaeological expertise. He is a walking encyclopedia, a pastor with a servant heart and a sense of humor. His reach has grown internationally with his podcast, “On The Way,” already heard in 130-plus countries.  

In addition to Tony receiving numerous awards, positions, and initiatives, the historically Jewish American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) appointed him as one of several Christians to their National Council. He has spoken on AIPAC panels and at AIPAC’s General Sessions, inspiring both Jews and Christians in political advocacy with the United States Congress—making sure lawmakers continue to support Israel’s security aid. He also serves on the board of directors for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem-USA.

One of Tony’s latest and far-reaching roles is his appointment as corporate pastor for 5 Stones Intelligence, an intelligence and protective agency service based on Judeo-Christian principles. The organization engages an expert network that includes former members of the CIA, FBI, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He has already hosted numerous tours to Israel and is now planning additional tours for police officers, special agents, special forces operators, intelligence officers, and security professionals. These specialized tours are filled with biblical studies, tactical training, and intelligence briefings from Israel’s top experts. With the world descending into darkness, their grasp of biblical truths and expanded tools will bless all of us.

I am highlighting Tony’s ministry as an example of other fine pastors who are dedicated to the biblical narrative of God’s eternal plans for His Jewish people and His Holy Land. A strong remnant exists among pastors who I am honored to know. However, the resurgence of Jew hatred and propaganda is a trumpet call for additional pastors and their congregations to lift shields of prayer, biblical teaching, and practical actions. 

Please read what the Palestinian Authority published on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, Monday April 17, as translated and reported by Palestinian Media Watch (www.PalWatch.org): “That Jews were trained by the Nazis in concentration camps to kill ‘without feeling anything’ and that the Germans would deliberately free Jews in concentration camps to ‘prepare them’ for combat against Arabs in Palestine.”

After reading the above outrage, I hope you will decide to join Tony and/or other pastors, as well as CBN Israel to spread the facts and pass on God’s Word. 

John 4:22 “Jesus said, ‘You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.’” 

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” 

Romans 11:18 “Do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” 

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

• Pray for more pastors to proclaim truths about God’s eternal promises to Israel and the Jewish people.
• Pray asking Jesus in what ways He wants you to advocate for Israel. 
• Pray asking God to reveal every terror plot against Israel during their current, serious security threats inside and outside their land. 
• Pray that Christians will actively advocate for Israel and Jewish communities worldwide amid the rise of dangerous anti-Semitism.

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

She was blind, Jewish, and came alone from Russia to Israel in 2018 to become a citizen. Living by herself in the northern city of Karmiel, she depends completely on the government to survive—along with a caretaker, who comes for a few hours. Still, she’s grateful for all she has.

She is comfortable in her neighborhood; with everything she needs nearby. She has even learned to walk those short distances on her own, which, being blind, is a huge accomplishment. 

Recently, Tanya had problems with her teeth, and required dental prosthetics. Sadly, the dental clinic botched the work—leaving her with no teeth and needing dentures urgently. She found another dentist who could do the work, but she couldn’t afford it. Who could help her? 

Thankfully, friends like you were there for her through CBN Israel. Donors provided grant money to cover the cost—and Tanya is thrilled to be eating and smiling again! They also gave her vouchers for food and necessities. Plus, they are connecting her with local partners who can offer her more services, given her blindness, and provide beyond what the government covers. 

In addition, she is thrilled that her son and his family finally immigrated to Israel and moved not far away so they can visit her—and her grandson sometimes comes to help her! 

Because you cared, Tanya is living a fuller life. And your gift to CBN Israel can help so many in need receive groceries, housing, financial aid, and more. With the influx of refugees and colder weather, your support is crucial. You can provide a lifeline to single mothers, Holocaust survivors, refugees, and more. 

Please join with us to make a difference today!

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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

The Holocaust is etched in Israel’s national memory. Each year, its victims are honored on one special national holiday called Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day). All places of entertainment are closed. In the morning, a siren sounds across the country—and everything stops for two minutes of silence, in memory of the 6 million Jewish men, women, and children whose lives were tragically lost.

Their fight for survival was shaped within the shadows and ashes of Europe’s extermination camps. And it gave those who lived the determination to firmly declare, “Never Again.”

That is why today, thanks to caring friends like you, CBN Israel honors their commitment. We are helping to expose and stem the tide of rising global anti-Semitism, with CBN’s broad international media platform. Through CBN News, we are sharing a biblical perspective on headlines in the Holy Land—and fighting hatred and misinformation with the truth. Plus, we are producing award-winning films that share the riveting stories of Israel’s past and present.

We are also serving Israel’s last generation of Holocaust survivors, most of whom are in their 90s. Today, there are approximately 150,000 survivors left in Israel; sadly, many are isolated, lonely, and struggle to make ends meet. But you can help by providing essential food and care to these elderly people. Through our efficient network of ministry partners and volunteers, you can deliver food, medical assistance, home visits, and—most of all—hope to those in great need.

As you share God’s love with these poor and lonely survivors, you can help fulfill the promise of Psalm 107:9, “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

Please join us in blessing Holocaust survivors and others in desperate need!

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“If you carefully obey my commands I am giving you today, to love the Lord your God and worship Him with all your heart and all your soul, I will provide rain for your land in the proper time, the autumn and spring rains, and you will harvest your grain, new wine, and oil. I will provide grass in your fields for your livestock. You will eat and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15 HCSB).

Timing is everything. Farmers especially know this. Rains that come too early or too late do not provide the nourishment needed for crops to grow and produce their fruit. In some cases, rains arriving too early or late can actually destroy the crops and harvest. The agricultural cycle is very delicate, especially in the ancient world where they had to make do without the advantages of modern agricultural technology.

As the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, God promised them that if they would obey, love and serve Him, He would send the rains in their season. This was particularly important because the land God was giving them depended upon the rains from heaven for its agricultural needs. The rains had to come at the right time, or the crops would fail, animals would die, and the people would starve to death.

God called upon the people to trust Him that He would send rain in its season. They plowed their fields and planted them, trusting that God would provide the necessary rains. Can you imagine the anxiety of the farmer who just sowed his field with seed waiting for the rains to come? 

But there was a condition: “If you carefully obey my commands I am giving you today, to love the Lord your God and worship Him with all your heart and all your soul.” Failure to do so would have negative consequences, as we go on to read: “Be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside, worship, and bow down to other gods. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will close the sky, and there will be no rain; the land will not yield its produce” (Deuteronomy 11:16-17 HCSB).

One of the draws the children of Israel experienced in worshipping other gods pertained to the agricultural cycle. Many of these foreign gods, like Ba’al and Asherah, were rain and fertility gods and goddesses. Worshipping them offered insurance in the event God did not come through. It was a way for the Israelites to ensure that the rains would come so they could survive.

We also find ourselves frustrated with God’s timing, wondering if He will truly come through. We even seek, at times, to help Him along. His promise remains: If we obey Him and love and serve Him, He will provide the things we need for our daily survival. We don’t need to seek any other source of provision.

PRAYER

Father, thank You for Your love and care for us. You are the sole source of our provision, and we trust You to send rain in its season. Amen.