In Touch - 3rd Quarter 2020

3 rd Quarter 2020 • No 204
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
Do your best
2 Timothy 2:15
INSIDE: EDITORIAL – Reading & Writing • Israel Bible Society • Do Your Best • HEBREW WORD FOCUS – Jealousy • CFI UK online events
Israel Extending Sovereignty • David Pawson legacy • RESOURCES • Hidden Treasures • CFI UK Annual Conference 2020 online

Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
Editorial
Jacob Vince
Reading and
writing
About us
CFI UK seeks to bless Israel by means
of practical and moral support, and
to serve the Church in teaching
about God’s purposes for Israel and
the Hebraic heritage of our faith.
CFI UK also produces a monthly
Prayer Letter, a weekly audio Middle
East Report and distributes the
Haverim teaching CDs.
Please contact us for full details
of projects in Israel and also the
teaching resources available.
As an educational charity, we carry
a variety of resources relevant to
our purpose. We do not necessarily
endorse every view expressed by our
guest writers or authors.
IN TOUCH Magazine
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Front cover photo:
Winston Churchill
In previous editorials I have
focused on the importance
of God’s written word.
Of course, if it is written then it’s
expected that we read it. God’s
written word can be read privately
and publicly (1 Timothy 4:13).
Examples of both personal and
corporate reading, understanding
and response can be found in all
four parts of the bible. Here’s a few:
In the LAW (Torah)
Then he took the Book of the Covenant
and read it to the people. They
responded, ‘We will do everything the
Lord has said; we will obey’
(Exodus 24:7).
When all Israel comes to appear before
the Lord your God at the place he will
choose, you shall read this law before
them in their hearing
(Deuteronomy 31:11).
In the PROPHETS (Nevi’im)
He [Josiah the king] went
up to the temple of the Lord
with the people of Judah, the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
priests and the prophets – all the people
from the least to the greatest. He read
in their hearing all the words of the
Book of the Covenant, which had been
found in the temple of the Lord
(2 Kings 23:2).
Look in the scroll of the Lord and read:
None of these will be missing, not one
will lack her mate. For it is his mouth
that has given the order, and his Spirit
will gather them together (Isaiah 34:16).
In the PSALMS (Ketuvim)
They read from the Book of the Law of
God, making it clear and giving the
meaning so that the people understood
what was being read (Nehemiah 8:8).
They stood where they were and read
from the Book of the Law of the Lord
their God for a quarter of the day, and
spent another quarter in confession
and in worshipping the Lord their God
(Nehemiah 9:3).
How do
you
read it?
In the APOSTLES
‘What is written in the Law?’ he
[Jesus] replied. ‘How do you read it?’
(Luke 10:26).
Then Philip ran up to the chariot
and heard the man reading Isaiah the
prophet. ‘Do you understand what you
are reading?’ Philip asked (Acts 8:30).
Having the completed and
authoritative written word, we are
exhorted to handle it accurately
(2 Timothy 2:15). The apostle
Paul writes this to his companion
and student Timothy, from the
upcoming generation of the
newly formed Church, into which
community the fourth and final
section of the Bible was being
given. The apostle Peter refers to
Paul’s letters as Scripture (2 Peter
3:16). Ever since, we find ourselves
in the place of Timothy.
In this edition you will
learn of the attempt to
change the wording of the
Bible in a new translation
by a sub-group of the Danish
Bible Society, through the Israel
Bible Society’s response. This
reminded me of a similar attempt
in Nazi Germany to do the same,
highlighted in Simon Ponsonby’s
talk at our annual conference six
years ago (CFI UK Resources: ‘Oh
the Depth of the Riches’, page 11).
We have over the past few months
promoted several events online,
including teaching sessions at
Glyndley Manor, around the theme
of the whole Bible, a part of which
is reproduced in this edition. This is
pertinent to our ongoing directive
to ‘Do your best to present yourself to
God as one approved ... who correctly
handles the word of truth’ (2 Timothy
2:15). May the Lord help us in
this generation and succeeding
generations to do our best.
2 IN TOUCH • 3 rd Quarter 2020

SPECIAL REPORT
Danish Contemporary Bible 2020
Bible Society Israel response
By kind permission Victor Kallisher
Bible Society Israel
The Jerusalem Post recently published an article about a
new contemporary translation of the Bible, produced by
the Danish Bible Society. While new Bible translations
are usually cause for celebration, this new contemporary
Danish Bible is cause for serious concern.
We appreciate and respect the staff and the ministry of the
Danish Bible Society, and recognise them as our brothers
and sisters in the Lord. They are a group of people very
committed to making the Bible available and accessible to
everyone, and have done so for many years.
Our concern is strictly in regard to the translation itself.
In the translation, called “Danish Contemporary Bible 2020”
the term “Israel” is almost completely removed from the
New Testament, and is changed several times in the Old
Testament. The Danish Bible Society did this project using
their own budget and team and not under the supervision
of the United Bible Societies. The Bible Society in Israel had
no knowledge of the project prior to its publication.
In this new Danish Bible the term “Israel” only appears
twice in the entire New Testament, despite appearing more
than 60 times in the Greek from which the New Testament
is translated. The term “Israel” has been replaced with “the
Jewish people”, “the Jews”, “the people”, and in some cases
removed altogether.
A press release of the Danish Bible Society says this
translation decision was made because, “for the secular
reader, who does not know the Bible well, ‘Israel’ could be
referring only to a country. Therefore, the word ‘Israel’ in
the Greek text has been translated in other ways, so that
the reader understands it is referring to the Jewish people.”
From our discussions with the Danish Bible Society, we
understand that there was no political agenda behind this
decision. The purpose was to engage a secular Danish
audience with the word of God, and to make it personal to
them.
The local body of believers as well as others in Israel and
beyond were very surprised by and disappointed with the
approach that the translators took regarding the term Israel
and in its implementation in this translation.
We at the Bible Society in Israel have done some
preliminary research regarding how the term “Israel” was
translated throughout the new Danish Contemporary Bible
2020, and were troubled by what we found. Following are a
few examples where “Israel” has been replaced or removed.
While all translators must make difficult decisions, those
decisions must be freed, as much as humanly possible,
from any interpretation foreign to the text. Even if done to
accommodate a secular Danish audience, the meaning of
the word of God must not be compromised.
New Testament:
• Matthew 2:21: “and he rose and took the child and his
mother and went to the land of Israel.” ð “land of Israel” is
changed to simply “home”.
• Matthew 15:31: “God of Israel” ð “God”.
• Luke 4:25: “many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah” ð
“many Jewish widows in the time of Prophet Elijah.”
• Luke 4:27: “many lepers in Israel” ð “many Jewish lepers”
• John 1:49: “king of Israel” ð “king of all people”
• 2 Corinthians 3:7: “the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’
face.” ð “Moses’ face radiated so strongly that the Jews
could not bear to see it.”
The term “Israel” appears 2,521 times in the Hebrew Bible.
In the new Danish Contemporary Bible 2020 it appears
2,316 times. Below are several examples of the changes.
Old Testament:
• Exodus 24:10: “they saw the God of Israel.” ð “they saw
God.”
• Psalm 121:4: “He who watches over Israel” ð “He who
takes care of us”
• Isaiah 41:14: “Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of
Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your
Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” ð “Jacob”, “Israel” and
“The Holy One of Israel” have been replaced or removed.
• Isaiah 43:1: “But now thus says the Lord, he who created
you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel ð “O Jacob” and
“O Israel” have been removed.
• Jeremiah 45:25: “Israel shall be justified” ð “Israel” replaced
with “my people”
• Jeremiah 49:3: “You are my servant, Israel” ð “Israel”
changed to “my chosen”.
• Jeremiah 25:27: “the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel” ð
“the Lord of Heaven”
• Jeremiah 33:7: “I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the
fortunes of Israel” ð “Judah and Israel” changed to “all my
people”.
We believe that the replacing and removing of the
term “Israel” in the way that it was done in the Danish
Contemporary Bible 2020 was a harmful decision which has
hurt many who love the word of God, in Israel and beyond.
We believe that the Danish Bible Society, as our fellow
brothers and sisters in the Lord, will seriously consider our
feedback, which echoes the voices of many, and will take
measures to correct their translation as necessary. Please
pray with us that in all this, God will be glorified.
3 rd Quarter 2020 • IN TOUCH 3

Feature
Do your best
Jacob Vince
In his second personal letter, Paul instructs
Timothy to, ‘Do your best to present yourself to
God as one approved, a worker who does not need to
be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth’
(2 Timothy 2:15).
Another word for correctly is accurately.
If we take the example of numbers, just think what
would happen if we did not use them accurately.
Well, the Bible is far more important than numbers, so
we need to make sure we handle it accurately.
Neither is Paul asking Timothy something
unreasonable. He simply asks him to do his best.
Recently we remembered 75 years since the end of
the Second World War. In his speech describing what
he called Britain’s greatest day, the country’s leader
Churchill said,
“In all our long history we have never
seen a greater day than this. Everyone
man or woman has done their best”
(Winston Churchill, 8 May 1945).
It is within the grasp of everyone to
do their best. To end the war, it was
a combined effort toward victory.
In the context of the Bible, we are
asked to ‘do our best’ to handle it
accurately.
If we are encouraged to handle the
Bible accurately, this must mean there
is a temptation to handle it incorrectly or
inaccurately.
This is exactly what happens at the beginning of
the Bible. God gives very clear instruction to Adam
and Eve. They are granted the opportunity to eat
of every tree in the garden apart from one, the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. God’s enemy
immediately questions what God has said.
“Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1)
Next, Eve repeats what God said but adds to it. She
says God said that they were not able to eat of this one
tree nor touch it. There is no record of God saying
they should not touch it. The result is that Eve is
deceived, ate of the fruit and gave some to Adam who
also ate of it.
In case we think Eve is responsible, Adam was there
all along and didn’t intervene or take responsibility
himself. Not only that, but he sought to place the
blame on Eve, who in turn placed it on God’s enemy.
In the event, both were held responsible and suffered
the consequences firstly of doubting God’s word and
then acting against it. This illustrates well for us and
all humankind the importance of accurately handling
the word of God. The rest, as they say, is history –
literally!
We all know the term manuscript for music, or script
for a drama. In both instances musicians and actors
need to handle it accurately to perform it properly.
Paul describes the word of truth as Script-ure. Like a
script in drama and a music manu-script, we need to
get to know it, practice it and use it properly.
Look at the status Paul gives the Bible-script or
scripture. Paul writes,
“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
First scripture is introduced as
God-breathed or in another word
‘inspired’.
Some people struggle to see God as
three persons and at-one, but from
the very start of the Bible, all three
are there, at-one with themselves.
There is God who speaks his word,
Jesus who is God’s eternal word, and
the Holy Spirit – the breath of God – all
in perfect relationship.
Having described scripture, the Bible, as ‘Godbreathed’,
Paul writes that it is useful for four things,
‘teaching, rebuking, correcting and training’, which seem
to work well in that order.
It first needs to be accurately taught, this in turn
shows up faults which need recognising, then
rebuked, next these faults need correcting. Finally,
the corrections need to be trained into us.
For over 2,000 years we have had the completed Bible,
which is authoritative and our primary source. Over
the years it has been misunderstood and mishandled.
Our generation has the great privilege to do our best,
in God’s strength to rectify this.
We can all pray and play a part to this end, so that
the message God wants to communicate to all, to and
through both Israel and the Church, in word and
deed, becomes a reality today.
4 IN TOUCH • 3 rd Quarter 2020

Hebrew Word Focus
Melissa Briggs MA
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Melissa is an experienced Hebrew
teacher with a desire to make the
rich language of the Scriptures
accessible to Christians.
Visit: www.explorehebrew.co.uk
Jealousy
“I am my beloved’s, and
his desire is toward me”
(Song of Songs 7:10)
קַ‏ נָ‏ א
Qanna
Why do we often push back against the
very thing that we long for most?
If the Creator of the universe offers us
perfect love, acceptance, guidance, security, worth,
provision, forgiveness and fellowship in a dynamic,
fulfilling relationship, then why do so many of us take
up his offer half-heartedly? Or not at all?
The Lord is indeed the “pearl of great price” for whom
we should be willing to trade all else (see Matthew
13:45-46). The Hebrew word that describes God’s
קַ‏ qanna, נָ‏ א desire for our full attention and affection is
usually translated as ‘jealous’.
Qanna only ever refers to the Lord’s righteous
jealousy. One Hebrew lexicon explains: “It is used of
God as not bearing any rival; the severe avenger of
departure from himself.” Other words from the same
family include:
- zeal, jealously, great passion (can refer to
man’s jealousy or God’s), and
Qannah נָא ‏-קָ‏ the jealousy, zealousness or envy of man
(usually negative)
However, the modern word ‘jealous’ does not
do justice to the true meaning of qanna. To our
English-speaking ears, ‘jealousy’ sounds controlling,
immature, suspicious, offensive, petty, selfish and offputting.
But none of these describe God’s wonderful,
holy, perfect character.
Qanna means God is zealous and committed to us in
the most honourable way and with the most noble of
intentions. He is motivated by the purest, most loyal
and passionate love. He loves us collectively as the
bride of Messiah, but also individually. He is willing
to fight valiantly for us and defend us heroically.
God’s qanna is the intersection of the ardour, wrath
and protection of a God who requests to be obeyed,
respected and adored (for our good and his glory).
God’s qanna is a blessing to us, not a burden. True joy
comes when we give him our full devotion and trust.
We may push back against this, thinking that the ideal
would be to have ‘a little’ of God and ‘a little’ of the
world. But everyone has to choose either to enjoy the
beautiful protection of God’s qanna or experience its
furious wrath.
“Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is
Qanna, is a qanna God” (Exodus 34:14).
Thankfully God did not leave us to attain his high
standards of faithfulness on our own. He punished
his own Son on our behalf, in his holy and fierce
qanna, in order to atone for all our sins and idolatry
(which he views as acts of spiritual adultery).
We can never achieve a right relationship with God by
קִ‏ נְ‏ אָ‏ ה Qinah
our own efforts – the bar of holiness is too high. But it
is available to us freely by grace through faith in Jesus
(see Joshua 24:19, Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 5:8).
Does the Lord have his rightful place of priority,
intimacy and fidelity in our hearts? Do we relate to
him from a distance, or as the beloved Bride – his
chosen delight? Almighty God is not to be placed
alongside other ‘idols’ or have our attention just one
day per week. “For the Lord your God is a consuming
fire, even a qanna God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
Any husband would be rightly jealous if his wife had
other lovers. It would be very strange if a husband
did not burn with jealousy towards the infidelity of
a wayward wife! Read Hosea to see the essence of
God’s qanna illustrated in a painful marriage.
God allows circumstances that prove to us the
undependable nature of our idols (see Hosea 2). This
is not out of malice, vindictiveness or pettiness. God
knows that no one can care for us as he does (see
Romans 8:32 and Isaiah 64:4). He knows that giving
our time, attention and ‘worship’ to idols (even
‘good’ things) will bring us heartache, trouble and
destruction (see Isaiah 42:8).
When God has his rightful place, as our first love,
the pressure is lifted from other aspects of our life to
define, fulfil, or validate us. We can properly enjoy
our friends, marriages, families, vocations, holidays,
hobbies, homes, etc. for what they are, when we do
not look for them to be more than God intended.
Why would such a wholehearted, passionate, perfect
husband accept anything less than a wholehearted,
passionate bride? There is no room for the halfhearted!
The Lord is Qanna and he has qanna towards
you, his beloved, echoing words from Songs of Songs,
“Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.”
(Songs of Songs 8:6-7)
If you are interested in learning the Hebrew language through online tuition (or in person if
you are local to Berkshire), or if you are interested in hosting a Hebrew language day for a
group in your area, please contact Melissa for more details at: hebrew.explore@gmail.com
or at: www.explorehebrew.co.uk
3 rd Quarter 2020 • IN TOUCH 5

Events Review
Our online events during the lockdown...
ZOOM TEACHING
“Trust in the Lord
with all your heart
and lean not on your
own understanding”
by Jacob Vince
Four Glyndley Talks:
The importance of accurately handling
the Bible. Big picture Bible story - its
structure. Eye-witness testimony and
Covenant theme over-arching the
whole Bible.
Proverbs 3:5–6
GLYNDLEY MANOR
COVENANT STEPS
“Hi Jacob, thank you for this, the
team enjoyed your teaching on the
biblical foundations and learnt a
great deal.”
Shown
MAY 2020
WHY THE JEWS FILM
Promoted & Shown MAY 2020
Modesty may be a virtue but the stats don’t
lie: 22% of all Nobel prizes have been won
by Jews, and don’t get us started on Jewish
accomplishments in literature, film and art.
This fascinating documentary turns to Jewish
luminaries, including Howard Jacobson, Shimon
Peres, Alan Dershowitz and Lord Jonathan Sacks, to
find out the reasons for Jewish achievement.
Alan Aziz CEO, Technion UK
WZO UK & ZF:
BRINGING ISRAEL CLOSER TO HOME
What it’s like to be a Christian in
the Holy Land – Shown JUNE 2020
Speaker: Shadi Khalloul
Chaired by: Jacob Vince CFI UK
Over 170 registered to view. Excellent comments received.
“He is an amazing speaker! What a wonderfully warm man.
Thanks Jacob – you were great.”
“Thank you so much!! I’ve always wondered in statistics
who they meant by Christians, and assumed Arab, but now I
understand better. Shalom!! :)”.
Podcasts
David Soakell’s Lite Bites recorded for Podcast and
now on CFI UK’s YouTube channel
6 IN TOUCH • 3 rd Quarter 2020

Viewing now on YouTube...
Annexation or Restoration videos
Now showing on YouTube
There has been much debate relating to the issue of Israel’s plan to extend
sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria. With this in mind, CFI UK have
created a video series that examines the questions at the centre of the dispute
regarding ownership of the land to the west of the Jordan river. All three videos
are now available on CFI’s YouTube channel.
CFI UK Annual Conference goes online
Coming up
Coming soon CFI UK’s
annual conference 2020
Due to the current restrictions on gathering the speakers for the CFI UK Annual Conference are
producing their teaching as short videos that will be launched online in September 2020.
With slight adjustments to the programme our speakers are preparing professional quality video
versions of their topics, please see back page for more details.
NEW PROGRAMME
FRIDAY 4 th SEPTEMBER
Understanding Israel Biblically
Mark Durie
Challenges Israel Faces
Mark Durie
SATURDAY 5 th SEPTEMBER
Israel & Church Today
Mark Durie
The Next Generation
Clive & Jane Urquhart
Revd Dr Mark Durie
Clive & Jane Urquhart
twitter.com/cfi_uk
facebook.com/cfiuk
youtube.com/cfiuk
3 rd Quarter 2020 • IN TOUCH 7

SPECIAL FEATURE
Israel Extending Sovereignty
The following is a summary of the letter sent to Crispin Blunt MP responding to his
letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the Israeli proposals in the ‘West Bank’.
Dear Mr Blunt,
Israel extending Sovereignty in parts of ‘the West Bank’
We are responding to the letter that you and a number of Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords sent
to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on 1st May 2020. We challenge the assertion that extending sovereignty by the
State of Israel over Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria (aka ‘the West Bank’), and indeed any Jewish presence there, is a
violation of international law. Like so many who deny Israel’s rights in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, you start the clock in 1967,
and the prior history and recognition of legal rights are ignored.
The San Remo Resolution
The legal right of the Jewish people to re-constitute their historic homeland was recognised at the San Remo Conference of
1920 and by virtue of the Mandate for Palestine that resulted from it. This was unanimously endorsed by all 51 nations that
were in the League of Nations, which then constituted the entire international community. International Lawyer Dr Cynthia D
Wallace writes: “The Mandate system had been set up under Article 22 of the Covenant of the newly formed League of Nations.
At San Remo, the Mandate for Palestine was entrusted to Great Britain as a ‘sacred trust of civilization’, and the language of the
Balfour Declaration was enshrined in both the San Remo Resolution and the League Mandate, which stand on their own as valid
international legal instruments with the full force of treaty law.”
Territorially the legal right of the Arabs to self-determination was accorded to them by the Mandates for Syria and Lebanon
(under the French), and Mesopotamia – now Iraq – (under the British), and later in Transjordan, which was originally part of the
Mandate for Palestine.
The Legal Obligations of The Mandate for Palestine
The Mandate document legally obligated Britain, as the Mandatory Power, to work with the Jewish Agency to create suitable
conditions for the Jewish National Home and to encourage Jewish immigration and close settlement of the land with the view
to ultimate self-government (i.e. statehood). While the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish population were to
be protected, the political rights of self-determination were reserved for the Jewish people.
The 1939 White Paper
Basically, due to Arab insurgency under the leadership of the Mufti of Jerusalem, the radical Islamist Haj Amin Al-Husseini,
Britain failed to carry out its legal obligations. The 1939 White Paper severely restricted Jewish immigration at a time when
millions in Europe were desperate to flee from the Nazis. The British policy in the 1939 White Paper stated that the total Jewish
population of Palestine must not exceed one third, which would make the Jewish National Home ungovernable by the Jews,
despite having been legally granted the political rights of self-government.
The Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations deemed the 1939 White Paper to be a violation of the
Mandate, and in the House of Commons Winston Churchill spoke vehemently against the majority Conservative government’s
policy. Instead of being able to find refuge in their National Home, many of the Jews in Europe were slaughtered by the Nazis.
There is no doubt that the British policy has left the blood of at least hundreds of thousands of Jews on our hands.
The Rights given in the Mandates enshrined in the UN Charter
The rights of the beneficiaries of all the League of Nations Mandates were carried over into Article 80 of the United Nations
founding Charter. Dr Wallace explains: “Article 80 of the UN Charter assumes the powers given to the League of Nations, so that
anything that was decided under the League of Nations is still legally binding under the UN Charter.”
The Atlee-Bevin government became opposed to the whole concept of there ever being a Jewish state, and actively opposed it –
in other words a complete betrayal of the Mandate. A rigorous naval blockade of Palestine was used to stop Jewish survivors of
the Holocaust from reaching their ancestral homeland.
The 1947 Partition Plan
The 1947 Partition Plan – UNGA Resolution 181 – is often seen as sanctioning the legal right of the Palestinian Arabs to a state
west of the Jordan River. UN General Assembly Resolutions are not legally binding, they are no more than recommendations.
The Arab rejection of Resolution 181 effectively rendered it null and void.
Acquisition of Territory through War
International law is crystal clear about prohibiting the acquisition of territory through war. This applies to the Arab invasion of
the newborn State of Israel on 15th May 1948. The Arab Legion was led by a serving British Army General, Sir John Bagot Glubb
(aka ‘Glubb Pasha’). One would presume that, as a senior serving British Army Officer, he would have been under orders from
Whitehall. In leading this illegal invasion, Britain itself was arguably in breach of Article 2 of the UN Charter. Moreover, the
Jordanians ‘ethnically cleansed’ its conquered territory of its Jewish population, which today is considered a war crime.
International lawyer, Andrew Tucker says: “Jordan, Syria, Egypt had no claim to Jerusalem or ‘the West Bank’ – on the basis of any
doctrinal principle of international law.”
Jordan’s subsequent annexation of its conquered territory was only recognised by Britain, Pakistan and Iraq. The United Nations
never recognised Jordan’s sovereignty over the territory it renamed as ‘the West Bank’. Neither did the Arab League. Quite
simply, as a result of a ‘war of aggression’, it was illegal under the UN Charter, which is treaty law.
8 IN TOUCH • 3 rd Quarter 2020

The Six-Day War and Resolution 242
In 1967 Israel regained the territory that was originally mandated to be part of the Jewish homeland in a defensive war that was
intended to exterminate the Jewish state. Again, the Arab attack was illegal.
You mention UNSC 242. Israel has sought peace with all the surrounding Arab states. Resolution 242 does not demand that
Israel retreat from all the territory that it took control of in the Six-Day War. It calls for all parties to be able to live “in peace in
secure and recognised boundaries.” It was deliberately worded that way because the UN Security Council then recognised that
the 1949 Armistice Lines, which are not recognised borders in international law, were not secure. Since then Israel has entered
into a peace treaty with both Egypt and Jordan, and handed back about 90% of the territory it gained in 1967.
Resolution 242 and the Palestinians
At the time of Resolution 242, the people today known as ‘the Palestinians’ were not considered part of the problem. In 1988
Jordan renounced its territorial claim to Jerusalem and ‘the West Bank’ in favour of ‘the Palestinians’. Because Jordan had
acquired the territory illegally Jordan had no legal power of disposition to pass it on to a third party. What Jordan did was a
violation of the international law principle of ex injuria jus non oritur – i.e. illegal acts cannot create law. There is no doubt that
in international law the State of Israel has the superior claim of sovereignty over ‘the West Bank’ and all of Jerusalem.
UN Security Council Resolution 2334
According to the UN Charter, only resolutions under Chapter VII are legally binding. UNSC Resolution 2334 is a Chapter VI
resolution. The UN is not a legislative body; it is a political body. UN resolutions express the opinions and political will of the
nations that vote for them, and have no force in law.
‘Oslo’
There is no principle of international law that would require the creation of a Palestinian state. What international law does
require is that they are entitled to self-determination. The Palestinians were offered that through the ‘Oslo’ peace process which
they have squandered. Had they concluded the Final Status Negotiations with Israel they would now have a state. Time and
again they have been offered a state, the last time being in 2008 when they were offered nearly all of ‘the West Bank’, and even
the Old City of Jerusalem, in return for the end of the conflict. Again they turned it down. The truth of the matter is that the
Palestinian leadership want the destruction of Israel more than they want their own state.
The Trump Peace Plan
With his ‘deal of the century’ President Trump has called the Palestinian bluff, and offered a generous financial package if they are
prepared to live in peace beside the Jewish state. The British government should be supporting this peace process. By imposing
sanctions on Israel we will merely embolden the Palestinian Authority to continue its incitement to hatred and terrorism against
Israel. Those who will suffer the most are the Palestinian people themselves.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Kitson, Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, Marquess of Reading
Inspired by the Book
[ With thanks to Robin Foster for
identifying this passage]
In his book ‘The World in Crisis 1911-1914’ Winston Churchill wrote the
following upon his appointment to First Lord of the Admiralty.
That night when I went to bed, I saw a large Bible lying on a table in my bedroom.
My mind was dominated by the news I had received of the complete change in my
station and of the task entrusted to me. I thought of the ‘peril’ of Britain, peace loving,
unthinking, little prepared, of her power and virtue, and of her mission of good sense
and fair play. I thought of mighty Germany, towering up in the splendour of her Imperial State and delving
down in her profound, cold, patient, ruthless calculations. I thought of the army corps I had watched tramp
past, wave after wave of valiant manhood, at the Breslau manoeuvres in 1907; of the thousands of strong horses
dragging cannon and great howitzers up the ridges and along the roads around Wurzburg in 1910. I thought of
their education and thoroughness and all that their triumphs in science and philosophy implied. I thought of the
sudden and successful wars by which her power had been set up. I opened the Book at random, and in the 9 th
chapter of Deuteronomy I read:
Hear, O Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with
large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard
it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across
ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and
annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you. After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not
say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on
account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore
to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 9:1-5). It seemed a message full of reassurance.
3 rd Quarter 2020 • IN TOUCH 9

LEGACY
David Pawson
Friend of Israel
By Robin Lane
On the evening of 21 st May I
heard of David Pawson’s
passing to glory at the age
of 90. Alongside the sadness of
another much-loved Bible teacher
leaving us, memories started
flooding back of David’s teaching
and the great help it has been to
me, as well as to very many others.
I had the privilege of working at
Anchor Recordings for some years
and thus had ready access to much
of David’s teaching, which had
been faithfully recorded in his
churches and at conferences.
A highlight for me was attending
his one-day seminar titled ‘A
Preacher’s Legacy’ in October
2010 – when he was 80 years
old. He led us through several
sessions on exegesis of scriptures
and sermon preparation, and then
completed the day by preaching an
evangelistic sermon. His passion
for preaching was still so strong
that when he finished the sermon
his audience rose spontaneously
to give him a standing ovation. It
was a very special occasion.
As well as being an enthusiastic
Bible teacher and preacher, David
was a friend of Israel. In his
memoirs he admits that at first
he travelled there just to see the
land of the Bible. But in 1967 he
“sat glued to the television screen”
throughout the Six-Day War and
started to gain more of an interest
in the people. That interest started
to emerge in his ongoing Bible
teaching.
In 2008 he wrote and published a
book titled ‘Defending Christian
Zionism’ responding to Stephen
Sizer and John Stott who had
written against Christian Zionism.
David believed that Christians
need a very clear understanding
of the Bible to gain a correct
perspective on the conflict in the
Middle East.
Perhaps his most important
work on the topic is the book
‘Israel in the New Testament’.
He developed that text over a
long period as he was invited
to the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles
celebrations in Jerusalem year after
year to teach on the subject.
David was our main guest
speaker at the Christian Friends
of Israel UK Annual Conference
held in Eastbourne in September
2016. People warmed to him
immediately when he expressed
his delight at being able to teach
us from the Bible at the age of 86,
despite having cancer “all over
his body.” He taught with great
clarity and authority, first focusing
on ‘The Five Crucial Covenants’
among the whole set in the Bible.
David Pawson speaking on the five crucial
covenants in the Bible in 2016
David spent just over an hour
taking us through the Noahic,
Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic and
Messianic covenants.
He described the party involved,
the promise included, any proviso
made, any penalty associated, the
relevant duration and, finally, the
divine purpose.
In his second message, ‘Israel and
the New Covenant,’ he noted that
Jesus was sent to the Jews, that the
New Covenant is Jewish, that the
Jews were the first to benefit from
it, and that the disciples were not
in error when they asked Jesus
about restoring the kingdom.
Many of the Jews at the time
rejected the New Covenant, but
they will eventually benefit from
it. David looked forward to the
day when Jews and Christians are
one flock, one new man in Christ
Jesus, and live together in the new
Jerusalem.
David will be greatly missed, but
his teaching will live on in video,
audio and written form.
Praise the Lord!
ISRAEL AND THE NEW COVENANT
David Pawson & Werner Oder
Set of 3 audio CDs from the 2016 CFI UK Annual
Conference.
Disk 1 - David Pawson:
The Five Crucial Covenants
Disk 2 - Werner Oder:
It Is for Freedom that Christ Has Set You Free
Disk 3 - David Pawson:
Israel and the New Covenant
CDS131 // 3 CD set, approx 180 minutes // £10.00 (incl. UK p&p)
ISRAEL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
David Pawson
This exciting study reveals that both the
people and the place called ‘Israel’ have a
significant role in God’s future plans for
world redemption. It’s a simple matter of
faith in God’s faithfulness.
Six books of the New Testament, now
including Galatians, are used here to
illustrate this important truth.
B393 // 220 pages // £11.50 (incl. UK p&p)
10 IN TOUCH • 3 rd Quarter 2020

Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php
Postal savings on multiple items
RUTH: UNCOVERING HIDDEN TREASURES – Mo Tizzard
Mo takes her readers on an exciting journey through the verses of Ruth to show us how this Old Testament book
links so clearly to the New Testament gospel and to our lives today. She uncovers the meaning behind many of the
Hebrew words and discovers hidden treasures in the history, the genealogies, the laws and the customs of the day.
This book reveals how together, a Gentile, a Jew and their Redeemer paint a wonderful picture of the Father’s plan
of salvation.
B509 // 169 Pages // £9.50 (incl. UK p&p)
ISRAEL AND THE NATIONS – Pauline Shone
Pauline explores God’s promises, purposes, and plans for Israel, concisely covering the biblical and historical record
of the Jewish relationship to God and the land (from Abraham to today) along with some spiritual insights. Her
resource-based approach to this historical and spiritual account is very pertinent and vital to today’s current events.
B510 // 143 pages // £11.50 (incl. UK p&p)
for resources call: 01323 410 810
HILARIOUS HEBREW – Yael Breuer & Eyal Shavit
Hilarious Hebrew is a book to help you memorise Hebrew words in a fun and fast way, with no tedious repetition.
The method used works wonderfully for anyone, whether they consider themselves good at learning a foreign
language or not. All you need to do is read the carefully constructed sentences, enjoy the illustrations or simply
imagine the situations described in the sentences. You will be amazed at your ability to remember the new words!
B508 // 224 Pages // £11.50 (incl. UK p&p)
OH THE DEPTHS OF THE RICHES – Simon Ponsonby & Martin Charlesworth
Set of 4 audio CDs from the 2014 CFI UK Annual Conference.
Disc 1 - Simon Ponsonby: The Tragedy of Church History and the Jewish People
Disc 2 - Simon Ponsonby: The Significance of the Jewishness of Jesus
Disc 3 - Martin Charlesworth: A Biblical Overview of Israel and the Church
Disc 4 - Martin Charlesworth: Communicating a Positive Understanding of Israel Today
CDS127 // 4 CD set, approx 214 minutes // was £16.00 now £9.00 (incl. UK p&p)
HOW WE GOT THE WORD OF GOD – (DVD) Presented by Peter Darg
Walk with us through the Land of the Bible on this fascinating journey where you will learn how the Scriptures were
written, preserved, codified and published.
Beautifully filmed and produced in the Land of the Bible by the Bible Society in Israel, this educational video
describes the history of writing the Bible, the best-selling book in the world.
With Hebrew subtitles (which occasionally obscure the English)
Produced by the Bible Society in Israel
D153 // DVD 25 minutes // £9.00 (incl. UK p&p)
UNLOCKING THE BIBLE
David Pawson
From Creation to Second Coming,
via the rise of Israel, Jesus’ life,
death, resurrection and the early
church, Unlocking the Bible
provides a real sense of the whole
sweep of biblical history, culture
and spiritual background, with
implications for our lives today.
B198 // 1343 pages // £15.00 (incl. UK p&p)
BY GOD, I WILL - The Biblical Covenants
David Pawson
Teachers and preachers using the same Bible
come up with many different interpretations and
applications of God’s word. One of the reasons is
their handling of the word ‘covenant’, which is so
fundamental to scripture. The two key questions
are: how many covenants has God made, and how
many apply to Christians today?
B482 // 107 pages // £9.00 (incl. UK p&p)
3 rd Quarter 2020 • IN TOUCH 11

Don’t despise small beginnings for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin (Zechariah 4:10)
What seems small to you might be huge to someone else.
“We must read our
Bibles like men digging
for hidden treasure.”
– J.C. Ryle
Bohn Fawkes was a B17 pilot
in WW2 when on one mission
he sustained flak from Nazi
anti-aircraft guns. Even though
his fuel tanks were hit, the plane
did not explode, and Fawkes
was able to land the plane. The
following morning Fawkes
asked his commanding officer
for the German shell. He wanted to keep it as a souvenir.
He was told that not just one but eleven shells had been
found in the fuel tank, none had exploded!
When the technicians opened the missiles they found
they didn’t contain explosive charges. They were clean
and harmless, all except one was empty. This exception
contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it a
message had been scrawled in the Czech language.
Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you
now – using Jewish slave labour is never a good idea”!
A courageous assembly line worker was disarming bombs
and scribbling the note. He couldn’t end the war, but
he could do something. And he did. God can do big
things with small actions. Just like he did with a towering
giant. Small stones looked futile to topple Goliath. The
widow’s mite seemed nothing compared to the tithes of
the wealthy, but God sees it all, including the motive of
the heart, and Jesus used them in his day to inspire us in
ours. Often people ask can any good come from such a
catastrophic act of hate, such as seen in the Holocaust, but
those lost in its embers still hold a legacy of hope to spur
us on to make small changes and sow seeds of hope for
Israel and the Jewish people even now.
Guest Speakers
Revd Dr Mark Durie
Clive & Jane Urquhart
Online Resources
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
Join us ONLINE for this exciting event as we explore together God’s
unfolding plan for Israel and the Church, seeking our Lord’s help to
see more clearly.
Understanding Israel Biblically
There are few subjects on which Christians are so divided
as the status of Israel, both today and in the future. In this
presentation Mark offers a concise summary of biblical support
for the restoration of Israel as a land and nation. The focus is on
equipping Christians to communicate this message to others.
Challenges Israel Faces
The military challenge faced by Israel is well known and
proven through repeated warfare. This presentation explores
the spiritual roots of hatred directed against the Jews and
against Israel, both by its neighbours, and by ideologies and
nations outside the Middle East. It also notes implications of
the increasing fracturing of the Islamic Middle East for Israel’s
security.
Israel & Church Today
This presentation explores reasons why some Christians do
not accept the legitimacy of Israel. After noting the important
role of Christians in the founding of modern Israel, and the
continued strategic contribution of Christians to Israel’s security,
a warning is offered concerning consequences for the church
when it rejects and refuses to share in God’s passion for Israel.
Israel - The Next Generation
What is our right response to Israel as individuals, church and
nation? Building on the contribution at Balfour 100 celebration
of the younger generation, the focus of this session is the
upcoming generation, looking at how their understanding can
and is being enhanced through contemporary communication.
CFI UK online
Annual Conference 2020
REVISED ONLINE PROGRAMME
FRIDAY 4 th SEPTEMBER
6:45pm Opening song
7:00pm
7:45pm
8:00pm
Understanding Israel Biblically
Mark Durie
Coffee Break
Challenges Israel Faces
Mark Durie
SATURDAY 5 th SEPTEMBER
9:45am Opening song
10:00am Israel & Church Today
Mark Durie
10:45am Coffee Break
11:00am The Next Generation
Clive & Jane Urquhart
11:45am Closing song
There will be an opportunity to give online to the
work of CFI UK during the event. Thank you.
NB. all timings are approximate.
Christian Friends of Israel UK have online resources please visit: www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php
Contact: CFI Communications, PO Box 2687, Eastbourne, BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810 Email: info@cfi.org.uk YouTube: www.youtube.com/CFIUK Web: www.cfi.org.uk