Israel Highlights and Amazing Insights
by Jim Weikal
When I announced that I was going on a trip to Israel in January of 2002 with Bill Rudge, people did not hesitate to offer their insight:
"Are you nuts!"
"Don't forget your flack jacket."
"Do you have a will?"
"Don't forget to say 'Hi Mom' during your hostage interview on CNN."
These comments didn't affect my decision or deter my resolve to go.
However, Zac, my ten-year-old son, couldn't understand why I would travel without him and his mother. My wife, of course, was concerned about my safety during the long flights and she knew the content of the news from Israel — the suicide bombers, the assassination of an Israeli government official, the clashes between Palestinians and Jews, the pictures of armed men — these reports made her concerned about the dangers of such a trip.
I knew I had to have a family meeting to discuss all the thoughts and feelings that were affecting each one of us. I explained that some men and women work for an earthly boss and must take long trips, face family separation, and the dangers of traveling on their own. I, on the other hand, have a heavenly boss who wants me to learn about His land and His people so I can serve Him better as I work in His kingdom. Plus, my Boss says He will go with me and be with my family at the same time. He will protect us all and we will learn to trust Him even more than we do now. And don't forget, there are a lot of people who are praying for us.
Now that the three of us are reunited, we can see that God was faithful and He took care of us.
The Thursday Night Bible Study I teach at Central Christian Church generously gave over $900 towards the expenses incurred for the trip. I am not used to being on the receiving end of such sacrificial generosity. I was deeply touched and resolved to accumulate as much knowledge as I could while in the Holy Land.
Ground Zero
Before going to the JFK airport in New York City, Bill Rudge, Clay Smith, Craig Snyder and I went to Ground Zero. While observing the destruction was saddening, seeing the efforts of the Body of Christ in this sad situation was very uplifting. One lady working in a Christian rescue center that fed the firemen had come from the West Coast. This was her third trip and she was returning home the next day. I asked why she came so far and she said, "The love of Christ compelled me to help any way I could. So I came. Christ has been present here in all this evil."
When our plane touched down in the land of Israel, the passengers (mostly Jewish) clapped their hands and I realized the tremendous opportunity of my Christian walk was just getting under way.
Although Bill has ministered in Israel several times, this was my first trip and a most exciting one at that.
The cost of the airfare alone for us to travel to Israel to minister would have been more expensive than the combined cost of airfare, lodging, food, and transportation which we paid by going with JDI Travel on a pastors' trip. They graciously allowed us the freedom to leave the group for our ministry engagements.
Before this trip was over I would see God's protection on our lives because there were two suicide bombings, one in Tel Aviv and another in Jerusalem. A woman detonated herself on a Sunday, and we were at that exact spot 23 hours earlier as Bill ministered at a Messianic congregation in the Jewish Quarter. There were also some shootings and police chases that were not near our group. I learned much on this trip about the security and necessity of faithful prayer warriors covering your every action in prayer. Thank you!
Messianic Service
I have had the opportunity to speak in many local churches, but on this trip Bill had arranged for me to also speak at Sar Shalom, a Messianic congregation located in Jerusalem — Ben Yehuda street in particular, a place known for violent trouble and suicide bombers. We ministered there on Shabbat, Saturday.
One striking feature of the mostly Jewish congregation was the diversity or international flavor of the people. They were from Europe, Africa, America, Japan, Korea, and, obviously, Israel. One of the song leaders was from Britain. He played the guitar and sang a song about God's forgiveness. When I found out about his background before coming to Christ, I understood why he had tears in his eyes as he looked upward as he sang.
Before finding the Lord, he was a prostitute, drug addict, and "actor" in pornographic movies. He was HIV positive and sexually diseased. God supernaturally healed him from all his afflictions. If anyone understood the concept of amazing grace and forgiveness, he did. I thought about my own sins and became more aware of my need for Messiah's atonement and death on the cross.
Palestinian Territory
To get to this Messianic service we (Bill, Craig, and myself) had to hire a Jewish taxi driver to take us from the Galilee area to Jerusalem. He spoke broken English but we could still communicate fairly well. On our way to Jerusalem and then to the Dead Sea to rejoin our group we had to go through Palestinian controlled territory in the West Bank. There were several Jewish checkpoints and barren land in between. The taxi driver went up to 140 KPH (87 MPH) through this section. He said we did not want to go slow because instances of gun fire on slow vehicles is not uncommon and we did not want engine trouble! The Lord delivered us without incident and once again I recalled those who promised to pray for us.
I never felt imminent danger during the trip but I knew there was the possibility of it the whole time. Often I saw young men and women carrying automatic weapons. School students cannot take field trips without someone carrying a weapon. Soldiers are evident throughout Jerusalem. Even in our hotel in Jerusalem weapons were evident. The young Jewish man who gave us a tour of the facilities carried a pistol. On the eighth floor of this hotel, the Minister of Tourism was killed before our arrival in Israel, just two floors above my room.
Seeing the circumstances these people live with every day made me more appreciative of the United States.
As you may have noticed so far, I have not mentioned any of the places we visited to do Biblical research and hear lectures on history and archaeology. I could drop a lot of names — Sea of Galilee, Qumran, Masada, Temple Mount, Western Wall Tunnels, Garden Tomb, and so on — but my prayer when I went to Israel was for God to speak to my heart. Why did He choose this land and these people for His own? "God touch my heart," I prayed.
The pace during the nine-day trip was hectic: Up at 5:45 am, traveling to Biblical sites and doing research till 6:00 pm, bedtime after 11:00 pm following our usual evening discussion sessions.
One day we were on the Golan Heights, a strategic military position that the Israelis have been asked to give up. Bill suggested to our Jewish guide who is a believer in Yeshua (Jesus) that giving this favorable location up would make Israel vulnerable to attack and how could the government ever think of doing this. He agreed but said, "We're tired. We want peace." I can still picture him in the twilight of the evening, shivering in 30 degree wind-induced temperatures, a somber look on his face.
He lives every day with violence. Yet even though he is tired of all the stress this violence can generate, he goes on with love for Yeshua. We in America have faced some of this same violence. We must remember that God is in control and trust in Him.
Rabbi Comes to Christ
On the last day of the trip our group had an evening meal at Jerusalem Vision, a Messianic ministry located in Jerusalem. During the group conversation around a large table, I asked the director his views about the Jews accepting a messiah who would turn out to be the antichrist. He replied that the Jewish people are open to accepting an antichrist or ... the real Christ, Yeshua!
He went on to point out that Jerusalem is a spiritually significant city and the residents there whether secular or religious know this. All three monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are represented here. So there is a high degree of spiritual awareness, 24 hours a day.
Another person in our group asked him if there is much opposition to his work in presenting Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah. He pointed out the window and said about 200 religious Jews were located just across the street protesting his Messianic service not too long ago.
On another occasion, he was walking in Jerusalem with a Bible under his arm and a rabbi forcibly pushed him up against the wall of a store and began to berate him for his promotion of Yeshua as the Messiah. The director grabbed the rabbi by both sides of his beard and kissed him on the cheek and said, "Yeshua loves you and we need to talk!" He then gave him a card with the ministry address and later on the two of them talked at length about the evidence for Yeshua's fulfillment of Old Testament Messianic expectations. He committed his life to Yeshua.
I came away from the meeting encouraged for two reasons:
- The Jewish people are becoming more open to at least listening to the good news of Messiah's birth, life, death, and resurrection. Not all believe, of course, but many are listening and many accepting.
- I came in personal contact with two Messianic ministries each working in a unique way in a difficult field that is ripening for harvest. The dedicated example of these men and women increased my own commitment to the call that God has on my life to work where He has placed me.
I encourage all of you to work diligently for the truth of Christ, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, to pray for God's workers there, and to pray for all those in the Body of Christ. There is great power in prayer and much Godly power is needed in these exciting times.
Why Did We Go?
As I look back on the journey to the land of Israel, I'm glad I went. Tourism is down 90% from the normal rate. Most groups canceled. I saw only two groups besides our own the whole time I was in Israel from Norway and South Korea. That's all in a country noted for its tourism.
Bill was interviewed by a journalist from Regent University concerning why he would come to Israel at such a time as this. So why did we go? Bill felt led to accept a ministry opportunity to speak in Jerusalem. At that time Israel was relatively peaceful. I felt led to go with him as did Pastor Craig Snyder and Bill's son-in-law, Clayton Smith. Bill is not the type to back down when circumstances seem contrary or things get dangerous. We were not being presumptuous, but merely being obedient to what the Lord had led us to do, then trusting Him to take care of us. And He did!
Many Jewish people thanked us for coming. Some cried. I want to thank them. God did answer my prayer. He touched my heart. My wife and son have a new appreciation for the Lord's protection. I have gained much insight about faith, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the land, and the people. I will be a better teacher because of this insight. I also experienced the love of Bill Rudge Ministries supporters, my church family, and those who come to Thursday Night Bible Study. I thank you all for your prayers.
I also think the trip was necessary to show those in Israel, secular and religious, that true Christians — those who follow the teachings of Yeshua — care about them. In many ways I know we showed God's grace, love, and truth.
Bill said that in all his ministry trips to Israel he never saw the Jewish people so open to the Gospel.
Zechariah 12:10 says, "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."
We are nearing the completion of the time of the Gentiles, and rapidly approaching the time Israel's eyes will be opened to see that Yeshua is the promised Messiah. Truly, Messiah's return is getting closer and closer! Amen. Come Lord Yeshua!
