Since the founding of Israel almost 75 years ago, millions of Christians have visited Israel and walked in the very places where the stories of the Bible unfolded. Countless believers have experienced their Bible come alive and their faith renewed. After their time in the Holy Land, it stands to reason they would return home with excitement and a newfound appreciation for the country that afforded them that life-changing experience.
This was certainly my story. I was a 19-year-old biblical studies major in university when I had the opportunity to study in Israel for the summer. I walked where Jesus walked—through Capernaum, where He carried out much of His ministry; along the stone streets of Jerusalem, where He came for the biblical feasts and where He was crucified and rose again; and in Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. From north to south, east to west, everywhere I walked had some connection to the Bible I loved. And at each place, the Bible I read on a devotional level every day and studied in class at a theological level became three-dimensional in its historical, geographical, and cultural setting.
It came alive!
For the Christian, a trip to Israel can truly be transformational. I personally have never been the same. That first visit to Israel changed the trajectory of my life, and ever since, I have been an ardent supporter of Israel for affording me this wonderful opportunity.
This article is the first of five in which I discuss different reasons why Christians should support Israel. Regardless of your biblical or political views of Israel, which I will address later in this series, here are some of the more personal reasons why every Christian should appreciate and support Israel.
Israel Welcomes Christian Pilgrims
Christians who tour Israel experience something beyond a tour and even beyond an education. For most, it’s a life-changing spiritual retreat—a pilgrimage—rather than a vacation, and Israel warmly welcomes and encourages Christians to come.
Most people who tour the Holy Land spend their flight home planning their next trip because their experience was so significant. This helps explain what experts have noted: tourism to Israel is different than elsewhere because people tend to make repeat visits. The Holy Land is not just accessible but open to Christians for prayer, worship, and spiritual renewal. It’s a gift that we as Christians should be grateful for.
Israel Provides Access to Christian Sites
Christians today are also deeply blessed by the freedom Israel provides to visit and worship at our most sacred sites. Unlike many Muslim-majority or communist countries that restrict or even forbid access, Israel keeps these biblical places open to all who come in faith. Because of this, we can not only walk where our Savior walked but also gather in prayer and worship and experience the living connection between Scripture and the land. To walk where Jesus walked and pray at the places connected to His ministry, death, and resurrection—this is a privilege we should never take for granted.
Israel Preserves Sacred History
Israel also takes great effort to preserve holy sites of biblical and archaeological significance that are deeply meaningful to Christians. In contrast, Muslim authorities literally bulldozed and discarded priceless archaeological debris from under the Temple Mount during a construction project. Despite the tremendous historical importance of that area that archaeologists had never excavated, construction crews removed approximately 9,000 tons of archaeologically rich soil in 1999, dumping 350 truckloads of that dirt into the Kidron Valley.
The Muslim authorities over the Temple Mount did not want to preserve any artifact that proved a Jewish or Christian connection to the site, so they had no problem destroying and disposing them. As a result, two archaeologists started the “Temple Mount Sifting Project,” and over 250,000 volunteers and tourists have helped sift through the debris. They have found over 500,000 artifacts dating back to the Stone Age. Fifteen percent of the pottery finds come from the First Temple period, and as much as forty percent is from the Second Temple period.
Israel would never have done what the Muslim authorities did. They would have conducted a proper excavation and cataloged remains before any such construction project could begin. Christians should appreciate Israel’s preservation of artifacts, so many of which prove the accuracy of the Bible and are meaningful to our faith. This stewardship of history is a gift that, for Christians, strengthens our faith.
Israel Is a Haven for Israeli Christians
A final reason for Christian support of Israel has nothing to do with tourism but the well-being of the Christian minority in Israel. Israel is the one place in the Middle East where the Christian community is not shrinking but growing. While religious minorities face intense persecution across the Middle East, Israel provides the only true haven for Christians. Therefore, while Christianity is becoming extinct in much of the region, it is growing in Israel.
Greek Orthodox priest Father Gabriel Nadaf explained this to the UN Human Rights Council, saying: “There is one country in the Middle East where Christianity is affectionately granted freedom of expression, freedom of worship, and security . . . it is Israel, the Jewish State.”
Like all minorities in Israel, Christians enjoy equal rights and freedoms. We should support Israel for the safety of the Christian minority and the opportunities they have as full citizens of the Jewish State.
In a region where ancient Christian communities have been decimated by persecution and violence, it’s no coincidence that Israel is the only place where Christian numbers are growing. The Jewish State is a beacon of human rights and tolerance—and a critical ally in the war against Islamic extremism. By supporting and safeguarding Israel, we support and safeguard Christians—a vulnerable minority in the Middle East.
A Debt of Gratitude
For these reasons—and for the deeply personal encounters believers have in the land of the Bible—Israel is a blessing to Christians around the world. We are indebted to the people of Israel for protecting our access to the places most sacred to our faith, for preserving the treasures of biblical history, and for safeguarding the Christian community within its borders.
Israel matters to us not in the abstract, but in the most personal of ways: It is the land where our faith was born and the place where God’s story continues to speak powerfully to His people today.
For over 40 years, Dr. Susan Michael has advanced the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) in the USA and worldwide. She serves as USA President and sits on the ICEJ’s international Board of Directors. She is frequently asked to address complex issues to diverse audiences—including antisemitism, Jewish-Christian relations, and Middle East affairs—and does so with clarity and grace. Dr. Michael leads the American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI) network, has authored books, such as Encounter the 3D Bible: How to Read the Bible so It Comes to Life, and has developed educational resources including the IsraelAnswers website, ICEJ U online courses, and curricula for Christian colleges. Learn more about the ICEJ and download FREE resources.
