Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Street scene, Jewish Quarter of Constantinople, 1898 (Credit: Keystone-Mast Collection, California Museum of Photography at UCR ARTSblock, University of California, Riverside)
We were certain we recognized this photo from a feature on the Library of Congress archives we posted two years ago. We thought it was a quaint picture of a man and dog in the Jewish Quarter of Constantinople (Istanbul today).
But when we enlarged the photo, using the Keystone-Mast Collection's excellent "zoom" tools, we realized that there was much more than what met the eye. The University of California photo, we discovered, was not identical to the Library of Congress picture. The two were taken seconds apart, and there are differences. Moreover, upon examining the photos, we saw that almost a dozen residents of the street were watching what may have been a confrontation between the man and dog. (Rabies vaccinations in Constantinople began only in 1900.)
Look at the bottom left corner of the picture above, and you will see the back of a head and women standing in a doorway. In the LoC photo you see that the head has turned; it's a young boy's face. From many other windows women are watching the street scene below.
A head and three women (UCR)
The boy's
face (LoC)
Woman in a window
Women looking from
window
A girl in the doorway, a woman at the window
Two figures watching from a distant window
A woman, possibly with children, appears to be
scurrying across the street (LoC)
Constantinople: The name of the Turkish city was changed from Constantinople to Istanbul in the 1920s, which explains the location in the caption on this 1898 photo.
The Jewish community in Turkey dates back millennia. Tens of thousands of Jews from Spain found refuge in Turkey in 1492. The Ottoman Empire which ruled the Middle East for 400 years usually provided a safe haven for its Jewish residents, with occasional outbreaks of anti-Semitic episodes.
Today, the Jewish community in Turkey numbers approximately 20,000, mostly in Istanbul. The new Islamic policies of the current Turkish government may result in Jewish emigration, according to some observers.
This year, 2014, may be the most important year in Israel's history. With the world more volatile and unpredictable than ever before, the eyes of the world are on Israel.
NOW IS THE TIME to stand with Israel.
Make a resolution to support The Land of Israel.com and join us in
spreading the truth and beauty of Israel with the world. The world
needs to know the truth now more than ever before.
"The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning
of the year, until the year's end." Deuteronomy 11:12. The eyes of
the world are focused on Israel - as what will happen in Jerusalem, will
ultimately happen to the rest of the world.
Today's verse from the wisdom of King Solomon urges
each of us to seek out and connect with others with whom
we can grow spiritually. From the word 'chaver' (friend)
comes the word 'chavruta' - a study partner - and a deeply
traditional way of biblical learning where two people explore
Jewish texts together. Together we can connect and achieve
all of our spiritual goals for the coming year.
Want to receive Watchman on the Wallby email?Sign up here
Prophetic Word for 2014: The Righteous Will Never Be Shaken
The righteous will never be shaken. (Stock.xchng)
For many years I’ve heard prophecies proclaiming, “Whatever can be shaken will be shaken.” Indeed, I’m sure I’ve prophesied along those lines in years past. These types of prophecies are in line with Hebrews 12:27, which promises “the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.”
To be sure, the shaking is underway. There have been more earthquakes, famines, wars and volcanoes in the first 13 years of this century than the entire 20th century. At the same time, we’ve seen economic collapses, rising turmoil in the Middle East, the redefinition of marriage in a growing number of U.S. states and foreign nations, and a decline in church attendance. Clearly, the shaking is intensifying, just as many have prophesied.
A Mighty Promise From God
But there is yet good news. The Lord spoke these words to my heart, “The righteous will never be shaken.” This is in line with a mighty promise in Psalm 112 (NKJV):
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.
“Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.
“Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; He will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
“He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. The wicked will see it and be grieved;
He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.”
You Are the Righteousness of God
This promise is for you, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Now, this is your legal position. Your living condition may not line up with your legal position. In other words, you may not fear the Lord or delight greatly in His commandments as you should. You may need to come up higher in trusting the Lord to battle the fearful imaginations that come against your mind. You may not be giving to the poor—or giving at all. You may need to cooperate a little more with the grace of God so that your living condition matches your legal position.
I beseech you by the mercies of God to come up higher this year. Yes, we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. But we still live in these fleshly tents. God wants to change us from glory to glory to reflect the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). Press into the gospel, “for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” (Romans 1:17). As you pursue gospel truths, you’ll receive revelation of God’s righteousness in you that will spark faith to walk in His Word.
Vows to the Consistently Righteous
In the days and years ahead, you’ll want to tap into the promises to the righteous. The New King James version of Proverbs alone mentions the “righteous”—what the Amplified calls the “consistently righteous”— or “righteousness” 75 times. The righteous are promised:
Sound wisdom (Prov. 2:7)
God as their buckler Prov. 2:8)
His secret (Prov. 3:32)
Deliverance from death (Prov. 10:2)
Avoiding famines (Prov. 10:3)
Granted desires (Prov. 10:24)
Gladness (Prov. 10:28)
Immovability (Prov. 10:30)
Direction (Prov. 11:5)
Deliverance for family (Prov. 11:21)
Flourishing (Prov. 11:28)
Recompense in the earth (Prov. 11:31)
Right thoughts (Prov. 12:5)
Excellence (Prov. 12:26)
Life (Prov. 12:28)
Favor (Prov. 14:9)
Hope in death (Prov. 14:34)
Treasure (Prov. 15:6)
Heard prayers (Prov. 15:29)
Safety (Prov. 18:10)
Honor (Prov. 21:21)
Boldness (Prov. 28:1)
Rejoicing (Prov. 29:6)
Yes, there is a shaking going on. But the Lord wants you to know this: “The righteous will never be shaken.” Those things you put your trust in apart from God—people, money, positions, or something else—may be shaken but God won’t be shaken and you won’t be shaken if your rely completely on Him. So ask the Holy Spirit if your living condition lacks His righteousness in any way, and then work with His grace to pursue righteousness. Jesus put it this way: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33-34). Amen.
Franklin Graham: 'Duck Dynasty' and the Ducking Church
Phil Robertson
I appreciate the Robertson family’s strong commitment to biblical principles and their refusal to back down under intense media pressure over Phil Robertson’s comments in a recent interview. As the Robertson controversy winds down—at least for now—I have been amazed at how many churches have apparently “ducked” out on the issue (sin). Some were even quick to condemn Phil Robertson.
If we Christians banded together and took a stand, perhaps we wouldn’t be losing so much ground in what the media is calling the “cultural war.” However, it is not a cultural war—it is a religious war against Christians and the biblical truths we stand for. Some churches have fallen into the trap of being politically correct, under the disguise of tolerance.
God is not “politically correct,” and He is certainly not tolerant of sin. The Bible tells us that He is going to judge all sin one day; and anyone who is not found under the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, will face an eternity in hell separated from God.
Scripture says, “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:49-50). But today God is willing to forgive anyone who truly repents (is willing to turn from their sin), asks for His forgiveness, and believes on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” Romans 10:13).
Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, is the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse.
When the Thomas Reuters Foundation published a survey on living conditions for women in the Arab world, comparisons with Israel were inevitable. The results of the survey were shocking. The much touted “Arab Spring” that was supposed to have delivered greater democratic freedoms to many Arab nations appeared to have overlooked that fundamental building block of modern Western democracy: women’s rights.
But, in Israel the situation is completely different. "Close to 60 percent of Arab students in universities and colleges are women,” renowned expert Dr. Salah Azaiza told Israel Today. “And a great many of those women are seeking master’s degrees and doctorates" before going on to careers in hi-tech, medicine, politics and every other sphere of society.
The full article appears in the current edition of Israel Today Magazine.
