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May 2018 $2.25 Plan to Ban Islamic Full-Face Covering in Public Page 14 Still the 11th Happiest Nation Page 16 Kosher Pig Meat Page 18 Israel: A Very Special People – Part 20 Division of the Kingdom 929 Day Bible Study in Jerusalem • Nuclear Power in the Middle East? Celebrate 70 Years Israel with Us! In honor of Israel’s 70th birthday, the staff of Midnight Call Ministries has designed a t-shirt appropriate to show your support and love for the nation. Israel has a future like no other country in the world: “He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD” (Psalm 147:19-20). Yes, God has not dealt so with any nation in the world except Israel. Take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate 70 years of Israel in their land again. Three colors available! NEW Black Red Cream Send check or money order to: Midnight Call Ministries • PO Box 84309 • Lexington, SC 29073 NFI0518 ❏ Check/Money Order ❏ Credit Card With credit card ready, call 800-845-2420 Online: midnightcall.com/t-shirts $10 each (plus shipping) Card#: ____________________________________ Exp. _______ Phone: ________________________ Name: ______________________________________ Address: ____________________________________ City: ______________________________________ St/Prov: ____________Zip/Postal Code: __________ Email: ______________________________________ May 2018 ISSN 1095-7901 Contents Published twelve times a year by Midnight Call Ministries, Inc. PO Box 84309 Editor’s Note 4 Lexington SC 29073 By Fredi Winkler Physical Location: 4694 Platt Springs Road Cover Story West Columbia, SC 29170, USA 6 Dr. Wim Malgo (1922–1992), Founder Israel: A Very Arno Froese, Editor Fredi Winkler, International Editor Special People – Michelle Kim, Layout Designer Kimberly Farmer, Copy Editor Part 20. Division Gaby Berry, Barbara Lavery, Melanie Makin and Helga Tirrell, of the Kingdom. German-English Translators By Thomas Lieth Web: midnightcall.com If Jeroboam remained Toll free phone: 1-800-845-2420 faithful to God and Local and International: +1 (803) 755-0733 followed Him, he was to partake of the blessings. Jeroboam, however, very soon turned ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES: to idol worship, thus forfeiting God’s favor. U.S.A. $18 Canada $26.50 11 On The Horizon All other countries $38 U.S. 11 ISRAEL CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRY: 929 Day Bible Study in Jerusalem Please send your OLD and NEW address 12 SAUDI ARABIA when moving or when making any Nuclear Power in the Middle East? inquiry about your subscription. 14 DENMARK Plan to Ban Islamic Full-Face Covering in Public INTERNA TIONAL EDI TIONS 16 ISRAEL Nachrichten Aus Israel (German), Postfach Still the 11th Happiest Nation 290, Ringwiesenstrasse 12a CH --8600 18 ISRAEL D¨ubendorf Switzerland • Nieuws Uit Israel (Dutch), Postbus 193, 3940 AD Doorn, Kosher Pig Meat Netherlands • Noticias de Israel (Portuguese), Action for Israel Caixa Postal 1688, 90001–970 Porto Alegre 24 RS, Brazil By Arno Froese • Noticias de Israel (Spanish), PO Box 84309 Lexington, SC 29073 • Nouvelles d’Israel 28 Ebenezer Home (French), Case Postale 290, Ringwiesenstrasse By David Phillips 12a CH --8600 D u¨ bendorf Switzerland Editor’s Note Dear Friends of Israel, BY FREDI WINKLER here’s one question that comes up all the time: What happens to the sins of the Jews, Tsince there is no longer a temple for them to of - fer sacrifices for their sins? The author of the Book of Hebrews wrote, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (10:4). This is why the Old Testament used the word “kappara,” which didn’t mean “to forgive” or “to take away,” but rather “to cover.” The sins in the Old Testament were simply covered up with God’s forbearance until He came to truly for - give the sins, in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who shed His blood as the final and eternal sacrifice for the forgiveness of all the sins of the world. When John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Seen like this, the entirety of the sacrificial ceremonies under the old law were just precursors for the coming final sacrifice that Jesus Christ would make in the fullness of time. Significantly, 40 years after Jesus died and rose again, the temple was utterly destroyed, putting an end to the sacrificial ceremonies, just as God predicted through the prophet Daniel, in chapter 9 of his book. The suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ must therefore be the central and most important theme of evangelism. Suffering and death by themselves, though, aren’t the important part of the Good News, but rather the resurrection. If Jesus had not arose from the dead, He would have just been a martyr and would have simply been classified among all the other founders of religions. Above all else, it is the fact that Jesus rose from death that makes Him greater than all others. Many times, the suffering and death of Jesus are emphasized more than His resurrection, but it is actually the resurrection that should be the focus 4 of the gospel message. For the Orthodox Church, the day commemorating the resurrection is the most important day in the church calendar; not so much Christmas, as in the Western church. In fact, they call the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by a much more glorious and befitting name: the Church of the Resurrection, or Anastasis in Greek. The greatest gospel message that Jesus entrusted to His followers was the promise of resurrection and eternal life; a message that they were directed to share with the entire world. This message is sometimes referred to as the message of grace, because it contains an offer to receive a pardon from death and the punishment for sin. The Jews were also beginning to understand that it wasn’t the sacrifices, but rather the grace of God that was most important. When the temple was destroyed and the sacrificial ceremonies ended, the Jews transitioned al - most seamlessly to a new religious practice, in which the day of Yom Kip - pur and the preceding ten days of atonement became the central instrument for the forgiveness of sin. In the ceremonial prayers of that holiday, they re - cite a verse from the Book of Micah, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (7:18). This expression was one of the most important verses that convinced the Jews that God’s grace is needed for the forgiveness of sins. For them, how - ever, some uncertainty remains as to whether God will really be gracious. By contrast, those who believe in Jesus Christ know that they have received grace, because God always fulfills His promises. Another question that often seems to come up when this topic is dis - cussed is the issue of offering sacrifices in the future temple, which was spo - ken of by the prophet Ezekiel. What will be the purpose of sacrifices during the millennium? They will probably be a commemoration of the sacrificial death of Jesus, much like communion with bread and wine is a reminder for us of what He did. In the thankful knowledge that God is our personal Savior and delights to show us grace, Shalom, MAY 2018 5 Cover Story Israel: A Very Special People – Part 20 Division of the Kingdom “And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel)” (1 Kings 11:31-32). 6 Cover Story BY THOMAS LIETH fter Solomon’s death in and he had clad himself with a 931 BC, the kingdom was new garment; and they two were Adivided because of its sin - alone in the field: And Ahijah fulness. This is described as fol - caught the new garment that was lows in 1 Kings 11:26-39: on him, and rent it in twelve “And Jeroboam the son of pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Take thee ten pieces: for thus Solomon’s servant, whose saith the LORD, the God of Israel, mother’s name was Zeruah, a Behold, I will rend the kingdom widow woman, even he lifted up out of the hand of Solomon, and his hand against the king. And will give ten tribes to thee: (But this was the cause that he lifted he shall have one tribe for my up his hand against the king: servant David’s sake, and for Solomon built Millo, and repaired Jerusalem’s sake, the city which the breaches of the city of David I have chosen out of all the tribes his father. And the man Jeroboam of Israel:) Because that they have was a mighty man of valour: and forsaken me, and have wor - Solomon seeing the young man shipped Ashtoreth the goddess that he was industrious, he made of the Zidonians, Chemosh the him ruler over all the charge of god of the Moabites, and Milcom the house of Joseph. And it came the god of the children of Ammon, to pass at that time when Jer - and have not walked in my ways, oboam went out of Jerusalem, to do that which is right in mine that the prophet Ahijah the eyes, and to keep my statutes and Shilonite found him in the way; my judgments, as did David his Visit midnightcall.com MAY 2018 7 Part 20.