Page 42 - Holyland Magazine - 2018 Edition
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David Parsons faith all around the world. Yet this universal
reverence for Jerusalem originates with
Last year was a truly remarkable year the Jewish people and their close spiritual
for the city of Jerusalem. Not only did ties to this city. Without that foundational
2017 mark fifty years since Jerusalem divine connection between the Jews and
was reunited and under Jewish rule for Jerusalem, no one else would have ever
the first time in two millennia, but it is really cared about this remote city nestled
also the year when the nations finally started away in the Judean hills.
to give Jerusalem its due recognition as
Israel’s capital. Indeed, we are now in a new The Jewish bond with Jerusalem is as old as
season for Jerusalem, as the freedom-loving the Bible itself, which makes over nine hundred
democratic nations are beginning to return references to the holy city. Ancient Greek
to the city that has always been the spiritual and Roman writings also repeatedly refer to
heart of the Jewish and Christian faiths. Jerusalem as a “Jewish city” and the “capital of
the Jews.” During their many centuries of exile,
In December 2017, the President of the the Jews always longed to return to Jerusalem
United States decided to finally recognize and restore its past glories.
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin
moving the American Embassy there. This For seven decades now, Jerusalem has
was a courageous and long overdue step served as the capital of the reborn nation of
that goes to the core of the historic national Israel, even when the city was precariously
identity of the Jewish people. surrounded by enemies and even though
the nations refused to recognize it as such.
Universal reverence for This steadfast devotion to Jerusalem has
Jerusalem again demonstrated its centrality to Jewish
national life.
Today, Jerusalem holds great historical and
religious significance for billions of people of
The International The ‘Roll Call of the Nations’ at the annual
Christian Embassy Feast of Tabernacles celebration, sponsored
Jerusalem, a permanent by the International Christian Embassy
representation for Jerusalem. Photo: ICEJ/Jani Salokangas
Christians in Jerusalem,
the capital of the restored
nation of Israel. Photo:
ICEJ
Israel also has established a proven
track record as the proper custodian of
Jerusalem’s many holy places. For fifty years
now, the Jewish nation has kept the reunited
city open for peoples of all faiths, in keeping
with the commands of their own Hebrew
Scriptures that Jerusalem is called to be a
“house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7).
Since our founding in 1980, the International
Christian Embassy Jerusalem has stood
firmly with Israel and the Jewish people
regarding their ancient, biblical connection
to Jerusalem. As sponsors of the largest
annual Christian gathering in Israel – the
Feast of Tabernacles – we can readily attest
to the robust freedoms Christian pilgrims
enjoy to access our holy sites and worship
freely in this city.
Yet the international community has
continued to deny the Jewish people
their rightful place in Jerusalem, citing a
variety of pretexts. But the time has come
for the nations to right this wrong, and
we rejoice that Jerusalem is finally getting
the recognition and respect it deserves.
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