Message from Amir Tsarfati

Shalom from the Beloved Promised Land –

Do you know why we can call it the Promised Land? Not because we pass it along from generation to generation. Not because Israel is superior to all the nations of the world. And it certainly has nothing to do with our faithfulness as a nation. The land of Israel is the Promised Land because the Creator God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham 6,000 years ago and reiterated that promise to Abraham’s descendants, Isaac and Jacob. Moreover, the promise was assured to Jacob’s descendants for the generations that would follow (Genesis 28:13). It’s the Promised Land because the God of Israel is not a man, that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). It’s the Promised Land because despite my nation’s perpetual disobedience, He brought us back just as He promised He would do:

Ezekiel 36:24
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.

The faithfulness of God is such a firm foundation and incomparable source of hope. And it’s the scarlet thread that is intertwined throughout the decade-long story of Behold Israel. It was ten years ago this week that the Lord “officially” opened the door for Behold Israel to become a registered non-profit organization. But that’s not where the story begins…

From Tours to Teaching
Following my completion of duty in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), I became a licensed tour guide. Even as a young believer, God had given me a passion for bringing Christians from all over the world to the Promised Land to expose them to the relevance of that same descriptor – His living promises. And as time went on, I became greatly burdened for the need to take the prophetic truths of the word of God from a tour bus to the rest of the world. It wasn’t long before I began periodically traveling to different parts of the world to share the truth about Israel with different churches. I met many pastors as a tour guide, so my contact list grew quickly. The more I traveled to teach, the more I realized how asleep most of the international church is when it comes to God fulfilling His word in this very generation!

The Birth of Behold Israel
Among the contacts I had made in my time as a tour guide were two of the ministry’s founding board members, Gale Frank & H.T. Novak. Both men were instrumental in the early stages of the ministry. God gave me the burden and vision. Gale & H.T. helped bring it to fruition. Of course, there were many logistical mountains that needed to be climbed, and God helped us navigate that process. And while there are so many stories I could share, I think it’s fitting to tell about the miracle God worked that paved the way for us to become a registered non-profit faster than we could have ever imagined. The first barrier God broke down was related to the IRS. After submitting our initial request, the IRS responded in less than 30 days, which is amazing. But it was the even greater miracle that followed that served as a confirmation of God’s calling. 

When the board was pursuing final approval for Behold Israel to become a registered non-profit, we were informed that it would likely take a minimum of 18 months for this to materialize, which was the longstanding norm at the time. But just three weeks later – in what was an unheard-of outcome – we received word that Behold Israel was officially approved!

Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

During the foundational seasons of Behold Israel, there were some dear friends and churches that were incredibly influential in helping us get up and running as a ministry. You know who you are and I’m forever grateful for your love and support.

2014 – 2024
The last 10 years have been astonishing. There’s really no other word to describe what God has done. While Behold Israel began with tours and eventually morphed into an international teaching ministry, what God has enabled us to do online has birthed far-reaching spiritual fruit!