JCF News

December 2011

Gary Alley — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:24:00 GMT

What Rough Beast Slouches Towards Bethlehem to be Born?

By Gary Alley

Over the past year, we have watched the Middle East landscape blown and shaped by shifting political and populist winds. This “Arab Spring” storm has toppled and continues to blow down autocrats, while tempering the arrogance of surviving regimes. All are reminded that governance and power are not a cudgel, but a privilege—even for kings.

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs...
And what rough beast,
its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
excerpt from The Second Coming (1919), William Yeats

One of the latest “kings” to be dethroned was Muammar Gaddafi, who had controlled Libya since 1969. Gaddafi was an eccentric, flamboyant demagogue, who fancied himself larger than life. For example, in 2008 he convened a meeting of more than 200 African kings and tribal chiefs, where he had himself proclaimed “king of kings” as part of his pursuit for a united African continent. Delusions of grandeur like these helped blind Gaddafi’s eyes to reality, ultimately bringing about his pitiful demise when he was lynched by a mob.

The designation “king of kings” originated in the Ancient Near East, where one powerful king was proclaimed as a head of other subordinate, vassal kings who were forced into his alliance. Some of our earliest references to the title, “king of kings” are found from the Assyrian Empire. For example, Tiglath-pileser I is called

“… strong king, unrivaled king of the universe, king of the four quarters, king of all princes, lord of lords, chief herdsman, king of kings... (1114-1076 BC)”

As history progressed, a “king of kings” could weave together not just a handful of city-states, but a plethora of nations, tribes, and languages. The Persians are one of the first examples of a sustained multinational, multicontinental empire. According to Esther 1:1, the empire of Xerxes the Great (485-465 BC), included 127 provinces stretching from India to Africa. Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC), who empowered both Ezra in repatriating the Jews to Israel, and Nehemiah in rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall, is titled “king of kings” (Ezra 7:12), as were other Persian kings.

The Persian Empire was followed by Alexander the Great’s brief yet immense conquest, which quickly dissolved into four

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October 2011

Gary Alley — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:12:00 GMT

“Where is the Lamb for the Burnt Offering?”

By Gary Alley

You might say that Israel seems to be in a tight spot right now. Israel’s already tough Middle East neighborhood is only getting tougher.

Egypt, renown for its “cold peace” with Israel since the Camp David accords in 1978, appears to be developing into more of a foe than an ally. With the Egyptian people’s popular overthrow of autocrat Hosni Mubarak this past February, the new “democratic” Egypt has allowed, or been powerless to stop, a spate of anti-Israel attacks. For example, a cooperative pipeline exporting and selling Egyptian natural gas to Israel has been sabotaged and disrupted six times since Mubarak’s downfall. With the gas flow currently cut off, the Egyptian army, the country’s de facto authority, is now renegotiating a new contract with Israel that will significantly increase prices.

In June, a dual Israeli-U.S. citizen and law student at Emory University, Ilan Grapel, was detained by Egyptian authorities and accused of being an Israeli spy. Grapel had been in Egypt on an Emory grant for a summer internship with Saint Andrew’s Refugee Services, a non-governmental organization. Over four months later, Egypt still holds Grapel in an undisclosed location, while U.S. officials work for his release. The Egyptian government is said to be planning his release in exchange for U.S. concessions.

August 18th witnessed a brazen terrorist attack by more than twenty Palestinian militants from Gaza who entered Israel via Egypt, shooting up Israeli vehicles and buses, leaving eight dead and many wounded. In response to Israel’s pursuit of the militants across the border of Egypt that allegedly resulted in the death of six Egyptian police officers, thousands of Egyptians converged on the Israeli embassy in Cairo, pulling down the Israeli flag. September 9th saw a more overwhelming assault on the embassy, as the mob broke into the building, ransacking rooms and tossing Israeli documents out the windows without the deterrence of Egyptian forces. The Israeli ambassador and staff fled the country.

While Egypt has only had relations with Israel for just over three decades, Turkey on the other hand was the first Muslim nation to recognize the state of Israel in 1949. Since then, the Israeli-Turkish relationship has, for the most part, been consistently strong with both economic and

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August 2011

Gary Alley — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:39:00 GMT

Forgive U$ Our Debt

By Gary Alley

Since the advent of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, the world’s nations now more than ever are being confronted with the symbiotic relationships they share with one another in the international community. Pressures with trade agreements, currency valuation, and debt deals are challenging the integrity of some governments as they struggle with the reality of too many bills and not enough income. Iceland became the first byword of bankruptcy with its international default in the aftermath of the October 2008 market crash. Other countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain are also in hot water as the pot of bankruptcy threatens to boil over. And now in the summer of 2011, the richest nation on earth—the United States—has become linked to rumors of potential sovereign default.

Making money, doing business, and trading goods have been a part of civilization for millennia. For every successful entrepreneur or wealthy landowner in history, an unfortunate, ill-advised investor or impoverished serf has played the subjugated role of debtor. Until the 1800’s, debtors’ prisons were common throughout Europe and the United States, where those who could not pay their debts were imprisoned until friends or families cleared their obligations. In the ancient world of the Bible, debtors, including their children, could be enslaved for what they owed (2 Kgs 4:1). While Scripture commanded the Israelites not to enslave each other, they could require a period of indentured servanthood till the Jubilee Year, when all debts were forgiven (Lev 25:39-40; See also Deu 15:1-2 with a similar command for the Year of Release). Yet it is difficult to find the release of debtor-slaves truly practiced in the Bible (Jer 34:8-11).

The Hebrew that is used for announcing a debtor’s freedom in the Jubilee Year, “proclaim liberty (dror) throughout the land to all its inhabitants (Lev 25:10)” is also found in Isaiah’s encouragement to those returning from exile, “he has sent me...to proclaim freedom (dror) for the captives (61:1).” When Jesus inaugurated his ministry by speaking at the Nazareth synagogue, he invoked Isa 61:1-2 as the essence of his vocation—to free “debtors”. While forgiveness of financial obligations was at the core of the Old Testament’s Jubilee Year, the writers of the Gospels understood this Jubilee forgiveness with regard to the debt of sin. Hence, Jesus proclaimed a Jubilee that offered forgiveness for those bankrupted by sin. “God

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June 2011

Gary Alley — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:33:00 GMT

Eye for an Eye

By Gary Alley

This past month, on May 2nd, the world woke up to the news that Osama bin Laden, founder and leader of the terrorist organization, al-Qaida, enabler and financier of countless murders, most notably the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on New York and Washington D.C., was killed by American special forces in a residential compound, outside of Pakistan’s capital. When President Barack Obama announced bin Laden’s death, he invoked the word “justice” five times during his speech—“we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al-Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.”

Justice can be summed up in the well-known biblical verse of retribution, “if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise (Ex 21:23-25).” Within the Old Testament tradition, that command—“an eye for an eye” was used to punish the actual criminal while protecting innocent family members related to the guilty party. “An eye for an eye” was to limit damages to the guilty and thereby cease cyclical, highly subjective grudge and vengeance.

We know in the time of Jesus, Jewish legal tradition was already beginning to interpret “eye for an eye” as financially compensating someone for the value of their lost eye. This tradition is followed today in our modern judicial system which financially compensates an injured plaintiff according to their suffering and loss.

Jesus also weighed in on this law of retribution: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well (Mt 5:38-40).” Here, Jesus is not promoting pacifism, nor is he telling us not to defend ourselves when attacked. Rather, he is expanding on the rule of retaliation but from an unexpected perspective—how are we to respond to someone who feels we have wronged them? While “eye for an eye” says we need only compensate for the harm we’ve done, Jesus commands us to go farther. Did I hit someone? So if they hit me back, let me doubly compensate them,

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April 2011

Gary Alley — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:23:00 GMT

When the World Quakes

By Gary Alley

Mary Gardner was a Scottish Bible Translator who worked in Togo, West Africa helping to bring the Bible to the Ife people in their own language. She came to study in Jerusalem for six months with Halvor and Miriam Ronning’s Home for Bible Translators. Wednesday, March 23rd a bomb went off next to a crowded Jerusalem bus stop. Mary was the lone fatality, while others were badly wounded, including many teenagers heading home from school.

Annette Nolting, a German Christian, had come to Jerusalem in 1983 to care for Holocaust victims and to serve the local body of believers. After more than 27 years of faithful service, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in March 2010. She passed away Tuesday, March 8, 2011 after a year of hospice.

On Friday afternoon, March 11th, Japan suffered a massive earthquake, followed by an overwhelming tsunami that devastated its northeastern coastal towns and cities. More than 11,000 are reported dead and over 16,000 missing. Even more apocalyptic has been the partial nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant which will undoubtedly affect Japan’s future life and health.

When tragedy strikes, despair enters, and fear fills our thoughts. How do we react? When death stands before us, or crouches near the ones we love, how do we continue to live with hope? When God seems silent in the face of suffering, why do we still trust and believe?

The prophet, Habakkuk, often remembered for, “the righteous will live by his faith (2:4),” reminds us how we are to live out that faith.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength, And He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. (3:17-19)

When our world quakes, whether a daily struggle or a catastrophic event, we know that God is there giving us strength to walk in those difficult places. Joy is unknowable until we have experienced that dark night of the soul.

Biblical Pearl

Our Identity in Messiah and Passover

By Randall Buth

Matthew 2:15, “I called

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February 2011

Gary Alley — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:49:00 GMT

Egypt and God’s Revolution for the Middle East

By Gary Alley

Not since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has the world watched with as much anticipation as the changing of political power in the Middle East of 2011. Yet, our hopes for real freedom for the nations of this region are cooled by the memory of the Iranian Revolution of 1979 which “liberated” their people from one repressive rule to be enslaved by another—Islamic fundamentalism. Since the time of the pharaohs, even in the formation of the modern Middle East, this region has been known for its autocratic rulers and oppressive regimes. Here, in the cradle of civilization, democracy is rarely witnessed, and when practiced, it is often used in a charade for rigged elections, or as the means to an end. In short, revolution in the Middle East does not guarantee true reformation.

In January we all began watching Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution, where popular unrest filled the streets and brought on the ouster and abdication of their “President” of twenty four years. Now, Egypt stands teetering on the chaotic edge of the political unknown as street protests have chased their President Hosni Mubarak into a corner. If Mubarak’s despotism falls, who and what ideology will fill the power vacuum? More significantly, Egypt is the most populated country in the Middle East, with nearly 80 million people, and considered a leader on the regional stage. Egypt’s choices will undoubtedly create a new balance of power for political and religious agendas in tomorrow’s Middle East.

Understandably, Israel warily watches Egypt, its mammoth neighbor. When American President Jimmy Carter mediated the Camp David Peace Accords in 1978-79, Israel and Egypt’s unexpected peace agreement began a powerful ripple effect throughout the region. While the peace between Egypt and Israel has been dubbed a “cold peace”, Egypt’s example as the Arab forerunner for peaceful coexistence with their enemy should not be ignored. During the last thirty years of Egypt’s peace with Israel, many Arab countries have come somewhere between a grudging acceptance to a silent understanding of the Israeli state.

An illustration of Israel’s fears of future Egyptian relations was displayed by the gas line explosion on Feb. 5th in the Sinai. As cooperating neighbors since 1979, Egypt provides Israel with 40% of their natural gas supplies via pipelines that flow between the two countries. A suspected saboteur’s blast on sent a fireball into the sky at the Egyptian terminal, cutting off the fuel flow to Israel. The

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December 2010

Gary Alley — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:44:00 GMT

The Righteousness of Giving

By Gary Alley

The teachings of Jesus are not easy. They can be hard to understand, difficult to accept or more often than not, tough to follow.

We can miss the crux of Jesus’ teaching when his words become commonplace, taken out of context, and compromised in our post-Christian culture. In a society that preaches hard work, self-help, individual success, and assumed eventual prosperity, the words of Jesus can come out muffled, sounding idyllic or disconnected from reality.

For instance, charity, or giving to those in need, can easily be overlooked as a key precept of our faith. While we are bombarded with countless commandments in the Bible to provide relief for the weak and the poor, charity in our 21st century world is often perceived as nonobligatory on our faith, optional extra credit for a good Christian. In fact, charity is one of the three pillars of faith that comprised Jesus’ Jewish heritage (see Matt 6:2-4, Charity; Matt 6:5-6, Prayer; Matt 6:16-18, Fasting).

In the time of Jesus, charity or “giving alms to the poor” was equated with the term “righteousness” (in Hebrew, tzdekah). You find a similar refrain in Jesus’ teachings: “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them…but when you give to the needy (give in secret). Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matt 6:1-4).” Jesus promises there will be a reward for those who help the needy. Proverbs 19:17 is the basis for that promise: “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and [the LORD] will reward him for what he has done.”

This concept, that when one gives to the poor they are actually giving to the LORD, was understood as if the giver was depositing money in Heaven’s bank safe. In Second Temple period Jewish literature we find: “Help a poor man for the commandment’s sake, and because of his need do not send him away empty. Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost. Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will profit you more than gold. Store up almsgiving

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October 2010

Gary Alley — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:41:00 GMT

Peace

By Gary Alley

It is the most important lesson we learn in childhood. It prevents civilization from falling into anarchy. One could argue, it is the foundation of the Bible.

Psalm 34:14 commands us, “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursueit.” The Hebrew word for “pursue” is typically used of warriors passionately chasing their enemies who are fl eeing in the heat of battle (Lev 26:7; Josh 8:16). In Psalm 34 though, the reader is not to pursue their enemy’s defeat but rather peace with their enemy. This pursuit of peace demands the same amount of devotion and intensity as a soldier seeking victory.

Psalm 34 is at the core of Jesus’ command to make peace, Peter’s exhortation to live in peace, and Paul’s mandate to promote peace (Matt 5, I Pet 3, Rom 14). Shalom or peace is much more than the absence of war; it is a pursuit of wholeness, wellness, and mutual respect.

Peace has been a controversial subject within the Body of Christ, especially regarding the modern state of Israel and its Palestinian neighbors. Predominately, there are two opposing camps within the Church, one that sides with the Palestinians and the other that supports Israel. Jeremiah 29:7 should cause all camps to pause and consider. “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city (Babylon) to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if [Babylon] prospers, you too will prosper.”

Despite our disagreements, we should pray for good for those we think are against us. While the terms of a just and secure peace agreement are always debatable, may we never be a stumbling block to peace. As followers of Jesus, the pursuit of peace is our godly calling. Seeking peace with our enemy (i.e. Babylon) is what God’s Word commands, and what Jesus demonstrated on the cross..."when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of his Son." Romans 5:10

JCF Study Tours

Caesarea Maritima, King Herod’s Jewel on the Mediterranean Sea

Join Yoni Gerrish and the JCF staff on a tour in 2011 that investigates “The Backgrounds of Jesus’ World”. See JCFtours.com for details One of the first stops on this fascinating journey of Jesus’ world is King Herod’s dazzling seaside city, Caesarea Maritima which

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August 2010

Gary Alley — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:53:00 GMT

Rumors of War

By Gary Alley

As the long, hot summer slowly drags through Israel, one is painfully reminded of the heat of battle and the undesired results of war. For in the ancient days, with the beginning of spring/summer when the rains stopped—this was the time when kings went off to war (I Chr 20:1/II Sam 11:1).

This has proven true into the last century with the modern state of Israel. The months of May and June are celebrated within Israel for the victories of Israel’s War of Independence in 1948 and the Six Day War of 1967. On the other hand, June is also a stark reminder of Israel’s unresolved stalemates with Lebanon, first during 1982-2000 and then in 2006. Due to that indecisive outcome of 2006, many expect a future significant confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon, especially as a nuclear-obsessed Iran spreads its growing sphere of influence among Israel’s enemies.

This past July, we observed the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple on the 9th of Av, first by the Babylonians in 586 BC and later by the Romans in AD 70. Jesus himself did not long for this day of war but wept for the pregnant women, nursing mothers, and helpless infants (Luke 19:41-44; 21:23). He did not claim to know the exact time of the Apocalypse, though He pointed to its signs (Matt 24).

As followers of Jesus, we are not commanded to spread rumors of war or stoke the coals of conflict. Rather, we are instructed to love our neighbors even if they are our enemies. We are to be peacemakers, lovers of truth, and defenders of justice. Destructive wars will most assuredly and unexpectedly come. Our witness to the world is how we confront this chaos with steadfast love.

Charity Report

SOS...SOS...Hope for Bethlehem’s Orphans

By Liz Kopp

It never ceases to amaze me every time I enter the orphanage in Bethlehem. When visiting, I often think I am there to share a bit of my time and affection, but rather, it is I that is showered with unconditional love emanating from every little child on the premise. One can feel the genuine joy exuding from their happy little faces because someone from outside has taken the time to sit with them, chat, drink tea, and absorb a bit of their lives inside the

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June 2010

Gary Alley — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 05:20:00 GMT

Greetings from Jerusalem,

As the hot, dry summer descends upon Israel, we count among our blessings the winter rains that God has given us this year. Unlike other parts of the world, Israel only receives rain one time a year—during the four month winter season. Over the rest of the year, it is rare to see a cloud, much less a drop of rain. The population of Israel and the Palestinian Territories has increased more than 50% over the last twenty years, but the water supply has not. While Israel is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, and it is already trying to use its ingenuity to overcome this most difficult obstacle, the task is daunting. Similarly, this crowded, arid land’s thirst for water is like this region’s neverending political conundrum that thirsts for justice, security, and peace. Most recently the situation has been exacerbated by the Gaza Flotilla Incident.

You might ask, “how can I make sense of what is going on over there?” “What can I do in such an impossibly complicated conflict?” Though you might not be able to influence and change the policy of governments and political organizations, you can impact the life of one person, one child, or even a family. While the nightly news is featuring the latest explosive event in Israel, we at JCF are looking for that one lost, thirsty sheep. Join us with your prayers and support as we invest in one life at a time here in this desert land.

Charity Report

The Plight of the Messianic Ethiopian Jews

By Dania Minor

The Ethiopian community is one of the poorest in Israel. Today, more than 120,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel after being rescued from persecution in Ethiopia during the 1980’s and 1990’s. These immigrants have largely struggled to adapt to Israeli life and culture, leaving them few options for work. Many of the older generation have had difficulty learning the local languages, and, with little or no education, have ended up working in very low paying cleaning and maintenance jobs. The income from such positions, even when earned by both parents, is usually not enough to cover a family’s monthly needs. Sadly, there are many single-parent families within the Ethiopian community, meaning the financial and emotional strain is almost unbearable. As if these

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Issue 1 2009

Andrew Johnson — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:03:00 GMT

The Danger of Security

By Gary Alley

Adapted from a sermon given at Narkis Street Congregation in Jerusalem on Nov 29, 2008.

As we enter 2009 in the wake of the World Economic Crisis, it is a fitting moment to discuss the subject of “security”. To do this I want to broach the following subjects: the Advent season, the Kingdom of God, the current economic situation, the end of the world, the Kingdom of God again, and finally, the danger of security.

Advent comes from the Latin word, adventus, which means “coming”. During the four weeks leading up to Christmas, Christians fervently await the birth of the Messiah. The Christmas hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel is sung as a contemplative preparation for Jesus’ incarnation.

While the birth of Jesus is the primary theme of Advent, there is another motif that adorns Advent. The Latin word, adventus is the translation of the Greek, parousia, the word that is used to refer to the second coming of Jesus (I Thes 4:15; 5:23). The season of Advent serves as a dual reminder of Christ—first, his past birth as a babe and second, his future coming as king.

This past nativity season has caused me to reflect on the state of our fearful, post-9/11 world, and how we, as Christians, should live in it. As believers, it is one thing to hope for the glorious return of Christ, but it is another thing to always view events and politicians in a negative and libelous light with a subversive hope that they will play some part in assumed biblical prophecy.

Instead of seeking the ruin of our “godless” leaders and society, we should rather be seeking and pursuing the “peace and prosperity of Babylon” as Jeremiah commanded the Jewish exiles, “because if [Babylon] prospers, you too will prosper (29:7).” That is ironic. Seek the peace and prosperity of wicked Babylon because if it prospers, you, too, will prosper. Does that mean we conform to this world? God forbid. We are not of this world, yet we live in this world as a part of God’s kingdom movement. What did Jesus teach about the role of the Kingdom of God in this world?

It is a field where the owner sowed good seed, but during the night, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the good seed (Mt 13:24-30). When the good seed sprouted, weeds grew up with

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JCF News

December 2011

What Rough Beast Slouches Towards Bethlehem to be Born?

October 2011

“Where is the Lamb for the Burnt Offering?”

August 2011

Forgive U$ Our Debt

June 2011

Eye for an Eye

April 2011

When the World Quakes

Biblical Pearl

Our Identity in Messiah and Passover

February 2011

Egypt and God’s Revolution for the Middle East

December 2010

The Righteousness of Giving

October 2010

Peace

JCF Study Tours

Caesarea Maritima, King Herod’s Jewel on the Mediterranean Sea

August 2010

Rumors of War

Charity Report

SOS...SOS...Hope for Bethlehem’s Orphans

June 2010

Greetings from Jerusalem,

Charity Report

The Plight of the Messianic Ethiopian Jews

Issue 1 2009

The Danger of Security

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