Nine years ago today - August 17, 2000 - my family and I arrived in Israel. I came to establish the CBN News Bureau in Jerusalem. We didn't know then the momentous events that would unfold before us while living on the front lines of Israel's history.
Throughout those years, we've had the opportunity to interview hundreds of people with unique perspectives on the life and times in which we live. They range from a former CIA director to diplomats, politicians, settlers, soldiers, spokesmen and converted Muslims, to the man on the street.
Journalism, it's been said, is the first draft of history. If true, then for nearly a decade, CBN News has had the unique privilege to record some of Israel's history during one of the most crucial times since its founding.
For example, the violent Second Palestinian Intifada, which began in 2000; the wrenching Israeli "disengagement" from Gaza, which took place in August 2005; the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006; and the three-week Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, fought from late 2008 to early 2009.
In addition, profound trends rolled through these years, trends that have shaped the destiny of nations. Those trends include the return of Jews to their land of promise; Muslims finding hope in their enemy's faith, the march of the Gospel "back to Jerusalem," and the world's eyes increasingly turning toward the ancient city of Jerusalem. These too mark the front lines of Israel's history.
Now with the advent of the 24/7 Internet news channel, nearly everyone on earth can know instantly what's happening in the land the Bible calls "the navel of the earth."
What happens here in Jerusalem reverberates around the world and ripples throughout history. Even the "innocuous" construction of a hotel can become an international incident in this city, like the recent controversy over the Shepherd's Hotel.
Many people believe we are living in what the Bible calls "the last days." If so, then living on the front lines of Israel's history has been like watching prophecy unfold and the Bible come alive.
When historical trends blend with biblical prophecies, then something truly profound is unfolding before our eyes.
It's our hope and prayer that we will continue to report on these prophetic events, unfolding as we head to the climatic "end of the age."