In the past few weeks an increasing number of people have approached me as an Evangelical religious leader with the following question: “Why do Evangelicals support Israel in such an uncompromising and enthusiastic fashion?”

The answers to that question are found in Evangelicals’ understanding of sacred Scripture. A significant majority of Evangelicals believe that God made certain promises to the Jews in the twelfth chapter of Genesis in what has become known as the Abrahamic Covenant. In that covenant God promised, among other things, to bless Abraham and his seed and that He would give Abraham and his seed the land of Canaan forever (Gen. 12:1-9).

This covenant between God and Abraham is unconditional, which means that it remains in force in times when Israel is disobedient and unfaithful as well as when she was obedient and faithful. more >>

The senior pastor of America’s largest Christian church said Tuesday that he not only would have no problem voting for a Mormon presidential candidate, like Republican Mitt Romney, he also would not rule out the possibility of some day voting for a Jewish or even Muslim candidate for the nation’s highest office.

“Sure I could,” said Joel Osteen, lead pastor of Houston’s Lakewood Church, in an appearance on Piers Morgan Tonight, which airs on CNN. However, he added, “Ninety percent of America is Christian so I’m pretty sure I’d find somebody who more shares my beliefs.”

Among those beliefs, said Osteen, is that the Bible explicitly instructs Christians to support the nation of Israel. Thus, said the pastor, “We stand with the Israeli people.” more >>

In a joint effort by Israel's national museum and Google, the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea scrolls, previously only available to a small group of scholars, have been made available online.

Five of the most important Dead Sea Scrolls will now be available to the digital public: the biblical Book of Isaiah, the manuscript known as the Temple Scroll, and three others. Visitors are also able to search the ancient texts at the Digital Dead Sea Scrolls website.

The scrolls offer critical insight into customs and religion of ancient Israelis, including information on the birth of Christianity. The sacred texts include the oldest written record of the Old Testament ever found. more >>

In an interview Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wants the Palestinians to have their own state, but also wants security for Israel.

“The Palestinians want a state, but they have to give peace in return,” Netanyahu stated.

The interview came after Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech to the United Nation's General Assembly Friday asking them to vote in favor of granting statehood to the Palestinians, a move that the United States vowed to veto. more >>

All eyes will be on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Friday as he stands before the United Nations General Assembly in New York City and presents his case as for why the Palestinian people should be given statehood recognition and a seat in the international organization.

The call for U.N. membership comes with scrutiny, as the United States and many of its allies oppose the move.

President Barack Obama's administration has promised to veto any resolution recommending U.N. membership to Palestine. more >>

Christian evangelist and end times author Hal Lindsey believes a push by the Palestinian Authority for statehood recognition by the United Nations is tied to biblical prophecies and is more proof that Christians are living in the "last days."

Since Israel's declaration of statehood the nation has faced "many lethal threats to its very existence" that are consistent, with "the prophecies of Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah all seem[ing] closer to fulfillment in these 'Last Days,'" Lindsey says in a report on his website.

In a Sept. 16 article published on "The Hal Lindsey Report," Lindsey refers to demonstrations in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt where hundreds of people rallied against the military's Emergency Law. The policy has been described by Amnesty International as the biggest threat to human rights in the country since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted, according to The Washington Post. more >>