These two photos are enlightening for several reasons.
- Our friend David Rubin practices Orthodox Judaism and is a former mayor of Shiloh, Israel. He knows that I am a Messianic follower of Yeshua. But he also knows that his faithful, Bible-following family and friends can have genuine fellowship with people like us who believe the Book and rejoice in his courageous return to the ancient homeland of Israel, a the prophet Amos says, “never to be uprooted again” (Amos 9:15).
- You see the three of us (Jew and gentile) on Mount Ephraim overlooking ancient Shiloh, just as the Tanakh prophesied in 32 passages. “West Bank?” Not so! This isn’t the edge of a Moslem region but the heartland of God’s promised land. And the Jewish people are back, as He said we would be. Let this image burn in your mind when media hype threatens to turn you cold regarding the importance of Israel.
- David and his 3 year old son, Reuben, survived Islamic terror: they were shot on that road in the background! Afterward, David established the Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund (SICF) to provide therapeutic treatment for Jewish children in Israel who suffer from PTSD. Katharine and I have supported the work since we met David in 2003. As a therapist myself, I understand the challenges to recovery faced by these precious children.
- As you can see in the second photo, so-called “settlements” are actually gorgeous communities in which vibrant families are willing to take the Bible seriously and build a life of love and joy in spite of the surrounding nations’ hatred and jealousy. They deserve our support and prayers!
- A candid and humorous moment: David has often said that Jews and Christians are both looking for Messiah. When He comes, David says either he will lift his hands like one of the enthusiastic Believers he has met, or the gentile seekers of Messiah will get a crash course in “davening” (Jewish custom of rocking during prayer). David Rubin is a pioneer of the Land and a pioneer in recognizing the shared destiny of true lovers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You can get David’s books at all the usual outlets, and on his website.
—Myles
