Watch Jerusalem

Hosted by Brent Nagtegaal

Watch Jerusalem brings you news and archaeology from a biblical perspective. Host Brent Nagtegaal is on location in Jerusalem to give you the most important developments happening on the ground—and emerging from beneath it. Nagtegaal is a contributor for watchJerusalem.co.il.

#147: Belgium: The ‘Lost’ Tribe of Asher?

Aired Sunday, April 19, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CDT   ·   52 minutes

The identity of the “Lost 10 Tribes” of Israel has intrigued people for millennia. While the identity of the Jews—those of the southern kingdom of Judah—remains known, what about those 10 tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel, conquered and deported long before by the Assyrian Empire?

In his seminal work The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong established that the United States and British Commonwealth represent the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, respectively. While his book focused primarily on those two birthright tribes, Mr. Armstrong identified the nations of Belgium and Luxembourg as descendants of these ancient Israelites.

On today’s program, host Christopher Eames examines the evidence for identifying modern-day Belgium and Luxembourg as the tribe of Asher.

#146: The Lawless Rule of Israel’s High Court

Aired Sunday, April 12, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CDT   ·   45 minutes

JERUSALEM - Two weeks ago, Israel’s High Court attempted to subvert Knesset protocol and insert its own choice as the Speaker. The decision was just the latest power grab by the court in its attempt to wrest complete power for the judiciary over the other branches of government.

“The High Court has long ago taken over the discretion of the executive power,” stated outgoing Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstsein to Israel Hayom after the decision. He continued, “Now there’s a takeover, or at least an attempt to takeover, the legislative power.”

Following Edelstein’s resignation and Benny Gantz’s decision to break up his party, the High Court’s lawless intrusion was halted. Nevertheless, the bold move exposed just how far the court has come in extending its own powers.

Once labeled by imminent legal scholar Robert Bork as “the most activist court I’ve ever seen," Israel’s High Court has bulldozed judicial norms in its quest to be the ultimate authority in the lives of Israelis.

On today’s program, host Brent Nagtegaal discusses the court’s thirty-year descent into lawlessness, and reveals the largely unnoticed event that started it all off.

#145: The Almost-Stolen 2015 Israeli Election

Aired Sunday, April 5, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CDT   ·   51 minutes

JERUSALEM -

t midday on Election Day in 2015, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu took to Facebook with a now-famous call: “The Arab’s are coming out in droves to the polls. They are being bussed out by Left-wing NGO’s.” The statement was derided by Israel’s media establishment, the Obama Whitehouse and even the main challenger in the election as divisive, racist and false.

Subsequent revelations now show that Netanyahu’s election day comments were overwhelmingly true. The Arab’s were coming out in droves as part of a highly coordinated strategy involving foreign intervention at the highest levels with links back to Obama’s State Department.

On today’s program, host Brent Nagtegaal looks back on the 2015 election and shows that without Netanyahu’s comments the election would have been not just lost, but much worse – stolen!

#144: The United States of America: The ‘Lost’ Tribe of Manasseh?

Aired Sunday, March 22, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CDT   ·   55 minutes

The identity of the “Lost 10 Tribes” of Israel has intrigued people for millennia. While the identity of the Jews—those of the southern Kingdom of Judah—remains known, what about those 10 tribes of the northern Kingdom of Israel, conquered and deported long before by the Assyrian Empire?

In his seminal work The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong established that the Lost 10 Tribes migrated up into Europe and formed individual nations. He specifically highlighted the identity of the United States as the tribe of Manasseh, and Britain and her Commonwealth as the tribe of Ephraim—the tribe prophesied to become a “company of nations” (Genesis 35:11, 48:19).

On today’s program, host Christopher Eames examines the evidence for identifying the United States of America as the tribe of Manasseh.

#143: Coronavirus, Israel and Resurgent Anti-Semitism

Aired Sunday, March 15, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CDT   ·   38 minutes

JERUSALEM - Israel has enacted some of the most stringent precautions to prevent the spread of the new Coronavirus. After having effectively shuttered its doors to all non-residents last week, Israel is now closing down restaurants, cafés, gyms, schools and gatherings over ten people. It is also starting to track Coronavirus patients with their cellphones and arresting some of those who break quarantine regulations.

By acting sooner than most nations, Israel seems to be the best equipped to lessen the impact of the virus.

On today’s program, host Brent Nagtegaal asks whether Israel’s successful approach to containing the Coronavirus could motivate an increase in Jew blaming; similar to what took place after other historic plagues.

#142: Baruch’s Great Test of Faith

Aired Sunday, March 1, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CST   ·   31 minutes

JERUSALEM - During the 1970s, two bullae (clay seal stamps) turned up on the antiquities market. These items had an identical impression, made by the same seal stamp. They read: “Belonging to Berechiahu, son of Neriahu, the Scribe.” Or in its simplified biblical name form: Baruch, son of Neriah.

This man is known to us as the chief scribe of Jeremiah the prophet. He had the critical task of preserving the book of Jeremiah for us today; a work that came with huge challenges.

On today’s program, Brent Nagtegaal discusses the critical test of faith that qualified Baruch for his role as Jeremiah’s scribe.

#141: Biblical Archaeology in the Press: Bias, Assumptions and Error

Aired Sunday, February 23, 2020   ·   12:42 AM CST   ·   33 minutes

What often happens when a major media outlet attempts an “exposé” into the field of biblical archaeology? Some fascinating material and in-depth research—mixed with a healthy portion of bias, assumptions, and flat-out error. Such has been the case over the past year, with major editorials and articles produced by Der Spiegel, National Geographic, Haaretz, and others.

Tabloids are often quick to jump on biblically significant discoveries, and face claims of “sensationalization”; what receives less scrutiny, unfortunately, are claims of “evidence against the Bible,” or “no evidence for the Bible.”

On today’s program, host Chris Eames examines claims made by various reporters about what has (or hasn’t) been found, emphasizing the importance of understanding what archaeology reveals, and what the Bible actually says.

#140: What If the Palestinians Negotiate the Deal of the Century?

Aired Sunday, February 16, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CST   ·   29 minutes

Recent signs that the Palestinians may indeed come to the negotiating table

#139: Newly Discovered Cultic Site Outside Jerusalem Matches Biblical Narrative

Aired Sunday, February 9, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CST   ·   52 minutes

JERUSALEM - In the latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, archaeologists Shua Kisilevits and Oded Lipschits discuss the discovery of a 3,000-year-old temple on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Instead of confirming the biblical story, the authors believe their discovery has “fundamentally changed the way we understand the religious practice of the Judahites.” Or put another way, they believe their discovery runs counter to the history described in the Bible.

Really?

On today’s program, host Brent Nagtegaal looks at the discovery of the cultic place at Tel Motza alongside the history of the Bible. Far from disproving the text, Nagtegaal shows how the physical description of the cultic place and its dating aligns well with the biblical narrative.

#138: Reexamined: Biblical-Era Writings Reveal Royal Administration in Israel

Aired Sunday, February 2, 2020   ·   10:00 AM CST   ·   33 minutes