ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry

Why Israel? | Teaser | TBN What if the story of Israel is really a story about God’s love for all of us?   What does God’s enduring covenant with the land and people of Israel mean for our faith today?   Join Dr. Erez Soref in Why Israel? Season 1 from One for Israel, as he travels across the Land of the Bible to uncover God’s lasting covenant with His people. From the wedding at Cana to the Mount of Olives, you’ll see how every promise and prophecy points to Yeshua (Jesus), the Bridegroom who’s coming back for His bride.   Join us for the season premiere Saturday November 8th | 9:30 Eastern - 8:30 Central - 7:30 Pacific New episodes will be released each week on Saturdays and Tuesdays.    Filmed on location in Israel, this series connects the story of the Jewish people with the hope and faith we share in the Messiah.

Shabbat Shalom!

From organized protests to cultural shifts, we examine what may be happening behind the scenes and the larger struggle that may be unfolding beyond the visible! Click here to watch! youtu.be/9smeSY5n8cg

"When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, 'He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue'" (Luke 7:4-5). "Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually" (Acts 10:1-2). The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts form a unified two-volume work. The numerous links between the two books and the many parallel narratives strongly suggest that Yeshua's miraculous mission in the Gospel of Luke serves as a prefiguration of the apostles' miraculous mission in Acts. As part of Luke's overall strategy, therefore, the first Gentile blessed by Yeshua's ministry (Luke 7) foreshadows the first Gentile blessed by the apostles' ministry in Acts (Acts 10). And contrary to these men's high rank in the Roman army, both men truly love the Jewish people (see also Acts 10:22). In my humble opinion, Luke is making a statement about the "normal" attitude all Gentiles who have been saved by Israel's God should have for the Jewish people. These parallel narratives, therefore, are not highlighting an exception, but a rule. Yes, salvation is dependent upon faith alone in Yeshua. There are no doubt Gentile followers of Yeshua around the world who love God but for one reason or another do not have a love for the Jewish people. But from Luke's perspective, a lack of love for and/or indifference toward Israel is not consistent with God's plan nor is it in accordance with Scripture. Would that all lovers of Israel's Messiah embrace these centurions' biblical paradigm of loving Israel particularly at a time when most of the world is turning its back on Israel. "But now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things" (Rom 15:25-27).

There are two very significant days for Israel that come right after each other - a day of mourning followed by a day of rejoicing for Independence Day, when the nation breaks out into a huge party to celebrate its reestablishment after a 2000 year exile.  First there is the annual Memorial Day for all those who have died in Israel’s struggle to exist, either in the armed forces or as a result of terrorism. It is a day of solemn recognition that there have been many casualties in the birth and continued existence of the State of Israel. As soon as the sun sets on Memorial Day, in comes Independence Day.  The two are back to back. As it often seems to be in the Jewish way of life, the bitter and the sweet are juxtaposed - almost without time to catch a breath. Click here to read more! oneforisrael.org/can-a-nation-b…

"I looked on the earth, and behold, it was formless and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were pulled down before the LORD, before His fierce anger" (Jer 4:23-26). Jeremiah's description of God's judgment has unmistakable parallels to the first two chapters of Genesis. In short, the downfall of the promised land in Jeremiah's day, and ours, is a reversal of God's very good purposes for the entire creation: the heavens are once again formless and void (see Gen 1:2), the lights fade into darkness (see Gen 1:3), there is no man to work the ground (see Gen 2:5), so the fruitful garden-like land turns back into a barren wilderness (see Gen 2:8-15). God created Israel to be a microcosm of the entire world: whenever good things happen here the world benefits. Whenever bad things happen here the world suffers. No matter how hard the nations try to fix this world, it will never be made right until this land and all the people in it are made right with God. This is also why a love for Israel and a longing for their redemption is simultaneously a love for the nations and a longing for the redemption of the entire world. "The LORD has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises" (Ps 98:2-4).

Happy Independence Day, dear Israel!!

Israel’s Independence Day is a moment of joy and wonder but it’s also layered with pain and complexity. For many, 1948 marks the fulfillment of a dream centuries in the making, a people returning home after 2,000 years. For others, it represents loss and displacement, a day remembered as catastrophe. These two realities exist side by side… and the story isn’t over. This article takes an honest look at both sides and the deeper question of God’s purposes in history. Click here to read more: oneforisrael.org/israels-indepe…

Today we remember and honor them.

Before we celebrate the survival of Israel for another year, we will mourn the deaths of all those who have been killed, murdered, and maimed in the battle for Israel’s existence. Initially, the two events were marked on the same day, but they were separated to allow everyone to grieve and freely celebrate properly. Flags are placed on the graves of Israeli fallen soldiers in preparation for Memorial Day, and state flags are lowered to half-mast. On Monday evening, the land is filled with a minute-long siren, during which we stand in silence to remember all those who have fallen in service and killed by terrorists. There’s a state ceremony at the Western Wall plaza in the evening and another siren at 11:00 am, two minutes before the main ceremony at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl. Another memorial service is then held at 13:00 for more than 5,000 victims of terror. During Yom HaZikaron, many people light candles and say prayers while bereaved families visit the graves of their loved ones. Special ceremonies are held all across the country, and songs associated with Yom HaZikaron are played as we all remember the high price Israel has paid… and continues to pay. When the day draws to a close and Israel’s Independence Day begins, the inevitable fireworks and barbecues are ignited. The nation does a 360-degree turn from mourning to dancing, and it’s become traditional to barbecue on Independence Day. I wonder if God finds it a soothing aroma. Certainly, He must be pleased that Israel is back in place. The scene is set. His people have been resettled. There is still much to do, but the hand of the Lord has been at work.

It might seem jarring to some, but Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism is juxtaposed right before Israel’s Independence Day celebrations. In Jewish thought the day starts in the evening, at twilight, so Memorial Day begins as the sun sets on one day and the following day sees the strange switchover from mourning to dancing at dusk the next day. We see this sudden turnaround from sadness to joy in many places in the Bible. It almost seems like a biblical principle: The night is always darkest just before the dawn. On this Memorial Day we mourn 25,644 individuals who died in service to the country, 174 of whom fell this year. We also remember the 5,313 civilians who lost their lives due to acts of terror and war, 79 of whom were killed since last Memorial Day. There are tens of thousands of bereaved families, empty chairs around the table, and lives changed forever. And then, almost immediately, comes Independence Day, a reminder that out of loss, something still lives. That even in the middle of grief, there is a story of survival, and even hope. You see this pattern all through the Bible, dark nights followed by unexpected dawns: Joseph goes from prison to leadership, David goes from loss and despair to becoming king, and ultimately, the Messiah, death, and then resurrection. That tension between sorrow and hope isn’t unique to Israel. It’s something many of us experience in our own lives too. Seasons where things feel heavy, uncertain, even overwhelming… and yet, somehow, that’s not the end of the story. Here in Israel, that contrast is lived out in real time every year. Grief is not ignored, but neither is hope. It’s a reminder that even when things feel at their darkest, the story might not be over yet. If you want to understand this unique moment in Israel and the deeper meaning behind it, click the link: oneforisrael.org/israels-memori…

A powerful conversation on the spiritual reality behind today’s conflicts, why Israel matters in God’s story, the difference between people and regimes, and how biblical truth helps us discern what’s really unfolding in these times! Click here to watch youtu.be/TUri9w5-8TA

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! … For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psa 1:1, 6). The first psalm is a beautiful poem praising the man who drinks deeply from God’s word. It opens and closes with a reference to the “way” and “the wicked” (1:1, 6). It contrasts a tree firmly planted and well watered with chaff blown away by the wind (1:3, 4). It contrasts the blessed man, who does not sit in the seat of scoffers, with the wicked who will not stand in God’s judgment (1:1, 5). The first word of the psalm begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the last word begins with the last letter. Although Psalm 1 stands on its own, it is clear that the author of the Psalter, by placing Psalms 1 and 2 side by side, invites us to read them together. Psalm 1 begins with the “blessings” of the man (1:1), and Psalm 2 ends with the “blessings” of those who trust him (2:12). Both psalms conclude with the “way” of the wicked “perishing” (1:6; 2:12). In Psalm 1, the man “meditates” on the Torah (1:2), while in Psalm 2 the nations “meditate” on rebellion against the LORD and his Messiah (2:1-2). In Psalm 1, the blessed man does not “sit in the seat of scoffers” (1:1), but in Psalm 2 one is “seated in heaven, scoffing” at the wicked (2:4), far above their rebellion. In Psalm 1, the man meditates on the Torah (1:2); in Psalm 2, he recites the LORD’s “decree” (2:7). Unlike most psalms in Book One, which have superscriptions (Psalms 3-41), Psalms 1 and 2 stand together without them. For this reason, the Babylonian Talmud (b. Ber. 9.2) states that “The blessed man” and “Why do the nations rage” are one single literary unit.” This carefully crafted introduction to the Psalter calls us to be like the blessed man who meditates deeply on the Scriptures. By delighting in the Torah, and thus in the Psalms, we see clearly who the blessed man is and why we should trust him (2:12). He is Israel’s perfect King, the Son of God, and the LORD’s Messiah, who alone leads us to the tree of life, to leaves that will never wither.

Shabbat Shalom!

A heartfelt search for truth leads to an unexpected encounter with Yeshua. One story of doubt, honesty, and a life transformed. Click here to watch the full episode! youtu.be/TUri9w5-8TA

“The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah: … Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests…. A day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness…. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be HIDDEN in the day of the LORD’S anger” (Zeph 1:1, 7, 15; 2:3). The book of Zephaniah is seamlessly woven into the Book of the Twelve, taking up key themes from earlier books (compare Zeph 1:7 with Hab 2:20). Most prominent among these themes is the impending Day of the LORD (Zeph 1:7, 14), the eschatological judgment when God will call every human being to give an account. Considering a future day of wrath and final judgment is, to be honest, unsettling. Anyone who can imagine standing before God on that day without trembling is, in the words of Mrs. Beaver to Susan, extremely brave or just silly (from C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). For on that day, who would dare demand from God what they deserve? Questions about the fate of God’s people on the day of judgment lead to another key theme in Zephaniah, the LORD’s remnant (Zeph 2:7, 9; 3:13). This is also a central theme in the Book of the Twelve. Should the remnant, those who love God and are called according to His purpose, live in dread and fear? The answer comes through a wordplay on the prophet’s name. “Zephaniah” means “the LORD will hide.” Just as God providentially hid and protected His people in the days of Moses and Joshua (Exod 2:2–3; Josh 2:4), so too the remnant will be “hidden” (satar) in the day of the LORD’s anger (Zeph 2:3; satar is a synonym of the Hebrew verb tsaphan). While the day of wrath is indeed a sobering reality, “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 5:9).

In the midst of fear, loss, and uncertainty, Alice shares how she discovered that her true strength and security come from God alone. Click here to watch the full podcast! youtu.be/nA4jcXa5gBY

What to know! -Our videos about Yeshua in Hebrew are reaching a huge audience here in Israel with 900,000 subscribers to our channel – well on our way to a million. -Israelis are more spiritually hungry and thirsty than ever before following two years of war, death and trauma. Many are searching for meaning, answers and hope. -It is common for those who choose to follow Yeshua to experience rejection from friends and family. It is considered a betrayal of the Jewish people, even though Yeshua Himself is one of the tribe. -Our team receive messages from seekers all the time, and are ready to help people work through their thoughts and questions as they explore issues of faith.   How to Pray? -Please pray for all the new believers to find a congregation where they can get well grounded in the faith and discipled with care. -Pray for those seeking help and hope to come across the truth about Yeshua through videos like ours or other resources. -Pray for our team to have God’s wisdom and grace as they seek to support those making enquiries. -We are currently revamping all our apologetics videos which deal with common questions and objections to the faith. Please pray for wisdom, inspiration, and anointing over the whole team and process.

A story of unimaginable sacrifice that challenges logic and points to the example of Jesus as the only path to true peace! Click here to watch youtu.be/328yCs6YgQQ

Yom haShoah is Israel’s Holocaust and heroism remembrance day, marked each year on the 27th day of Nisan, shortly after Passover, commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. In Hebrew the day is called Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah (יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה( which means “Day of Remembrance for the Holocaust and heroism.” While the world observes Holocaust Memorial Day in January, on the date that the Auschwitz death camp was liberated by the Allies, in Israel we commemorate the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, when courageous Jewish people rose up to fight for their lives. The uprising was ultimately crushed by the Nazis, but Yom haShoah deliberately remembers not only the horrors but also the heroes of the Holocaust. Click here to read who were the messianic heroes of the Warsaw ghetto: oneforisrael.org/the-warsaw-ghe…

Yom haShoah is Israel’s Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day, marked each year on the 27th day of Nisan, shortly after Passover. While the world observes Holocaust Memorial Day in January, on the date that the Auschwitz death camp was liberated, in Israel we commemorate the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, when heroic Jewish people rose up to fight for their lives. The uprising was crushed by the Nazis, but Yom haShoah remembers both the horrors and the heroes of the Holocaust.