The Israel Experience

Psalm 122

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."
Our feet are standing
in your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
to praise the name of the Lord
according to the statute given to Israel.
There the thrones for judgment stand,
the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your prosperity.

The verses of this magnificent Psalm remind us once again that as Christians, our interest in the land of Israel is far from just historical. We are told to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (v.6).

When the patriarch Abraham left Egypt to return to the land of promise, God told him, "Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you." (Gen. 13:17).

We who are the spiritual descendants of Abraham have a special bond to the land where he and his people lived, where mighty King David and his son Solomon ruled; the land where the prophets spoke... and the land where Jesus was born.

We are told in Genesis 22:19 that Abraham pitched his tent in Beersheba, a famous name from biblical history that is now a city at the threshold of the Negev Desert.

Imagine standing where Abraham stood, seeing the desert he saw as he experienced the fulfillment of God's promises!

Imagine standing on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. From the surrounding mountains, Jesus watched  the disciples straining against the storm (Mark 6:48). He then came to them walking on the water, and called Peter to come to him. It was on the Sea of Galilee that Jesus also stilled the storm.

On the shore of that sea is the town of Capernaum, where Jesus lived and where excavations are underway on an ancient house believed to be the home of the Apostle Peter.

The land of Israel is the home of Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana, and the holy city of Jerusalem, with all the meaning it holds for followers of Jesus Christ.

In Israel you will find Megiddo, also known as Armageddon. In the time of Ihab, Megiddo was a chariot city, and excavations have unearthed the king's stables.

The Bible also records that Megiddo, Israel will one day be the focus and culmination point of world history (Rev. 16:16).

From Genesis to Revelation, Israel is at the very heart of the biblical story. For many Christians, visiting the land of our spiritual heritage would be a dream come true. I assure you, this will be the experience of a lifetime.

As you step into the Promised Land of Abraham, David, the prophets, Jesus, and the Apostles, the places and people you have read about all your life will take on a new world of meaning for you.

Those who have been to Israel tell us that their Christian lives have been revolutionized. as you consider your decision to take this pilgrimage, make Psalm 122:2 your prayer: "Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem."

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