It's Hanukkah, the joyous Feast of Dedication in which Jews remember the miracle of God in rededication of the Temple in about 165 BC. The Maccabees rose up to revolt against the Seleucids who turned their Temple into a desecrated den of idols! If you know anything about the ancient Temple, you know there was …
Continue reading Menorah vs Hanukkiah: What’s the Difference?
The Jewish festival of Hanukkah began yesterday at sundown and I shared some memories of being in Israel for Hanukkah several years ago. Oh what a blessing that was! But what is so significant about a Jewish festival, and why should believers in Jesus care about it? In Hebrew, Hanukkah means "dedication," and the celebration …
Continue reading So, What is the Significance of Hanukkah Anyway?
Later this month our tour group will visit Caesarea Philippi, known to be the place where Jesus asked His followers a very important question: 13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, …
Last night at sundown Yom Kippur began and Jews in Israel flocked to the Western Wall. The 25-hour day of fasting and praying is a time observant Jews strive to have their names written in the book of life, at least for the next year. To "balance the scale" of sin means striving for righteousness. …
