What is the main purpose of Scripture? Many believe it’s our salvation from sin. While salvation certainly is a major theme, the overarching message of the Bible goes beyond our individual redemption. In the conclusion of our 3-part series on why Bible interpretation matters, we continue studying Dr. Charles Ryrie’s theology by focusing on the glor…

A Chronology, from the Passover Seder to the Grave.

Why does it matter how we interpret the Bible? One major reason concerns God’s Chosen People. We believe that God blessed the Jewish people—the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and made specific promises to them. However, the growing belief in Replacement Theology, which considers the church as the “true Israel” and the new beneficiaries of…

Does the Bible ever confuse you? Do you struggle to understand some of its teachings? Remember, the best method of reading the Bible doesn’t require any special abilities. All it takes is a plain sense, literal reading of the Word! This approach matters greatly—especially when it comes to understanding what God declares about Israel and the Jewish …

Like a composer conducting a symphony, Jesus perfectly orchestrated all the events leading up to His death for the sins of the world. It is important that we take note of our Savior’s intentionality in each action He took on the night He was betrayed by Judas and led to the cross. In the latest issue of Israel My Glory ... Read More The post Israel…

So, You Made a Mistake!

We’ve got two reasons to celebrate on The Friends of Israel Today! This week, we’re marking the 10th anniversary of Chris Katulka’s service as our host, and we’re commemorating 34 years of broadcasting our radio program! These momentous milestones remind us to take a look back at God’s faithfulness over these happy years on the program and to exami…

The Middle East is a mess! As Israel battles terrorists, we’re taking time to track how this conflict came about. This week, in the conclusion of our three-part series on the makings of the Middle East, we’ll analyze Israel’s watershed moment of the 21st century: Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre and kidnapping of Israeli civilians and the ensuing w…

How did the Middle East become the focus of global attention it is today? Settle in for the story on this week’s broadcast! Chris tells the remarkable story of the 45 young men and women of Kibbutz Hill who spent years secretly producing the bullets Israel’s soldiers would use to fight their War for Independence in 1948. Though heavily outnumbered,…

The Middle East is always near the forefront of the world’s attention. Many people look at the region—its wars and geopolitical alliances—and wonder, “How did we get here?” Chris provides the answers in part 1 of our 3-part series on the makings of the Middle East! The defeat of the longstanding Ottoman Empire opened the door to a new order ... Rea…

Recently, Chris led a group of ministry leaders to Israel. More than a sightseeing tour, this trip provided a deeply meaningful opportunity for Christians to love and support God’s Chosen People, beleaguered citizens of a country still at war. While in Israel, Chris spoke with several individuals to gain a clear picture of the difficulties so many …

Does God Care?

God of shalom!

A Holy Hush

What does truly God-honoring ministry look like? Here’s a hint: It involves less speaking and more doing! In Leviticus 8, when Moses ordained Aaron and his sons to serve as the high priests of Israel, God directed him to place the blood of the ram sacrifice on specific parts of their bodies—their ears, thumbs, and toes. This divine order may ... Re…

Matthew 24, Lecture 5, Gog and Magog

Matthew 24, Lecture 4, King of Kings, Lord of Lords!

The Rapture is one of God’s greatest scriptural promises to us. It provides great hope and comfort for believers who look to heaven and await the day the Lord will descend to meet believers in Jesus—both those dead and alive—in the air and bring them to heaven with Him. Yet, some Christians reject this comforting truth, being unconvinced by what ..…

The Jewish people have faced antisemitism for thousands of years, and this shapeshifting prejudice has taken many faces throughout history. Over the past two weeks, we learned about religious and racial antisemitism. In the conclusion of our 3-part series, we examine national antisemitism: the hatred of the Jewish people simply because of the exist…

Matthew 24, Lecture 1, The Temple!

Matthew 24, Lecture 3, The Signs!

Last week, we analyzed religious antisemitism—the hatred of Jewish people for their religious practices and beliefs. This week, we’re taking a look at another evil form of Jewish hatred: racial antisemitism. Unlike religious persecution, which theoretically offers an escape through conversion, racial discrimination against the Jewish people permits…

Matthew 24: Labor Pains, Do Not Fear!

Adonai Elohim!

For thousands of years, humanity has fallen prey to a deadly sin: antisemitism. This hatred of the Jewish people takes many forms. This week, we’ll study religious antisemitism, which many carry out because they believe Jewish practices and beliefs prevent peace and progress. This form has reared its ugly head in dramatic ways throughout history—Gr…

The Lord has blessed The Friends of Israel (FOI) with fruitful ministry under the leadership of Dr. Jim Showers, who has served as executive director since 2012. Now, after 30 years of service with our ministry, The Friends of Israel Today’s very own Steve Conover has been appointed to succeed Jim as the head of FOI! With a heart of ... Read More T…

This program is a rebroadcast from January 7, 2023. God’s Word is advancing throughout the world, but many evangelicals are missing the message of God’s love for Israel and the Jewish people—and our responsibility toward them as well. It’s important to remember that our support for Israel is biblical, not political. We find the root of that support…

This program is a rebroadcast from January 28, 2023. Abraham had a special covenant with God—one that has affected all of human history since. We’ve already studied how this promise has shaped the Jewish people and the promises included in the covenant that guaranteed them countless descendants and the special Holy Land. In this week’s episode on t…

Mystery of the Olive Tree

This program is a rebroadcast from January 21, 2023. God’s eternal covenant with Abraham included a surprising promise: A great nation would come from Abraham, and he would have innumerable descendants. This aspect was deeply personal to Abraham, who was an old man when the Lord spoke to him. How could he have any children at all? As humans, we ...…

This program is a rebroadcast from January 14, 2023. God created and controls the whole universe. So why does He care so much about the land of Israel, one little piece of real estate in the Middle East? Because of His covenant with Abraham! He made an eternal promise that ensured this land would belong to Abraham’s descendants forever. This ... Re…

Angels Came!

Jewish cartoonist Bob Mankoff once remarked, “I know everybody wants humor to be subversive and speak truth to power. I don’t think power has been listening.” Such was the case for John the Baptist. As the forerunner to Jesus the Messiah, John preached a message of repentance to the Jewish religious leaders, but they didn’t heed his words. He chall…

What is a Christian’s responsibility? Should we sit back idly as we await Jesus’ return, or should we pursue the Lord in our every moment? The apostle Paul answers this question in his letter to the Colossians in the conclusion of our series on this epistle. Yes, we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. But God wants ... Read More The pos…

Surrounded by a litany of beliefs about the world, the Colossian believers needed a clear understanding of God’s Word. So, the apostle Paul provided it by writing an epistle filled with doctrine for them. Over the last two weeks, we’ve studied how Paul taught about the supremacy of Jesus Christ and the danger of false teaching. This week, in part .…

The apostle Paul’s message to the Colossians rings true for Christians even today: Beware of false teaching! Surrounded by a plethora of philosophies amidst a pagan world, the Colossian believers were susceptible to being led away from the pure truths of God’s Word and the authority Jesus Christ deserved in their lives. In part 2 of our series on t…

The apostle Paul set out on a mission when he wrote his epistle to the Colossians: It was all about Jesus Christ and guiding believers to love Him more. Paul offers much doctrine to help believers grow spiritually mature in the book of Colossians, which we’ll spend the next four weeks studying. This week we begin by examining Christ’s supremacy ...…

It’s never too early to celebrate Christmas by studying Jesus’ First Advent! One truth we often forget at Christmastime is that Jesus’ birth is a Jewish story through and through. Our Friends of Israel representatives offer a deeply insightful study in our new devotional Finding Messiah in Christmas, a wonderful addition to anyone’s Christmas tradi…

Do you take God’s Word for granted? If you feel like one of many Christians who do, you should take notes on the Jewish people’s approach to Scripture: They dedicate a holiday to celebrating it each year! They sing and dance and read the Scripture on Simchat Torah, the special holiday of rejoicing over the Law, or the Torah. Chris ... Read More The…

After contemplating the solemn Day of Atonement last week, we’re following the Jewish calendar’s shift in gears and studying the festive Feast of Tabernacles this week! Also known as Sukkot, this holiday originates in Leviticus 23 as a reminder of Israel’s wilderness wanderings and a celebration of God’s provision and guidance for His people. This …

Scars and Circumstances, Judges 11

Encounter with God

Last weekend, as the Jewish people observed Yom Kippur, Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon fired missiles and drones at Israel. The brazen attack disturbed what should have been a quiet, somber day of reflection—one with which Christians should be familiar. This week, as we study Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, we’ll set our focus on some of the …

Don't Mess with Abraham!

Israel is surrounded by enemies. Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, all backed by Iran, attack Israel relentlessly from many sides. Antisemitism is running rampant toward both the Jewish nation and Jewish people around the world. Is there any hope for Israel? God’s Word is clear: There will always be hope for Israel! God made a promise to Abraham—o…

Feeding The Need In Israel stand with Israel: Nancy Sabato interviews Dr. Jeff

War, Holidays, Hope, Psalm 91

Matthew 24: Nancy Sabato interviews Dr. Jeff

One year has passed since Hamas’s brutal massacre of 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping of hundreds more on October 7, 2023. Life in Israel has changed significantly since then. As the Israel Defense Forces have spent the past year battling terrorists, many Israelis have been called to duty, while those who remain live in the war’s shadow. The Friends o…

What is a ketubah? What’s the purpose of a year-long betrothal? And do Jewish weddings today follow the same customs they did long ago? On this week’s show, The Friends of Israel’s vice president of North American Ministries and our resident Jewish sage, Steve Herzig, offers an expert look at the purpose of marriage and the wonderfully unique world…