Thank you for joining us for the Friends of Israel today. I'm Steve Conover. With me is our host and teacher, Chris Katulka. foiradio.org is where you can connect with us. We have nearly a decade of content on the site featuring Chris Katulka's insightful teaching and various interview guests. Again, that's foiradio.org. Steve, we're going to actually start a new series, a four-part series, as we move from the Christmas season into the new year. And it actually is a foundational concept that we're going to be talking about, a foundational biblical concept looking at the promise that God made to Abraham. Why does the Friends of Israel exist, especially since 1938? What was it that compelled those Christians to start our organization to support Israel and the Jewish people? All of it routes back to a promise that God made to Abraham. And today we're going to talk about how it affects you. What does it mean for a Christian to support Israel and the Jewish people? Our Jewish friends in Israel and all around the world continue to feel the unwanted spotlight of hatred that anti-Semitism has cast on them. which is why during Hanukkah this year, we can join together to show them they're not alone. This Hanukkah season, the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry is calling on Christians worldwide to show their support for Israel and the Jewish people by placing a candle in their windowsills on the first night of Hanukkah, December 25th, and to keep it lit through sundown on January 2nd to honor the Jewish community and to stand in solidarity with Israel. A lit candle in every Christian home across America from December 25th through January 2nd, it sends an unmistakable message of hope and support to Israel during these difficult times. Go to foi.org forward slash shine to download a free sign to print and place in your window alongside a candle to show your support. Again, that's foi.org forward slash shine. We're going back to the basics. That's right, back to the basics. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, last week I shared that the church is hungry for God's truth. Support for Israel among American evangelicals ages 18 to 29 is in steady decline, with some polls showing only 33.6% of young evangelical Christians supporting the Jewish state. However, nearly half of the evangelical young adults polled were unsure of what they believed about Israel and whose side they should take. That's a large number of undecided Christians who need to hear God's biblical plan about Israel and the Jewish people. I also shared last week that in the early 1900s, North America and Europe comprised of 92% of evangelicalism globally. But today, the numbers have completely shifted. Today, 72% of evangelicals can be found in South America, Africa, and Asia, while North America and Europe only make up 23%. As people are coming to the Lord from all around the world, we need to share about the significance of the promise that God made to Abraham. But I also want to show how this one promise drives our ministry here at the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Last week, I gave an overview of the promise that God made to Abraham from Genesis 12, specifically the three components to the promise, the land, the descendants, and the blessing. And I showed how that one promise was influential in the founding of the Friends of Israel in 1938. Actually, I'd encourage you to go listen to last week's program, and you can do that by going to foiradio.org and finding last week's program in our archives pages. Again, that's foiradio.org. But I want you to remember the three components to the promise that God made to Abraham. You remember what they are? Land, descendants, blessing. Again, one more time, land, descendants, blessing. Today, I want to focus on the land component to the promise God made to Abraham. God proclaimed to Abraham that if he departed from his hometown of Ur, his family and friends, and followed God, he would receive a particular area of land. Listen to this Genesis chapter 12 verse 1. Now the Lord said to Abram, go from your country and from your relatives and from your father's house to the land which I will show you. The land promised in Genesis 12 was the land of Canaan, which over the course of time became known as the land of Israel. When Abraham arrived in Canaan by Genesis 15, he realized aspects of God's promise in Genesis 12 were not being fulfilled as he said they would. Actually, Abraham questioned God's faithfulness and asked how he could be sure God would give him the land that he promised. And so God reassured Abraham in Genesis 15 that every aspect of his promise would be fulfilled by making, or literally in the Hebrew, cutting a covenant with him. And so what God does is he commands Abraham to prepare particular animals for the covenant by cutting them in half. This act of cutting animals in two pieces in Genesis 15 verses 9 through 21 is actually an ancient covenant or treaty ritual, which was a customary practice in antiquity. Technically, Abraham and God should have walked through these animals together, the pieces of these animals. However, In an interesting literary twist, Abraham falls into a deep sleep and God himself becomes the only party to enter into the promise. The writer of Hebrews will later draw on this and say that when God made the promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself. You can read that in Hebrews 6, verse 13. When God passed quietly through the animal pieces, he both guaranteed and signed the deed for Abraham and his descendants to claim the land promised to them. Here we see how God in his infinite wisdom designed a covenant that could not be broken and it would actually remain eternal forever because it's God's name written on the ledger. And unlike human promises that can easily be changed or manipulated or broken, God's divine name is forever attached to every aspect of the promise that God made to Abraham. Ultimately, if this promise to Abraham fails, God fails. And if God fails, then he's not God. Therefore, the land promise to Abraham and his descendants was deeded to them with an eternal promise and earnest guarantee that it's still legally binding today. It's the reason that we here at the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry support the State of Israel today, but I'll share more about that later. Sadly, the land component of the Abrahamic covenant is often the aspect overlooked and neglected by the church because it actually demands two things. Number one, it demands a distinction between Israel and the church. So, it demands a distinction that God has a separate program for Israel and the church, but it also demands that there be a future for Israel in the land God promised to Abraham. Folks, we can't simply overlook the future of Israel as it relates to the land portion of the promise. This section of God's covenant to Abraham plays a major role in his redemptive plan for everyone. Listen to this, the Lord gave a vision to Ezekiel the prophet, a vision of the Jewish people returning to the land of Israel from all over the world. It says this, for I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. That comes from Ezekiel 36, verse 24. Upon God's supernatural restoration of the Jewish people to the land he promised them, God says that he will use their restoration as a divine tool to show the unbelieving nations that he is the one true God. Listen to this, then all the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when I prove myself holy among you in their sight. That's Ezekiel chapter 36 verse 23. The Lord's vision to Ezekiel shows that the land plays a major role in God's plan of redemption. Did you hear how God wanted to draw the nations unto himself by what? Bringing Israel back to the land. But why is this so important? One time after I finished speaking at a church on the land of Israel from the scriptures, a very nice individual approached me and he said, since when did God enter into the real estate business? Which was his way of saying this, why would God care so much about one little portion of land? Isn't he the creator of the heavens and earth? It was a great question. But yes, God does care about this real estate. He does care about the land of Israel. In Ezekiel 5.5, the Lord says this, this is what the sovereign Lord says, this is Jerusalem. I placed her in the center of the nations with countries all around her. Clearly God cares about the real estate he promised Abraham. He chose that land because it's at the center of the nations. The truth is Jerusalem is the capital of God's kingdom and that's why the prophet Micah says this in Micah chapter 4 verse 1, and in the future days the Lord's Temple Mount will be the most important mountain of all. It will be more prominent than all other hills. people will stream to it. Many nations will come saying, come on, let's go up to the Lord's mountain to the temple of Jacob's God so he can teach us his ways and we can live by his laws. For instruction will proceed from Zion, the Lord's message from Jerusalem. Israel and Jerusalem are the epicenter of God's presence on earth. Yes, the nations will stream to Jerusalem in the future to receive truth when the Lord Jesus sits on his future throne in the city of peace. Yes, my friends, the land of Israel matters. Now, when we come back, I want to share with you some ways the Friends of Israel is involved in the land of Israel and why we believe it matters. Chris, this Covenant series has been so eye-opening for many of us as to how God's promise to Abraham is what ultimately helps connect why God remains faithful through the ages. That's right, Steve. Even today when we see God's chosen people still living, breathing, and thriving in their ancient homeland, we can be confident that the Lord never breaks His promises. It's really incredible. And in fact, as eye-opening as this series is, I would like to share with our listeners another eye-opening and eye-catching resource that will help enhance their understanding of God's faithfulness through the Bible. It's called Charting the Bible Chronologically, and it's a visual guide to God's unfolding plan. I completely agree. The authors Ed Hinson and Thomas Ice did an amazing job putting together this colorful panoramic view of the events recorded in scripture, all laid out in chronological order. You'll see 40-plus color charts that include timelines of biblical history, overviews of major empires, and a master fold-out chart of the entire Bible. perfect resource to help deepen your understanding of God's faithfulness. To learn more, or to purchase a copy, visit us at foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. Welcome back, everyone. We've been talking about the land of Israel. Yes, my friends, the land matters in the Bible. The land is practically a character in the Bible, and the land matters to God. You know, the Friends of Israel was founded in 1938, 10 years before Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, declared an independent Jewish state in 1948. That means the founders of the Friends of Israel knew the land mattered. and that at some point God would return his people to the land. Now, bear in mind, they named the organization the Friends of Israel during the darkest moment of the Jewish people, yet they still believed biblically that God would return them to the land. Well, God was faithful and Israel became a nation just 10 years later. I have to tell you a story. When I was a student many moons ago at Dallas Theological Seminary, I asked Dr. Dwight Pentecost, who was still teaching in his 90s, what it felt like when Israel became a nation again in 1948. That day at lunch, he told me he was driving in his car in the Philadelphia area at night, and he said he always taught that one day Israel would become a nation again. And as he was driving in the evening, the news came on and announced that Israel had declared their independence. Dr. Pentecost said that he pulled off on the side of the road that evening just after teaching a Bible study and just sat there stunned because he just couldn't believe it happened. The Jewish people declared an independent state in their ancient homeland, Israel. The prophecy had come to fruition. Today, the Friends of Israel is active in the land of Israel. First and foremost, we want to show the Israeli people that they have a right to exist in their ancient homeland tangibly. And one of the ways that we show support is to help protect them from the enemies that actually wish to see Israel disappear. The Friends of Israel financially supports an Israeli organization called Operation LifeShield, an Israeli nonprofit led by Rabbi Bowman. Operation LifeShield is protecting Israelis by providing bomb shelters to placing communities that exist around the Gaza border. Many of these communities have seconds to get to safety. They have seconds to get the bomb shelters to find protection from missiles launched by Hamas. The Friends of Israel has purchased dozens of bomb shelters to help Israelis living on the Gaza border. We partner with an Israeli nonprofit that helps the homeless and drug addicted find freedom from their addictions by connecting them with the love of Jesus the Messiah. We also partner with an Israeli pregnancy center that provides resources to mothers to prevent an abortion and to encourage the mother to keep her baby. But most of our activity in the land of Israel can be found in church plants in Jerusalem and the suburbs that surround Tel Aviv. Friends of Israel supports the work of Menno Kalischer, pastor of the Jerusalem House of Redemption. Menno is the son of Zvi Kalischer, who is one of our first ministry representatives in Israel. You know and love Zvi Kalischer from his ministry stories we air here on the Friends of Israel today. Menno and his family and congregation continue to share the good news of Jesus the Messiah to Jerusalem and the surrounding towns. My friends, the land of Israel still matters because of the promise that God made to Abraham. The land isn't just a bygone part of the Bible that doesn't mean anything anymore. It's very important to our faith as Christians. Remember when Jesus returns, he isn't coming to Washington DC or London or Singapore or Shanghai. He's coming to Jerusalem and his return to Jerusalem shows that God is still concerned with the land of Israel and we should be too. Chris, from your first segment, I've been reflecting on the astounding way God made the land covenant and how its fulfillment is dependent on God's performance, not Israel's. It's encouraging as I think of the promise he made to us as believers when we trust his son. I always like to say, Israel's story is my story. And it's because the God that we serve is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And so we can see ourselves often in the ups and downs of the spiritual relationship that Israel had with God. Sometimes I can see my life in that as well. And yet God remains faithful to them. I love what Paul says in Romans chapter 11, as God threw with his people, he says, may it never be. Why? Because of this promise that God made to Abraham and the fact that if Israel can rely on that promise, then we can certainly rely on our relationship that we have with the Lord Jesus. We have been sealed until the day of redemption. Israel, on the verge of becoming a state, a teenage Talakot survivor arrives on her shores alone. His name is Zvi Kalischer. Little did he know his search for a new life in the Holy Land would lead him to the Messiah. Zvi, enthusiastic to share his faith, engaged others in spiritual conversations, many of which can be found in our magazine, Israel, My Glory. While Zvi is now in the presence of his Savior, his collected writings from well over 50 years of ministry continue to encourage believers worldwide. Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life of Zvi. I recently noticed several posters announcing a famous rabbi would be speaking at our community center. He was scheduled to appear at 8 p.m., but he did not arrive until 9 p.m. More than 300 people were waiting to see their hero. When he finally came, everyone stood and cheered. He spoke about the fictitious stories passed down from generation to generation, nothing new. He concluded by saying the most important thing a Jew can do is study the writings of our fathers, which he stated is even more important than having faith in God. The people listened to him as if he had been sent from heaven. Although I knew the crowd would go against me if I spoke up, I silently prayed, asking the Lord to give me courage. And then I rose to my feet. I said to the rabbi, please explain how knowledge can be more important than faith in God when the scriptures clearly tell us the just shall live by his faith. I continued. Do you have some kind of an insurance policy to get you into heaven? What about our father Abraham? He never went to a great university, but the scriptures say he believed in the Lord. and he accounted it to him for righteousness. Was Abraham's faith in God of no value because he did not go to a great school and study all his life? The rabbi now was very unhappy because I had diverted everyone's attention away from him. Almost all were looking at me, waiting to hear what I would say next. The rabbi asked me to explain what I meant. The Lord reminded me of Hebrews 11. I shared all the things our forefathers experienced because of their faith in God. I told them, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, but without faith it is impossible to please Him. The rabbi was growing nervous. He said, the posters advertise my speech. You have no right to take the spotlight away from me. Everyone was quiet, even the bodyguards, who were listening to me instead of to him. I was surprised, but I knew it was the Lord's doing. The rabbi said, Explain how you arrived at your strange beliefs. I said, Wisdom is good, but wisdom without faith is useless. How can you point others to God if you do not consider faith as important as knowledge? Then asked the crowd, who is greater, the wisest professor who has no faith or a man who has spent his life in the desert but is faithful to the Lord? Most responded, the one from the desert. You're correct, I said. Isaiah 43 says, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight to the desert a highway for our God. This voice did not come from Oxford University, but from the Judean desert. The rabbi was now furious. He said, you have wasted my valuable time. I never want to see you at one of my meetings again. He then stopped off the stage. I was happy these people had listened to me with such interest and patience. I would never have believed such a thing could happen, but the Lord is able to do the impossible. I pray the small seed that was planted in that large group will grow into a great fruitful tree. The impact of Zvi's life and ministry in Israel, it didn't end when he went home to be with the Lord. In fact, Zvi's legacy lives on. Our Friends of Israel ministry representatives continue to share the gospel in Jerusalem, Israel, and really all throughout the world. We also serve Holocaust survivors and their families. We provide free food, medicine, and clothing, and we even promote the safety and security of the State of Israel and the Jewish people everywhere. So when you give to the Friends of Israel, your donation actually allows us to advance the gospel of our Messiah Jesus. You can give online by visiting foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. You can click right there on our donate link. Also, be sure to let us know where you listen when you contact us. Thanks for joining us for today's episode of the Friends of Israel Today. It's been so good to look back at this series. Chris, where are we headed next week? You know, I once had a person say to me, Chris, why do you support Israel? Is it that God is still in the real estate business? Well, you know what? Actually, real estate does matter and the land does matter. And that's why next week we're going to look at the land component of this amazing Abrahamic promise. We hope you'll join us then. Our mailing address is FOI Radio P.O. Box 914, Belmar, NJ 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio P.O. Box 914, Belmar, NJ 08099. The web address you can contact us at 08099. Our web address, again, 08099. Our web address is foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org, or you can call our listener line. That number is 888-343-6940. Again, that's 888-343-6940. Our host and teacher is Chris Kotulka. Today's program was produced by Tom Galeon. Edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music, Mike Kellogg, Red Apples of Gold, and I'm Steve Conover, Executive Producer. The Friends of Israel today is a production of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's chosen people.