In his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump vowed to do something that American presidents have avoided for years: move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

So what’s the big deal about the embassy?

On May 14, 1948, the nation of Israel was re-born (as predicted in Ezekiel 36-37), and the US was the first nation to recognize the new nation.  Though Israel declared Jerusalem to be their capital and President Truman mandated a mission in Israel, the US failed (and still does) to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  Thus, in an effort to avoid offending others, the US built its embassy in Tel Aviv.

However, in 1995 (soon after the Oslo Accord was signed), the US Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, requiring the US Embassy be moved to Jerusalem by the end of 1999.  However, the Embassy remains in Tel Aviv due to a clause in the law allowing for the President to “delay the implementation of the law indefinitely if the move presents national security concerns.”  Every president since then has invoked that clause, therefore, the embassy remains in Tel Aviv.

News is now circulating that Donald Trump’s transition team is searching out possible locations in Jerusalem in which to build the embassy, and it is said to be a high priority for Trump.  Will he really follow through?  Only time will tell.

CBS News and others have reported on it.  Read the story and hear Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat discuss the issue with CBSN here .

Supporting our most important ally in the Middle East is extremely important.  We have a Biblical mandate to bless Israel, and nothing would be more telling of our support for Israel than moving the US Embassy to the one eternal capital of Israel…Jerusalem!

Pray for our President-elect, for the cabinet he is putting together, and for the rest of the team that will make up the Trump administration.  Politics and political leaders will not save us, but faithfulness to God’s principles (whether knowingly or unknowingly) will serve us well!

PS: Did you know that, while every nation either moved its embassy from Jerusalem or never put one there, Christians actually have an embassy in Jerusalem?  Indeed, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem moved in when all others were moving out, in order to stand with Israel and be a representation for Christians all over the world!  They actually moved into the embassy building vacated by one of the 13 nations that pulled out of Jerusalem.  Yes, Christian friends, ICEJ is YOUR embassy in Jerusalem!  (Read about the history of the ICEJ here.)