Have you ever been driving along the highway when, seemingly out of nowhere, you hear the shrill sound of sirens? At first you are startled as the high-pitched sound seems to engulf you from almost every direction.

The most recognisable symbol of the Christian faith today is undoubtedly the Cross. One can travel to almost any part of the world and, be it in the form of jewellery, a print on a tee-shirt, a cross finial sitting atop a church or a cross placed on a grave site, most would instantly recognise its connection to Christianity.

At first glance, you might not think the story of Purim found in the Book of Esther is anything but…

In this issue of The Shofar, we continue our series in the biblical covenants, turning our attention to the New Covenant, having already considered the Abrahamic, Land and Davidic Covenants.  The focus of these covenants is the nation of Israel and this continues with the New Covenant, even though it is applied to the Church in the New Testament.

Bible-believing faith calls us to seek where the Bible introduces the concept of “Kingdom”. Where does the Bible begin its development of this term? What is the context? Who is involved?   

October 7, 2023 – This now infamous date has ignited a wildfire of antisemitism and hatred toward the nation of Israel. However, the tragic irony is that the actual target and victim, of one of the most horrific and evil attacks in the history of humanity, was Israel!

The Bible contains clear descriptions of God’s relationship to humanity from the beginning of creation to the eternal state. In the Old Testament, this relationship is narrowed to a particular person, Abraham, chosen by God to become the father of a nation, through which would come the promised Messiah, Jesus. This narrowing of focus implements God’s redemptive plan for humanity after the rebellion of the Tower of Babel and its divine judgement (Genesis 11:1-9). Humanity needs a Saviour, who will come through a chosen people

People most often think about Heaven when a loved one passes or perhaps when attending a funeral.  As they contemplate what comes next, many are influenced by Hollywood or a book or perhaps someone’s account of a near-death experience.  But God’s Word reveals an amazing ‘journey’ for believers from physical death through to, “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pe 3:13)

As the children of Israel struggled in the 1930’s in the face of violent hatred, so The Friends of Israel was birthed in response to provide solidarity and relief. 85 years on and the struggle continues for the “apple of God’s eye”. Whether it is the deep rooted divisions within, or dissenters & destroyers on every side, Israel still has a challenging journey ahead before her deliverance will finally come.

We live in a world where hatred is growing at an exponential rate. AntiSemitism is often referred to as “the oldest hatred”, but would you recognise it if you saw it?