The results of the 2021 elections

 So, I meant to post this blog last week, but I couldn't... because the results are still inconclusive. 

As of right now, there is no clear winner of Israel's 4th election in 2 years. In order for seated Prime Minister Netanyahu's party to win, he needs a majority of 61 out of 120 seats in Parliament. Right now, he's only at 52. All votes have been counted, and at this point, if he can't convince 9 more seats to come over to join him, there is no winner. Which means... Israel could have another election in August 2021. 

On a Telegram message on March 24, Behold Israel's Amir Tsarfati said something interesting: 

What do you think about the result of Israel's 2021 elections? What do you think will happen? It will be interesting to watch!

*article from I24 news

Another election?

Israel will have its 4th election in 2 years next week. 

Just 12 months after the elections in 2020, after which a unity government was formed, Israel is heading back to the polls. After personally living through a presidential election in Argentina in 2019, then the 2020 election (and January 5 GA run-off) in the States, the word "election" makes me tired. And maybe triggers some PTSD. I can only imagine what it's like to head back earlier than planned—multiple times! 

Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be re-elected? Or will his rival, Benny Gantz, win? Or someone else entirely?

We'll be watching to see what happens on Tuesday, March 23! Check back next week for more details on who won and what that means for Israel!

Shocking news from Israel!

Yesterday, I saw 3 SHOCKING stories come from Israel. Are you ready for this?

WOW! 

I'm still in shock over the 4 that happened, and there might be 4 more peace deals between Israel and Arab nations on the way! Based on this op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, I'm going to guess: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Mauritania. WOW! WOW! And I don't think these will be brokered by another nation, which is even more astounding! I am definitely going to stay tuned for this!

Here's the 2nd story that caught my attention. Because I LOVE archeology, I definitely dorked out over it:

In the "Cave of Horror" in the Judean Desert, which earned that name because the only way to enter is by repelling 80 meters down (263 feet!) from a cliff into it, they found 2000-year-old Biblical texts (the first since finding the Dead Sea Scrolls!), a basket dating back 10,000 years, coins also almost 2,000 years old, and the skeleton a child dating back 6,000 years. 

• Of the scroll fragments, the article states: "The scroll was written in Greek, but God’s name appears in paleo-Hebrew. It contains passages from the Minor Prophets, including Nahum." This is the first find since the Dead Sea Scrolls!
• Of the basket, it says, this is said to be "a 10,000-year-old exceptionally well-preserved basket which experts say might be the earliest item of this kind ever uncovered." I don't quite understand this, as the earth is only about 6,000 years old. But the dating of the coins and scroll fragments is unmistakeable.
• The coins date back to the Bar Kochba Revolt in 70 AD.
• Of the mummy, he or she was so well preserved because of the desert conditions but also by his or her wrapping and burial. To me, this is evidence of how loved he or she was. And while it is heartbreaking to read and imagine, that is comforting.

And for the 3rd story... this isn't so much shocking as good news, it looks like Israel might be the first nation to emerge into a post-Covid world. They are even talking of opening up tourism in April!

What do you think of these 3 amazing stories from Israel? Let me know in the comments below!

From Nominal Muslim to Christian Author

 Last week, I heard an interview by Susie Larson of author Tessa Afshar, and wanted to share it with you.

The interview was about Tessa's book, Daughter of Rome, my favorite of hers, and the incredible couple of Aquila and Priscilla. I spoke more about them in this blog on July 27, 2020. It again really brought their story alive to me to understand with better context what was really going on in the lives of this couple in the Early Church.

But for the last 10 minutes of the podcast, Tessa spoke more about her story, being raised in Iran, moving to England, and then the US, and what it was like coming to Christ from a nominal Muslim context. How incredible! Her story is so good that I wanted to share it with you here. It was blown away by the goodness of God and the power of her testimony of this woman who now writes Biblical fiction. I think it will bless you too! You can listen here on Apple podcasts and here on Google Podcasts. 

Let me know what you think below in the comments!

2000-year-old tree bears fruit—for the first time!

Remember this story?

Well, Methuselah's story isn't over!

According to this February 27, article from Behold Israel, Methuselah, who was in fact a 'male' tree and cannot produce fruit. However, 6 more seeds were painstakingly revived and were given the names Adam, Jonah, Uriel, Boaz, Judith, and Hannah. Then, Methuselah was used to cross-germinate Hannah, and the result was...

111 dates!

Which means, that these dates are as close as we can get to tasting what a 1st century person did when eating from a date palm. It's still different because of so many factors, like soil quality, air quality, etc. But still, can you imagine? This is what Jesus and the disciples would have tasted in the desert.

WOW! 

The stories that seed could tell...

The Lesson of Masada

Remember the story of Masada?

In December, Behold Israel posted a teaching straight from this incredible place. I was mesmerized watching it, so I wanted to share it here!

If you have half an hour, it's worth every second. Amir Tsarfati did an amazing job telling the story and making it relevant to our lives in 2020.

Click here to watch (and please let me know what you think)!