ARTICLES

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27). Read on Shabbat, December 27, 2025 / 5 Tevet 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself” (Genesis 44:18).

Parashat Vayigash opens with a courageous moment of approach. Judah steps forward, no longer speaking with fear or resentment, but with responsibility and humility. He offers himself in place of Benjamin, willing to bear the cost so his brother and father may be spared. This act of self-giving love marks a turning point in the story of Joseph and his brothers. What was once marked by betrayal now becomes shaped by repentance and mercy.

As Judah speaks, Joseph can no longer restrain himself. The walls of secrecy fall, and reconciliation begins. Joseph reveals his identity and speaks words that reshape the past: God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. In that moment, years of suffering are reframed within God’s greater purpose. Pain is not denied, but it is redeemed. God’s hand is seen not only in rescue, but in the long road that led there.

This portion teaches that reconciliation often begins when someone chooses to draw near rather than withdraw. Healing requires honesty, courage, and a willingness to take responsibility for others. Judah’s transformation shows that people can change, and that repentance opens the door for restoration. Joseph’s forgiveness reminds us that God’s purposes are larger than the harm done to us, and that grace can rewrite the story.

Many of us carry unresolved tension, broken relationships, or lingering guilt. Vayigash invites us to step forward rather than hide. God meets us when we approach with humility and truth. Drawing near does not erase the past, but it allows God to bring healing into what was once fractured. Even long separated family members can find reunion when hearts are softened.

Those who are in positions of strength or authority can learn from Joseph’s response. He chooses mercy over revenge and provision over punishment. Those who feel burdened by regret can learn from Judah, whose willingness to sacrifice becomes the pathway to forgiveness. God honors both repentance and grace, using them to bring life out of brokenness.

As this Shabbat arrives, consider where God may be inviting you to draw near. Perhaps it is toward a difficult conversation, a long-avoided apology, or an act of forgiveness. Trust that God is present in these moments. Let your approach be marked by humility, truth, and hope, believing that God still works through reconciliation to preserve life and restore relationships.

PRAYER
Lord, give me courage to draw near where I have held back. Teach me humility, compassion, and truth. Help me trust that You are at work even in painful histories, bringing healing, reconciliation, and new beginnings. Amen.

By Stephen Faircloth

Bethlehem is forever linked with Christmas as the place where Jesus was born. Angels announced His arrival nearby, shepherds hurried through the night, and the long-awaited Messiah entered the world in humility. Yet by the time of Jesus’ birth, Bethlehem already carried centuries of history that shaped the meaning of that holy night.

The village first appears in ancient sources as early as the fourteenth century B.C. in the Amarna Letters, when it was a small Canaanite town. Long before it became associated with bread or shepherds, its name reflected its early pagan past. Over time, Bethlehem became woven into the story of Israel and into the purposes of God. It was the hometown of David, Israel’s greatest king, and the place where the prophet Samuel anointed a young shepherd as God’s chosen ruler.

Bethlehem’s importance came in part from its location. Situated along the central hill country route that ran north to south through Judah, it lay just south of Jerusalem and north of Hebron. Roads from east and west converged there, making it both accessible and vulnerable. Because of this strategic position, kings fortified Bethlehem, and later Herod the Great built his palace fortress Herodium just to the east, guarding the approaches from the Judean wilderness.

The fields around Bethlehem were familiar with conflict and courage. To the west lay the Elah Valley, where David faced Goliath and where Philistine forces threatened Judah’s heartland. At times, enemy garrisons even occupied Bethlehem itself. These struggles help explain why David longed so deeply for peace and why Bethlehem carried the memory of both danger and deliverance.

Bethlehem also stood at the center of God’s unfolding redemption. In its fields, Boaz met Ruth, whose faith and loyalty would place her in the lineage of David and ultimately of Jesus. In a home there, Samuel poured oil over David’s head, marking the rise of a shepherd king. Centuries later, another King would be born in the same town, fulfilling the words of the prophet Micah that from Bethlehem would come a ruler whose origins were from ancient days.

By the first century, Bethlehem was a small village overshadowed by nearby Jerusalem. When Joseph and Mary arrived because of the census, there was no royal welcome. Early Christian tradition remembers Jesus’ birth taking place in a cave, a common feature of hill country homes. Families often used natural caves as shelters for animals, with living quarters above or beside them. In such a setting, surrounded by feeding troughs, the Savior entered the world quietly and without display.

After the Jewish revolts against Rome, Bethlehem’s population changed dramatically. Jews were expelled from the region, and the Romans built a pagan shrine over the cave remembered as Jesus’ birthplace. Yet even this attempt to erase memory failed. In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of the Church of the Nativity over the traditional site, preserving the place Christians still visit today. Later rebuilt under Emperor Justinian, the church stands as one of the oldest continuously used Christian sanctuaries in the world.

Bethlehem reminds us that God often chooses small places to accomplish great purposes. From a village shaped by roads, conflicts, and shepherds came both Israel’s beloved king and the Savior of the world. At Christmas, Bethlehem invites us to remember that God’s redemption does not arrive with power and spectacle, but with humility, faithfulness, and quiet obedience.

In the town of David, hope was born. And through that child laid in a manger, God stepped into history to bring light to the world.

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 Miketz (Genesis 41:1- 44:17). Read on Shabbat, December 20, 2025 / 28 Kislev 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. And behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass” (Genesis 41:1-2).

Parashat Miketz opens with a sense of timing that belongs to God alone. Joseph has waited in prison, forgotten by those he helped, until suddenly everything changes. Pharaoh dreams, and Joseph is summoned. What feels like delay is revealed to be preparation. God brings Joseph forward at precisely the right moment, not early and not late.

Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams with humility and clarity. He does not claim wisdom for himself but gives credit to God. Years of suffering have shaped his character, sharpening his discernment and strengthening his trust. In one day, Joseph moves from confinement to leadership, entrusted with responsibility over Egypt’s future. God uses hardship not to diminish him, but to prepare him for service that will preserve life.

This portion teaches that waiting seasons are not wasted seasons. Times of silence, obscurity, or frustration often shape us in ways that abundance cannot. Joseph’s faithfulness in hidden places becomes the foundation for his public calling. God sees what is unseen, and He remembers what others forget.

Life often brings moments when hope feels postponed. Prayers linger unanswered. Efforts seem unnoticed. Miketz reminds us that God is working even when nothing appears to be happening. He is arranging circumstances, shaping hearts, and preparing outcomes beyond our sight. Trust grows when we learn to wait with faith rather than despair.

Those experiencing blessing or success are reminded by Joseph’s story to remain humble and dependent on God. Wisdom and provision come from Him alone. Those in seasons of lack or uncertainty can find encouragement in knowing that God has not overlooked them. The same God who lifted Joseph from prison is able to bring clarity and restoration at the appointed time.

Take time this Shabbat to reflect on where you may be waiting for God’s timing. Offer Him your impatience and your hope. Look for ways to remain faithful in small responsibilities, trusting that God honors integrity wherever it is found.

Let your trust in His timing shape your actions and strengthen your sense of peace.

PRAYER
Lord, please teach me to trust Your timing even when I do not understand the delay. Help me remain faithful in every season and to recognize Your hand at work in my life. May my heart rest in Your wisdom and care. Amen.

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.