This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 26:1 to 29:8. It takes its name, Ki Tavo, from its opening Hebrew words, which mean “When you come” or “When you enter.” The commandments that follow are for when Israel crosses the Jordan River, takes possession of the land, and settles into its new national life. Before Moses hands the people off to their new leader, Joshua, he reminds them of the laws and teachings they received at Sinai. The new generation did not witness, or was too young to remember, God descending upon Sinai with the rumble of thunder and flash of lightning. They did not smell the thick smoke or feel the ground shaking beneath them. Of course, they heard the stories from their parents and believed the witness of the tribal leaders. However, they needed their own Sinai moment, led by their appointed leader with the full participation of the rising generation. They needed their own founding story.

Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim

Moses lays out the procedural details for the covenant ceremony. He and the elders of Israel instructed:

Keep the entire commandment that I am commanding you today. On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster. You shall write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over, to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster. And you shall build an altar there to the LORD your God, an altar of stones on which you have not used an iron tool. You must build the altar of the LORD your God of unhewn stones. On it you shall offer burnt offerings to the LORD your God, make sacrifices of well-being, and eat them there, rejoicing before the LORD your God. You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly. (Deut 27:1–8)

The ceremony of blessings and curses is a liturgical act, a wedding ceremony, in a sense, between the twelve tribes and their one true God. God wants the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali to gather on Mount Ebal. The tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin should gather at Mount Gerizim. No explanation is given for the specific makeup of the groups. The Levites were responsible for announcing each curse. Those on Mount Gerizim were to pronounce blessings. After each curse and each blessing, the people shouted, “Amen!”

The Blessings for Obedience are the most beautiful portion (Deut 28:1–14). God promises that if they do not turn aside from his commands, he will open the heavens and give them bounty. God will open their wombs, their harvests, and their baskets. If the Israelites remember the past and stay true to the teachings, they will live and thrive in the land.

On the opposite note, however, if they turn away from him, God will close their wombs and curse their fields and livestock (Deut 28:15–68). If they forget how God delivered them from Egypt, if they ignore the voice of the Lord, and if they break the holy laws and are unfaithful to their God, they will lose the land. It will be a reverse Exodus, with God taking them from the land of their freedom back into slavery.

When you read the blessings and curses, it seems as if it bears a little heavier on the curses than the blessings. However, none of the curses is permanent. All the people have to do is repent, turn back to God, and they are reunited with the blessings.

The covenant ceremony did not take place until Joshua emerged victorious after the battle of Ai. In Joshua 8, we see that Joshua followed Moses’s instructions to the letter. He built a stone altar on Mount Ebal to make sacrifices to the Lord. Joshua then took plastered white stones and inscribed the Torah on them. Joshua assembled the people and read out the blessings and curses, just as they were written in the Book of the Law.

Ebal and Gerizim

Geographically and historically, Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim are the two prominent mountain ridges that flank the valley of Shechem. When Abraham first entered Canaan, he stopped at Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. There, God appeared to him and promised the land to his descendants (Gen 12:6–7). Many generations later, Jacob bought a parcel of land where he pitched his tent and built an altar (Gen 33:18–20). God did not choose Shechem arbitrarily as the place for the covenant ceremony. He intentionally designed it so they would return to the holy ground where God first made a promise to their ancestor Abraham and where their ancestor Jacob acquired the first plot.

Despite the biblical importance of the site, modern tour groups and mainstream pilgrimage itineraries routinely bypass Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. The two mountains flank the Palestinian city of Nablus. Nablus is designated as Area A under the defunct Oslo Accords. That places it under complete civil and security control of the Palestinian Authority. Israeli law forbids Israeli citizens from entering Area A. That includes standard licensed Israeli tour guides and bus drivers.

For the lucky ones, however, there is an archaeological site on Mount Ebal, which features a mysterious Iron Age stone structure. The late Israeli archaeologist Adam Zertal discovered the site in 1980 during the comprehensive survey of the hill country of Manasseh. Between 1982 and 1989, Zertal conducted eight seasons of excavations. Zertal began the survey as a secular scholar with a minimalist view of early Israelite history. But by the time he was done, he was certain that the altar he found was indeed Joshua’s altar (Josh 8:30–35; Deut 27:4–8).

Adam Zertal’s excavations at Mount Ebal revealed that the altar complex developed across two distinct construction phases; either could be Joshua’s altar, depending on one’s date of the Conquest. The earliest altar (1230–1200 BCE) was a modest circular stone altar built directly on the natural bedrock. During the second phase (1200–1150 BCE), builders encased this primary circular installation beneath a monumental, rectangular altar made of unhewn fieldstones. This major expansion introduced a wide, inclined stone ramp, paved courtyards, and a surrounding enclosure wall. This structural evolution indicates that the site began as a localized sacrificial installation and later expanded into a prominent sanctuary.

In December 2019, an archaeological team led by Scott Stripling of the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) went to Mount Ebal to sift the discarded dump material left behind by Zertal’s excavations. To their surprise, the team recovered a small, folded lead sheet known as a curse tablet. Measuring roughly two by two centimeters and only a few millimeters thick, the tablet was folded in half. What they didn’t know is if it had an internal inscription. Because the ancient metal was too brittle to unfold without breaking, the researchers sent it to a laboratory in Prague for specialized 3D X-ray scanning. These scans allowed scientists to look between the folded layers without opening the object.

Inside the fold, the language experts identified very early alphabetic letters that form an ancient curse formula. Their translation of the short text warns:

You are cursed by the god yhw, cursed.
You will die cursed.
Cursed you will surely die.
Cursed by yhw—cursed.

The tablet appears to use a short, three-letter version of God’s name (YHW). If correct, it would be the oldest written reference to the God of Israel ever found in the region. The find almost felt too good to be true. They found a curse inscription on the very mountain God designated as the place to pronounce curses for breaking the covenant.

The good news is that for determined travelers, it is not entirely off-limits. With military coordination, an armed convoy, and a bit of rugged hiking, you can still reach the archaeological site at Mount Ebal and see Joshua’s altar with your own eyes.

That’s it for this week. If you would like to get the study questions that go with the reading, please visit our website at www.thejerusalemconnection.us.

Shabbat Shalom.

Study Questions

1. Personalizing the Story (Deut 26:1–11) When offering the first fruits, every Israelite recited the historical confession beginning with “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor.” Why was it crucial for each individual farmer to rehearse the Exodus story when presenting their personal harvest? How does intentionally remembering where God brought your family or community from guard against spiritual complacency in seasons of abundance?

2. The Call to Hidden Integrity (Deut 27:11–26) The twelve curses proclaimed from Mount Ebal focus heavily on covert sins committed out of public view—such as secret idolatry, mistreating vulnerable people, moving boundary stones, or taking bribes. Why do you think the national covenant ceremony placed such strong emphasis on private integrity rather than visible, public crimes? What does this teach us about the true foundation of community trust and faithfulness to God?

3. Choosing Life in the Land (Deut 28:1–19; 29:1–8) The blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 mirror each other directly (“blessed in the city / cursed in the city”), framing covenant life as an active, daily choice with real outcomes. Considering that this assembly was about to cross into Canaan without Moses, why was it essential for them to ratify this covenant for themselves rather than relying on their parents’ experience at Sinai? How do we actively take personal ownership of our faith rather than simply inheriting it?

The post Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8) first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

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Yael’s journey reflects a growing struggle for Jewish students nationwide and invites both Jews and Christians to consider how we support those facing hostility, misinformation, and isolation.

Growing Up Without Anti-Semitism

Yael grew up in a religious community where anti-Semitism was virtually unknown. “I grew up in a very religious community, had never had any real problems with antisemitism, which was, of course, such a blessing.” College, however, brought a stark awakening.

A Campus Without a Jewish Home

In rural Ohio, Jewish life was nearly invisible. Hillel existed—but barely. Her attempt to start a Jewish or Israel club was rejected under the guise of “inclusivity.”

“I asked, can we start a Jewish club, an Israel club? We can make challah, we can teach about Israel. But the chaplain said we can’t have something like that because we want to be open to everyone.”

October 7th: A Turning Point

While studying abroad in England, Yael learned of the horrific attacks in Israel. Returning to campus, she found a painful contrast: The Students for Justice in Palestine club received institutional support, while Hillel remained silent.

“They didn’t acknowledge October 7th… until the one-year anniversary when they posted something about a family Shabbat.”

Courage in the Face of Hostility

Determined to speak for the hostages, Yael printed hundreds of posters and put them up at night for her own safety.

“People would take them down within seconds. I would put them up when no one was around.”

Her story is one of resilience—choosing identity over fear, truth over silence.

A New Chapter of Hope in Washington, DC

Amid these challenges, Yael found renewal and encouragement through Pepperdine’s Washington, DC program and her work with the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism. In DC, she finally experienced what had been missing on her Ohio campus:

• A vibrant, open, and accepting community
• Professors and peers who respected her identity
• Space to speak openly about Israel
• A supportive environment where her Star of David felt safe to wear

This season reminded her that Jewish identity can flourish—and that strong allies stand ready to support her.

Why This Conversation Matters

Yael’s experience is not isolated. It highlights the growing challenges Jewish students face and the courage needed to stand firm in hostile environments.

Her testimony echoes a biblical truth shared by Jews and Christians: “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid.” (Joshua 1:9)

For a deeper understanding of Yael’s journey—and the broader challenges facing Jewish students today—watch the full episode of the Red Alert Report.

Blessings,

Amy Zewe 

The Jerusalem Connection International

The post Red Alert: A Young Woman’s Journey Through Anti-Semitism first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Red Alert: A Young Woman’s Journey Through Anti-Semitism appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The long list of laws jumps from wartime rules to family inheritance to animal rights to marriage laws. A significant percentage of the laws address the upstart nation’s public health policies, agricultural standards, and financial guidelines. The sheer volume of laws demonstrates how faith must permeate every aspect of life. Admittedly, plenty of them leave modern readers scratching their heads. Like, what does mixing wool and linen have to do with faithfulness to God. However, some laws clearly call the Israelite nation to a higher ethical order than any other ancient people. Many laws focus on defending people who lacked societal power. The Israelites had to care for the marginalized.

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In Deuteronomy 24, God commands:

Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin. (24:14−15).

In the Bible’s most violent moments of destruction, the main offense against God is society’s oppression of the weak. This pattern appears in the stories of Noah’s flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the events preceding the Babylonian exile. God brings his most severe punishments when the outcry of the vulnerable reaches his ears, and he intervenes on their behalf. Every time, this divine intervention is dramatic.

God hears our cries

The Hebrew word used here for “cry” is qara. It is the same word used in certain Psalms of Ascent when the pilgrims cry out to God. For example, Psalm 120:1 says, “In my distress I cry to the Lord, that he may answer me.” Psalm 130:1 says, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.” Both verses use forms of qara. The concept of the poor, oppressed, or marginalized crying out to God is a major theological theme throughout Scripture. God promises to hear their cry.

In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, for example, the outcries of the weak reach a desperate pitch. The Bible has a more severe word for cry out than qara. It is tsa’aq. Nahum Sarna, author of Understanding Genesis, defines the Hebrew tsa’aq as “the anguished cry of the oppressed, the agonized plea of the victim for help in some great injustice.” This is an example of when the English translation undermines the Hebrew text. The word outcry hardly carries the same moral outrage as tsa’aq.

Anytime the outcry of the vulnerable—the poor, the orphan, the widow, or the foreigner—reaches God’s ears, he is compelled to radical action. The prophet Ezekiel explains Sodom’s punishment: “This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease but did not aid the poor and needy” (16:49). God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah when the outcry against them became too great.

Once slaves in Egypt

In the Book of Exodus, a new unnamed pharaoh came to power. This ruler did not remember Joseph or the Hebrews’ past loyalty. As the Israelite population rapidly grew, the pharaoh became deeply anxious about national security. He feared the Hebrews would ally with Egypt’s enemies in the event of a war. Driven by this paranoia, he enslaved them. He forced the Hebrew people to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses, and he eventually escalated his oppression by ordering the death of their male infants.

Exodus records, “The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Ex. 2:23).

This moment of God’s intervention on behalf of his suffering people is the entire climax of the Torah, the pivot point that the prophets always refer to. When God instructs the covenant people to treat the foreigner and vulnerable with compassion, he reminds them to recall their own history of being abused slaves in Egypt. In Deuteronomy, Moses warns them that they will soon be the landowners and nation-builders. Power will be in their hands, and they must not abuse it. They must act differently than the Egyptians or other heartless and godless empires. God warns that if they fail to protect the weak among them and the outcries of the poor reach his ears, his anger will blaze forth (Ex. 22:22).

The prophet’s echo

The prophetic books cite social injustice as a primary reason for the destruction of Jerusalem and exile to Babylon. The prophets condemn the oppression of the vulnerable just as often as they condemn idolatry. In fact, God rebukes the nation for their lack of justice far more than he rebukes them for ritual or sacrificial failures. Religious ceremonies meant nothing to God if the worshippers exploit the poor.

Isaiah ministered in the eighth century BCE. In his fifth chapter, he delivers a devastating message. He pronounces:

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
    is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are his cherished garden;
he expected justice
    but saw bloodshed;
righteousness
    but heard a cry!(Isa. 5:7).

The lack of compassion in society ultimately provokes God’s divine wrath and punishment.

God does not just demand justice in the abstract. God gives practical ways that the Israelites can care for the poor. Moses promises that if the people follow these laws, the outcry of the vulnerable will cease. According to Deuteronomy 24:19, the Israelites must not overharvest their wheat fields. Instead, they must leave forgotten sheaves for the poor to glean. Deuteronomy 24:20 instructs them not to overpick their olive trees. They must leave the remaining fruit for the hungry to share. Furthermore, Deuteronomy 24:17 commands that a creditor must never take the cloak of a widow in pledge. The creditor must have compassion on her plight.

If the nation upholds this standard of justice, the qara or the tsa’aq will not reach the ears of God. God will not be compelled to dramatic action and consequences. Instead, as Deuteronomy 24:19 promises, the Lord will bless the work of their hands. The Israelites will live and thrive in the land. All will be well with them.

Justice in the New Testament

What Deuteronomy 24 is to the Old Testament, James 5 is to the New Testament. More than any other epistle, James focuses heavily on ethical daily conduct and moral discipline. As the brother of Jesus, James drew from the moral core of Jesus’s ministry, teaching the new band of believers how to live according to the ethical worldview he heard preached many times by his brother.

In the final chapter of his letter, James issues a severe warning to wealthy landowners. He says, “Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you” (5:1). Then he points directly back to the labor laws of Moses. James 5:4 explains exactly why God is angry: “Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”

New Testament scholars often debate if these landowners were Christians or just affluent outsiders. But James is writing to a church. He already rebuked the congregation in the second chapter for favoring the rich. It is highly likely that some of these oppressors were part of the local assembly. They claimed to follow Jesus, yet they built their wealth by exploiting vulnerable workers. James calls out this hypocrisy.

He contrasts their lavish lifestyle with the suffering of those laborers: “You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter” (5:5).

The cries of these harvesters in first-century Israel are the same outcry we see in the books of Moses. James reminds his readers that God is the Lord of hosts. When the wealthy exploit the poor, the outcry still reaches his ears, and God will intervene. True faith must produce tangible justice. And when we do offer compassion, mercy, and justice, Jesus sees it the same as if we had acted compassionately directly to him.

I’ll let the words of Jesus end this Bible Fiber. No one could say it better.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? And the king will answer them, Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:35–40)

That’s it for this week. If you would like to get the study questions that go with the reading, please visit our website at www.thejerusalemconnection.us

Shabbat Shalom

Study Questions

1. The Scope of Holiness This Torah portion contains seventy-four commandments. They address ordinary parts of daily life. These include building a roof parapet, caring for animals, and returning lost items. Why does God care about such minor details of society? How does this extensive list change your view on what it means to live a holy life?

2. Economic Justice and the Vulnerable In Deuteronomy 24, Moses commands the Israelites to leave leftover crops for the poor. He also instructs them to pay workers before sunset. How do these ancient agricultural laws challenge our modern views on wealth and charity? What are some practical ways we can care for the marginalized in our own community?

3. The New Testament Echo The New Testament strongly echoes the justice laws of Moses. James 5 warns wealthy landowners that the cries of their workers have reached the Lord of hosts. Read James 5:1–6 next to Deuteronomy 24:14–15. How does James apply the Torah to the early church? What warning does this hold for Christians today?

The post Ki Tetze (Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19) first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Ki Tetze (Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19) appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

Doron shares how his own journey — from studying electronics to becoming a historian — was transformed by a teacher who taught history not as dates, but as people, choices, and moral crossroads. That approach led him to examine not only what happened, but how different communities remember the same events in profoundly different ways.

With all four grandparents born in Poland, Doron’s connection to Polish-Jewish history is deeply personal. He describes returning to Poland with his father, confronting painful memories, and discovering that Poles and Jews often stand in the same historical places yet see different stories. Rather than rejecting one narrative for another, Doron argues that understanding multiple perspectives enriches our grasp of truth.

His insights echo a biblical principle shared by Jews and Christians alike: “The discerning heart seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 15:14)

Doron reminds us that acknowledging another community’s suffering does not diminish our own. Instead, it opens the door to empathy, dialogue, and reconciliation — values at the heart of both Jewish and Christian faith.

In this episode, we explore:

• How identity and upbringing shape historical interpretation
• Why nations remember the same events differently
• The importance of listening to multiple narratives without erasing our own
• Doron’s personal journey through Polish-Jewish memory
• How honest dialogue builds bridges between communities

This conversation invites us to reflect on the stories we inherited, the assumptions we carry, and the humility required to seek truth beyond our own perspective.

Please watch the full episode and share it with others who care about history, memory, and the hope of reconciliation.

Blessings, 

Amy Zewe 

Vice President and Red Alert Report Host

The Jerusalem Connection International

The post Red Alert: How Identity and Education Influence Historical Interpretation with Doron Sapir first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Red Alert: How Identity and Education Influence Historical Interpretation with Doron Sapir appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The portion outlines the shared and separate responsibilities of Israel’s future leaders: judges, priests, prophets, and kings. These are the four authority structures intended to govern the covenant nation.

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Judges and Priests

First, Moses describes Israel’s ideal judicial system. He instructs, “You shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes, in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall render just decisions for the people” (16:18). He forbids the judges from taking bribes or showing partiality.

Deuteronomy 16 reinforces the judicial system that had already been established during the wilderness wanderings. In the beginning of that period, Moses was the only leader who adjudicated cases among the people. If you recall, when Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, visited the encampment, he saw that Moses risked total burnout (Exod. 18). Jethro, a leader himself of the Midianites, advised Moses to delegate responsibilities to other tribal leaders. The leaders had to be righteous and integrous. Under this framework, lower-tier judges could resolve everyday civil and interpersonal disputes. Complex or unprecedented cases would escalate up the chain to Moses.

Until this moment, Moses has served the people as their judge and prophet, but he will not be there to shepherd them through the formation of the new state. The judicial system set up by Jethro in the wilderness will sustain them when they settle in the land.

Of course, Moses understood that times would arise when a judge would feel incapable of making a ruling on his own. In those cases, the people were to go to the political and spiritual capital of the nation, what Deuteronomy calls the place of God’s choosing. There, the parties will consult with both a judge and priest who will come to a final decision (17:9).

The Torah’s delineation of spheres of power is a precursor to our own system of government, which divides authority between separate branches so that no single office holds absolute control. Rabbi Reuven Travis has a series of books pointing to this commonality between American governance and the Torah. Rabbi Travis argues that the structural and philosophical foundations of American constitutional democracy were heavily influenced by the Founders’ reading of the Hebrew Bible. Jethro’s advice to divide judicial and administrative burdens among officers created a tiered judiciary and a system of delegated, decentralized authority. American thinkers viewed the ancient Israelite system of governance as a proto-democratic model for preventing tyranny and diffusing political power.

One example of how early Americans drew from the Bible is evident in a speech by Samuel Langdon in 1788. Langdon was a Congregationalist preacher and the thirteenth president of Harvard College. He preached that ancient Israel offered a far superior blueprint for the newly formed American states than Greco-Roman models or Enlightenment philosophy. In one sermon, he pointed directly to our text in Deuteronomy 16 about judges:

To complete the establishment of civil government, courts were to be appointed in every walled city, after their settlement in Canaan, and elders most distinguished for wisdom and integrity were to be made judges, ready always to sit and decide the common controversies within their respective jurisdictions. The people had a right likewise to appoint such other officers as they might think necessary for the more effectual execution of justice, according to that order given in Deuteronomy 16.

Prophets

Just as the judicial structure was designed to endure beyond Moses, the spiritual guidance of the nation required a continuing institution. From the time of the Exodus until his speeches on the plains of Moab, Moses served as God’s direct mouthpiece to the people. He was a prophet greater than any other, speaking with God face to face (34:10–12). Moses promises the people that after he is gone, God will raise up another prophet. God assures them, “I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command” (18:18).

The most immediate successor to Moses is Joshua, but the prophetic line neither culminates nor stops with him. After Joshua’s death, Israel entered a decentralized era where divine guidance was raised up on an as-needed basis.

During the centuries of the Judges, figures like Deborah demonstrated that the prophetic voice remained active. Unnamed prophets also emerged at key moments to confront Israel’s covenant unfaithfulness, such as the anonymous messenger sent before Gideon’s calling or the man of God who announced judgment upon the house of Eli. These individuals were non-writing, oral prophets.

Samuel was the first major prophet who transitioned Israel out of the period of the judges and into the reign of kings. Samuel organized communities known as the benei hanevi’im—the sons of the prophets or schools of the prophets. Located in places such as Ramah, Bethel, and Jericho, these bands of prophets lived, worshiped, and trained together. This movement ensured that a continuous, trained body of divine spokespersons existed outside the royal court and the priesthood.

From these prophetic traditions came figures like Nathan and Gad during the reign of David, and later Elijah and Elisha in the Northern Kingdom. These prophets did not leave behind written books of their own, but they played a vital constitutional role. Acting as an independent moral check on executive power, they confronted kings over abuses of authority, economic injustice, and idolatry. Their authority rested not on royal appointment or hereditary lineage, but on their ability to declare thus says the Lord.

By the eighth century BCE, as regional empires threatened Israel and Judah, the prophetic office underwent its final major transformation into the era of the literary prophets. Prophets such as Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah began committing their oracles to writing. While earlier prophets focused primarily on immediate national events and court advice, the classical prophets addressed the entire nation and surrounding empires.

Kings

At this point in the narrative, the people are familiar with the offices of judges, priests, and prophets. Across their forty years in the desert, all three institutions have served as a critical guide to the civil order of the camp. What makes this portion of Deuteronomy unusual is the introduction of kingship. The text predicts that when the people take possession of the land, they will eventually hanker for a king. Moses says, “When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me’” (17:14).

While Israel will eventually be ruled by a monarchy, it takes centuries to happen. From Joshua to Samuel, Israel navigates the period of the judges without a king.

God does not endorse kingship. The Bible remains lukewarm to the idea at best. When the people ask Samuel to appoint a king so they can be like all the other nations, Samuel balks. But God tells him, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (1 Sam. 8:7). God allows them to choose a king even though they should be relying on his divine authority alone. Instituting a monarchy is one of the few instances where God does not explicitly forbid the people from copying the practices of their neighbors.

The compromise suggests an early democratic ideal where the people of Israel choose their own form of government. Driven by a lack of foresight and a desire for security against burgeoning empires, they choose kingship over a federation of judges, asking Samuel for someone to fight their battles and lead an army.

As the Torah portion outlines the political makeup of a settled Israel, it sets strict guidelines for the monarchy. Israel’s king will not mirror the dynasties of Egypt or the future empires of Babylon. Deuteronomy forbids the king from accruing many wives, great numbers of horses, or massive stashes of gold and silver (17:16). Deuteronomy demands humility, insisting that the king is not to consider himself better than his brothers. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks notes that the idea of a humble king is one of the genuine revolutions Judaism brought to the history of spirituality. Genuine Jewish leadership is defined by service and humility. Sacks observes, “Humility is the essence of royalty, because to lead is to serve. The greater your success, the harder you have to work to remember that you are there to serve others; they are not there to serve you.” Colossal statues of pharaohs in Egypt and kings in Mesopotamia show no such humility. Not even Greek thinkers considered humility a virtue.

The king of Israel is a servant to the people and to God. He cannot claim divinity like the pharaohs, nor should he lust for empire like the Babylonians. His power is not infinite. The king is also commanded to keep the biblical writings with him and read them all the days of his life. The Torah functions as the governing constitution of the land, holding a higher position of authority than the king himself.

Israel’s future kings will struggle with these principles and frequently succumb to the temptations of power. However, the ideal of a servant leader reaches its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. He took the paradoxical call for a humble king and embodied it completely. Rejecting the power of earthly empires, Jesus turned worldly hierarchy on its head, teaching his followers that “whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). In Jesus’s own mission statement, he declared, “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). In his divinity and in his personhood, he was the prophet greater than Moses, the judge of the living and the dead, the high priest who serves in the heavenly sanctuary, and the king who marched under the banner of radical humility.

That’s it for this week. If you would like to get the study questions that go with the reading, please visit our website at www.thejerusalemconnection.us

Shabbat Shalom

Study Questions

1. The Administration of Justice (Deuteronomy 16:18–20)

Moses commands Israel to appoint judges and officers across all their towns, commanding: “Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue.” What does the repetition of the word justice imply about the human tendency regarding the legal system? How does the strict prohibition against bribes and partiality protect the vulnerable in a community?

2. The Limits of Human Authority: Kingship (Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

The Torah outlines strict rules for an eventual king, forbidding him from accumulating excessive horses, wives, or wealth. Why do you think these specific limitations were placed on the highest office of executive power? The king was commanded to write his own personal copy of the Torah and read it every day. How does this requirement establish the rule of law over the rule of man?

3. Prophetic Authority and the Future (Deuteronomy 18:15–22)

Moses promises that God will raise up a prophet like him from among the people. Based on the historical evolution from Moses to the oral prophets and literary prophets, how did God continue to provide spiritual oversight to the nation? What criteria does Deuteronomy give to help the community distinguish between a true message from God and a false prophet?

The post Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9) first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9) appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

This week’s Jerusalem Connection Red Alert Report features a fascinating conversation with Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, author, Israel365News journalist, and longtime friend of our ministry. Shelley Neese joins me for this lively conversation with Eliyahu to explore his newest book, The Ketoret, the history of the Qumran Project, and the anticipation of the Third Temple. Learn about the profound meaning of incense (Ketoret) in Jewish worship — themes that speak deeply to both Jews and Christians seeking to understand God’s unfolding story.

Eliyahu explains why the Third Temple is not a symbol of fear or confusion, but a fulfillment of explicit biblical prophecy and a future “house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7). His insights help Christians see the Temple not as an obstacle to faith, but as part of God’s redemptive plan that began in Eden, continued through Israel, and finds its fullness in Messiah.

Berkowitz notes, “The incense itself was probably the most central aspect to the whole temple service.”  

The Ketoret (incense) was central to Temple worship, reminding us that communion with God is at the heart of redemption.

The episode also revisits the extraordinary story of Vendyl Jones, a Texas pastor whose passion for archaeology led him to Israel in search of ancient Temple artifacts — including what may be remnants of the original incense. His journey highlights the powerful intersection of faith, history, and the longing for restoration.

Key Themes in This Episode:

• The Third Temple as biblical prophecy and a house of prayer for all nations
• The spiritual meaning of incense in Jewish worship and its echoes in Christian Scripture
• The Qumran Project and its connection to Temple tradition
• Vendyl Jones’ archaeological quest and its impact on Jewish-Christian understanding (and Shelley’s expertise on the Copper Scroll)
• How Eden, the Temple, and redemption form one continuous biblical story

This conversation is rich with Scripture, tradition, and hope — a reminder that God is still writing His story through Israel and inviting all nations to draw near.

We encourage you to watch the full episode and share it with friends who love exploring the deep connections between Judaism and Christianity.

Learn more and donate to continue this valuable research, and download The Ketoret book for FREE at https://projectqumran.org/. 

Find Eliyahu’s fiction and non-fiction books on Amazon.com.

The post Red Alert: The Third Temple, Incense, and the Qumran Mystery first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Red Alert: The Third Temple, Incense, and the Qumran Mystery appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

Until now, many of the laws of the covenant have seemed abstract. They were instructions for purging idols from the lands Israel would conquer, and for setting boundaries in the territory they would settle. Only now are those calls to action on the verge of becoming visible realities.

Moses has stopped reminiscing about the last forty years. He is now reiterating the Torah’s law code. In Chapters 5–6, he reminded the people of the theological reasons they committed themselves to the one true God and agreed to follow him wholeheartedly. For the next fifteen chapters, Moses lays out the statutes that will govern the twelve tribes once they settle in the land of Canaan.

Most of the decrees cover the everyday life of the Israelites and are familiar from previous Torah portions. These include dietary laws, protecting the poor, tithing, and keeping the pilgrimage feasts. The Deuteronomist insists on the importance of observing all the divine commandments. The people are not to add to the law or take away from it.

Ancestral Memory

Moses speaks to the assembly as if they are already familiar with the land on the other side of the Jordan. He says, “As you know, they are beyond the Jordan, some distance to the west, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oak of Moreh” (11:30).

They know these landmarks. These places were already part of their sacred oral family history. When Abraham first entered Canaan centuries earlier, God appeared to him by the oak of Moreh at Shechem. Abraham built an altar on that spot (Genesis 12:6–7). When Jacob returned to Canaan from Paddan-aram, he bought a plot of land at Shechem and pitched his tent there (Genesis 33:18–19). Remember that the Israelites have been carrying the bones of Joseph ever since they left Egypt. Their plan is to bury him in the family plot at Shechem (Joshua 24:32).

Moses connects their upcoming conquest with their patriarchal roots. He reminds the people that crossing the Jordan is not an entry into strange, foreign territory. It is a homecoming to the valley where God first made his covenant with Abraham.

Jerusalem

Deuteronomy 12 looks to a future day when the Tabernacle no longer needs to be portable. Until now, God has moved his cloud of presence from camp to camp, following the Israelites in their forty-year journey. God promises that they are entering a place of rest from their wanderings and from surrounding enemies. When they are living in relative safety, God desires his presence to also have a place of rest.

This Torah portion introduces a new reform in the sacrificial life of all Israelites. Moses says,

But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes as his habitation to put his name there. You shall go there, bringing there your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations, your votive gifts, your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and flocks. (12:5–6)

The phrase “the place that the Lord your God will choose” (or its slight Hebrew variations, such as “the place the Lord will choose to put his name”) appears 21 times in Deuteronomy. The geographic location of God’s sanctuary is not named outright. It remains anonymous. However, the book clearly establishes the principle of centralization. Moses says, “Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you” (12:13−14).

When the people enter the land, God will restrict sacrificial worship to one place. The kings and prophets will hold up Deuteronomy’s call for centralized worship as the divine protection of Jerusalem. However, Jerusalem was not the first place God put his name after they settled in the land.

From Joshua’s death to the time of the prophet Samuel, Shiloh was Israel’s first spiritual capital. For over three hundred years during the period of the judges, Shiloh housed the priestly class and the Tabernacle. The people came to celebrate the pilgrimage festivals at Shiloh. The offerings and sacrifices were conducted at Shiloh.

Only once King David established Israel’s united monarchy did Jerusalem come into the picture as the spiritual and political capital for all twelve tribes. King David eagerly brought the Ark of the Covenant to the newly occupied royal capital, Jerusalem. David’s son Solomon constructed the First Temple in Jerusalem and transported the ritual vessels into the Temple’s inner sanctum. The entire process from Moses’s proclamation in Deuteronomy to Solomon’s dedication ceremony took nearly 450 years. Only then did Jerusalem finally became the dwelling place for God to set his name.

The Problem of Decentralization

Though Deuteronomy is absolute on the point of centralization, once the Israelites settled in Canaan, they popped up open-air shrines and altars all over the land. This practice continued even after Solomon constructed the First Temple and the entire nation watched the glory of the Lord fill the sanctuary (1 Kings 8:10–11).

Archaeological excavations in Israel and Judah confirm the scale of the problem. Excavators have uncovered ancient altars and shrines from the ninth to the sixth centuries BCE on hilltops, at city gates, along ridges, and in wooded clearings. Notable discoveries include a Judean fortress temple at Tel Arad, a dismantled horned altar at Tel Beersheba, and an altar room built directly into the city gate at Lachish. These high places were often former Canaanite sites of worship—the exact locations God commanded Israel to demolish (12:2–3). Instead of destroying them, the people gave in to temptation. They offered sacrifices and burned incense to the false gods of their neighbors.

In the book of Kings, the narrator judges Israelite monarchs as righteous or evil largely by how they handled these regional shrines. Many kings who were otherwise faithful to God receive a recurring criticism: “nevertheless the high places were not taken away” (1 Kings 15:14; 22:43). Only two Judean kings—Hezekiah and Josiah—receive full commendation for dismantling the rural high places and centralizing worship in Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:4; 23:8–20).

The biblical prophets also attacked the high places. Hosea referred to them as “the sin of Israel” and likened the practice to spiritual adultery. He warned, “The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars” (Hosea 10:8)

The people had abandoned the one true God to lust after idols. By the days of Jeremiah, the regional altars were blatantly contaminated with pagan rituals. Jeremiah indicted the nation for worshiping “on every high hill and under every green tree” (Jeremiah 2:20). He condemned the high places of Baal built in the Valley of Ben-hinnom (Jeremiah 19:5).

Josiah

It was not until the reforms of King Josiah in 622 BCE that the rural high places were finally abolished. Under Josiah’s rule, Jerusalem became the sole authorized site for sacrificial worship and national devotion.

What inspired Josiah’s religious revolution? During the eighteenth year of his reign, the king ordered the restoration of the Jerusalem temple. While workers cleared decades of neglect and repaired the sanctuary, the high priest Hilkiah discovered what 2 Kings calls “the book of the law” (22:8).

The royal secretary read the scroll aloud to Josiah. As he listened, he was convicted because the nation was not keeping many of the covenant stipulations. The young king tore his clothes in grief and repentance (2 Kings 22:11). Josiah realized that Judah’s idolatry and scattered shrines had violated God’s law for generations. First, he consulted the prophetess Huldah; then he gathered the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He read the scroll to the assembly and led the nation in a public renewal of their covenant with God (2 Kings 23:2–3).

Josiah then launched the most sweeping religious purge in Israel’s history. He dismantled the network of regional shrines that had operated for centuries. He desecrated the high places from Geba in the north to Beersheba in the south so they could never be used for worship again (2 Kings 23:8). He removed the priests from the rural towns and brought them to live in Jerusalem. He even marched into the ruined territory of the former northern kingdom and demolished the ancient altar at Bethel (2 Kings 23:15).

Most biblical scholars believe the scroll that the priest found during temple renovations was the book of Deuteronomy—or at least its core legal section, along with the blessings and curses. No other book of the Torah places such emphasis on the necessity of only worshipping in the one place God chooses. That explains why Josiah was laser-focused on purging any substitute sites.

Also, 2 Kings refers to the scroll as “the book of the covenant” (23:2) and “the book of the law” (22:8). These titles are how Deuteronomy refers to itself (29:21; 30:10).

Furthermore, after clearing the land of idols, Josiah commanded the people to keep the Passover to the Lord as prescribed in this book of the covenant (2 Kings 23:21). For the first time, the entire nation journeyed to Jerusalem to observe the feast at a single sanctuary. This national pilgrimage fulfills the Passover legislation of Deuteronomy 16:1–8. It forbids sacrificing the Passover lamb at home and requires it to be celebrated at the chosen place.

Moses delivered the speeches of Deuteronomy almost eight centuries earlier. It had been three centuries since Solomon dedicated the temple. Yet, God, in his perfect timing, ensured that his covenant found its way back to a king who had a sensitive heart for the things of God. We can not obey God’s word if it is not in front of us. We can not be changed by it if we don’t have receptive hearts. We cannot be mobilized by it if we don’t agree as a nation that it takes precedence over everything else. Josiah’s legacy also gives us hope that an earnest revival may always be around the corner.

That’s it for this week. If you would like to get the study questions that go with the reading, please visit our website at www.thejerusalemconnection.us

Shabbat Shalom

1. The Centralization of Worship and National Unity (Deuteronomy 12)

Moses commands the Israelites to dismantle all Canaanite shrines and restrict sacrificial worship to “the place that the Lord your God will choose” (12:5). Why was it necessary for Israel to leave behind the ancient Near Eastern practice of local, hilltop shrines? How did traveling to a single national sanctuary help protect the twelve tribes from idolatry and prevent them from splintering into rival political factions?

2. Economic Justice and Care for the Vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:22–15:18)

In his instructions for the second tithe, the sabbatical debt release, and the freeing of servants, Moses repeatedly centers the law on the marginalized. He commands the people to generously provide for the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. What do these economic commandments reveal about God’s standard for a righteous society? How does the reminder of Israel’s past slavery in Egypt shape the way they are commanded to treat the poor?

3. The Architecture of Collective Joy (Deuteronomy 16:1–17)

When describing the three great pilgrimage festivals—the Passover, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths—Moses repeatedly commands the Israelites to rejoice before the Lord together as a nation. How does gathering at a central sanctuary to celebrate shared historical deliverance change an individual’s faith into a shared national identity?

The post Bible Fiber: Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17) first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Bible Fiber: Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17) appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

Pastor King, originally from Arkansas and now serving in London, shares his personal journey toward understanding the Jewish community and why he felt compelled to respond publicly and biblically.

Pastor King describes how living within a Jewish community — and later meeting his wife Rachel in Jerusalem — awakened a deep personal burden for the Jewish people. This experience, combined with his study of Scripture, led him to confront false narratives that have begun circulating within parts of the church.

In our conversation, he explains why the Kairos II document is filled with theological distortions and historical inaccuracies, and why its claims misrepresent both Jewish history and Christian identity. He highlights how certain narratives erase the Jewish roots of the faith and contribute to harmful ideologies that undermine truth and justice.

Pastor King’s response is not merely a critique — it is a call for Christians to return to biblical foundations, engage in honest dialogue, and examine whether our voices are fostering peace or unintentionally echoing deception. His challenge is pastoral, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in Scripture.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Pastor King’s personal journey toward understanding Israel and the Jewish community
• Why the Kairos II document spreads misinformation and dishonest theology
• How certain narratives erase Jewish history and distort Christian origins
• The rise of antisemitism within parts of the church — and how believers should respond
• A call for biblically grounded, honest dialogue rooted in truth and compassion

Pastor King has authored a Christian Declaration against Kairos II to help unify Christian voices committed to truth, biblical integrity, and genuine peace. If you share these concerns and wish to stand with him, we encourage you to read and consider signing the declaration. And, please continue to Pray for the Peace of Jersualem.

We invite you to listen to this important conversation and share it with others who seek clarity, discernment, and a faithful Christian response to misinformation in the church.

Warmly, Amy Zewe 

The Jerusalem Connection International

The post Red Alert: A Christian Declaration with Pastor Regan King first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Red Alert: A Christian Declaration with Pastor Regan King appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

History Recap

Moses recaps the last forty years, recalling all of Israel’s highs and lows. He is speaking to a new generation—people who have never known anything other than desert wanderings. However, he recounts the events as if they too were eyewitnesses. He rebukes their shared lack of faith. He reminds them of their darkest moments. These incidents include the crafting and worshipping of the golden calf (9:16) and the constant complaining about the lack of food and water (9:22). Yet, alongside his rebuke of what he regularly calls “stiff-necked people,” Moses reminds them that they were chosen out of all the nations on the earth. All the trials and hardships over the last forty years had a purpose. God was humbling them and testing them so he would know what was in their hearts (8:2). Moses promises them that if they remember to keep God’s commandments after they settle the land, all will be well with them.

The forty years of manna in the desert was meant to demonstrate their absolute reliance on God. They are now set to conquer a land rich with pasture, agriculture, and natural resources. Knowing the human tendency for abundance to stifle our passion for God, Moses issues a warning: “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna… to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (8:3).

Preventing Idolatry

More than food and physical abundance, Moses is concerned with the prevalence of cultic worship among the tribes residing in the land. Deuteronomy, more than any other book in the Torah, is zealous in its condemnation of idolatry.

Moses warns against intermarriage once they settle Canaan. He even condemns intermingling with the surrounding pagan nations. Pagan influence, Moses understands, will be the biggest cause of defection among the Israelites. Seduced by the desire to assimilate, they will surely turn away from the one true God in favor of local false gods. Strict precautions are even put in place in Deuteronomy 7 to prevent the people from pilfering idols strictly for their precious metals.

It was not just the spiritual worship of cultic symbols that was forbidden; ownership of them for their material value was also detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Moses commands, “The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it” (7:25). They must burn the idols entirely rather than bring accursed objects into their homes. If they do hoard molten images, God promises that he will treat them no differently than the defeated pagans.

Deuteronomy designs measures to protect the Israelites from idolatrous practices. We see this in the way Moses’ recounting of Sinai compares to the original account in Exodus. The narrative in Deuteronomy includes far more explicit anti-cultic rhetoric. For example, Moses reveals a detail absent from Exodus. Apparently, God was so angry with Aaron for his complicity in the golden calf episode that he was determined to kill him, but Moses intervened (9:20). In the Exodus 32 account, no specific mention is made of God’s direct threat to Aaron’s life. The telling in Deuteronomy is a much sharper cautionary tale. The moral is clear: no participant in idol worship is beyond divine punishment, not even the High Priest.

This anti-idolatry theme builds upon earlier reminders in Deuteronomy. When recounting God’s giving of the tablets on Mount Sinai, Moses heavily emphasizes the auditory portion of the experience and downplays the visual. Moses explicitly warns the people: “You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire” (4:15). The theological implication is that they must withstand the temptation to create idols to represent the Sinai epiphany. Though they witnessed the descending cloud, dark smoke, and bright lightning atop the mountain, it was the unseen voice of God that they heard from heaven. They saw no image.

Words of God versus Image of God

To this day, Judaism and Christianity are faiths that look to the words of God, rather than the form of God. We look for God’s handprint in the acts of history and his intervention in our daily lives. We eat and drink from the canonized words that have sustained his people for over two millennia. As modern worshipers of the one true God, avoiding physical, molten images seems obvious, and Deuteronomy’s anti-pagan rhetoric might initially feel redundant. What is less obvious, however, is still true: though we have never seen God’s form, he still speaks. And it remains our job to do the hardest thing of all: listen.

Every Torah portion has an anthem. This week’s anthem is in Deuteronomy 10. Moses says: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (10:12−13).

All the talk about avoiding idolatry and taking over the land to purge out the evil nations needs to be put in this perspective. God wants whole-hearted followers that serve him with everything they have.  He wants all to be well with them as they live lives, build families, and farm the land, so that all of it brings glory to God. There were many risks that awaited, whether it was full bellies or tempting idols, but God wanted more than anything for them to stay reliant and focused on him. God never gave up on that goal. Not then and not now.

That’s it for this week. If you would like to get the study questions that go with the reading, please visit our website at www.thejerusalemconnection.us

Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai 

Study Questions

Remembering the Wilderness (Deut 8:1–20)

Moses warns the Israelites about forgetting God once they achieve wealth. This is a major temptation they will face in the promised land. How did this dependence on God in the desert prepare the people for a settled agricultural life? In what ways does physical comfort make it harder to rely on him?

The Danger of Pride (Deut 9:1–7)

Moses reminds the people of their past sins to humble them. He commands them not to credit their own virtue for their success. Why is it a problem for the Israelites to view the capture of the land as a reward for their own goodness? How does this reminder shift their focus back to God and his promises?

The Core Requirements (Deut 10:12–22)

After recounting the renewal of the covenant, Moses provides a summary of expectations. How do these internal attitudes connect to the outward actions required by the covenant? What does it mean to fear God while also loving him with all your heart?

The post Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12−11:25) first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

The post Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12−11:25) appeared first on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

Dr. McDermott explains why this issue matters for all believers, not only Anglicans. He walks us through the biblical, historical, and theological foundations that counter replacement theology and help Christians understand God’s ongoing covenant with the Jewish people and the land of Israel. He also highlights how misinformed accusations can distort Christian witness and harm Jewish-Christian relations.

During our conversation, Dr. McDermott encourages Christians to ground themselves in Scripture by reading the Bible systematically, so the full narrative of God’s promises to Israel becomes clear. He also recommends reliable news sources, including the Wall Street Journal opinion section, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel, for balanced reporting on events in the Middle East.

We also discuss an upcoming conference on the Jewishness of Jesus, exploring why recovering this understanding is essential for grasping the Gospel itself.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Why the Church of England’s vote matters for Christians worldwide
• How Scripture affirms the ongoing significance of Israel and the Jewish people
• Why replacement theology leads to confusion and error
• How to stay informed with trustworthy reporting on Israel
• The importance of reading the Bible as a unified story
• Upcoming scholarship on the Jewishness of Jesus and its relevance today

We invite you to watch or listen to this important episode and share it with others who seek biblical clarity and truth in a time of confusion. Understanding Israel’s place in Scripture is vital for every Christian who desires to stand firmly on God’s Word. Be equipped and do not stand silent.

The post Red Alert: The Israel Genocide Delusion first appeared on The Jerusalem Connection Report.

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