Over these last few days the Middle East has been weighing heavy on many minds. The holy lands are literally the very landscape of the Bible, so as a Christian, Jerusalem and Galilee are very dear to me. Yet I have never been there.

I have wanted to visit the holy lands for many years, but somehow it has never happened for me. Nevertheless, I have nearly taken that adventurous journey a number of times.

When I was in Cyprus and filming for the Apostles at Paphos, I had no idea if my film project would ever be completed. It was my first documentary and Jerusalem was weighing continuously on my mind. I was very close to taking a voyage over to Israel but I decided I would rather continue filming. So I sat in Paphos and wrote down how Jerusalem holds me captive, and I am in chains to her.

Continuously visiting the site of St Paul’s Pillar was a series of wonderful experiences and as I sat in Agia Kyriaki church, I was met by an elderly lady who was sweeping the floor. She was full of character and was very kind to me and while sweeping the lady began quoting “Our Father, who is in heaven…” and was clearly troubled by world events and said that the Lord’s Prayer means “we have a father, that God is our Father, and people say there is only One God, and yet everyone is fighting and killing one another. If there is One God, why do people fight?”

“Religion” she said “Religion, that’s the problem!”

It was one of those moments that can be remembered for a lifetime.

Someday I know there will be peace in Jerusalem, someday they will lay down their arms and there will be no more wars, no more trouble, no more killings. I know this is true because I am a Christian and it is in the Bible.

In the Book of Revelation John was on the Isle of Patmos and wrote to seven churches in Asia Minor, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. All of these congregations were 1^st century churches and no longer exist. But John wrote to them during a time of Roman persecution and in chapter 21 mentions his vision of the New Jerusalem. It was a very striking and hopeful thing to do.

As a free thinking Amillennialist I believe the millennial reign of Christ began at the Life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ and continued on through the church age. There may be golden eras of Christianity in the future and therein peace may be found. However, I believe there will never be absolute universal peace on this earth until Christ returns when the last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Corinthians 15: 20-28) Meanwhile peace can be attained individually for those who believe in Jesus Christ and outside of Him no true peace can be found.

In Revelation 21: 1-4 John wrote:

“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ have no hope in anything but themselves. Kings, rulers, politicians, cannot effect global world peace. All of us who know and trust in Jesus Christ recognise our human limitations and know that someday, somehow, by the power of God, there will be absolute peace on earth. But until that day comes, we strive for peace, we hope for peace, we work for peace, we live for peace, we pray for peace and we say as did John “Amen. Come Lord, Jesus” (Revelation 22: 20)