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Most believers appreciate having a clearer understanding of the Scriptures from a Jewish perspective. Explore more about our faith in Jesus from this angle and other topics, including evangelism, Israel, antisemitism, biblical festivals, the international Jewish community, Jewish roots of Christianity, personal testimonies, and prophecy.
Less than a week after the Days of Awe, which conclude at Yom Kippur, we begin to celebrate Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34-36, 39-44), which is a far more jubilant holiday. It is one of the three pilgrimage holidays when the…
What does Sukkot mean? Sukkot is the plural form of the Hebrew word sukkah, which means a temporary dwelling such as a tent, booth, or hut. English translations of the Bible typically refer to the holiday as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths. The sukkah represents the temporary dwellings in which…
From Darkness to Light in Munich Taia* grew up surrounded by spiritual darkness. Occult practices and generational oppression defined her life and home. Recently, overwhelmed by the weight of her suffering, she began searching for something more—something real. Her search led her to a Messianic Jewish congregation in Munich, where…
Ephesians 1:9–12 In our last study, I wrote about Ephesians 1:7–8, which described the riches of God’s grace. I offered gratitude to the Lord by ending the study with these words: “Thank God we have been set free by the work of the Son upon the cross.” Now, in Ephesians…
The Sacrifice of the Servant We tend to admire those who are willing to sacrifice their own concerns, dreams, careers, and finances for the good of others. When we hear about a soldier who takes a bullet for another or covers a land mine with his own body to save…
DAY 10 Years ago, a Chasidic rabbi taught me the real meaning of Yom Kippur. I was handing out pamphlets about Yeshua the Messiah at a New Jersey college when, all of a sudden, a determined, black-coated, bearded, hat-wearing campus Chasidic rabbi ran towards me and began handing out his…
DAY 9 On the evening initiating the Day of Atonement, Jewish people gather around the world to hear the magnificent fifteenth-century prayer, Kol Nidrei, which is sung at the service. This moving, mournful, and soulful prayer is highly unusual within the Jewish faith, as the purpose of the prayer is to…
DAY 8 Here are three practical steps to begin the process of forgiveness. Begin the process with repentance. Try and see yourselves through the eyes of a holy God and recognize the depth of your sin, your need for forgiveness, and your inability to merit God’s forgiveness through your own…
DAY 7 Let us look at two stories about forgiveness. The first is found in the Bible, and it is one of the greatest parables spoken by Jesus on this issue of forgiveness, which was one of His favorite topics. The second is a well-known encounter experienced between Corrie ten…
DAY 6 Forgiveness of sin is a major theme in the Bible. The Old Testament begins with the story of Adam and Eve sinning and destroying the perfection God originally created. Sin passed from Adam and Eve to their descendants, and the remainder of the biblical story focused on the…
DAY 5 The Al Chet (All Sins) prayer, a liturgical confession of sins, is said ten times during the course of the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) services. Worshippers recite it during the afternoon prayers on the day before Yom Kippur, just before sunset on Yom Kippur eve, and twice during each of…
DAY 4 Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, described the importance of sacrifice in Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the…