Having just returned from a fruitful trip to Israel to participate in the biennial Christians for Israel Forum 2019 and Post-Forum tour, I have been reflecting on the many ways in which there have been parallels in the development of our two nations.
Throughout the centuries different countries have pictured Jesus through the lens of their own culture. An artist in Peru would paint Him with dark braided hair and a poncho with a Peruvian face, while artists in Europe have painted Him with blond hair and blue eyes and the Ethiopians portray Him as a tall black man, none of them ever stopping to ask what a Jew from 2000 years ago looked like.
Recently the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ) moved their international headquarters from Jerusalem to the nearby Talpiyot business district. The move is temporary until a more permanent home can be secured in Jerusalem.
Purim is over and we are moving into the final period before the Israeli elections. These elections are perhaps the most interesting in recent times, however there really only two candidates running.