The following is an email our team received last week from our team leader when he arrived in Israel. As we prepare for this coming mission trip back to “the Land” of Israel, we wanted to spend a couple days sharing more about the Jewish roots of our Faith. Soon we’ll begin giving you live updates from our trip!
Shalom, Team Israel
As we arrived yesterday I was taken by the calm in the air. It was 6ish by the time we pasted through the triple random check points in customs. Mike was pulled at the first as I was blessed to sail through. Perhaps this gray haired 60 yr. old body has something to do with that … anyways the final turn bringing us to the outer part of the receiving area which was very quiet. Yes, there were folks to greet family in the usual Israeli fashion but considering the day … very quiet.
61 years ago the answer to Isaiah’s question was answered. Isaiah 66:8 ‘Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.’
From her very first days as a nation, it was difficult. Five Arab nations, intent on driving the Jews into the sea, attacked Israel the day after she declared her nationhood.
Upon her establishment, Israel had a very small army. Mostly trained by the British during World War II as the Zionist Jewish Brigade, this tiny army was outnumbered by 20-to-1.
The odds were not in favor of Israel lasting even one week. But, miraculously she did! There could be no doubt that God intervened to protect His Holy Land from being overrun. The world observed in awe as this tiny army — the first Jewish fighting force in 2,000 years — repelled a much larger and much better equipped enemy from her borders.
So where was the fan fair, the joy? Although it was true to the Roman calendar, it was not according to the Biblical calendar. Yom Ha’Atzma’ut was 2 weeks ago, Iyyar 5th and today actually the day the Glory Cloud lifted from the Tabernacle for the first time (Numbers10:11-15). Much to contemplate on the first walk through the gates of His beloved city.
May His Glory always be upon you and never … never be removed from your presence. May His intimacy be great and deep for the rest of your time here during our preparation of His soon coming. Waiting with you in His Preparation:
Faithfully in our Messiah,
David
I want to invite you to pray for our team that is going there on this upcoming trip. I am going to do my best to update this site daily to let you know what is going on. They tend to work us really hard, so I can’t be sure I’ll always be able to do this, but I will do my best to. Thanks for your support!
If you will be praying, we’d love it if you’d send us an email to wes@kingdomcalling.com.
Photo credit: ENoStress