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A Visit to Shiloh in the Heartland of Biblical Israel
David Rubin former major of Shiloh, Author and founder of Shiloh Israel Children speaks with us.
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March 7, 2015 - Audio, 10.55 MIN
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In the mountainous region to the north of Jerusalem, on the “Way of the Forefathers”, lies the ancient ruins of the Biblical city of Shiloh, where once the tabernacle stood when the Israelites first entered the land. Today, on the hill above the ancient ruins, is the modern Jewish community of Shiloh.
David Rubin Shiloh Israel

David Rubin at the entranceway of the Children's
Therapy Center in Shiloh, Israel.

The “Way of the Forefathers” is today Route 60, which runs up and down the central spine of mountains, connecting significant Biblical cities such as Shechem, Shiloh, Bethel, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron and Beersheba. This is the route that the patriarch Abraham travelled as he entered the land. Years later, returning from Haran, Jacob would follow in his father’s footsteps.


The location of ancient Shiloh is described in Judges 21:19, "Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.”

As one travels north on the highway from Bethel to Shechem the hills become compact and steep. The road travels through the mountain pass where the Maccabees triumphed over the Greek army. Yet adjacent to the ruins of the ancient city of Shiloh, on the hillside, is a fairly flat rectangular area, with one side of the rectangle facing the east, just as the tabernacle would have done.

Overlooking the highway, as one stands on the site of the ancient tabernacle, a straight line is visible where the bedrock has been cut forming the southern side and beside this there is an area for making olive oil. To stand on the site where the ancient tabernacle stood, in the footprints of Samuel the prophet, is a thrilling experience! As your eyes travel north up Abraham’s route you see another mountain rise, on the top you can see the modern Jewish village of Eli, named after Eli the priest. As you look at the other mountain tops, you can see small Jewish settlements. All this is an astounding fulfillment of Bible Prophecy! Ezekiel 36:11 says:

Shiloh school sports day.

Children participate in sports day activities.

"But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come… And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”

While in Israel last week, we had the privilege to be able to visit Shiloh and meet with a very interesting resident, the former major of Shiloh, author and an activist for children whose lives have been affected by terrorism, named David Rubin. David described for us how he sees the biblical significance of Shiloh, both in the past, in these times (which he believes is the time of the redemption of Israel) and in the future when the Messiah comes. He spoke about the terror attack which he and his son survived and how it moved him to start a project to help children whose lives were affected by terrorism.

“I’m standing here with you in Shi’loh, which many people in North America know as Shiloh, in the Biblical heartland of Israel, in the heartland of Samaria. Fourteen years after the entry into the land of Israel, Joshua brings the Israelites into Shi’loh, into Shiloh, sets up the tent of meeting here. And the land was conquered before them. Joshua speaks to the Israelites and says the following words: “How long will you wait before coming to take possession of the land that the LORD God of your fathers has given you. Those words that Joshua spoke to the Israelites in those times, weren’t just spoken to the Israelites at that time. And they weren’t just intended for the people of Israel in this time. And they weren’t even just intended for the people of Israel and the Jews around the world, they were intended for everyone who believes and understands that God’s sovereignty is on this land.

The Shiloh school music room.

The Shiloh school music room.

This is the Biblical heartland; this is where the tabernacle stood, where the capital of Israel was for 369 years; where a woman named Hannah prayed for a son; where Samuel the prophet was born from those prayers, he grew up into prophecy in Shiloh and he was the one who would appoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. We’re going through a similar process in these times. It says in the book of Genesis chapter 49 and verse 10. "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a scholar from among his descendants, until Shiloh comes; and his will be an assemblage of nations.” Now why does it say until Shi’loh comes? Well, the biblical commentators teach us that Shi’loh means Messiah. That the process of the redemption of Israel, runs through Shi’loh, through the Biblical heartland of Israel and only then does it get to Jerusalem… Now in our times we have a lot of challenges. In our times we have the threat from the Islamic terrorist organizations that surround us. We have the threat from the Islamic nations that surround us. Just as the West and Judaeo-Christian civilization has the threat from the Islamic ideologues that are seeking to take over. And in these difficult times, in particular, when we in our communities here in the Biblical heartland, have suffered from the terrorism to a great extent, that’s when we need to be banding together. Now I’ve spoke about the terrorism, well if you walk in our neighbourhood here, you will see terror victim family after terror victim family, families that have lost children in terrorist attacks, families in which parents have been killed or wounded in terrorist attacks, in fact my 3 year old son and I were both wounded in a terrorist attack some years back, when terrorists ambushed our car. I was shot in the leg, my son was shot in the head. And we miraculously survived that attack. We came out of that attack with a mission. And the mission… which frankly it took me a while to figure out the mission, after I finished counting the miracles that God blessed us with on that day. But the mission that came out of it, eventually came called the Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund. Whose purpose is to heal the trauma of the terror victim children and yes, to rebuild the Biblical heartland of Israel though those children. So we’ve established therapy programs, educational programs for those children. And this has all led to another mission, that I have, which is to speak about what is really happening here in the Biblical heartland of Israel, which is very different than anything that you are going to hear in the mainstream media. So I’ve written 4 books and one of them is my latest book which is “Sparks from Zion”, and it speaks about the challenges that Israel faces in these times.

Inside the music therapy room, for treating children who have been affected by terrorism.

Inside the music therapy room, for treating children who
have been affected by terrorism.

For more information about the Shiloh Children’s Fund, please visit: www.shilohisraelchildren.org

Unfortunately today these restored communities are a source of controversy. There are many who support the idea of destroying these communities and expelling the Jewish residents. These are the days of the controversy of Zion and in themselves a fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

Isaiah 34:8 "For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.”

It is against the “mountains of Israel” in the “midst of the land" which Gog and his host descends in the prophecy of Ezekiel 38. The mountains of Israel are a contrast to the coastal plain, where all Israel’s large cities are located today. The mountains are the focus of the conflict. Gog comes from the “uttermost parts of the north” to take a spoil and a prey, but in actuality falls into a trap and is destroyed upon the same mountains.

Ezekiel 38:8,11,12

“...in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations… And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”

Inside the quiet multi sensory therapy room.

Inside the quiet multi sensory therapy room used for treating children who have
been affected by terrorism.

When this happens the prophet Ezekiel says: "And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.”

At that time the deliverer will come to Zion, as written by Isaiah the prophet: "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.” We pray that day will soon come, when those children affected by terrorism, their families and all those in the nation of Israel who “turn from transgression” will be saved. Come back next week, God willing to www.bibleinthenews.com



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