ENHANCE - 1st Quarter 2024

Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
About us
CFI UK seeks to bless Israel through
practical and moral support, and serve
the Church in teaching about God’s
purposes for Israel and the Hebrew
heritage of our faith.
CFI UK also produce a monthly prayer
letter, a weekly audio Middle East report
and distribute Haverim teaching.
Please contact us for full details of
projects in Israel and 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.
Encouraging understanding in the
Church of Israel in context of the
Bible, history and today.
Challenging prejudice against Israel
and antisemitism alongside the Jewish
community in the UK.
Assisting cross-culturally in Israel
with charitable projects - medical,
educational and social.
What’s in a name?
ENHANCE means to increase, or further
improve the quality, value, or extent
of, in our instance, Christian friendship
of Israel. It also emphasises that when
God’s faithfulness to Israel is included and
understood by the wider Church, it truly is
‘faith enhancing.’
ENHANCE Magazine
Published by:
CFI Charitable Trust, PO Box 2687
Eastbourne BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410 810
Email: info@cfi.org.uk
www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity, No. 1101899
Registered Office c/o
Caladine, Chantry House, 22 Upperton Road
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF
Company No: 04984515
VAT Registration No: GB678780275
Front cover photo:
Pyramids of Eqypt, Adobe Stock
Editorial
His love endures
forever
Jacob Vince
A
previous editorial in
ENHANCE Q3 2023
focused on the longest
psalm, Psalm 119. Here we look
at the shortest.
Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol
him, all you peoples. For great is his
love towards us, and the faithfulness of
the Lord endures for ever.
Praise the Lord. (Psalm 117:1-2)
This psalm makes clear the Lord’s
love and faithfulness. It is a
complete misnomer to describe the
scriptures before Jesus as all about
law and judgement in contrast to
the post-Jesus scriptures all about
God’s love and forgiveness.
Remember the start of David’s
psalm following his adultery with
Bathsheba,
Have mercy on me O God according to
your unfailing love. (Psalm 51:1)
Psalm 117 leads into Psalm 118
which makes this perfectly clear. It
commences, emphasises and ends
with this same refrain,
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is
good; his love endures for ever.
Let Israel say:
‘His love endures for ever.’
Let the house of Aaron say:
‘His love endures for ever.’
Let those who fear the Lord say:
‘His love endures for ever.’
(Psalm 118:1-4)
You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is
good; his love endures for ever.
(Psalm 118: 28-29)
The beginning of Psalm 118 is
echoed at the end of Psalm 135,
All you Israelites, praise the Lord;
House of Aaron, praise the Lord;
House of Levi, praise the Lord;
You who fear him, praise the Lord.
Praise be to the Lord from Zion
To him who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord. (Psalm 135:21)
This psalm follows immediately
after the Psalms of Ascent, hence
the people were able to praise the
Lord from Zion, leading on in turn
to the next psalm,
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures for ever.
To him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures for ever.
Who by his understanding made the
heavens, His love endures for ever.
Who spread out the earth upon the
waters, His love endures for ever.
Who made the great lights – His love
endures for ever.
The sun to govern the day,
His love endures for ever.
The moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures for ever.
To him who struck down the firstborn of
Egypt; His love endures for ever.
And brought Israel out from among
them; His love endures for ever.
With a mighty hand and outstretched
arm; His love endures for ever.
To him who divided the Red Sea
asunder; His love endures for ever.
And brought Israel through the midst of
it, His love endures for ever.
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the
Red Sea; His love endures for ever.
(Psalm 136:1-11)
The same response of God’s
enduring love is given in all twentysix
verses, as the psalm retells God’s
self-revelation through creation
and God’s relationship with Israel,
including freedom and victory from
their enemies.
So, in case we are not sure, this
most often repeated phrase in the
Psalms, if not the whole Bible,
should leave us in no doubt that
whatever happens, good or ill,
Give thanks to the God of heaven, his
love endures for ever. (Psalm 136:36)
2 ENHANCE •1 st Quarter 2024