Category Archives: Prophecy

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Recipe: Time to Talk Turkey

Recipe: Time to Talk Turkey
Note: This recipe was featured 3 years ago so its time for a revisit.
With Christmas around the corner, it is time to ‘talk turkey.’ Would you like to have the most moist, juicy, and flavourful turkey dinner? Then, take the simple, extra step of brining. A little bit of effort and following a few common sense points and you will have guests raving about your meal long after its complete.
Brining (turkey or chicken)
This procedure is designed to let your turkey or chicken soak for 24-48 hours in specially prepared liquid. Brining will prepare the bird, seal in the juices, and make for a much better, more moist, more delicious outcome.
Remember these simple steps:
•   Container: Use anything but aluminium. A clear clean plastic bucket can do the trick.
•   Water: Start with 6 or more litres of cold water.
•   Dissolve: In a litre of boiling water dissolve 100g or table salt (or 200gm coarse salt) and 200g of sugar. Don’t use too much salt if you plan to brine more than 1 day. Add this mixture to the bucket.
•   Aromatics: You can add to the water all kinds of flavour enhancers. Try spices such as coriander seeds, juniper berries, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cloves, thyme (fresh is preferable). Throw in some cut oranges or lemons.
•   Seal the deal: If using a bucket, cover it. If using a heavy duty bag, tie the top.
•   How much time should you brine?: You can brine overnight or as long as 24 to 48 hours
•   Keep cool: There is no need for refrigeration but the bird must be completely covered and cool. It can brine in the garage, back porch, any place that is cool and safe. If necessary, if you live in a warm climate, use ice or other cooling objects.
•   Ready to Roast: Remove the bird from the brine 1-2 hours before roasting. It should be pat dried on the inside and out.
Other Turkey Tips
•    Room temperature: Roasting should commence once the turkey/chicken is at room temperature, not frozen or cold or wet from brining.
•   Recommended oven temperatures: Under 4 kg, roast for 70 minutes at 190 C plus 20 minutes per kilo (180C fan-forced); GM 5, 375 F. For a turkey more than 4 kg, 90 minutes plus 20 minutes per kilo, same temperatures. If you roast a brined turkey breast, 70 minutes plus 20 minutes per kilo is sufficient. Make sure the oven is preheated and at the desired temperature before you put the bird in the oven.
•   Additional preparation: As an added bonus, trying spreading soft butter on the turkey breast and insert thyme or lemon slices under the skin. Butter the skin of the bird and either use salt and pepper or chicken seasoning for added flavour.
•   Stuffing: Stuff the bird with you favourite stuffing and secure by tucking the skin or using skewers. Or, bake the stuffing separately and put onions, lemons, and spices into the cavity.
•   Bacon on the breast: You can lay bacon on the breast until it starts to crisp. Remove and then return in the last 10 minutes of roasting.
•   Meat thermometer: If at all possible use a meat thermometer. There is nothing worse than under cooking or overcooking your precious Christmas turkey, especially in front of the guests! The temperature when finished should be around 75-80 C.
•   Cover with foil: At first, roast the turkey uncovered. Baste every 30 minutes. Once the skin is a light golden brown, then cover with 2 long sheets of aluminium foil, make sure it completely covers the bird, like a tent. In the last 30 minutes, remove the foil permanently so the skin will crisp.
•    Basting Option 01: You can simply baste every 30 minutes, using the juices of the turkey at the bottom of the tray and spooning them all over the roast. Basting is important because it keeps the meat from going dry.
•   Basting Option 02: Use a creamy concoction of butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and rosemary (preferably fresh). Using your hands, put the paste under the skin, at the neck, the breast, everywhere. Make sure you season the bird before roasting.
•    Basting Option 03: Take some muslin cloth and soak it in unsalted butter (you can double or triple the cloth). Cover the bird with the butter-rich muslin before it goes into the oven (remember to keep it from touching the heated oven element). Remove 30 minutes before completion to let the skin crisp.
•   Roasting position: This may surprise you but the experts recommend roasting upside down until the last hour, then put the bird right-side up.
•   Is it ready? Two of the best ways of determining if the roast is ready is by the thermometer, 74-75-80 C. Second, pierce the bird. If the juices are pinkish, it is not ready – roast longer. If the juices run clear, it is ready. Another method is the ‘wiggle test.’ Try ‘shaking hands’ with the legs; if the roast is ready, they will easily wiggle. If there is tightness and hindered movement, it is not ready.
•   Gravy: Once the roast is ready, drain off the surplus juices and put in a bowl or jug. Put it in a cool place and allow the fat to rise. Once cold, skim off the fat and use the juices for a delicious gravy.
•   Rest the Roast: It is very important that the roasted turkey/chicken is allowed to rest after it comes out of the oven. Usual time is 30 minutes. Cover with foil and then with clean tea towels. You can wait as long as 2 hours and it will still be hot. Resting allows the bird to finish cooking after the oven, juices spread, and it makes for a better result.
•   Enjoy.

Articles, Education, Prayer, Prophecy, Teaching

Hear Am I, Send Me: Understanding the Call of God Part 03

Matthew 22:14 (KJV) For many are called, but few are chosen.
It has to be one of the most concerning verses in the Bible. As mentioned above, Jesus simply states that many are called, and few are chosen. A similar statement is found in Matthew 7:13-14 when He exhorts people to choose the narrow way, because the wide, broad way leads to destruction and many are travelling on that road. The way that leads to life is narrow and difficult and there are few who find it.
When you weigh it all up, the chosen of God are an elite minority. It goes without saying that you should do everything in your power to become part of that minority. But how? How to you go from being merely ‘called’ to becoming gloriously ‘chosen?’
The answer is relatively simple: those who are called either say ‘No’ to God,’ ‘Wait’ to God,’ or give no answer at all. Those who reject the call can change their mind but they don’t have forever to do so. Also, there is the very real danger that the ‘train will leave the platform’ before they have a chance to repent. Those who say ‘Wait’ are telling the Lord that the terms, timing, and territory of fulfilling their call will be according to their time-table, not God’s. It is audaciously presumptuous and dangerous position to take. Consider some of the reasons – more accurately, excuses – we offer in response to the call of God:
•    ’I will serve you, Lord, but first let me find a spouse and marry.’
•    ‘I will serve you, God, but first let me finish my education.’
•    ‘I will serve you, Lord, but first let me work in my career.’
•    ‘I will serve you, Lord, but first let me raise my children.’
•    ‘I will serve you, Lord, but first let me educate my children.’
•    ‘I will serve you, Lord, but first let me make my fortune and pay off my mortgage so that I have money for ministry.’
•    ‘I will serve you, Lord, but first let me earn my pension.’
The truth is, those who take such a stance are flirting with all-time failure. The goals they set will only be fulfilled in part, if at all. Plus, more importantly, they will ‘miss the train’ of the call of God. Chances are high that there will not be another one. If, in the grace and mercy of God, there is another chance, it will probably be a consolation prize compared to the ‘first prize’ of answering the call the first time.
To not answer God at all is more than mere rudeness; it is insanity.
Then there are the chosen of God. How did they make the transition from ‘call’ to ‘chosen?’ It is easy: the chosen say ‘Yes’ when God calls. They do so in a timely manner, whole-heartedly, and with single-minded focus. This is the only wise response.
Make no mistake about it: the chosen will not always have an easy ride. They will be tested, misunderstood, rejected, perhaps persecuted. Just look at the life of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. He was clearly chosen of God but suffered much before his time of fulfilment came. This is a fallen world and bad things can happen to good people, indeed all people.
When it rains, the just and unjust both get wet. Yet their is a difference. When trials happen to the unjust, they go lower. When it happens to the just, they go higher (Habakkuk 3:17-19; Psalm 75:6-7). The just, despite everything, will have no regrets in obeying God’s call; the unjust will have a life-time, even an eternity, of regrets because they rejected the call of God.
All things considered, it is a ‘no-brainer:’ wisdom decrees that we say ‘Yes’ to God and, the sooner, the better. It is the only way to be chosen and enjoy a brighter future (Proverbs 4:18).
NEXT TIME: Responding to the Call of God, Practically

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

THE AMERICAN MIDTERMS ARE OVER: WHAT NEXT?

The American mid-term election of Tuesday, 6 November 2018, has come and gone. What happens next?
First, what are the ‘mid-terms?’ They are the elections which happen in the ‘middle’ of the President’s four year term. It is where all 435 congressmen/women of the House of Representatives and one-third of the 100 senators are up for election or re-election. Also, 34 out of 50 states elect or re-electing their governors. So, there are elections every two years and the presidential election every four years.
Thus one person who is not on the ballot during a mid-term election is the US President. Yet, many consider the mid-term a national referendum on the President’s performance.
The ‘mid-terms of 2018’ have attracted more interest than usual. Normally, voter turn out is low in the ‘off election’ but this one is different. Early voting was high and the voter participation on the day appears to have been higher than usual. Unsurprisingly, US President Donald Trump does not generate indifference, one way or the other.
WHAT DO THE RESULTS MEAN?
First of all, the American Democrats regained the House of Representatives, 220 versus 193 Republicans. They lost the House in 2010 during President Obama’s first (2 year) mid-term. However, the Republicans retained the Senate, 52 versus 45; one commentator said it will be extremely difficult for the Democrats to regain the Senate in 2010. Thus, America has a divided Congress where neither a ‘blue wave’ or ‘red wave’ materialised.
With the House of Representatives in their hands, the Democrats have the power to stymie President Trump’s agenda of building a border wall with Mexico or having further tax cuts. They can also subpoena and have extensive investigations of anyone, including the President and his administration. They also have the power to impeach but not to convict (remember, impeachment means to bring charges of ‘high crimes and misdemeanours ‘against a government official; however, they cannot be removed from office unless convicted by a trial in the Senate). In history, only two US Presidents, Andrew Johnson (1868) and Bill Clinton (1998) were impeached by the House of Representatives. Neither were convicted by the Senate.
By retaining the Senate, the Trump Administration can continue to appoint conservative jurists at all levels. Already in the less than two years, Donald Trump has reconfigured the US Supreme Court. The court has gone from being apportioned between conservatives, moderates, and leftists; since Trump took office there are 4 leftists and 5 conservatives. There is a high chance that the President will appoint more justices before he leaves office.
Was this mid-term a referendum on Donald Trump. In some ways, yes. Yet how are we to interpret the ‘mixed result’ of losing the House yet gaining in the Senate? Here is some perspective.
RESULTS OF THE FIRST-TERMS OF
DONALD TRUMP’S IMMEDIATE PREDECESSORS
President
Party
House Seats (435)
Senate seats (100)
Ronald Reagan (1982)
Republican
-26 (192 > 166)
0: (54 > 54)
Ronald Reagan (1986)
Republican
-5 (182 > 177)
-8 (53 > 45)
George H.W. Bush (1990)
Republican
-8: (175 > 167)
-1 (45 > 44)
Bill Clinton (1994)
Democratic
-54 (258 > 204)
-9 (57 > 48)
Bill Clinton (1998)
Democratic
+5 (206 > 211)
0 (45 > 45)
George W. Bush (2002)
Republican
+8 (221 > 229)
+1 (49 > 50)
George W. Bush (2006)
Republican
– 30 (232 > 202)
-6 (55 > 49)
Barack Obama (2010)
Democratic
-63 (256 > 193)
-6 (57 > 51)
Barack Obama (2014)
Democratic
-13 (201 > 188)
-9 (53 > 44)
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had big losses in their first midterms. Clinton lost 54 Democratic House seats; Obama 63! Clinton lost both houses of Congress in 1994, Obama lost both in 2014. Compare this with Donald Trump, whose party lost 27 House Republican seats but gained seats in the Senate.
Common wisdom says that normally the political party of the incumbent President suffers in the first mid-terms. Yet, losing mid-terms need not be terminal. Two years later, both Clinton and Obama went on to win re-election.
Considering that predictions of a ‘blue wave’ (meaning a Democratic landslide) did not come to pass, and in light of the above statistics, Trump didn’t do so badly, especially when you consider the challenges, which included:
1)       House of Representative Retirements: More House Republicans retired in this election than any other time in 88 years;
2)       Hostile media: Consistent independent assessments confirm that over 90% of the coverage of the mainstream media on the Trump Administration is negative (and that is outside of election time); it is hard to argue with this assessment;
3)       Mega-Democratic fund-raising: Apparently the Democrats out-raised and out-spent the Republicans. For example, in the Texas Senate Race, Beto O’Rourke, a good-looking, media darling raised over $70 million to campaign against incumbent conservative Senator Ted Cruz. Cruz is despised by the media and only raised $33 million. Never in history has so much money been raised for one single senate seat (1 out of 100).
Yet, Donald Trump campaigned long and hard for Republican candidates. The ‘caravan’ of migrants coming from Central America also galvanised votes (these people, who say they are seeking asylum from oppressive regimes, rejected Mexico’s offer of asylum and continue to head towards the USA). The Brett Kavanaugh confirmation battle for the US Supreme Court, worked in the Republicans favour – all Democratic senators from Republican states, who voted against Kavanaugh confirmation all lost their bid for re-election. Then there is the good news about the US economy. By the way, Ted Cruz was reelected by the State of Texas with the highest voter turnout in a mid-term since 1994.
Nancy Pelosi, D-California, is favoured to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives, an office she held from 2007-2011. This is a powerful position which is third only to the President and Vice-President (if, hypothetically, the President and VP died, the Speaker of the House would become President).
Upon winning the House, Pelosi made some conciliatory comments, including:
Strive for bipartisanship
Seek to honour the values of our founders
Seek common denominator (with the Republicans)
Work with transparency
At the same time, there will be the temptation to have investigations, issue subpoenas, ask to see Trump’s tax return, or even begin impeachment proceedings. As a former Democratic Party leader advised the incoming Democratic-led House: Legislate, legislate, legislate, not investigate, investigate, investigate.
Mid-terms, indeed, all elections, is never black and white. A President could have a Congress of the opposite party … and still make progress. A President could have a Congress of his own party and not get much done.
The Bigger Picture
While there is constant talk and criticism about the ‘tone’ of the President and the lack of unity in the United States, this election, along with every other in the last 40-50 years, needs to be seen in the larger context of the culture war. It has resulted in rapid secularisation, abortion on demand, marriage redefinition, and an outright resistance to Judea-Christian values. Unless we can see things from the prism of the culture war, then it is impossible to explain the growing chasm in society.
Having its origin in the 1960s, the culture war is the defining challenge of America – more than foreign policy, more than the economy, more than mere politics. Left wing Progressive (sometimes called ‘liberals’) want a more ‘equal,’ ‘tolerant’ society with ‘social justice,’ all which comes from big government. Many ignore or seek to undermine Judea-Christian values. Conservatives want limited government, maximum freedom, including conscience and religion. Donald Trump has become America’s first-ever war-time President in the culture war – and he’s fighting back. For people who do not recognise this war, or do not see it as problematic, they are offended by Trump’s style and /or actions. For those who see this war as an existential threat on America and Western Civilisation, Trump’s fight-back and results are appreciated, even if his style is not.
As a billionaire businessman, Donald Trump’s is able to negotiate and ‘make deals’ (after all, he is the author of the best-selling book The Art of the Deal). His skills will be put to the test by the Democratically dominated House. For the sake of America, if not the world, let’s pray he can pull it off.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

His Mercies Never End: Why Study the Book of Lamentations

Introduction
It was a massive national tragedy. Despite many prophetic warnings, the people of Southern Kingdom of Judah refused to repent and return to the Lord. The result was the invasion by Babylon of Judah, the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple, the disappearance of the Ark of the Covenant, and the deportation of the Judeans into 70 years of Babylonian captivity. The year: 586 BC.
Though Jeremiah foresaw all these things, he did not tell the remnant: ‘I told you so.’ On the contrary, he was extremely pained by the accuracy of his prophetic prediction regarding the conquest and destruction of the his holy city.
Yet, in the midst of the collective darkness, God’s character and light shined brighter than ever. Hence, to understand Lamentations is to understand God’s steadfast love, unceasing mercies, and larger-than-life faithfulness.
Hebrew Name of Lamentations
Ekah “Ah, how!”  Ginoth “Elegies’ or ‘Lamentations.’
Author of Lamentations
Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet. Author of the Book of Jeremiah.
Portrait of Christ in Lamentations
Just as Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem, so did Jesus (Luke 19:41-44). Jeremiah’s recorded weeping was after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus’ weeping was before the Roman destruction. Both are known for their tears, intercession, compassion for the rebellious city. In addition, Christ is merciful, compassionate, and faithful.
Theme of Lamentations
It speaks of the sin-induced destruction of Jerusalem. Yet, as is common with the prophets, the same messenger of judgement doubles up as an envoy of mercy, grace, and future restoration. Despite the dark clouds, God hovers over them all. All who come to Him will find forgiveness, restoration, and glory.
Key Verses of Lamentations
The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. 6And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest — Lamentations 2:5-6
It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness — Lamentations 3:22-23
Summary of Lamentations
Lamentations is five chapters long, which comprise five poems. Four of these are an alphabetical acrostics. They were written at Jeremiah’s grotto near the north wall of the Old City of Jerusalem, close to the famous Garden Tomb.
Essentially, in light of the horrible, self-inflicted tragedy that befell Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC, there are some important lessons. For example, in the light of God’s chastening, His people should repent and turn to Him with wholeheartedness. Now that the predicted tragedy has unfolded, they can have a fresh beginning. Above all, they need to recognise that God is full of mercy and compassion, in the dark days and light days, so the sooner they turn to Him, the better.
In our day there has been a restoration of Judah, Jerusalem, and the Jewish people, despite exile, assimilation, and attempts at annihilation.
Outline of Lamentations
I.           Destroyed Jerusalem Needs Mercy
II.         Devastating Results of God’s Punishment of Jerusalem
III.      Inward Cry from Outward Chastening
IV.     The Fall of Jerusalem: In Terrifying Detail
V.        Final Cry and Plea for Restoration

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

THE WEEPING PROPHET PART 01: Why Study the Book of Jeremiah?

Introduction of Jeremiah
It is one of the great prophecies of the Old Testament. Passionate, emotional, intense, and often uncomfortable, the Book of Jeremiah contains within its anointed words criticism and condemnation, yet promises of restoration and revival. It speaks of foreign conquest and occupation of Israel, yet Israel’s future never looked brighter. This is because of the promise of ‘new covenant’ with the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
Amazingly, despite the threat of conquest and deportation, a most remarkable divine promise is given: that as long as there are stars, sun, and moon in the sky, then Israel will always remain a people before God. Their miraculous preservation in the face of the twin-threats of assimilation and/or annihilation is unique, especially considering that larger nations and empires have come and gone. This caused American author Mark Twain to ask: ‘All things are mortal but the Jew … what is the secret of his immortality?’ (essay Concerning the Jews).
Jeremiah had a long prophetic career and was personally present in Jerusalem when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and destroy it and the Temple of Solomon in 586 BC. He began to prophesy around 627 BC, during the time of good-king Josiah. He worked along side of the king in order to recover the spirit of revival. At that time Egypt and Assyria were the dominant powers and a threat to the Kingdom of Judah. After the untimely death of Josiah, which he considered a national disaster, the menacing power now came out of Babylon. This power, led by Nebuchadnezzar, defeated Assyria in 607 BC and Egypt at Carchemish in 605 BC. Babylon’s empire lasted 70 years, just like the Soviet Union. It, too, disappeared peacefully. His book was written during a 20 year period, with electrifying prophetic oracles salted in the midst. These are prefaced with the phrase ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ He continued to prophesy after Judah’s fall and even during his forced exile in Egypt until around the year 580 BC.
Jeremiah was a contemporary of some other renown Hebrew prophets, like Daniel, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk. While he had a most difficult message and mission, and an ever-hostile response from king and country, his prophecies have great universal application.
The prophet is probably the most ‘autobiographical’ of all the prophets. In his ministry he preached, taught, decried the decadence and decay he saw round about, including gross idolatry. For his troubles he was opposed, rejected, beaten, opposed, imprisoned, and nearly died in a dark cistern. Yet despite all this, he lived past the time of Jerusalem’s destruction and may very well have lived to a ripe old age.
Hebrew Name of Jeremiah
Yirmeyahu or yirmeyah, which most probably means ‘Yahweh throws.’ What a picture of what was prophesied for a rebellious Judah – God would throw them out of the country because of their sins. In the Septuagint he is called Hieremias (Greek) and in Latin the word is Jeremiah.
In the New Testament there are several key quotes (references to Jeremiah are in brackets):
Matthew 2:17-18 (31:15)
Matthew 21:13;
Mark 11:17;
Luke 19:4 (7:11);
Romans 11:27 (31:33)
Hebrews 8:8-13 (31:31-34
Author of Jeremiah
Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, priest of Anathoth (1:1; 32:6). As a young man, he was called to be a prophet to the nations. At the beginning of his ministry, he moved from Anathoth to Jerusalem and assisted King Josiah in his reformation (II Kings 23:1-25). Having long-lived through a crucial transitional period of his nation’s history, and surviving the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah lived until the reign of Evil-Merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar. He and his assistant Baruch were involuntarily taken to Egypt, where he probably died in Tahpanhes.
There is no mention of Jeremiah during the reign of Jehoahaz. During the following reign of Jehoiakim, he wrote his predictions on a scroll. After being offended by its contents, the king cut up the scroll and burned it in the fire. Jeremiah managed to find another scroll, write down the words, with ‘many like words’ besides (36:32).
Portrait of Christ in Jeremiah
The coming shepherd & righteous branch (23:1-8);
The Lord our righteousness (23:6).
Theme of Jeremiah
The Lord is very patient and kind, but at some point His holiness and righteousness decrees that impenitent sinners must be judged, especially after many warnings. Like the clay in the hand of a potter, who forms and reforms, God’s people are clay in his hands.
Key Verses
7:23-24: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
31:31-34: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
31:35-36: Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: 36If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
Summary of Jeremiah
This book is not chronological, so it is not easy to describe in a systematic way. However, the message of the prophet was clear:
•    Without repentance, Judah and Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Babylonians;
•    Only by submitting to the Babylonians, as chastisement from the Lord, would keep the city from destruction;
•    Repentance would bring salvation;
•    No repentance was forthcoming, so submission to Babylon was the only way to avert disaster;
•    This did not happen, either. So Judah and Jerusalem were destroyed.
•    Despite all their evil, the province and the city were promised restoration;
•    The Babylonians, God’s weapon of judgement, would be permanently judged themselves, and never rise again.
•    Other Gentiles nations would be judged, including Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Elam (Iran).
The temple is destroyed, the city taken, and David’s dynasty is ended, or so it seems. God promised David a son who would sit on his throne forever. He would be simultaneously the Son of David and Son of God. Yet, Jeremiah curses Judean king Jehoiachin, a ‘son of David,’ and says no physical descendant will succeed him on the throne (22:28-30). Thus, it appears that God’s covenantal promise to the David dynasty, along with the temple and Jerusalem, was destroyed. Or was it?
In the genealogy of Jesus via his legal father Joseph in Matthew 1:11-12, Jehoiachin is mentioned. However, in Luke 3, which is most likely the genealogy of Mary, who is also a descendant of David, the curse of Jehoiachin is circumvented through another ‘son of David,’ Nathan. Thus the lineage of the great king is continued and Jesus died ‘king of Jews’ and is coming again as ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’
Other prophecies in Jeremiah include:
1.       Messiah (23:6; 30:4-11; 33:14-26);
2.       Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest (20:4);
3.       Israel dispersed (24);
4.       Judah’s conquest and exile by Babylon, only to return after 70 years;
5.       God’s future plans for Judah (23; 31);
6.       Judah recovers the land (23:1-40; 32:37-41; 37:21-22);
While it is easy to see Jeremiah’s prophecy as negative and judgemental, it actually contains great hope. God has thoughts of peace and not evil towards His people (29:11); promises a new covenant (31:31-34); says they will never be destroyed (31:35-37), has plans for the future by purchasing a field (32:6-15); and speaks about the judgement and fall of Judah’s enemies, especially Babylon (50-51);
Outline of Jeremiah
Jeremiah’s call – 1
Prophecies of Judah – 2-45
Prophecies of the nations – 46-51
Fall of Jerusalem – 52

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

THE WEEPING PROPHET PART 01: Why Study the Book of Jeremiah?

Introduction of Jeremiah
It is one of the great prophecies of the Old Testament. Passionate, emotional, intense, and often uncomfortable, the Book of Jeremiah contains within its anointed words criticism and condemnation, yet promises of restoration and revival. It speaks of foreign conquest and occupation of Israel, yet Israel’s future never looked brighter. This is because of the promise of ‘new covenant’ with the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
Amazingly, despite the threat of conquest and deportation, a most remarkable divine promise is given: that as long as there are stars, sun, and moon in the sky, then Israel will always remain a people before God. Their miraculous preservation in the face of the twin-threats of assimilation and/or annihilation is unique, especially considering that larger nations and empires have come and gone. This caused American author Mark Twain to ask: ‘All things are mortal but the Jew … what is the secret of his immortality?’ (essay Concerning the Jews).
Jeremiah had a long prophetic career and was personally present in Jerusalem when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and destroy it and the Temple of Solomon in 586 BC. He began to prophesy around 627 BC, during the time of good-king Josiah. He worked along side of the king in order to recover the spirit of revival. At that time Egypt and Assyria were the dominant powers and a threat to the Kingdom of Judah. After the untimely death of Josiah, which he considered a national disaster, the menacing power now came out of Babylon. This power, led by Nebuchadnezzar, defeated Assyria in 607 BC and Egypt at Carchemish in 605 BC. Babylon’s empire lasted 70 years, just like the Soviet Union. It, too, disappeared peacefully. His book was written during a 20 year period, with electrifying prophetic oracles salted in the midst. These are prefaced with the phrase ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ He continued to prophesy after Judah’s fall and even during his forced exile in Egypt until around the year 580 BC.
Jeremiah was a contemporary of some other renown Hebrew prophets, like Daniel, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk. While he had a most difficult message and mission, and an ever-hostile response from king and country, his prophecies have great universal application.
The prophet is probably the most ‘autobiographical’ of all the prophets. In his ministry he preached, taught, decried the decadence and decay he saw round about, including gross idolatry. For his troubles he was opposed, rejected, beaten, opposed, imprisoned, and nearly died in a dark cistern. Yet despite all this, he lived past the time of Jerusalem’s destruction and may very well have lived to a ripe old age.
Hebrew Name of Jeremiah
Yirmeyahu or yirmeyah, which most probably means ‘Yahweh throws.’ What a picture of what was prophesied for a rebellious Judah – God would throw them out of the country because of their sins. In the Septuagint he is called Hieremias (Greek) and in Latin the word is Jeremiah.
In the New Testament there are several key quotes (references to Jeremiah are in brackets):
Matthew 2:17-18 (31:15)
Matthew 21:13;
Mark 11:17;
Luke 19:4 (7:11);
Romans 11:27 (31:33)
Hebrews 8:8-13 (31:31-34
Author of Jeremiah
Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, priest of Anathoth (1:1; 32:6). As a young man, he was called to be a prophet to the nations. At the beginning of his ministry, he moved from Anathoth to Jerusalem and assisted King Josiah in his reformation (II Kings 23:1-25). Having long-lived through a crucial transitional period of his nation’s history, and surviving the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah lived until the reign of Evil-Merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar. He and his assistant Baruch were involuntarily taken to Egypt, where he probably died in Tahpanhes.
There is no mention of Jeremiah during the reign of Jehoahaz. During the following reign of Jehoiakim, he wrote his predictions on a scroll. After being offended by its contents, the king cut up the scroll and burned it in the fire. Jeremiah managed to find another scroll, write down the words, with ‘many like words’ besides (36:32).
Portrait of Christ in Jeremiah
The coming shepherd & righteous branch (23:1-8);
The Lord our righteousness (23:6).
Theme of Jeremiah
The Lord is very patient and kind, but at some point His holiness and righteousness decrees that impenitent sinners must be judged, especially after many warnings. Like the clay in the hand of a potter, who forms and reforms, God’s people are clay in his hands.
Key Verses
7:23-24: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
31:31-34: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
31:35-36: Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: 36If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
Summary of Jeremiah
This book is not chronological, so it is not easy to describe in a systematic way. However, the message of the prophet was clear:
•    Without repentance, Judah and Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Babylonians;
•    Only by submitting to the Babylonians, as chastisement from the Lord, would keep the city from destruction;
•    Repentance would bring salvation;
•    No repentance was forthcoming, so submission to Babylon was the only way to avert disaster;
•    This did not happen, either. So Judah and Jerusalem were destroyed.
•    Despite all their evil, the province and the city were promised restoration;
•    The Babylonians, God’s weapon of judgement, would be permanently judged themselves, and never rise again.
•    Other Gentiles nations would be judged, including Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Elam (Iran).
The temple is destroyed, the city taken, and David’s dynasty is ended, or so it seems. God promised David a son who would sit on his throne forever. He would be simultaneously the Son of David and Son of God. Yet, Jeremiah curses Judean king Jehoiachin, a ‘son of David,’ and says no physical descendant will succeed him on the throne (22:28-30). Thus, it appears that God’s covenantal promise to the David dynasty, along with the temple and Jerusalem, was destroyed. Or was it?
In the genealogy of Jesus via his legal father Joseph in Matthew 1:11-12, Jehoiachin is mentioned. However, in Luke 3, which is most likely the genealogy of Mary, who is also a descendant of David, the curse of Jehoiachin is circumvented through another ‘son of David,’ Nathan. Thus the lineage of the great king is continued and Jesus died ‘king of Jews’ and is coming again as ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’
Other prophecies in Jeremiah include:
1.       Messiah (23:6; 30:4-11; 33:14-26);
2.       Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest (20:4);
3.       Israel dispersed (24);
4.       Judah’s conquest and exile by Babylon, only to return after 70 years;
5.       God’s future plans for Judah (23; 31);
6.       Judah recovers the land (23:1-40; 32:37-41; 37:21-22);
While it is easy to see Jeremiah’s prophecy as negative and judgemental, it actually contains great hope. God has thoughts of peace and not evil towards His people (29:11); promises a new covenant (31:31-34); says they will never be destroyed (31:35-37), has plans for the future by purchasing a field (32:6-15); and speaks about the judgement and fall of Judah’s enemies, especially Babylon (50-51);
Outline of Jeremiah
Jeremiah’s call – 1
Prophecies of Judah – 2-45
Prophecies of the nations – 46-51
Fall of Jerusalem – 52

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

HERE I AM; SEND ME: UNDERSTANDING THE CALL OF GOD PART 01

Matthew 22:14 (KJV) For many are called, but few are chosen.
Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV): Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
It arrived in a gold-edged envelope. Carefully opening the flap so as not to damage this exquisite correspondence, out came an invitation:
You are cordially invited to have an audience with Her Majesty the Queen in Buckingham Palace at 11:00 AM, Wednesday 21 October ….
No matter what was already scheduled for that day and week, you can be sure that the recipient of this invitation would ‘clear the decks’ to make sure they were available for their appointed time.
Yet believers in Christ have received something much more prestigious and infinitely more valuable. It is referred to as ‘the call of God.’ It is a sobering and awesome responsibility and yet it is indisputably the highest of honours.
Life is much more than about mere survival: what will I eat, drink, wear, or sleep. Also, it is more than success, which connotes a temporal worldly reward. Ultimately, it is about significance: making a difference, ‘leavening a mark’ in the hurting, fallen world. Yet, in order to reach true, lasting, eternal significance, one needs to partner with God – on His terms! This can only be done by responding to ‘the call of God.’
All great men and women of God, past and present, obeyed the call, paid the price, never lost focus, and, through faith and patience obtained the promise (Hebrews 6:12). Many cook up their own idea and come to God to endorse it. Yet, those who are bountifully fruitful simply accept God’s call, timing, and idea. And never forget, the God idea is the the only one that works, the man-made, home-cooked idea, does not.
In order to understand the ‘call of God,’ it is important to see the following:
The Call of God Can Be Personal
A young Samuel was raised in life and ministry by the high priest Eli. He was already in God’s service before he personally new the Lord. While it is honourable to be serving God, it is of the utmost importance to ‘come to God,’ let God ‘come into you,’ and grow in your knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10). We need to k’lift up you gates, and be lifted up you everlasting doors, and the king of Glory will come in (Psalm 24:7, 9, 10; Revelation 3:20).
How can we forget that transformational incident on the Damascus Road when Jesus called a vicious, violent, and malevolent man from Tarsus. ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’’ The religious bully, blinded by the bright light of God’s glory, fell off his donkey and asked: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Here is a man who thought he was ‘serving God’ by persecuting the infant Christian church; instead, he now understood that He not only ‘tried to serve’ a God he didn’t know but also offered service that was ‘erroneous’ and defiled. Whatever Saul did to Christians, he did to Jesus personally.
Samuel’s call and Saul’s call were personal. God knew them and their name even when they did not know Him. Yet with the privilege came awesome responsibilities. In Saul of Tarsus’, he would be shown the great things he would suffer for the Lord’s sake (Acts 9:16).
The Call of God Can Be Universal
There is a universal call of God for the ‘whosoever wills.’ There is none more important than the call which is given to everyone: say ‘Yes’ to the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.  God wills that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4).
Acts 2:39(KJV): For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
The universal call is not just for salvation and Spirit empowerment; it is also for service. This is well-illustrated when God, high and lifted up on his throne of glory, asked the question: who shall we send and who will go for us? A wise young Isaiah put up his hand to the call and replied, ‘Here I am Lord, Send me.’ (Isaiah 6:8). And God did.
The Call of God Has Responsibilities
The privilege to be called of God also contains sober responsibilities. This is a particular challenge in our day, where a growing communal immaturity expects, even demands, perks and privileges, while trying to ignore the commitment and responsibilities that come with it. Yet responsibility and privilege go hand-in-hand and attempts to sever this connection will only result in dysfunction and disaster.
Responding to the call of God means that the Almighty becomes ‘the boss.’ Where we go, what we do, when we do it, are now determined according to God’s timetable, not ours. He is the Commander-in-Chief. Our cherished autonomy is set aside for the greater good of the greater call. While God does not want to micro-manage your life – when to brush your teeth, what to eat for breakfast, or which colour of socks you must wear – there is a strong awareness that our personal desires are irrelevant when serving the Lord. Like royalty, we are committed to doing our duty without thought of whether we want to our not.
While there is a sincere desire in the heart of God’s people to serve Him, we will be tempted to seek to cleave to ‘the comfortable, familiar, and safe.’ While to the flesh this seems reasonable, to the Spirit it is a hindrance and offence. After all, those who ‘play it safe’ have no need to put all their trust in Lord, since their trust is in those things which they know. We cannot please God unless we exhibit continuous faith and trust in him. The familiar will become a distraction and detour from the divine call and invariably causes us to remain on the ‘wrong side of the fence.’
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

HERE I AM; SEND ME: UNDERSTANDING THE CALL OF GOD PART 01

Matthew 22:14 (KJV) For many are called, but few are chosen.
Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV): Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
It arrived in a gold-edged envelope. Carefully opening the flap so as not to damage this exquisite correspondence, out came an invitation:
You are cordially invited to have an audience with Her Majesty the Queen in Buckingham Palace at 11:00 AM, Wednesday 21 October ….
No matter what was already scheduled for that day and week, you can be sure that the recipient of this invitation would ‘clear the decks’ to make sure they were available for their appointed time.
Yet believers in Christ have received something much more prestigious and infinitely more valuable. It is referred to as ‘the call of God.’ It is a sobering and awesome responsibility and yet it is indisputably the highest of honours.
Life is much more than about mere survival: what will I eat, drink, wear, or sleep. Also, it is more than success, which connotes a temporal worldly reward. Ultimately, it is about significance: making a difference, ‘leavening a mark’ in the hurting, fallen world. Yet, in order to reach true, lasting, eternal significance, one needs to partner with God – on His terms! This can only be done by responding to ‘the call of God.’
All great men and women of God, past and present, obeyed the call, paid the price, never lost focus, and, through faith and patience obtained the promise (Hebrews 6:12). Many cook up their own idea and come to God to endorse it. Yet, those who are bountifully fruitful simply accept God’s call, timing, and idea. And never forget, the God idea is the the only one that works, the man-made, home-cooked idea, does not.
In order to understand the ‘call of God,’ it is important to see the following:
The Call of God Can Be Personal
A young Samuel was raised in life and ministry by the high priest Eli. He was already in God’s service before he personally new the Lord. While it is honourable to be serving God, it is of the utmost importance to ‘come to God,’ let God ‘come into you,’ and grow in your knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10). We need to k’lift up you gates, and be lifted up you everlasting doors, and the king of Glory will come in (Psalm 24:7, 9, 10; Revelation 3:20).
How can we forget that transformational incident on the Damascus Road when Jesus called a vicious, violent, and malevolent man from Tarsus. ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’’ The religious bully, blinded by the bright light of God’s glory, fell off his donkey and asked: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Here is a man who thought he was ‘serving God’ by persecuting the infant Christian church; instead, he now understood that He not only ‘tried to serve’ a God he didn’t know but also offered service that was ‘erroneous’ and defiled. Whatever Saul did to Christians, he did to Jesus personally.
Samuel’s call and Saul’s call were personal. God knew them and their name even when they did not know Him. Yet with the privilege came awesome responsibilities. In Saul of Tarsus’, he would be shown the great things he would suffer for the Lord’s sake (Acts 9:16).
The Call of God Can Be Universal
There is a universal call of God for the ‘whosoever wills.’ There is none more important than the call which is given to everyone: say ‘Yes’ to the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.  God wills that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4).
Acts 2:39(KJV): For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
The universal call is not just for salvation and Spirit empowerment; it is also for service. This is well-illustrated when God, high and lifted up on his throne of glory, asked the question: who shall we send and who will go for us? A wise young Isaiah put up his hand to the call and replied, ‘Here I am Lord, Send me.’ (Isaiah 6:8). And God did.
The Call of God Has Responsibilities
The privilege to be called of God also contains sober responsibilities. This is a particular challenge in our day, where a growing communal immaturity expects, even demands, perks and privileges, while trying to ignore the commitment and responsibilities that come with it. Yet responsibility and privilege go hand-in-hand and attempts to sever this connection will only result in dysfunction and disaster.
Responding to the call of God means that the Almighty becomes ‘the boss.’ Where we go, what we do, when we do it, are now determined according to God’s timetable, not ours. He is the Commander-in-Chief. Our cherished autonomy is set aside for the greater good of the greater call. While God does not want to micro-manage your life – when to brush your teeth, what to eat for breakfast, or which colour of socks you must wear – there is a strong awareness that our personal desires are irrelevant when serving the Lord. Like royalty, we are committed to doing our duty without thought of whether we want to our not.
While there is a sincere desire in the heart of God’s people to serve Him, we will be tempted to seek to cleave to ‘the comfortable, familiar, and safe.’ While to the flesh this seems reasonable, to the Spirit it is a hindrance and offence. After all, those who ‘play it safe’ have no need to put all their trust in Lord, since their trust is in those things which they know. We cannot please God unless we exhibit continuous faith and trust in him. The familiar will become a distraction and detour from the divine call and invariably causes us to remain on the ‘wrong side of the fence.’
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

JERUSALEM: A MAGNET FOR CHRISTIAN VISITS PART 02

In Part 01 of our series about Jerusalem and Christians visits, we learned that the ‘river of pilgrimage’ has been flowing from the very beginning of the church age. Christians constitute the highest amount of sacred visitors to a holy city which is also sacred to Judaism and Islam, too. This growing phenomena in Christian visits is even more remarkable considering that neither Christ nor the apostles command it, and there is more of a spiritual, rather than geographic, emphasis in Christian worship.
We also learned why Christians visit Jerusalem. They can be summarised in two key words:
Devotion: From the very beginning, Christians have been motivated to visit Jerusalem so that they can ‘walk where Jesus walked.’ Following in the footsteps of the Master is a strong sign of devotion.
Education: Pious believers visit Jerusalem because they want to learn more about the Bible. Considering that Jerusalem is mentioned over 811 times in the KJV, it is indisputably the premier city of Scripture.
What is remarkable is that these twin pillars of devotion and education can be applied across the board, to pilgrims from every denomination and every century of the church age.
The Tourism Factor
To the ancient practice of Christian pilgrimage we need to add the phenomena of modern mass tourism. It is a multi-billion dollar growth industry and has been particularly potent since the end of the Second World War. How does modern tourism affect time-honoured Christian pilgrimage?
We begin by defining tourist: An individual who temporarily leaves their home and travels in order to pursue pleasure and holiday-making.
There is both domestic and international tourism. In many countries incoming non-residents and non-immigrants receive a ‘tourist visa,’ whether their purpose is business, religious, or recreational. Specifically, an international tourist is a person who enters a country for the purpose of touring, pleasure, leisure, and/or sightseeing.
Since the Second World War, there is has been a measurable rise in the disposable income and discretionary time. No longer is tourism reserved for the rich and famous; travel costs have become more affordable. This means that working class people can now do international tourism. Many nations, especially those with limited natural resources, welcome the trend towards mass tourism as a means of earning hard currency, providing jobs, and building better international relations.
The advent of the modern tourist industry has had an incalculable effect on Christian visits to the Holy City, especially since 1967. After the June (Six Day) War, Israel captured territory which contains some of the most important holy (Biblical) sites in the world. In recognition of this fact, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism sought for ways to attract as many Christian visitors as possible. Naturally, Jewish tourism was also encouraged but with only 14 million Jews worldwide and 6.5 million in Israel alone, the potential of mass Jewish tourism is limited. The Christian world offers tens of millions of potential visitors., who can visit the Biblical sites, invest money, and return home as good-will ambassadors.
Israel’s Ministry of Tourism
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism began the (Christian) Pilgrimage Promotion Department. Starting with virtually no knowledge of Christianity, the department learned the vocabulary used by different Christian denominations, the numerous holy and feast days, and the significance of the major and minor holy sites. They produced travel posters (the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth was a favoured pre-1967 theme; since then the skyline of Jerusalem is the most common), and pilgrims’ maps. Christians worldwide have been encouraged to visit their favourite holy places of Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem, all under one roof.
Full-page ads were placed in Christian periodicals stating ‘Come walk where Jesus Walked…Israel Government Tourist Office.’ Israel Information Nights, which featured film and talks, were hosted in major centres. Free or subsidised tours were offered to pastors and Christian leaders with the goal that they will bring a tour of their own in the future. Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism embarked on an ambitious program of training Israelis as licensed guides, building hotels, importing air-conditioned top of the line tour buses, and including archaeological sites, museums, and the Yad Va Shem Holocaust Memorial onto the tour itinerary. While the Ministry of Tourism seeks to attract all kinds of tourists, including secular holiday-makers to Tel Aviv and Eilat, it has been especially effective in targeting Christians to come to Jerusalem.
The efforts of the pilgrimage promotion department and the ministry of tourism have paid off. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, tourist numbers to Israel have increased from a 1972 figure of 727,533 visitors to a 1990 total of 1,341,700.
Here are some interesting statistics:
Tourism to Israel (of which 2/3rds are Christians and 90% plus of these visit Jerusalem) was a follows:
1970-1979:      7.7 million total
1980-1989:      12.6 million
1990-1999:      20.3 million
2000-2009:      19.3 million (the second intifada of 2000-2004 is the reason for the dip)
In the year 2016 alone, there was a grand total of 3,069,800 tourists.[1]
Palestinian Arabs are also interested in being part of the tourist industry. Since 1986 Bethlehem University offers a tour-guide course and school of hotel management. Since the Oslo accords of 1993, the Palestinians are custodians of some important Biblical sites, like the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, the city of Samaria (also known as Sebastiyah), and Jacob’s Well (John 4) near Nablus. Even in Israeli hotels in Jerusalem, Tiberias, and elsewhere, many of the employees are Arabs.
There is evidence that Jerusalem is the universal destination of all Christian Holy Land tour itineraries and a regular stop on the vast majority of private Christian visits. One survey called estimated that over 90% of Christians visited Jerusalem. Even Northern Europeans who have a winter ‘sun holiday’ in Eilat on the Red Sea, using a chartered flight, make sure they stop by Jerusalem to visit holy sites before returning home.
The promotion and marketing of tourism to the holy land definitely explains the increased number of visitors. Yet these promoters do not have to do a ‘hard sell:’ Jerusalem is a magnet for Christian visits in its own right. TO BE CONTINUED.

[1]Statistics courtesy of the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

JERUSALEM: A MAGNET FOR CHRISTIAN VISITS PART 02

In Part 01 of our series about Jerusalem and Christians visits, we learned that the ‘river of pilgrimage’ has been flowing from the very beginning of the church age. Christians constitute the highest amount of sacred visitors to a holy city which is also sacred to Judaism and Islam, too. This growing phenomena in Christian visits is even more remarkable considering that neither Christ nor the apostles command it, and there is more of a spiritual, rather than geographic, emphasis in Christian worship.
We also learned why Christians visit Jerusalem. They can be summarised in two key words:
Devotion: From the very beginning, Christians have been motivated to visit Jerusalem so that they can ‘walk where Jesus walked.’ Following in the footsteps of the Master is a strong sign of devotion.
Education: Pious believers visit Jerusalem because they want to learn more about the Bible. Considering that Jerusalem is mentioned over 811 times in the KJV, it is indisputably the premier city of Scripture.
What is remarkable is that these twin pillars of devotion and education can be applied across the board, to pilgrims from every denomination and every century of the church age.
The Tourism Factor
To the ancient practice of Christian pilgrimage we need to add the phenomena of modern mass tourism. It is a multi-billion dollar growth industry and has been particularly potent since the end of the Second World War. How does modern tourism affect time-honoured Christian pilgrimage?
We begin by defining tourist: An individual who temporarily leaves their home and travels in order to pursue pleasure and holiday-making.
There is both domestic and international tourism. In many countries incoming non-residents and non-immigrants receive a ‘tourist visa,’ whether their purpose is business, religious, or recreational. Specifically, an international tourist is a person who enters a country for the purpose of touring, pleasure, leisure, and/or sightseeing.
Since the Second World War, there is has been a measurable rise in the disposable income and discretionary time. No longer is tourism reserved for the rich and famous; travel costs have become more affordable. This means that working class people can now do international tourism. Many nations, especially those with limited natural resources, welcome the trend towards mass tourism as a means of earning hard currency, providing jobs, and building better international relations.
The advent of the modern tourist industry has had an incalculable effect on Christian visits to the Holy City, especially since 1967. After the June (Six Day) War, Israel captured territory which contains some of the most important holy (Biblical) sites in the world. In recognition of this fact, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism sought for ways to attract as many Christian visitors as possible. Naturally, Jewish tourism was also encouraged but with only 14 million Jews worldwide and 6.5 million in Israel alone, the potential of mass Jewish tourism is limited. The Christian world offers tens of millions of potential visitors., who can visit the Biblical sites, invest money, and return home as good-will ambassadors.
Israel’s Ministry of Tourism
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism began the (Christian) Pilgrimage Promotion Department. Starting with virtually no knowledge of Christianity, the department learned the vocabulary used by different Christian denominations, the numerous holy and feast days, and the significance of the major and minor holy sites. They produced travel posters (the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth was a favoured pre-1967 theme; since then the skyline of Jerusalem is the most common), and pilgrims’ maps. Christians worldwide have been encouraged to visit their favourite holy places of Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem, all under one roof.
Full-page ads were placed in Christian periodicals stating ‘Come walk where Jesus Walked…Israel Government Tourist Office.’ Israel Information Nights, which featured film and talks, were hosted in major centres. Free or subsidised tours were offered to pastors and Christian leaders with the goal that they will bring a tour of their own in the future. Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism embarked on an ambitious program of training Israelis as licensed guides, building hotels, importing air-conditioned top of the line tour buses, and including archaeological sites, museums, and the Yad Va Shem Holocaust Memorial onto the tour itinerary. While the Ministry of Tourism seeks to attract all kinds of tourists, including secular holiday-makers to Tel Aviv and Eilat, it has been especially effective in targeting Christians to come to Jerusalem.
The efforts of the pilgrimage promotion department and the ministry of tourism have paid off. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, tourist numbers to Israel have increased from a 1972 figure of 727,533 visitors to a 1990 total of 1,341,700.
Here are some interesting statistics:
Tourism to Israel (of which 2/3rds are Christians and 90% plus of these visit Jerusalem) was a follows:
1970-1979:      7.7 million total
1980-1989:      12.6 million
1990-1999:      20.3 million
2000-2009:      19.3 million (the second intifada of 2000-2004 is the reason for the dip)
In the year 2016 alone, there was a grand total of 3,069,800 tourists.[1]
Palestinian Arabs are also interested in being part of the tourist industry. Since 1986 Bethlehem University offers a tour-guide course and school of hotel management. Since the Oslo accords of 1993, the Palestinians are custodians of some important Biblical sites, like the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, the city of Samaria (also known as Sebastiyah), and Jacob’s Well (John 4) near Nablus. Even in Israeli hotels in Jerusalem, Tiberias, and elsewhere, many of the employees are Arabs.
There is evidence that Jerusalem is the universal destination of all Christian Holy Land tour itineraries and a regular stop on the vast majority of private Christian visits. One survey called estimated that over 90% of Christians visited Jerusalem. Even Northern Europeans who have a winter ‘sun holiday’ in Eilat on the Red Sea, using a chartered flight, make sure they stop by Jerusalem to visit holy sites before returning home.
The promotion and marketing of tourism to the holy land definitely explains the increased number of visitors. Yet these promoters do not have to do a ‘hard sell:’ Jerusalem is a magnet for Christian visits in its own right. TO BE CONTINUED.

[1]Statistics courtesy of the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics.