Tsiyon Bound

In my most recent music CD, "Yeshua my Vision", I open with "Ridin' Yah's High Road", my Messianic rendition of the Dave Dudley Country classic, "Six Days On The Road". It is with the lyrics of this song I have chosen to begin my perspective of our journey, in harmony with SueJean's title and comments on "7 Days to Yerushalyem". This part covers the first three days of our journey from Tennessee to Tel Aviv--well, two if you discount the jet lag.

Even though I had never been to Israel, it has been a large part of my Biblical thought process. As the years progressed, His "Land of Promise" has become a major part of my Biblical understanding. Contrary to most modern Christian thinking, our future in every aspect will be centered around Israel. Father's covenants with Israel will be fulfilled to the last letter.

"Well, I left outta Egypt headed t'ward that Jordan line.
I got my spirit revved up and I'm a livin' like a-never before.
No sin gonna slow me down, nothin's gonna turn me around.
Ridin' Yah's high road and I'm a-bound for that Tsiyon life."

Today (Friday, November 5th), my dream of actually going to His land became a reality. As I have done before, I was now leaving a portion of "Egypt" behind me, ultimately to become closer to Adonai. The heavy Tennessee rains and West Virginia snows on our trip to New Jersey did little to dampen or cool off my spirit. I was "revved up" and filled with excitement--"nothing to slow me down or turn me around". I was bound for Tsiyon, and home.

"I've got His Torah in my heart and my spirit's in overdrive.
Livin' His pure Word with eyes a-open wide.
Gonna wear robes of shinin' white, and behold His Yeshurun sights.
Ridin' Yah's high road and a-bound for that Tsiyon life."

Everything happens according to His timing. If I had taken a similar tour of Israel just a few years ago, the spiritual benefit would have had a much diminished and negative impact on me. I still had far too much Christian thinking ingrained within my thought processes--even after starting a leaning toward Messianic thought.

Now, what I have seen of "His Yeshurun sights" is through the eyes of Torah. My choice through the years to live according to His pure and unchanging Word has opened my eyes to the amazing truth that literally lives. As its accounts have come alive in parallel for SueJean and I over the last two years, it came alive for us in Israel.

"Well, it seems like forever since I bid bad doctrine goodbye.
Now, I could live a lot of mixture but I'm not a-like some of the guys.
To His pure Word I'll hold on tight, I won't stray to the left or right.
Ridin' Yah's high road and a-bound for that Tsiyon life."

Although I have only recently given myself over to the ways of Torah, it has been many years since I turned my back on the "bad doctrine" of Christianity. As I have been faithful to His Word, He has been faithful to bring me closer to Him. An example of how far I have come is made evident in my conversation with an Orthodox Rabbi on the plane bound for Israel.

It was not that many years ago I had erroneously thought, according to my Baptist teaching, that "God is finished with Israel and now works through the church". I was proud to call myself a "Christian". I was certainly not a Jew. As you will see, that position has drastically changed--physically and spiritually.

About 30 minutes before landing in Tel Aviv, this Rabbi asked of SueJean and I, "Are you Jewish or Christian?" My response was, "Neither; we are Hebrew. We're children of Abraham. We worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob". About 15 minutes later, he leaned his head on the seat in front of him and prayed. It is said these Rabbis pray earnestly five times a day for Ephraim's prophesied return to the Land. Both SueJean and I felt in our spirits he was praying for us.

"Well, Babylon is a-checkin' on down the line.
I ain't a bit overweight and His Book Book shines just fine.
And, nothin' bothers me tonight, I can dodge Satan's darts alright.
I'm ridin' Yah's high road and a-bound for that Tsiyon life."

I have always like flying. Every chance for me to take an airplane ride has been a welcomed opportunity. I even started a "private pilot" course in my early college days but ran out of money before I could finish. Yet, I now prefer to drive rather than fly--only because I have deep disdain for the TSA and their gestapo-like attitude and tactics.

Even so, security checks for our flight were very easy. This humorous photo pokes a little harmless fun at a part of "Babylon" that is getting all too pervasive in our society. Yet, I have Father's promise that He will protect me and "hide me under His wings". He will shield me from all the "fiery darts of the wicked". So, "nothin' bothers me tonight"; I have His sweet Peace.

"Well, my body's a little bit old but that don' mean I'm slooow.
There's a flame in my heart and His Spirit it revived my soul.
Jerusalem's a-comin' in sight, and if you think I'm happy you're right.
Ridin' Yah's high road and a-bound for that Tsiyon life."

There may be some that think this 64 year old former Southern Baptist preacher turned Hebrew is a little over the hill--or at least getting there. I will agree that some days I feel like I'm heading 90 miles an hour down a dead end street. Yet, such was not the case as our plane descended through the clouds on final approach to Tel Aviv.

A blessing I had waited a lifetime for was about to be bestowed--to walk where Yeshua and the apostles walked. As land appeared, rising up out of the Med, I felt the flame of His Spirit lifting up my spirit and soul. Israel "is comin' in sight, and if you think I'm happy, you're right". My ultimate destination? Tsiyon town!