Several people commented on the final article, but I was already thinking to put out a quick note asking if people had any feedback on the series. My two main questions are: Do you have a favorite column or two? There is no need to quote the title, just say “That one about xyz” or …
Our series has reached its conclusion. We have explored many different aspects of the relationship between Christians and Jews. The discipline of writing these columns has forced me to take a large number of swirling thoughts about this topic and bring them down to earth. When ideas are written down, they become transportable! I am …
One word divides Christians and Jews. No, it is not the word you are thinking about. It is not the word salvation, or more specifically Yeshua/Jesus. There is virtually no disagreement that such a person named Yeshua walked the earth. There is no dispute that He died in Jerusalem. The disagreement is in the significance …
If you grew up in Christian circles, you probably never heard the wonderful love story in Genesis about Joseph and Asenath. I only discovered it once I started reading the Torah along with the Jewish commentaries. The story we tell herein has nothing to do with the apocryphal work Joseph and Aseneth, written by Christians …
Studio See: 050 – The Biblical Love Story You Never Heard! Read More »
More than 70 years have passed since the re-establishment of Israel in 1948. Most people reading this column are not old enough to vividly remember those early days. In the 1970s a theory began to make the rounds in Christian circles that the end of the age will happen within 40 years of the re-establishment …
Studio See: 049 – A View too Small: The Future of Israel Read More »
One of the most beautiful and thought-provoking stories in the New Testament is that of the prodigal son. It is also one of the most taught. And yet, something hit me the other day that caught me off guard: an insight into this well-worn tale that I never considered before. Prodigal Son Story Since …
Studio See: 048 – A View Too Small: Prodigal Son Story Read More »
I grew up in an environment where I was taught to fear the Lord, His righteousness, and His judgment of the world — in short His ability to punish the wicked. It wasn’t that any of that was wrong, but since knowing Gidon, and since spending more time studying the Jewish roots of our faith, …
We continue with our series of columns where we in the Christian world are not wrong, but where our view is just too small. I have long felt that something is amiss in the Christian world in regards to our handling of End Times prophecy. Before launching into what may be amiss, I want to …
[Only seven articles are left in the Studio See series after this one.] In my work in Israel and with Orthodox Jews in the last five years, none of my viewpoints has been changed more dramatically than with respect to Jewish forefathers. Honor your father and your mother, that you may long endure on the …
Recently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited President Donald Trump at the White House. After moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem in the spring of 2018, Trump followed up his historic decision by agreeing with Israel, rather than with the United Nations, that the Golan Heights should be permanently considered to be part of Israel. Netanyahu’s …
Today we continue the mini-series on topics in which I don’t believe we (as Christians) are totally wrong, but of which our current view is just too small. The topic today is life lived in the context of community. First, a disclaimer: this article is focused on Christians who live in western nations, such as …
Studio See: 043 – A View Too Small: Jewish Community Read More »
Today we continue the mini-series on topics in which I don’t believe we (as Christians) are totally wrong, but for which our current view is just too small. Secularism is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the indifference to, or exclusion of, religion and religious considerations.” I believe our view of secularism is too small because we …
Today we continue the mini-series on topics in which I don’t believe we (as Christians) are totally wrong, but for which our current view is just too small. I believe our view of Torah is too small. As is typical I would like to begin this discussion with a story. What Makes a Great …
This entire series of columns covers topics that live at the intersection of the Christian world and the Jewish world. My goal in each column is to make many of you think about something that you may have never considered before! The last few columns dealt with sins in the Christian world. Today, we will …
Studio See: 040 – A View Too Small: Resurrection Read More »
I believe that collectively, we Christians are making a great mistake in the way we approach the great divide that separates us as Christians and Jews: the issue of Jesus/Yeshua being the Messiah. Before revealing that mistake, let me stress that the foregoing comment is speaking collectively to Christians. What any one Christian does on …
All is not right with the world. We have a serious problem that is permeating everything. Offense! While this topic is common to the human condition, I do not have the skills to speak to it generally, therefore I would like to confine my remarks to those who are followers of Jesus/Yeshua. I believe the …
Unfortunately, all is not right with the world. And neither is everything perfect in the ranks of the people of God. So while it is good and right to dwell on what is good and right, there comes a time when we must allow the light of God to shine on those places that are …
In a previous column, I told you about how my experience on the 9th of Av in 2013 led me to meet Gidon on the walls of Jerusalem, hear his idea for what is now Root Source, and help him get his idea up and running. Then last time in my article From Fast Day …
Studio See: 036 – Redeeming the Sin of the Spies Read More »
While the 9th of Av is the traditional day of Jewish fasting for the destruction of the First and Second temples, God has promised in Zechariah 8:19 that it, and the other three major fast days will all be turned into feast days. Av is the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar. Thus said the …
Most of these columns are designed to offer some insight or observation about things that are happening at the intersection of Christian/Jewish relations. Today’s topic is a lot heavier on the observation than insight. How should Christians think about national salvation? Last time we discussed the similarities between the story of the Exodus, and …
Studio See: 034 – National Salvation and Christianity Read More »
The word salvation is about as loaded a word as you can get in Christianity. “Are you saved?” “Do you have eternal life?” “Do you know where you are going when you die?” These are central questions that Christians, especially we Evangelical Christians, associate with salvation. And these very same questions have been asked by …
Studio See: 033 – Are the Blood Moons About Salvation? Read More »
Root Source began in 2014, just at the very beginning of a series of “very interesting years” that have just ended. Here is a quick look back in time. The year 2014 witnessed the first two of the Four Blood Moons on Passover and Sukkot that were made famous by Mark Biltz and John Hagee. …
Studio See: 032 – Blood Moons, Jubilee and 70 Years Read More »
On Sunday night, January 20th, another Total Lunar Eclipse will be seen over North America for 62 minutes beginning at 11:41 PM EST, 10:41 PM CST, and 8:41 PM PST. It also can be seen very early on the morning of Monday January 21st at 4:41 AM from the United Kingdom, 5:41 AM in Europe …
Studio See: 031 – Blood Moons: God’s Great Bait-and-Switch? Read More »
In Hebrew, the word to ascend — Aliyah — is the word used both to “go to Jerusalem” but it is more generally used in to “go up to Zion.” That is what Jews do when they immigrate to Israel. Jews who immigrate to Israel are said to “make Aliyah”. Biblically and culturally, an Israeli …
Besides Jerusalem and Peni-El discussed previously, I would have to say one of my other favorite places in Israel is Beth-El, (Bethel) the House of God. Few places in Israel are so well preserved as this one. Like Peni-El, Beth-El is also famous for a visit by Jacob when he slept and dreamed of a …
Studio See: 029 – The House of God and the Feet of Man Read More »
One of my favorite places in the world is a place I have never visited. That sentence above was penned right here, within the boundaries of that greatest of all cities — Jerusalem — the city of Yeru (God will make manifest), and shaloyim — the incomprehensible, manifold dimensions of peace that have, are and …
About six months ago I proclaimed that I believed I could write for one year about topics related to the interaction between Christians and Jews. As such, this column begins the second half of that 52-week journey. Today, I will reluctantly explain the reason behind why I named this column Studio See — you will …