World

Jews, Christians will read Isaiah’s prophecies together this week

July 12, 2021
Bharat Times English News

For the first time since its international launch in 2019, Israelis will join a nationwide Bible reading marathon on July 14 at 7:14 a.m. local time, which corresponds to a verse from the Bible.

Each participant will read a chapter from the book of Isaiah, which predicted the destruction of Babylon and the return of the Jewish people to Israel.

“Reading the Bible is a no-brainer,” said Jonathan Feldstein, who arranged for Israel to participate in the Reading Marathon through its Genesis 123 Foundation, which works to build a bridge between Christians and Jews. “It’s shared scripture. which served as the foundation for many other relations between Jews and Christians.”

He added that “the importance of Israel’s participation cannot be underestimated. Bible reading Especially appropriate in the country about which it was written. The reading of Isaiah in Israel, as Jews and Christians, is even more important because he prophesied about the Jewish people in his land, which is referred to in 2 Chronicles 7:14, the catalyst for this initiative and time source. It is like lighting the Olympic torch at the place where the fire was set.”

In Israel, Isaiah will be read in Hebrew, English and Arabic, as well as Russian, Amharic, French, Spanish and Portuguese, among other languages.

The Nationwide Bible Marathon was founded in 2018 in Iowa by Diane Bentley. The state’s 99 counties will participate in the initiative on July 14 at 7:14 a.m. by dividing more than 1,000 chapters of the Torah and the Christian Bible at central time — approximately 12 chapters per county.

“We began reading with Genesis in Northwest Iowa and ended with Revelation in Southeast Iowa,” Bentley said. “Within 1½ to 2 hours the word of God was proclaimed throughout the state of Iowa from the 99 Iowa County Courthouse lawns.”

As Feldstein explained, the foundation of the initiative is 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, humbly pray, and seek my vision, and turn from their wicked ways, will I be in heaven? and will forgive their sin, and will heal their country.”

The land mentioned in the biblical verse is the land of Israel.

In 2019, Bentley decided to go global and expanded from Iowa to 14 other countries. In 2020, some 57 countries participated. Apart from Israel, 72 countries are participating this year.

Bentley said the initiative is mostly shared verbally: “It’s a grassroots effort.”

“While there is an unprecedented and growing historical trend for Jews and Christians Feldstein said, to engage and partner in areas such as support for Israel, combating anti-Semitism and other social issues of common interest, it is not every day that Jews and Christians unite in prayer, or to unite the Bible as one. Get something as basic as reading along.

He said participation is even more important this year in light of recent surveys showing a growing tendency among young Jews and Christians to turn away from religion and the State of Israel.

“Jews and Christians coming together in this most fundamental biblical fellowship aims to set the example, and sets a model for young people to connect and reconnect,” Feldstein said.

“The areas where Jews and Christians have come together for so many years have Israel’s support,” he said. “This too is declining as a result of millennials’ tendency to turn away from traditional biblical values. Restoration of these values, even through mundane things like reading the Bible, can be a redeeming answer to many prayers.”

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