Proof That Zechariah 12:3 Is Literally Unfolding Before Our Eyes - SUSAN MICHAEL CHARISMA NEWS

Jerusalem (Pixabay)

Proof that Zechariah 12:3 Is Literally Unfolding Before Our Eyes

3/8/2017 SUSAN MICHAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

For the Christian reader, it's a name that invokes the Psalms describing its beauty, its spiritual significance, and the importance of praying for its peace. For others it stirs a wide spectrum of emotions and a quagmire of international disagreement. Here are several reasons for the multilayered controversy over Jerusalem.

The United Nations, War of Independence, and Six-Day War

Over the last 150 years, as Jerusalem expanded beyond the ancient walls of the Old City, Jews and Arabs lived interspersed on both the eastern and western sides. A complicating factor was introduced in 1947 when the United Nations drew up the Partition Plan, offering swaths of land for both Jewish and Arab states, and keeping Jerusalem separate as an internationally managed city. The Jews begrudgingly accepted the plan and declared statehood, while the Arabs rejected it outright and, instead of statehood, declared war on the new-found Jewish State.

At the end of the 1948 War of Independence between Israel and the armies of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, armistice lines were drawn on a map with a green pen—still known today as the Green Line. Jerusalem became a divided city: Israel controlled the western part and Jordan controlled the eastern part. For the next 19 years, Jordanians prevented Jews from accessing Jerusalem's Old City and Western Wall of the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site.

In 1967 the Six-Day War broke out with the surrounding countries. Israel won the war, capturing the rest of Jerusalem and, for the first time since 1949, allowing the Jewish people to worship at the Western Wall. Israelis offered Arabs full citizenship and many accepted, while others accepted Permanent Resident status. For 50 years now, an undivided Jerusalem has thrived under Israel's governance, and all three faiths have enjoyed full access to their holy sites.

Israel Declares Jerusalem as Its Eternal, Undivided Capital in 1980

The Jerusalem controversy intensified in 1980 when Israel's Knesset declared all of Jerusalem as their eternal, undivided capital. An outcry sounded across the world. The United Nations refused to recognize Israel's decision and urged embassies in Jerusalem to relocate, wherewith they vacated the city for Tel Aviv. In response a small group of resolute Christians founded the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ). Since 1980 the ICEJ has mobilized Christian support for the State of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. In the ensuing years, Israel's government has recognized the ICEJ's important outreach to all the country's communities, including Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Ethiopians.

Yasser Arafat Demands East Jerusalem Be the Palestinian Capital

Jerusalem was forced into a more dangerous quagmire under the tutelage of Palestinian Authority leader, Yasser Arafat. In 1993, after the Oslo Peace Accords, Arafat moved to Israel and set out on a disinformation crusade. He renamed the local Arabs as "Palestinians," incited Intifadas, and proclaimed the goal of Palestinian statehood with Jerusalem as the capital, even though "Palestine" had never before been a nation.

Arafat's repeated declaration of Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital sent shock waves into Israel and beyond. In recent decades, the United Nations has positioned itself squarely on the Palestinians' side and has become a veritable playground of anti-Israel resolutions, while the Palestinians themselves refuse direct negotiations with Israel.

US Congress Stands in Support of a United Jerusalem

Many streams flood into this river of controversy, but the United States Congress has been a consistent champion for Israel—both Democrats and Republicans. In 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act which recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and legislated that the US Embassy should move there from Tel Aviv. A caveat in the legislation allowed the last three presidents to delay that move. However, moving the US Embassy is now a hot topic as President Trump has declared his intention to relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

3 Monotheistic Faiths Are Stakeholders

For the worldwide Jewish community, Jerusalem is at the heart of their faith and was established by King David as the capital of the Jewish people some 3,000 years ago. Jerusalem was also the focal point during 2,000 years of Jewish Diaspora as they longed for their ancient homeland. For Christians, Jerusalem is particularly significant: it is the ancient Jewish city where Jesus walked, taught, lived, died, and rose again some 2,000 years ago. The Muslim world reveres Jerusalem and believes their prophet ascended from there on his Night Journey.

The problem is not in the close proximity of holy sites belonging to three different religions but when one of those religions shows disrespect for the others.  The Muslim Jordanian armies destroyed all of the synagogues in the Old City of Jerusalem and refused access to Jews who wanted to pray at the Western Wall.  The Jewish Israeli government has shown respect to all three faiths and allowed freedom of access to all sites.  The only religion not having free access to all of their holy sites is the Jewish faith, whose believers can not pray on top of the Muslim-controlled Temple Mount.

It is time for international powers to recognize the peace and religious freedom that Israeli governance has maintained and stop attempts to delegitimize their rule over the city. As a Christian organization, the ICEJ applauds the Israeli government for our freedom of worship and access to holy sites.

For students of the Scriptures it is not surprising that the mention of the name Jerusalem draws such a lightning rod of controversy; it is predicted. Zechariah 12 even contains dire warnings of the consequences of this type of international opposition to Jerusalem and pursuit to take control of the city—a warning the nations should certainly heed:

"And it will be on that day that I will set Jerusalem as a weighty stone to all the peoples. All who carry it will surely gash themselves, and all the nations of the land will be gathered against it" (Zech. 12:3, MEV). 

Susan Michael is the U.S. director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalemicejusa.org, creator of the israelanswers.com educational website on Israel and Christian Zionism.

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Pro-Israel Christians Line Up to Support Trump Moving Jerusalem Embassy - JNS BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Pro-Israel Christians Line Up to Support Trump Moving Jerusalem Embassy

By JNS January 30, 2017  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“Thus saith Hashem: I return unto Tzion and will dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim; and Yerushalayim shall be called the city of truth; and the mountain of Hashem of hosts the holy mountain.” Zechariah 8:3 (The Israel Bible™)

By: Sean Savage

Aside from its centrality to Jewish peoplehood as the home of the ancient Jewish Temples and now the modern state of Israel’s capital, Jerusalem is also synonymous with Judaism for many Bible-reading Christians. As such, prominent pro-Israel Christian organizations are lining up to express their support for President Donald Trump’s promise to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and to hold the president accountable for his words.

Susan Michael, U.S. director for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), said Christians already understand that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and would like to see the American government follow suit. In fact, ICEJ has had its own “unofficial” embassy in Jerusalem since 1980, a point that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted in his 2016 Christmas address.

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Why We Need Another Damascus Road Revelation - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

Much like those who prayed for Saul on his way to Damascus, we need to pray for Christians and Jews in the Middle East. (Flickr )

Why We Need Another Damascus Road Revelation

1/19/2017 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  CHARISMA NEWS

A popular mountain peak frequented by tourists in Israel is Mount Bental in the Golan Heights. From the top of this mountain, one can see into Lebanon to the northwest and into Syria to the east, bringing home just how small Israel is and how close are her enemies: Hezbollah in South Lebanon, ISIS and other jihadist groups in Syria, not to mention the Syrian Assad regime.

Looking down into Syria, one can see a modern highway built in the general vicinity of one of the ancient roads leading into Damascus. The conversion of Saul in Acts 9 took place on just such a road, so this is a great place to review that story and act upon its lesson.

Saul was an enemy of the believers in Jesus and had the authority of the high priest in Jerusalem to capture and bring them bound to Jerusalem.

The believers in Damascus were terrified and must have prayed much for Saul, because the next part of the story is nothing short of a miracle. Jesus appears to Saul before he even reaches the city and causes him to lose his sight. Ananias is then told to find Saul, lay hands on him, and pray for him to receive the Holy Spirit. Saul spends the rest of his life as: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1).

Praying for Our Enemy

The lesson from this story is to pray for everyone—even one's enemies, who are bent on doing harm. Today, there is a great spiritual battle brewing over the region, and the same forces that want to destroy Israel and Christian communities are killing each other in the quest for control. Mount Bental is the perfect place from which to intercede for all the people caught up in this turmoil.

The Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, was predominantly Christian before the Islamic forces invaded in the seventh century. A thousand years ago, there were more Christians in the Middle East than in Europe. Even a century ago, more than 20 percent of the region's population was Christian.

Today, estimates put the Christian population in the region at less than 5 percent and likely to become extinct. The second-largest Christian community in the Middle East, after the Copts of Egypt, is the Syriac/Assyrian Christians from Iraq, Syria and surrounding areas. They are now displaced; many are refugees and will never regain their community's size and strength.

Hearts should break over the human toll and suffering this conflict has and could still potentially cause. All the peoples of the Middle East—Jew, Christian and Muslim—are, in one way or another, victims of the spiritual stronghold over the region that causes hatred, violence and death.

There needs to be much prayer for the protection of Israel and the Christians, but also for the gospel to go forth throughout the region in even greater ways than it already is. Indications are that the region is more open to the gospel than ever before. Throughout the Muslim world, Jesus is appearing to people in dreams and visions, and they are turning to Him. What began as a small trickle in the early 1980s has mushroomed to now millions of Muslims who have turned to Christ.

God Chose Israel for Blessing

God loves all the peoples of the Middle East, as they are part of the world He loved and sent His Son to die for (John 3:16). This is just as true for the Arabs or Muslims, as it is for anyone else. God's choice of Israel was not to bless the Jewish people to the exclusion of others, but that through them He would bless all the families of the earth (see Gen. 12:3). In fact, it is because of God's love for the world that He brought into existence the nation of Israel through whom He would bring about His redemptive plan.

Millions of people are caught in the crossfire of the forces of evil that hate God, His plan and His people. Let's pray for them. A Damascus Road revelation of the Prince of Peace is their only hope. 

Susan M. Michael is US Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem www.icejusa.org and her articles can be found at icejusa.org/susans-blog

For information on the ICEJ's tours to Israel go to www.icejusa.org/tours

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A Wake-up Call: A New Chapter in the Hanukkah Story - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

Once these ideologies take hold, the masses can then be easily controlled, because they will have no loyalty to a religious creed, national identity or moral code. (Flickr )

A Wake-up Call: A New Chapter in the Hanukkah Story

12/21/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  charisma news

The story of Hanukkah is often told with an emphasis on the evil ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, King of the Hellenistic Seleucid empire, who was bent on the Hellenization of the Jewish people.

Had he succeeded, it would have meant the demise of the Jewish faith and thereby, the Jewish people. God's plan to bring salvation to the world through their Messiah would have died with them.

In his attempt to force the Jews into compliance, Antiochus IV slaughtered 40,000 inhabitants of Jerusalem; murdered the high priest and prohibited sacrifices, the service of the temple and the observance of the Sabbath and feast days. The temple was dedicated to Zeus and then desecrated with the slaughter of a pig on the sacrificial altar.

The Maccabean family, from the priestly line of Aaron, led a revolt and miraculously experienced victory after victory over the mighty Greek forces until, at last, the temple could be purified and its services restored. Hanukkah is known as the Feast of Dedication because it commemorates the cleansing and rededication of the temple to the God of Israel. Its symbol is the temple menorah, which allegedly burned miraculously for eight days on just a small amount of oil.

Ancient Means of Control

This story, however, is about more than an evil ruler. He was imposing the ruling culture and ideologies of the empire upon the Jews, including paganism and an immoral pagan society as well as the Greek language; culture and ruling philosophies of reason, humanism and pursuit of knowledge. This is how kings subdued and controlled the people in their kingdoms.

In the ancient world, Jews often clashed with pagan rulers such as Antiochus Epiphanes, who demanded obedience to them and homage to their gods as a means of proving one's loyalty. The Jewish people could not bow down to these pagan leaders nor their gods and were bound by the Mosaic Law to certain behaviors and observances that set them apart from other societies and brought upon them great persecution, exiles and threats of extinction.

Modern Imposition of Ideologies

A new chapter in the Hanukkah story is being written today—godless world leaders are attempting to impose on all of us the ideologies of secularism, globalism, and moral relativism. Once these ideologies take hold, the masses can then be easily controlled, because they will have no loyalty to a religious creed, national identity, or moral code.

Israel, a Jewish nation-state, is antithetical to all three of these modern ideologies. Therefore, its Jewish national identity is accused of being racist by secular globalists. The very nation that gave to the world the Ten Commandments, on which Western civilization bases its legal code and definition of morality, is hated by those attempting to impose their ideology of moral relativism: the belief that there is no objective right or wrong, truth or falsehood, good or evil.

The seemingly contradictory part of this secular movement is that its proponents are not just tolerating but are assisting in the global dominance of Islam—a religion with a very strict legal and moral code that it seeks to impose on the world, especially upon the secularist "infidels." There is only one explanation for this strange alliance, and that is deep down, both movements share something in common: they are both anti-Christian and anti-Semitic at heart.

UNESCO Imposing Islamic Ideology

In this context, the recent attempt by the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Committee (UNESCO) to deny the historical and biblical connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and, indeed, all the land of Israel begins to make sense. The Arab voting block and their secular, globalist cohorts in the UN ignore what is a written and historical record of ownership by the Jews.

Islam teaches that the Jewish and Christian Bibles are corrupted. Therefore, Muslims completely disregard biblical accounts, proving Jewish ties to the land of Israel, including the city of Jerusalem, and most importantly, the temple mount.

This is in spite of the fact, the biblical record has been backed by one archaeological find after another proving not only the existence of the Jewish temple on the temple mount, but a 3,000 year history of Jews in the city of Jerusalem. Islamic groups bent on taking over Israel, therefore, prefer to destroy archaeological remains than allow them to prove a historical record that stands in their way.

This history, however, is not just found in the Bible or in archaeological finds but in historical Ottoman Empire decrees and in many Muslim writings. The truth of the matter is that to destroy all evidence of the existence of the Jewish temple on the temple mount, they would also have to destroy Muslim artifacts, such as the recently excavated central mosque in the village of Nuba near Hebron. Inside is a thousand-year-old Arabic inscription that calls the Dome of the Rock "Bait al-Maqdess," the Arabicized version of "Beit Hamikdash," the Hebrew name for the temple.

This is the new chapter in the Hanukkah story: leading world powers attempting to deny the Jewish people their Bible, history, faith and holy sites. Because they won't comply, they are demonized and threatened with extinction.

The Jewish Bible is Our Bible

Christians need to stand up on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people because their Bible and history of faith is also ours. If we do not speak up and stop these attempts to rewrite biblical and historical fact, we will one day wake up to the reality that evangelical Christians are next on the list of undesirables.

The Hanukkah story is a reminder that when we stand up against the mighty powers of our day, we do so not in our own strength, but with God's help. No matter how hard it may look, we can expect to take back lost territory and rededicate ourselves and our nations to the God of the Bible. He will give us the power to become a light—like a Hanukkah menorah—shining forth into a dark world, bringing hope and truth to those with hearts to receive it. 

Susan M. Michael is U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem www.icejusa.org and her writings can be found at www.icejusa.org/susans-blog For information on the ICEJ's "Send a Bible to UNESCO" campaign go to https://us.icej.org/bibles-to-unesco

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How Christians Can Take Part in the Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

An Ethiopian child kisses the ground in Jerusalem after making aliyah to Israel recently. (ICEJ)

How Christians Can Take Part in the Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy

 8/29/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  CHARISMA NEWS

Numerous prophecies have been fulfilled over the last century, but one of the most exciting is Isaiah 43:5-6. In that passage, the Lord is speaking through the prophet Isaiah, declaring that He will bring the descendants of Israel from the east, the west, the north, and the south.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south, "Do not keep them back. Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth" (MEV).

The partial return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland after the first exile took place under the Persian Empire and was largely from the northeast. We read about it in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra. However, Isaiah 43 describes perfectly the second return of the Jews to their homeland which took place after being dispersed to the ends of the Earth over a period of 2,000 years. This return to the land, known today as Aliyah, has taken place over the last 150 years and includes several waves of immigration.

The earliest waves of Aliyah back in the 19th century emanated from Russia. But, once the modern State of Israel was founded in 1948, a large wave of immigrants came to Israel from the Muslim world. They were called Mizrahi, or "Eastern," Jews. Almost overnight the majority of Israel's population was from "the East."

Then, in 1989-1990, the world witnessed the amazing moment when the Iron Curtain fell and the Jews of Russia were allowed to immigrate to Israel. After years of persecution, and even imprisonment for wanting to move to Israel, it was as if the Lord said to the land of the North: "Give them up!" Over the next decade a wave of some one million Jews left the land of the North for Israel. Today, one in five Israelis are Russian speaking.

This brings us to the wave of Aliyah from the South. The very existence of Ethiopian Jews is extraordinary, but the story of their journey to Israel is nothing short of a miracle. In spite of poverty, civil war and dictatorial governments, some 100,000 Ethiopian Jews, claiming descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, have now come home to Israel.

Now Is the Time

The final wave of Ethiopian Aliyah is now in progress following the Israeli government's approval for the absorption of the last 9,000 Jews from Ethiopia. But the process will take years and they face increasing danger as escalating conflicts in the region put them at great risk.

Anti-government demonstrations, ethnic conflict in the northern part of Ethiopia where the Jewish Ethiopians live, and fighting in nearby South Sudan where some Ethiopian Jewish refugees are stranded is causing instability and limiting options. There is also a severe drought which some predict may be followed by severe floods this fall.

Because of the worsening security situation, the Jews waiting in transit camps for their departure to Israel are in what some have called "mortal danger."

Bring Them Home

Christians today have the privilege of not just watching prophecy being fulfilled, but of being a part of it! In Isaiah 43, the Lord says that He is the one who will bring the Jews back from around the world. Then, in verse 6, He commands us to, "Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth."

That verse is a clear directive to bring the exiles back to their homeland. In response, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is helping to bring these precious Ethiopian Jews home to Israel.

The ICEJ has helped over 120,000 Jews to make Aliyah. For information on how you can help, visit icejusa.org/ethiopia. 

Susan M. Michael is the U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.  

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What Christians Can Learn From Jesus' Rebuke of 3 Cities - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

What Christians Can Learn From Jesus' Rebuke of 3 Cities

 8/15/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  charisma news

Ancient Ruins of the Great Synagogue at Capernaum (Wikimedia Commons )

What Christians Can Learn From Jesus' Rebuke of 3 Cities

 8/15/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  CHARISMA NEWS

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" ... (Is. 9:2, MEV).

The common application of Isaiah 9:2 is a spiritual one in which the "people who walked in darkness" are those who lived prior to Christ and without knowledge of His saving power. While that is a valid spiritual application, this verse is actually referring to the people of a specific geographical area: the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, known as the Galilee of the Gentiles.

Upon them a great light would shine when, according to verse 6, "unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." Jesus is the light that would one day shine upon the Galilee, according to Isaiah.

Jesus' Ministry in Galilee

Galilee had become largely Gentile after 722 B.C. when Assyrian forces exiled most of the Israelites and replaced them with pagan and idolatrous Assyrians causing spiritual darkness to fall over the region. While many Jews had returned to the area and repopulated it over the centuries, significant idolatry remained and was encouraged by subsequent Greek and Roman invaders.

In chapter four of his gospel, Matthew explains that Jesus conducted the bulk of His ministry in the Galilee in fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1-7. Just as Jesus' birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and His return from refuge in Egypt (Hos. 11:1) was a fulfillment of prophecy, so was his upbringing in Nazareth (Matt. 2:23) and subsequent ministry in the Galilee.

Jesus traveled throughout the Galilee healing all manners of sickness, opening blind eyes and deaf ears, raising the dead and casting out demons. It was on the Sea of Galilee that He performed two of His most dramatic miracles: stilling the storm and walking on the water.

Walking Where Jesus Walked

Tourists today can visit the archeological remains of some of the cities in which Jesus ministered. The remains of the first-century synagogues in those cities are of the most exciting finds, because one can be fairly certain Jesus visited, and even preached in, them. Both Mark and Matthew say that He preached in all the synagogues of the region.

The synagogue visible today in Capernaum dates to the third century, but it is built over the remains of the first-century synagogue that Jesus likely taught in. Another incredible find there is the possible home of Simon Peter. We know Jesus visited this home and on one occasion healed Peter's mother-in-law of a fever. It is even possible He lived there while in Capernaum.

Mark 1:29 tells us that Peter's home was very near to the entrance to the synagogue. Archaeologists have uncovered a first-century home in that area with a number of indications to its historical significance. The house had 11 coats of plaster on the walls indicating it was a special place that had been well cared for over a long period of time.

The threshold stone is broken but never replaced indicating someone important may have stepped on that stone, and numerous pieces of wall plaster have writing on them referring to Jesus as Lord, the Most High, the Savior, and Messiah, while three of them mention Peter himself. A fifth-century church was built over the site indicating it was known by the locals as Peter's home which had been frequented by Jesus.

In nearby Magdala, a first-century synagogue has been uncovered where visitors can see the very floor Jesus may have walked on. Another exciting find in that synagogue is an altar or stone table that is the earliest known artistic depiction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus probably rested the Torah scroll upon this stone table as He taught.

The Three Impenitent Cities

While these archaeological finds are exciting and help us to imagine the life and ministry of Jesus, they are also a stark reminder of what happens when light is rejected. Darkness remains.

Matthew refers to Capernaum, Korazin and Bethsaida as the cities in which most of Jesus' miracles were performed. Yet, Jesus rebuked these three impenitent cities and said that if the mighty works which had been done in them were done in the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, or the sinful city of Sodom, they would have repented. He then declared that judgment would result and Capernaum would be "brought down to Hades" (Matt. 11:20-24).

All three cities were destroyed by a series of earthquakes between the fourth and eighth centuries and remain in ruins to this day. What a powerful reminder of Jesus' words that "of everyone to whom much is given, much will be required." Those privileged to have enjoyed the light of His presence in their midst, and witnessed the miracles He performed, would suffer judgment for rejecting that light.

To better understand the words of Jesus one must read the Scriptures in their geographical, historical and cultural context. Thankfully, the Israeli government safeguards archaeological finds and holy sites, so Christians can visit them and not just recount, but experience, the words and ministry of Jesus on a whole new level. 

Susan M. Michael is US Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem www.icejusa.org. This article is seventh in a series to introduce Israel and various biblical sites of interest to the Christian reader. For information on ICEJ tours to Israel:www.icejusa.org/tours

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Masada: A Look Into Israel's Physical and Spiritual Fortresses - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

Masada: A Look Into Israel's Physical and Spiritual Fortresses

 7/7/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  charisma news

An aerial view of the Masada (Wikimedia Commons )

"The Lord is my pillar, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower" (Ps. 18:2).

Psalm 18 is said to be a Psalm of David that was written when the Lord delivered him from the hand of Saul. We read about just such a day in 1 Samuel 24:22 where it says that after Saul and David made an agreement that "Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold."

A stronghold during the time of the Israelites was a naturally elevated rock formation or mountain that offered protection and a place of safety. When David was hiding from Saul, he dwelt in the "strongholds" at Ein Gedi, an oasis fed by a waterfall descending from the barren mountains alongside the Dead Sea. There are many caves visible high on the cliffs above Ein Gedi similar to the ones in which David may have hidden.

But in 1 Samuel 24:22, it says that David went up to "the stronghold," indicating that there was one stronghold that everyone knew about that stood out among all the rest. It is possible that stronghold could have been the 1,300-foot high rock plateau overlooking Ein Gedi that is known today as Masada (fortress). There is no way to know if it is the stronghold David dwelt in, but there is no better example of what David meant when he described the Lord as his stronghold.

Masada

Masada has a history almost as rugged and deadly as it looks. It was the first site Herod the Great fortified after he gained control of his kingdom. He built a three-tiered palace down the cliffs on the northern edge of Masada that included a swimming pool, Roman bath and throne room. The entire fortress was self-sufficient with cisterns, aqueducts, agricultural plots, storage rooms, servants' housing and a synagogue.

But Masada is best known for the dramatic last stand of a small band of Jewish zealots who had fled there from Jerusalem in 70 A.D. after the destruction of the Temple by Roman forces. Some 900 zealots lived there and resisted Roman rule until 73 A.D. when a Roman legion laid siege to Masada building a large siege ramp so a battering ram could reach the wall around the fortress. Once the Roman assault began to penetrate the wall, the Jewish resistance ended in a mass murder-suicide leaving only seven survivors, two mothers and five children who hid in a cistern.

When archaeologists first excavated the site in the 1960s, they found many scrolls stored in the synagogue, but the scroll that had been taken out for the last teaching of the zealots was Ezekiel 35-38. In those chapters the Lord speaks judgment on the surrounding nations for their treatment of His people. He also promises to regather the Jewish people back to their land in a time of blessing and peace. In chapter 37, that future rebirth of Jewish sovereignty on the land is described as dry bones coming back to life from the dead.

These zealots took their lives in utter hopelessness, choosing death over a life of slavery to the Roman oppressors yet knowing that one day God would fulfill His promises and raise up the nation even if from dead, dry bones. This is why Masada is such a moving place to visit today.

A Heavenly Stronghold

But the real lesson of Masada is found in the life and words of David. He benefited greatly from the great strongholds of his day and hid in them for his physical protection. In spite of this, David did not put his trust in earthly strongholds. He knew that God was his true stronghold, and only in Him could he trust.

As we visit the magnificent mountain stronghold of Masada, we are reminded of how strong and mighty our God is, like a high tower that we can run to for safety in times of trouble. Lastly, we are reminded that even though a physical stronghold as fortified and protective as Masada cannot be trusted, our God can be trusted in all things.

"He is our rock, a high tower and shield—the One in whom we can take refuge" (Ps. 144:1-2).

Susan M. Michael is U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. This article is part of a series to introduce Israel and various biblical sites of interest to the Christian reader. Join Susan and the ICEJ on one of our tours to see these sites yourself.

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Israel: A Journey Through the Redemptive - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

Israel: A Journey Through the Redemptive 

 6/21/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  charisma news

The Jordan River (Wikimedia Commons )

The first glimpse of the Promised Land that the Israelites had from the east side of the Jordan River must have elicited a range of emotions. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, eating some unknown substance called manna, they must have been extremely relieved to be entering the land of milk and honey they had been told about.

In addition, they felt fearful knowing that there were still giants living in the land they were entering. But, the children of Israel could have also been a little disappointed. Their view from the east side of the Jordan may have encompassed the occasional oasis in the Jordan valley, but they were dwarfed by the barren cliffs of the foreboding Judean Wilderness.

The Israelites were entering a land that looked just as stark, dry and barren as the desert they thought they had left behind. It is understandable that the two tribes of Reuben and Gad asked to remain on the east side of the Jordan where their cattle could graze!

Crossing Over

It is interesting to note that the place where Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land is also the place where Jesus was baptized and entered His ministry, and from where Elijah ascended into Heaven. It is a special and popular place for pilgrims to be baptized today.

At first glimpse, visitors are usually disappointed in the Jordan River. They are expecting a mighty rushing river, but it is more like a small stream, and the waters are murky. In 2 Kings 5, the leprous Syrian commander, Naaman, was also shocked when the prophet Elisha told him to bathe in the cloudy, unimpressive waters of the lower Jordan. He replied that there were much better and cleaner rivers back in his country!

This part of the Jordan valley and neighboring Judean Wilderness is the part of the land of Israel that I love the most, probably because it is so different from the lush farmland where I grew up. It is stark, majestic and overwhelming in its contrasts.

Proving God's Word

The air is so dry there that it preserved ancient sacred scrolls for thousands of years. The famous Dead Sea Scrolls, some dating back as far as 300 BC, were discovered in caves above Qumran where they had been stored in clay jars. It is possible some of these scrolls were from the Temple and had been hidden there from the Romans in 70 AD. When found over 1,900 years later, they matched the modern biblical text and proved that the Bible had not been corrupted or altered in any way.

It is no coincidence that the first Dead Sea Scroll was acquired by a Hebrew University professor within weeks, if not days, of the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, which paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel. God was beginning to both prove the authenticity of the Bible and fulfill prophecy at the same time.

Extremes and Contrasts

From the Qumran caves one can see the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, and the rocky cliffs of the Judean Wilderness (also called the Judean Desert) reaching up some 1,500 feet above. The Dead Sea, known as the Salt Sea in the Bible, is evaporating at such a rate that it is ten times saltier than ocean water. This salinity makes it too harsh for fish to live. It is also too dense for visitors to swim—they float on the surface of the water instead. The lowest point on earth is so far away from the sun that bathers do not have to worry much about burning.

A Land of Testing

While these contrasts and extremes make visiting Israel a fascinating experience, it also made the land a harsh place to live in. When Abraham first entered the Land of Canaan it was during such a severe famine that he went to Egypt for refuge. Isaac also encountered a drought but God instructed him to seek refuge among the Philistines near Gaza instead of Egypt. Similarly, Jacob encountered a famine and sent his sons to buy grain from Egypt, then ended up living there under the providential care and provision of his beloved son, Joseph.

Why would God give a land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that had such a tendency towards drought and famine, not to mention giants? He would use it as His testing ground. It was a land in which nothing came easy, and required faith and obedience to attain the fullness of what God had promised.

Israel is no different today. God has brought His people back to their ancient homeland where they cleared malaria infested swamps, made the desert bloom, and used technology and innovation to solve their water shortage. But they also encountered hostile resistance from the Arabs who refused to live in peace with them, and who have fed successive generations with hatred and animosity so that Israel is faced with a seemingly unsolvable situation.

I once heard someone ask an Orthodox Rabbi why God would have regathered His people back to their homeland only to be faced with decades of war, waves of terrorism, and a situation that has no solution in sight. His answer was this: "It is part of the redemptive process."

God uses difficult places and situations to test and refine His people. If we will obey His Word and step out in faith we can overcome the obstacles life puts in front of us. This is the kind of faith that pleases God, and without which, we will fail the test. 

Susan Michael is U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.www.icejusa.org.

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'Who Shall Stand in This Holy Place?' - SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ CHARISMA NEWS

'Who Shall Stand in This Holy Place?'

2/10/2016 SUSAN MICHAEL/ICEJ  charisma news

A visit to Jerusalem can take you to a place of spiritual ascent. (Wikimedia Commons )

The city of Jerusalem is the highlight of any pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It is not just a city that has some 4,000 years of history, making it one of the oldest cities on earth, but it is mentioned 806 times in the Bible with names as beautiful as "City of God," "Joyful City" and "Desired One."

Jerusalem in Hebrew is Yerushalayim and is often translated as "City of Peace."

It is situated on the southern Judean plateau which at its highest point is 2,500 feet above sea level. Only 37 miles west of Jerusalem is the Mediterranean Sea, and 22 miles to its east is the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea. This explains why in John 5:1 Jesus "went up to Jerusalem," and in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the poor man that fell among thieves was going "down from Jerusalem" (Luke 10:30).

This idea of ascending to Jerusalem does not merely refer to geography though; Jerusalem was the site of the temple of God, therefore a place of spiritual ascent. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?" asks the psalmist, "or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Ps. 24:3).

Psalms of Ascent

In fact, 15 of the biblical Psalms (120-134) bear the label "song of ascent." They've also been called "songs of steps" and "pilgrim songs." Many scholars believe that these psalms were sung by worshippers walking up the road to Jerusalem at the time of the three great pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Tabernacles and Pentecost. The notion of "ascending" to Jerusalem persists today. For example, Jews who immigrate to Israel are said to be making "aliyah," or "ascent."

Many Christian tours recite the Psalms of Ascent as their buses climb the road to Jerusalem. What a fitting way to prepare one's heart for the special experience of visiting the city that God chose for Himself (Ps. 132:13-14). The Psalms of Ascent end with verse 3 of Psalm 134, which is the pilgrim's prayer that they would be blessed by God while in Zion.

Jerusalem in the Bible

Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible as early as Genesis 14:18, where it is referred to as Shalem, the city ruled by Melchizedek. Later it is called Jebus, which was captured from the Jebusites by King David and made the capital of Israel. David also bought a certain threshing floor there from its owner and kept it as the site of the future temple. That site is also referred to as Mt. Moriah in 2 Chronicles 3:1, which indicates that King Solomon built the temple on the same mountain where Abraham had earlier bound Isaac.

Zion was another name given to the hill where the Jebusite fortress stood, and was later applied to the Temple Mount, or Mt. Moriah, just to the north of the fortress. Zion has also come to be used as a synonym for the city of Jerusalem as a whole.

Sites to See

In biblical times, Jerusalem covered territory similar to what is known today as the Old City, a 35 square-mile walled area divided into four sections carried over from Ottoman rule: The Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters. The Old City has been surrounded by walls for its defense since ancient times, but the walls that are visible today date back to the 16th century. The Old City was the entire city of Jerusalem until the mid-19th century when building began outside of the city walls.

While an exhaustive list of important sites in Jerusalem is not possible for this article, everyone must see the Western Wall, the only remnant of the Temple walls; the Temple Mount on which is built the Muslim Dome of the Rock; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the likely site where Jesus was crucified and buried; the Garden Tomb, a rock-cut tomb in a skull-shaped hill considered an alternative site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial; and the Mt. of Olives.

The Capital of Israel

As you can imagine, Jerusalem today is a very diverse and fascinating modern city inhabited by over 800,000 people. It is a sprawling city with beautiful vistas from hill-top housing developments. In addition to being Israel's spiritual, political and administrative capital, Jerusalem is also a leader in education and health care, and its religious, historical and cultural attractions make it the country's premier tourist destination.

It was some 3,000 years ago that King David captured Jerusalem and made it the capital of Israel. Since then, the city has been destroyed, besieged, attacked and rebuilt many times. But it always remained in the hearts of the Jewish people who longed to one day return and re-establish sovereignty there.

The Zionist movement, while a modern political movement, is in many ways a continuation of this ancient attachment of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. The current refusal of the nations to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is an attempt to rob the Jewish people of their spiritual and scriptural heart.

This is why the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem recognizes Jerusalem as the eternal and undivided capital of the State of Israel. 

Note: This is the second in a series of articles introducing Israel and various biblical sites of interest to the Christian reader. Click here for the first, "8 Reasons Why Every Christian Should Visit Israel."

Susan Michael is the U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and leads tours to Israel icejusa.org/tours. 

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