Teaching – Celebrate Israel

“Love and Sorrow” – Jesus’ cry on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out (in a loud voice), saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

“But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”. John 7:37-39 NKJV

Tisha B’Av

Ninth of Av

Tisha B’Av means Ninth of Av. Av is the fifth month of the Jewish sacred calendar, which begins with Nisan, the month in which Passover occurs. The civil calendar begins with Tishri, which is the seventh month of the sacred calendar, in which the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles occur.

Tisha B’Av commemorates the destruction of both the first and second temples, as well as other events. It is the second most solemn fast day in the modern Jewish calendar, after Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). It is considered to be the saddest day of the year, a day of misfortune and tragedy.

Replacement Theology

What is Replacement Theology?

Replacement Theology, which is also called Supersessionism, has been common throughout most of Church history and still exists today. It is the false supposition that the Church has replaced or superseded Israel and the Jews in God’s purposes. According to this theology, when the Church began, God forsook the Jews, because they did not accept Jesus as their Messiah and because they had a part in His death.

Under this doctrine, all of God’s promises, prophecies and blessings in the Old Testament now apply exclusively to the Church and no longer apply literally to Israel or the Jews. Where the word “Israel” occurs in the Bible, it really means the Church, which is the true, spiritual Israel. Consequently, all the verses referring to Israel returning to their land and dwelling there are seen as spiritual allegories for the blessings of the Church, and not as something to be literally fulfilled by the Jews and the nation of Israel. However, the curses and distresses in the Bible (e.g. Deuteronomy 28:15-68) still do apply literally to the Jews, due to their role in the death of Christ.

How to respond to a crisis situation the ECI way – the power of prayer, education and advocacy

Picture: Tomas Sandell speaking at an Israel rally, a joint initiative with other pro-Israel organisations, Helsinki 16 May 2021.

This article is reposted in full from the European Coalition for Israel via Andrew Lothian.

Many of us are grieving when we see the pictures of the devastation caused by the current conflict between Israel and Hamas which began after the terrorist organisation in Gaza started firing rockets into civilian areas in Israel some ten days ago. But what can we do to help?

Government in Israel

This article was originally written 29th April 2021. The image above is the Knesset building.

Introduction: 2021 Israeli election

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Romans 13:1 NKJV

Israel held elections on 23^rd March 2021. This was the fourth election in two years, and only a year after the last election.

Likud, which is the right-wing party of the current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, won 30 seats, nearly twice as many as any other party. However, they are still a long way short of the 61 seats needed to form a majority government in the 120 seat Knesset (Israeli Parliament).

Trevor Harris

Visiting speaker, Trevor Harris will be sharing with us at our face to face meeting – 8th May 2021 and online 15th May 2021- via a Powerpoint presentation about Prophetic Mapping in the Holy land.

Trevor Harris is the Director of Key-line Christian Research Pty Ltd. An Australian company dedicated to research into Bible sites. Qualifications include an Honours Degree in architecture and a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. Research has been conducted for 20 years including seven field trips to the Middle East. He is particularly interested in promoting prophetic mapping of the Middle East.

Passover and Communion

Luke 22:7-8, 13-20 (NKJV):

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” … So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.”

When we celebrate communion, we are remembering what is called the Last Supper, the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His death. As we can see from this passage in Luke, the Last Supper was actually a Passover meal. The Passover is a significant feast which has been celebrated by the Jews for many, many centuries, down to this present day. It is very much a family meal, and the children are important participants in the celebration.