Pentecostal Christian Movement Enthusiastically Affirms Support for Israel By JNS - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

The Temple Mount as seen from a rooftop in the Old City of Jerusalem (Photo: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com)

Pentecostal Christian Movement Enthusiastically Affirms Support for Israel

By JNS April 15, 2016 BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“Yet Thou art holy, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” Psalms 22:4 (The Israel Bible™)

By Bradley Martin/JNS.org

Bishop John E. Putnam stood at the podium and exclaimed to the crowd, “Who here loves Israel and the Jewish people?” The thunderous applause indicated the ecstatic approval by more than 500 pastors, ministers, and their families attending a recent conference of United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI). Putnam, superintendent of UPCI’s Wisconsin District, had fired up the crowd, exhorting them to incorporate biblical principles in their everyday lives.

A major aspect of the conference—held from April 5-7 in Elkhart Lake, Wis.—was reaffirming Pentecostal support for the State of Israel. Just outside the main hall was a large booth containing informational brochures published by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism. Bilingual Spanish and English tours to the Holy Land were marketed towards pastors in order to encourage more churches to bring their congregations to Israel.

According to the American Political Science Association, Pentecostalism is the world’s fastest-growing religious movement. A Pew Forum analysis estimates that there are about 279 million Pentecostal Christians internationally. UPCI has 4,602 member churches in North America and 9,085 ministers. Worldwide, UPCI counts a total membership of about 3 million adherents.

Jewish ritual items such as mezuzah cases and tallitot (prayer shawls) were on sale at the conference. Olivewood statues made in Bethlehem were on display, depicting biblical scenes such as a priestly procession of the Ark of the Covenant and baby Jesus in the arms of Mary.

“I’ve never been to Israel, although I’ve always wanted to go,” said one woman seeking more information on the tours. Though support for Israel is strong among the participants of the conference, many have yet to visit the country.

“Over the years, we have organized hundreds of trips. Many more are on the way,” said Putnam. “An average trip takes about 10 days. We usually make it a point to go to Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, Caesarea, Tiberius, Beit She’an, Mount Carmel, and the Dead Sea.” The bishop had particularly fond memories of the Dead Sea, sharing pictures of his family during their last visit to Israel. After having visited Israel earlier this year, Putnam feels an even greater attachment to the Jewish state.

“But if I had to choose, my favorite place would be the Sea of Galilee,” Putnam said. “Our group had a wonderful boat ride on the water and it just had a special meaning for me.” After the experience he had while visiting the Holy Land, the bishop firmly believes that it is incumbent on every Christian to visit and support Israel.

Pentecostal support for Israel is rooted in a strong belief that Christianity must return to its roots, as outlined in the Hebrew Bible. According to Pastor Stan Gleason of The Life Church in Kansas City, Mo., it is a conscious effort to return to the faith of 1st-century Judea and encourage Christians to return to their Hebraic roots.

A Pentecostial Christian prays fervently at the Western Wall (Kotel) in Jerusalem (Photo: Video screenshot / YouTube / Zahi Shaked)

“I was amazed how safe I always felt,” Gleason said when describing his recent visit to Israel. “You can feel the presence of God in that land and it is quite an amazing feeling to walk through the places mentioned in the Bible and see it through your own eyes.”

“I believe we have a God-mandated call to support Israel,” said Senior Pastor Ed Herman of TurnPoint Pentecostal Church. Citing Genesis 12:3, he said it is “rooted in the Abrahamic Covenant, those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed.” His wife Paula added, “Our people pray for Israel all the time.” Herman also conveyed his strong interest in and knowledge of Israeli history, citing the late Israeli political adviser Yehuda Avner’s “The Prime Ministers” as one of his favorite books.

“We are so grateful for the Jewish community,” Putnam said, recalling to the audience his experience at the Western Wall. “We are grafted from the same tree; our roots come from the Bible. We owe a great debt to Israel and the Jewish people.”

ISRAEL MAKES BIG CHANGES AT THE WESTERN WALL - TouchPoint Israel

SINCE ISRAEL REGAINED CONTROL OF JERUSALEM IN 1967, THE WESTERN WALL PLAZA HAS BEEN OPEN TO PUBLIC PRAYER. BUT UNTIL NOW, IT WAS EXCLUSIVELY UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF THE ULTRA-ORTHODOX RABBINIC LEADERSHIP AND STRICT RULES WERE ENFORCED TO PREVENT NON-ORTHODOX PRACTICES. WOMEN AND MEN WERE SEPARATED BY A BARRIER JUST AS THEY WOULD BE IN AN ORTHODOX SYNAGOGUE, AND WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY TORAH SCROLLS OR LEAD PRAYER SERVICES.

For years, groups within Israel have worked to break the ultra-Orthodox monopoly on the site, but the highly-sensitive religious nature of the topic has caused tremendous controversy. Two years ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed a committee to work on finding a solution. This week, the Prime Minister’s cabinet voted on a compromise and it passed 15-5.

Israel will construct a separate platform against the Western Wall for egalitarian prayer, with it’s own entrance, so that the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox worshipers may continue their traditional practices on one side and the Conservative and Reform worshipers may worship freely in a mixed-gender setting on the other side.

As with any compromise, not everyone is fully satisfied with the result, but those who are opposed are still relieved that the controversy is at an end.

Shmuel Rabinowitz, chief rabbi of the Western Wall, gave a statement expressing relief that there would no longer be quarrels at the Wall among Orthodox and non-Orthodox worshipers. In part, he said, “The Western Wall will continue to remain open to any worshiper — man or woman — at all hours of every day, with respect and loyalty to Jewish tradition and Jewish heritage, as the Western Wall is the clear symbol of these.”

Anat Hoffman, Chairwoman of the controversial women’s rights group Women at the Wall, celebrated the news. She said, “This is a dramatic and meaningful victory for the women of Israel and the people of Israel.”

While the new prayer platform is being built, the current ultra-Orthodox practices must still be followed at the Western Wall. Once the project is complete, all visitors will have full access to either side to pray, but must follow the customs assigned to each.

'Who Shall Stand in This Holy Place?' - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

'Who Shall Stand in This Holy Place?'

2/10/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  charisma news

A visit to Jerusalem can take you to a place of spiritual ascent. (Wikimedia Commons )

The city of Jerusalem is the highlight of any pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It is not just a city that has some 4,000 years of history, making it one of the oldest cities on earth, but it is mentioned 806 times in the Bible with names as beautiful as "City of God," "Joyful City" and "Desired One."

Jerusalem in Hebrew is Yerushalayim and is often translated as "City of Peace."

It is situated on the southern Judean plateau which at its highest point is 2,500 feet above sea level. Only 37 miles west of Jerusalem is the Mediterranean Sea, and 22 miles to its east is the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea. This explains why in John 5:1 Jesus "went up to Jerusalem," and in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the poor man that fell among thieves was going "down from Jerusalem" (Luke 10:30).

This idea of ascending to Jerusalem does not merely refer to geography though; Jerusalem was the site of the temple of God, therefore a place of spiritual ascent. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?" asks the psalmist, "or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Ps. 24:3).

Psalms of Ascent

In fact, 15 of the biblical Psalms (120-134) bear the label "song of ascent." They've also been called "songs of steps" and "pilgrim songs." Many scholars believe that these psalms were sung by worshippers walking up the road to Jerusalem at the time of the three great pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Tabernacles and Pentecost. The notion of "ascending" to Jerusalem persists today. For example, Jews who immigrate to Israel are said to be making "aliyah," or "ascent."

Many Christian tours recite the Psalms of Ascent as their buses climb the road to Jerusalem. What a fitting way to prepare one's heart for the special experience of visiting the city that God chose for Himself (Ps. 132:13-14). The Psalms of Ascent end with verse 3 of Psalm 134, which is the pilgrim's prayer that they would be blessed by God while in Zion.

Jerusalem in the Bible

Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible as early as Genesis 14:18, where it is referred to as Shalem, the city ruled by Melchizedek. Later it is called Jebus, which was captured from the Jebusites by King David and made the capital of Israel. David also bought a certain threshing floor there from its owner and kept it as the site of the future temple. That site is also referred to as Mt. Moriah in 2 Chronicles 3:1, which indicates that King Solomon built the temple on the same mountain where Abraham had earlier bound Isaac.

Zion was another name given to the hill where the Jebusite fortress stood, and was later applied to the Temple Mount, or Mt. Moriah, just to the north of the fortress. Zion has also come to be used as a synonym for the city of Jerusalem as a whole.

Sites to See

In biblical times, Jerusalem covered territory similar to what is known today as the Old City, a 35 square-mile walled area divided into four sections carried over from Ottoman rule: The Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters. The Old City has been surrounded by walls for its defense since ancient times, but the walls that are visible today date back to the 16th century. The Old City was the entire city of Jerusalem until the mid-19th century when building began outside of the city walls.

While an exhaustive list of important sites in Jerusalem is not possible for this article, everyone must see the Western Wall, the only remnant of the Temple walls; the Temple Mount on which is built the Muslim Dome of the Rock; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the likely site where Jesus was crucified and buried; the Garden Tomb, a rock-cut tomb in a skull-shaped hill considered an alternative site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial; and the Mt. of Olives.

The Capital of Israel

As you can imagine, Jerusalem today is a very diverse and fascinating modern city inhabited by over 800,000 people. It is a sprawling city with beautiful vistas from hill-top housing developments. In addition to being Israel's spiritual, political and administrative capital, Jerusalem is also a leader in education and health care, and its religious, historical and cultural attractions make it the country's premier tourist destination.

It was some 3,000 years ago that King David captured Jerusalem and made it the capital of Israel. Since then, the city has been destroyed, besieged, attacked and rebuilt many times. But it always remained in the hearts of the Jewish people who longed to one day return and re-establish sovereignty there.

The Zionist movement, while a modern political movement, is in many ways a continuation of this ancient attachment of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. The current refusal of the nations to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is an attempt to rob the Jewish people of their spiritual and scriptural heart.

This is why the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem recognizes Jerusalem as the eternal and undivided capital of the State of Israel. 

Note: This is the second in a series of articles introducing Israel and various biblical sites of interest to the Christian reader. Click here for the first, "8 Reasons Why Every Christian Should Visit Israel."

Susan Michael is the U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and leads tours to Israel icejusa.org/tours. 

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A New Wailing Wall - Tsvi Sadan ISRAEL TODAY

A New Wailing Wall

Tuesday, February 09, 2016 |  

Tsvi Sadan  ISRAEL TODAY

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Topics:

Jerusalem

The Israeli government after years of deliberation has granted permission for non-traditional Jews to pray as they see fit at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site. 

For a thousand years, Jews who prayed at what is known in Hebrew as the Kotel did so in a traditional manner, including gender separation. Since the 1980s, however, Reform and Conservative Jews have challenged the consensus by demanding recognition of their right to pray as they wish.

Small in number though they be, these non-traditionalists, most recognizable among them the Women of the Wall (pictured), finally convinced the Israeli government to allocate the southern portion of the Temple Mount's western retaining wall for their use.

That marked a bitter compromise for the Western Wall's chief rabbi, who called the new arrangement "the lesser of two evils." 

The rabbi stated that "ever since this marginal and tempestuous group of the Women of the Wall started its media campaign, the Western Wall has transformed from a unifying place to a wrestling arena. It will take years to amend the sacrilege this group has caused." 

This new arrangement, he continued, "is the result of legal constraints and fear of further escalation in this fight to break the walls of holiness. We must do whatever we can to leave this horrid affair behind us."

Reform Rabbi Uri Regev wasn't too happy, either. "We are talking about a painful compromise. While the Orthodox occupation of the traditional Western Wall continues, the liberal constituency will have to travel to Robinson Arch [the southern portion of the wall]," he complained.

The new area, called Azarat Yisrael, is to be located in the archeological garden at the southern foot of the Temple Mount. The future prayer plaza will be built around the archeological site and will have its own separate entrance. In other words, the Israeli government has effectively created a new holy site for non-traditional Jews that will be separated from the Western Wall.

Little wonder that even lenient rabbis like Haim Navon think that this is a clumsy and expensive arrangement that will solve nothing. He rightly warns that the clashes instigated by the non-Orthodox with the Chief Rabbinate are designed to impose a particular liberal worldview, which is why such confrontations won't end with the new prayer plaza, but will simply be refocused on other issues.

Navon also touches upon the issue of the of minority groups' right to impose their practices on the public space that can't be easily divided. 

The Western Wall, he argues, is a national symbol out of which no one has the right to cut a piece for himself. The Wall can't be equally divided, and demands for an egalitarian holy site can only result in egalitarian disputes where, in the name of minority rights, petitions to the Supreme Court may come to absurdities. Nothing of value can come when common sense gives way to the discourse of rights, he said.

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Spiritual and Physical Fires of Jerusalem ✡ "Rebuild the Wall of Jerusalem"

The gates thereof are burned with fire; come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. NEHEMIAH (2:17) וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ נִצְּתוּ בָאֵשׁ לְכוּ וְנִבְנֶה אֶת חוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם נְחֶמְיָה ב:יז u-sh'-a-re-ha ni-tz'-tu va-aysh l'-khu v'-niv-ne et kho-mat y'-ru-sha-la-yim

Shabbat Inspiration One of the Jewish prayers recited to commemorate the destruction of the Temple states: “You destroyed Jerusalem by fire, so too will You rebuild it with fire.” Above the Western Wall, archeologists uncovered a complex destroyed in the Roman fires of 70 CE; spear-pierced skeletal remains give silent testimony to the tragedy. Thus we can understand destruction by fire, but what about construction by fire? Perhaps it indicates the degree of passion necessary to engage in such a task. If this is the case, indeed we have merited living in a time where the latter fire is burning bright, and many are answering Nehemiah’s call: “Come and let us build!” Learn more about Rabbi Yehuda Glick's Temple Mount Foundation, taking steps to rebuild the Holy Temple in our time! Learn more about the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation » Raise a Red Heifer in Israel The Temple Institute has begun an unprecedented project to breed a herd of red cows in the Land of Israel. Watch here » Is There Spirituality in Civil Law? Just after the giving of the Ten Commandments, the Torah continues with various civil laws and their penalties.  Following an event of such spiritual magnitude, an event that includes thunder and lightening, trumpets blowing and God’s revelation to human beings, the Torah immediately transitions to the most mundane of issues.  Is there a deaper meaning here? Read more » Prophecy and Divine Inspiration Book Prophecy and Divine Inspiration brings the historical era and the internal mind of the prophets to life for the contemporary reader. This comprehensive text demonstrates that the means by which the prophets, mystics, sages and rabbis throughout history have achieved prophetic experience and Divine inspiration are as available today as they were in the past.  Don't miss this amazing read. Get this Great Deal » Jerusalem Daily Photo Today's photo by Ilan Rosen shows a serene evening outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. See more Jerusalem photos » Thank You Today's Scenes and Inspiration is sponsored by Sarita Benade of Australia. Todah rabah! Sponsor a day and receive a free devotional book » “I Thank You For Sending Jerusalem365” It’s great to hear from you and make new friends from all over the world. Please send mean email and let me know how you are enjoying Jerusalem365 (don’t forget to say where you are from!). Stay in Touch » I think Jerusalem365 is wonderful,you have done such a good job. I can tell you are a very intelligence person, also a very compassion person. I have enjoyed Jerusalem365. You are in a great place. You all are the apple of God's eye,that is wonderful.I love all people,you all are great. I thank you for sending Jerusalem365. Pat Barnes Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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UN Vote Would Make Western Wall a Muslim Site - Tzippe Barrow/CBN

Men pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

UN Vote Would Make Western Wall a Muslim Site

10/20/2015 TZIPPE BARROW/CBN  charisma news

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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The Palestinian Authority's latest proposed U.N. resolution, sponsored by UNESCO, claims the Western Wall, known in Hebrew as the Kotel, is part of the al-Aksa Mosque and thereby a Muslim holy site, rather than the last remaining vestige of the Jewish Temple(s).

Sponsored by six member nations of UNESCO's executive board—Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates—the resolution also claims P.A. ownership of Rachel's Tomb near Bethlehem and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

The majority of UNESCO's 58 member nations have historically supported Palestinian resolutions.

For Bible-believing Jews and Christians, the idea that these historical Jewish sites somehow morphed into Muslim sites is nonsense.

The Bible records that Abraham purchased the cave and the field next to it some 3,700 years ago as a family burial site (see Genesis 23-25), with the exception of Jacob's second wife, Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who was buried near Bethlehem (see Genesis 35:16-20).

Israel's Foreign Ministry condemned the petition.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely called it another "shameful and deceitful attempt" to rewrite history, predicting it would "fail the test of reality."

"The Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Jerusalem are the cornerstones of Jewish history. They are historical facts no one can dispute," Hotovely said, adding that Abbas is continuing the legacy of former PLO chairman Yasser Arafat to distort history and work against Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel.

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon paid a surprise visit to Israel Tuesday to meet with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon also arrived in Israel Tuesday to sit in on Ban's meeting with Netanyahu. Danon will return to New York to attend Thursday morning's Security Council meeting.

Ban condemned "the dangerous escalation in violence" in Israel, Jerusalem and what he calls "the occupied Palestinian territories."

The U.N. chief said he understands Palestinian anger over the "continued occupation and expansion of settlements," and their disappointment at the inability to end the conflict.

Ban criticized Israel's "apparent excessive use of force," while admitting that security is a priority when children are afraid to go to school and anyone on the street is a potential victim (of an attack).

Meanwhile, B'nai B'rith International strongly condemned "the attempt to rewrite history" in a letter to UNESCO Director General Irena Bokova, calling it a "malicious resolution" and urging her to steer the executive board clear of such a "vile proposal."

Co-signed by B'nai Brith International President Allan J. Jacobs and Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin, the letter maligns the "blatant hypocrisy that has been percolating with UNESCO."

"The creeping but undisguised historical revisionism and territorial, cultural and civilizational appropriation taking root at UNESCO...make clear which side in the conflict is truly inciting religious tensions and seeking to alter the status quo in Jerusalem," the letter stated.

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World Turning Against Jerusalem in Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy - BIN

Palestinian youth hurl stones at Israel Police forces (unseen) during clashes with Police after Friday prayers in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras Al Amoud on February 28, 2014, Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

World Turning Against Jerusalem in Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy

By Rivkah Lambert Adler October 20, 2015  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“And it shall come to pass on that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples; all who bear it shall be gashed, and all the nations of the earth shall gather against it.” (Zechariah 12:3)

As seen through multiple recent events, the nations of the world are increasing their efforts to weaken or remove Jewish sovereignty in Jerusalem. Is this a fulfillment of Zechariah 12:3’s prophecy that, at the End of Days, the nations of the earth will gather against Jerusalem?

In the 1920s, the Muslims began calling the Kotel (Western Wall) the Al-Buraq Wall and the Kotel Plaza the Buraq Plaza. According to Muslim tradition, Al-Buraq was a horse with wings that carried Muhammad back and forth between Mecca and Jerusalem.

Historically, the Kotel is a part of the outer, western retaining wall of the Second Holy Temple that was destroyed in the year 70 CE. It has been sacred to Jews and Christians for 2,000 years. The millenia-long holiness of the Kotel derives from its association with the Temple Mount, where the two previous Holy Temples stood.

Recently, the Palestinian Authority, sponsored by six Arab states, submitted a resolution to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeking to claim the Kotel as a Muslim holy site, wresting the Kotel from the Jewish nation and claiming it as its own. In the proposal, the PA refers to Jerusalem as “the occupied capital of Palestine.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry vowed to fight the resolution, saying that it “is a clear endeavor to distort history, in order to erase the connection between the Jewish people and its holiest site, and to create a false reality.”

Riyad Mansour, the PA envoy to the UN, has also asked the UN Security Council to step in and assist Palestinian Arabs. Speaking to reporters after a Security Council meeting on Friday, October 16, painting Israel as the aggressors in the current wave of Islamic terrorism in Israel, Mansour said, “The situation warrants providing protection for our people in the occupied territory starting in the Old City of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque.”  In this statement, Mansour clearly refers to the entire Old City of Jerusalem as “occupied territory”.

In response to Mansour’s claims that his people are being threatened by Israel, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Saturday that France is drafting a proposal to station international troops on the Temple Mount. Israel’s UN representative Danny Danon said that Israel will never agree to allow an international force to occupy the site of the two Biblical temples.

International involvement in the status of Jerusalem is also coming from the US and the EU. Current US engagement is evidenced by US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to clarify the meaning of the “status quo” on the Temple Mount through a series of meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Jordan’s King Abdullah and PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

A view of the Western Wall. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The European Union also has a hand in attempting to clarify the status of the Jewish and Muslim presence on the Temple Mount, as EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini is set to meet with Netanyahu in Berlin later this week about the issue.

Scholar, author and End Times expert Rabbi Pinchas Winston believes that there is a great spiritual significance of the tug-of-war over Jerusalem.

“If you look at a map of Europe, Asia, and Africa, it is amazing that tiny little Israel is like the hinge pin that holds them all together. It really looks like the center of the world, and Jerusalem is its center,” he told Breaking Israel News. “Kabbalistically [according to Judaism’s mystical tradition], Jerusalem is even the center of the Universe, because that is where the light of God descends to the world before being shared with the rest of mankind.

“This is why so many nations and religions cherish and demand the holy city, even if they are not conscious of this. As every parent knows, little is more ‘burdensome’ than when several children desperately want the same thing,” he explained.

“When it comes to Jerusalem, how much so is this true when the sides are even prepared to kill for it, ‘forcing’ the world to have to deal with the issue when they’d rather be focused elsewhere?”

Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/51684/in-violent-jerusalem-tug-of-war-biblical-prophecy-unfolding-before-our-eyes/#U4kqqw2e76VcyhVl.99