A Nation Born in One Day

May 12th thru the 15th, Christian Friends of Israel held a conference to commerate Israel's 60th Anniversary as a modern nation. The theme of the conference was "A Nation Born in One Day" based on Isaiah 66:8. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children. Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD. "Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God. "Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; Isaiah 66:8-10.

On May 14th, 1948, Biblical Israel became a nation again with God's Chosen People, the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob back in the land that Almighty God gave to them.
See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them. Deuteronomy 1:8.

CFI had conference attendees from around the world. Thursday afternoon was an optional bus excursion to see review some 1948 history; visit a traditional location of the Ark of the Covenant; and visit an Ethiopian Jew absorbtion center. CFI asked if I would be the "bus captain" on one of the buses. The first place we stopped was just a few miles west of Jerusalem at The Castel. The Castel is an old Roman Outpost situated on a very, high strategic location. In the 1948 War of Independence, heavy fighting took place at The Castel. Whoever controlled The Castel in 1948 was in a good position to control the upper road into Jerusalem. We were not really expecting anyone to be there during our tour. What a blessing it was when we arrived to see 10-12 bus loads of IDF soldiers also learning the history lessons of the 1948 War. These photos show them at the buses and listening to their commanders.

After we ate our box lunch, I gave a brief history lesson on The Castel and on the "Burma Road" which is a little further west by Latrun. For a brief time in 1948, the Jews in Jerusalem were "cut off" from food, water, and supplies. It was the opening of the "Burma Road" which brought much needed supplies to Jerusalem. This was before there were helicopters. While I was speaking, I noticed a few of the young IDF soldiers listening. They probably wanted to see if I got it correct. Our group consisted of young and old; Bulgarians, Philipinos, British, Germans, and Americans. Everyone was up to walking up to the top of The Castel. As we were going up, these young men were coming down.

These young men seem to wandering why are the tourists going to The Castel?

At the top of The Castel, there is a beautiful 360 degree view of the Judean Hills. Unfortunately, it was a little hazy that day because of the heat. The higher you go the more obvious the location for a strategic, defensive position.

The picture below is out of sequence but I wanted to show it. After our second stop, we hit "high center" on the bus and everyone had to get off to see if the bus could make it without us. It did. At least we were not on the side of a cliff.

Our group was very excited to see all the soldiers. As the young men and women walked by, they were probably receiving blessings in 5 or 6 languaages and understood none of them.

Looking east from the top of The Castel. If you zoom in on the center are a few tall buildings in the distance. That is Jerusalem sitting among all the mountains. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:2-3.

Looking north from The Castel to the town of Mevassaret Ziyyon. The mountain to the right with just one building on it is Nebi Samuel (tomb of Samuel). Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. 1st Samuel 25:1. I have never been there.

Trenches from 1948 are still there in order to remember the fierce fighting that took place.

Even though it is Hebrew, this must be a Memorial for those who fell at The Castel.

After The Castel, we went to the current town of Abu Ghosh, which is Biblical Kirjath Jearim, where the Ark of the Covenant was for 20 years. Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. 1st Samuel 7:1-2. At a church there, I read the scriptures of how Israel lost the Ark to the Philistines and the subsequent return of it. When you view Jerusalem from there, it is easy to see that King David and 30,000 men had a quite a procession to return the Ark to Jerusalem. Our last stop was at the Ethiopian Jewish Absorbtion Center. Below the children were curious about all these people that got off the bus.

The Jewish Agency welcomed us for a brief lecture and walking tour.

When the Jews were dispersed from the Land of Israel in the second century, some of them did go southwest to northern Africa. Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. Psalm 68:31.

Below is not a playground but just a reminder of home and what it looks like. At CFI, one of the outreach projects that we have is called Hope For The Future. Christians around the world can adopt an Ethiopian family and help them meet their expenses. A portion of my job is deposit the various currencies at the bank so CFI can write support checks in Israeli Shekels.

We were well received. They know that CFI helps them. "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:37-40.

President Bush made his second trip to Jerusalem this year during the 60th Anniversary. Below is King David Street with the American Flags flying. The photo taken over the steering wheel of my rental car when I drove to the airport to pick up my friends, Merlin and Margaret Hampton, of CFI-America. It was good to see them. We enjoyed a lot of laughs and some good restaurants.

This is the King David as we drove by. When President Bush was here, King David Street was blocked off for traffic and pedestrians. Many of us had to find alternative routes home.

One Saturday afternoon, we visited another friend from Texas in Ariel. Late in the day, he drove us to Mount Gerazim in Samaria. Mount Gerizim is the mountain where Moses told Joshua to read the "blessings and the curses". Now it shall be, when the LORD your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. Deuteronomy 11:29. We got there too late for good photos but now that I know the way I plan to return soon. Below is the sunset looking west from Mount Gerizim.

On our way to Masada (future posting), this camel was being fed at a "pit stop" near Jericho.

He was enjoying his fruit.