Shalom Aleichem,
We just finished the Chanukah season here in Jerusalem.
Chanukah has often been described as a season of miracles for it is most remembered for the miracle of one day’s supply of oil lasting eight days; that’s why a candle is lit every day for eight days.
The greater miracle to be remembered is how God, like in the days of Esther, preserved His ancient chosen people, the Jews. Through this miracle God maintained the line of the Messiah and the temple until our precious Lord and Savior Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) came to bring salvation, starting with the Jews, to every tribe, tongue, and nation who would believe.
This year we saw another Chanukah miracle in America recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of this little nation of Israel. Despite the world’s opposition, God showed that He is turning His eyes back towards Jerusalem and His people. Unfortunately, many continue to believe the lies of Satan, that Israel has no connection to Jerusalem as the city where God would choose to keep His name for all eternity. Even though this decision has and will continue to cause a short-term upheaval here in Jerusalem, we believe this was the right move by President Trump.
Why does it matter? Because God chose Jerusalem to be the place where His name would be forever. (
2 Chr. 6:6, 12:13; Psa. 48:1, 78:68-70, 132:13; Isa. 14:32
…)
God chose to place His name in Jerusalem due in part because of two events that happened in the city as recorded in
Genesis chapters 14 & 22
. Both events foreshadow the Person and work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.
In
Genesis 14
we see how Abram delivers his nephew Lot from the Mesopotamian kings. On his way back to the Negev he stops at the Valley of Shaveh and meets Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and also the priest of the Most High God (El Elyon). The King / Priest blessed Abram and Abram in turn gave a tithe to Melchizedek (
Gen.14:18-20; Heb. 7:1-4
).
The Book of Hebrews expounds on this event. In
Hebrews 5:5
“So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee”
. (a quotation from
Psalm 2:7
). Also, in
Hebrews. 5:6
“As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”
(a quotation from
Psalm 110:4
). Later, Jesus is identified as being “
made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec
.”
Heb. 6:20
.
In
Genesis chapter 22
Abraham was obeying God and offering up Isaac on a mountain in the Land of Moriah (
Gen. 22
), called in Jewish tradition Akedah, for the “binding” of Isaac. The Temple built by Solomon was also located on Mount Moriah (
II Chron. 3:1
).
Abraham following God’s orders was about to kill his only son and just at the right time God provided a substitute.
“And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”
Gen. 22:13
. He named the place “
The LORD will provide
” -- “
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.”
Gen. 22:14
.
In the Mount of the LORD, eternal redemption was provided by God and He offers His righteousness to any and all who would put their trust in the Lamb of God.
God chose Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel because of the priority He placed on His Son and His Son’s coming to redeem sinners. The two events, in the book of Genesis, foreshadowed the Person and work of the Lord Jesus in His first and second comings to earth which was and will again be centered in Jerusalem.
The first time He came as the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world on a cross outside of the gates of Jerusalem. The second time He will come, He is coming as the Lion of Judah, the King & Priest who will rule the world from the Davidic throne on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
One day soon, this same Jesus is coming again to step foot on Mount of Olives with His saints and sit upon the throne of David and establish His Kingdom over all the earth in Jerusalem as a King & Priest. Only then will we have true and lasting peace on earth (
Zech. 14; Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:5-8; Zech. 12:10; Rev. 19:11-19; Isa. 65:19
).
All of the above verses are critical to the sharing of the gospel to the Jewish people. Please pray that God will give us the opportunities and boldness to declare His word to His people.
For these reasons from the Scripture, we stand with Trump and America in the recognition of Jerusalem as the “eternal, undivided capital of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people” and all who would put their trust in the Jewish Messiah.
