Page 26 - Holyland Magazine - 2017 Edition

The City
of God A Special Jubilee Feast 2017
Christians from 100 nations take part in the colorful Jerusalem March through the streets of the
Israeli capital during the ICEJ’s annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration. Photo: ICEJ/Sasson Tiram existence, the sovereignty of Jerusalem
David Parsons
This year, Israel will mark the 50th
anniversary of the reunification of
Jerusalem in June 1967. Christians
around the world will join in celebrating Embassy Jerusalem, draws thousands
this historic milestone, culminating
with a major event in Jerusalem to honor
26
of Christians each year for a week-long
the Jubilee year of the holy city being united
once more under Israeli sovereignty.
The annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration,
sponsored by the International Christian
observance of this biblical festival. This
coming October, the Feast of 2017 will
focus on the great prophetic significance
of Jerusalem being fully back in Jewish
hands. This historic convocation will be the
perfect occasion for Christians from around
the globe to come together in this amazing
city for a glorious time of worship, prayer
and proclamation of God’s word, as well
as to stand in solidarity with Israel and the
Jewish people in their longstanding claim
and connection to Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is one of the most ancient and
revered cities in the world. It is considered
holy by billions of people. It is the city of
the patriarchs, prophets and apostles. It
also has seen many conflicts and known
many conquerors. But only the People of
Israel have ever made it the capital of their
nation. This dates back to when King David
made it his capital some 3,000 years ago.
The Jewish connection to the city actually
goes back even further, to when Abraham
offered up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah
over 4,000 years ago. And Christians have
a unique bond to the city as well, because
of that extraordinary moment when Jesus
offered up himself as a sacrifice on this same
mountain two millennia ago.
In all of these centuries of the city’s
has been contested many times. But it was
divided only once, during the nineteen years
of the Jordanian occupation from 1948 to
1967. Jews who had lived in the walled Old
City for generations were expelled to West
Jerusalem, while their homes were pillaged
and synagogues destroyed. The Jewish
people were cut off from praying at the
Western Wall and visiting the Temple Mount.
But in June 1967, a dramatic change
occurred. Israel pre-empted a massive
attack by surrounding Arab armies and not
only miraculously survived as a nation, but
also regained control over Judaism's holiest
sites. Jerusalem was reunited once again,
but this time under Jewish sovereignty.
The southern end of the Temple Mount
in Jerusalem. Photo: wikimedia.com