Dear Reader,
Today I was tracing the history of the twelve tribes of Israel, remembering that Israel was carved from the ancient land of Canaan. At one time, this region was united under what scripture calls the United Monarchy—referring to the biblical kingdom of Israel under its first three kings: Saul, David, and Solomon. After the Exodus, the Israelites settled in Canaan, which once included territories that now span modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, western Jordan, and parts of Syria.
In fact, the area ruled during the United Monarchy was larger than the Israel we know today.
Now, it takes just a few hours to drive across modern Israel. Its landmass could fit inside a U.S. state like New Jersey. Measured in square miles, it pales beside the mighty empires of history—the Persian, Roman, Mongol, and British empires that stretched across continents. And yet, few places on Earth command more attention, passion, or controversy.
Why is the world so focused on such a small piece of land?
The answer lies not in its size, but in its significance—spiritual, historical, and symbolic—deeper than the footprint of any empire.
📍 A Crossroads of Empires and Faith
Israel occupies one of the most strategically crucial regions in human history—a land bridge linking Africa, Asia, and Europe. Trade routes, pilgrimages, wars, and cultural exchanges have passed through this narrow corridor for millennia. Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Ottomans, and the British all left their mark.
Yet while countless ancient capitals have faded into dust, Jerusalem remains—not just as a city, but as a spiritual axis for billions.
Here, Judaism traces its covenant. Christianity its crucifixion and resurrection. Islam its prophetic vision and heavenly ascent. The tensions between these faiths—and even within them—still echo in nearly every global headline from the region.
🌍 A Microcosm of Global Tension
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict reflects deeper human divides:
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Religion vs. secularism
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East vs. West
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National identity vs. globalism
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Democracy vs. authoritarianism
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History vs. modernity
What happens in Israel rarely stays in Israel. It reverberates across parliaments, pulpits, protests, and markets. Protests in Europe, debates at the U.N., theological shifts, and regional alignments are all influenced by events in this small land.
To some, Israel is a bold democratic experiment thriving in a volatile region. To others, it’s a symbol of unresolved trauma, displacement, or regional imbalance. But for many—Jewish or not—it represents something deeper than politics: a symbol of persistence.
🏛️ Beyond the Holocaust
The Holocaust was a defining moment for modern Jewish identity and helped galvanize support for a Jewish homeland after WWII. But it does not fully explain the world’s ongoing preoccupation.
If attention were merely based on past suffering, then global concern would center on Tibet under Chinese rule, the stateless Kurds, or the absorbed lands of Mongolia.
The world watches Israel because of its present relevance—where prophecy and politics still collide, and where the ancient and modern wrestle daily over questions of justice, sovereignty, survival, and memory.
🕊️ More Than a Nation
Israel is not just a country. It is, for many, a sign—a paradox:
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A land of promise and of exile
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A place of deep faith and daily conflict
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A modern state shaped by ancient vision
Its small size only amplifies its meaning. Some of the most important battles in human history are not fought over territory, but over truth—over meaning.
And Israel remains—uniquely and enduringly—a land rich in meaning.
Final Thought
With such a unique role in human history and world affairs, may all people—of every faith, background, and belief—pray and strive for peace in this holy land.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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