The first all-encompassing book on Israel’s foreign policy and the diplomatic history of the Jewish people, The Star and the Scepter retraces and explains the interactions of Jews with other nations from the ancient kingdoms of Israel to modernity. Starting with the Hebrew Bible, Emmanuel Navon argues that one cannot grasp Israel’s interactions with the world without understanding how Judaism’s founding document has shaped the Jewish psyche. He sheds light on the people of Israel’s foreign policy through the ages: the ancient kingdoms of Israel, Jewish diasporas in Europe from the Middle Ages to the emancipation, the emerging nineteenth-century Zionist movement, and Zionist diplomacy following World War I and surrounding World War II. Navon elucidates Israel’s foreign policy from the birth of the state in 1948 to our days: the dilemmas and choices at the beginning of the Cold War; Israel’s attempts to establish periphery alliances; the Arab-Israeli conflict; Israel’s relations with Europe, the United States, Russia, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the United Nations, and the Jewish diasporas; and how twenty-first-century energy geopolitics is transforming Israel’s foreign relations today. Navon’s analysis is rooted in two central ideas, represented by the Star of David (faith) and the scepter (political power). First, he contends that the interactions of Jews with the world have always been best served by combining faith with pragmatism. Second, Navon shows how the state of Israel owes its diplomatic achievements to national assertiveness and hard power—not only military strength but economic prowess and technological innovation. Demonstrating that diplomacy is a balancing act between ideals and realpolitik, The Star and the Scepter draws aspirational and pragmatic lessons from Israel’s exceptional diplomatic history.

John J. Collins here offers an up-to-date review of Jewish messianic expectations around the time of Jesus, in light of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He breaks these expectations down into categories: Davidic, priestly, and prophetic. Based on a small number of prophetic oracles and reflected in the various titles and names assigned to the messiah, the Davidic model holds a clear expectation that the messiah figure would play a militant role. In sectarian circles, the priestly model was far more prominent. Jesus of Nazareth, however, showed more resemblance to the prophetic messiah during his historical career, identified as the Davidic “Son of Man” primarily after his death. In this second edition of The Scepter and the Star Collins has revised the discussion of Jesus and early Christianity, completely rewritten a chapter on a figure who claims to have a throne in heaven, and has added a brief discussion of the recently published and controversial Vision of Gabriel.

One day Peter, Luke, and Hannah discover a stricken spacecraft with an injured alien named Nerak onboard. They aid Nerak in his journey home but find themselves in the future.

Everything You Need to Know About the Last Days at Your Fingertips The Harvest HandbookTM of Bible Prophecy is a reference resource that provides a comprehensive overview of everything the Bible says about the last days. Compiled by bestselling prophecy teachers Ed Hindson, Mark Hitchcock, and Tim LaHaye, this volume has 150+ topics on the most important subjects of prophetic study from 40+ of world’s foremost prophecy experts, including Armageddon, the Day of the Lord, eternal life, the glorious appearing, the messianic kingdom, the millennium, rewards, and the Tribulation. You will gain clear and useful insights about the future in this A-to-Z handbook, which is written to provide thousands of Bible-based facts about the end times and beyond a chronology of the last days from a pretribulational, premillennial view detailed definitions of all the major prophecy-related terms Both new and experienced students of prophecy will find this a tool they can use and understand. Ideal for browsing or serious research, you’ll find yourself reaching for this indispensable resource again and again.

The continent is at war and the most powerful army lays in shambles. The Elrathi march across the land to seize their destiny; domination of Moirai and its inhabitants. Simon continues his quest for power, making new enemies as he goes. With a final push into the icy Tzin Wasteland, Simon and Azuron take on a horde of trolls to retrieve the last weapon that Simon believes he will ever need. However, in Simon's quest for power to keep his beloved safe, an ancient evil is unleashed. With his new-found armament, Simon must lead his Weavers to defeat the mighty armies of the Elrathi before he is consumed by the very evil he has freed. Facing betrayal and death, Simon finds that all the power in the world may not be able to save Moirai or the woman he loves. If he succeeds in defeating the Elrathi, the cost may be his very soul. If he fails, hundreds of thousands will die humanity may become extinct.

Book trailers: https://youtu.be/vC5Ie0fRP6c https://youtu.be/FxPUZ6AfMP0 FOREWORD Gabriel Torres, a young university student from Seville, discovers overnight that his life is caught up in an unpredictable and apocalyptic spiral; an immense power is at work in his name. Since the dawn of time, human beings have perpetually manipulated the rest of their fellow human beings, and two ancestral brotherhoods that compete to command the destiny of humanity link their existence so intrinsically that they are willing to extinguish all life on Earth. A wonderful journey awaits you on a lively carpet of magical colors, which will transport you from the cradle of civilization in the Middle East to the great European Hadron Collider and the emerging Asian continent. A chaotic and unbridled tidal wave of spies, theories and legends, supernatural powers and beings from other planets. Under the placid China Sea and the healthy coolness of the Tokyo sky, the mother of all wars is about to be unleashed... Welcome to a contemporary tale born at the dawn of civilization. Welcome to The Scepter of Ur. Made by the author, with contributions from Patricia Giovanna Pure Cusi. E-mail: elcetrodeur@gmail.com Facebook: ElcetrodeUr Twitter: @CetroEl Legal Deposit: SE 1427-2019 All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the copyright holder. The Scepter of Ur. © JOSÉ CÁMARA, [2020]

In 25 daily reflections, Awaiting His Coming explores the longing, the cherished characters, the poignant places, and hope-filled events surrounding the arrival of Jesus Christ in His first advent, while also pointing hearts toward His much-anticipated second coming.

poems and stories and plays by a small town guy letting his word out

The thrilling third novel from John Smalldridge in the Tarnished Series.The Tarnished Scepter is a new story about Moses portraying an ordinary man who lived in an extraordinary time and who was used in an extraordinary way. A mixture of characters, views, religion, trials and tribulations making the Tarnished Scepter a compelling read.